542 On the Cultivatmi of Grape ViJies m Greenhouses. 



The new border should be composed of fibrous turf, leaf 

 soil, and horse dung, which should be filled in to the depth of 

 four feet, as it will finally subside to about three feet. It is 

 unnecessary to prescribe the proportions to be used of the 

 above ingredients, as that must depend on circumstances. 

 Leaf soil is, generally, a scarce substance ; and therefore, 

 should the loam be of a strong quality, it should be mixed 

 with light soil, as much of a vegetable nature as possible, 

 keeping in view the principle that the composition should be 

 sufliciently porous. 



If the old vines have been growing in a wet soil, or a great 

 portion of their roots decayed or rotten, I would recommend, 

 in planting them, to lay a portion of the stem across the bor- 

 der, and peg it down with strong pegs, about six inches deep. 

 As to what length ought to be laid down in this manner, that 

 will depend on the state of the old vine. The lower part of 

 neglected vines is generally bare of young wood, perhaps 

 half-way up the main stem. Some of the spurs beyond that, 

 may even be exhausted. I would, therefore, plant so as to 

 have a good fresh shoot at the entrance of the vine into the 

 house, or at least, at the foot of the rafter. This shoot should 

 be cut down to two or three eyes, and if all go on well, it will 

 grow from twenty to thirty feet the first season. If young 

 vines are required for planting, good strong vines should be 

 procured from a respectable nursery, and planted about the 

 beginning of March. The roots should be well spread out, 

 and three feet of the stem laid down horizontally, six inches 

 deep in the ground. 



The sorts most suitable for a greenhouse are, — Black Ham- 

 burgh, Black Prince, Black Prince Hamburgh, White Sweet- 

 water. 



Temperature of the border. — In No. 112 of Loudon's Gar- 

 deners' Magazine, I have directed the vine border to be cov- 

 ered, a fortnight previous to the commencement of forcing, 

 with horse dung of the best quality, to the depth of ten or 

 twelve inches. I would still recommend the same method, 

 or something similar, in every case in which the border has 

 been uncovered, or insufficiently covered during winter. But, 

 as the successful cultivation of all plants, especially exotics, 

 depends so much on terrestrial climate, I now prefer to have 

 the border covered in the autumn, so as to prevent the escape 



