GRAPE VINES OUTDOOR CULTURE. 



263 



must not be heavily cropped in their early years, nor at any time over-cropped, if they 

 are expected to be permanently satisfactory. 



OUTDOOR CULTURE. 



Vineyard. Except on sunny slopes and in gravelly soils in the southern parts 

 of the Kingdom, the cultivation of vines to produce grapes for making wine 

 is not practicable. Southern slopes 

 too steep for fruit culture generally 

 might be utilised for growing grapes, 

 by forming terraces, for banks of 

 earth often secure as much warmth 

 as walls do. But it is little use 

 attempting grape growing outdoors 

 (or anywhere else) without attend- 

 ing to their cultivation, disbudding, 

 stopping and thinning the growths, 

 keeping down insects and fungi, and 

 thinning and taking care of the fruit. 

 Eich garden soils and deep loams do 

 not assist, but retard, grapes ripen- 

 ing in an unfavourable season. 



The vineyard must be open 

 to every ray of sun ; hill or rock 

 shelter is better than that of woods 

 the soil should be gravelly or 

 sandy, and thoroughly drained. The 

 growth of the vines will then be firm 

 and the grapes richer than in deep 

 loams. Avoid manure in the soil, but 

 use it on the surface as necessity arises 



Fig. 79. A CASTLE COCH VINE. (From The Journal of Horticulture.') 



for imparting vigour to the vines. 



The Black Cluster, Miller's Burgundy, and Gamme Noir are perhaps the best varieties 

 for wine-making. The last named is chiefly grown at Castle Coch, near Cardiff; it has 

 small round berries, blue-black when ripe. 



