THE GRAPE VINE. ^4Y 



feet pruning every spring, produces annually many 

 bushels of fruit. But the quality is, of course, greatly 

 inferior to that produced on well-pruned, trained, and 

 dressed vines. A grape vine neatly trained on a trellis, 

 with its luxuriant ample foliage, and rich pendulous 

 clusters of fruit, is really one of the most interesting- 

 objects in a fruit garden, and, at the same time, one of 

 the most profitable ; for the shade and ornament alone 

 that it produces, are a sufficient recompense for its culture. 



In planting a grape vine the first pomt is to prepare a 

 border for the roots. 



This must, in the first place, be perfectly dry. If the 

 soil or situation be wet or damp, it must be drained 

 thoroughly, so that no stagnant moisture can exist in it. 

 In the next place it must be deep — three feet is a good 

 depth ; and it must not be less than two where abundant 

 and fine crops are expected. The mode of preparation 

 is, to dig ont the natm-al soil to the required depth, and 

 the length and width necessary. For a single vine, the 

 border should be eight or ten feet long and four wide. 



When the excavation is made, if the soil be stift' or 

 damp, a few inches, or a foot deep, of small stones, brick, 

 rubbish, etc., may be laid on the bottom as a sort of 

 drainage. On the top of this deposit the compost for the 

 border. This may consist of two j^arts of good, fresh, 

 friable loam, one of old, well-rotted manure, and one of 

 ashes, shells, broken bones, etc., all completely mixed 

 with one another. The top of the border, when finished, 

 should be at least a foot higher than the surface of the 

 ground, so that it may still remain higher after settling. 

 Having the border thus prepared, the next point is the 

 trellis. The form of this will depend on the situation it 

 is to occupy, and the mode of training to be adoj)ted. 

 Fig. 123 represents one intended for a wall. The prin- 



