CHAPTER XLI 



THE GRAPE VINE 



TO the amateur gardener who has never attempted it, the 

 culture of the grape vine presents so many difficulties that 

 in not a few cases I am afraid he has allowed himself to 

 drift into a state of mind bordering on a settled conviction that 

 with his limited resources and want of time the thing is impossible. 

 But is it ? I shall endeavour to show in this chapter that the 

 obstacles are not insurmountable. Successful grape cultivation, 

 like successful chrysanthemum, sweet pea or carnation growing, 

 requires hi the cultivator a plentiful stock of patience, a constant 

 and unwearying attention to the needs of his vines, and some know- 

 ledge of their habits and peculiarities. But the virtues of patience, 

 diligence and an unceasing devotion to his favourite hobby are 

 never absent from the equipment of the enthusiastic amateur 

 gardener. If, therefore, he is possessed by the desire to cultivate 

 his own vine and to induce it to provide him with at least a few 

 bunches of fully-matured home-grown grapes, he needs only to 

 allow his own inherent virtues to have full play to achieve success. 

 The month of January provides an ideal opportunity to begin 

 operations. To ensure a crop of fruit it is, of course, essential 

 that the vine shall be grown under glass. The ordinary lean-to 

 greenhouse, especially if its aspect be southern or south-western, 

 forms an ideal lodging-place for the vine, but the commoner span- 

 roofed house will serve the purpose equally well if its position be 

 such that it is possible to take the fullest advantage of all available 

 sunshine. 



If the glasshouse can be devoted exclusively to the cultivation 

 of the vine, the prospects of success will be all the brighter, but 

 where this is found impossible there need be no hesitation in 

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