600 Notice of the Vineyard at Shirley. 



if lie effects a great i^evolution in grape-growing, both in tlie 

 open air and under glass. The grounds of this villa occupy two 

 banks almost entirely of gravel, and which, before the land was 

 purchased by Mr. Hoare, grew little else but heath, dwarf 

 furze, and brambles. The bank on which the house is placed, 

 and the vineyard established, is a curve, the tangent to which 

 would probably form an angle of from 35° to 45° with the 

 horizon, and faces the south-east. The greater part of this 

 bank is to be devoted to the culture of the vine, against low 

 brick walls about the height of those at Thomery, in glazed 

 pits, and larger glazed structures, and perhaps trained round 

 hollow brick columns, provided some experiments now in pro- 

 gress succeed as well as they promise to do. On the upper part 

 of this bank stands the house ; and in the bottom, between the 

 two banks, is a running stream. On the opposite bank Mr. 

 Hoare has planted a pine wood, which has already an excellent 

 effect, besides its utility in shutting out the rising village. 



As something more may probably be expected from us re- 

 specting the mode of cultivating the vine at Shirley, we may 

 observe that Mr. Hoare does not profess to have any thing new 

 on that point. It is based, he says, on the principles laid down 

 in his Treatise, without the slightest deviation whatever. In- 

 deed, the result of every year's experience strengthens and con- 

 firms those principles, and proves to Mr. Hoare, beyond the 

 possibility of doubt, that they cannot be transgressed with 

 impunity. He further observes that some of the principles he 

 has laid down may even be carried to a greater extent than he 

 has stated, and with very considerable advantage. Two of 

 these, he says, are, that which enforces the necessity of having 

 a perfectly dry soil for vines to root in, and that of limiting the 

 quantity of fruit that a vine ought to be permitted to bring to 

 maturation. Mr. Hoare hopes shortly to establish the fact that 

 vines will perfect their fruit, with far greater ease and certainty, 

 when planted in a mass of dry materials to the exclusion of soil, 

 than they have hitherto done when planted in the usual way. 

 And he flatters himself that this will ultimately be one of the 

 greatest improvements ever yet introduced into the horticul- 

 tural practice of this country. With reference to the sorts 

 Mr. Hoare cultivates, the two principal are the White Mus- 

 cadine and the Black Hamburgh, which he considers are the 

 very best that can be grown for general purposes. 



On asking Mr. Hoare's opinion of Mr. Roberts's practice of 

 thinning the buds while the leaves are yet on, his answer was, 

 that he thought it a good one ; and, in fact, another step taken 

 in the right direction, viz., in concentrating the sap, which must 

 be constantly attended to in this country on account of the 

 deficiency of solar heat. The direct advantages of the practice 



