282 



THE GARDENER'S ASSISTANT. 



in a horizontal position; the topmost layer of 

 roots should be within 2 inches of the surface; 

 cover with soil, make firm, and finish by giving 

 as much tepid water as will settle the soil 

 closely round the roots. When the border is 

 wholly or partly inside the house the largest 

 proportion of the roots should be laid pointing 

 inwards, as they have a tendency to grow to- 

 wards the openings in the front wall and into 

 the outer portion of the border. For planting 

 in an outer border early in the season dormant 

 canes are best. Water will not be required 

 after planting until the Vines start into growth. 



Many growers plant young green Vines, that 

 is, Vines raised from eyes the same season. 

 The planting has to take place somewhat later 

 in the season, and it can only be done where 

 there is an inside border. This plan has its 

 advantages, not the least of which is that a 

 whole season's growth is gained. 



The distances at which to plant must be 

 determined by the mode of training it is in- 

 tended to adopt. The usual method is to 

 confine the Vines to single stems, or canes as 

 they are termed, and to allow a distance of 5 feet 

 between them. If they are to be trained with 

 two rods apiece, then 10 feet apart is not too 

 wide. Some growers plant their permanent 

 Vines 5 feet apart, with supernumeraries be- 

 tween, which, after fruiting two seasons, are cut 

 out, as by this time the plants intended to be 

 permanent have become established and capable 

 of bearing good crops of fruit. 



The surface of the borders requires to be 

 frequently renewed, many growers performing 

 this annually. This has the effect of keeping 

 the Vines in good health by inducing the for- 

 mation of fibrous feeding-roots near the surface. 

 If this is not done the surface soil in time 

 becomes sour and inert from the constant 

 application of manure and mulching, and the 

 roots, which should be preserved and encour- 

 aged, are starved. Top-dressing should there- 

 fore be done annually, and as soon as the Vines 

 are clear of fruit. 



The soil should be carefully removed with 

 a fork, so that as few roots as possible shall 

 be destroyed. Replace this with the compost 

 recommended for the borders, with the addi- 

 tion of half as much again of bone-meal. 

 Manures specially prepared for top-dressing 

 Vine borders are to be had, and these are safe 

 and efficacious -when properly applied. 



How r ever well the borders may be constructed, 

 in time they become exhausted. As a rule the 

 Vines themselves indicate when this is the case 



by growing less vigorously, and by ceasing to 

 produce fruit of good quality. If taken in hand 

 as soon as the first indication is observed, mat- 

 ters can be rectified by a partial renewal of the 

 border, but if left longer, the whole border must 

 be taken out and replaced with fresh compost. 



In the case of partial renewals, a strip 4 feet 

 wide may be taken out the whole width of the 

 border, opposite every other light, renewing the 

 remaining portions in the course of a few 

 seasons. If the border is partly inside and 

 partly outside the house, renew the outside 

 portion one season, and the inside two seasons 

 later. When the entire border is to be renewed 

 the crop should be ripened early and removed 

 from the Vines, so that the roots may be lifted 

 and the soil cleared while the foliage is still 

 green. This operation must be carried out with 

 the greatest promptitude, so that the roots are 

 exposed for as short a period as possible, by 

 having the compost mixed beforehand, and clean, 

 fresh drainage ready. The house should be 

 shaded while the lifting is being performed, and 

 the roots tied in bundles and surrounded with 

 damp moss as fast as they are liberated, keeping 

 the moss damp and syringing the Vines if the 

 weather is sunny. Continue to shade and syringe 

 for two or three weeks after the roots have been 

 laid out afresh, by which time new fibrils will 

 have been formed, and shading and syringing 

 may then be dispensed with. 



Lifting, if done as early in the season as is 

 consistent with safety, and performed with des- 

 patch, proves a wonderful restorative to Vines 

 which have got out of health, or are weak in 

 consequence of soil-exhaustion. 



Protection of Borders. — This consists of placing 

 a layer of dry leaves about 9 inches thick on 

 the surface of the border, with some litter on 

 the top to fix them. It serves to shed off heavy 

 rains and snow, and to prevent loss of heat. 

 Long stable-litter also answers the same purpose. 

 This covering should be placed on about mid- 

 November, or, at any rate, before the borders 

 become saturated with autumnal rains. It used 

 formerly to be the custom to place a fermenting 

 bed of leaves and litter on the outside borders 

 of early vineries, but it is usual now to plant 

 for early forcing in inside borders ; where early 

 vineries have outside borders the above means 

 of protection is general. 



Forcing. — The time when a vinery should be 

 started depends on when ripe fruit is required. 

 For the fruit to be ripe by the beginning of 

 May, the house should be started in the pre- 

 vious November, thus allowing a period of 



