THE GRAPE VINE. 27 



FORCING THE VINE. 



The Grape vine is a subject that will bear a high 

 degree of heat, but to apply it properly requires some 

 little care. In its natural habitats it has the advan- 

 tage of a progressive heat advancing gradually from 

 50 to 100, and even above that temperature. Now if 

 a vine is suddenly introduced from, say, 30 or 40 into 

 a heat of 70 or 80, the probability is that some of the 

 eyes will prove abortive, some of them will prematurely 

 burst, while others -the less matured ones will not 

 break at all. In forcing the vine, commence with a 

 temperature of, say, 50 for a week, then raise it 5, and 

 advance 5 more till it is 75, and when the berries 

 begin to swell 80 may be maintained during the day- 

 time till the fruit is full grown, when a fall of a few 

 degrees will not matter. 



As soon as the berries begin to colour, admit air 

 both day and night, keeping up a temperature of 75 

 or 80 by day, and one of 55 or 60 by night. The 

 sudden fall of 20 by night will materially promote the 

 colouring of the fruit ; in fact, you cannot colour Grapes 

 well unless the night air as well as the day air is 

 admitted. This brings down the temperature, and the 

 low temperature thickens the juices, which get oxi- 

 dised by virtue of it playing well round the fruit, 

 through the agency of the tire-heat, thus giving a 

 vitality to it which is constantly supplied and quick- 

 ened by the heat during the day and night. Many 

 people are afraid of admitting the night air, and think 

 the fruit will get a chill, but it is not so. If the fire- 

 heat is kept up, that is, a good heat, with an abundance 



