1879.] A VISIT TO THE THOMERY VINEYARDS. 161 



shows in connection with the Exhibition, at the time of our visit, but 

 his foreman, whom we found engaged trimming in some beds of Coleus 

 and Begonias growing rampant in front of his employer's house, 

 courteously showed us all that was worth seeing in the establishment. 

 There is nothing in the culture of the Vine at Thomery that partic- 

 ularly arrests the English Grape-grower's attention, unless it be the 

 skill and method displayed in the training of the Vines, so as to get 

 the greatest amount of fruit from a given space, combined with the 

 cheap and simple, not to say primitive, but perfectly effective appli- 

 ances employed to meet the end in view. There can be no doubt, we 

 think, that the French excel us in making the most of means and 

 appliances. Where we spend money they spend extra labour and atten- 

 tion, and with better and more constant results. This fact forces itself 

 upon the stranger at once. 



The winter of the north of France is more severe than in this country, as 

 is indicated by the single fact that the Auracaria imbricata is not hardy 

 there, and consequently not planted as an ornamental tree, and the spring 

 frosts are also severe, yet we are assured that the Vine crops at Thomery 

 seldom or never fail although the protective appliances — old-fashioned 

 copings and sheets — are much the same as those used in this country 

 fifty years ago or more. Expensive patent glass copings and suchlike 

 are unheard of. Brick, deal, and plaited-straw copings, 9 inches or 

 1 foot wide, were shown at the Paris Exhibition, but no glass ones, by 

 French makers at least. Our settled conviction is that there is nothing 

 to hinder dessert Grapes from being grown in the south of England 

 just as successfully as at Thomery, and with the same means, if the culti- 

 vator would take the same amount of pains in their culture. Crops 

 would undoubtedly be a little later in England, but not much, and it 

 is perfectly possible to ripen Grapes after the autumn frosts set in. 

 The Muscadine ripens in August and September at Thomery, and on 

 espaliers later ; but behind M. R. Charmeux's house there is an arch- 

 way or covered walk, planted entirely with Black Hamburgs, or 

 Frankenthal, as it is called there, which we were informed ripened 

 a crop in October. Under this archway the bunches seemed to hang 

 as thick as leaves, and were all hand-thinned. The spur system of 

 training, in some form or other, is generally adopted. When the Vines 

 are trained vertically, they are planted 16 inches apart and the shoots 

 are mostly trained from one spur, 8 or 9 inches apart, and as often as 

 otherwise the shoots bear two bunches each, about half a pound in 

 weight. It may therefore be guessed how heavy the crops are. We have 

 heard of 40 lb. to 20 feet rods in this country, the canes being trained 

 4 feet apart, but the Thomery growers exceed this in some instances, 

 as regards the Vine rod, and generally we should say as regards space. 

 On one young Vine of Foster's Seedling, which is becoming a 

 favourite for wall-culture, we counted 18 bunches on a :od about 5 feet 

 long, and we estimated the bunches at a pound weight ai iece ; some 



