380 THE PAEKS AND GAEDBNS OF PAEIS. [Chap. XXII. 



they are. Here I am simply stating an opinion -without en- 

 dorsing it, merely adding that this estimate is not solely confined 

 to those who have no opportunity of judging both sides of the 

 question, but was held by the late Baron Eothschild, who grew all 

 our finest Grapes, and by some other good judges. Grape-culture 

 is often successful against houses with us when it receives mere 

 chance attention from cottagers and others. By selecting the 

 soil and position, and really paying some attention to protecting 

 and cultivating the Vine, we may grow good Grapes against walls, 

 even in many places where ground-vineries are now resorted to. 

 Should any person doubt the possibility of cultivating the Chasselas 

 and others of our best hardy Grapes in the open air, I have ' 

 merely to refer him to the horticultural papers for the autumn 

 of 1868. They contain abundant evidence that even with the 

 rough treatment Grapes now receive in the open air, it is quite 

 possible to grow them of good quality on walls. Grapes are 

 already grown well in the open air in a few places — by Mr. 

 Darkin, at Bury St. Edmunds, for example ; and by Mr. Fenn, in 

 the Rectory Garden at Woodstock ; so that there can be no doubt 

 about the possibility of ripening good Grapes over a considerable 

 portion of England and Ireland. 



It is necessary to observe that the plan is only recommended 

 for warm soils and positions, for gardens not having much glass 

 and yet some wall-space, for covering cottages, out-offices, etc., 

 and not in any way as a substitute for Vine-culture indoors. 

 The Chasselas de Pontainebleau, or Eoyal Muscadine, is far the 

 best for culture in the open air in this country. 



An account of the Grape-growing at Thomery from the pen ot 

 M. Eose-Charmeux is likely to convey the most practical informa- 

 tion on the subject, and the following is translated from his 

 ' Culture du Chasselas :' from the publishers of which the follow- 

 ing illustrations of the subject have been purchased for this 

 work : — 



" At Thomery the soil is of a sandy and clayey nature, and 

 mixed with pebbles in those parts which are near the river. The 

 soil is at all times easy to work. Near the Seine it lacks depth — 

 so much so, indeed, that before cultivation it has to be dug and 

 trenched so mko remove some of the stony subsoil. Everywhere 

 else the layer of vegetable mould measures from four feet six 



