37 



CHAPTER VIII. 



THE GENERAL MANAGEMENT OF VINERIES. 



Management is here meant all that relates to the maintenance, 

 in the houses, of those atmospheric conditions that may be 

 requisite for the proper cultivation or development of the Vines 

 or their fruit. Requirements vary so much that it would be simply 

 impossible, even were it desirable, to lay down hard and fast rules to 

 be followed in every case ; much, very much, must always be left to 

 the discretion of the cultivator. 



Forcing . Since the introduction of cheap glass, orchard houses, 

 ground vineries, and other unheated structures for the cultivation of 

 the Vine, this term, at one time very expressive of a definite condition, 

 has become nearly obsolete. Any means that may be adopted for the 

 forwarding of the growth of a plant to a greater extent than would 

 take place naturally, may be termed forcing. Heat is the motive 

 power. The Vine growing in an unheated orchard house that is, 

 not heated artificially is forced by solar heat to a certain degree. 

 Some Vines are forced in spring, to induce them to commence growth 

 early ; others require forcing in autumn, to ripen their fruit. 



Vines may be forced into growth and bear fruit at any season of 

 the year, provided provided always that the wood is properly 

 ripened. Early-forced Vines of one season force more easily the fol- 

 lowing year, and established Vines always more easily than joung 

 ones ; indeed, young Vines, excepting it may be pot plants, should 

 not be hard forced. 



To secure early Grapes, say in April, the Vines should be started 

 into growth in November. The period of time required from the 

 commencement of growth to the ripening of the fruit is, for the Black 

 Hamburgh, about five months. Thus, Vines started in March should 

 have fruit ripe in July, and those coming naturally into growth by the 

 end of March, in August and September. The Muscat of Alexandria, 

 Gros Colman, Alicante, Lady Downe's Seedling, and other late Grapes, 

 require nearly six months to ripen and finish properly. 



All Vines should be started sufficiently early to have the fruit ripe 

 by the early part of September ; Grapes ripened later than Sep- 

 tember require a great amount of firing to .finish them, and do not 

 keep well through the winter. The Grapes ripened in September are 

 the latest to arrive at full maturity. See chap. xiii. 



If, say on January 1st, we take as an example a Vinery from which 



