RKMAUKS ON COLD GRAPKRIES. 



REMARKS ox COLT) GRAPERIES. 



BY A. HUIDEKOPER, MEADVILLE, PA. 



Ed. Horticulturist: — In the December number of tbe J fortlcuhurist for '^)i I 

 gave some notes on a vinery without fire heat, erected for family use, only 20 by 22 

 foot in size, in which the vines were brought into bearing the second year; promising 

 the then editor to give also a report for the next season. The crop of the present year 

 was 410 bunches, all of which ripened well, except the Muscat of Alexandria ; a 

 part of which matured, but would, I think, have had a higher flavor if the season 

 had been warmer. The vines were taken up with the beginning of April — blossomed 

 on the 24th of May, and we commenced cutting the fruit on the loth of August, 

 and are still enjoying it, (October 16.) 



About 150 bunches were cut out in June, at the period of thinning, and fully one 

 half of the berries removed from the stems. If I were to lay down three compre- 

 hensive rules for a new beginner, I would say, give your grapes plenty of scissoring. 

 "While the bleak winds of spring prevail, a cold grapery requires to be kept rather 

 dry, but with the advance of summer, heat and moisture are the two great agents of 

 development, and 85° and 90° degrees of heat are none too much. The removal of 

 half, and where they have set very thickly, even more of the berries, makes much 

 handsomer fruit, and ensures earlier maturity. It may be a matter of taste in which 

 I should differ from others, but I much prefer three pounds of grapes to be grown 

 on three different bunches, than to have that weight on one stem. As a general 

 rule, I think the fruit will be larger, the bloom better, and the colour deeper on the 

 small than on the larger bunches, and for practical convenience one pound bunches 

 are large enough. 



With regard to mildew, I think if sulphur be liberally sprinkled on the floor of 

 the grapery as soon as the fruit has set, and repeated two or tliree times in the sea- 

 son, we would not be troubled with it one year in twenty. The error in using this 

 remedy, I take it, has been to wait until the mildew exhibits itself. Sprinkled on 

 the floor, the fumes of the sulphur reach every part of the grapery and the applica- 

 tion is much nicer than if made to the vines and fruit. I mention an accident that 

 occurred to me in the use of sulphur as a warning to others. The first half of June 

 was exceedingly unpropitious. Almost perpetual rains, with intervening light frosts 

 until the 13th. Fearing mildew might show itself before the solar heat would act 

 upon the sulphur, an iron plate was warmed on which to sprinkle it, a portion of the 

 plate had unintentionally got heated too much, and the sulphur took fire, and in a 

 few moments the foliage, wherever reached by the gas, was totally destroyed; so 

 that some of the vines were reduced to naked canes. In a few weeks the leaves 

 were reproduced, but the growth of the fiiiit was meantime interrupted; had it not 



