272 



THE OARDENER'S MONTHLY 



[ September, 



grnpo growiiifr, if (he proper intelligence could 

 be found to direct the experiment. The greut 

 trouliic with most extensive horticultural experi- 

 ments that have been started by capitalists in 

 this country, is that they have made the selec- 

 tion of quacks to manage them. There are 

 plenty of excellent gardeners in this country, 

 but somehow tliose who need good skill seldom 

 have the knack of fuiding it when wanted. 



The Pevt)np()rt (England) Indepmdcnt gives 

 the following account of a monster grapery built 

 in connection with a " Health Lift " establish- 

 lishmcnt, or " Sanatorium " : 



"The 'Sanatorium' at Sallash, near Ply- 

 mouth, which was erected about seven years 

 since, is an extensive greenhouse, built at great 

 expense and labor, for the production of grapes 

 and other fruit. It is situated on the southern 

 side of a hill, in a sheltered valley, at the west- 

 ern end of the Port View Estate, audits immense 

 area of glass might be seen from various points 

 in the neighborhood. The vinery is 450 feet 

 long by 80 feet broad, and it will help the reader 

 to perceive the extent of it when we state that 

 the glass covering it weighs upward of 20 tons. 

 It contains more than 500 vines, the majority 

 being in bearing condition, though not yet fully 

 grown. These include fifty varieties of grapes, 

 the whole of them having been personallj' se- 

 lected from the south of France while in fruit. 

 In situation and arrangement, the place is well 

 laid out, and what is of great importance, it is 

 abundantly supplied with water, which is carried 

 over the entire building and distributed in an 

 efficient manner. The vineyard — which we pre- 

 fer to call it — is pleasingly arranged in tiers, and 

 divided into several compartments, with walks 

 passing through them. In every respect the 

 capacity of the place to produce grapes equal to 

 any grown on the Continent has been proved. 

 The sight of the vineyard at this moment is re- 

 markable. Above, around, in every part of it, 

 immense bunches of grapes are ripening in 

 countless profusion. The vista of every path- 

 way in each of the compartments, and of every 

 line of sight, turn in what direction one may, 

 shows overhanging canopies of grapes, prodigal 

 in their luxviriance. Many of the bunches are 

 large, being more than 6 inches by 15 inches. 

 Even yet, however, the full resources of the 

 place have not been reached, either in amount 

 o: earhness of fruit. It is certainly not more 

 than three-fourths covered with the vines ; and, 

 consequently, every year the produce is rapidly 



increasing. Last year H,t)O0 lbs. of grapes were 

 obtained ; nearly double that amount will be 

 gathered this year. The full bearing capacity, 

 which it is expected will be reached in about 

 three years' time, has been estimated at 10,000 

 lbs., atul that estimate is considered within the 

 mark. It is a very important fact, also in the 

 value and success of the undertaking, that the 

 luxuriance of growth and the abundance of fruit 

 are scarcely less striking than the freedom of the 

 vines and gra2)cs from disease. We may add 

 that peaches are also grown in the Sanatorium. 

 A crop of potatoes of a lyghly remunerative 

 earliness was likewise obtained this season from 

 the giound between the rows of vines. In testi- 

 mony of the safety and security of the structure 

 itself, and in falsification of any forebodings that 

 might have been made of the precariousness of 

 the erection, it should be stated that during the 

 whole seven years of its existence, scarcely any 

 damage has been inHicted either by wind or 

 water. The place has not yet been heated, but 

 a considerable outlay is about to be made in this 

 direction to secure early ripening, by which it is 

 hoped to gather the crops in July, instead of, as 

 at present, in September. There are some acres 

 of surrounding land of an analogous character 

 to which the vinery may be extended, the site 

 commanding a southern view." 



Grape Culture under Glass. — We have had 

 of late few contributions from our own cultiva- 

 tors on this very interesting branch of gardening. 

 Yet it is one on which there is a great deal yet 

 to learn. As glass culture is very much the 

 same all over the world, it may serve a Uieful 

 purpose to give the following practical paper 

 from the London Journal of Horticulture : 



" Knowing that your space is valuable, I do 

 not propiose writing a long history of where the 

 vine comes from, under what conditions it thrives 

 best naturally, how it has been treated in this 

 country in past ages, or the position it is likely 

 to occupy in time to come; but I particularly 

 wish to give a few practical suggestions on vine- 

 growing which may be of service to those who 

 are desirous of securing a good crop of grapes. 

 To make what I have to say as easily understood 

 as possible, I will arrange my remarks under 

 separate headings, beginning with — 



''Thinning the Shoots. — It is said that a prevail- 

 ing error amongst amateur gardeners is an aver- 

 sion to pruning trees and plants so closely as 

 they should be pruned, and if this be true in cut- 



