Memorandum beginning '...Mrs Dashwood of Clay...', 20 August1792 (Series 90.06) - No. 0001

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1792 Augt. 20  Mrs [Mr ?] Dashwood of Clay near Swaffham

Grapes His gardiner makes their Compost of virgin Earth & very rotten dung & adds in breadth to compost it as the Roots run into it the bed is near about 8 feet wide from the vine stems & he means this year to add two feet more

He renews his Compost within the house frequently by laying fresh on the top & taking off some of the old, he waters his vines Planted in the house also with dunghill water & soap lees but  never unless when they are at rest. 

in order to keep the vines in the Pine Stove from being too forward he takes them out in October & nails them on the front of the house, in Frost he covers them with flat flakes of Basketing made for the purpose & straw keeping them back when necessary, instead of being let in under the rafter Plate they are let in by a notch on the top of it coverd by a small slider immediately under the light the rof plate is near a foot thick to give room for this operation, in April he brings them in again by which time the vine on the back of the house which cannot be let out is very forward thus a sucesion [succession] is made.

he raises grapes from seed & Fruits them in a Pot of the size of a Pine Pot.  Propagation he thinks the best way of increasing sorts to be by planting Joints.

he advises the Cutting down the vine on every other Rafter every year almost Pruning to the Plate by which it is induced to make very strong shoots, he cuts them in autumn