138 



GARDENING FOR PLEASURE. 



CHAPTEE XLV. 



HARDY GRAPES. 



Grapes can be grown in almost any soil, provided it is 

 not a wet one, although the grape will take abundance of 

 water when in a growing state, it must pass off quickly, 

 else the growth will be impeded. If the ground is not 

 naturally suitable, (i. e., at least a foot in depth of good 

 soil), a border prepared in the manner recommended in 

 the chapter on " Cold Grapery," will well repay the 

 trouble. It is imperative that the position where the 

 vine is planted be such as will enable it to get sunlight 

 for the greater portion of the day. Ten years ago I 

 planted an arbor with an arched top and 100 feet long by 

 16 feet wide and 10 feet high, covering a walk running 

 east and west ; this gave a south and north exposure. 

 The crop has always been excellent and abundant on the 

 south side, and top of the arbor, but on the north 

 side, (unless the first and second years of fruiting, 

 when there was not sufficient foliage to impede the light), 

 it has been nearly a failure. There is much misconcep- 

 tion as to what should be the age of a grape-vine when 

 planted; nine-tenths of our amateur customers ask for 

 vines three or four years old. If a vine of that age could 

 be properly lifted with every root unbroken, then there 

 might be some advantage in its greater strength, but as 

 vines are usually grown in the nurseries closely together, 

 with the roots all interlaced, large plants can rarely be got 

 with roots enough to support the vine and maintain its 

 vigor after transplanting. As a rule it is better to plant 

 one or two-year-old vines, which can usually be bought 

 at half the price of those of three or four years old, and 



