Grape Groi^nng for Profit 



167 



from the sun when at work, (irape-thinning 

 in bright sunny weather is a species of pro- 

 fessional martyrdom, that young gardeners 

 may put up with for short periods, and enjoy 

 if they choose ; but even in a well ventilated 

 vinery, the work — light although it is — can- 

 not be long continued without hurtful aud 

 even dangerous effects upon the health of the 

 operatives, which should never be risked 

 when an inexpensive outside temporary shad- 

 ing wdll ensure safe protection. 



Having erected his vineries, formed the 

 borders, and planted the vines, as before 

 detailed, Mr Lindsay, well knowing that 

 after success will depend entirely on proper 

 management, secured the services of Mr 

 Alexander Anderson, who, when gardener at 

 Tonvoodlee, distinguished himself as a prize- 

 taker for grapes at the Edinburgh Great Interna- 

 tional Exhibition of fruits in September 1866. 

 As an inducement to faithful and permanent 

 sen-ice, Mr Anderson is allowed more liberal 

 remuneration than that which falls to the lot 



of most gardeners. And so highly satisfied is 

 his employer with the present appearance 

 and prospects of his grand commercial grape- 

 growing experiment, that he has resolved on 

 erecting another vinery of iron, instead of 

 wood, and of equal length with the existing, 

 two, but about 30 feet wide, or twice the width 

 of the smaller, he having carefully studied the 

 late controversy which originated in The Far- 

 w^;- on the "restrictive" and "extension" sys- 

 tems of vine-growing, and became convinced 

 that the latter is that from which the most 

 remunerative results are to be obtained. 



In what may be termed the private range 

 of hot-houses in the vicinity of the mansion, 

 and devoted chiefly to the growing of peaches, 

 grapes, and flowers for home supplies, we 

 observed a large stock of well grown young 

 vines, chiefly intended for sale. And in the 

 pleasure-grounds are an unusually numerous 

 assortment of good-sized hardy trees and 

 shrubs, which we intend to notice more ftilly 

 at another time. 



WATERING OUT-DOOR PLANTS. 



THE general prevalence of excessive 

 drought during the last two months 

 has called forth an amount of out-door plant 

 watering, throughout the length and breadth 

 of Britain, which may with safety be termed 

 unprecedented ; for even admitting that the 

 summer of 1826, and others which have been 

 noted for their warmth and dr}^ness, may have 

 surpassed the present in these respects, yet 

 in those days plant-growing Avas compara- 

 tively limited, for the modern bedding-out 

 system had not been introduced, and subur- 

 ban amateur gardening was a luxury only 

 enjoyed by the leading city magnates w-ho 

 could afford to keep their owxi practical 

 gardeners, or men of all-work, to do the then 

 unfashionable gardening labours, which are 

 now deemed agreeable as well as healthy re- 

 creations, and partaken in by most of our 

 well-to-do citizens, including many of the 

 more industrious, fortunate, or deserving of 



"the working classes." Hence the largely 

 increased amount of plant watering now done, 

 and too often over-done, in dry weather by 

 unskilled amateurs, who are the less blameable 

 for its injudicious application, seeing that 

 much ignorance exists, even among practical 

 gardeners, as to how, when, and where plant 

 watering should be performed. 



Without entering into any dissertation re- 

 garding the constituents of water, or the 

 modes of its action on plants, we may here 

 remark that all w^ater applied to their leaves 

 should be perfectly clean ; that rain water is 

 the best, whether for the leaves or roots ; 

 river water is the next best ; and spring or 

 well water is the worst, but this last may be 

 greatly improved by boiling, or by keeping it 

 in an open tank or cistern for a day or two 

 before using it. Watering should never be 

 done unless actually required to keep up 

 healthy vitality in plants ; aud when done, it 



