ON THE VINERY. 



be taken not to injure the roots of the Vines ; and 

 therefore, the border should not be worked deeper 

 than two or three inches. This work is best per- 

 formed with a three-pronged fork. 



Although many good grapes may be obtained 



times they are made along the centre of the intervals, at others 

 they are dug between the plants, The sort of dung they pre- 

 fer most is cow-dung, that is, the cleanings of the cow-houses, 

 which are well littered with straw or stubble for that purpose : 

 horse-dung is also used, but only on stiff soils. The cleanings of 

 sheep-pens, littered, is much valued, and a they think the litter of 

 as much consequence as the dung. The peasants, vine-dressers, 

 inhabitants of villages, and, in short, every body that keeps a 

 single cow, takes care of the manure, forming it regularly into a 

 heap for sale, and it is bought by the proprietors of the vineyards 

 at so much a basket. They reckon that from five to eight 

 hundred baskets are necessary for an acre of Vines. I saw the 

 baskets, and reckon them to hold about half a bushel, so that 

 eight hundred baskets are four hundred bushels, which I take 

 to be about twelve or thirteen common farmers' cart-loads ; and 

 this manuring is repeated every four or five years. 



" The price per basket varies according to the sort of dung 

 and litter, but it generally comes to five or six shillings an 

 hundred, delivered in the vineyards ; but if very good, to seven 

 or eight, and sometimes more has been given. • 



" Making dung is so much attended to throughout all the 

 wine country, that every means are used to increase the quan- 

 tity. 



" All cattle are kept in houses as much as possible, and 

 littered straw is used for this ; also stubble, which is pulled 

 up by hand ; rubbish-wood from forest-land, leaves of trees 

 swept up, and fern from waste tracts ; every thing is applied to 

 litter with the most unremitted attention. Much cattle are 

 kept, especially cows. These are fed by every means that can 



