90 THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. 



serviceable in yielding to the vine, in a season of drought, 

 the desired moisture. These articles should be incorpo- 

 rated with the soil of the border ; not (as advised by this 

 gentleman,) laid in a mass of one foot depih at the bot- 

 tom. The material in the compost of the soil for the 

 border is unexceptionable, and the m'anner of preparing 

 it, veith the exception of carcasses of animals, which 

 should be obtained at the tiuie of preparing the border ; 

 or, whole bones substituted for them. Slaughter-house 

 manure may be used instead of both of these articles, 

 when it can be had of a suitable quality, that is, when it 

 consists mainly of the offal of the slaughter-house, 

 sheep's heads, hoofs, &c., with a good proportion of 

 bones. 



The system of growing the plants from single eyes, 

 and the manner of planting them in the border, is the 

 common metliod as practised by gardeners generally, at 

 the present time. 



Soon after planting the vines commences the operation 

 of heating the border by manure piled over the roots. 

 This is relied upon by Mr. Koberts as the great good. 

 The necessity for this artificial heat does not exist in the 

 summer months in the United States, nor in the soutbei-n 

 states at any season. A great objection to it is the ex- 

 cessive stimulus to the plant from such a quantity of 

 manure, which must be kept u]? every year, (after tlic 

 vine has become accustomed to it,) or the plant will lan- 

 guish and cease to yield its fruit. In England, it unques- 

 tionably has, thus far, worked well ; but, by this plan ot 

 beating the border, the roots are spreading with rapidity, 

 and it seems inevitable that the time must come, when 



