CALENDAR OF OPERATIONS. 183 



der for the roots to grow in. nearly or quite rf.ised above 

 the ground level, which, from its drier capacity, will a^ 

 sist the vines more fully to centralize their juices, and 

 somewhat prevent the accumulation of too much crude 

 fluid and unripened growth in the fall. 



Now that the severity of the season is over, we may 

 look among the vines, and examine the effects of the ex- 

 treme cold of the past winter. There will be instances, 

 in very cold latitudes, where the vines have excusably 

 suffered ; but, in the majority of cases, the mischief has 

 occurred through an over-damp or imperfectly drained 

 sub-soil. Those under glass may be injured from the 

 same cause, and from over-rich, deep borders, which 

 tend to keep the canes in a growing state, and supplied 

 with too much fluid, until the approach of winter, leav- 

 ing no time before the frost sets in for the drying up or 

 ripening off of the woody fibre. In hi-door culture, some 

 protection is afforded by the house, even though no fire- 

 heat has been applied through the winter. True, we 

 sometimes see examples where the exotics growing in 

 the open air are nearly or entirely uninjured, leading us 

 to infer that no covering is necessary. In the grapery, 

 however, we must recollect that much richer beds are 

 prepared for the roots, and, consequently, a large growth 

 is produced, which requires longer time, and a drier 

 atmosphere in the Fall, to evaporate the surplus juices, 

 to enable the vine to withstand any great amount of 

 frost. These considerations show the necessity of cover- 

 ing the vines in houses where fire-heat is not used. 



I have spoken thus minutely of this, as many practical 

 cultivators and amateurs would like a house of exotic 



