CULTIVATION OF THE GEAPB UNDER GLASS. 149 



should be laid, mth a like slope to carry off promptly aU the water 

 that runs to the edge of the horder. The hottom of the border 

 should then be covered with broken stone, or brick rubbish, or 

 Very coarse gravel, and this, if possible, covered with a layer that 

 is a little finer, thus gradually increasing the fineness of the mate- 

 rial until it approaches that of ordinary soil. This drainage should 

 be nine inches deep, and be covered all ovenvith an inverted sod. 



The best soil with which to fill up the border is that taken 

 from the surface of an old pasture, where the grass is fine and 

 thick, paring off the sod to a depth of three inches — if abound- 

 ing in calcareous matter, so much the better. Old grape growers 

 say it should be composed of 65 per cent, of sand, 30 per cent. 

 of clay, and 5 per cent, of chalk, with plenty of vegetable fibre, 

 that is, roots of grass. But beware of decaying woodj every bit 

 of this win be filled with spores of fungi, that will be certaia to 

 injure, and very probably destroy the vines. This sod and soil 

 from the pastuie should be stacked under cover for say sis 

 months, untO. the grass is dead and the whole mass dry ; then 

 broken up and mixed with lime rubbish, old plaster, if possible 

 in the proportion of ten loads of loam to two of lime rubbish, 

 one of charcoal, and two of fresh fermenting horse manure, 

 and four hundred weight of coarse, broken bones. This 

 should be thoroughly turned over several times, that it may 

 be well intermingled, turning it, if possible, in frosty weather. 

 If the soil be too strong in clay it may be improved by adding 

 sand. If the soil be deficient in clay, increase the quantity of 

 bones and horse droppings. Horn shavings are an excellent 

 substitute for bones, or may be used with them. Calcined oyster 

 shells are also useful, if they can be had. While preparing this 

 compost for the vine border it shoidd be kept dry. 



The width of the border in the forcing house should be the 

 entire vridth of the house, and the foundation laid up with stone 

 or brick along the entire front, to the depth of the bottom of the 

 border, so that the roots of the vines can have no opportunity of 

 straying into the outer soil. In the span-roofed vinery the border 



