THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. 251 



Hovoy wishes to keep the roots at the surface, and this 

 he will do by the top-dressing. 



In the directions for the winter treatment of the vine, 

 it was recommended to cover the border with coarse ma- 

 nure and leaves, so that all the advantage the vine would 

 derive from this application would be reaped by follow- 

 ing my plan ; and, when fire-heat was used in the spring, 

 it is urged, as proper, to add to the litter, etc., already on, 

 enough of new manui-e to cover the border twelve or 

 eighteen inches thick, which would ferment and heat, 

 and certainly encourage the roots to keep to the surface. 

 But does any one suppose that all the roots of the vine, — 

 a plant that will live for centuries, — are to be kept within 

 such a limit ? This bugbear of the carcasses, (I am not 

 so particular about the flesh being on them, it is the 

 bones and hoofs I depend upon chiefly,) which trouble 

 Mr. Hovey so much, and which are to draw the roots of 

 the vine down to them, (it is admitted then that there is 

 such nourishment,) I place there, at the bottom of the 

 border, the lower part of them three feet and the upper 

 part, perhaps, not more than two under the surface, to 

 give durability to the border, presuming that the vine 

 will not reach them before the second, third, or fourth 

 year,* and that, when it does, by the superior richness of 

 this strata, the roots are efifectually prevented from going 

 deeper in search of food ; it is well known that the roots 

 of the grape will form spongioles innumerable over the 

 surface of bones partially decomposed, and that they 

 turn and return, on the inside and outside of them, hav- 

 ing no disposition to part company. 



The cause of Mr. Hovey's objecting to these materials 

 10* 



