^\ l.Vi ORArEUIKS AND QBAPE-CULTUKK, 



Formation of the Border. — The site on which the house stands has a gradual 

 iiu-lination to the south, twenty inches in thirty feet, which is very desirable, in order 

 to oarrv awav rapidly all superfluous water. The border is fifteen feet wide and three 

 feet deep ; it is dug eighteen inches below the original surface, and raised as much 

 above. In the bottom are placed twelve inches of stones, to form drainage, and these 

 are overlaid with some rough material, vegetable matter, or turf, to prevent the earth 

 from adhering to them. The earth which forms the border was the top-spit taken 

 from the corner of an old pasture which the cows frequented, and which was undoubt- 

 edly very rich, mixed with a goodly quantity of w^ell-rotted animal dung (I believe 

 cow-dung to be the best), together with a liberal quantity of bone-dust or something 

 equivalent. I also approve of having a drain along the border, near the center, on 

 a level with the stones at the bottom of the border, open at each end, in connection 

 with several intersecting ones, into the interior of the house, in order to dry and con- 

 vey a current of air through the border, which is most assuredly beneficial to the 

 growth of vines. I am much in favor of having some rough material mixed with the 

 eartli in the border, such as old lime, limestone, or broken bricks, to keep the soil 

 loose. 



Planting. — Of course choose good, healthy vines. It is necessary, when planting, 

 to lay the roots in some nice light earth, say a mixture of leaf-mold and white sand. 

 AVliite sand answers the purpose best, because it is free of oxide of iron. Particular 

 care must be taken not to plant too deep, as nothing is more injurious. The point of 

 divergence of the ascending and descending axis — that is, of the root and stem — 

 should always be even with the surface. I would have good, strong vines planted 

 about six or ten inches from the outside of the wall, and introduced through holes 

 made in the building six inches above the surface of the border, and from four to six 

 inches in diameter, with a projection toward the inside. It is customary to plant a 

 vine for each rafter. I prefer one in the center of each alternate sash, in order to 

 grow one rod for each rafter in the house, as the less the roots are interwoven with 

 each other, the better. 



I have an abundant supply of water during the warm weather, both inside and out, 

 — the former to keep down insects, which are very numerous in this country, and the 

 latter for the use of the border. I have been in the habit of syringing in the early 

 part of the day, instead of the afternoon — say about eight o'clock, in clear weather; 

 and in dull, cloudy weather, the operation was omitted. During the absence of rain, I 

 thoroughly soaked the outside border about three times a week, which border has an 

 excellent covering of strong cow-dung, which greatly increased the vigor of the vines. 



Forcing-houses should receive air as frequently at the front as at the top; and 

 when air is admitted at the front, it should be at ventilators opposite the pipes or 

 flues, in order to have a circulation of heated air through the house, resembling that 

 of their native country. 



Pruning. — I consider this one of the most important operations in the manage- 

 ment of vines. There are various methods adopted by gardeners, with equal success ; 

 but there is undoubtedly one system superior to all others, and perhaps that has not 



