34i THE FLORAL WOELD AND GAEDEN GUIDE. 



soutli walls in sheltered gardens in all parts of Britain will give 

 good returns in good seasons ; and in the warmer parts of the 

 island, as for example, the counties south of Leicestershire, and 

 especially those in the extreme south and south-west, good walls may 

 be planted with grape vines with a fair prospect of success. A good 

 wall may be rendered of little service by a bad border ; and a bad wall, 

 that is to say, one less warm and sheltered than might be desirable, 

 may be improved by a good border. As rules are easily remembered, 1 

 offer a rule here — the colder tlie position, the 2^oore7- omcst tlie soil he. 

 A moderately fertile sandy loam will be found the best for the growth 

 of grape vines out of doors. E-ich soils and fat manures are not at 

 all desirable for the growth of out-door grapes ; and in a cold, wet 

 summer, the vines on the poorest and driest borders will do better 

 than those on moist, well-manured borders. It must not be supposed, 

 however, that the grape vine can live upon nothing ; indeed, it would 

 be a folly to plant grape vines on a worn-out, sour, or pasty loam, on 

 which nothing else could be grown satisfactorily. Should it be 

 necessary to prepare a border for vines, two feet depth of prepared 

 earth will be sufficient, and this should rest on a dry bottom; if on 

 a stratum of stones or bricks all the better ; but this is not needful. 

 It is needful, however, that the border should be perfectly drained, 

 either naturally or artificially ; if water stagnates upon it all the 

 winter long, the vines will become afflicted with disease, and to 

 expect grapes from them will be absurd. Turfy loam, sharp sand, 

 half-inch bones, and clean building rubbish are the best of all 

 materials wherewith to make a border for out-door vines. If the 

 mixture consists of one half loam, and the remaining half equal 

 parts of the other materials, it will answer admirably. If the loam 

 is not turfy or fibrous, or is suspected of being poor, some good 

 manure may be added ; say in the same proportion as the sand, 

 bones, and building rubbish. In advising the use of " clean" build- 

 ing rubbish, I mean such as consists of nodules of brick, old mortar, 

 flint, chalk, and plaster. If laths, tin kettles, old iron, and scraps 

 of sheet lead were mixed with it, I would not have it for any horti- 

 cultural purpose, except it might be for the foundation of a walk. 

 Generally speaking, however, the common soil of the garden can be 

 made suitable for vines at a small expenditure of labour and money. 



One reason why wall grapes are not much thought of, is that, 

 generally speaking, the worst kind of grapes that can be discovered 

 are grown upon them. The following will produce plenty of fine 

 fruit, and ripen it well, unless the season is very cold and wet, on 

 any good wall, except in places that are absolutely bleak and noto- 

 riously unsuitable : — 



GEA.PES FOE SOUTH AND WEST WALLS. 



Cliasselas Vibert, large, golden amber, juicy and rich. 



Moyal Muscadine, large, greyish green or pale amber, juicy and 

 sweet, a first-class grape to grow for light wines. 



JProlific Sweetwater, large, pale amber, flesh juicy and sweet. 

 This far surpasses the old Sweetwater and the Dutch Sweetwater ; 

 it is early, and very fruitful. 



