20 THE FORCING GARDEN. 



well rolled, it will form a most beneficial medium for 

 conducting heat to the roots. Of course there may be 

 a border of, say, six or eight feet, immediately in front 

 of the house and from the main stems of the vines ; 

 although I once had a vinery which produced fine 

 healthy crops of fruit where no such border existed 

 and with nothing in front of it but a broad gravel 

 walk and a lawn. The direct influence of the sun 

 upon the roots of the vine is no doubt one (if not 

 the chief) cause of their doing well and producing good 

 sound wood with fine coloured fruit free from dis- 

 ease ; hence the advantage of my vine-border or pro- 

 tector. (See illustration.) 



On examination we find that all creeping or climb- 

 ing plants live near to the surface of the ground, i.e. 

 the roots run under the surface not many inches deep, 

 and the vine is one of these. Let this fact suffice. 

 The vine border should be fairly drained, but the vine 

 should have some sure means of getting a sufficient 

 supply of liquid food, and this should be of a nutritious 

 character. Now cow-dung worked into the soil will 

 supply this by being surrounded with the water which 

 the rains give, this being more retentive of moisture than 

 stable manure. Again, if vines are watered once or 

 twice, during the early spring and summer, with cow- 

 dung diluted with water so as .to form a liquid, it will 

 prove a source of great benefit to them. I am of 

 opinion that guano proves a frequent cause of 

 mildew. 



The planting of the vine inside the house has 

 elicited many advocates, with volumes of arguments 

 both for and against it. In some cases it succeeds, 

 and in some it does not ; but I have known only one or 



