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JOUENAL OF HOETICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GAEDEKEF.. 



[ November 9, 1871. 



that many gardeners -will be interested in the aeeompanjirig 

 Bketches of the great vinery at Chiswiok, and will be able to 

 form some idea of what it is like without going to see it. 



It was built in the year 1840 by Messrs. Bailey, of 272, Hol- 

 horn, and is in form Eomething hke a boat bottom uppermost. 

 The length is 200 feet, the breadth 25 feet, the height 30 feet. 

 It is built of iron, having fifteen large iron girders on each side, 

 fastened together at top with bolts and screws. Ventilation is 

 secured by a continuous lantern at the top with 1-foot aperture, 

 end fourteen double sets of shutters on each side. 



This vinery, as it exists now, is merely a part of what was to 

 lave been an immense conservatory and winter garden, but 



the design, which was to be completed by degrees, was never 

 carried out. We have consequently but one wing of a great 

 building, of which the centre and the other wing are absent. 

 The pert that was finished was planted with a fine collection 

 of trees and shrubs requiring protection and some warmth. 

 These grew and flourished till the year 1S57, when, many of 

 them becoming too large for the place, a change was necessary ; 

 accordingly it was decided to convert the conservatory into a 

 vinery, and this idea was ably carried out the following year by 

 the then superintendent. Sir. McEwen. Almost every obtain- 

 able variety of Grape received a place, half the number altogether 

 inside, and the other half outside. These all grew, flourished,. 



The large Vinen- at Chiswick. 



and proved a complete success. This state of things continued 

 till a few years since, when, after several changes, Mr. Barron, 

 the present able superintendent, took into consideration the 

 great number of worthless varieties that were receiving the 

 same care and attention as the rest and not afiording good 

 results. He gradually weeded out all the worthless kinds, and 

 replaced them with branches from the really good varieties, 

 thereby practising the extension system and short-spur system 

 on the same Vine. 



This was well, yet still there was something pIse. It was 

 considered — not without cause — that the inside Tines did not 

 succeed better than those planted outside — hardly so well, and 

 at the same time involved a great amount of labour in watering, 

 &e., which the outside Vines did not require. There was 

 therefore something to be done. What was it ? It was to 



abolish completely the inside border. Vines and all. This wag 

 done two years ago, and again recourse was had to the estensicc 

 system to fill up vacancies. Any sorts which it was desirable 

 to preserve were grafted on healthy shoots of good varieties, 

 like Frankenthal, and the original stone path was uncovered 

 all the way round and the centre nicely gravelled, at once giving 

 a clean and finished appearance. This extension of branches 

 required something more than the G-feet border that had pre- 

 viously existed if it was to prove successful for any length of 

 time. The border was therefore extended to more than double 

 its original width with good substantial loam, &c. ; and the; 

 path that was on a level with the top of the border was taken 

 to the bottom beyond the ISfeet width, and thus all was com- 

 pact. Nobly have the Vines repaid for the care and improve- 

 ment. This year they have made splendid wood, some leaders 



