16 



A TREATISE ON THE 



planting the vines in the common way; but where doubt exists, 

 and fruit in perfection is required, I can with confidence recom- 

 mend the following directions : — We will suppose a house entirely 

 devoted to this peculiar grape. I begin with the vinery border, 

 a portion of which is inside as well as outside of the house ; the 

 space occupied, therefore, from the back part of the border inside 

 to the front part outside ought to be eighteen feet, and with a 

 slope of two feet at least from the back to the front. In making 

 the border, proceed with it in every particular the same as before 

 recommended, taking every precaution to attend to the drainage. 

 When the border is complete, and settled to its proper level, pro- 

 ceed to plant the vines in the centre of the border within the 

 house, and train them up at the same distances as represented in 

 the plan. Much good is derived from planting them thickly : it 

 enables the grower to train every alternate vine up, and the other 

 down, thereby entirely covering every inch of glass surface. 

 Allowing each vine to carry ten or twelve bunches, you thereby 

 secure a much greater weight of fruit than by any other plan, and 

 at the same time each individual vine is not overcropped, which 

 greatly assists them to properly ripen the allotted number in the 

 greatest state of perfection; and the equal dispersion of fine 

 bunches throughout the house gives a rich and luxuriant appear- 

 ance. It may be argued, that their being so thickly planted would, 

 in a short time, produce confusion ; but, by spurring or cutting 

 them back every year to one eye, they preserve a neat, close, and 

 compact appearance. The best proof I can offer is, that one 

 house, under my own cultivation, which has received the above 

 treatment, is now in as fine a state as possible ; indeed, every year 

 there is a decided improvement, both as regards the quantity and 

 quality of the produce. I ought, perhaps, to have before ob- 

 served, that, with a sufficient number of well-grown vines in pots, 

 a house could be filled with a crop of excellent fruit the first year, 

 without the slightest detriment to the forthcoming crops. I know 

 some persons will sneer at such doctrine, but I only recommend 

 to others what I have found to succeed well with myself. There 



