73 



VINE BOBDEBS AND VINE PLANTING-. 



Ik the February number of the Floeal 

 Would I observed that special circum- 

 stances would in many cases require modi- 

 fication in the plaus adopted. Now, as 

 bearing upon this assertion, I wish to ob- 

 serve that a vinery may be a lean-to or a 

 span-roofed structure, and, as some situa- 

 tions may demand the latter form for sake 

 of appearance, there is no valid objection 

 to it, providing it stands with one end to 

 the north and the other to the south, so 

 as to give the vines alternately the benefit 

 of sun, the one side receiving its rays in 

 the morning, and the other in the after- 

 noon ; but it is, I think, doubtful whether 

 the result would be satisfactory if the 

 points were reversed, as the vines on the 

 north side would be too much shaded by 

 those on the south. Span-roof houses are 

 very justly taking the lead as plant-houses, 

 but I am still of opinion that, for vines, 

 the lean-to is preferable, and decidedly so 

 for early work, or for such kinds as require 

 much heat to ripen them, because a lean-to 

 turns its weather-proof back of brick to the 

 stormy north or north-west, whilst it re- 

 ceives all the rays of the sun, so precious 

 to the early forcer, in winter and spring, 

 and retains them better than a span-roof 

 house with glass on both sides, through 

 which rough winds will penetrate in spite 

 of the most perfect heating apparatus. 

 Span-roof vineries may, therefore, be set 

 down as only suitable for an autumn crop, 

 or where appearance is of paramount im- 

 portance. 



On the high estimation in which the 

 grape is held I need not enlarge, as every 

 one who ha3 entered a vinery hung from 

 end to end with luscious fruit knows with 

 what admiration they have regarded them, 

 and with what gusto they have beheld the 

 overflowing dishes of jet Hamburgs and 

 Amber Muscats , brought to table. They 

 are not only gratefid and harmless to the 

 healthy, but, above all other fruits, are es- 

 pecially so to the sick, and have been held 

 in the highest estimation from time imme- 

 morial. It is no wonder, then, that almost 

 every one who can afford to build a house 

 desires to build a vinery, or at least a house 

 in which grapes may form part of the pro- 

 duce; and it is gratifying to see how many, 

 now that glass is so cheap, are enabled to 

 gratify their desires in that particular; but 

 glass is not the only item in the matter. 

 It is therefore our wish to render them the 

 best aid in our power by offering them 



plans combining simplicity of construction 

 with durability and efficiency, so that their 

 purse may not be unnecessarily drained for 

 useless or complicated appendages that 

 add nothing to the usefulness of the struc- 

 ture. Preparing the border in which the 

 vines are to grow is perhaps the matter of 

 greatest importance, and has been the rock 

 on which the hopes of numbers of grape- 

 growers (professional as well as amateur) 

 have been wrecked, and that on account of 

 the foolish quackery that has been mixed 

 up with the subject through the idea that 

 the vine was a regular gormand, capable of 

 devouring all kinds of filth. This led to 

 the absurd plan of digging immense pits, 

 to be filled with the richest of composts 

 that could be devised, and very frequently 

 with carrion, without a thought for the 

 drainage, or how the water that came into 

 this mass was to escape. And, as if to in- 

 sure the formation of a poisonous paste in 

 which the roots would be sure to perish, 

 such borders were made up without a bit 

 of imperishable material to keep the tex- 

 ture open and permeable to the roots of 

 the vines and the admission of atmospheric 

 air. Such borders I have seen dug up after 

 a few years, a sour, saponaceous mass, with 

 scarcely a living root in them, the few roots 

 that kept the vines alive being in close con- 

 tact with the foundation-wall of the vinery, 

 where a better' drainage we may suppose 

 was secured to them by the absorption of 

 water by the brickwork. Any of our read- 

 ers, therefore, who are troubled with mil- 

 dew or shanking amongst their grapes are 

 advised to consider whether the above de- 

 scription applies to their vine borders, and 

 I think very likely such will be the ease, 

 for undoubtedly wet and sour borders are 

 the most prevalent cause of these diseases. 

 In the construction of any new borders 

 the following directions are to be followed, 

 and, first of all, let us say a few words on 

 the preparation of the compost, as in some 

 localities a light porous soil abounds, and 

 in others nothing but a stiff, tenacious soil. 

 I would rather endeavour to set the culti- 

 vator thinking for himself than by any 

 quack rules to propound a recipe which 

 might answer the desired purpose on one 

 description of soil, but fail to do so on 

 another. Let him, therefore, look about 

 him, and see what he has at hand, and 

 whether the soil about him is stiff or light, 

 or possessing a medium texture, which is 

 best, but not indispensable, as cither of 



