190 The Canadian Horticulturist. 



PEAS AND BEANS ON THE SAME GROUND. 

 Sir, — How many years should peas and beans be grown on the same ground ? 



W. W. R. Toronto, Ont. 



Reply by Mr. J. J. H. Gregory, Marblehead, Mass. 



I cannot say from actual test. Peas when the seeds are ripened are more 

 exhausting than when picked green. A neighbor tells me his experience. He 

 planted peas to eat green ten years in succession on the same piece of ground. 

 The first three years the yield was the same, the next five years the yield began 

 perceptibly to decline, and the last two years they were nearly an entire failure. 

 They were manured and treated the same each year. 



% ©per) Letters. % 



TRAINING GRAPE VINES. 



The subject which I wish to bring before the notice of your readers is a subject which 

 I have often seen information asked for, namely : What is the best plan to train grape 

 Tines? 



Now, sir, in order to get at the best mode we must consider the requirement? of the 

 plant in question. The principal things, in my estimation, are, first, sunlight ; second, 

 every branch equally exposed to the dew ; third, its adaptability to laying down for winter 

 protection ; fourth, exposure to high winds and gales ; fifth, expense and general utility. 



Now, with regard to the old-fashioned method of high posts and wire stretched one 

 above the other, or strips nailed on, as the case may be, and the vines fastened to them, I 

 think you will agree with me that it does not give to every branch equal sunlight, nor 

 equal dew. 



If you look at vines so trained, you will see the largest grapes and the strongest grow- 

 ing wood at the top of the trellis and oftentimes those at the bottom are only half the size. 



Now, the flowing sap in the grape vine is like hot water in the hot water pipes, the 

 highest pipe in the house always works the fastest (providing the pipes are of equal size) 

 and if we want each branch of the grape vine to grow alike, we must train each individual 

 branch on the same level or distance from the ground. 



Now, in the method which I propose, I would take four or five wires (you can use any 

 number of wires) and stretch them side by side, say eight or ten inches apart, (distance 

 according to number of wires used). 



As all climbing plants grow best towards the south, we will suppose a row of vines 

 planted running north and south, this will require two strong posts at each end. At the 

 north end place one post in the ground on each side of the first vine from three to four feet 

 apart according to the number of wires used. Now, place two in the ground at the south 

 end, same distance apart, but ten feet beyond the last vine, to allow for growth of vine in 

 tliat direction. In case of a long row it will require some central support to carry weight 

 of wire and vines. I would suggest two small posts placed opposite each other, and in the 

 center between two vines. Now saw oflf all posts 16 or 18 inches from the ground. The 

 next thing required will be crossbars for each set of posts, pieces say, 2x2, the two end 

 ones to be let into the posts at the back, the center ones can either be nailed on top or 

 dovetailed in, the latter being most convenient for future use. Now fasten your wires to 

 end crossbars, placing them underneath the bar, but over all the centre ones. The strain 

 coming on the underside of the end bar will tend to keep it in place without nailing. The 

 idea being, that when you want to lay down your vines for winter protection, if the cross- 



