GRAPE VINES UNDER GLASS. 255 



getting through into the cold subsoil is to cement the bot- 

 tom of this excavation. One inch in thickness of cement 

 is enough. When this is done the border material may be 

 thrown in, filling it up five or six inches higher than the 

 general level to allow for settling. Be careful never to 

 handle the materials for the border in wet weather. 



OF THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE VINEEY 



little may be here said, as there are now architects in 

 every large city, fully competent to give plans. I will 

 simply say that for early forcing, or perhaps in all 

 graperies where artificial heat is used, the lean-to or one- 

 sided structure is preferable ; while for cold graperies, or 

 those not heated artificially, the curvilinear or span- 

 roofed is the best. The " lean-to " may be 18 or 20 feet 

 wide, and of any desired length, giving a length of rafter 

 from 20 to 24 feet. When the curvilinear span for cold 

 vineries is used, the base width may be 25 feet, which will 

 give about 15 feet of rafter on each side. A house built 

 after the design given for a rose-house on pages 135 and 

 136, will answer admirably for a cold grapery. 



PLANTING THE VINE. 



Amateurs planting graperies, commonly desire to pro- 

 cure vines that are two or three years old, but such as have 

 had much experience with stocking new graperies know 

 that a one-year-old vine that is well ripened, better 

 answers the purpose than those of greater age ; in fact it 

 is a question whether a vine started from an eye hi Feb- 

 ruary or March, and planted in June, will not by Sep- 

 tember make as fine a cane as one of any greater age. 

 As such vines are not very easily transportable or even 

 procurable at all by beginners, the best thing they can do 

 is to procure well-grown one-year-old vines and plant 



