VINE-ROOTS. The roots of vines, like those of most other trees, have a tendency to descend into the earth, and when they reach certain subsoils they become unhealthy-besides which, they are then far from the genial influences of sun and air. To prevent this, remove a few inches of the surface of the border every summer during dry weather, which will most probably expose some of the roots,-at any rate, descend till they are reached; then on, under, and amongst these young roots lay a few inches of nice fresh loam, horse-droppings, and old lime-rubbish in equal parts, with a few handfuls of ground bones. Into this mixture the vines will send a mass of fine feeding fibry roots, that with similar annual attention may be kept there, where they should be mulched as already directed, and during very hot dry weather fed with liquid manure, either from the farmyard or cesspool. When neither of these is available, mix guano at the rate of one ounce to the gallon of water. If this process is persevered in, it reduces the importance of concreting the bottoms of vine-borders, as the vines seldom suffer from any roots formed at too great a depth. An amateur close to this place has for many years grown splendid crops of grapes, chiefly Muscats. The vines are planted. in an outside border, only 6 feet of which was made soil, and the roots are all right through it into the general soil of his garden, which is poor, shallow, and gravelly; but he annually covers more than 30 feet in width of the soil on each side of his span-roofed house with 6 inches of nearly solid cow-manure, which during the year washes into the soil, and is, when examined, a com plete mass of fine vine-roots, and is not disturbed except by the hoe, to kill weeds, the sharp hungry soil preventing all danger from over-feeding by such means. To this mulching, and occasional waterings during the scorching summer of 1868, when every tree and bush, as well as weed, in his garden was covered with red-spider, he attributes the immunity from that pest which his vines enjoyed. From this vinery I conceive a sound lesson in grape-growing may be learnt, hence my reason for referring to it. OPEN-AIR CULTURE. In the latitude of Britain the grape vine can only be grown in the open air with very partial success, even in the most favoured of the southern counties, and then it must be trained against a wall with a south aspect. The soil in which the vine should be planted for open-air culture, should not be so rich as that used for it under glass, and should consist of three-fourths light sandy loam, the other fourth to be made up of old limerubbish, brickbats, and burned clay, with a small proportion of broken bones. In this compost it will not make such strong canes as in a richer one, but they will ripen better, and have more prominent fruit-buds than the product of rich soil. The young wood should be nailed close up to the wall as it advances, so as to get the benefit during the night of the heat the wall has absorbed from the sun during the day. As to pruning and training, the same course should be pursued as what I have recommended for the vine under glass. During the cold nights of spring, early summer, and autumn, great benefit will result from covering the soil along the bottom of the wall where the roots of the vines are, with fern, straw, or any such litter, as soon as the sun ceases to shine on it; to be uncovered every morning when the sun shines on it again. In this way the heat derived from the sun is retained in the soil, instead of passing off by radiation, as it soon does, especially in clear cold nights. With a wooden rake the operation of covering and uncovering is soon performed, and might with great advantage be applied to other wall fruit-trees as well as to the vine. Various methods of protecting the young buds of the vines from spring frosts, such as covering with oiled calico, old fishing-nets, &c., will suggest themselves to all concerned. A considerable width of projecting coping is of much importance, in as far as, besides sheltering from frost, it throws the wet clear of the foliage and fruit of the vine. As soon as the grapes are set the soil may receive a good watering with soap-suds or any other liquid manure, to be repeated occasionally during the summer if the season is a dry one. During autumn and winter the roots should be kept as dry as circumstances will admit of. In no case would I put a permanent mulching over the roots during summer, as it prevents the warming of the soil by the sun. A few cucumber or melon lights fixed against the wall, so as to cover the vines during autumn, will hasten the ripening of the fruit, and protect it from heavy rains. From what I have seen of the field-culture of vines for producing wine in France and Germany, I consider that, by the application of greater horticultural skill, the crops of grapes might be very much increased; but it would be difficult to break through the strong crust of prejudice that exists in favour of things as they are. F In Australia, where extensive vineyards are being planted on the Hunter River and elsewhere, though they have much to learn, they have nothing to unlearn, like their brethren on the continent of Europe. James Elliot Blake, Esq., of Tabelk Vineyard, Melbourne, informed me recently that when they extend their plantations they trench the soil, and then cut young canes from the established vines 6 feet long, and run one end, of the cane 3 feet deep into the soil, and that they make very little progress for two years. If, instead of proceeding in this primitive way, they were the previous year to make a long range of trenches, sheltered round the sides by turf, over which during cold or excessively hot weather some sort of cloth could be run, they might strike plants from cuttings of two eyes by the thousand, to be transplanted by having their roots properly spread out in the soil as it is being trenched; such plants would come sooner into a bearing state, and make better permanent vines than those planted as at present. And when the great value of the produce of a single acre of vineyard is considered, no ordinary preliminary expense ought to be withheld that would add to its productiveness. A gentleman who has vineyards in the neighbourhood of Sydney told me recently, that from one acre of vines he sells £100 worth of grapes in the Sydney market annually, and of those that are not fit for market he makes twelve hundred gallons of wine that he can sell at 3s. 6d. per gallon. As a manure for vineyards nothing will prove so permanently beneficial as broken bones. The green prunings of the vines are also useful as a manure, and should be forked or dug into the soil once a-year; but the roots of the vines should be disturbed as little as possible. The stakes used for supporting the vines should have their points charred and dipped in pitch while hot, to a couple of inches above their ground-line; and instead of using a stake for each vine, four could be bent so as to meet at a central point, where they could be tied to one stake. LIST OF VINES. 1. Black Hamburg.-This excellent grape is so well known that comment would be superfluous. 2. Champion Hamburg.-This is a variety of the above with larger berries, and as fine qualities in every other respect. 3. Frankenthal.-This is undoubtedly a variety of the black Hamburg, though a very distinct one. The berries are perfectly round, sometimes oblate. In flavour it is rich and juicy; and it nearly always colours jet black. 4. Richmond Villa Hamburg.-This is a variety of the black Hamburg, which, though distinct in foliage, is similar in other respects to it. 5. Dutch Hamburg.-The bunches of this grape are not so large as the other varieties of Hamburg; but the berries grow to an enormous size. The skin is thick, and the flesh coarse. It nearly always colours jet black, with hammered skin. For mere exhibition as a "basket of grapes" this has no rival in its class. The whole of the Hamburgs are free setters, and will ripen in a cool vinery. 6. Muscat Hamburg. This is the old black Muscat brought out with a new name. It is a grand grape when well grown, having every good quality that can be expected in a grape, but unfortunately it is rather capri |