CALENDAR. 



93 



Vines. — Pot - Vines, as well as 

 young Vines in borders, that have 

 been subject to early forcing for the 

 first time, very often break irregu- 

 larly ; and it is difficult to prevent 

 their doing so, and at the same time 

 force the growth so as to have ripe 

 Grapes at a given date. The best 

 way to counteract this tendency, and 

 get obstinate buds to come away, is to 

 pinch the growths that have started 

 before the others just at the bunch, 

 and prevent its running away so en- 

 tirely with the sap from the others. 

 When the others move, these closely- 

 stopped shoots will soon push, and 

 form a leaf or two beyond the bunch. 

 Be very careful that pot- Vines are 

 never allowed to suffer from over-dry- 

 ness at the root. They should be care- 

 fully examined every day, and such 

 as require water should get enough 

 to wet the whole soil thoroughly. 

 When the Vines come into bloom, keep 

 the temperature about 60" at night, 

 unless the weather be cold, when a 

 few degrees less will do. Leave air on 

 all nigtit, and shut up early in the 

 afternoon closely for an hour or two 

 with a temperature of from 75° to 80°. 

 This obviates the necessity for hard 

 firing earl}'- in the night. Always 

 put a little air on at dusk, to remain 

 on all night. Remove all superfluous 

 bunches from the Vines as soon as it 

 can be seen which are the most com- 

 pact and best to leave for the crop. 

 Where proper Grape-rooms exist, ail 

 late Grapes will now be bottled ; and 

 i£ not already done, prune all Vines, 

 and remove only the loose bark from 

 the Vines. Unless there have been 

 insects, such as bug, thrip, or spider, 

 on the Vines last summer, there is no 

 need for any dressing beyond scrub- 

 bing the stems with soap and water ; 

 but if there has been thrip or spider, 

 dress with Gishurst's Compound. For 

 bug more radical measures are neces- 

 sary, as frequently described in this 

 magazine. This is a mouth when 

 many Vines are started. Begin with 

 low temperatures at night, keep a 

 thoroughly moist atmosphere, and 

 syringe the Vines several times daily, 

 until they burst into growth. As 

 soon as the best shoots to leave can 

 be discerned, rub off all the others 

 from every spur, and avoid crowding 

 the growths. A fruit-bearing shoot 

 on each side of the Vine for every 20 



inches is close enough. Crowding of 

 growths, and having the foliage close 

 to the glass, are two of the greatest 

 evils in Grape-growing. If vineries 

 were made high enough to allow of 

 their being wired at 2 feet from the 

 glass, it would be much better than 

 15 and 16 inches, which is the rule. 

 A freer circulation of air would be 

 allowed over and about the foliage, 

 to say nothing of other desirable coa- 

 ditions. If a bed of warm leaves and 

 stable litter was put on the outside 

 borders of early vineries when started, 

 see that the heat is not allowed to 

 decline suddenly. Put in the neces- 

 sary number of Vine-eyes, and place 

 them in bottom-heat in a light pit or 

 house. In growing young Vines for 

 forcing early next season, there is, of 

 course, no better sort than Black Ham- 

 burg ; but it is astonishing that such 

 a Grape as Buckland's Sweetwater 

 should be chosen for the purpose, or 

 even Foster's Seedling (which is cer- 

 tainly better), when such excellent 

 forcing Grapes exist as White and 

 Grizzly Frontignacs, with their ex- 

 quisite flavour. Where new Vine- 

 borders have yet to be made for 

 planting this spring, let them be 

 completed at once, so that they get 

 a little time to settle before planting. 

 When the Vines to be planted are 

 ultimately intended for early forcing, 

 plant them by the end of this month, 

 and start them slowly. 



Peaclies. — With a proper selection 

 of varieties and cautious forcing, 

 few fruits can be forced early with 

 more constant success than Peaches. 

 For years in succession we have gath- 

 ered Peaches from the same trees in 

 the last week of April. The varieties 

 were Royal George and Violet Ha- 

 tive — which are now superseded by 

 kinds that can be brought to per- 

 fection in less time by nearly if not 

 quite a month ; but the two sorts 

 named are not equalled in size and 

 quality by the earlier ones, by which 

 nothing is gained except the time ; 

 and it may be the opinion of many 

 that April is early enough for Peaches 

 and Nectarines. The sorts we would 

 recommend now to those who are 

 planting trees intended for early forc- 

 ing, in houses where there may be 

 space for two Peaches and a Necta- 

 rine, are Hales's Early and Violet Ha- 

 tive Peaches, and Lord Napier Nee- 



