794 



THE I'KACTICAL GAKDr.NEIV- 



from Autumn till March, and often later. Vines planted in 

 May and June have succeeded to the fullest expectation; 

 however, where circumstances will admit, any time from 

 January till March may be considered a good season. The 

 borders, both within and without the house, should be pre- 

 pared by being, in the first place, rendered perfectly dry by 

 draining or otherwise, and this should be done in a substan- 

 tial manner ; for after they are formed, and the vines planted, 

 it cannot be so elFectually done, and it is of the utmost con- 

 sequence to the future welfare of the vines, that they should 

 be placed on a dry bottom. Their roots naturally extend to 

 a great distance in quest of nourishment, and are therefore 

 apt to penetrate beyond the limits of borders, which are too 

 scantily formed for them, either in depth or breadth. When 

 they extend beyond the limits of prepared borders, if the soil 

 be naturally cold and damp, the fruit will not be of fine flavor, 

 and, consequently, many of the berries will shrivel, assume a 

 sickly color, and ripen prematurely, and be not only desti- 

 tute of flavor, but actually sour. The foundation of the 

 borders should be well drained, and a floor constructed on 

 the same principle as has been recommended for fruit-tree 

 borders, so that the roots cannot penetrate it. Over this floor, 

 a thick stratum of lime-rubbish, or similar matter should be 

 laid, over which the border should be formed of light rich 

 loam, well ameliorated by frequent turning over and exposure 

 to the atmosphere ; to this loam, however rich in itself, a 

 moderate quantity of well-decomposed dung should be added, 

 and the whole brought to a sufficient degree of lightness by 

 the addition of well-prepared vegetable mould, to which may 

 be added a portion of lime-rubbish, broken bones, shells, or 

 similar matter. 



In the formation of vine-borders, horticultural wTiters have 

 fully given their various opinions, and the following prepa- 

 rations have been recommended by men eminently successful 

 in the culture of the grape. Speechly, in the formation of the 

 borders in the Welbeck Gardens appropriated for vines, 

 adopted the following method: — '* One-fourth part of garden- 

 mould, (a strong loam,) one-fourth of the sward of turf from 



