ON THE CONSTRUCTION OF WALLS. 67 



of a vine, the nails used in training the shoots are 

 necessarily numerous, and these 'being withdrawn at 

 the autumnal pruning, their holes are quickly taken 

 possession of by various descriptions of insects. If 

 these be suffered to remain unmolested, they will multi- 

 ply amazingly during the next summer; and in the au- 

 tumn, when the fruit is cut, the bunches will be infested 

 with them to an injurious and offensive degree. The 

 nail holes may certainly be filled up with mortar, but 

 this is a tedious operation, and produces an unsightly 

 appearance. I have never found any thing so effec- 

 tual as a good coating of white-wash, made from new 

 lirne, and of a thickish consistence. This, by filling 

 up the holes and other vacancies, effectually destroys 

 all the vermin, prevents the growth of moss, and pro- 

 motes, not a little, the healthy vegetation of the vines. 

 The face of the wall will thus be renovated, and made 

 to look as well as when first built, and its pure white- 

 ness will add greatly to the cheerful appearance of the 

 garden. The proper time of the year to perform this 

 operation is at the beginning of March, just as the winter 

 covering of the bud is about to open ; but if the season 

 be forward, the last week in February will do better. 

 The vines should be unnailed, and held a little distance 

 from the wall by one person, while another washes its 

 surface, after which the branches may be trained, and 

 nailed for the season, or otherwise temporarily so, until 

 that operation can be conveniently performed. If the 

 wash fall on any of the branches, it will not be of the 

 slightest consequence, as, though a little unsightly at 

 first, it will quickly disappear at the rising of the 

 sap. 



Projecting copings, fixed on vine walls, though at- 

 tended with many advantages, are not without some 

 disadvantages. They are very beneficial in protecting 

 the young shoots of the vines from the effects of late 



