162 THE MINIATURE FEUIT GAEDEN 



During the winter, if the vineries are standing in 

 an exposed situation, they should be secured from the 

 wind by driving a few stakes down on each side. 



In spring, if the vines put forth their young shoots 

 in April, they are apt to be killed by a spring frost, as 

 is too often the case with the vines of Prance ; this can, 

 however, be easily averted in ground vineries, either by 

 keeping constantly a covering of hay or straw on the 

 glass when the weather is cold, and frost likely, or by 

 covering the ridges with the small mats which are aor 

 convenient and so cheap, whenever the thermometer 

 declines to 40° at 7 p.m. 



There are still more ills to guard against in ground 

 vinery culture, for mice and birds, as rats often do in 

 common vineries, attempt to have too large a share of 

 the fruit; they enter by the interstices between the 

 bricks and devour and spoil many bunches ; thrushes 

 are particularly vigilant in looking after grapes, and 

 may be trapped ; but both they and the mice may be 

 kept out by galvanised iron netting six inches wide, 

 placed along the whole length of the vineries. 



I have but little to add to my description of the 

 management of ground vineries ; their uses are endless, 

 for not only are the finest of pears grown in them, but 

 peaches, apricots, plums, and strawberries may be culti- 

 vated with great success ; and then as winter quarters 

 for bedding plants they are excellent. For this pur- 

 pose the bricks should be removed in severe weather, 

 and the glass ridges thickly covered with straw ; they 



