3Gi THE GARDENER. [Aug. 



miglit prove injurious, because of its tendency to promote spongy, sappy 

 growth, .which in our climate in most seasons would stand a bad chance 

 of getting properly ripened. It would be better at the beginning to 

 make only a narrow border, in order the better to establish moderate 

 growth and early fertility. No variety is better adapted, generally 

 speaking, for outdoor culture than Royal Muscadine, the Chasselas 

 de Fontainebleau of the French, which is not fastidious as to climate. 

 But it is no use living in a fool's Paradise. Until some better idea 

 of the summer management of Vines is inculcated into the minds of 

 the lower classes, much improvement need not be expected. The 

 young wood that is ruthlessly cut away at this season is the fruit-bear- 

 ing wood of next year ; and until cottagers and others learn to appre- 

 ciate this, and only thin out to admit air and light among their Vines, 

 nothing more than a crop of half-famished leaves will result from their 

 labours. W. Hinds. 



HOW TO MAKE THE MOST OF WALL - BORDERS IN 

 KITCHEN-GARDENS. 



NO. VIII. 



At the commencement of these papers I took occasion to point out 

 how, in many instances, the wall-borders are far too narrow to rightly 

 admit of being cropped with vegetables, as the preparation for these 

 much interferes with the roots of the fruit-trees. Where, however, a 

 liberal quantity of manure is given, and the digging performed once 

 only during the year — say either late in the autumn or early in the 

 spring — not so much harm results ; indeed it is very probable the fruit- 

 trees derive more nourishment from this and the supplies of liquid 

 manure administered to some crops, than they would receive were they 

 the only occupants of the borders. This may appear somewhat contra- 

 dictory, but it is not so in reality. What I mean to say is this : the 

 majority of wall-borders are inadequately manured, are dug and crop- 

 ped without any regard being paid to the lawful and really most 

 valuable occupants — viz., the fruit-trees trained to the walls. If more 

 attention was paid to the roots of these, we should see fewer walls 

 furnished, or rather partially furnished, with inferior trees. For an 

 illustration of my argument, I have only to step into the garden now 

 under my charge. I here find splendid walls, which are now almost in 

 as good condition as when built a century since ; good, deep, well- 

 drained soil, and plenty of available moisture. Unfortunately the bor- 

 ders' are narrow, and these appear to have long been heavily cropped, in 

 common with the remainder of the garden. In one instance the bor- 

 ders near a west wall have for many years been filled with herbs, few 

 of which were ever replanted or manured. As a consequence of all 

 this, the trees, with the exception of the Pears and three large Apricots, 



