56 



EOYAL I10UTICULTU11AL SOCIETY. 



is highly approved, though it would surprise many of our grape- 

 growers, viz. of burying in the ground branches of shrubs, such as 

 heath, broom, cistus, juniper, and box, especially the latter, which 

 is said to give out during decay a larger proportion of azote than 

 any other vegetable. The danger in my own apprehension would 

 be of infection from fungus-spawn developed on the decaying 

 branches ; and I suspect that mischief sometimes arises from this 

 cause, which is attributed to other circumstances which are in all 

 probability harmless. Seaweed is sometimes used on the coast, but 

 is said to communicate a very unpleasant flavour to the wine. 

 The prunings or thinnings of the vines themselves, again, are often 

 used with good effect, — a practice similar to that which prevails in 

 some of our best hop-grounds, where no manure is used in soils 

 abounding with phosphates, except the old plants cut up into chaff. 



Burnt earth, especially when mixed with lime-rubbish from old 

 buildings, appears to be an excellent dressing, and is said to in- 

 crease greatly the strength of the wine, while plaster mixed with 

 dung seems to have a very powerful effect in producing vigorous 

 shoots. As for animal substances, such as horns, raspings of hoofs, 

 bones, &c, if used at all, they should be used with caution, as the 

 grapes sometimes become perfectly detestable after an overdose. 

 As regards what may be called purely chemical or artificial ma- 

 nures, our author, who sets his face against everything in the 

 shape of chemistry, gives us little or no information. 



There is a great deal of information upon other matters in the 

 volume, but I have selected those only which are likely to be 

 suggestive. There is certainly great room for improvement in our 

 grape-culture, notwithstanding the perfection at which we have 

 arrived in some of our best establishments. "What is wanted in 

 many of our cultivators is a thorough knowledge of the principles 

 of cultivation, and a power of adapting these to peculiar circum- 

 stances. A great deal of the unhealthiness of our vines, of the 

 failure or blindness of the flowers, of the early decay of the fruit, 

 of intense rust, and other misfortunes might be avoided, and we 

 should not see remedies for vine-mildew applied where no mildew 

 exists, or half-a-dozen nostrums employed, one of which is. quite 

 sufficient to induce mischief. Above all, we should not have arti- 

 ficial manures applied of the composition of which the cultivator 

 has no knowledge; and if their market-price bears no proportion to 

 their real fertilizing powers, the mere loss of money is a trifle, 

 compared with the fact that they may contain an overwhelming 

 proportion of sulphate of iron or some other chemical which is 



