290 MANURING. 



If notwithstanding the disadvantages, animal manures are to 

 be used, still it is advisable, that they should be left to become 

 completely decomposed by the atmosphere ; for which reason 

 they ought not to be employed until they are two or three 

 years old, and have lost their scent. It may be well to re- 

 mark, that there are some animal substances which greatly 

 enrich the soil and do not injure the wine, such as horns, and 

 horn shavings, hair, claws, and nails, these have also the ad- 

 vantage of only becoming decomposed when the atmosphere 

 is both warm and moist, which is the time when they can im- 

 part the most benefit. 



Autumn is the most favourable period for manuring vine- 

 yards, and the vigneron is then more at leisure to attend to 

 it, the manure likewise has time during winter to become more 

 decomposed, and consequently will impart less odour to the 

 fruit. 



Frequent manurings are deemed far more advantageous 

 than doing it very abundantly at one time, and are calculated 

 to produce less variation in the quality of the wine. The 

 manure should be spread equally over the surface, so as to 

 afford general benefit to the roots in every direction, and not 

 be placed in large quantities near the root of the vine only, 

 as is often practiced. It is also deemed prudent when animal 

 manures are used, that only part of the vineyard be manured 

 at one time. As a conclusive proof of the great influence of 

 manures on the fruit, we may cite the vineyards of Aunis, and 

 its neighbourhood, where sea weed alone is used for the pur- 

 pose, and where the grapes not only partake of the scent, but 

 by being subjected to chemical process are found to yield 

 alkali. 



In the vineyards on hills and declivities, which are formed 

 by transverse hedges, walls, and ditches, the vigneron collects 

 every year, or every second year, the earth which has washed 

 down from one terrace to another, in order that it may be 

 carried up again and replaced ; this custom has a tendency 

 also to enrich the soil and merits general adoption. 



Plaster would doubtless be beneficial at the usual distance 



