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degree of heat, not only when in flower, but 

 from the time the clusters aguishable; 



while tli >?e ot" the white sweet water, and white 

 and royal muscadines, require a much less de- 

 . the former being apt to curl up and become 

 sterilfor want of beat, and the latter to produce a 

 greater quantity ol small berries in consequence 

 of too much. Therefore, where there is any 

 difference of climate (which is sometimes occa- 

 sioned by the placing of the lire-places) in the 

 house, this hint should be taken advant 

 But it may then be let down to 7(> or 7- degrees ; 

 at which endeavour to keep it till the crop is 

 all gathered ; after which, no further attention 

 to the climateis necessary." It is addeJ, " that in 

 the following season, the forcing may,' when 

 requisite, be begun a month or six weeks sooner; 

 as about the middle of January or first of Febru- 

 ary ; in which earlv season great attention must 

 be paid to the regulation of the fire-heat." 



He observes, that " a month may be gained 

 every season (where there are two or three 

 grape-houses ; and it is required to have grapes 

 at a very earlv season), until you begin to force 

 the first so early as the first of October 3 but 

 where there is but one or two houses, the first 

 of March in the one case, and of January in the 

 other, is, he thinks, quite soon enough." 



It is advised that " as the season advances and 

 the weather becomes warm, there should be a 

 proportionable share of free air admitted to the 

 vines every day, which is absolutely necessary 

 to promote the growth of the fruit ; but the 

 glasses should be shut close every night, unless 

 in verv hot weather, otherwise the cold dews in 

 the night will retard it. The bunches in some 

 of the sorts should be carefully looked over, and 

 the small grapes cut out with very narrow- 

 pointed scissars, in order to thin thern." 



Mr. Nicol recommends "adue portion ofair to 

 be admitted every day after planting, from sun- 

 rise to sun-set, until the buds begin to break; after 

 which, a more punctual regulation should be 

 observed, being guided much by the tempera- 

 ture of the weather, and the quantity of sun- 

 shine, but admitting less or more every day, 

 unless the severity of frosty winds renders it im- 

 prudent to do so. And as the summer advances, 

 to be vcrv liberal in this article in serene weather ; 

 as it greatly tends to the strengthening of the 

 voung shoots." It is, he says, " a practice 

 with many to uncover grape-houses in winter; 

 this he never did, not so much disapproving of 

 the practice, as owing to the expense attending 

 it, not only in removing and putting on, but in 

 breaking the glasses, and wasting the flues by 

 the extremes of frost and blanching rains. His 

 method is to admit an equal and free circu- 



lation ofair, by opening th lately 



at top, bottom, and middle, to the extent nf 

 .it least a third part of the whole covering, and 

 letting them remain so da\ and night ; ne\er 

 shutting up fir any cause but that ol too mui '1 

 wet In the second season, much the same re- 

 gulation should be observed as above ; and, if 

 lire is applied lor the forwarding of the wood, 

 due attention should be paid at thai tunc, U the 

 sudden breaking out of tbeson in dull weather, 

 when there is a good deal of fire heat in the 

 , is attended w ith much danger." Suppo- 

 sing the plants to have made good wood lor the 

 production of acrop, and that they are to be forced 

 from the first of March, sav-* he, '-let the house 

 be shut up at night from the middle of February, 

 and have the same quantity ofair in the day it 

 enjoyed all winter From the time the rirc is 

 J, give a moderate quantity every day if 

 possible, till the buds have all broke, to the a- 

 tcnt that in sun-shine the thermometer may not 

 ri<e more than 10' above the tire-heat medium : 

 hut after the buds have broke, and the tempe- 

 rature of the house is increased, be careful in 

 the admission of frosty, or foul damp air. The 

 latter may be entirely excluded, except perhaps 

 for an hour or two in the middle of the dayj and 

 the bad effects of the former, by opening the 

 top sashes only a little way, to pa=s off' the rae- 

 fied air occasioned by the sun heat, which is 

 frequently vr-ry intense in clear frosty weather 

 in the months of March and April. In clear 

 sun-shining weather, his mode of practice is to 

 give and take away air bv degrees : ih.it is, by 

 giving half air about eight in the morning, full 

 air about ten or eleven, reducing to half air 

 about two or three, and shutting up about 

 four or five in the afternoon, according to the 

 season. It is necessary from the tune the fruit 

 begins to colour, to give large portions of air 

 till the crop is all gathered, the flavour being 

 much augmented by it ; and afterwards to ex- 

 pose the house night and day tor the winter, as- 

 directed above ; shutting up, however, if much 

 wet, or hard frost, should happen during the 

 first ten or twelve days alter the plants have been 

 pruned for the winter season." 



In tl>e latter modoof forcing, or that in hot- 

 housesorpine-stoves, after they have been proper- 

 ly prepared and rendered dry in the bottom parts, 

 thearea should be tilled up with acompost-mouldr 

 composed of one fourth strong loam : one fourth 

 turf from a pasture where the soil is a sandy 

 loam ; one fourth sweepings or scrapings of. 

 pavements or hard roads; one eighth rotten 

 and stable-yard dung mixed; and one eighth of 

 vegetable mould from i ak leaves; th 



• be well rotted, and the whole worked 



