~ 
i 
AMPELIDEÆ. 
branches at the bunch instead of the next joint, the usual prac- 
tice. He also blinds all the eyes on each fruit-spur as soon as 
they push, except the ‘uppermost, which he retains to draw up the 
sap to nourish the fruit, however he never suffers eyes to push 
above a joint or two, he pinches them back, and he is always 
particularly cautious not to injure the leaf accompanying the 
bunch, for if that is lost the fruit of course will come to nothing. 
Thinning the leaves and fruit—The fruit clusters should be re- 
gularly thinned out with narrow-pointed scissars, in order to allow 
those berries left room to swell. This must entirely depend upon 
the kind so thinned. Cutting off the clusters, to a certain extent, 
of plants overloaded, and pushing weak wood, is the only means 
to cause them to produce shoots fit to bear fruit next year, and 
this should be duly attended to so long as the future plants are 
a matter of importance. The leaves should be thinned in order 
toadmit air and light among the berries, always however taking 
care the leaf accompanying the bunch of fruit be retained un- 
injured. 
Remedies for bleeding.—If pruning has been timely, the vine 
is not liable to bleed. But if the sap rises before the wound is 
healed bleeding ensues, and is not easily stopped. This of course 
retards the plant ; but the consequences are not so disastrous as 
many seem to apprehend. The following remedies rank among 
the best: Sear, and cover the wound with melted wax, or with 
warm pitch spread over a piece of bladder; or peel off the out- 
side bark to some distance from the place, and then press into 
the pores of the wood a composition of pounded chalk and tar, 
mixed to the consistence of putty.—Abercrombie. However the 
best preventative is not to prune till the wood is thoroughly ripe 
m autumn, for plants pruned too late in spring, and forced too 
soon afterwards, will bleed. But when the vine is in full leaf it 
snot liable to bleed ; therefore the largest branches may be cut 
off during the growing season with perfect safety. Mr. Knight 
(Hort. trans. vol. 1.) recommends four parts of scraped cheese to 
added to one-part of calcined oyster-shells or other pure cal- 
Cateous earth, and this composition pressed strongly into the 
Pores of the wood. This done, he says, the sap will instantly 
cease to flow. 
Stirring the soil and culture of the borders.—The surface of 
an open border should be turned with a three-pronged fork, not 
gmg so deep as to injure the roots. This design is merely to 
tevive the surface. When it is necessary to recruit the soil, dig 
e exhausted part up, and work in such a compost as has 
n described under soil. The dung out of the cow-house, 
Perfectly rotted, is a fine manure for the vine. From the time 
the buds rise till the fruit is set, manure the border once in 10 
YS with the drainings of dung-hills poured over the roots of 
e plants. Abercrombie. A week or two previous to com- 
Mencing to force, the border should be forked over carefully, 
and let it be watered all over with drainings of the dung-hill, 
Which repeat at the end of 4 or 5 days, giving as much as will 
ore to the deepest roots and fibres. ‘The border. on the 
a ide should already have been covered to a goo thic es 
stable-yard dung, the juice of which may be washed down 
the roots. The intention of this covering is to answer as a 
Manure, and also to keep severe frost from the roots, from the 
a the sap is put in motion till the spring is sO advanced, as 
tthe plants will sustain no injury. Previous to laying on the 
ne the border should be pointed, in order that the juices of mhe 
n may descend the more readily.—M‘Phail. Speechly 
"vered the vine borders in front of his hot-house with gravel. 
rant gardeners do not crop them, or only with the most tem- 
.2 Crops of vegetables. . 
ime of beginning to force——The best time to begin to force 
gra beginning of March, if the object be simply to obtain 
Pes in perfection moderately early. ` Those who begin earlier 
VOL. .— Parr, VII. 
trellis near the glass. 
IV. Vins. 705 
have a great number of obstacles and discouraging contingencies 
to intercept final success, from the adverse state of the weather. 
Gardeners, however, who work a number of houses, and who 
have to provide as well as they can against demands for grapes 
in early succession, begin to force about the 21st of December, 
and successively, in other houses, the Ist of January, the Ist of 
February, and so on. Attempts are made to lay forward for a 
crop in March by beginning to force in August; ripe grapes 
may be cut in 5 months or less, but when short days compose the 
third part of the course in about 6 months.—A bercrombie. M‘Phail 
considers the month of February to be the best time to begin to 
force, if grapes be not wanted very early. To begin to force in 
August, M‘Phail says, it would not be adviseable, unless you 
have several vineries, for there are many things which might 
reasonably be urged against the probability of success ; however, 
by custom, vines may be brought, as it were naturally, to shoot 
in the autumn, and their fruit may be set before the shortest 
days ; the greatest art will then be to preserve them through 
the dead of winter in a lively growing state. This can be 
done only by much attention in making gentle fires, and 
admitting an easy circulation of fresh air into the house every 
favourable opportunity. On the supposition that the earliest 
crop of grapes were over by the end of June, and the glasses 
laid aside, and if it is desirable to have grapes early, prune your 
vines in August, and put your house in order ; and if it is neces- 
sary, dig and manure your border, and if dry give it a good 
watering with dung-water. When this is done, draw on the 
lights, and keep the air in the house to a moderate degree of 
heat, and they will shoot out and shew fruit ; treat them as before 
directed. Speechly begins to force in November to have grapes 
in April. Griffin (Hort. trans. 4. p. 106.) begins early in Ja- 
nuary; no fire is used the first week, in the second a little fire is 
given every other night, the third week the heat is kept up to 
50 or 52 degrees, but never allowed to exceed 55 till the vines 
begin to break; from that time until they flower the heat is 
kept between 52 and 57 degrees, and while they are in bloom the 
heat is raised to 57 and 65 degrees. Air is given regularly and 
plentifully through all these stages until the blossom appears, 
when the house is kept close, unless the sun be very powerful, 
When the bloom is past, attention is paid to thinning the grapes, 
a regular heat is kept up, and air given in due quantity when 
the weather permits, giving a larger proportion when the reat of 
the sun is strong, and shutting up carly in the afternoon. 1e 
so treated generally ripens in July. l 
James Acon (Hort. trans, vol. 7. p. 1.) is enabled to furnish a 
regular supply of grapes throughout the year. He commences 
forcing on the 1st of September, and the fruit begins to ripen 
about the beginning of March, and continues to be gathere 
the middle of May. The vines are trained horizontally on an 
arched trellis, a considerable distance from the glass, some ie t he 
walls and some on the rafters; but these last are introduce six 
weeks after the forcing of those on the trellis has begun, ane 
they yield a succession of crops, which begin to ripon ee ie 
May. The fires of the house are directly unc er, i mn ` 
The vines are planted within the house, but so as t re f n E 
1 by the fire. In pruning these vines, he leaves as little 
not heated Dy ing them one joint above, 
wood as possible. He prefers stopping th m op cor the 
having no joint without n cluster. sround and shaded, until the 
branches should be dao to force. This shade will have some 
. gal £ : A MONSON 
winity tothe gloom of winter, which never fails, to give vegeta- 
ion increased energy. In May he shuts up nis late ' ys 
tion 1 bunches become visible. The vines are trained on a 
soon as the bunca Till they are out of blossom the air is 
By this means the wood grows more compact, 
kept ve hous be kept cold the wood will become soft and 
for if the house 
4X 
