98 THE GEAPE CULTURIST. 



As vines seldom starve to death the first season, although 

 their growth may be small and weak, if supplied with a 

 sufficient quantity of the proper fertilizers the second 

 year, they may not only live, but finally become strong 

 and productive, at a loss to the cultivator of a year's 

 growth, the penalty for his ignorance or negligence. 



In all sandy, gravelly, and light loam soils there i is 

 usually a want of organic materials, and that want must 

 be supplied by applying muck, leaves, leaf-mold from 

 the woods, sods, or barnyard manure, or it may be sup- 

 plied by growing clover or some other similar crop and 

 turning it under while green. When muck or leaves 

 are used, it is best to compost them with barnyard 

 manure. This may be done by spreading the materials 

 over the barnyard a foot deep, and then spread the 

 manure over it and let the cattle tread it in ; and when 

 the manure has accumulated to the depth of six inches, 

 spread on another foot, and so until it is three or four 

 feet deep; then it should all be forked over and mixed 

 together. If the whole is under cover it is better ; but 

 it is not very essential, unless manure is very scarce and 

 valuable. The muck absorbs all the liquid portions of 

 the manure and prevents waste, and a compost of three- 

 fourths muck or of the other materials named, and one- 

 fourth barnyard manure, is more valuable for a light 

 soil than if the whole amount were barnyard manure. 



When it is not convenient to make the compost 

 heap in the barnyard it may be made anywhere in the 

 fields, by first laying down a foot in depth of any of 

 those materials, and then drawing out the manure and 

 spreading it over the surface, putting on alternate layers 

 until a sufficient quantity is obtained. The compost 

 heap should be kept level on the top, or a little inclined 

 toward the center, so that it shall receive the water that 

 falls upon it. This will cause it to decompose more rap* 

 idly than if the water did not penetrate it. 



