RIVAL SYSTEMS OF VINE-CULTURE. 



43 



feel justified in passing it by, apart from wliicli I have 

 been asked my opinion of the merits of the two sys- 

 tems by numerous correspondents. These circumstances 

 combined have determined me to devote a chapter to 

 discussing the subject, believing, as I do, that there is 

 much truth in what is said by the advocates of both 

 sides of the question, as there generally is when sensible 

 men discuss questions of this character. I may here 

 remark that the question is by no means a new one to 

 me ; more than twenty years ago I frequently discussed 

 it with the late Mr Peter Kay of Finchly. Theoreti- 

 cally, it must at once be admitted that the one-vine 

 or " extension " system stands on vantage-ground. No 

 one can deny that a tree which is largely developed, 

 with its roots ranging over what I may term an exten- 

 sive pasture-field, is likely to maiutain its health and 

 vigour for a much greater length of time than one that 

 is^ by the force of circumstances restricted in its growth. 

 But there are practical difficulties in the way of the 

 general adoption of the former mode of culture. In 

 the first place, all experience goes to prove that the 

 vine is what may be termed a rambling rooter. If the 

 border is not carefully made, and of such materials as 

 to induce the formation of a numerous progeny of fine 

 branching fibry roots, the width of any ordinary vine- 

 border will soon be traversed by them. This takes 

 place even when the " restrictive system " is adopted, 

 and it will take place with infinitely greater rapidity 

 under the other. To meet this difficulty the roots have 

 been walled in ; but this only aggravates the evil, for 

 the moment the roots touch the wall, they descend to 

 the bottom of the border, where they are far from the 

 genial influences of heat and air. 



Another objection brought against this system is, 



