34 



ON THE MANAGEMENT 



Parallel to the drain adjoining the front of your 

 Hot-house, another drain should be made at the 

 distance of about 18 or 20 feet, and this ought to 

 be sunk six or eight inches below the level of the 

 former drain ; the bottom floor of the Vinery will 

 then admit of an easy descent, so that the water 

 may readily be drawn off from the roots of your 

 Vines. 



When the soil comes under any of the above 

 descriptions, a bottom floor should be made to 

 prevent the Vine-roots from penetrating it. This 

 floor must be made of such materials as drippings 

 of stone, coarse gravel, broken bricks, &c. and 

 these must be laid quite as low as the bottom of 

 both the drains, and to the thickness of eight or 

 ten inches. They should be well beaten together 

 and made smooth* 



Over these materials, or foundation, there should 

 be put a thin layer of fine loamy soil, quite free 

 from swarth or stones. This should be well 

 watered, and worked over with a spade till it is 

 quite soft, so as to have the appearance of a fluid 

 mass ; for then it will entirely rill up the chinks in 

 the under-bed of stone, &c. and also form a cover- 

 ing, and unite with it so thoroughly, as to make 

 and compose a firm bed, almost as impenetrable as 

 a rock. c 



e This method of tempering soil is in general practice with 

 engineers and persons employed in making navigable canals or 

 large pieces of water. It is by them termed " puddling," and 

 is deemed the best expedient hitherto found out to render 

 ground water-proof, N 



