SOILS AND MANURES FOR GRAPES. 



57 



be added to it will depend on whether clay or sand predominates. 

 If clay is in excess, add to the soil one cartload in ten of old 

 lime and brick rubbish, or burned clay ; charcoal is an excellent 

 addition to a soil where clay is in excess, but it is costly. When 

 it is not convenient to procure any soil except that in which sand 

 is greatly in excess, I would, if possible, procure a portion of pure 

 clay, and let it get frosted, after which I would mix it with the 

 sandy soil, to bring it up to the standard I have given. 



The handling of soil for a Vine-border should always take 

 place in dry weather, for if it is put together wet the results will 

 not be satisfactory. It was at one time a common practice to mix 

 large quantities of farmyard manure with soil for Vine-borders ; 

 but feeling convinced that it was a mistake to do so, when it was 

 desired that the vines should continue for many years to produce 

 good Grapes, I have discontinued the practice for a dozen years, 

 and am every day more and more convinced of the wisdom of 

 doing so. There is only about 3 per cent, of plant food in such 

 manure, and even that does not become readily available when 

 it is buried deep in the soil, as a large portion of it must be in a 

 Vine-border ; and a wide distinction must be made between the 

 effects of farmyard manure applied to garden crops in the open 

 quarters of the garden, where the soil can be turned up annually 

 and get exposed to the ameliorating influences of air and frost, 

 and that buried in the depths of a Vine-border, where, if it gets 

 dry, it may breed fungus, and where if it does not it will act as a 

 sponge and retain an excess of moisture, becoming, in fact, a sort 

 of sour, inert matter like humus, and in every sense an evil. A 

 case of this description gets aggravated by pouring quantities of 

 muddy liquid manure on the border ; the whole mass then becomes 

 what gardeners call sour and impervious to the beneficial action 

 of the air. The only remedy I know, short of clearing out the 

 entire soil and replacing it by new — and it is but a partial one — 

 is to fork a good dressing of hot lime, newly slaked, into the 

 surface of the border. 



Having said all that seems to fall to my province under the 

 head of " Soil for Vines," I now proceed to consider the second 

 branch of the subject assigned to me, namely, Manures. I 

 have found in my own experience that phosphatic manures are 

 most essential, if the Vine is to be kept in permanent health 

 and fruitfulness. These should be in various stages of solubility, 



