66 OPEN Alli GEAPE CULTUKE. 



layer of brickbats, lime rubbish, and oyster sliells be 

 laid, it will prove an advantage. A border prepared 

 in this simple manner ^Yill give good satisfaction 

 imder any circumstances. 



If the soil be heavy we would also make liberal 

 additions of sandy loam or saw-dust. 



But if the location of the border is such that it can- 

 not be well drained, we would remove all the soil to 

 the depth of 18 inches over the entire extent of the 

 border and fill up at least 12 inches of the space witb 

 stones, brickbats, etc. Over this we would spread a 

 thin layer of straw or brush, and after building a wall 

 round the border 18 to 30 inches high, we would fill 

 in with a rich soil resembling in composition, that 

 described above. The earth on the outside might be 

 banked up to the wall, and either sodded, or merely 

 beaten solid. 



In all such cases, it is evident that from the narrow 

 limits to whicli we are in general confined, the soil 

 ought to be of the richest kind ; and as it is nearly 

 impossible to renew it after the vines are once started, 

 this richness should be derived from materials calcu- 



great advantage to be derived from the use of bones in vine borders 

 is the length of time during wliich they continue to act, and, there- 

 fore, the largest and most sohd should be selected and used without 

 being crushed or broken. This is no argument, however, against thr 

 additional use of bone dust. 



