THE CULTUHE OF THE GRAPE. 43 



PEEPAEATION OF TUE EOEDEK. 



The border should be twenty' feet wide, for each set of 

 vines,- — if thirty feet, the better, — and two and a half or 

 three feet deep ; If you have but little room, you can 

 manage to grow ver}' fair grapes with twelve feet of bor- 

 der; but, in this case, you must not plant the vines so 

 close together.* The following course is recommended 

 in preparing the border : — 



If the soil is a good loam, begin at one end and trench 

 it ; mark off ten feet the entire width ; throw out the 

 soil two feet deep; if bones, or the carcasses of animals 

 can be had, cover the bottom well with them ; if these 

 are not readily procured, slaughter-house manure may 

 be substituted ;f mark off ten feet more of the border, 

 and cover this manure with part of the soil from it ; upon 

 this, put an inch or two of oyster shells, or old lime rub- 

 bish, mixed with broken bricks ; over this, put some soil 

 from the border ; then a good covering of cow manure ; 

 upon this, a slight covering of loam again, followed with 

 a good portion of oyster shells, or the substitute ; and 

 over this, a thick covering of stable manure, well rotted ; 

 finish with a covering of the loam.:j: The whole length 



* See Planting the Tines. 



f See Manures. 



:): Drain for the Border. — If drains are necessary, they should bo made 

 after this plan : the main one to be of brick, extending the whole length 

 of, and on the outside of the border, the bottom of this being covered with 

 stones not less than one foot deeij. On these, every six feet, should be 

 smaller drains of brick, tile or stone, leading to the main one, and this can 

 be carried to any convenient point. I have never found it necessary to 

 form these under any border, stones at the bottom answering every pur- 

 pose Very few situations can require them in this country. 



