VINE. 



VINE. 



heaps, and soap-suds. It should, however, al- 

 ways be recollected, that the more manure is 

 used, the poorer the wine procured from the 

 grapes. As a top-dressing, and to be forked 

 into the border, night-soil, refuse fish, stable 

 manure, and the excrements of all birds and 

 animals, will be found highly enriching sub- 

 stances as fertilizers, and their nutritive and 

 stimulating properties have been frequently 

 alluded to in the progress of this work ; but if 

 rich manures are used, they should be mixed 

 with turf and sand. In the Alto Douro is a 

 law which prohibits the vine being "littered;" 

 as this operation, though it considerably aug- 

 ments the produce, tends to deteriorate the 

 quality of the wine. 



On the Construction of Walls. No general 

 rule can be laid down as to the height of the 

 wall, which must necessarily vary under differ- 

 ent situations and circumstances. Mr. Hoare 

 states, that in unsheltered situations and ex- 

 posed aspects he has never seen fine grapes 

 produced much higher than 8 feet from the 

 ground. 



But, in favourable situations, height is no 

 consequence. If built for the express purpose 

 of rearing grapes, low walls of not more than 

 6 feet are to be preferred, as more convenient 

 for pruning and training the vines. Brick 

 walls are undoubtedly the best, the surface 

 being smooth and even. A considerable heat 

 is obtained by blackening the wall. 



Propagation. Vines are propagated in the 

 open ground by layers and by cuttings. The 

 former is the most expeditious mode, provided 

 the shoots be laid down in pots, and planted 

 out the same summer. The latter mode is 

 much the best. To provide cuttings to be 

 planted at the proper season, select at the au- 

 tumnal pruning a sufficient number of shoots 

 of the preceding summer's growth. Choose 

 such as are well ripened, of a medium size, and 

 moderately short-jointed. Cut them into con- 

 venient lengths of 6 or 8 buds each, leaving at 

 the ends not less than a couple of inches of 

 the blank wood for the protection of the termi- 

 nal buds. Stick these temporary cuttings about 

 9 inches in the ground, in a warm and sheltered 

 situation, where they will be effectually pro- 

 tected from the severity of the winter. The 

 best time to plant them out is about the middle 

 of March, but any time from the 1st of that 

 month to the 10th of April will do very well. 



Pruning and training are so closely connected 

 together, and so mutually dependent on each 

 other, that they almost constitute one operation. 

 The judicious pruning of a vine is one of the 

 most important points of culture throughout the 

 whole routine of its management. The object 

 is to get rid of all the useless and superabun- 

 dant wood, for those shoots of a vine which 

 bear fruit one year never bear any afterwards. 

 There are three methods of pruning vines in 

 practice amongst gardeners; namely, the long- 

 pruning, spur-pruning, and the fan or fruit tree 

 method. The first is considered to be the most 

 eligible method, and is that which is practised 

 and recommended by Mr. Hoare. As the sole 

 object in view in pruning a vine is to increase 

 its fertility, the best method to accomplish this 

 is to leave a sufficient supply of bearing shoots 

 1084 



on the least possible proportionate quantity of 

 old wood. 



Long-pruning appears to recommend itself 

 by its simplicity ; by the old wood of the vine 

 being annually got rid of; by the small num- 

 ber of wounds inflicted in the pruning; by the 

 clean and handsome appearance of the vine ; 

 and by the great ease with which it is managed, 

 in consequence of its occupying but a small 

 portion of the surface of the wall. 



Mr. Hoare lays down the following practical 

 general rules for the guidance of the pruner : 



1st. In pruning, always cut upwards, and in 

 a sloping direction. 



2d. Always leave an inch of blank wood be- 

 yond the terminal bud, and let the cut be on 

 the opposite side of the bud. 



3d. Prune so as to leave as few wounds as 

 possible, and let the surface of every cut be 

 perfectly smooth. 



4th. In cutting out an old branch, prune it 

 even with the parent limb, that the wound may 

 quickly heal. 



5th. Prune so as to obtain the quantity of 

 fruit desired on the smallest number of shoots 

 possible. 



6th. Never prune in frosty weather, nor when 

 a frost is expected. 



7th. Never prune in the months of March, 

 April, or May. Pruning in either of these 

 months causes bleeding, and occasions thereby 

 a wasteful and an injurious expenditure of sap. 



8th. Let the general autumnal pruning take 

 place as soon after the 1st of October as the 

 gathering of the fruit will permit. 



Lastly, use a pruning-knife of the best de- 

 scription, and let it be, if possible, as sharp as 

 a razor. 



Training. To train a vine (Mr. Hoare goes 

 on to observe) on the surface of a wall is to 

 regulate the position of its branches, the prin- 

 cipal objects of which are, to protect them from 

 the influence of the wind ; to bring them into 

 close contact with the wall, for the purpose of 

 receiving the benefit of its warmth ; to spread 

 them at proper distances from each other, that 

 the foliage and fruit may receive the full effect 

 of the sun's rays, and to retard the motion of 

 the sap, for the purpose of inducing the forma- 

 tion of fruit-buds. The flow of sap, it must be 

 remembered, is always strongest in a vertical 

 direction, and weakest in a downward one. 

 For this reason, the method of serpentine train- 

 ing may be considered preferable to every 

 other, being calculated in a greater degree to 

 check the too rapid ascent of the sap, and to 

 make it flow more equally into the fruiting 

 shoots, and those intended for future bearers. 

 On walls that are much less than 5 feet high r 

 a portion of the shoots must be trained hori- 

 zontally. 



Varieties of Grapes. The following 12 sorts 

 of grapes are those best adapted for culture on 

 open walls in England: 



1. Black Hamburgh. As a splendid table 

 fruit, this is, in every respect, one of the most 

 valuable grapes that can be grown on open 

 walls. It is a prolific bearer, hardy in its na- 

 ture, and under judicious culture will ripen 

 with as small a portion of direct solar heat as 

 any grape we have. 



