294 



THE GARDENER'S ASSISTANT. 



climate, allowing, however, a distance of 3 feet 

 between the plants, and 2 feet between the 

 horizontal courses. 



Should it be found that after a fair trial 

 the above mode does not succeed, in conse- 

 quence of the dampness of the climate and soil, 

 then the following may be adopted. Horizontal 

 branches should be formed to the right and 

 left, and from these upright shoots ought to 

 be allowed to push at 1 foot apart, stopping 

 them in summer when they have attained a 

 height of from 4 to 6 feet, according to their 

 strength. At the winter pruning every alternate 

 upright should be cut down to the lowest two 

 eyes ; and those not so cut back may be shortened 

 to 2 feet if rather weak, but to 3 or 4 feet 

 if strong and well matured. These are to 

 bear the fruit in the following summer. 



A vineyard of the French pattern for the 

 open-air cultivation of Grapes for wine-making 

 was formed by Lord Bute at Castell Coch, near 

 Cardiff, in 1875. The Vines are planted in I 

 rows a yard apart each way, and trained to ■ 

 stakes 4 feet high. In favourable seasons they j 

 yield good crops of fruit, from which excellent 

 wine is made. The variety grown is Gamay 

 Noir, which is largely grown in the French 

 vineyards. 



Propagation. 



This is effected by seeds, cuttings, eyes, layers, 

 and grafts. 



Seeds. — This method is resorted to only with 

 the view of obtaining new varieties, usually by 

 means of cross-fertilization. If the petals of the 

 flowers of the Vine are examined, it will be ob- 

 served that they are inflected at the top, and 

 form a kind of case enclosing the stamens and 

 pistil. When the Vine is in good health and 

 growing in a suitable temperature, this cap is 

 thrown off, and the anthers exposed to the in- 

 fluence of light and air; they then soon burst, 

 the pollen escapes, some of which falls upon the 

 stigma, and fertilization is effected. When 

 crossing is to be performed, the stamens should 

 be cut away before they burst with a pair of 

 fine-pointed scissors; and afterwards when the 

 stigma is sufficiently developed, indicated by the 

 stickiness of the surface, it should be covered 

 by means of a camel-hair pencil with the pollen 

 from a flower of the variety intended to be the 

 male parent. The seeds that result should be 

 saved and sown early in February, in pots or 

 pans filled with light, rich loam, mixed with a 

 little leaf -mould, in bottom -heat. Pot the 



seedlings as soon as they are in fit condition, 

 and grow them on in heat both top and bottom. 

 They will make rapid growth, and may, if 

 thought desirable, be inarched on Vines already 

 established, with the view of testing their merits 

 the more quickly. If means are not at com- 

 mand for doing this, grow them on in pots, 

 when they will fruit either the second or third 

 year. 



Cuttings. — Where the soil is warm, well- 

 ripened Vine shoots inserted in the open ground 

 will strike root; but in this climate the progress 

 is too slow for a good shoot to be formed before 

 cold weather sets in. With bottom-heat the 

 rooting process is accelerated, but it is found, 

 notwithstanding, that when a young shoot is pro- 

 duced with plenty of air and sufficient moisture, 

 the returning sap is checked considerably when 

 it comes to the old wood, and we frequently see 

 that the young shoot becomes in consequence 

 thicker than the old wood intervening between 

 it and the roots. Such being the case, it is 

 found best in propagating the Vine to dispense 

 as much as possible with the old wood. 



Eyes. — For the reason just given, plants raised 

 from single eyes or buds are preferred, experi- 



Fig. 1076.— Eye-cutting when rooted. 



ence having proved them to be by far the best. 

 A bud cut from a thoroughly ripened shoot, 

 having half an inch of wood on either side, is 

 all that is necessary; but many go farther, and 



