CULTIVATION OF THE GRAPE UNDER GLASS. 151 



rafter. Wlieii this has been done, the inside of the vinery 

 should be most thoroughly washed, and the vines painted -with 

 a paint composed of 2 oz. of soft soap, 2 oz. of flowers of sulphur, 

 one gill of tobacco-water, and ^ oz. of nux vomica, mixed thor- 

 oughly in two quarts of water, to which enough dry clay, or 

 slaked lime is added to bring the whole to a consistency of thick 

 paint. This will destroy red spider and other insects that may 

 be on them. The vines should then be laid down and covered 

 with dry leaves, to protect them from frost. K it is desired to 

 have ripe grapes about the first of July, fires should be started 

 about the first of February, the vines uncovered, and, after the 

 eyes are all evenly broken, tied to the wires. 



As soon as the fires are started, the canes should be syringed 

 with tepid water twice a day until the buds burst, and then all 

 syringing of the vines should cease until they have fully ex- 

 panded their first leaf. The temperature on starting should be 

 between 40° and 45° at night, rising to 55° or 60° diiring the 

 day. As soon as the buds are burst the heat may be increased 

 at night to 45° or 50°, and so gradually increase the night heat 

 a little, so that by the time the first leaves are wholly expanded 

 the night temperature may be as high as 50°, running up in the 

 day to 10° or 15° higher. The atmosphere should be kept suf- 

 ficiently moist by placing metallic trays, containing water, on the 

 pipes, and by sprinkling the border and paths, but never by 

 syringing the pipes when they are hot. This year, the lateral 

 shoots that start from the growing wood should be pinched at 

 one leaf from the main cane, and those from last year's wood 

 stopped at the fifth joint, and all the fruit taken off except one 

 bunch, or, at most, two, if they are small. When the leading 

 cane has reached two-thirds of the length of the rafter it may be 

 stopped, and when it starts again, stopped once more, after it has 

 made two more joints, repeating this process until growth ceases. 

 The laterals must also be stopped every time they start, after 

 making one joint more beyond the last stop. Air should be given 

 more and more freely as the season advances, so that the wood 



