14 THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. 



" raised in the city of London, under a glass case, without 

 fire heat, in an aspect nearly northwest, and where they re- 

 ceived only about one hour's sun in the latter part, of the 

 day ; they were a small black kind, and well colored, a fact 

 corroborative of the opinion now entertained, that grapes 

 should be sheltered from the direct rays of the sun upon the 

 fruit." 



Mr. Hovey, the Editor of the Magazine of Horticulture, 

 does not agree with me, in the opinion before expressed, rela- 

 tive to the aspect for the grapery. In a notice of the first 

 edition of this work, he says, " Not so, however, (all impor- 

 tant,) the direction, ' that the house should front the south," 

 or ' a slight variation, provided it is to the east.' If forcing 

 was only to be the object, this would hold true ; but, for the 

 ordinary culture of the grape, either with or without heat, it 

 is by no means necessary. In our bright climate, any posi- 

 tion but a northern one will enable the cultivator to produce 

 the most delicious grapes." I have houses fronting northeast 

 and southwest, (of course, with such aspect, the houses are 

 glass on all sides,) east and west, southeast and northwest, 

 and the other intervening points of the compass. I have 

 carefully noted the effect of the different positions, and can, in 

 the strongest language, recommend the aspect of south, in- 

 clining a little to east, as the best. Southeast is the next 

 best ; and east-southeast is preferable to southwest. The 

 front of a house exposed to the west winds (which are our 

 coldest in winter and spring,) is liable, when such winds pre- 

 vail, to a very low temperature till the sun suddenly shines 

 upon it, and then comes a sudden and rapid accumulation of 

 heat, very prejudicial to the welfare of the vines. I do not 

 wish to be understood as saying that grapes cannot be grown 

 in any but just such a position ; I know that they can be ; 

 but the care requisite, and the chances of failure, are greater 

 in ratio as the house in its aspect deviates from the best posi- 

 tion. These remarks apply particularly to the northern 

 states ; in the middle and southern, it may be advantageous 



