HASTENING- THE MATURITY OF THE GRAPE. 233 



tvas fixed, it did not require removal, even for prun- 

 ing, because I adopt the long-rod mode of training, 

 which is peculiarly adapted to my partial protection 

 system. 



"The temperature within the frame is always 

 higher than that without, sometimes at mid-day even 

 from 20 to 30 degrees. By this simple protection, I 

 find grapes may be ripened from three weeks to a 

 month earlier than when wholly exposed, and this 

 saving of time will, I believe, not only secure their 

 ripening well every year in the midland counties, 

 but, also, that such advantage will be available in 

 the north of England, where grapes never ripen on 

 the open walls. I should have told you that the 

 cold nights of spring have caused almost all the 

 young fruit to fall off during the flowering season, 

 excepting where it was protected. 



" To hasten the maturity of grapes grown in the 

 open air, means may be taken to throw them early 

 into a state of rest. On the 20th of September prune 

 the vine as you would in the month of December, 

 taking off all the leaves and grapes, ripe or unripe, 

 and shortening all the branches to one, two or three 

 eyes at most. The following spring it will push its 

 buds a few days before any of the neighboring vines 

 pruned in winter. Train it as carefully all the sum- 

 mer as though you were certain it would ripen its 



