1 873-] PLANTING FRUIT-TREES. 509 



an incline of 6 feet in the 200 feet, the lower ends of tliem bounded 

 by a corridor, from which they spring ; the higher ends are exposed to 

 the cold air ; and all acquainted with such matters will see at once 

 that the hot air laden with moisture will draw towards the upper ends, 

 and on coming in contact with the cold glass of the ends of the houses 

 a great portion of the moisture will condense, and that the houses will 

 be much damper there than towards the middle and lower end. In 

 fact, the berries on the Vine or two next the upper end are every 

 morning, before air is put on, covered with water, like dew on the grass, 

 while the rest of the fruit is quite dry. Now it so happens that two 

 Vines of the Golden Champion, one on either side, are the second 

 Vines from this damp end, a Muscat being the nearest to the end. 

 Farther down the house, and where the berries are never covered with 

 dew, are two more Vines of the Golden Champion ; on these latter 

 there has not been a spotted or defective berry, while on the two close 

 to the end of the house more than half the berries have been spotted. 

 In the case of the two Muscats next the cold end, many of the berries 

 spotted also, and many shanked, not in the usual way of shanking ; 

 the fruit ripened and then the shanks decayed, the fruit sweet, and not 

 acid, as in the case of genuine shanking. Here, then, is a case where 

 all the circumstances as to soil, climate, &c., are identical, with the 

 exception that the moisture is in excess in the one case and not in the 

 other, confirming the conclusions the writers I have referred to have 

 arrived at — namely, that this Grape requires a dry atmosphere — that 

 is, one not saturated with moisture ; and, I believe, the same may be 

 said of all Grapes if they are to be produced of the highest quality, as 

 to flavour especially. 



On several occasions I have observed that a charge against this 

 Grape and the Madresfield Court Grape was that the berries cracked 

 just as they finished swelling. The Grape-grower who cannot prevent 

 this has few resources. If, when the first berry gives way, the lat- 

 terals on which the bunches are growing are half cut through, either 

 by means of a pair of scissors or a knife, and the laterals that have no 

 fruit on them are allowed to grow, there will be no more cracking of 

 the berries. Wm. Thomson. 



Tweed Vineyard, Oct. 13, 1873. 



PLANTING FRUIT-TREES. 



The directions of the " Squire's Gardener " on planting fruit-trees 

 are very seasonable ; and if I may be permitted to contribute my 

 quota to what he has so well written on this subject, it will give 

 me much pleasure. The principal fruit-trees in the kitchen-garden 



