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CULTIVATION OF THE GRAPE VINE.

THE GRAPE VINE.

THIS well-known plant, the Vitis vinifera of the botanist, has, during the whole historic period of the world, occupied in many parts of the earth a large share of man's attention. Its origin can be pretty clearly traced to Asia, though it is now said to be growing wild in many parts of the south of Europe; and what are supposed to be indigenous species or varieties are found in America. It was probably first introduced into Europe by the Romans soon after the foundation of Rome. What may be termed a temperate climate is that most suitable for its cultivation. The soil it delights most in is a calcareous loam on a dry subsoil. The varieties of grape vines may be said to be endless. The French Government on one occasion made a collection of 1400 varieties in a nursery at the Luxemburg, and this was supposed to be only a moiety of those in cultivation in France alone.

The cultivation of grapes has at the present day assumed an importance in this country which, fifty years

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ago, no one could have contemplated-partly owing to the increase of wealth, but chiefly in consequence of the duty being off glass; so that now a vinery has become a necessary adjunct to every villa residence, and is no longer confined to the walled-in gardens of the great of the land. And as these pages are principally intended for the guidance of the proprietors of the former, who are not supposed to employ scientific gardeners, I shall endeavour to make myself as plain and easily understood as possible; and the directions I purpose giving will be founded chiefly on my own practice, from which I will also draw any illustrations I may think necessary as I proceed.

SHAPE AND SIZE OF VINERY.

These may be as various as the tastes and means of their proprietors, and all produce good grapes; at the same time, there are forms and sizes which both philosophical deduction and experience have proved to be the best for given purposes. When one of these is the production of early grapes, there is no form of vinery so suitable as what is known as a "lean-to," with a due southern aspect, of which fig. 1 is a section; the general construction and heating of which will be referred to under those heads.

Where the wish is to have late grapes-by which I mean grapes ripe in the end of August, to hang till February or March-the span-roofed form is the best and most economical, and should be placed with one end to the south and the other to the north. Fig. 2 is a section of the most elegant design of this description of vinery, though, from the nature of the top ventilation,

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