ON SOIL. 



309 



inferred that vines will not thrive in a cold wet soil, nor 

 composed of stiff clay, which is easily accounted for from 

 the fact that they delight only in soils easily rendered dry 

 by evaporation, and free from excess of moisture, and ^^re 

 always more warm, which is so genial to the growth of this 

 plant. To elucidate this, we can record an instance that 

 occurred a few years ago in this vicinity: A vine border 

 was dug out to the depth of three feet and a half, in a cold 

 retentive clay soil ; twenty inches of stone, brick, and lime- 

 rubbish were put in the bottom, and the remainder filled 

 up with good compost for the vines, in which they were 

 planted, and grew well for two years, and produced some 

 fruit; finally, they languished, and almost died, and it was 

 at once pronounced that fine foreign grapes would not do in 

 this country. But, on examining the roots of the plants, 

 it was discovered that they were rotten from the excess of 

 moisture which was retained in this pit ; for though it had 

 been partially filled with a dry bottom, no provision was 

 made to carry oft' the water, therefore it proved to be a com- 

 plete water-pail : a drain was necessarily dug to the full 

 depth to carry oft" the water, and the soil generally renewed; 

 the vines were cut to within two feet of the ground ; they 

 now (four years after the operation) grow luxuriantly, and 

 produce abundant crops every year. Therefore, if the sub- 

 soil is not naturally dry, it must be made so by draining, 

 which is the basis of the work, filling up the bottom with a 

 sufficient quainty of dry materials, such as stones broken 

 moderately small, brickbats, lumps of lime-rubbish, oyster- 

 shells, &c., which will keep them dry and warm by the free 

 admission of air and solar heat, and to admit of heavy rains 

 passing quickly through without being retained sufficiently long 

 to saturate the roots or injure the tender extremities ; having 

 thus furnished a dry bottom", cover to the desired height with 

 turf taken about three inches deep from a rich pasture ; and 

 to every four loads of turf add one load of thoroughly de- 

 composed manure, at least one year old, interspersing it 

 with bones of any description, oyster-shells, or any other 

 enriching material that undergoes slow decomposition : the 

 whole must be repeatedly turned, and allowed to settle before 

 the vines are planted. Extreme caution has to be exercised 

 in administering bone-dust, slaughter-house offal, and other 

 over-rich manures^ especially if the vines are to be planted 



