1869.] FRUIT-CULTURE. 21 



placed a slieath of thin copper over a row of the front pipes, this 

 sheath we connected with the external air by means of a pipe of the 

 same material, 5 inches in diameter ; the cold air presses in through 

 this pipe into the sheath round the hot pipes, where it gets heated at 

 once, and passes rapidly out of the upper side of the sheath, where it 

 is pierced full of holes ; this air escapes immediately under the steam- 

 ing-tray, and being hot and dry, it absorbs what it requires of the 

 moisture rising from the tray, and comes in contact with the leaves 

 just in that state as to heat and moisture most conducive to their 

 wellbeing. The wet-weather ventilators are kept open about an inch 



^ Fig. 3. 



HOT-AIR VENTILATOR. 



in the dullest weather, and even during the night, to let the hot ex- 

 hausted air escape; so that a constant change of air goes on even 

 during the severest frost — a matter of no small importance if the 

 foliage is to be kept in health and good flavour, and colour given to 

 the fruit. 



So much for the vinery. We now come to consider 



THE BORDER. 



In some parts of the country, including that from which we write, 

 the soil of any ordinary field used for agricultural purposes, if brought 

 together to the depth of 2 feet, would grow good average crops of 

 Grapes if a fair portion of ordinary farmyard manure were added 

 to it, as we hope to show when we come to treat of " Grape-growing 

 for the Million." Meantime we advise that where possible a friable 

 calcareous loam from an old pasture should be procured — taken not 

 more than 3 inches deep from the surface — and stacked for six months. 

 This soil broken up, while dry, by means of a spade or fork, and mixed 

 with half a cwt. of ground bones to the cart-load as a permanent manure, 

 some charred earth or wood, including wood-ashes, one cart to ten of old 

 lime- rubbish, and the same proportion of rather fresh horse-droppings, 

 will form a first-rate border for Vines to grow and fruit in. If the 

 locality is wet, and the loam on the verge of being what is designated 

 clayey, let the proportion of lime-rubbish and charred clay or earth be 



