OF THE VINE. 



85 



In many places, Hot-houses are built where the 

 soil is of so unfavourable a nature, that it would be 

 next to impossible to have Vines in perfection 

 without the above contrivances and precautions ; 

 for when the soil is wet and springy, as stated 

 above, is a strong clay, or otherwise unkindly, the 

 Vine-roots, by penetrating deeper than the sun's 

 influence, will imbibe crude particles, which will 

 not only tend to render the Vine unfruitful, 

 but also impregnate its small produce of grapes 

 with a disagreable flavour. But when the above 

 directions are strictly attended to, there will be a 

 certain space of six or eight yards in breadth, and 

 the entire length of the stove, made perfectly 

 secure from all noxious and heterogeneous matter : 

 therefore the next important object will be a con- 

 sideration of a proper soil or compost. 



As the Vines in the Hot-house at Welbeck have 

 been remarkably fruitful and vigorous, I shall beg 

 leave to recommend the same kind of compost 

 mould which I make use of there, viz. one-fourth 

 part of garden mould (a strong loam) ; one-fourth 

 of £he swarth or turf from a pasture where the soil 

 is a sandy loam ; one-fourth of the sweepings and 

 scrapings of pavements and hard roads ; one-eighth 

 of rotten cow and stable-yard dung mixed ; and 

 one-eighth of vegetable mould from reduced and 

 decayed oak leaves. These are the several and 

 respective proportions. The swarth should be laid 

 on an heap, till the grass-roots are in a state of 

 decay, and then turned over and broken with a 



d % 



