31G THE GARDENER. [July 



SETTING GRAPES. 



Till I had the pleasure of seeing Mr Simpson's article in the ' Gar- 

 dener ' of April on the " Setting of Grapes and Peaches," I was under 

 the firm conviction that keeping the vinery in a dry state during the 

 time of flowering was an established system ; but with every respect 

 for ^Ir Simpson's recently-adopted method, and having every confi- 

 dence in his veracity, there are two cases that came under my observ- 

 ation which tell against his system, and which I will give in detail. 

 The first is in an early vinery, heated by hot- water pipes. Since 

 the Vines were planted, seven years ago, they have given the utmost 

 satisfaction. They are pruned on the spur system, and the young 

 wood required regularly tied in ; the syringe has never been used, 

 and all the moisture they receive is from steaming-trays laid on the 

 hot pipes, and the paths occasionally damped, but this entirely 

 omitted during the time they are in flower. At the end of the 

 house there is a Black Hamburg Vine growing over a water-cistern; 

 half-way up the rafter a shelf projects about 2 feet, and is used for 

 holding bedding- plants. Above this the Vine also extends. Im- 

 mediately over the cistern the third of the berries never set; but 

 as soon as it passes above the shelf, and is thereby protected from 

 the moisture arising from the cistern, they set so thickly, that if not 

 taken in time it is almost impossible to get them properly thinned, 

 the bunches below requiring no thinning. The second case is a Wil- 

 mot's Hamburg growing in a late vinery. Both houses are conducted 

 on the same principle, with the exception that this house receives no 

 forcing. The Vine in this case also grows over a cistern, and dur- 

 ing the time of setting requires to be regularly shaken to free the 

 bunches of any moisture adhering to them ; and if this is not done, 

 they never set properly. Now, will ISIr Simpson or any of the in- 

 telligent readers of the ' Gardener ' be kind enough to give me their 

 opinion as to whether the Vines are ajBFected by the damp rising 

 from the cisterns, or whether their not setting is a proof that the 

 vinery should be kept in a dry state during the time they are in 

 flower 1 Subscriber. 



[Mr Simpson's practice and the circumstances detailed by " Subscriber " are not 

 identical. Mr Simpson, no doubt, allows his Vines to become thoroughly dry be- 

 tween the intervals of syringing ; while in the case of Vines over a cistern of water, 

 from which moisture is constantly evaporating and being condensed on the Vines, 

 they can seldom or never be free from damp. We dislike open cisterns in vineries 

 on that account. — Ed.] 



