46 THE CULTURE OP THE GRAPE. 



decomposed and amalgamated, when they should bs 

 placed in the border, and thrown loosely together. My 

 borders, Laving the most slaughter-honse manure, or 

 whole bones of animals in their composition, still Con- 

 tinne, as they ever have done, to produce the best fruit 

 and the largest crops. 



It is unnecessary to attempt to give rules for every 

 kind of soil. One must use his own judgment, and make 

 his border to consist, as near as can be, of the above in- 

 gredients. He must bear in mind that, if his soil is a 

 stiflt', clayey loam, he must add freely of such materials 

 as will lighten and give permeability to it. If the soil 

 is light, sandy, or gravelly, with the manure should be 

 added a proportion of clay or of clayey loam. The rich 

 alluvion soil, abounding in our western and south-west- 

 ern States, will not require any of these strong ma- 

 nures. If anything is requisite to improve them, it must 

 be shells, charcoal, leaves, small stones, or gravel, — such 

 materials as will loosen the soil. 



If a compost is to be prepared, as ^s usually recom- 

 mended by European writers on the cultivation of the 

 grape, by taking the top soil of an old pasture, &c., and 

 throwing them into a heap until decomposed, two or 

 three years are required before the border is in readiness 

 for the vines ; whereas, by the plan which I have adopted, 

 the vines may be planted immediately, making due al- 

 lowance in the placing of the vine for its settling, which 

 will be in proportion to the freshness of the mannres, or 

 the carcasses of animals that enter its compost, which, 

 in dissolving, diminish greatly, and this in ratio to the 

 flesh upon them ; the large bones will change but little 



