4> THE FLOEAL WORLD AND GAEDEN GUIDE, 



highest quality in a degree far more profitable by comparison, than by 

 orchard and garden standards. We cannot now go into the details on this 

 interesting subject further than we have done, but here is an account of 

 a novel and ingenious contrivance called the " Curate's Yinery," the 

 invention of the celebrated Sigma. The extract needs no comment, and 

 we hope will suffice to prove to all fruit-growers who have not yet 

 obtained the " Miniature Fruit Garden," that until they do so they will 

 be behind the age : — 



"When the site is determined on, a trench should be dug, two feet 

 wide at the surface and fifteen inches deep, sloping on each side to the 

 bottom, which should be six inches wide ; the bottom must be paved with 

 tiles, placed lengthwise, and the sides lined with slates called Duchesses, 

 also placed lengthwise. On each side of this trench, on the surface of 

 the soil, a row of bricks must be placed, two inches apart end from end, 

 leaving spaces between each brick two inches wide — these are for ventila- 

 tion. On these two rows of bricks the roof is to be placed, which should 

 be a ridge of the following dimensions : — Two feet six inches wide at 

 the bottom, and fifteen inches deep from the centre to the apex. 



" It should be made in lengths of seven feet, two of which, placed 

 end to end, form one vinery fourteen feet long. Each length should be 

 glazed with four pieces of glass ; and as each sloping side of the ridge is 

 twenty inches deep, four pieces of glass, about twenty inches square for 

 each side will be required. The two outer ends must be closed with 

 board : at one end a notch should be cut in the board to admit the stem 

 of the vine, which should be planted outside, so that its stem is on a level 

 with the surface of the soil outside. The soil the vine is planted in should 

 be well stirred, two feet deep, over a space six feet square, and enriched 

 with rotten manure and what are called one-inch bones, or "bone dust." 

 The vine when planted should be introduced and suffered to grow, as in a 

 common vinery, till it reaches the end. Pruning on the spur system is 

 the only method to be followed. To support the vine in the centre, 

 pieces of slight iron rod should be placed across the furrow, two feet 

 apart, resting on the surface outside ; to these the stem of the vine should 

 be fastened, so as to be under the centre of the roof. The bunches of 

 grapes will thus hang in the centre of the furrow, and owing to the radia- 

 tion of heat from the slates and tiles, they will ripen well. I need scarcely 

 mention that in pruning, either in winter or summer, the two lengths of 

 ridge forming the roof must be taken off and replaced when the operation 

 is finished. Owing to the moisture from the soil, red spider but rarely 



