practical papers—Grape growing. 
377 
As a curiosity, let me give you one among many lists of fertili¬ 
zers recommended and heretofore considered essential in prepar¬ 
ing the soil for planting the grape, viz : 
“Bones, liorns and lioofs of cattle, bonedust, the entire carcasses of ani¬ 
mals, cuttings of leather, ..woolen rags, feathers and hair. All these to be 
mixed with the soil wdien the border is first made.” 
This is taken from a work on Grape Culture published in 1860, 
and is a mild compound compared with some of the lists in that 
work. It is difficult to understand why the grape should thus be 
made an exception to other plants and be treated with these 
powerful prescriptions, for although a great feeder it is exceeding¬ 
ly modest in its demands for stimulants, and care must be used 
not to over fertilize, especially the vigorous growing varieties. If 
our author will plant on his plan in Wisconsin, we can tell him 
in advance that his harvest will be leaves and shoots and no fruit; 
and no one need trouble himself to try the plan here, unless he 
plants in yellow sand. 
The proper soil for the grape we are told on the best authority, 
is “ any soil that will grow good Indian corn.” The cultivator 
need not be told that it should be in the finest possible condition, 
for. without this we cannot secure the highest success with any 
fruit or crop. 
/• 
The grape loves a deep mellow soil, which should be thorough¬ 
ly pulverized. A dry subsoil is an absolute necessity; if this be 
a compact clay, retentive of moisture, the remedy is draining. 
Fortunately our soil is largely underlaid with gravel, forming the 
most perfect natural drainage. In this we have another decided 
advantage for the success of the grape, as it is an established fact 
“ that well drained land always possesses a higher temperature 
than that which is wet, the difference being 10 to 12 degrees, and 
is accounted for by the rapid absorption of heat by the water as 
it becomes converted into vapor.” A French writer makes the 
following observations on the influence which a dry or moist soil 
has upon the grape : 
“Other things being equal we obtain grapes which contain much sugar and 
little acid from vines grown on a dry soil; more free acid in a moist soil, and 
much acid, albumen and mucilage with little sugar in a soil which is abso' 
lulely wet.” 
