202 CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. 



In England, lime is applied in vast quantities upon 

 some of the low, heavy lands; in some instances, the 

 amount reaching a thousand bushels to the acre: but, 

 upon ordinary uplands, fifty bushels are considered a 

 large dressing. As most vineyard-soils are inclined to 

 be dry, and as we advise to a considerable supply of 

 lime through bones, an annual dressing of five or ten, or, 

 in the case of heavy soils, of fifteen bushels, will probably 

 be found quite sufficient. The best way to apply this will 

 be by mixing it with three times its bulk of peat. 



It will be seen by the analyses previously given, that, 

 while sulphur is found in small quantity in the wood, it 

 enters largely into the composition of the fruit. We 

 should consequently infer that a top-dressing of sulphur 

 would be of service as soon as the vines come to bearing, 

 not merely for the purpose of preventing mildew, as we 

 shall see hereafter, but also as direct food for the plant. 

 It is well known that in volcanic soils, where there is con- 

 siderable impregnation of sulphur, the vines do extraordi- 

 narily well, and the product in fruit and wine is of a supe- 

 rior character. As there is a deficiency of this element in 

 most soils, it would seem essential to provide a sufficient 

 quantity. May it not prove that the increase of rot and 

 mildew within the past twenty years is owing, in a very 



