. The Gardeners' Chronicle and Agricultural Gazette . anks ofthe Helmund in August, and in the following winterwitnessed the quicksilver fall to 14° below zero in thecitadel of Ghuzui. Yet Affghanistau is celebrated forits vineyaids ; indeed. Grapes may be called tlie stapleproduction of the country, and although many of thespecies are valuable only for their abundant bearing,others, especially the small golden Be-dana (seedless)possess a richness of flavour that would render themfavourites even in England. The system of cultivationpursued, and under which alone in such a climate andwith limit
. The Gardeners' Chronicle and Agricultural Gazette . anks ofthe Helmund in August, and in the following winterwitnessed the quicksilver fall to 14° below zero in thecitadel of Ghuzui. Yet Affghanistau is celebrated forits vineyaids ; indeed. Grapes may be called tlie stapleproduction of the country, and although many of thespecies are valuable only for their abundant bearing,others, especially the small golden Be-dana (seedless)possess a richness of flavour that would render themfavourites even in England. The system of cultivationpursued, and under which alone in such a climate andwith limited means the husbandman could hope to seehis Vines ripen both fruit and wood, is briefly this :— The site of the vineyard is selected, if possible, on theslope of a hill with a southern aspect. The ground isthen dug in trenches (running north and south) at in-tervals of about 12 feet, and from 3 to 4 feet deep, thesoil excavated being deposited between the trenches,thus forming intermediate mounds, tlie whole finally SECTION OF A GHUZNI B. General level of the granod. C. Earth excavated from D. tresembling somewhat a gigantic Celery bed. All the-stones that have been dug out (and, if necessary, otliers?are collected for the same purpose) are then driveninto the sides of the trenches and mounds, and thus forma rough revetment or wall; the Vines are then planted?in the bottom of the trenches, and as they grow trailthemselves over the mounds. The advantages of the system are obvious. Duringthe long winter the Vines are buried deep in snow, andthis warm covering is retained by the trenches until3orae time after all on the surface of the country hasdisappeared, and danger from spring frosts has passedaway. As the enow in the trenches melts it find aready outlet at the lower ends. When once the Vinesbegin to push their progress is rapid, as from the modeof growth provided for them they receive not only thefull benefit of the whole of the direct rays of the sun,but also
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1850, booksubjecthorticulture, bookyea
