PLANTING VINES. 21 
two really good instances of success by planting inside 
the house, while I have known several failures. 
Now, some may ask, what difference is there be- 
tween planting vines inside a vinery, and covering the 
outside border with glass as I recommend in my ‘ pro- 
tector’? <A great deal, is my reply; and, first of all, a 
deeply prepared bed must of necessity be made, con- 
sisting of a rich fatty matter, or rather it is so generally, 
which I can prove is not necessary, for the vine, like all 
fast creepers and climbers, does not run deep into 
the soil unless the roots cannot otherwise get the 
nourishment which they prefer; and if they are 
compelled to go deep for it, the result is a defect in the 
state of the fibre; hence so many failures. Secondly, 
no direct rays of the sun can get at the roots, nor 
any fertilising air to harden and solidify those chan- 
nels attached to the stem which are necessary for the 
present and future health and longevity of the vine. 
I am able to prove this by a multitude of facts within 
my own experience, extending over a period of forty 
years. It is unquestionably the effect of the sun and 
air playing directly upon the roots of vines that 
develops a healthy state in them, and when these 
organs are in a healthy state the branches will be so 
too. As I have already said, and also proved, when 
the roots are buried deep in a mass of rich and fatty 
matter, where no direct rays of the sun can come to 
them, they will be spongy instead of solid, clean, and 
frm. Thirdly, no proper method of applying or 
regulating the necessary supply of liquid moisture to 
the roots according to their wants can be adopted. 
But when vines are planted so that their roots can 
run outside into soil prepared as I have described, they 
