SECTION XXV 

 Grapes 



i. CULTIVATION 



Grape growing as a commercial undertaking has come into existence 

 within the last forty years, and in that time has passed through all 

 stages from small production and high prices to the enormous output 

 of the present time, with the keenest competition, both home and foreign, 

 a trade can well experience. In the early days of the industry, grapes 

 could be made to pay grown on any soil and, one might almost say, 

 anyhow. In places where the natural soil did not suit the Vine, it paid 

 to make the most elaborate preparations for its culture, even to concreting 

 the bottoms of the borders, and to restricting the roots to soil carted 

 from a distance and carefully mixed and prepared before being placed 

 in position. Such times have all passed, and unless a soil is in itself 

 suitable for Vines, it will no longer pay to go to the expense of such 

 special preparations. The Vine is a most accommodating subject, and 

 will put up with very different treatments and yet give a fair return. 

 Some growers devote houses entirely to them; many utilize the space 

 under early Vines for Arums, and again in autumn for Chrysanthemums; 

 while some may be said to make a catch crop of their Vines, and use 

 the space underneath for forcing Spiraeas, growing bedding stuff and 

 Ferns, and for storing stock plants during the winter. It is very doubt- 

 ful whether it can possibly pay to grow grapes under such conditions 

 at the present day. Vines will grow well on a variety of soils. The 

 Worthing soil is probably the best for the purpose in all England, and 

 consists of a deep strip of good loam on a substratum of chalk or chalky 

 marl full of flints. Here the roots have in many places fully 6 ft. of 

 good loam to rove in, with good natural drainage into the bargain. A 

 large grower in the north of London thinks the most suitable soil to be 

 an old turf on a good loam with a brick-earth subsoil. The main point 

 to consider is the natural drainage of the situation, so long as the soil 

 is fairly good in other ways. Judicious manuring and cultural treat- 

 ment will produce a good crop if the roots are running in a sweet 

 medium. It may be said, therefore, that anyone starting in the glass 



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