558 THE GARDENER. [Dec. 



apart from the actual "setting" of Grapes — I (luite agree with all its advocates 

 have said on this subject, for it is in accordance with my own experience and 

 practice for the past thirteen years, which I will now relate. 



I entered on my present charge early in September 1868. The first thing 

 that called for particular attention was a JMuscat-house, in the middle of a 

 range of three vineries. The Grapes were hanging on the Vines at the time, 

 not quite ripe, and in a very bad condition ; the berries shanking, and the 

 wood poor and spindly, and altogether much out of health. I concluded the 

 fault lay in the border. I examined it, and found the soil to be an effete and 

 soapy mass of sour soil. I set about at once to procure some good turfy loam : 

 with this I mixed some burnt earth, charcoal, and some rotten manure, and 

 commenced operations on the border, removing it to within 3 feet of the 

 stems of the Vines. (All the Vines here at that time had been planted in, 

 and confined to, outside borders.) The surface of the remaining 8 feet of 

 border was forked up, and cleared away down to the first roots. After care- 

 fully cutting aM^ay all decayed and injured roots, and shortening back the 

 strong bare ones, the compost was wheeled in and carefully worked among the 

 roots, which were brought well up to the surface as the work proceeded. As 

 the compost was very dry when brought in, a good soaking of water was 

 given. Both fruit and leaves were hanging on the Vines while these opera- 

 tions were being carried out. It caused the leaves to flag considerably; 

 but by shading with mats, and syringing the Vines once or twice a-day for 

 some little time, the Vines did not appear to be much checked. 



Before the end of October the border was covered a foot deep with dry litter, 

 and over this shutters were put, to throw off the rains, and to keep out frosts. 

 V'ery little fruit was expected the following season. Forcing did not begin till 

 the first of March, and all went well till the flowering stage. Like a great 

 many more, I had been taught to believe that a high night-temperature, as 

 well as a high day one, was necessary to insure a good "set" of Muscat 

 Grapes. AVith this in view I gave the order to the stoker to fire harder, and 

 bring the night-temperature up 10° more. (Up to this time it had not been 

 higher on the mildest nights than 50°.) But I soon found out, to my dismay, 

 that the heating apparatus was inadequate to bring the temperature up more 

 than an additional 3° or 4°; and the temperature would run down to a very low 

 point on cold nights, lower than we could at the time account for, and I made 

 sure there would not be a berry " set." I looked anxiously up at the blossom- 

 ing bunches every day. Things went on this way for about a fortnight, when 

 1 thought I noticed the berries to be increasing in size every day, and one 

 morning, after a rather cold night, dew-drops were found to be hanging on 

 every point of the leaves, to disperse which I had to give the Vines a rather 

 smart tap, at the same time fearing what might be the consequence to the 

 bunches. Imagine my joy when ultimately I found a perfect " set." 



Well, I felt I had been taught a lesson, and one not of my own seeking. It 

 had been thrust upon me through circumstances over which I had no control. 

 I was now convinced that a high night-temperature was not necessary for the 

 wellbeing of the Vine. But with regard to the " setting" of the fruit, I still 

 had some doubt about the "low night-temperature " being the direct cause of 

 so good a set of berries. 



I felt I had yet more to learn on this point. The vinery was an iron one, 

 and this to a great extent accounted for its being so difficult to heat by night, 

 and for the fact that it run up quickly by day with sun to a high temperature. 

 As I could gain no further definable knowledge, for that season at least, on the 



