ON MANURE. 55 



SO long, nor are they, indeed, to be procured in suffi- 

 cient abundance, to be calculated upon for an ade- 

 quate supply. 



Bone diisi, is a very powerful manure, producing 

 immediate effect, and is lasting in its duration ; but 

 the process of boiling bones, previously to their being 

 crushed, deprives them of their very best qualities. 



The entire carcases of animals^ or any 'portions of 

 them^ dead birds, <^'c. (^^c, independently of their 

 bones, yield, after decomposition, an extraordinary 

 supply of food for the roots of vines, impregnating 

 the soil all around with a great quantity of nutritious 

 matter. Dead animals of every description, therefore, 

 such as dogs, cats, pigs, (fcc. that have died, may be 

 thus disposed of in a most advantageous manner, 

 by depositing them in their entire state in the vine 

 border. 



Cidiings of leatJier, old or neM\ old shoes, (^*c. are a 

 very valuable manure, remaining in the ground many 

 years before entirely decomposed. The roots of vines 

 are very partial to this description of manure. 1 have 

 examined the soles of old shoes, that have been de- 

 posited in the soil upwards of seven years, and have 

 found their surfaces covered with fibres, feeding eager- 

 ly upon them. 



Woollen rags, feathers, and hair, may all be men- 

 tioned as valuable manures, yielding, during their de- 

 composition, a great supply of nutritious matter. 



A vast number of other substances well known as 

 manures might be enumerated, but though many of 

 these would be found to be very valuable with refer- 

 ence to their immediate effect, their good qualities 

 being of transient duration, would be entirely dissi- 

 pated before the roots of the vines could derive any 

 lasting benefit from. them. Moreover, powerful ma- 

 nures of short duration excite vines to a sort of pre- 

 mature growth, and when the roots are becoming 

 strong and vigorous, and capable of absorbing with 

 advantage a greater quantity of nutriment, the manure 

 is exhausted, and the plants immediately make a re- 



