676 Hoare's Treatise on the Vine. 



before the roots have been called into action. In training, the 

 shoots are bent in a serpentine manner, more or less, according 

 to their strength. Great care is taken of the yonng shoots de- 

 signed for future bearers, 5 in. being left free on each side of 

 them, in order that their leaves may be fully exposed to the light, 

 and may have room to expand freely. Besides properly thinning 

 the fruit, Mr. Hoare takes great care that every bunch should be 

 shaded by the thickness of one leaf, so that no part of it be ex- 

 posed directly to the sun ; which we conceive to be of great 

 importance, so far as the swelling and colouring of the berries 

 are concerned, although it would appear that many think dif- 

 ferently. 



In the fifteen chapters into which the w^ork is divided, there 

 is much that is interesting, besides what we have incidentally 

 alluded to, which we shall content ourselves with naming. 



1. Introduction. 2. Observations on the pi'esent method of 

 cultivating the vine upon open walls. 3. On the capability and 

 extent of the fruit-bearing powers of the vine. 4. On aspect. 



5. On soil ; the importance of having it of an open texture. 



6. On manure ; the propriety of incorporating with the soil that 

 kind of manure which is most nutritious and most lasting. 7. On 

 the construction of walls. 8. On the propagation of vines. 

 9. On the pruning of vines. 10. On the training of vines. 

 11. On the management of the vine during the first five years 

 of its growth. 12. Weekly calendarial index. 13. Autumnal 

 pruning. 15. Descriptive catalogue of grapes best adapted for 

 the open wail. We have no fault to find, but with the price of 

 the volume, 75. 6d., which is too much for a work of 164 pages, 

 and which places it entirely beyond the reach of the cottager. 

 We trust, however, that gentlemen fond of such pursuits will 

 aid the author's views, by disseminating a ^Qy^ copies amongst 

 their humbler tenantry. — R. F. 



The above review is by a scientific gardener, and a most ex- 

 cellent grower of grapes. We considered it advisable to have 

 the testimony of such a gardener to the value of Mr. Hoare's 

 book ; because a " practical man " in his neighbourhood spoke 

 to us slightingly of it, alleging, forsooth, that Mr. Hoare, being 

 a schoolmaster, was consequently not likely to know much about 

 growing grapes ; in short, that he was not one of the " practical 

 men." Our opinion is, that Mr. Hoare has thrown more light 

 on the subject of vine culture than any British gardener who 

 has written on the subject ; and, as far as we are aware, more 

 than any French or German gardener. The nearest approach to 

 Mr. Hoare's system is that of Thomery, as described by Lelieur. 

 (See Encyc. of Gard., ed. 1835, § 5257.) There is far more 

 real knowledge of the nature of the vine shown in Mr. Hoare's 

 book than in Mr. Speechly's ; and, for our own part, we frankly 



