THE FLOEAL WOELD AND G^AEDEN GUIDE. 121 



mild with moisture falling, the lids or sides can be raised nearly horizontally, thus 

 exposing tlie plants to uir, whilst affording protection from wet. During the incle- 

 ment weatlier we had tin's winter the viner^' was covered witli litter, and thatched 

 hurdles placed together over the whole in the shape of a span roof. This protection 

 bade detiance to cold 9" belov/ zero. 



During the past season I have seen some magnificent crops of grapes under these 

 ground vineries. Tlie bunclics were of a good size, the berries well swelled and 

 above the average i^ize, witli the colouring as perfect as in any that have been cut 

 from more spacious houses, and the flavour was exquisite. 



I find many growers, elated with the success of these vineries, intend applj'ing 

 them to the growing of stone fruits, such as peaches and nectarines, the trees being 

 planted out and treated precisely the same as the vines. The slates will be laid 

 down and perforated at regular distances, so as to admit pegs for the purpose of 

 pegging down and laying out the branches. The roots being free to act on the out- 

 side, as in the case of vines, no watering is necessar}', as when these fruits are grown 

 in pots upon the orchard-house principle ; and the moisture evaporated from the 

 slates, with which the wood and foliage are in contact, prevents red spider, thrips, 

 and other insects from multiplying. 



I find the best method of cultivating fruits under AVells's ground vineries is as 

 follows : — At one end of the vinery a hole tAvo feet square, and of about the same 

 depth, is dug out and filled with a compost of good loam, rotten dung, and a little 

 road sand ; these should be well incorporated together, previously tlirowing in about 

 one and a half peck of bones, merely bruised, to afford drainage to the mass, also to 

 feed the vines during hot weather, or when the heat is so great as to rob the plant 

 of its natural moisture. The bones will likewise absorb the fluids passing down to 

 them more readily by being bruised. All being thus prepared, the vine is turned 

 oat about the middle of March, providing the weather is open and mild, the cane 

 being introduced and pegged down. Air should be admitted at ten o'clock a.m., by 

 raising slightly the lights ; this, with the additional air from the bottom of the 

 frames, will serve to check the vines from making too quick and premature a 

 growth before the season is sufficiently advanced to assist the formation of the 

 young parts. The cases should be closed again about two p.m., if possible securing 

 a little atmospheric warmth, and the vines should at this period be slightly syringed; 

 the moisture will aid the expansion of the bark and the bursting of the young buds 

 and leaves. This treatment should be continued until the flowers are expanded, 

 when syringing must be entirely suspended, and air admitted upon every oppor- 

 tunity. As soon as the flowers are set, I find moisture applied in tlie form of vapour 

 highly beneficial ; this can be obtained hy pouiing tepid water upon the slates. 

 Atmospheric warmth is secured throughout the day, and causes the moisture to 

 evaporate, thus charging the internal air with an agent highly beneficial. _ As 

 soon as the grapes have attained the size of sweet peas, the bunches should be 

 thinned, taking out all ill-shaped and deformed berries, also all those which are in 

 immediate contact with others, taking care not to remove all the interior berries, or 

 the bunches will be loose and ill-shapen. At this period the structure should be kept 

 close, and as much warmth secured as possible, as the critical time of stoning will 

 have arrived, and a check would prove highly injurious. As soon as colouring com- 

 mences, as much air should be admitted as is consistent with safet}' from chilling, 

 and the vinery should be closed sufficiently early to secure, as before stated, as much 

 natural warmth as possible. If this course be pursued, I feel confident every suc- 

 cess will attend the operator, and will well repay him for the pains he may bestow ; 

 the weight and quality of the fruit will equal, if not exceed, that which is grown in 

 extensive vine-honses. 



I have this winter seen a very happy adaptation of the ground vinery. One of 

 the fourteen-feet vineries was selected, a site facing south was arranged, a pit dug 

 three feet deep, and the sides bricked with four and a half inch work two feet above 

 the ground level ; upon the brickwork was laid a wooden plate, and to this the 

 vinery was fixed, being screwed down at the four corners of each division. The pit 

 was then filled with cocoa-nut fibre, and such plants as fuchsias, pelargoniums, and 

 bulbs were placed in it. These grew with great luxuriance, and, as in other 

 cases where they were all covered with litter and the thatched hurdles, resisted 

 the intense frosts we experienced in January. The same vinery pit is at this moment 

 filled with fermenting material, and rhubarb, sea-kale, and salading are being cut, 

 while there aro cucumbers climbing along the roof and looking as luxuriant as upon 



