SOIL AND SITUATION. 99 



SPECIAL MANURES. 



There are many kinds of manures known as " special," 

 some of which are, no doubt, valuable; but where those 

 materials which have been mentioned can be obtained, 

 there will be no necessity of looking after the specially 

 concentrated manures. Guano, poudrette, superphosphate 

 of lime, etc., may occasionally be used with benefit to give 

 the vine a start when first planted, but it is doubtful 

 whether it would be judicious or economical to depend 

 entirely upon any of them to carry it through a succession 

 of years. I have found fine ground bones to be a safe and 

 not very expensive stimulant for the vine. I use two to 

 four quarts to each vine when planting, mixing it with the 

 soil immediately about the roots. 



After a vineyard is planted, manuring must not be neg- 

 lected, for the vine needs not only to be supplied with 

 food at the start, but it will want feeding continually, if it 

 continues to grow and bear fruit. How often it will need 

 a supply the vineyardist must be the judge. All that is 

 required is to keep up a healthy growth. Too much ma- 

 nure may increase the size of the fruit, but it will injure 

 its quality. The manure may always be applied upon the 

 surface and worked in with the cultivator or hoe, but the 

 plow should never be admitted into a vineyard, as it will 

 cause more injury than benefit. 



Frequent and regular top-dressings of manure are better 

 than large applications at long intervals. Rank unfer- 

 mented manures should not be used for this purpose, as 

 they will often injure the flavor of the fruit ; besides, they 

 will more or less affect the health of the leaves. " 



Upon very open and porous soils a mulching of leaves, 

 straw, tan-bark, or similar materials will be very beneficial, 

 but upon more compact soils it is better to keep the sur- 

 face of the soil open by frequently stirring it with the hoe 



