i92 Commercial Gardening 



weather. Damping down must also be reduced, and left off entirely in 

 all but early vineries, where considerable fire heat still has to be kept 

 up. In mid-season vineries the fire may be left off altogether unless 

 the berries are seen to be suffering from rot, as they will in damp weather. 

 With late grapes the pipes must be kept just warm; but for. keeping 

 grapes very late, after the leaves have fallen, great care must be exercised 

 with the firing, and no more than enough to keep the air dry must be 

 allowed, or the grapes will shrivel and lose weight to a great extent. 

 A temperature of 45 will be sufficient in such cases. 



Forcing". When it is desired to start Vines early, the change must 

 be gradual; it will not do to make a violent alteration in the time of 

 starting. If a house is started a month earlier each year it will be 

 quite change enough. It is a question whether it pays to force Vines 

 very early at the present time. Prices are very low and firing is dear; 

 added to this, no more than half a crop can be expected, and the strain 

 on the Vines soon tells. Some growers force their Vines for a few years 

 and then gradually start them later to give them a rest, taking other 

 houses for the earliest work. Where early work is done the rods must 

 be tied right down low to induce them to start evenly, and in some 

 places they are bent to one side till the end can be tied to the bottom 

 wire about half the length of the rod along; in this way the rod 

 forms a bow, with the middle of it the highest point. As soon as the 

 buds have broken well the rods are tied up in the ordinary position. 

 The easiest variety to force is Black Hambro, and it is the quickest to 

 come to maturity, five months being sufficient under skilful growing and 

 favourable conditions. Muscats can also be forced, but require a month 

 longer to mature. The amber colour in these grapes is all-important, 

 and that is what is so hard to get; but unless it is got the grower will 

 be sadly disappointed with his returns. Air and light and sufficient time 

 to finish must be given. 



For forcing grapes a supply of warm water for watering is essential. 

 This can be provided by running one of the hot-water pipes through 

 the tanks. A layer of hot water will be formed in this way, and by 

 stirring up, the cold edge can be taken off the whole. A more up-to-date 

 method is to have the water supply so arranged that the water can be 

 passed through the boiler before passing into the house. By keeping 

 up a little extra fire a good supply of warm water can be got without 

 lowering the temperature of the house by cooling down the hot-water 

 apparatus. Where the pulsometer pump is used, the chill is taken off 

 the water without any further trouble. 



Gros Colmar is grown in very large quantities for late work, and 

 Alicante, from the toughness of its skin, is very useful for the purpose. 

 When very late work is attempted the Vines are allowed to start quite 

 naturally; and as long as the colour is obtained before the leaves turn, 

 they are not hurried in any way. Some very poorly coloured Colmars 

 are seen on the market in some seasons, owing to the withholding of 



