30 VARIOUS WAYS OF PLANTING VINES. 



after shaking out the vines, and pruning, and in some 

 instances washing their roots, I laid them out on the 

 surface of the soil, from one end of the turf, like the 

 extended fingers of the hand, covering up with a layer 

 of 3 inches of sharp soil. I placed them all, as close as 

 the trays would admit, in the pit of an intermediate 

 house, where they had a night temperature of 55, and 

 65 to 70 during the day from sun-heat ; tied each to 

 a stake, gave the whole a good watering, and covered 

 all the surface with moss. This was done in March, 

 and when they were planted in May the whole soil was 

 a mass of fine healthy foots. We removed one at a 

 time, and planted them with care. They gave no indi- 

 cations of having received the slightest check. Twenty- 

 four of these were Lady Downes and West's St Peter's. 

 They were put one to each rafter, to form the permanent 

 vines for the house. The other fifty-one were chiefly 

 Hamburgs, to be considered temporary, in as far as 

 they were to bear a crop the next year, and then to be 

 removed. One set of the latter was planted, one in 

 the centre of each light, close to the front ; the other 

 set along the centre of the house. Their progress was 

 all that could be desired ; and the following year, 1859, 

 the house produced over 400 bunches of grapes, with- 

 out taking one from the permanent vines. The super- 

 numeraries in the centre row were removed after the 

 first crop, but some of those in the front row still 

 remain. I may remark that out of this house we cut 

 black Hamburg grapes in August, and Lady Downes 

 seedling grapes, perfectly plump and good, till April 

 every year. 



