124: APPENDIX. 



they were, but not better than the finest imported 

 from Spain. 



With respect to the superior ripening power of 

 slates or tiles placed on the surface of the earth, I was 

 much interested in once hearing a travelled friend say 

 that, when he was at Paros, he observed many vines 

 trained up the marble rocks peculiar to the island ; 

 and in all cases the grapes lying on the surface, which 

 was almost a continuous mass of rock, were ripe, while 

 those a few feet from it, on the same vine, some of the 

 branches of which were trained up the wall-like 

 rocks, were quite green. In telling me this, he said 

 he was never more impressed with the ripening power 

 of the earth's surface. 



I have, in giving the figure and description of the 

 ground vinery, made it adapted for one vine, the 

 width of it being 2 feet 6 inches only. If this width 

 be increased to 3 feet 6 inches, two vines can be trained 

 under the same roof 14 inches apart, and thus at a 

 trifling additional cost double produce can be obtained. 

 - 1 have very recently planted some peach trees in one 

 of these slate-paved vineries, and feel assured that 

 very early and very fine peaches can be grown in such 

 places. I have managed my trees in this way I 

 took two pyramids full of blossom-buds, cut off the 

 shoots on one side so that the stem would lie flat, and 

 I then pegged it down with hooks made of stout iron 

 wire, thrusting them into the soil between the inter- 

 stices of the slates. 



Cultivators will think of red spider making his 

 home in such (for him) a happy, hot place ; but he 

 in ay be made so uncomfortable by keeping flowers of 



