178 THE OECHAED AISTD TETJIT GABDE^T. 



shoots from the two eyes left ; the best must be chosen, 

 and tramed upright to produce the next year, and those 

 which have produced must be cut back to two eyes. 



On a very high wall, a second series may find room. 

 Top-dressing and manuring are good for the vine, and 

 care must be taken that the roots are not interfered with 

 by digging too near to them. As general summer cul- 

 ture, all superfluous spray must be removed, and the 

 bearing shoots stopped an eye or two beyond the fruit. 

 This thinning is valuable in letting in sun and air. 



To get fine grapes, one bunch to a square foot of wall 

 will be enough to leave. The grapes in the bunches, 

 too, must be thinned out, first when they are the size of 

 peas, and again when they are the size of gooseberries. 

 Scissors are used for the purpose, and the grapes in the 

 interior of the bunch are cut away, sparing those which 

 grow outwards. After the last thinning, every grape 

 should stand quite apart from its neighbours. It is a 

 tedious job, but the fruit will not turn out good for much 

 without it; and in a season which is sufficiently favour- 

 able to npen grapes out of doors, i. e., one of tolerable 

 forwardness and heat, the fruit will prove deserving 

 attention and trouble, which will add to its flavour and 

 colour as well as to its size. The lateral shoots, 

 too, should be stopped and never allowed to too much 

 shade or crowd the fine foliage. In September the 

 stopped laterals may be cut away, to give circulation 

 of air, 'and to let the heat of the sun get to the wall. 

 Then, too, the grapes must be protected from flies and 

 wasps. 



The best kind of all for a wall, or the outside of a 

 house, is the Esperione, which is extraordinarily prolific, 

 very hardy, and of luxuriant growth. It perfects its 

 fruit well, is a very superior grape, and even in un- 

 favourable seasons does better than any other sort. 

 The bunches are handsomely shouldered, and the 

 grapes difi'er little in size from Black Hamburghs 

 grown under glass ; they are large, round, inclining 

 to oblate, veiy dark purple, with a blue bloom, rather 

 firm, sweet, juicy, and good in flavour. The grapes 



