108 FRUIT AND ITS CULTIVATION. 



Horticultural Society have planted a collection of vines 

 for trial in their gardens at Wisley, in Surrey, with a 

 view to ascertaining what varieties are suitable for plant- 

 ing for wine production in this country. 



Whether the result will be favourable to the re-estab- 

 lishment of vineyards in England, we cannot say. But 

 Vines have for some two centuries or more been grown 

 against walls. Before the introduction of glass houses 

 they were grown against hollow walls heated by flues. 

 Since glasshouses were introduced, the cultivation of the 

 Vine has become universal, both in private and market 

 gardens. Admittedly the best-flavoured fruit is grown 

 under glass, the artificial warmth ensuring the more per- 

 fect development and ripening of the fruit. But it is 

 possible, given suitable varieties, to grow some excellent 

 grapes on south walls in the southern parts of this island, 

 as may be seen by the many vigorous and fruitful Vines 

 grown on cottage and house walls generally. 



In this chapter we shall deal with the outdoor culture 

 of the Vine only. 



Propagation. The usual and simplest method of pro- 

 pagating outdoor Vines is by cuttings of well-ripened 

 wood of the previous year's growth. Select a shoot 

 about i2in. long, cut off its point close to a bud, and 

 remove it from the parent stem with a slight " heel " of 

 older wood attached. Pare the edges of the latter off 

 smooth, and remove all buds except the two upper ones. 

 The cutting thus prepared should be inserted two-thirds 

 of its length in the soil and where the Vine is to be per- 

 manently grown. It is not advisable to insert it nearer 

 than 6in. to the wall. The cuttings may be put in any 

 time between -November and March. Vines may also 

 be reared from seed, but this is an uncertain method, the 

 trees requiring many years to reach their bearing stage, 

 and then often producing worthless fruit. 



Soil. Any good ordinary garden soil suffices for out- 

 door Vines. There is no necessity to make special bor- 



