ON FRUIT CULTURE. 



1007 



recommended. Miller's Burgundy is a purple variety, of good 

 flavour, and very suitable for outside culture. Black Cluster is a 

 sweet, black variety, and sets very freely. Chasselas Vibert also 

 answers in very warm situations, and is of extra good flavour. 



The best time to plant vines outside is early in April, just 

 as new growth is commencing, preparing the site first by mixing 

 some good fibrous loam and wood-ashes or lime refuse with 

 the ordinary soil. In this the vine should be planted without 

 disturbing the roots at all. It should not be planted deeply; 

 if the ball of roots is only an inch or so below the surface that 

 will suffice. The soil should be made firm round the roots, and 

 a good soaking of water applied immediately after planting, 

 afterwards putting a mulch of litter over the soil to retain 

 moisture. Every effort should be made to encourage growth by 

 watering thoroughly if the weather is dry, and after bright, 

 sunny days a sprinkling overhead with the syringe will do 

 good. 



No liquid manure must be given for a year or two, as it 

 would do more harm than good ; in fact, if the vines are 

 planted in moderately rich soil, no manure of any kind is 

 necessary until they commence to fruit, when it may be applied 

 with good results. As many shoots as may be requisite to cover 

 the space at command may be trained on the wall, allowing 3ft. 

 between each permanent shoot ; in later years each of these 

 shoots or main branches will emit side-shoots, or laterals, and 

 these should be about i5in. apart on each side of the main 

 branches, or "rods," as they are termed by gardeners. The 

 laterals should be trained in the 3ft. space between the rods, 

 and when they have made about i8in. of growth, the point 

 should be cut out ; or, if bunches are on the laterals, the point 

 should be taken out one leaf beyond the bunch. Over-cropping 

 must be avoided, and when the foliage has all dropped, the 

 laterals should be cut back to tw^o eyes, these forming spurs. 

 Should more than one lateral start from a spur, all but the 

 strongest ought to be rubbed off while small. 



Under Glass. — Grape-culture under glass has made such 

 enormous strides during the past twenty years, and so much glass 

 has been erected for the production of this nourishing and 

 delicious fruit, that many large growers now send tons to market 

 every week in the season, lowering the prices so greatly, com- 

 pared with what used to be realised, that it has become a serious 

 matter to many of the smaller men, whose produce cannot 

 be termed first-rate. However, in spite of the magnitude of 

 the quantity put on the market and the low price, the private 

 grower very rightly prefers to grow his own ; not only are 

 they fresh, but also of better appearance, and far more whole- 

 some than Grapes which have been exposed to the dust, &c., of 

 the market. 



