172 ON PLANTING AND MANAGING 



do almost what he pleases. He can at any time create 

 a temperature that is warm and moist ; and this is so 

 congenial to the growing shoots and leaves of vines, 

 that in an atmosphere of this description they will al- 

 most get their own living without troubling the roots 

 for any nourishment at all. It is a mistaken notion, 

 therefore, to suppose, that because a vine is forced, 

 that is, made to produce its fruit at a contrary period 

 of the year than under natural circumstances it other- 

 wise would do, it, therefore, requires a highly manured 

 border for the roots to grow in. Quite the contrary 

 is the case, and yet how universally is this notion acted 

 upon ! 



The effect of forcing vines under glass is to cause 

 great rapidity of growth in the shoots, and this is un- 

 favourable to the formation of good fruit buds. Slow- 

 ness of growth is the first step towards the production 

 of good bearing wood ; and this point should be aimed 

 at by exposing the shoots during their growth to the 

 greatest possible amount of light and heat. These 

 all-powerful agents will check the too rapid growth of 

 the shoots, and thereby produce short-jointed wood ; 

 and this description of wood, in whatever part of the 

 world it may be produced, is always prolific. 



Some few years since, the author received a bundle 

 of vine cuttings from one of the most celebrated vine- 

 yards in Spain. They were the entire growth of the 

 year, as each had a portion of the preceding year's 

 wood attached to it. The longest shoot measured 8 

 feet, but the average length was about eight feet. The 

 wood was perfectly cylindrical, and of the closest tex- 

 ture, and almost as hard as heart of oak. The buds 

 were large, prominent, and highly symmetrical, and 

 stood out in bold relief on the sides of the canes. They 

 were produced so near to each other as to be only If 

 of an inch apart. Now, a corresponding shoot pro- 



