154 CULTIVATION OP THE GRAPE UNDER GLASS. 



healthy and thick, and there will be no difficulty in doing this 

 by means of the fresh air ventilator shown at fig. 48, which may 

 be kept more or less open night and day, and in all weathers. 

 Advantage may also be taken of the opportunity for diffusing 

 ammonia through the house, by dissolving the sulphate or the 

 carbonate of ammonia in the water trays on the pipes. This will 

 have a tendency to tliicken the leaves, and strengthen the whole 

 plant. Yet this may be done to excess, and then, instead of a 

 benefit, becomes a positive injury. A little guano, or pigeon's 

 dung, or the dung of common barn-yard fowls, may be used in- 

 stead of the salts of ammonia. 



In watering the inside border, if the bottom drainage be what 

 it should, give it always a thorough drenching, not a mere surface 

 watering. Use soft, tepid water, soaking it thoroughly when 

 the vines are started, and afterwards as occasion requires. Be 

 careful not to tread on the border when newly watered. When 

 the berries begin to color, increase the supply of air, night and 

 day, and stop syringing the vines. Lessening the moisture 

 will increase the flavor of the Grapes, but beware of the red 

 spider, for with such power as the sun has in this climate, 

 it is very easy to withhold moisture so much as to create a worse 

 evil. When the Grapes are all cut, give the vines a thorough 

 syringing with tepid water, and clean the foliage from all insects 

 and dust. Keep the inside border dry enough to prevent the 

 vines from starting into growth. 



After the foliage is ripe and fallen, the laterals which have 

 borne fruit must be cut back to one eye, those upon the growing 

 cane cut back to the main vine, the main cane cut in to twelve 

 feet in length, the vine washed and painted, the house most 

 thoroughly cleansed, and the vines protected and laid down for 

 winter. 



When, in course of time, the spurs become too large and un- 

 sightly, a new cane may be grown by cutting down one of the 

 vines every year and leading up a new shoot. If but one or two 

 vines are cut back in each year, the whole vinery will be gradu- 

 ally renewed without materially lessening the supply of grapes. 



