CHAP. IX VILLA GARDENING 281 



it clings to life with a tenacity rarely found in other trees or plants. 

 A plant so easily propagated, and whose management is so simple, 

 and which, moreover, is of such an iindying nature, ought not to be 

 difficult to cultivate and make fruitful ; nor is it. It must have 

 a good aspect — south or south-east is the best ; and with a well- 

 drained border, composed of sound loam, neither light nor heavy, 

 mixed with some crushed chalk or limestone and a few bones, it 

 will, if well supplied with water in summer, do well. Some people 

 have a notion of picking out every little stone from beds and 

 borders. This is, I think, a mistake. They need not of course 

 be raked on the top and left there, as it is not difficult to bury any 

 which may come to the surface. Where the subsoil is bad the 

 bottom should be made impervious for 4 or 5 feet from the wall. 

 In damp soils a drain should run along the front of the border, 

 and a little below it. The best time to make new borders, or 

 repair or renew old ones, is in March or September. The Vines, 

 if young ones are to be used, may be planted any time in spring — 

 preferably in April, about the middle of the month, the plants 

 having been kept cool all the winter. The roots should be uncoiled 

 and laid out straight, about 8 inches from the surface of the border. 

 It would be impossible, according to my view of the matter, to 

 overrate the importance of having the roots near the surface. 

 The border may be of a depth to suit the district, the soil, and 

 the cultivator's capacity and time, for these are more or less factors 

 in the matter ; but by far the majority of the Vines in the country 

 are planted without any preparation being made. Occasionally, 

 under favoural^le conditions, by a lucky hit as it were, they succeed ; 

 but given a warm site, a properly-made border, a good supply of 

 water in dry weather, and i)roper management of the growth in 

 summer, success ought to be a matter of certainty. 



Training. — Assuming the young plants are tiu'ned out in the 

 border when the soil is in a nice condition to receive the roots, all 

 the buds but three should be rubbed off. and those three should be 

 near the bottom. They shoidd be trained to the wall when they 

 need support, the centre shoot being taken straight up, and the 

 side shoots led off a short distance at right angles and then 

 trained vertically. The shoots should be stopped if vigorous 

 when they have grown about 5 feet, to strengthen the bottom 

 eyes ; but the next break should form a leader, and be laid in. 

 Young Vines want a good deal of water, and the border should be 

 mulched 3 inches deep with manure. 



Summer Peuning. — If neglected. Vine shoots soon get into a 

 tangle by reason of their hooklike tendrils getting hold of each 

 other and clinging with a tenacity which makes separation very 



