104 CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. 



strength of the soil, aided by the compost manure, should 

 be fully equal. The bulk of ashes, bones, lime, sulphur, 

 phosphates, or other special manures, should be reserved 

 for top-dressing in the third year and thereafter. We 

 are now ready for the work of loosening the soil and 

 incorporating the compost. Trenching is recommended 

 by some, working the entire surface with the spade to a 

 depth of two feet at least. Some authors recommend that 

 the subsoil should be brought to the top, and the surface 

 should go to the bottom ; others would preserve them in 

 their relative position, simply loosening the earth ; others 

 still advise that the two soils should be well mixed. Dif- 

 ferent soils require a modification of every general rule ; 

 yet the latter course seems to be most reasonable, and has 

 the approval of most practical cultivators. But this hand- 

 work, though most thorough and perfect, seems to me 

 to be too laborious and expensive for any extensive appli- 

 cation. In most soils suited for a vineyard, the plough 

 can be made to go to the deptli of twenty inches or two 

 feet, and the work is done sufficiently well for practical 

 purposes. The first furrow being opened as deep as is 

 possible with a strong team, let the subsoil plough folloAV 

 in the furrow, not only loosening the subsoil to the re- 

 quired depth, but also mixing the surface soil to an extent, 



