water from them, and ricTi pervious soil — sucli as would yield one liundred bushels of 

 corn to the acre, but made three times as deep, (that is to say, two feet and a half oi 

 three feet deep,) with no place for water to lodge at the bottom. About half the depth 

 named will answer very well for a few years, but the vine before it is able to give its 

 best mature results will begin to fail. After shallow planting, profuse manuring ii 

 injurious, and there should be no joint occupancy of the ground by weeds or vege- 

 tables. Both cause unfruitfiillness and unhealthiness of the vines. 



Although the wants of the vine are few, simple, and easily supplied, yet they are 

 imperative, and, as with all the other fruits of our climate, it is only to judicious care 

 that it can yield its richest delight. 



Before planting, we mnst suppose there is a " border," that is to say, a portion of 

 ground, at least three feet in length and breadth, and not less than two, and better if 

 three, feet in depth, of thoroughly mingled fertile soil. 



But according to the common acceptation, the word border means length greatly ex- 

 ceeding breadth ; for example, twelve feet of width and fifty feet or any indefinite 

 length ; for a trellis of vines, more than twelve feet of width is unnecessary, and one 

 third less will answer very well ; and it is desirable, but not indispensable, that half 

 of the twelve feet should be prepared before plantmg. If only a width of three feet 

 is prepared, three feet more should be added the next season. To prepare the border 

 immediately, the unfertile soil that lies beneath must be removed, and fertile soil put 

 in its place. To do this, a trench two feet wide is ma>de to the depth of the mould or 

 fertile soil, which we will suppose to be one foot ; if more than that, so much the better. 

 Now, to make the border two feet deep, which is the least admissible, one foot of the 

 subsoil must be removed." If grounds are of considerable size, this may be spread 

 over the surface of a portion, so that it shall not be more than two inches in depth, 

 and plowed or worked in without any immediate damage, but with ultimate benefit, 

 particularly if manure is used at the same time. Into the bottom of this trench the 

 fertile soil of the adjoining two feet is put, and, if it can readily be had, a compost 

 of leafmould, or muck, or any vegetable decay, and well-rotten stable manure, 

 thoroughly mixing the mass as it goes in. If sods from a rich pasture can be had, they 

 may be thrown in with the compost to the depth of fourteen or sixteen inches for 

 every foot of subsoil removed, and then the fertile soil from the next two feet put 

 upon the top. Repeat this process until the border of required dimensions is made, 

 and finish by putting into the last trench the soil tlmt was taken from the first. If 

 Rods and compost are not used, other fertile soil must be obtained from adjoining ground 

 or '^nme ^ther quarter, to replace the subsoil that has been removed. At the comple- 

 tion oi the operation, the ground of the border will be found to be some inches higher 

 than the adjoining ground, but in two years it will settle nearly even. This is the 

 operation called trenching, and without it no garden is in condition for giving best re- 

 sults. For growing strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries, it is equally advan- 

 tageous, but with this diiference, that the fruits last named are expected to continue 

 perhaps only from six to twice six 3'^ears on the same ground, while vines properly 

 planted and managed have no limit to their duration, and the fruit for many years 

 will constantly improve in quality and earliness of maturity. 



Note. Vines ma}^ be planted according to the method of Mr. Mottier, with equal suc- 

 cess, immediately after the deep working of the ground, by using half a bushel of 

 fibrous soil from beaten sods for the reception of the roots, leaving the subsoil to be 

 reduced by the first se^ison's cultivation of the vines. 



For vineyard planting the use of half the quantity named may be considered good 

 treatment, the largest portion being put in the bottom of the excavation, but enough 

 above for covering the roots the proper depth. 



To those who think the above thorough preparation too troublesome or expensive, I 

 would say, that in soil from fifteen to eighteen inches in depth, having no lodgment 

 of water about the roots, vines will do well for a number of 3'ears, and that the Dela- 

 ware will bear more hardship from ill-treatment than any with which I am acquainted. 

 Concord not excepted. But the system proposed, if fully carried out, promises from a 

 trellis of Delaware and lona vines as much enjoyment as can be had from the besv 

 managed house, without artificial heat and at a trifling proportion of the cost. 



