318 VILLA GARDENING part iv 



and theu cut back. In dealing vnth the laterals, which, in the 

 case of young vigorous vines, will be constantly starting forth, the 

 common practice is to leave one leaf and allow no further advance, 

 and, as a rule, this is very sound practice. The one leaf and bud 

 will keep the main buds from breaking, and act as a safety valve in 

 the case of exuberant vigour. There are cases, when the root-action 

 is sluggish, where it may be wise to depart from the riUe laid down, 

 and permit a little more lateral growth to waken up the roots and 

 stimulate them to greater exertion. Tying down the shoots to the 

 wires may seem to the uninitiated a very simple matter, but it 

 requires great care and patience to get all tied down in their 

 places without a mishap. Scarcely any of the shoots will bear 

 to be drawn down to the wires all at once. A string of matting 

 should be fastened loosely round tlie branch about the middle of 

 its length, and <lrawing the shoot down carefully, as much as it will 

 bear at the time, fasten the matting to the wire, and so on, each 

 shoot in succession, till all are secured. In a few days the whole 

 may be gone through again, and on this occasion perhaps they all 

 may be drawn down to the trellis. If too much pressure is brought 

 to bear the shoots will split off, and an unsightly blank be left ; 

 hence the necessity for doing the work tentatively. 



Watkrino inside Borders. — Taking 30 inches as the average 

 rainfall of the country, any one may, in liis own mind, make a 

 rough calculation whether Nature or himself is the most liberal 

 ])aymaster. If we erect a building over a piece of land, and plant 

 a tree or trees therein, it is incumbent on us to see that those 

 living things we have immured have drink enough. It is true that 

 if they are not sui^plied witli what tliey require, they ■will help 

 themselves from some other, perhaps unwholesome, source, which 

 will in the course of a short time disorganise their growth. The 

 only chance of keeping healthy roots near the surface is to keep 

 the soil moist, not only when the vines are in active growth, but 

 at all times. Of course less will be required in the short days 

 than during the growing season in s^jring and summer. But not 

 only will inside borders require liberal supplies of water, but the 

 roots outside, if they are to be kept near the surface in dry 

 hot weather, must have water. To avoid making mistakes, every 

 person having charge of vineries shoidd make himself acquainted 

 with the construction and constitution of the borders. Unless we 

 possess this knowledge it is difficult to know when and how to 

 water. It is, of com-se, possible to injure the borders by over- 

 watering — by washing the fertility out of the soil ; but I imagine, 

 so far as regards inside borders, that this is a rare case. It is 

 necessary, in watering borders of forcing-houses, to take the chill 



