1873.] THE GRAPE VINE. 515 



pipes at the back of the vinery and at the front of the outside border, 

 thus communicating with the external atmosphere and that of the 

 vinery. 



These drains should be constructed 6 feet apart the whole length of 

 the border, and be open-jointed, so that the air from them can find its 

 way right and left among the open rubble, which should form the lower 

 stratum of the drainage. This is for the purpose of what has been 

 termed aeration, which means the exposure of the soil to the air from 

 under-currents. No doubt, for summer forcing, it is beneficial, especi- 

 ally in wet climates, to open the mouths of the upright shafts in hot 

 sunny weather, thus admitting warm air underneath the border. 



It is a very common error to fix the wires to which the vines are 

 tied too near the glass ; they should be not less than 1 6 inches from 

 the glass, to allow a free circulation of air between it and the foliage. 



It is scarcely necessary to point out the evil of having the foliage 

 in close contact with the glass. The wires should be fixed at 1 foot 

 apart. 



DEAINAGE. 



The first thing that should be thought of and most efi'ectively 

 secured in the making of borders is drainage ; for however great the 

 skiU otherwise brought to bear on the after-management of the Vine, 

 first-rate results need not be looked for if the roots are subject to stag- 

 nant water. One of the most important points in successful Grape- 

 growing, is the preservation in winter of the young roots made in 

 summer, which is impossible if the border is subject to stagnant water. 

 Of course the extent and character of the drainage necessary has to be 

 determined by the position of the vinery, the nature of the subsoil, and 

 to some extent by the average amount of rain which is peculiar to the 

 district. The amount of drainage necessary on the retentive clay of 

 such as Middlesex, or in the Lower Ward of Lanarkshire, the Dumfries 

 or Argyle coasts, where so much rain falls, would be superfluous on 

 the rocks of some parts of Somerset, or on the generally dry soils of 

 East Lothian. By these conditions should also be decided to what 

 extent borders should be elevated above the natural ground-level. 



In preparing the site and drainage on damp retentive subsoils, let 

 all the natural soil be excavated to the depth of 4 feet from the bottom 

 of the arches or lintels at the front of the vinery, and supposing that 

 the outside border is to be 20 feet wide, give it a slope of 18 inches 

 to the extremity of the border. The site for the inside border should 

 be sloped to the same extent, upwards in the case of a lean-to house, to 

 the back wall. Lay down a layer of concrete, 3 to 4 inches thick, over 

 the whole site of the border. Run a main drain parallel with the 



