Grape Culture Under Glass 



By Wm. 



At the request of your coiniuittee I present a little 

 [japer on grape culture uncler glass, I have with reluc- 

 tance consented, knowing that some of your more scien- 

 tific members could handle the subject better, and as I am 

 better acquainted with vine roots than I am with Greek 

 roots, I ask you to excuse my shortcomings in that re- 

 spect. 



Let us begin with the border. I have had some ex- 

 perience with three different kinds, viz.: Inside, outside, 

 and a combination of both, with an arched foundation 

 under the front of the house, which allows the roots of 

 the vine to ramble in either direction, the vines being 

 planted inside. This I consider the best for second or 

 spring starting, but for early forcing the inside border 

 has the advantage of the roots being protected from the 

 cold compost outside, at a time when the vine is in a 

 brisk growing temperature. 



The make-up and material of the border I will pass 

 over at this time, except to sa\- that thorough drainage is 

 the most important part of it. 



As to the planting, I prefer a }oung vine that has just 

 filled its pot with root for summer planting. This can 

 be set in place without any check to its growth. \\'ith 

 two-year-old dormant vines, such as we get from Europe, 

 should be taken to some convenient place where they can 

 he carefully shaken out and washed clean with hose, both 

 root and top, and then planted at once, spreading out the 

 roots to their full length in planting. This washing 

 should be done at some distance from the grapery, so as 

 to protect that place from undesirable citizens. These 

 vines can be cut back to the desired length. Fromi 12 

 to 20 inches, according to strength, is a good length to 

 leave them. The cuts should be gone over with Thomp- 

 son's styptic or shellac, which will prevent bleeding. 

 When this has had time to dry on the cuts, one good 

 watering is in order, which will likely be all they will 

 need until the young growth is a foot or more in length. 



A fine spray from the hose should be given every dark 

 day, and several times on bright days. It often hanpens 

 that a young vine will make much heavier wood up the 

 trellis than it will in the first two feet of its growth. 

 This can be helped to some extent by pinching out the 

 top at a length of five feet, .so that the leaf you leave is 

 not more than one inch in size. This should not be 

 pinched again until the end of the season. Weak laterals 

 will start and should be allowed to make a few joints 

 before pinching, or rather should not be pinched at all 

 unless one of them haiipencd to be getting too much 

 headway at the expense of tlie main rod. 



-Vll of these shoots should be cut clean off at pruning 

 time, as it is at the side of where they grew that the 

 flowering shoot will come. If fruit is wanted the second 

 year, one or two laterals could be allowed to hold their 

 flower. These shoots will draw to the glass, which should 

 be 20 inches front the trellis. 



Pinched at two joints ahead of the bunch, all the sub- 

 laterals should be rubbed oH" between the bunch and the 

 main rod, except the one opposite the bunch, which 

 should be allowed to remain but pinched to one leaf at a 

 time. 



As soon as the wood of the young shoot will stand to 

 be bent, they should be brought down a little at a time 

 until they reach their proper place on the wires, in order 

 to secure a good sized flower, which should make a large 

 bunch. 



A little manure water can be given about a week before 

 the flower opens. This water should not be stronger than 



Morrow, 

 cow manure, as the active young roots can be checked 

 at this stage, and both leaf and flower would be scorched. 

 During this stage, the night temperature should not fall 

 below 60. It may run up to 90 by day with strong 

 sun, but floors and return pipes should be sprayed several 

 times a day or the pollen will get scorched, and the set 

 in that case is just as poor as a dark weather set, but 

 with plenty of air and careful dampening in sudden sun- 

 bursts, the longest bunches will set right to the tips. 

 Care should be taken not to wet the flow pipes at this 

 stage. 



As soon as you arc sure that the set is complete a good 

 wash with the hose should be given and continued every 

 bright day until color commences. 



Pilack Hamburgs and such like varieties should be 

 thinned as soon as it is possible to do it. because if the 

 bunch gets close, the water will lodge there for several 

 hours and you will find rusty berries and spoiled bunches. 



Muscats can be left until the berries are luuch larger, 

 as so many of them are not properly pollenized that it is 

 better to go over them a second time than to go too severe 

 on them in a small state, until you can be sure of their 

 condition. 



When the berries are commencing to color, or the 

 second swell, a good dose of sheep manure water seems 

 to help them along. Nitrates, in careful hands, can also 

 be used and will do good if not overdone. Don't put 

 them in careless hands unless you court disaster. 



I have seen a fine grapery ruined by the use of nitrate 

 of soda. You may get a good crop for a year or two, but 

 you will have to re-plant and make a new border. 



This is a sketch of my experience in grape growing. 

 To go into detail on any one of the points would take too 

 much of your time in comparison with the value of the 

 information. — Paper read before the IVesichester and 

 Fairfield Horticultural Society. 



"EXCEPT YE REPENT." 



How oft upon the fretful voice of ocean 

 Have I not heard the carping, canting quest. 



How would ye heal b\- your divine devotion 

 H ye should fall — as fall perchance the best — 

 And break some bone? How would ye bide the test? 



Long as ye sail upon the summer seas 

 To wafting zephyrs of the golden west 



Your path is easy, but away flies ease 



When bones are broke: how meet ye woes like these? 



"Tis said in Holy Writ of Him who died 



To teach mankind to live, "A bone of Him 

 Shall not be broken": though they pierced His side, 



His gentle hands, Llis feet, they broke no limb ; 



And all who follow through the darkness dim 

 His sacred pathway — all who drink the wine. 



The hitter dregs upon his goblet's brim, 

 From direful accident have help divine : 

 The promise is for all. 'tis yours, 'tis mine. 



But though they were not sinners worst of all 



Who fell beneath the falling bastion stone 

 When sank Siloam's tower in Salem's wall. 



Yet were they sinners; and like fate is prone. 



Except we do repent, to cast each one 

 To dark destruction. O protecting might ! 



Help us to guard each thought, each word, each tone, 

 To walk as pilgrims in this weltering night. 

 So may no foes ap])al. no fearful chance affriuln. 



—Selected. 



