586 



THE PEACH 



an early vinery, good grapes may be ripened in the beginning of May where 

 the border is protected from frost and snow: so that a regular succes- 

 sion can be had all the year round. Mr. Tillery, the Duke of Portland's 

 gardener, at Welbeck, has " put a dozen pots in on the 10th of October, and 

 cut on the 2nd of March ; another dozen in the beginning of November, 

 and cut in April. Where grapes can be grown on the rafters, and proper 

 attention paid to the borders," he observes, " it is so much time thrown 

 away to attempt growing them in pots. To the amateur and gardener with, 

 perhaps, only a hothouse or two, the case is different, for they are worthy of 

 all his care and attention." — Gard. Chron.^ 1841, p. 830. 



1286. General treatment of the vine. — No tree or shrub will do with so 

 little water, either at the root or over the leaves, as the vine, provided the 

 border is sufficiently rich. Even in vineries watering may be totally dis- 

 pensed wdth during the whole of a course of culture, though it will facilitate 

 the breaking of the buds and the swelling of the fruit. Hence a vinery, if 

 formed of a handsome shape, with the sides and roof of glass, might be 

 covered inside with vines, with the floor matted or carpeted, so as to be 

 used, during a part of the summer season at least, as a reading or work- 

 ing room. In this case the vines should be planted outside ; or planted 

 inside, close to the outside walls, so as, in either case, to allow of the floor 

 being paved. The only drawback to vines so treated is the attacks which 

 they, in common with all plants, are liable to from insects ; and these can 

 only be got rid of by the use of water or some liquid, or by fumigation. 

 The vine, however, is less subject to insects or diseases than any other fi'uit- 

 bearing tree or shrub. 



1287. Growing grapes for wine-making. — Excellent wine may be made 

 from unripe grapes, and these may be produced in abundance in the central 

 and southern districts of England, in the open garden on espaliers. The 

 plants may be trained on horizontal wires in the Thomery manner (905), 

 in that of Mr. Hoare (984), or the wires of the trellis may be chiefly per- 

 pendicular and two feet apart, and at each a vine cutting may be planted and 

 trained upright and spurred in, as recommended for the gooseberry and cur- 

 rant on an espalier (1220). After the lapse of three or four years to estab- 

 lish the plants, an immense quantity of fruit would be produced in this 

 manner on a small space. The best varieties for wine-making, where the grape 

 will ripen, are the Miller's Burgundy, known by its woolly leaves, and the 

 Claret, known by its leaves dying ofi^ of a dark claret colour; the Black 

 Cluster and the Muscadine will attain as great a degree of maturity as the 

 kinds mentioned, and will answer both for wine making and eating. It is 

 unnecessary to observe, that the walls and roofs of cottages (986) will bring 

 the grapes nearer to maturity than an espalier in the same climate. 



SuBSECT. II. — The Peach and Nectarine. 



1288. The Peach and Nectarine^ Persica vulgaris Dec. ; and P. laevis 

 Dec; (Pecher, i^?'. ; Pfirschbaum, Ger. ; Persikkeboom, i)?^^cA ; Persico, 

 Ital. ; and Alberchigo, Span.; Arb. Brit., vol. ii. p. 680, and Encyc. of Trees 

 and Shrubs, p. 266), is a deciduous tree under the middle size, a native of 

 Persia, and cultivated in gardens for its fruit from the time of the Romans. 

 The nectarine (peche lisse, Fr.), is distinguished from the peach by having 

 a smooth skin, while that of the peach is downy. The Almond is supposed 



