THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. 153 



" The border should be kept, at all times, clear from weeds. 

 When it is necessary to recruit the soil, work in such a com- 

 post as has been described, or similar. The dung out of a 

 cow-house, perfectly rotted, is a fine manure for the vine." 



Forsyth, in his book on the Culture of Fruit Trees, says^ 

 that " the best manure for vmes is a mixture of vegetable 

 mould, rotten dung, and fresh loam turf; and all this should 

 be thrown in a heap, and frequently turned, for a year or 

 two, before it is used." Page 219. London, 1824. 



The following I found in Loudon's Magazine, vol. 17th, 

 page 646 ; it is there credited to the Gardeners' Chronicle, 

 vol. 1st, page 413 : — 



" Mr. Hayward's manure for grapes. I have tried a great 

 variety of compounds as food, and have found that one quart 

 of cider, or cider grounds, added to two gallons of water, 

 brings a grape vine to a more perfect prolific state than any 

 thing else. Tliis mixture must be supplied in such quantity 

 as will saturate the earth, like water, to the depth of the 

 roots, and all over the surface occupied by the roots. It 

 must only be given once in the year ; and, if repeated the 

 second year, its good efiects will be sustained for several years 

 afterwards without further supplies." 



Hoare. — " The natural soil which is most congenial to the 

 growth of the vine, etc., is a rich, light, sandy loam, not 

 more than eighteen inches in depth, on a dry bottom of 

 gravel, stones, or rocks. 



" Of those manures that may be mixed with the soil when 

 the border is first made, the best are such as possess the two 

 valuable qualities of affording to the roots of the vine the 

 highest degree of nourishment^ combined with the greatest 

 'permanency of duration. Of this description are bones, 

 horns and hoofs of cattle, bone dust, the entire carcasses of 

 animals, cuttings of leather, woolen rags, feathers, and hair. 

 Bones, however, on account of their prolonged effect, are by 

 far the most valuable manure that can be deposited in a vine 

 border. 



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