THE CULTURE OF THE GEAPE. 187 



and the writings of agriculturists, and from my own ob- 

 servation, I have no doubt of the fact. In many of the 

 grape countries of Europe, manure is so valuable, that, 

 by the road sides, and in the villages, women and chil- 

 dren are frequently on the lookout for the droppings from 

 the post and other horses that may be passing by. Many 

 a time have I seen eight or ten women, scrabbling for 

 this purpose, come very near a pitched battle. In Swit- 

 zerland, and parts of Germanj', as well as in some parts 

 of France, also, the farmers have, next the road, in front 

 of their houses, a large hole, or tank, dug in the earth, 

 into which is thrown the manure and all the refuse mat- 

 ter of every kind, solid and liquid ; the solid matter is 

 heaped up in the middle ; the rainwater is led into this 

 hole from the vicinity, and this liquid is carried, by wo- 

 men, in large buckets strapped to their backs, and 

 spread broadcast over the land. This I have seen ap- 

 plied iu wet weather, not only to grass land, but to vine- 

 yards and other crops, — a practice more beneficial to the 

 land, than agreeable to the traveller. 



A story of a grape grower, who had become so poor 

 that he could give but little manure to his vineyard, has 

 been circulated within a few years, and is often referred 

 to, verbally, as proof of the uselessness of the practice. 

 The account went on to say, that, finally, having no ma- 

 nure at all, as the yield of the vineyard was less and less, 

 from the constantly diminished quantity of manure given 

 to the vines, and he becoming poorer and poorer in con- 

 sequence, being almost in despair at the prospect of star 

 vation for himself and family, the thought occurred to 

 him that the trimmings of the vines might be of service ; 



