MY VINEYARD. 95 



tings taken from the vines by pruning. All of tlie earthy 

 constituents of the soil which the growing plants have 

 taken up are thus returned at once. It is probable, how- 

 ever, that the application of an equivalent amount of ashes 

 would be fully as beneficial. 



Some of the directions given for tlie preparation of a 

 soil suited to the grape, by the older authors, are amusing 

 if not instructive. In one case, after enumerating a dozen 

 ingredients which must be used, the author slips in a cau- 

 tion against having any of them deteriorated by an admix- 

 ture of clay ! In many instances the exactness demanded 

 in the preparation of the soil would suffice a careful 

 apothecary in the compounding of the most difficult medi- 

 cines. 



If the soil is good enough to raise a fiir crop of Indian 

 corn, it will do well enough, at least for a while, without 

 manure. If it be poorer than this, it must be manured 

 until its fertility has reached this standard. Only the 

 finest and most thoroughly rotted manure should be used, 

 that which is fresh and rank, and all fermenting substan- 

 ces must be discarded. Lime and ashes are valuable fer- 

 tilizers. 



It should be remembered that any excess of manure 

 causes an undue growth of wood, and prevents fruiting. 

 The object for which the fruit is grown, whether for table 

 use or for wine, should have some bearing upon the sub- 



