AN ENCYCLOPAEDIA 
OF HORTICULTURE. 167 
Vine—continued. 
One bunch on each spur would be considered a heavy 
crop; an average of llb. to every foot of rod is about the 
general quantity left, and is considered an ordinary crop. 
In thinning the bunches of such free varieties as the 
Black Hamburgh, every second bunch on each spur should 
be eut off before the flowers open, and all others which 
it is desirable to remove as soon as the grapes are set. 
The thinning of the bunches, as well as of the berries, 
should be done early. It is a great waste of power to 
allow that to develop itself which is not required, 
and which it is known must be cut away; therefore, as 
soon as the berries are fairly set, thin out—that is, cut 
off—the supernumerary bunches at once, and commence 
the thinning of the berries. 
The thinning of the berries—or grape-thinning, as it 
popularly called—is a delicate and somewhat tedious 
operation. To be expert at this work requires consider- 
able practice. For ordinarily well-set Black Hamburgh 
grapes, about one-third the number of berries require to 
be cut out; such varieties as the Royal Muscadine do 
not require to be so severely treated. It seems to the 
uninitiated a great sacrifice to cut away so many, the 
thinned bunch appearing quite a skeleton; but as each 
berry, when fully grown, should be nearly lin. in diameter 
(oftentimes more), there is nothing gained by leaving 
more than space actually permits. In thinning, first 
trim the bunch, if required, into proper shape, then 
continue by cutting out all the inside berries, next all 
the small berries, and then the side berries. The expert 
hand will cut these off two or three or more at a time. 
It wil now only remain to regulate the growing berries 
to the required distance apart. 
With larger bunches it is frequently desirable to tie 
up the shoulders, and so spread the bunch out, or to loop 
them up to the trellis with S-shaped pieces*of thin 
wire of the requisite length, or to prop the shoulders 
up from underneath with little bits of wood: the berries, 
as they swell, lift each other up, and the clusters thus 
remain compact. Care should be taken not to make 
the bunches too thin. They should be so thinned that, 
when ripe and cut, the bunch or cluster may remain 
firm and compact, whilst every berry has been allowed 
to develop itself freely to its full size. As a general 
rule, the Vines require to be gone over twice before 
the stoning period, and once after, during what is 
termed the “second swelling," in order’ to remove 
all small berries, and otherwise regulate the bunches 
In the great Vine-growing establishments, the major 
part of this work is performed by women and young 
persons. 
Forcine. Since the introduction of orchard-houses, 
ground vineries, and other unheated structures for the 
cultivation of the Vine, this term, at one time very 
expressive of a definite condition, has become nearly 
obsolete. Any means that may be adopted for the for- 
warding of the growth of a plant to a greater extent 
than would take place naturally, may be termed forcing. 
Heat is the motive power. Some Vines are forced in 
spring, to induce them to commence growth early; - 
others require forcing in autumn, to ripen their fruit. 
The Vine growing in an unheated orchard-house—that 
is, not heated artificially—is forced by solar heat to a 
. certain degree. 
Vines may be forced into growth, and to bear fruit at 
any season of the year, provided that the wood is properly 
ripened.  Early-forced Vines of one season force more 
readily the following year, and established Vines always 
more easily than young ones. To secure early grapes, 
say in April, the Vines should be started into growth in 
November. The time required from the commencement 
of growth to the ripening of the fruit is, for the Black 
Hamburgh, about five months. Thus, Vines started in 
March should have fruit ripe at the end of July, and 
. ployed to thoroughly. cleanse the leaves and wood, and 
Vine—continued. 
those coming naturally into growth by the end of March, 
in August and September. The Muscat of Alexandria, 
Gros Colman, Alicante, Lady Downes’ Seedling, and other 
late grapes, require nearly six months to. ripen 
thoroughly. If, say on January 1, we take as an 
example a vinery from which ripe grapes are required ` 
to be cut in the month of June, the management, or 
treatment necessary to secure this end may be stated in 
general terms, as follows: 
Temperature. At the commencement, a night tempera- 
ture of about 60deg. will be sufficient until the Vines 
have started growing. The heat should be gradually raised 
to 70deg. by the time they come into flower. When the 
grapes are fairly set, a lower temperature may be main- 
tained until after the stoning period, when, if necessary, a 
rise of a few degrees may be allowed. When the grapes 
commence to colour, the temperature may be lower, but 
fire-heat is nearly always required, in order that a bracing 
atmosphere may be maintained. For day temperatures a 
rise of 5deg. by fire-heat may be allowed in dull, cold 
weather, and of 10deg. or more if by sun-heat, up to 
80deg. or 90deg., as the season advances. 
weather, however, it is better to have a lower tem- 
perature than to maintain a high one by overheated 
pipes. ` : 
Ventilation. The object to be attained by ventilation 
is not merely the maintenance or regulation of the tem- 
perature, but also the admission of fresh air. The night 
temperature is mostly regulated by the amount of arti- 
ficial heat applied; but the day temperature, or amount 
of sun-heat, is regulated by ventilation. In Vineries a 
little air should be admitted by the top ventilators early 
in the morning, or as soon as it may be observed that 
the temperature has risen or is rising above the required 
point, and this air should be gradually inereased as the 
day and the temperature advance; and soon should be 
redueed in like manner, endeavouring, if possible, to 
shut up early enough to secure a slight rise in the tem- 
perature after doing so. Closing early at all times, and 
“ bottling up," as it were, the sun's warm rays, is desirable. 
As the grapes begin to colour, air must be freely given, 
both by day and by night. 
Moisture. This, in its relation to the atmosphere, is 
of great importance to the healthy progress of the Vine. 
A close, moist atmosphere is necessary to induce the 
buds to break freely, and afterwards to assist in sup- 
plying nutriment to the Vines through the leaves. Again, 
moisture is requisite to prevent the destruction of the 
leaves by insects. 
From the commencement, then, a humid atmosphere 
must be maintained: the higher the temperature, the | 
greater the evaporation, and the greater the amount 
of moisture required. When the Vines are started, they 
should be syringed regularly several times a day, espe- 
cially if the weather be bright and warm, beginning as 
soon as it is perceived that the temperature is rising, 
and so on, varying as to time according to season, Zo, 
This treatment may be continued until the Vines come 
into flower, at which period a somewhat drier atmosphere 
should be maintained until fertilisation has taken place. 
Syringing must from this time be discontinued: on ac- 
count of the lime present in almost all water, the berries 
become spotted and soiled by its use. Every portion of 
the house and border, however, should be freely watered 
at all times, and the atmosphere kept well charged with 
moisture. $ gs. 
When the grapes are beginning to colour, a somewhat 
drier atmosphere is required; and by the time they 
are ripe, the air should be kept as dry and bracing as ` 
possible. After the grapes are cut, if it be during the 
growing season, the syringe should be again freely em- 
its use continued until they ripen off. 
In very cold ` 
