Varieties

The proportions the different vines should bear to each other, in order to secure the best succession and a constant supply, are three Black Hamburgh's; two White Muscats of Alexandria; one White and one Black Frontignan; one Black Prince, and one Black St. Peter's.

Construction Of Vinery

For the general principles applicable to the construction of this and all other hothouses, see the titles Stove, Trellis,etc.

Borders

These may be formed eight feet broad, of a soil similar to that recommended for the open wall vines, with the same attention to manuring and drainage.

Planting And Pruning

The practice of Mr. Mearns in this particular is very good: -

"The vines are planted inside the house at two feet and a half apart, nearly close to the front wall, and are headed down to within a foot of the soil. One shoot only is allowed to proceed from each plant, which at the end of the first season is cut down to the second or third eye. Next year two leading shoots are encouraged, the strongest of which is stopped when it has grown three or four joints beyond the middle of the roof, and the weaker, after having grown three or four feet, for the purpose of strengthening the eyes. At the fall of the leaf, the leading shoots are reduced, the main one to the length of the middle of the roof, and the lower one to the third eye. In the third season, one leading shoot is trained in from each shoot, and from the leading shoot fruit-bearing side shoots are produced. One bunch is left on each, and the shoot stopped at one or two joints above it. No side shoots are allowed to proceed from the spur, the leading shoot from which is to become the bearing wood for the next year.

Thus, in the autumn of the third season the lower part of the house is furnished with a crop of grapes from shoots proceeding from wood of the preceding year, and parallel to this bearing shoot on each vine is the young shoot for the next year's crop.

"In winter, the shoot from the extremity of the bearing branch is cut off at the top of the roof, or within twelve or fifteen inches of it, and the shoot from the spur is cut down to the middle of the roof, and all the spurs which had borne the grapes are now cut out. Each vine is now furnished with two shoots of bearing wood, a part of old barren wood, and a spur for producing a young shoot the following year. In the fourth summer a full crop is produced, both in the upper and lower half of the house. The longer shoot bearing on the upper half of its length, and the shorter on its whole length; a leading shoot is produced from the short shoot, and another from the spur.

"In the pruning season of the fourth year, the centre shoot is entirely removed, and replaced by the side shoot, now the whole length of the roof, and this side shoot is in its turn supplanted by the shoot from the spur, while a spur is prepared to succeed it.

Summer Pruning

Mr. Mearns gives the following directions: - ' Stop the bearing branches at the bunch, instead of the next joint above it, which is the usual practice; for I found that the fruit did equally well, and it divested the branch of an incumbrance, while it allowed a much larger portion of light to come into the house, together with a more free circulation of air among the fruit and young wood. I blind all the eyes on each fruit spur as soon as they push above a joint or two, before I pinch them back, always cautiously retaining one eye; and am particularly cautious that nothing should happen to injure the leaf that accompanies the bunch, for if that is lost, the fruit of course will come to nothing."' - Hort. Soc. Trans.