THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



THE BEGINNER IN GEAPE GEO WING. 



P.Y WIlLIAil COLE, 

 Head Gardener, Ealing Park, Middlesex. 



GBAND old theme is that of grape growing, but in 

 dealing with the elementary part of the question there 

 is very little to be said that is new, and what is new 

 has to be so interwoven with the old matter, that few 

 readers are able to detect it. Let it be understood at 

 the commencement of the few papers that will from time to time be 

 contributed to these pages, that they will be written for the guid- 

 ance of amateurs and others who are anxious to grow a few grapes, 

 but have little or no knowledge of the subject, and therefore all con- 

 troversial matters will be avoided as much as possible ; the discussion 

 of such matters as Extension versus Eestrietion, however much it may 

 interest the veteran, is injurious to the inexperienced, as it perplexes 

 them, and they are left in doubt as to the best course to pursue. 

 The whole question of extension and restriction can be disposed 

 of in a few words, as good crops can be, and are grown by both 

 systems, and either can be adopted with the utmost certainty of 

 success, provided the vines are otherwise managed in a proper 

 manner. Eor the reasons stated above, it will be necessary to deal 

 more fully with the minor details than would otherwise be desirable, 

 and the instructions will be framed in the plainest manner possible. 

 Acting upon Mrs. Glass's principle of first catching the hare, we 

 will commence with a short chapter on 



PROPAGATING THE YINE. 



The grape vine can be increased in various ways, but the only 

 methods that we need consider are in the case of in-door vines, by 

 eyes and inarching, and for out-door vines where the cultivator has 

 no glass, by cuttings. For raising a stock for planting a new 

 vinery or re-planting an old one, propagation by means of the eyes 

 is by far the best method, but when it is desired to add a new 

 grape to an established house of vines, 'inarching it upon the vine 

 whose place it is intended to occupy, and for that purpose it is the 

 most desirable plan to adopt. 



Some varieties are not at ail suitable for stocks, such for instance 

 as the Frontignans and other weak growers, and therefore, before 

 inarching the variety it is intended to introduce, it will be necessary 

 to consider whether it is likely to do well upon the vine that has to 

 make way for it. The stocks have more influence upon the scion 

 than many people are aware, hence the utmost caution is necessary. 

 As a rule all varieties do well upon the strong growers, but the two 

 best for stocks are the Black Hamburgh and Muscat of Alexandria, 

 they will also do very well upon the Marchioness of Hastings and 

 the Black Barbarossa, and where they exist better sorts can be put 

 upon them, but they are certainly not so good as the foregoing. 



