706 
long jointed, and subsequently barren. As much air as possible 
is given during the summer, but as the autumn advances more 
caution on this point is observed. He endeavours to have the 
fruit perfectly coloured before the approach of the dark season, 
for if the colouring be deferred too long the berries will never ac- 
quire their proper flavour. The first object is to ripen the fruit 
well, after that to maintain a more passive vegetation; if this be 
managed well the bunches will remain for months without any 
apparent alteration. Great care must be observed to remove any 
berries inclining to damp, otherwise the crop will soon be spoil- 
ed. The Muscat of Alexandria, St. Peter's, and Black Damascus 
are best adapted for late crops. The gathering begins about the 
middle of January, and continues till the end of March, when 
the early house is in bearing. The pruning is the same as that 
adopted for the early house ; no wood is suffered to remain with- 
out fruit. It will sometimes happen that the plants will bleed 
at the spring pruning; the best way to stop this is by keeping 
the house warmer for a few days, which seldom fails. After the 
crop. is gathered the house is unroofed, to restore the elastic 
power of the wood. Vines in pineries should always be turned 
out of doors for a few weeks, for it has been observed that vines 
always push vigorously after having been exposed to frosty 
weather for a few weeks. 
Care of outside stems.—The stems on the outside of the house 
should be guarded against the stagnating effects of cold, by a 
bandage of hay or moss, and a mulching of dry litter over the 
roots. The excluded stems must be protected in the same way 
at the beginning of the forcing season. It will also be advise- 
able, while the vines are young, to cover the outside border in 
winter with strawy dung taken from the outside of the hot-beds. 
Abercrombie. J. Griffin keeps the stems of the vines inside 
moist, from the time of beginning to force till the bunches 
show themselves, by daily watering them with a syringe. Some 
gardeners lap the stems round with moss, which they keep moist 
for two or three months. These two methods contribute to the 
production of vigorous shoots. 
Temperature.— Abercrombie says, begin at: 50° min. to 55° 
max., in a week raise the min. to 55°, the max. to 60°. Till the 
time of budding it should not exceed 60° by artificial means, and 
64° by collected sun heat. After the buds are in full motion, it 
may be raised to 60° min. 64° max. from fire, and 68° from sun 
heat. By the time the bloom expands it should be 66° min. and 
72° max. by fire, and when the sun’s influence is strong, let it be 
accumulated by confining the interchange of air to the ventilators 
till the heat rises to 80°. After the fruit is set, the min. should 
be 75°, and fresh air plentifully admitted. M‘Phail observes, 
nature should be imitated by increasing the heat as the days 
lengthen, but it should be remembered that to ripen the best 
sort of grapes they require as great a heat as the pine-apple does 
to ripen it in summer; for the vine has no artificial heat to its 
root. Nicol observes, that forcing must begin slowly by not 
allowing the heat to pass 50° or 55° mornings and evenings. 
For if forcing is begun witha dash, as many fast-going gardeners 
term it, the chance is that the fourth part of the buds will not 
push ; therefore there will be a great falling off in the expected 
crop. When the whole of the buds are in an evident state of 
vegetation, the temperature may be gradually raised to 60°, 65°, 
and 70°, at which it may continue till the bloom begins to open. 
This rise should not be effected in less time than a fortnight, but 
three weeks is better. When the plants come into bloom, it 
should be raised to 75°. When the fruit is ripening let it be 
raised from 75° to 85° with sun heat, and plenty of air. Mearns 
(Hort. trans. 4. p. 254.) considers it of the utmost importance 
to the bold breaking of the buds, and to the strength of the wood, 
not to force vines hard until the first leaves arrive nearly at their 
full size. After that period, he gives them a much less portion 
AMPELIDEZ. 
IV. Vitis. 
of air, suffering the sun to raise the thermometer to 90° or 100° 
before he gives any air. He says there is no danger of draw- 
ing the wood after that stage of growth, and if the thermometer 
sinks to 60° at night, the vines will do better in a higher tempera- 
ture in the day. 
Air.—Abercrombie directs to give air pretty freely by the 
sashes until the leaves unfold. Before the foliage is fully made 
out, begin to keep the house close, admitting air only at the 
ventilators, and particularly observe to have a sultry moist cli- 
mate while the blossom is coming out, and until it is off and 
the fruit set. While the fruit is swelling and ripening the plants 
will require abundance of light and air. M/‘Phail recommends 
a little air to be given during a part of the day, while the ther- 
mometer is above 65°, and when the sun shines in the winter 
months, and abundance in the summer season when the heat ex- 
ceeds 75° or 80°. Nicol observes, in beginning to force air 
should be admitted freely every day until the foliage begins to 
expand, to the extent that the thermometer may not rise above 
5° above the fire heat, by opening the sashes in the usual way. 
But after the foliage begins to expand, except in fine weather, 
the house should be chiefly aired by ventilators until the blossom 
is over, and the berries begin to set, or at least until the season 
becomes mild. When grapes are setting, air need not be ad- 
mitted so freely as before, grapes being found to set best na 
high moist temperature. A moderate circulation by the ventila- 
tors will be sufficient for this purpose, except when the sun 
shines strong, when it may be necessary to open a few of the 
sashes at the top, in order to let the rarified air escape, and to 
keep the temperature within due bounds. Air is to be increased 
as the season of the growth of the plants and fruit advance. 
When the fruit is ripening, it should be admitted more freely 
than before, in order to give the fruit a flavour, for on this, and 
the withholding of water, that matter entirely depends. Williams 
(Hort. trans. vol. 1.) strongly recommends a dry atmosphere 
for vines, in which, he says, the wood, although of slower 
growth, is more compact, and the fruit more saccharine. Hence 
vines growing on the sides of mountains in the province of La 
Mancha in Spain, yield richer grapes and make stronger wine 
than when cultivated in the neighbouring valleys, where, how- 
ever, they experience greater warmth, and the fruit arrives 
sooner at maturity. Impressed with the importance of ventila- 
tion, from the beginning of July until the middle of October, he 
generally leaves several of the upper lights of his vinery open 
abont 2 or 3 inches all night. , 
Watering and steaming.—Abercrombie says, vines require 4 
plentiful supply of water from the time the fruit is well set till 
it begins to colour, particularly if the berries become transparent 
at the last swelling. Withhold water entirely when the grapes 
approach maturity. M*‘Phail recommends a plentiful supply of 
water to those planted inside, and in dry weather to those 
planted outside ; let the plants be washed occasionally with clean 
water, with a syringe or engine; but if there is any chance 0 
the paint being washed down from the rafters, it will answer the 
purpose fully as well by filling the house full of steam now an 
then, by throwing water on the flues when they are warm. The 
border, if in the inside of the house, should be watered and 
sprinkled now and then to keep it moist. Let the flues bo 
watered now and then when they are hot, which is very beneficia 
to the plants, in promoting their growth, and in preventing them 
from being infested with the red spider. Steam, however, shoulc 
not be used too copiously. If the vine borders be in the house, 
or if there are plenty of plants in pots of earth in it, the evapo- 
ration arising from the moist earth is generally sufficient to 
moisten the air properly. When the fruit is set, until the time 
of changing colour, the borders should be plentifully supplied, 
and the flues sprinkled now and then with clean water. Increase 
