146 SPENCER'S OPINION AS TO 



the best of their kind, that they have been properly mixed and pre- 

 pared, and that the border has been made, and the Vines planted, in 

 the usual way. There can be no question but that (if other things are 

 favourable), on a border of this description, the Vine wiU grow 

 vigorously, and mature fine crops of Grapes. But let us wait some 

 eight or ten years, when the fibre of the loam is rotted, and its elasticity 

 destroyed, by which time the dung has become a sour pasty mass ; 

 while the rain during that period wiU have washed down the more 

 soluble parts, and will have partially, if not totally, stopped the natural 

 drainage. If at the same time the loam has been somewhat of a heavy 

 texture, the evil wiU. be increased. In fact, it will be foimd, on exami- 

 nation, that what was, for the first few years, a rich porous border, has 

 become, through causes perfectly natural, unsuited for the growth of 

 the Vine. 



" I consider that when healthy and permanent Vines are wished for, 

 more loam, and that of a sandy nature, should enter into the composi- 

 tion of Vine borders, and that a large portion of the following should 

 be intimately incorporated with it, viz., charcoal dust, charred matter, 

 wood ashes, and soot. What manure is used should be perfectly rotten, 

 and as dry as can be procured, and that road scrapings, or (what is 

 better) the sweepings of large towns, well rotted, and mixed with the 

 above, will be found one of the best materials for a sound healthy 

 border. 



"In preference to concreting the bottom, I would recommend the 

 border to rest on any description of rough paving stones, raised 

 on rough walls, one foot or more, according to the situation, thus 

 forming a series of air drains under the border, the outlet to 

 which may either be in the house, or in some place enabling you 

 to connect them with the external air. With a bottom of this 

 description I would then certainly concrete the surface. I use gravel, 

 lime, and coal ashes made into mortar, and spread two inches thick ; in 

 addition, when the above is dry, it gets a coat of gas tar over the sur- 

 face ; this forms a compact substance, treading firm underfoot, and 

 efiectuaUy throwing ofi' rain ; common 3-inoh draining pipes are placed 

 upright in the border previously, which stand one inch above the surface 

 when the concrete is laid on. When it is necessary to water the border, 

 it can be done to any extent by pouring water down the pipes. In 

 winter, all agree the drier the border the better ; and plugs are then 

 placeci in them. It will, however, be found that less water will be 

 required than might be expected, arising from the obstruction to free 

 evaporation by the concrete. In a small Vinery, planted in August, 

 1848, the border of which was concreted after planting, I have only 

 watered the outside border once (the inside border being only two feet 

 wide), and yet the Vines have never shown the least indications of 

 having required more, irrespective of the advantage of having in our 



