310 



THE POMOLOGIST AND GARDENER. 



1871 



Fig. 4. 



only an unnecessary expense, but as a positive 

 injury to the vine by the acidity and deep cold- 

 ness produced thereby. Observers, too, of much 

 experience tell us that the slow decomposition in 

 such excessive deep borders generates acidity. It 

 cannot be disputed that no sun-heat penetrates to 

 these great depths so as to exert much influence, 

 and everywhere in Europe and America the tree 

 or vine with its roots in a light, porous, shallow soil 

 ripens the best flavored fruit. As to the expense, 

 few arc aware how great is the labor of digging 

 out even two feet deep, mixing in the fertilizers, 

 and replacing the soil. When four other feet are 

 added to this task, at a greater proportional ex- 

 pense, the advocate of this practice must thor- 

 oughly prove its necessity and disprove the now 

 well-founded belief that vine- roots as well as dwarf 

 pear-roots, are better to be as close to the surface 

 as possible. 



Next comes a question which, in fact, must be 

 decided before the excavation raising the mound, 

 or otherwise preparing the ground or laying the 

 foundation is done. What is the best plan of 

 building the house or grapery edifice ? In reply it 

 may be said old well-approved authors recommend 

 what is called lean-to structures — a style sufiiciently 

 seen in a previous figure for another purpose. Kef- 

 erence to that figure shows, irrespective of the 

 site and border, this vinery as consisting of a front 

 towards the South ; a large glass roof at a low 

 angle, also towards the South, and the main source 

 whence the sunshine is received ; a small reflex or 

 Northern glass roofing, used often for ventilation, 

 and a North wall or back of the house, built of 

 brick, stone or wood, made hollow and filled with 

 tan-bark, or other non-conducting material. In 

 some instances elaborate designs are given for con- 

 voluted, zigzag, or otherwise arranged smoke-flues 

 in this back wall for heating the grapery, which 

 are costly arts. And still further, to render this 

 wall on the North side of it available, sheds are 



recommended to be built, adding further to the 

 expense. 



There are, of course, places where, in preference 

 to every other, this is the true plan for a vinery ; 

 but it is believed to be the most expensive plan 

 that can be adopted for the number of vines it will 

 fruit well. Rather adopt the span-roofed or double- 

 roofed house, with one roof to the East, containing 

 as many main vines as the "lean-to-heuse" will fruit ; 

 for the fruit on the back wall, from the secondary 

 or adjunct vines, is, at the best, but poorly ripened ; 

 and another roof to the West, which contains as 

 many more main or principal vines ; thus doubling 

 the fully exposed vines ; and on the columns in the 

 centre or interior portions of tlie grapery put the 

 adjunct vines, of which there can be one, two, or 

 three rows, if desired, which will average as well as 

 the one row on the old English and French brick 

 or stone wall. Thus, at an expense of but little, if 

 any, over the "lean-to-plan," there will be two rows 

 of main vines, and there may be three^rows of sec- 

 ondary or "wall vines," and all fruited as well or 

 better than on the old and now nearly abandoned 

 style of house. 



An illustration of the principles of such a grapery 

 may be seen in Fig. 4, though with too steep a 

 roof. It is a plain, economical house, and is recom- 

 mended as a very satisfactory way of building a 

 grapery. The roof is a right angle at the ridge. 

 It can be built of wood wholly, or the part below 

 the ventilators of stone or brick, and^wood above, 

 or the ventilators and roof may be of iron. But it 

 is not necessary to give in detail plans for iron 

 sash, nor recommend it as desirable for the ordinary 

 American homestead, as long as wood is so abund- 

 ant and will last ten or twenty years, with no more 

 cost of repair than the iron sash, and so long as a 

 grapery of wood, erected for less than half of the 

 costly edifice of wealth, will fruit as many and as 

 choice pounds of grapes. Too much already has 

 been done, more for the benefit of the architect 



