76 Alleyi^s Treatise on the Grape. 



enlarged form, we doubt not it will contribute much more to 

 extend the cultivation of a fruit, which, in our climate, can 

 only be obtained by artificial means. 



The most valuable part of the treatise, viz., that detailing 

 Mr. Allen's own experience, being the same as in the first 

 edition which we have reviewed, as above referred to, Ave shall 

 now principally confine our remarks to Mr. Allen's observations 

 on matmres, the formation of borders^ ^c, which occupy about 

 fifty pages of this edition ; and, as the author has made a 

 somewhat free use of our name, and misstated our position, 

 we shall examine his views on these subjects, and see how 

 far they are in accordance with the opinions of the best grape 

 cultivators abroad, or may be applied successfully to the cul- 

 tivation of the grape. 



But first, we have a word to say relative to Mr. Allen's re- 

 marks on the "aspect for a grapery." He advised that " a 

 house should front the south ;" and, in our Review, we stated 

 that this was not " all important," that " in our bright climate, 

 any position but a northern one, would enable the cultivator 

 to produce the most delicious grapes." Mr. Allen still adheres 

 to his opinion. Yet, in a note relative to the construction of 

 houses, (p. 15,) he states that a " spaji roofed house is superior 

 in its arrangements to a lean-to house, (facing the south,) and, 

 under the same circumstances, will produce a crop ten to fifteen 

 days sooner, and will yield a greater amount of fruit in a 

 given space." The reasons why, he does not give. Now, every 

 cultivator knows, that the grape is a native of woods, where 

 it often climbs up trees to the height of 50 feet, with the shoots 

 more or less shaded by the branches on which it clings for 

 support ; yet all know that the grapes, on all parts of such 

 a vine, are equally high colored and excellent, and that it is 

 not a direct exposure to the rays of a hot sun they so much 

 need, as a moderate quantity of light, and air. Mr. Allen 

 quotes, (p. 13,) an account of some grapes exhibited at a horti- 

 cultural show, which were "raised in London, under a glass 

 case, without fire heat, in an aspect nearly 7iorthwcst (!) and 

 where they received only about one hour's sun in the 

 latter part of the day ; they were a small black kind, and 

 well colored; a fact corroborative of the opinion now enter- 

 tained, that grapes should be sheltered from the direct rays 

 of the sun upon the fruit." 



