By Mr. John Robertson. 



387 



It has often been a subject of remark, that Vines planted 

 against buildings with pavement round them, which prevents 

 the ground from being either worked or manured, produce not 

 only more abundant and finer crops, but are longer lived, and 

 grow to a greater size than others. A case cited by the Comte 

 Lelieur confirms the observation, and serves to explain the 

 cause. At Thomery, the Grapes on the lower cordon of a 

 Vine planted to a wall of about fifteen feet high, having been 

 injured by the drip of its eaves dashing the earth of the 

 border against them, the owner paved it for a breadth of 

 about two feet from the wall. The good effects of this re- 

 medy were soon apparent, not only in the preservation of the 

 fruit from injury, but in the improvement of its size and 

 flavour ; the reflection of the sun's heat from the pavement 

 augmenting both, and hastening its maturity. The growth 

 of the Vine also became more moderate and regular, being 

 no longer influenced by the capricious extremes of drought 

 and moisture, as its roots under the protection of the pave- 

 ment rose to the surface of the border, and there enjoyed 

 an equable degree of both, and a superior warmth. 



How far this practice of paving round their roots, can be 

 applied to the Vines of this country in the open air, may be 

 a question ; but I apprehend that there can be no doubt, as to 

 the advantage of covering the borders of such, as are planted 

 in stoves or vineries, with a slight coat of gravel, not only 

 for the reasons above-mentioned, but to prevent the pos- 

 sibility of any other crop being raised on them, as is generally 

 the case, to the injury or even destruction of their roots 

 on the upper surface. 



We too frequently err, in making our borders for Vines 

 vol. vn. 3 E 



