50 ON SOIIr. 



ingly well calculated for the purpose, and the surfaces 

 of it being rendered white and smooth by the attrition 

 of the sea, it produces a very pleasing and cheerful 

 effect. 



The border should be perfectly level, or, if a sloping 

 surface cannot be avoided, the descent must be from 

 the wall. No other plant or tree of any description 

 should be intermixed with the vines, or trained against 

 the wall. If other trees be trained on the surface of 

 the wall amongst the vines, the current year's shoots of 

 the latter will be liable to be shaded, and impeded in 

 their growth and training, and be thereby deprived of 

 the full advantages of the heat of the wall. 



It will also prove very beneficial to the growth and 

 fertility of the vines, and to the flavour of the fruit, if 

 the border in which they are planted be never cropped 

 nor digged. The cropping of a vine border is of a 

 highly injurious tendency, for it not only impoverishes 

 the soil, but shades it from the influence of the sun and 

 air, which is a consideration of the very last importance. 

 Solar heat, indeed, is the only thing that this country 

 is deficient in, as it respects the culture of the vine ; 

 and there can be no doubt, I think, that if we had but 

 a trifling portion more of it, the southern parts of Eng- 

 land would produce grapes on open walls, equal in point 

 of flavour, to those grown in the most auspicious cli- 

 mates. Great care, therefore, ought to be taken, never 

 to intercept or obstruct for a single hour, during any 

 part of the year, the full and direct operation of the sun 

 and air on the surface of a vine border. 



It must also be stated, that after a vine has been 

 planted three or four years, its roots will begin to make 

 their way upwards, towards the surface of the border, 

 doubtless attracted thither by the joint influence of the 

 sun and air. And if the border be not disturbed by 

 cropping or digging, they will come up close to the sur- 



