100 THE FLOEAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



compartments appropriated to such things, whilst a tank in the 

 centre of these will aflord a receptacle for aquatic plants. If the 

 tank has a margin of broken quarry stone, or flints coloured with 

 cement, a good receptacle will be provided for a few hardy alpines. 

 The trellis that surrounds this centre garden will afford abundant 

 space for trailing and climbing plants, which are by far too little 

 cultivated. The scroll pattern, which is on grass, will afford space 

 for bedding plants on the ribbon system of planting. The beds filling 

 the four corners of the plan are on grass, and may be used for roses, 

 dahlias, and hollyhocks, American flowering shrubs, or any other 

 class of plants that the gardener may choose to cultivate. 



GEAPES EOE THE MILLIOK— NO. III. 



iJlRST- CLASS Table Grapes are supposed to be rarities ; 

 and so they are ; but by accident, not of necessity. "With 

 good walls good grapes may be secured for the dessert, as 

 was shown in No. I. of this series, and as can be proved 

 to demonstration whenever the word of the writer of 

 this is considered insufficient. But suppose there are no good walls, 

 or that the climate is cold, or that other impediments present them- 

 selves, then we must resort to the use of glass ; and the simplest and 

 cheapest way of making glass available to produce first-class grapea 

 is the adoption of 



GEOUND TINEEIES. 



These were first adopted by the well-known " Sigma," and have 

 since been much improved upon, and largely adopted by amateur 

 cultivators. In the first instance a trench was dug ; the trench was 

 lined with slates, and was covered with a small glass ridge. The 

 vine was planted in the common soil, at one end outside the trench, 

 and was trained along the centre of the trench under the glass, the 

 bunches being allowed to liang in the trench, and receiving heat 

 direct from the sun overhead, and indirectly by radiation from the 

 slates. This answered very well ; but experience proved that the 

 simplicity of this contrivance might be simplified. The glass ridge 

 was placed on the level ground, on a row of bricks placed a few 

 inches apart to afford ventilation, and with slates or tiles laid on the 

 ground inside, so that now the bunches lay upon the slates, and were 

 there subjected to greater heat than when they hung in the trench, 

 and the consequence was the berries grew to a greater size and 

 ripened more perfectly. 



There is no mystery about ground vineries ; any carpenter can 

 make them, any amateur, even if a mere beginner, manage them ; 

 and they are so far useful for the cultivation of grapes, that by their 

 aid bunches fit for exhibition may be grown in them without diffi- 

 culty. The chief secret of their efficiency is their power of absorbing 

 and retaining a greater amount of sun-heat than is possible for 

 either wall or exposed soil. Currents of air, which quickly cool the 



