52 FRUIT CULTURE UNDER GLASS. 



were made from the produce of a vineyard there, and 

 that in 1*763 there were 70 pipes of wine in the castle 

 cellars, all produced from grapes grown in the Arundel 

 vineyard. The first mention of artificial heat being 

 applied to the vine is in 1718, when the Duke of Eut- 

 land, at Belvoir Castle, forced it by means of heated 

 walls. In Switzer's 'Practical Fruit-grower' there is 

 to be found the first plan of a vinery, with directions 

 for forcing grapes under glass. As a branch of horti- 

 culture, grape-growing under glass has certainly more 

 than kept pace with any other, both in its general 

 diffusion and its improvement, until it may be looked 

 upon as of national importance. 



SITE FOR VINERIES. 



There are two extremes of circumstances which are 

 inimical to the most successful culture of the grape 

 vine, and these are considerably dependent on the site 

 where vineries are erected. A low damp position, 

 into which the water in its immediate vicinity finds 

 its way, and from which it cannot be drained to the 

 depth of at least 3 feet, should be avoided ; for stag- 

 nant water is ruinous to vines, and such a site may 

 be regarded as the very worst. An elevated, exces- 

 sively dry site, with a gravelly subsoil which suffers 

 very soon and severely from drought, should also be 

 avoided if possible, as excessive drought is also very 

 unfavourable to the production of fine grapes. A site 

 sloping gently to the south, from which water can 

 be effectually drained, is the best, and should always 

 be chosen when available. Shelter from north and 

 east winds is also of importance. But the sheltering 

 objects should never be so near the vinery as to prove 



