about the ninth or tenth year. In this situation they receive an extraordinary increase of solar heat, the very life and soul of all vegetation, and being, moreover, near the surface, they can be nourished with liquid manure, to any extent that may be considered necessary. These surface roots, ought, therefore, to be taken great care of and encouraged by all possible means, as being amongst the most valuable of any belonging to the vine, and as contributing in a high degree, to improve the flavour of the fruit, and to insure its ripening, even in the most unfavourable seasons. The border, therefore, after it is once made, ought never to be stirred but at intervals, when necessary to prevent the surface of it from becoming a hard impervious coat. On such occasions it should be carefully forked to the depth of a couple of inches, which will keep it sufficiently loose and open, to receive the full influence of the sun and air. Whenever weeds appear, they should be hoed up, or plucked by the hand immediately. In fine, the border should be kept sacred from the intrusion of any other plant, tree, or vegetable production whatsoever, and be solely devoted to the growth and nourishment of the roots of the vines. Here, before concluding these remarks upon soil, it is necessary to observe, that although the foregoing directions with respect to soil, the pre paration of borders, &c. will, if followed, ensure the prosperous growth of vines, and the annual production and maturation of fine crops of grapes, and are therefore highly deserving of being practically adopted at all times when circumstances permit; yet, it must not, therefore, be supposed, that vines will not grow and mature fine fruit, unless planted in well-prepared borders. Quite the contrary is the fact, for vines will do well in any unprepared soil, that is not too stiff, and that has a dry bottom, but they grow quicker, and consequently bear greater crops of grapes within a given space of time, when planted in a soil that has been properly prepared for their reception. For instance, if two cuttings be planted, the one in a soil of the former description, and the other in one of the latter, it will be found at the end of ten years, that the stem of the vine growing in the soil that was unprepared, will not be more than half the size of that planted in the other; consequently, for every pound weight of fruit which the smaller stemmed vine can mature, the other will ripen very nearly three pounds. This difference occurring annually, is sufficiently great, to repay most amply the trouble and expence incurred in making a suitable border, whenever local circumstances will permit of such an operation being performed. Nevertheless, the disadvantages of a poor soil, or but a very an unprepared one, may in some measure be compensated, by planting the vines closer together, in which case, the surface of the wall will be much sooner covered with fruit than otherwise. If vines, indeed, could not be planted with any prospect of success, in any other situations than in borders set apart for that purpose, small quantity of grapes could be grown, compared with what the country is capable of producing. Innumerable instances occur throughout the country, and especially in towns and their suburban districts, in which walls, cottages, houses, and various descriptions of brick and stone erections present very favourable aspects for the training of vines, but which, nevertheless, are so situated locally, as to possess little or no soil at all on the surface adjoining their sites ; the ground being either paved with bricks or stone, or, perhaps, trodden so hard, as to be apparently incapable of yielding sustenance to any vegetable production. In all such cases, however, if the ground adjoining the site of the wall or building, be opened to the extent of eighteen inches square, and as many deep, it will be sufficient to admit the roots of a young vine, which must be pruned to suit that space. If a wider and deeper space can be made, it will of course be better, but if not, that will do. After the sides and bottom have been loosened as much as possible, the vine may be planted, and the hole filled up with twothirds of rich loamy earth, and one-third of road scrapings, previously mixed well together; and, if necessary, the surface covering, whether of stone, brick, or otherwise, may be restored again to its former state, provided a space of about six inches square be left open for the stem to swell in during its future growth. Vines planted in such situations, will, in general, do well, although their growth will not be so rapid as when planted under more favourable circumstances. In all cases where vines are planted against any description of buildings, their roots push as soon as possible under the foundations, being attracted thither by the warm air which is there generated; and such situations being also dry, from the excavations which have been made, offer to the roots the same protection from excessive moisture, as the substratum of a well-prepared border. The same may be observed of vines planted against walls, the foundations of which possess similar advantages, although in a more limited degree. Hence, the fact may be inferred, that, vines planted in such situations, without any previous preparation of the soil, will frequently grow as luxuriantly, and produce as fine grapes as those planted in rich and well-prepared borders. Indeed, it is hardly possible to plant a vine in any situation, in which it will not thrive, pro vided its roots can by any means push themselves into a dry place, and the aspect be such as to afford to its branches, a sufficient portion of the sun's rays to elaborate the juices of the plant. The truth is, that the roots of the vine possess an extraordinary power of adapting themselves to any situation in which they may be planted, provided it be a dry one. They will ramble in every direction in search after food, and extract nourishment from sources apparently the most barren. In short, they are the best caterers that can possibly be imagined, for they will grow, and even thrive luxuriantly, where almost every other description of plant or tree would inevitably starve. |