CHAPTER XVI. 



GARDEN" CULTURE. 



The greatest obstacles in the way of cultivating the 

 grape in gardens, particularly in cities and villages, are, 

 the want of circulation of air, and the excess of shade, 

 or both. Still, with these difficulties there are some 

 advantages ; protection from cold in winter, and greater 

 heat in summer, which cause the fruit to ripen early, so 

 that, upon the whole, there is about the same chance of 

 success in city gardens as in the open country. 



There are few gardens, either in city or country, 

 where there may not be found a sunny spot sufficiently 

 large to accommodate a few vines. It is often the case, 

 in cities, that the only spot that the sun reaches in the 

 whole garden is covered with a brick or stone walk. 

 When this is the case it does not prevent the planting of 

 the vine, as the walk may be taken up, the soil beneath 

 it made deep and rich, the vine planted, and the walk 

 re-laid, leaving the top of the vine coming out at one 

 side. Or the vine may be planted on the side of the 

 walk, and kept trained to a stake until it has produced 

 one long stout cane. Then take up the walk between it 

 and the building, or wall, on which we desire to train it, 

 remove the poor soil and substitute that which is 

 rich, for two feet wide and the same in depth, and 

 lay down the vine in this, bring up the cane on the 

 other side, and replace the walk. 



This is a much better plan than to place the roots 

 near or against the foundation of a building, because in 

 such a position they usually receive too much heat in 

 summer and are too wet in winter. 



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