148 THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN’S COMPANION, December 2, 1856 
GRAPES FOR THE MILLION. 
Hoping my notes may meet the wishes of “ A Constant 
Reader,” at page 31, and for the benefit of any other reader 
who may be contemplating a south front or gable end of his 
cottage for the growing of the Grape, to “ live under its 
shadow,” I will give the private history and cultivation of 
my Vines from their infancy up to the present time. 
It may be as well, in the first instance, to state that the 
plants under consideration are already subjects of history, 
for at page 406, Vol. VI., of this periodical, I wrote, “ They 
are one White Muscadine” (which, to the carelessness or 
convenience of the nurseryman, turned out to be a Sweet 
Water), “ and two Black JEsperiones.” I added another of 
the latter. They occupy part of one end of this stone 
dwelling, having an aspect east-east-by-south, subjected 
almost continually to a peculiarly cold current of air, and 
where winds from northerly points of the compass pay us 
periodical visits with rude and lengthened blustering. The 
Vines were thought of originally ostensibly for their foliage, 
and were never expected to ripen fruit on so uncongenial an 
aspect. In planting them, however, I adopted the best 
method I thought suitable in order to coax them to do so, 
and I am compensated in the result. 
In November, 1850, I uprooted a Brown Beurre Pear and 
an Apricot-tree which never could bear fruit, and excavated 
the site they occupied two feet six inches deep, eight feet 
broad, and eight yards loDg, flanking the end of the house, 
allowing the bottom of the border, as I proceeded, to incline 
with a gentle slope from the wall, and then formed a 
longitudinal drain at its lowest pitch, six inches deep, to 
empty at its extremity into a dead well of five feet in depth, 
three feet in diameter, and filled loosely with large stones. 
The drain was then filled with stones, and also the bottom 
of the border, to the depth of six inches, graduating 
them so that the smallest for size came uppermost, and 
then their surfaces were completely covered over with a 
layer of turf reversed, and rammed firmly down. In the 
previous spring I had amassed a cpiantity of turf preparatory 
for planting purposes, and during the interval had it 
chopped and turned over occasionally One half of this 
chopped turf, one half fresh soil from the kitchen-garden, 
two cartloads of pounded brickbats and lime-rubbish, and 
about three bushels of bones, which were broken small with 
a road stone-hammer—a nasty operation I remembei’, but 
our odd man got a better pair of trousers on that account— 
were well incorporated together, and then the border was 
filled with the mixture about a foot higher than the ground 
level, to allow for its settling down, and so it remained over 
the winter. 
For Vines in the open air I prefer the early spring-time 
of the year to plant them out, and those propagated from 
eyes or short-jointed cuttings are to be preferred. These 
now under consideration were raised from cuttings, and they 
arrived to me in pots from the nursery in the beginning of 
February, when the border was immediately made level, and 
sites dug out sufficiently deep and extensive for the re¬ 
ception of their roots, which, as their balls were relieved 
from the pots, were carefully uncoiled in order to preserve 
every fibre possible. Then to a stout stake previously driven 
firm and rather slanting into the soil, about three inches 
from the wall, the Vine is made fast, first through the agency 
of some hay-bands wound around it to prevent the bark 
chafing, and then a piece of tar-cord round that and the 
stake, which keeps the stem firm whilst distributing the roots, 
and so effectually prevents those convulsive twitchings which 
trees are too frequently made to undergo in the process of 
planting, giving one the idea that their fibres ought to 
possess the elastic properties of Indian-rubber, which they 
do not; therefore let us thank the stake for preventing the 
idea being carried out. Spread the roots in layers, if there 
is a sufficiency of them, horizontally in circles, and cover 
each layer carefully with fine soil, which, if very dry, must 
be made to close around the fibres by the percolation of 
water from the spout of a can, or, what is still better, the 
tin rose of a watering-pot; but if we must tread, let us 
“tread softly,” for it is a barbarous practice to jump and 
caper upon the roots; and if their points are brought to 
repose at a slight angle upwards, they will be so much more 
likely to retain a horizontal position onwards, which is so 
conducive to the future fruitfulness of the tree. Form the 
ground at completion on a level with that appearance on 
the stem which it formerly occupied in the soil of the pot. 
My four Vines, planted as above, were placed equidistant 
in the twenty-four-feet border, and each of them cut down 
to four eyes. A mulch of decayed leaves was placed over 
their roots ; a Box edging, planted one foot from the wall, 
to prevent accidental injuries from the iron roller; and a 
seven-feet-broad gravel walk covers the remaining superfices 
of the border. Waterings throughout the summer were 
strictly attended to ; and now begins a system of training. 
Every bud on the Vines broke well and strong, each pair of 
bottom-shoots was secured to the wall by nails and shreds, 
right and left, horizontally, and one shoot on each Vine was 
made to take an upright vertical growth ; and when they 
had made four or five joints each their heads were pinched 
off to prevent them becoming monopolisers, as they are 
intended merely for the present purpose of encouraging 
root action, and to perform, pro tern., the part of lungs for the 
plants. The horizontal shoots, which must be allowed to 
grow on without stopping, are turned to take an upright 
course when they have each accomplished the measurement 
of two feet six inches; and if they offer to bear fruit the 
bunches must be pinched. off, for it is one certain way to 
ruin the constitution of the Vines permitting them to 
ripen fruit on their first or second year even. What laterals 
(young shoots) they throw out at the axils of their leaves 
during the summer are to be shortened by degrees in 
September, and the ends of the main branches stopped. 
About the middle of October clear the laterals entirely 
away, and encourage the ripening of the wood by admitting 
the sun to shine freely upon it. At the middle of November 
the horizontal branches, provided they are matured so far, 
which can be judged by the brownness and hardness of the 
wood, are cut to one eye above their vertical turns; but 
those which have not ripened their wood to that extent 
cut as near as possible to approach a uniform length. 
The lungs, or central branches, shorten back to two eyes, 
and thus the first year’s training and pruning become com¬ 
pleted. I lay particular stress on the word pruning, for 
when this operation is left to be performed in the spring 
there is no plant so likely to suffer from what is termed 
bleeding, a discharge of sap at the incisions made by the 
knife, as the Vine; and it is sometimes found very trouble¬ 
some to stop. One of the methods for stopping such 
bleeding is to apply a heated iron to the part cut; other 
nostrums are sprinklings of quick-lime, daubings of white- 
lead, paint, A'C.; but it is far better to prune at those times, 
when all these difficulties are avoided. 
When ten or a dozen shoots burst forth on a Vine where 
seven ought to be the proper number, towards the develop¬ 
ment of a future model, eradicate the extras by rule of the 
finger and thumb, and leave seven only to take precedence 
upon it. Make them situated equidistant, one above, one 
below, and one at the extremities of the horizontal or main 
stems, as I will now call them, and give one vertical shoot 
fofthe lungs. Allow the latter and the extreme shoots on 
the main stems to take their upright course, and grow away 
without let or hinderance, and fail not to secure them to the 
wall with shreds and nails ; but do not press the shreds too 
tightly around them, for that would stop the free circulation 
of the sap. Train the pair of shoots under the stems hori¬ 
zontally, and their corresponding number above vertically, 
and stop them when they have made about six joints each. 
For the satisfaction of the cultivator, the vertical shoots 
may each be permitted to bear a bunch of fruit; but do not 
tax the strength of the Vine beyond that for the present 
season ; and bear in mind that fruit always appears on the 
succulent shoots which burst from the buds of the young 
wood grown in the previous year. These fruit-bearing 
shoots will endeavour to push forth fresh leaders at the 
joint below where they were stopped; but they must not be 
allowed to do so. Operate on the lateral spray by degrees, 
as advised last year; stop the main stems in October; 
shorten them to their ripened wood; cut the lung branches, 
and those that bore fruit, and those below the stems, com¬ 
pletely away in November, and the training and pruning are 
completed for the second year. 
At the beginning of the third year, the system of training 
for fruit in the future is to begin in earnest; so a considera¬ 
tion must be given towards the disposal and proper dis- 
