2 28 The Canadian Horticulturist. 



the best trained and skilful practice? This system brought directly trom older 

 lands, commends itself to us and our attention, and is the outcome of genera- 

 lions of training and high culture. The effect upon the observer is at once 

 proof conclusive of excellence, as I, myself, had the great satisfaction of inspect- 

 ing one of these grape-houses near St. Catharines only a few days ago, and saw 

 the rich, beautiful, ample and well-placed hunches, now ripe and ready for the 

 knife on July i ith. Cannot this fine culture be utilized, at least in some of its 

 main features, in the production of ordinary Canadian grapes out of doors? We 

 think it can, and should. This matter as it appears to us, lies at the very bot- 

 tom of all successful culture, and it appears useless to expect good results where 

 these fundamental principles are either disregarded or ill-applied, for in reality 

 the force of the principles in either indoor or outdoor work, are the same. It 

 makes us impatient to be obliged to listen to objections to fundamental princi- 

 ples, but as these are urged by otherwise intelligent grape growers, we may be 

 excused in attempting to reply to a few of them. 



1. // /nay he good, but we cannot get skilled labor to do it. This objection if 

 true, is simply a crying shame, either upon us or our country, or upon both, as 

 skilled labor can be secured upon every other art or business that we are deter- 

 mined to do. And amid the light and knowledge of industrial and art schools 

 and agricultural colleges, it cannot be in any respect true, and therefore not valid. 



2. It is too expensive and ivill not pay. This objection is refuted by prac- 

 tice and patient trial. We believe that it cannot be substantiated, as it is found 

 on trial that it does pay, and pay liberally and well, as a few days' work upon a 

 vineyard will soon make a difference of several hundred pounds for the market. 



3. It might do very ivell for vine-houses, or for vineyards on a small scale, 

 but it is impracticable on a large one. This objection at once loses force, for 

 what use has a man for a vineyard on a large scale, when better results can be 

 accomplished on a much smaller one ? In traversing the Grimsby area, for in- 

 stance, for vine culture, we notice that every farmer almost is planting out more 

 acres and then leaving them to the mercy of the sun, the weeds and the weather 

 for hopeful profits. Is this not a ruinous waste of good soil, worth several hun- 

 dred dollars per acre ? AVhat good can be served by such a practice, except to 

 astonish the occasional visitor by mere dimensions? We believe a better prac- 

 tice must be adopted, before such grape growing can be made a success. 



4. The grape market is not as yet sufficiently discerning of methods and 

 qualities. This objection is simply the grandest mistake of all, and is founded 

 upon false or imperfect observations. Take a market like that of Toronto, to- 

 day, and very many others throughout Canada, and the taste and discernment 

 in these markets is, to-day, sufficiently acute to drive out every basket of poor 

 quality, if a sufficient number of baskets of good (luality are obtainable by them, 

 even at an advanced price per pound. Poor grapes are not of much value any- 



