602 



FRUIT GARDEN. 



pervious by the addition of other material. 

 Again, where the climate is cold, the soil should 

 be lighter because it is more readily penetrated 

 by solar heat ; whereas, in the warmer climates 

 of the south of France and Italy, its depth may 

 be indefinite. It is, however, better to increase 

 the breadth than to increase the depth in most 

 cases, because the roots of the vine travel far in 

 search of food, and it is always desirable to 

 have them near the surface. 



In cold wet districts it is advisable to form 

 borders within the house for the preservation of 

 the roots of the plants, as well as for the safety 

 of the main stem, through which the whole 

 supply of sap flows upwards to the other parts 

 of the trees. In such cases, however, it is 

 proper to build the walls on piers or arches, to 

 admit of a free escape of the roots outwards, if 

 they are disposed to go in that direction. A 

 reference to vol. i., sect. Vineries, will afford 

 abundant examples. In the vineries in the new 

 gardens, from designs furnished by us, and at 

 present forming for Lord Panmure, which are 

 upon the span-roofed principle, and glass all 

 round to within 2 feet of the ground, the vines 

 are to be planted inside of the house. The 

 parapets are built on piers 4 feet apart, and the 

 borders are prepared both inside and out. A 

 9 -inch air -drain is carried along their ends, 

 which necessarily front the south, with openings 

 to the surface 6 inches square and 6 feet distant 

 from each other; to this 4-inch tile air-drains 

 are connected 3 feet apart, and run along the 

 whole length of each house, terminating in a 

 heated chamber under the corridor, which ex- 

 tends the whole length of this extensive range, 

 and connects all the houses together. In this 

 chamber are placed the mains of hot -water 

 pipes, which supply the houses as they pass 

 along, the water being admitted into one or all 

 by means of valves. The heat in this chamber 

 causes an indraught of cold air from without, 

 and as the drains are laid open in the joints, it 

 diffuses itself through a mass of broken stones 

 18 inches deep, which forms the drainage under 

 the whole of the borders. The air is regulated 

 by metallic traps placed along the front of the 

 houses close to the terrace -walk, which are 

 opened or shut according to circumstances. The 

 borders are formed on top of this drainage to 

 the depth of 2 feet, the roots having the range 

 of the whole breadth of the houses within, 

 which are 18 feet wide, with a 12- foot border 

 between each two houses. The soil is of a rich 

 old-pasture, turfy nature, and probably has never 

 been in a cultivated state ; a slight addition of 

 rotted stable-yard manure and broken bones 

 is all the enrichment added. The houses stand 

 upon a terrace 3 feet above the level of the 

 garden, the ground in front sloping considerably 

 towards the south. In a range of vineries 

 designed by us, and also at present erecting for 

 Sir James Carnegie, Bart., we have placed the 

 whole borders above the garden-level, the situa- 

 tion being low and damp ; the superstructure 

 stands 3 feet above the terrace-walk in front. 

 Indeed, we hold it a most essential point to 

 have every hothouse elevated at from 2 to 3 feet 

 above the surrounding ground, as it secures 



efficient drainage in the case of fruit-tree houses, 

 and gives an expression of importance by the 

 increased elevation. 



No vinery can be considered complete, if not 

 elevated, drained, and ventilated underground 

 as here described, or chambered below, as shown 

 with so much success by the Marquis of Tweed- 

 dale at Yester (vide vol. i., figs. 445, 447). Shal- 

 low borders, and those not glutted with rich 

 manure, are much to be desired. Stimulating 

 the roots of the vine before the buds and 

 branches, is now admitted to be a leading fea- 

 ture in good forcing management. With this 

 view, we have a range at Dalkeith of lean-to 

 houses, drained and ventilated as noticed above; 

 and at every 3 feet the air - drains pass through 

 the front parapet-wall immediately under the 

 hot-water pipes, and as these are opened and 

 shut, heat can be withdrawn from the interior 

 of the house and made to circulate through the 

 drainage, and consequently to rise through the 

 border above, and so excite the roots into 

 active growth before the vines themselves are 

 taken into the house ; thus giving the roots a 

 proper advance of the buds, the very reverse of 

 what takes place in ordinary cases, where the 

 vines are exposed to a temperature of 55° or 60°, 

 while the roots are below 40°. 



Nor is it only with affording, by" the means we 

 have suggested, abundance of drainage and mo- 

 derate subterranean warmth to the roots of 

 vines growing in borders without the house, that 

 we are to rest contented — particularly in the 

 case of vines excited into growth during Decem- 

 ber and January, or such as are retarded to pro- 

 duce fruit from November to January. We 

 must also have the surface of the external bor- 

 der protected against frost, excessive rains, and 

 melting snow. The means formerly adopted, 

 such as covering with leaves, straw, or littering 

 dung, afforded little of the advantages required; 

 and laying vegetable matter in a state of fer- 

 mentation over them, with a view to stimulate 

 the roots into action by the heat descending 

 from it, is next to labour and fertilising material 

 thrown away. Concreting the surface has its 

 advantages, no doubt, but a portable roofing of 

 earthenware, or glass tiles, or large slates, laid 

 on rafters elevated 4 inches above the ground, 

 with longitudinal laths nailed to them, to which 

 such tiles or slates can be secured, would be 

 found the cheapest and most efficient in the 

 end. During summer these could be removed 

 to admit of the heat of the sun entering freely 

 into the border ; and in very wet and cold 

 localities, external borders should be entirely 

 abandoned. And if grapes are to be produced 

 in cold damp climates, houses of sufficient capa- 

 city as to length and breadth must be erected 

 for them, so that the roots may be kept entirely 

 under their protection, and outside borders 

 abandoned. 



Concreting the bottom of vine borders, and 

 indeed those of other fruit trees, has long been 

 practised, the object being, by the formation of 

 an impervious flooring, to prevent the descend- 

 ing roots from extending below the prepared 

 soil, and from entering a bad subsoil. It also 

 prevents the damp from below, in low damp 



