44 THE cuLTUKa 6f the grape. 



is to be made in this manner, in alternate spaces of ten 

 feet each trenching. After it is finished, the border 

 should be three i'eet six inches deep ; it will settle to less 

 than three feet in a few months ; any soil left, after it is 

 finished, can be carried oi?.* 



Dr. Lindley is of opinion, that, in the draining of the border, the im- 

 Vi'oveinent is more by the admission of air and heat than by the removal of 

 water. — Gardeners' Chronicle, 1847, p. 651. 



* The above is the method by whieh I have twelve thousand square feet 

 of border prepared. 



After throwing out the soil, the materials are placed in the border, and 

 following each other in the.se proportions : First, nine inches of the strong 

 slaughter-house manure, (or the carcasses of animals, or bones, etc..) four 

 inches of soil, two inches of shells, four inches of soil, six inches of cow 

 manure, four inches oS soil, three inches of shells, four or five inches of sta- 

 ble manure, and six inches of soil. 



These articles were thrown as roughly as possible into place, and not 

 levelled ; the first manure, for instance, in some places, would be only six 

 inches deep, and in others, ten or twelve, or more, just as it would happen 

 to fall from the shovel, the above measurements being near what they 

 would have been, if on a level. Avoiding, as much as possible, the form- 

 ing of layers, which, at first sight, would seem to be the case, but the jiii- 

 oes of the strong manures would be all imbibed by the soil placed amongst 

 them, and rendered rich accordingly. 



In the strong manure, at tJie bottom of the border, no care wa,s taken to 

 have the same material throughout ; but, as they could be procured, they 

 were placed in position, as fresh as possible, (before they became offensive.) 

 If the caj-cass of an animal was had, it was simply quartered, and laid in 

 and covered with the soil. If the entire skeleton of the horse was had, (of 

 which there are, in this border, at least forty,) it was similarly placed, as 

 also the slaughter-house manure ; but when, as was the case in some parts, 

 bones were used which bad been boiled, the floor of the border was cover- 

 ed with these from two to four inches deep, and the freshest cow manure 

 which could be had was placed to the depth of from two to four mehes 

 upon them, and this again was covered with alilce quantity of bones, which 

 were stuck into the manure in every direction, care being taken that they 

 should not lie flat on its surface ; the object in view, beuig to have as rich 

 a material in this case, as when the other manures were employed. Some- 

 times, old mortar and brickbats were mixed with the shells, and used in 

 connection with'thcra. 



