242 THE FRUIT GARDEN 



all the best conditions appertaining to it, an acre may be cheap at ;^300, where 

 in another locality it would be dear at ;^ioo. Other things being equal with 

 regard to the fitness of vine growing for profit, it is wise to give preference to 

 land likely to improve into building land. We will suppose the enterprising 

 grower has secured land he thinks suitable for the purpose, then he will proceed 

 towards the erection of the vineries. Early autumn would probably be the best 

 time to begin, so that the houses might be glazed in readiness for the early 

 spring. The first glass to build is a propagating-house supplied with bottom 

 heat. Then the grower must think of the sorts of vines to grow, whether 

 Hamburgh, Alicante, Gros Colmar, Muscat of Alexandria, and, if he is of a 

 speculative turn. Canon Hall. These varieties are nearly the only ones that 

 a commercial grower ought to go in for. The other varieties that are grown 

 in less quantities are Madresfield Court and Gros Maroc. Appley Towers and 

 other new sorts remain to be proved ; but the beginner must not experiment 

 too much, but grow tested sorts. In my opinion, Alicante, taken as a whole, 

 has been the most profitable variety to grow, not even excepting Muscat of 

 Alexandria and Canon Hall. My own experience is that, taking houses of 

 equal size, one planted with Alicante, one with Gros Colmar, and one with 

 Canon Hall, and taking, say, five years' results of sales, Alicante would come 

 out best, Gros Colmar next, then Muscat of Alexandria, and last. Canon Hall. 

 This is against the general belief, but is true in my experience, for Muscats 

 hardly make up for the lesser weight obtained from them ; then there is the 

 extra waste in marketing, and their special liability to red spider and shanking. 

 The grower of vines for profit must erect his glass-house with the greatest 

 economy, and with no further idea than that of covering in the greatest area 

 with glass upon the simplest system consistent with strength and practical 

 usefulness." 



If ground can be secured where there is a good depth of loam, a consider- 

 able saving of labour will be efi^ected in making the vine borders. In a 

 nursery in Scotland where grapes are grown for market, the land is so well 

 suited to the growth of the vines that they are simply planted in the natural 

 soil, there is no made border whatever. It is only in exceptional situations, 

 however, that this is possible. Mr. Kay's remarks as to the vine borders, &c., are 

 also well worth studying : " With regard to the profitable life of a vine, it may 

 vary from ten to twenty years, according to the sort of border that is made. 

 Houses built together with only inside borders will not carry the vines through 

 more than ten years profitably ; whereas when they can root in well-made 

 outside borders, their life and vigour are doubled. What I specially mean by 

 outside borders is, not that the vines should be planted outside and introduced 

 into the house through the wall, as was the old practice, but that the border 

 should be both inside and out, the front of the house resting on piers or arches. 

 Then, by planting the vines inside, a far better start is assured, and they will 

 soon ramble outside, where the sun and air more naturally prepare a congenial 

 place for them. The market grower makes the best use of the material he has 

 at hand, and in some cases where the soil is very heavy adds to it London 

 manure for the sake of its mechanical effect, and bone-meal of first quality. A 



