1873.] HINTS FOR AMATEURS. 23 



THE GREAT VINE AT HAKEWOOD. 



I SAW this fine old veteran about the end of JSTovember, and as some 

 particulars about it may be interesting to your readers, I may say a 

 few words about it. The Vine is a Muscat of Alexandria, though I 

 believe it is called a Tokay. It is nearly 100 years of age, and is 

 still in excellent health and bearing condition ; and it is a note- 

 worthy fact that ^Er Fowler cuts Grapes from it every year till late in 

 spring. Indeed, it is the late vinery at Harewood. When I saw it 

 at the above date, the Grapes were just beginning to be cut, and there 

 were then hanging on the Vine about 450 bunches, equal perhaps to 

 about 400 lb. weight — all clean and highly finished, and like amber in 

 colour. The house, which has been once added to, is 70 feet long, 

 about 20 feet wide, and very lofty. The Vine enters at the front near 

 the centre of the house, diverges right and left, and the bearing-rods 

 — or rather bundles of rods — are taken up the roof about 2 feet 

 apart. About a dozen years ago or rather more, Mr Fowler under- 

 took the responsibility of lifting this aged giant, as it did not bear 

 satisfactorily and the fruit did not keep. The operation was com- 

 pletely successful, and since then the crops have been uniformly ex- 

 cellent, and the fruit keeps till March. Last month I had something 

 to say about the temperature of forcing-houses, and I may just note 

 here that Mr Fowler treats this Vine to a considerably lower temperature 

 than is considered necessary for Muscats. If I recollect aright, there 

 are only 4 rows of 6-inch pipes in this large house, and they are 

 anything but well placed for giving off heat ; and Mr Fowler assured 

 me that he did all in his power to keep the crop back by ventilation 

 and otherwise, and a low night temperature. In proof of this I may 

 state that no leaves had fallen off the Vine at the end of November ; but 

 they were just beginning to fade into that natural yellow colour which 

 indicates that there has been no hurrying. On the whole, it was the 

 finest show of Muscats I have seen this year, and well w^orth a long 

 journey to see. J. S. 



HINTS FOR AMATEURS.— JANUARY. 



Pruning, nailing up shoots to walls and fences, clearing off moss from 

 bark of trees, lifting and replanting bushes, are some of the important 

 operations when weather is mild; but we would neither plant nor 

 prune during frosty weather. A mixture of lime, soot, and clay makes 

 a good paint for bushes when infested with moss, or wlien birds feast 

 on the buds. Fork manure over the roots of stunted trees and 

 bushes if lifting cannot be practised. Save prunings of Gooseberries 



