FORCING DHIMKTMKNT. 300 



which runs at the extremity of the border, parallel 

 to the houses. The bottom of the drain is kept 

 nearly eight inches lower than the floor of the bor- 

 der ; thus, with a few cross drains, which lead from 

 the foundation of the Vineries, it prevents any water 

 settling on the sub-stratum, which, being of a stiff 

 blue clay, surely would be impervious. When the 

 floor was properly drained and formed, about seven 

 inches of brick-bats, and coarse lime rubbish, was 

 laid for the foundation of the border materials, and 

 over this was placed a layer of thick sods, with the 

 grassy side downwards. The remaining space was 

 then filled up with good hasel loam, rather of a sandy 

 nature, which had been about three months from the 

 common, and two or three times turned over, with 

 the turf or sward chopped up amongst it. To this 

 compost were added one-fourth of good decomposed 

 stable dung, and one-fourth of decayed tree leaves, 

 that were reduced to rough garden mould. These 

 ingredients were well incorporated; and frequent 

 sprinklings of lime rubbish, from an old building, was 

 intermixed with them. The whole being put into 

 the excavated space in a rough state, during the 

 month of October, was left to decompose for a 

 couple of months, when it was again turned over, for 

 the purpose of exposing the decomposing matter to 

 the action of the weather, and meliorate such parts 

 as were in a crude state. When the borders were 

 filled to their proper level, there was about three feet 

 in depth of prepared soil for the roots to run in, 

 under which, I believe, the Vine will but seldom 

 penetrate in quest of nourishment, provided it has a 

 2 z 



