284 



THE GARDENER'S ASSISTANT. 



water is actually required. When water is re- 

 quired give sufficient to moisten the border 

 throughout and down to the drainage. A 

 good mulch of short litter or horse -droppings 

 spread over the surface of the borders obviates 

 the necessity of too frequent watering by pre- 

 venting evaporation. The manure also benefits 



Fig. 1066.— Young Shoot of Vine, showing position of Flowers. 



the Vines by affording food to the roots, a great I 

 help in the finishing of the crop. 



Stimulants. — When Vines have become estab- 

 lished and borne full crops of fruit, they soon 

 exhaust the soil unless they are supplied with 

 stimulants from time to time, either in the 

 form of liquid manure, or carefully compounded 

 artificial manures. The following is a power- 

 ful stimulant, of which a small quantity only 

 is required at a time: — To 1 lb. of muriate 

 of potash add 2h lbs. of dissolved bones and 

 1 lb. of bone-meal. Mix all well together, and 

 use at the rate of 2 ozs. per square yard of 

 border surface when starting the Vines, one- 

 half of this quantity when the fruit has been 



thinned, and the same after the stoning period. 

 Superphosphate of lime may be substituted for 

 the dissolved bones, using equal quantities of 

 the three ingredients. These mixtures are 

 confidently recommended as safe and powerful 

 stimulants for Vines. 



Treatment after Planting. — Assuming that the 

 young dormant Vines were cut back 

 sufficiently early in the season to 

 prevent bleeding, the buds will, 

 when the house is closed, begin to 

 push; and these, when sufficiently 

 developed, should be reduced to one 

 or two on each plant. Support the 

 shoots until they reach the trellis, 

 and then keep them regularly tied 

 to the wires. Pinch all lateral 

 growths at the second leaf; take the 

 point out of the leader when it 

 reaches about half-way up the roof; 

 and then when it breaks again allow 

 it to grow away to the top of the 

 trellis. If supernumeraries have 

 been planted, stop them when they 

 have made from 8 feet to 10 feet of 

 growth, and the laterals at the first 

 leaf. 



The mode of bearing in the Vine 

 is very different from that of many 

 other kinds of fruit-trees. In the 

 Peach, for example, no fruit is borne 

 on the young shoots of the current 

 year, but on these blossom-buds are 

 formed for fruiting in the following 

 season; and it can be perceived in 

 winter where fruit will be situated 

 in the summer, provided no accident 

 occur. Such is not the case with 

 the Vine: a shoot may push from 

 an unseen latent eye in the old 

 wood, and on this shoot as it grows, 

 whilst young and tender, the rudiments of a 

 bunch may be seen (fig. 1066); and frequently, 

 as the same shoot proceeds in growth, a second 

 bunch, or even more, will sometimes be formed. 

 A young shoot may this year grow to the 

 length of 15 or 20 feet, and having been 

 shortened to 10 or 12 feet by cutting off the 

 more recently formed, and consequently least 

 matured portion, an eye or bud will be found 

 in the axil of every leaf on that which remains. 

 Next season it is possible that on this shoot, 

 or rod as it is termed, every eye will develop 

 a young shoot which will bear one or two 

 bunches of fruit. 



Thus, any young shoot of a Vine, whether 



