388 JOUKXAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
possible, to dispute its right to that space. It is convenient to allot it a 
semicircle radiating 5 feet from the stem ; and after heavy rain this plot 
of ground should be lightly forked to assist evaporation. Such forking, 
however, has its limits ; because even in a wet season, after Sep- 
tember 15, the heat of the ground must in no wise be prejudiced, but 
rather conserved. 
WiUiam Speechley's work (York 1790) on the culture of the Vine 
was pubhshed by subscription, and is not in our library. It is 
worth referring to, if only on account of the latter portion, with 
hints on the formation of vineyards in England."' He describes and 
figures one of many great wall Vines at XorthallertoE. It appears 
as a great tree covering the face of three houses, with a stem as 
thick as a man's body. He says it once covered a space of 137 square 
yards, and "it is judged that if it had been permitted when at its 
greatest vigour to extend itself, it might have covered three or four times 
that area." It was then about 150 years old, growing in a light rich 
soil— of a dark colour — inclining to sand. He does not, however, say 
anything about its crop. To me it is interesting to speculate on what 
Hoare would have said about this extension, and how it would compare 
with his rule and estimate, which, except for the difference between 
50|° and 5-4° 20' X. latitude, should have approached a ton and a half of 
Grapes. 
Speechley mentions a better "extension" Vine in 17'^6 at Bury, 
Suffolk, a Black Cluster covering a wall 41 yards long and 10 feet high ; 
some branches ran over the wall and covered 12 yards on the other side. 
It was thirty-five years old, 8 inches in circumference at a foot from the 
ground, below which were protuberances, girth 13 inches, with some 
fruiting shoots emanating from them close to the ground. The stem of 
this Vine and its centre portion faced due south. Twelve yards faced 
west, and three-fourths of the whole faced eastwards. 
It had for some years been confined in its growth, or. says Speechley, 
it might have covered three or four times as much walling. The clusters 
hung thickly, and weighed from ^ lb. to 1 lb. each. 
Now, to draw a little nearer the subject of English vineyards. We 
have in very modern times a considerable body of fact aud opinion in 
favour of their cultivation. 
Lord Chancellor Bacon says that Vines trained on arbours or per- 
golas make verjuice, he not being acquainted with some of our newer 
sorts, such as the ' Brandt,' which I described in my previous paper, a 
standard- trained Vine, ripe on September 15. 1899. His opinion is well 
supported by F. X. Vispre, who published a book at Bath in 1786, on 
" The Growth of Wine in England." He " wanted to be the restorer of 
vineyards in this country." He trained his Vines near the ground, as he 
had done at Wimbledon and Chelsea. In propagating by layering, the 
grapes increased in size larger than those gro-s\Ti on a south wall. 
In 1703 there were in the cellars at Arundel Castle " sixty pipes of 
excellent Burgundy," grown by the Duke of Xorfolk. I do not know 
when or why this vineyard was abandoned. Information about this 
would be acceptable. 
Speechley mentions the Pain's Hill A'ineyard, planted by Hon. 
