62 ON THE CONSTRUCTION OF WALLS. 



the foliage of a vine, the nails used in the 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 withdrawn at the autumnal pruning, their holes are 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 multiply amazingly during the next sum- 

 mer, and in the autumn when the fruit is cut. the 

 bunches will be infested with them to an injurious 

 degree. The nail holes may certainly be filled up 

 with mortar, but this is a tedious operation, and pro- 

 duces an unsightly appearance. I have never found 

 any thing so effectual as a good coating of white- 

 wash, made from new lime, and of a thickish consist- 

 ence. This, by filling up the holes and other vacan- 

 cies, eftectually destroys all the vermin, prevents the 

 growth of moss, and promotes not a little the healthy 

 vegetation of the vines. The face of the Avail will 

 thus be renovated, and made to look as well as when 

 first built, and its pure whiteness will add greatly to 

 the cheerful appearance of the garden. The proper 

 time of the year to perform this operation is at the be- 

 ginning of March, just as the wujter covering of the 

 bud is about to open ; but if the season be forAvard, 

 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 sur- 

 face, 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 conseqaence, as, though a little un- 

 sightly at first, it will quickly disnppcar 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 yoimg shoots of the vines from the efiects of late 

 frosts in the spring, in preserving tlie blossoms from 

 cold dews and heavy rains, and in keeping the grapes 

 m good condition, for a considerable period of time 



