310 



ON SOIL. 



the same or even the following season. Soils glutted with 

 instant enriching manures are destructive to the vine. The 

 surface of the border should have a gentle descent from the 

 wall or fence : never crop your vine borders, and be careful 

 of treading much upon them ; a board trellis should be laid 

 for walking upon when the operation of pruning, tying, &c., 

 takes place, which is almost daily during summer. The 

 border, after it has been once made, ought never to be stirred, 

 except at intervals, to keep it from becoming hard and im- 

 pervious to heat or moisture; and, when necessary, it 

 should only be forked up about two inches deep, at all times 

 taking care not to injure the roots. 



In dry sandy soils all that is wanted for the full perfec- 

 tion of the grape is to take out about one foot of the poorest of 

 the ground, and replace it by turf from a meadow, adding 

 thereto a portion of well-decomposed manure. Sweepings 

 from turnpike roads, where there is much travel, is an ex- 

 cellent article for incorporating with such soils ; it is of an 

 enriching quality, its component parts consisting chiefly of 

 sand, pulverized stones, dung, and urine, which is of a more 

 lasting nature than can be found in almost any other com- 

 post; it ought to be thoroughly incorporated with the other 

 soil soon after it has been collected from the road, as all its 

 valuable qualities will then be entirely preserved. The fore- 

 going remarks in the preparation of soil, if followed, will 

 insure the luxuriant growth of vines and the yearly produc- 

 tion of fine crops of grapes, and, when circumstances will 

 permit, should be practically adopted at all times. But it 

 must not be supposed that vines will not grow and mature 

 fine crops unless thus encouraged in extra prepared soils. 

 Such is not the fact, for vines will do well in any soil that 

 is not adhesive and has a dry bottom ; but they grow finer, 

 and bear greater crops of fruit within a given space of time, 

 when planted in ground that has been properly prepared for 

 their reception. For instance, if two cuttings be planted, 

 the one in a soil fully prepared, and the other in that of the 

 latter description, it v/ill be found at the end of three years 

 that the vine in the former soil is double the size of the 

 latter ; consequently, the strong vine v/ill produce two-thirds 

 more fruit, and of a better quality, than the weak vine. 

 This difference occurring every year, and even greater as 

 the age increases^ is sufiicicnt to amply repay for all the 



