74 THE FLORIST. 



HINTS ON GRAPE GROWING.— No. VII. 

 By a Gardener in the Country. 



Having in my previous article given at length \ny reasons for preferring 

 the brick flue for our " domestic Vinery" for autumn Grapes, I may 

 here observe that such by no means enforces the rejection of hot water 

 as a medium for heating, where forcing the Vines to obtain Grapes 

 earlier in the season is required, nor yet in any structure devoted to 

 plants where fires are almost constantly needed ; in such cases the extra 

 cost at first may be compensated for by subsequent advantages, which, 

 as I intend devoting a chapter to, in concluding, I need not more 

 pai'ticularly advert to here. 



At pages 328-29, of your last year's volume, I gave directions for 

 getting the compost into the border during dry weather, in March or 

 April ; and supposing that done, and the Vines duly prepared, as there- 

 in advised, by the end of April, or beginning of May, they will 

 have made shoots eight inches or a foot in length, and will be ready for 

 planting. The principal object in keeping them to this stage is, that by 

 getting both root and top into active growth.- they will start more freely 

 when turned out into the border ; and at the same time, there is the 

 chance of rejecting any which break weakly, or have mis formed shoots, 

 taking care to plant those only which have a strong leading shoot and 

 healthy leaves. 



Before, however, planting the Vines, a suitable wire trellis to train 

 them should be fixed under the roof; a three-eighth iron rod should 

 be carried horizontally eighteen inches from the upper wall-plate, the 

 length of the house ; and a similar one along the top, the same distance 

 from the back wall. These should be secured by running them through 

 iron brackets, furnished with an eye for the purpose, and inserted at 

 suitable distances in the front plate and the back wall ; from these, 

 one-eighth wire should be stretched from front to back, nine inches 

 apart, and having every two feet a snnilar wn-e runnmg horizontally 

 between the bottom and top. These should be fastened together ^^dth 

 thin copper wire where they cross. If the roof be long, an additional 

 horizontal three-eighth rod may be necessary half-way between the 

 former ; but generally speaking two will be sufficient, as the roof is short. 

 My reasons for trelhsing the whole is, that, as I intend the foliage to 

 cover the entire space, it will be found easier to train them than when 

 only a certain part is trellised ; the best article for which will be three- 

 eighth and one- eighth galvanised iron wire, which, with a few iron 

 brackets made to suit, wnll be all that is necessary. 



In training Vines, some plant them for the purpose of carrying the 

 principal stem directly under each rafter, while others prefer training 

 them up the centre of each sash, thinking thereby they get a larger 

 share of light ; this is true, during the first year or two, but as the 

 Vines become established and are spurred in, it makes but little differ- 

 ence, for the stem only will be shaded by being under the rafter, for 

 the shoots growing right and left fi-om it will meet in the centre of each 

 light, and consequently the foliage will be fully exposed, the principal 



