276 THE GARDENER. [June 



discriminate accurately between the merits of particular systems and the prin- 

 ciples involved in their application. 



I am not sure I can furnish anything that has not already been presented in 

 one shape or another, but my own experience has furnished a few facts which 

 tend to corroborate the statements of " D. T." and others. 



The question as to whether the presence of lime in the soil is injurious or 

 beneficial to the roots of the Vine seems to be one of prime importance. Lime 

 is so efficient an agent in disintegrating the turf, which is the main constituent 

 of so many Vine-borders (and more especially when this is of an adhesive nature), 

 and so effective in destroying the numerous larva3 which it frequently contains, 

 that it would seriously affect the cultivation of the Vine in many districts where 

 it is much used, if it were proved to be injurious to the roots. An instance bear- 

 ing upon this point recently came under my own observation. In the gardens at 

 present under my charge, a Vine-border was laid down some five or six years ago, 

 composed of the parings of roadside ditches — a generous and friable material. 

 This was still further enriched by being saturated with blood at the shambles, 

 and to insure porosity, a quantity of lime hot or newly slaked (which I presume 

 to be the caustic state alluded to by Mr Cramb) was applied, but, as the result 

 showed, very partially. 



For three years the Vines throve and bore well, but during the two succeeding 

 years the fruit shanked considerably, although in all other respects the Vines 

 appeared to be in excellent health. Last year it was resolved to remove the 

 vinery and erect one larger on the same site. On lifting the Vines with the in- 

 tention of replanting them in the new house, it was found that the compost had 

 become so solidified as to be almost impervious to the roots ; but here and there 

 throughout the border were patches where the unslaked lime was found in lumps, 

 and these were thoroughly matted with fine healthy rootlets. One or two roots 

 had made their way through the border into a walk composed of furnace ashes 

 and beach gravel, and were found spreading in every direction. The conclusion 

 drawn from the appearance of the border was, that the lime had preserved the 

 lives of the Vines by preserving a few spots of penetrable soil in the border through 

 which the roots coiild operate. In a less retentive soil, I do not suppose that its 

 action would have been so helpful, unless with copious and frequent applications 

 of water. The ultimate shanking of the fruit I attribute to the exhaustion of the 

 extremely limited space in the border to which the roots found access. 



With reference to the dispute upon the relative merits of the restrictive and 

 extension systems of Vine-growing, I would submit one question for consideration 

 which I have not yet seen mooted. Under which of the two methods can the 

 Vines be most speedily brought into their maximum bearing condition ? I pre- 

 sume that there can be but one answer, and that in favour of the single-rod 

 system, either for early forcing or ordinary culture. Under no other method 

 can the Vine be said to be so completely under the control of the cultivator, 

 as to the proportion of foliage and light, both matters of the first importance in 

 successful cultivation. 



The advocates of extension boast of the facility which their system affords for 

 promoting a luxuriant development of roots, but I have failed to observe in all 

 their speculations any gain which cannot also be obtained by the single rods 

 spurred. With these, the greatest amount of foliage upon which light and heat 

 can advantageously act may easily be produced. Whatever may be said in favour 

 of allowing shoots of fruiting Vines to ramble unrestricted with the view of en- 

 couraging root-growth, I confess I have but little faith in the fruit-producing 

 powers of either roots or canes of such crude growths. The system which most 



