220 VINES 
a precaution against the red spider. In spite 
of the fact that some growers advise against this 
practice, claiming that it destroys the bloom, I 
am heartily in favour of it. I have seen as fine 
bloom on sprayed as on unsprayed berries, and 
do not believe that any harm results from the 
syringing. 
Don’t, under any consideration, allow the vines 
to become dry at the roots. There is no set 
rule as to watering, but with a well-drained border 
it is dificult to supply too much moisture. A 
good way to test the condition of the soil in the 
border is to plunge a small crowbar into it; 
some of the earth will adhere to the bar when it 
is withdrawn, and may then be judged as to its 
need of water. 
When the berries are about the size of small 
peas, it is time to thin them; that is, to remove a 
percentage of the berries and allow more room 
for the better development of those remaining. 
The weight of the bunch is approximately the 
same in both cases, but the result of thinning 
will be fewer berries, two to three times the size 
of those on the unthinned bunch, and far above 
them in quality, for which we are especially 
striving in in-door grape culture. In aiming to 
develop a symmetrical bunch, it is necessary, 
