320 DESCRIPTIVE CATALOGUE, ETC. 



moisture, wliicli is destruction to the roots of the vine. The 

 celebrated Brassin, conductor of the royal vinery of France, 

 used to practice enriching his vine borders with exciting ma- 

 nures : he now finds that cleansing of ditches, grass-turf, and 

 road sweepings, mixed well together and allowed to ferment 

 for a year, is far preferable. He now uses it entirely as 

 an annual dressing; but, in our opinion, this cannot be con- 

 tinued for any length of time unless the border is also yearly 

 reduced; consequently, manures that are of slow decomposi- 

 tion are preferable, and nothing that we are acquainted with 

 excels bones of every description; but these are not always 

 at hand in quantity. "When to be obtained, they should al- 

 ways be put to a good purpose; an annual winter top-dressing 

 of manure of a few inches, and the roughest removed in the 

 spring, digging in the remainder not over four inches deep, 

 which will encourage the roots to the surface, where they 

 will be greatly benefited by solar heat and air. Liquid 

 manures are highly valuable where immediate efi"ect is re- 

 quired : they contain all the soluble parts of manure in such 

 a state as to admit of being taken up by the plant as soon 

 as applied. These are urine, which may be used pure any 

 time from the first of November to February when the ground 

 iS' not frozen; but if used at any other period, must be di- 

 luted with its equal quantity of water. Drainimjs of ma- 

 nure-lieajos and soap-suds can be used at all times, but not 

 too frequently. Soot dissolved in water, in the proportion 

 of one to twelve, is an exceedingly strong manure, and very 

 stimulating. Cimwo dissolved in water at the rate of 20 lbs. 

 to 100 gallons is a first rate manure. Where great growth is 

 required, they may be safely watered once a-week, during 

 the growing season, with the enriched liquid; but all these 

 exciting manures must be cautiously applied, as excess is 

 very injurious. to the fertility of the vine; and although 

 one of the grossest feeders in nature, even possessing the 

 appetite of a glutton, it can be satiated and destroyed. 



DESCRIPTIVE CATALOGUE OF GRAPES MOST SUITABLE 

 FOR OPEN AIR CULTURE. 



Golden Chassclas, Chasselas de Fontainhlcau, U Ai-hoyce, 

 or Rojal Mascadine. Bunches medium size, with very small 



