172 



CASSELL'S POPULAR GARDENING. 



Other, or summer, varieties are numerous, the 

 .seeds of -which are sown during the months of April 

 and May to secure successional crops, the seedlings 

 irom which should he planted out upon very rich, 

 somewhat stifler or damper soil, being mulched 

 ■around and watered as the exigencies of an arid 

 summer may demand. These head in towards the 

 middle and end of summer. 



A very valuable variety, named Veitch's Autumn 

 Giant, should succeed the last-named. Sow seeds 

 ■of this variety also during the month of April. 

 Grow the plants on in soil, &c., similar to that re- 

 conmiended also for the last, earthing the young 

 plants up deeply as they grow. The huge heads 

 resulting fill in the gap between early autumn and 

 the first frosts of real winter. By pulling up the 

 plants haviag heads within at the approach of frost, 

 ■and hanging them up by the root in a cool dark 

 shed or cellar, they last some time in a state fit for 

 use. Many improvised methods are practised in 

 view of prolonging or extending the usefulness of 

 .this invaluable crop, which, in connection with 

 Broccoli, gives a supply, more or less, the whole year 

 through. Our directions are such as to leave a 

 margin for other methods of supply, though for the 

 main crops the suggestions given are indispensable. 



Excellent varieties are Early London and Dwarf 

 Erfurt for early spring use ; Eclipse, Asiatic Large, 

 Snowball, and Walcheren for summer and autumn 



THE VINE AND ITS PEUIT. 



By William Coleman. 



VINE BOBDEBS. 



IN the formation of vine borders it is usual to 

 allow the roots a body of compost equal in 

 width to that of the house. A house fifteen feet in 

 width will require six to eight feet inside, and about 

 i;he same breadth outside, by the time the vines 

 'Come into full bearing ; but instead of making aU at 

 •once, it is best to form half the inside border the first 

 year, add three feet outside the second year, and so 

 on, adding fresh compost from time to time as the 

 roots require more soil. The depth may vary from 

 "two feet to two feet six inches, and there should be 

 not less than from twelve to twenty-four inches of 

 drainage, to carry off the water and keep the border 

 dry, warm, and well aerated. It will thus be seen 

 — ^the surface-line of the border having been decided 

 upon — that a depth of four feet below the front siU 

 will be needed to admit of a layer of concrete and 

 ■eighteen inches of broken brick, stone, or hme rub- 

 ble for the sou to rest upon. In cold, low-lying 

 gardens it will not be advisable to strike the surface- 



line on the ground-level, but to raise the founda- 

 tions of the house and economise labour bj- raising 

 the borders in like proportion. 



In selecting the position for a set of vineries, it 

 may be assumed that the situation, while being 

 sheltered, is sufficiently high to admit of natural or 

 easy drainage, as it is generally conceded that vines 

 do not succeed well where the subsoil is cold, wet, 

 and liable to be inundated, either from above or 

 below, with flood or spring water. If every grape- 

 grower could make his own choice, he would select 

 a warm sunny slope, where natural drainage would 

 carry off all surplus water, and gromid springs 

 would not trouble him. But as many old gardens 

 do not offer these advantages, the first thing to be 

 considered is a perfect system of drainage, con- 

 siderably lower than the front of the external 

 border, a good sound bottom of concrete, some three 

 inches in thickness, and clean drainage, which may 

 vary from twelve to twenty-four inches, according 

 to the position of the garden and the nature of the 

 subsoil. 



Drainage. — As it is well known that an effi- 

 ciently drained border is much drier and warmer 

 than one that is water-logged and impervious to an 

 under-current of air, a good barrel-drain should run 

 along the front of the excavation, for the reception 

 of the water as it passes off the concrete placed over 

 the subsoil. The concrete should have a gentle slope 

 outwards, as is shown in the sections, and it should 

 be laid down some days in advance of the drainage, 

 to get thoroughly dry and hard before it is excluded 

 from the external air. 



Having at hand a supply of broken brickbats or 

 sandstone — two materials which will be found 

 warmer than limestone, as they absorb while the 

 latter condenses moisture — wheel them in as soon as 

 the concrete is hard, and form the foundation for 

 the first moiety of the border, by placing the 

 roughest pieces at the bottom and the finest on the 

 surface. As success or failure very often depends 

 upon the waj' in which the border is drained, no 

 pains should be spared in finishing off the sur- 

 face, by carefully breaking and levelling the last 

 layer of rubble, and filling up all the interstices 

 on the top surface,, otherwise the soil will in 

 course of time get into the drainage, roots will 

 foUow, and a gross growth of wood and foliage, a 

 disinclination to go to rest, and a tendency to 

 shanking, will indicate that this part of the work, 

 no small item, will soon have to be gone over 

 again. 



Soil, or Compost. — Notwithstanding the fact 

 that the vine is found growing, if not fiourishing, in 



