GARDENING AS A SCIENCE. 
155 
because the fibrous system of all the members appears to be closely connected ; 
but the perfectibility of table fruits depends upon a mode of treatment which 
compromises the vital energy of the tree ; and therefore the operations of the 
gardener ought to be guided by experience, under the tuition of a sound physio- 
logical theory. 
" 6. The period of ripening its fruit will be accelerated by an abundant foliage, 
and retarded by a scanty foliage." 
Such are the propositions ; and as the writer applies them " especially to the 
Vine," and protests against the " rigorous summer pruning" and " destruction of the 
laterals " so generally enforced, inferring that early maturity and excellence of 
out-of-door grapes is entirely owing to a large quantity of growing wood laid in 
during summer, we must appeal to facts, and endeavour to combine order and 
precision with the conditions required to perfect an ample crop of excellent fruit. 
The general truth inculcated by the theory we deem to be undeniable ; but 
experience, constant observation, and the actual manual operations of above twelve 
successive years upon Vines which cover a lofty and extensive space of walling, 
have proved to demonstration that unremitting attention is indispensable to 
obviate the "confusion worse confounded," which would inevitably result from 
leaving Nature to her own sportiveness. Nevertheless, most cordially do we go 
hand-in-hand with our theorist, in the following principles : — -" It is a mistake to 
imagine that the sun must shine on the bunches of grapes to ripen them — Nature 
intended no such thing. On the contrary, it is evident that Vines naturally bear 
their fruit in such a way as to screen it from the sun. and man is most unwise when 
he rashly interferes with this intention. What is wanted is the full exposure of 
the leaves to the sun ; they will prepare the nutriment of the Grape — they will 
feed it, and nurse it, and rear it up into succulence and lusciousness." 
This is very good, and it accords sufficiently with the more general principles 
of the venerated master — T. A. Knight — whose own epistles we refer to from time 
to time with more than reverence. He it was who taught that in dwarf and open 
standards all the branches should be rendered so orderly and open as to admit the 
solar ray to and through the centres of each apple and pear tree ; he directed the 
exposure of the foliage of his noble Persian melons to many square feet of glass for 
every single fruit ; and he instructed, never wantonly to cut away one leaf that 
could be conveniently exposed on its upper surface to the full ray. 
But we must not enlarge ; and as this work is devoted chiefly to ornamental 
gardening, our remarks shall be general, after offering a few more practical 
observations to reconcile sound theory with fructiferous results; and, first, to 
conclude the subject of the Vine. We recommend Clement Hoare's work upon that 
tree, as it cannot fail to prove a guide to any one who intends to form a vine upon 
one of the best possible models which can comprise productiveness and facility in 
the management. 
If avinebe trained according to his "long rod" system — the perpendicular shoots 
