16 A TREATISE ON THE 



suppose a house entirely devoted to this peculiar grape. I 

 begin with the vinery border, a portion of which is inside as 

 well as outside of the house ; the space occupied, therefore, 

 from the back part of the border inside to the front part 

 outside ought to be eighteen feet, and with a slope of two feet 

 at least from the back to the front. In making the border, 

 proceed with it in every particular the same as before recom- 

 mended, taking every precaution to attend to the drainage. 

 When the border is complete, and settled to its proper level, 

 proceed to plant the vines in the centre of the border within 

 the house, and train them up at the same distances as repre- 

 sented in the plan. Much good is derived from planting them 

 thickly : it enables the grower to train every alternate vine 

 up, and the other down, thereby entirely covering every inch 

 of glass surface. Allowing each vine to carry ten or twelve 

 bunches, you thereby secure a much greater weight of fruit 

 than by any other plan, and at the same time each individual 

 vine is not overcropped, which greatly assists them to properly 

 ripen the allotted number in the greatest state of perfection ; 

 and the equal dispersion of fine bunches throughout the house 

 gives a rich and luxuriant appearance. It may be argued that 

 their being so thickly planted would, in a short time, produce 

 confusion ; but, by spurring or cutting them back every year 

 to one eye, they preserve a neat, close, and compact appear- 

 ance. The best proof I can offer is, that one house, under 

 my own cultivation, which has received the above treatment, 

 is now in as fine a state as possible ; indeed, every year there 

 is a decided improvement, both as regards the quantity and 

 quality of the produce. I ought, perhaps, to have before 

 observed, that, with a sufficient number of well-grown vines 

 in pots, a house could be filled with a crop of excellent fruit 

 the first year, without the slightest detriment to the forth- 

 coming crops. I know some persons will sneer at such doctrine, 

 but I only recommend to others what I have found to succeed 

 well with myself. There can be but one opinion as to the 



