234 PREPARING THE** ROUND. 



ploughing in October or November, it is particularly recom- 

 mended to furrow to as great a depth as possible, by the use 

 of two strong ploughs to follow each other. The coverings 

 of compost, or decomposed stable manure, can be repeated at 

 more or less of the several ploughings, and in all cases with 

 great advantage. During these preparations of the soil, all 

 large stones should be removed, as they would obstruct future 

 operations, but the smaller ones will be rather beneficial than 

 otherwise. 



The final harrowing in November will leave the ground in 

 a suitable state to receive the vines, the various ploughings 

 having mellowed the earth to the depth of nearly or quite 

 two feet. Another method of preparing the ground, and 

 generally deemed still more advantageous, is by double 

 trenching, which is performed in the following manner, in 

 case the operation is extended to the whole surface. Mark 

 oat a given plot, either an oblong or a perfect square, then 

 strike a line at one end, and mark off a strip of two feet in 

 width, from this dig out the earth to the depth of two spits, 

 which remove by a cart or wagon to the opposite extremity, 

 this of course will leave an excavation for the whole breadth 

 of the plot of two feet in width, and about the same depth ; 

 next strike the line and mark off another strip of two feet ad- 

 joining the first ; from this remove one spit or foot of earth 

 and throw into the first excavation or trench, on this throw a 

 thick coat of compost, rich loam, or manure of the description 

 before mentioned, and above this throw a second spit of earth 

 from the second trench ; the result of this operation is that 

 about a foot of the surface mould is placed below, and a foot 

 of the lower mould is brought to the surface, with a layer of 

 manure between the two. This process is to be continued 

 till the plot is completed, and it will be at once perceived that 

 the requisite quantity of manure should be placed on the 

 ground previous to commencing the other operations, this 

 should be laid in heaps of about a cart load each. The prin- 

 cipal objection to this mode of preparation is the enhanced 

 expense attending it when compared with the former mode, 



