In some cases Vines are cultivated in winter, in many instances in spring, but it is in summer when the great majority, especially of small growers, prefer to cultivate them; and no doubt they are right in selection of season, as Vine-culture in summer is an easy matter compared with winter and early spring culture; but at certain times in summer the requirements of the Vine are varied and numerous, and according to the manner these are attended to so will the results be.

The value of natural aid in Vine-culture cannot be overestimated, as abundance of light and plenty of sun-heat are the most important agents to insure the perfect development and thorough maturation of branch and fruit alike; but artificial assistance must also be given by feeding at the root, training the branches, and helping nature in other ways.

I am sure all your readers will agree with me that there is no fruit more pleasing to cultivate than the Vine, and there is nothing more gratifying than securing a fine crop of well-finished Grapes. Our greatest gardeners are delighted with this; and amateurs have more reason to feel satisfied, as a well-managed vinery in the hands of one of these is no mean accomplishment. At times we meet with such, and in other instances the Vines and fruit may be seen suffering from lack of proper attention - not that their owners do not wish to give them this, but they do not know how. It is in aid of such growers that I send you these few notes; and at the present time words cannot be directed to more important operations than watering the roots, training the shoots, and thinning the fruit. When the borders are properly drained, no one need ever be afraid of giving Vines too much water at the root during the time they are in most active growth. I do not think any one could point out a case where Vines were injured, either temporarily or permanently, through overwatering at the root; but cases innumerable might be found where Vines have been much crippled through want of sufficient water.

Surface-dribblings are evils to be rigidly avoided in all watering operations, but in the Vine more than anything, as the roots are sometimes a little distance from the surface; and when these are starved for want of sufficient moisture, the few feeders on the surface will not sustain the Vine in a vigorous condition. It is well known that all plants which grow quickly must have an unlimited supply of water at the root, and few plants grow at the rate of the Vine. We have known shoots extend 3 or 4 inches on a sunny day. At such times watering the border once every eight or ten days is not too often, and it must be given then with unstinting hand. For old Vines, manure-water each time is of the greatest benefit, and nothing is better than guano : an allowance of about 2 oz. to every square yard at each watering is a fair dose. In sloping borders care should be taken that the surface is rough and open, for if fine and smooth, the water may run off without penetrating more than a couple of inches below the surface.

Inattention to this simple precaution has frequently done much harm.

In attending to the shoots, two extremes are often followed : one is to leave the young growths much too close together; the other is to restrict the shoots to a much greater extent than is good for the wellbeing of the Vine, or the perfect colouring and swelling of the fruit. As a rule, one shoot from each spur is quite sufficient; but it is no rare occurrence to see several all starting from the same spur, and the consequence is, that every one of them is weak in growth, and the Grapes deficient in size of bunch; and so long as this practice is continued, the Vines become weaker year after year, until they cannot be considered to be in a satisfactory state. Of course, when the spurs are far apart, two or three shoots may be taken from each, but they should be trained in opposite directions, and not crowded closely together, as is the case with those we have just been objecting to. Stopping each shoot two joints beyond the bunch is advice often given, but we are being convinced that in practice this is oftener wrong than right, especially if the stopping is persisted in after the first time. Vines which are the least inclined to degenerate will never improve under this system, but they will go back annually.

On the other hand, sickly Vines may be vastly increased in health and vigour if they are allowed to make an extra proportion of wood and leaves. We would rather have them with two feet than one foot of wood beyond each bunch.

Vine-wood closely stopped appears to ripen much earlier at the base than when allowed to run out. We have seen shoots under such circumstances begin to have a brownish hue before the berries were thinned, and in their case the fruit always ripened before the berries were of any great size. With plenty of growth this does not occur so prematurely; and as to colour, I am of opinion that all Grapes except Muscats will finish much more perfectly under rather a dense shade than under the influence of more light. It is surprising the deep colour and rich bloom Hamburgs and others will assume when the rays of the sun are prevented by the leaves from ever reaching them.

Some growers never stop their lateral growths after the fruit begins to colour, but we leave them alone a considerable time before this; and should they become such a mass as to interfere with the ripening of the wood in autumn, a few of these can be removed then without injury; and allowing the shoots a good deal of latitude has not the same disadvantages as allowing a crowd of stems to grow from each spur. At the present time Vine - shoots require stopping in every vinery, and the operation is one of no little importance. Thinning the fruit is another seasonable subject which must be attended to before it is too late. Many rules are given as to the number of bunches to leave on each rod, but all such may be right in one case and wrong in ten. This all depends on the size of the bunches and the condition of the Vines; and the manner the crop finished last and former years, if taken carefully into consideration, will offer safer guidance than any which an outsider could give as a rule. In thinning the berries from the bunches, no mistake can be made, provided this is not overdone at first; and this will hardly be the case if half the berries are clipped out soon after they are well set, finally thinning them when about the size of Peas. All thinning later than this stage should be avoided, as the bloom forms on Grapes from the very first; and those who wish to have it untarnished should bear this in mind.

By a little experience any one can readily tell which berries will swell large and which remain small; and of course, as all desire evenly swelled bunches, the latter will be removed and the former left. As insects generally increase with the hot weather, the utmost care should now be taken that Vines do not get overrun with any kind of pest. Prevention is always better than cure in this. In fact, the first is easy, but the last most difficult to accomplish, as a rule. To begin and syringe Vines with insecticide stuffs when the fruit is advanced in growth is generally to blemish its appearance; but by keeping an eye daily on the foliage, and sponging off all insects on their very first appearance, damage to the wood, leaves, or fruit, may certainly be averted. J. MUIR.