280 



THE GARDENER'S ASSISTANT. 



kingdom. These Vines are all in vigorous 

 health, and bear heavy crops of fruit annually. 

 A Black Hambro Vine at Valentines, Ilford in 

 Essex, which according to Gilpin was planted in 

 1758, and is still alive, is said to be the parent 

 of the Hampton Court Vine. 



One of the largest Vines is a Black Hambro 

 in the garden of the Marquis of Breadalbane at 

 Auchmore in Scotland, which is known as the 

 Kinnell Vine (see Plate). It occupies a house 

 171 feet long, and for a number of years has 

 yielded annually a crop of about 500 bunches 

 of Grapes, ranging from 1 lb. to 3 lbs. in weight. 

 It is said to have been planted in 1832. 



Culture under Glass. 



The Border.— Grapes grown on Vines in the 

 open air generally colour well, even if they fail 

 to ripen, and their leaves are thick and 

 leathery. It is not always so 

 with the foliage of Vines grown 

 under glass, the rapidity of growth 



under the influence of artificial heat and 

 moisture resulting in leaves that are gener- 

 ally larger, but comparatively weak and thin. 

 Vines growing in the open air, even in this 

 country, maintain their roots in a sound state 

 for many years in any ordinary garden soil; 

 but those grown under glass are liable to be- 

 come weak at the root, and even to perish. 

 This being the case, great care is necessary 

 in the formation of the border, and in the 

 selection of the materials of which it is com- 

 posed. 



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Fig. 1064 —Section of Lean-to Vinery, showing Border, &c. 



In order that the Vines may produce regu- 

 larly and support good crops of fruit for a 

 number of years, it is necessary to provide for 

 them a good border of rich soil. This should 

 be 3 feet deep, and of the same width as the 

 house, whether it is to be inside or outside. 

 If the border is to be partly inside and partly 

 outside, the front wall is usually built upon 

 arches, the foundations of which should be 

 level with the bottom of the border; and if 

 the house is 18 feet wide, then the border 

 inside should be 9 feet wide, and that outside 

 the same width. The borders should be made 

 by degrees, a portion from 3 feet to 4 feet in 

 width each season being ample, so that it will 

 take three or four years to complete the borders. 

 The advantages of this plan are in its providing 

 annually a mass of new compost for the roots 

 to feed upon, and by the time the border is 

 complete the whole mass of soil will be full of 

 working roots. 



A depth of 3 feet of prepared soil is not too 

 much if on a well-drained subsoil, or a good 



layer of drainage not less than a foot in depth. 

 In cold, low-lying districts the borders should 

 be elevated above the surrounding level, and 

 this must be taken into consideration and 

 allowed for when constructing the houses. 



Drainage. — In some situations holes may be 

 dug to the depth of 4 feet or more without a 

 drop of water collecting in them at any time 

 of the year; but in others at that depth, water 

 will rise at almost any season, especially to- 

 wards the beginning of summer, when the 

 water - springs are at their highest. In the 

 former case efficient drainage alone will suffice, 

 but in the latter it is necessary to provide 

 a flooring of cement concrete not less than 

 3 inches in thickness. In both cases drains 

 must be provided to carry off water: in the 

 former, one laid along the front and below 

 the bottom layer of drainage material will be 

 sufficient, providing it has a proper fall and 

 outlet; in the latter, the whole site of the vinery 

 must be well drained with agricultural drain- 

 pipes laid below the level of the concrete 



