SUNNYSIDE VINERIES

Manawatu Herald, 8 January 1889, Page 2

SUNNYSIDE VINERIES

(continued)

The third house is a very lonsj one beini: come 150 feet by about eleven feet widei ttere afe vines of the same class as we have previously docrihed, but we believe that there U a heavier crop than in eiiher of the other two houses. Some of the vines have hud ample space to grow in, one trained on the fan system measured twenty feel from oue side of the main stein. This bouse will be extended another season to take in a row of vines now planted about ten i'eet away fro i; the outer wall, and it was pointed out to us as an instance how hardy Komt' kinds were, that the " Black Birbirossa " had been twice this year cnt down by the frost, and the eyes eaten out of the plant by tome sheep that had got in, and yet now it was growing as healthy and as strong as could be wished, what they will do under cover can be easily imagined. Iv another spot outside, waiting until a house is built over it, is the Barbarossa, described as being " tbe king of desert giapes, 1 ' the ekin being thin and the flesh delicate and juicy with a very mush richer flavour than the Muscadine. This is no! old enough to bear, but when of ripe Hgc, the bunches will weigh as heavy as Bor Mbs.

We think we have shown that M> Nye has tuken care to secure a valuable variety of vines, and de erves the success he has secured. By his house which is situated on a hill, be has built a wooden cistern from which the water to bis gla?s houses is conducted by pipes underground, he if, by these means, enabled to spray hia vines and Louses with the least possible labour. Around the buildings we noticed trays with sulphur laying in them near the vines and at intervals there are alsc jars con* taining an acid, a?K placed with the view to keep the dreaded blight away- The soil on which they are grown is not particularly rich, being the black soil found on all old fern ridges, with a deep subsoil of eand. The vices have all the appearance of health and vigour, the fruit full, and the leaves large and a good colour. Mr Nye pajs a deal of attem tion to them, as any one must who wishes to be successful, and only last week he paid a visit to the "Wellington gardens to see if any further hints could be picked up Any new or good sort of vine he would be pleased to obtain a graft of. We have sated that he has buildings extending to 279 ft and he Ins also used some 4000 feet of glass, but the buildings are Worth looking at, if only to see how cheaply and efficiently they are put together. Such an industry is of a great benefit to the district, as it enables a large return to be made off a very small area of lan:i, and Mr Nye inr orms us that in a year or two he ought to have no difficulty in making out of the produce of these vines £150 a year. This year every grape is already sold to a cash buyer, wlio has also takcu the whole of the crop of his orchard