234 THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. 



noticed) by Mr. Roberts, when lie does not in reality use 

 carrion or recommend its use vuitil changed. 



Dr. Lindley refers to an oak tree, which had been sub- 

 jected to improper treatment, by the digging into the soil, 

 around and above its roots, of an undue quantity of powerful 

 manure from a cess-pool, with the result, to the tree, (almost 

 death,) which any skilful gardener would have expected. 

 This gentleman certainly cannot intend to compare this inju- 

 dicious management with the compost formed from carrion 

 and soil, and the mannei' of applying it, as recommended by 

 Mr. Roberts. For, he immediately adds, " it is only when 

 diluted that such manures acquire tlie liigh value which be- 

 longs to them, — a just remark, not only in relation to the 

 manure above named, but to all the substances usually classed 

 under this head, such as the offal of all animals and birds, 

 the decayed matter from flesh or fish, whether of the soft 

 material which dissolves, or of the bony substances which are 

 a long time in crumbling away, guano, poudrette, &c. 



Dr. Lindley refers to the plants in a greenhouse, that were 

 almost destroyed by the gases arising from the putrefying 

 body of a hedgehog, and thinks that this is proof that the 

 vines were injured at the ends of their shoots by the gas 

 from the carrion. It may have been caused by the confined 

 air inside of this house, which prevented the escape of this 

 gas. I must confess, that I think there may have been some 

 other cause, that affected the plants, and produced the dis- 

 ease. In the newly settled parts of our country, it is cus- 

 tomary to leave the dead bodies of animals unburied. I 

 have never noticed any effect produced upon the foliage of 

 tree or herb from the odor or gas arising therefrom. In the 

 valley of the Connecticut, where reside some of our best 

 agriculturists, they manure the land with fresh white fish, 

 that are caught in great quantities, (I believe in the spring 

 season of the year.) They spread them broadcast over the 

 fields, and any one who has rode through this district, about 

 this time of apphcation, can most assuredly say that the cus- 



