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 are 
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 off the water, therefore it proved to be a com- 
plete water-pail : a drain was necessarily dug to the full 
depth to carry off 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 quantity 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 decomposed manure, at least one year old, inter- 
spersing it with bones of any description, oyster-shells, or 
any other enriching material that undergoes slow decomposi- 
tion : 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 
