268 THE FLORIST. 



constituted soil as the medium for the roots to grow in, in which, and 

 under ordinary circumstances, the temperature may be left to take care 

 of itself. Next, the proper assimilation and distribution of the sap, 

 supplying food to the plant and fruit, will depend on the leaves having 

 the power of exercising their functions ; this is the most important 

 point to be considered in the cultivation of the Vine, as regards treat- 

 ment. The leaves must grow in an atmosphere where their peculiar 

 functions of elaboration and exhalation can be properly performed. To 

 this end, supposing them grown under glass, the house must admit 

 sufficient light to enable the leaves to act freely ; the air, too, of the 

 house must not be too moist to prevent them from parting with a portion 

 of their natural moisture by perspiration, or you interfere with an 

 important function of these organs, and on which health mainly 

 depends — (What have the advocates of continually syringing, damping 

 down, and shutting vineries up damp and close, got to say to this ?) — 

 nor must it be too dry, to cause the leaves to part with their water 

 too rapidly, thereby diminishing them in size and substance, and inducing 

 the attacks of insects. The air, moreover, must circulate freely and 

 continuously through the foliage, so that each leaf, and all parts of 

 its surface may be exposed to its influence in motion, and this by 

 night as well as during the day. (What about close glazing and close 

 shutting up by night ?) The night temperature must by no means 

 equal that of the day. The temperature of fruit-houses should be many 

 degrees lower by night than by day, and rather dry than moist. Next, 

 you must not over-crop ; for if it does not induce shanking, through 

 overtaxing the vitality of the Vine, you get an inferior production. 

 In ripening fruits, take nature as your guide. In Grape countries, the 

 Vines flower during the hottest months of the year, and the fruit ripens 

 when the day temperature has sensibly declined and the night tem- 

 perature more so. Comparatively, does not this teach us the proper 

 treatment to follow ? We have never known forced fruit of any kind 

 but what was always greatly improved in size, colour, and flavour by 

 ripening slowly, and in a moderate temperature. 



We have said nothing about the temperature of the soil for Vine 

 roots beyond giving it as an opinion that, with properly constituted 

 borders, the temperature might be left to take care of itself. But, for 

 Grapes ripening before June, means should be taken to keep the borders 

 (if outside) dry — (They will be naturally damp enough, from the effects 

 of the preceding autumn's rains) — by covering them with leaves or 

 Fern — (not with a mass of materials in a state of rapid fermentation, 

 as is sometimes done, which produces more mischief than if the borders 

 had no covering at all) — or by the application of hot-water pipes. We 

 have stated enough to show what is required for the roots and Vine 

 generally to prevent shanking ; the precise application must rest with 

 those concerned. 



G. F. 



[We fully endorse these assertions. — Ed. F.] 



