GRAPE VINES KEEPING GRAPES. 317 



prolong the retention of colour, without any detriment whatever to the foliage and 

 ripening of the wood. The vines must not lack water at the roots, nor the atmosphere 

 become very dry, or the foliage will suffer, and the grapes may shrivel. 



Keeping grapes, however, is a term that applies particularly to those for winter use, 

 yet ripe grapes cannot be kept on vines in ground vineries or unheated houses for any 

 length of time in the autumn. Such may be cut with all the wood that can be spared 

 without prejudice to the pruning buds, before the grapes are damaged by wet or cold, 

 otherwise they will not keep sound afterwards. Eemove the leaves and laterals, place 

 the lower end of the shoot in a bottle filled with clear rain-water, which has been secured 

 in an inclined position, so that the bunch will hang clear, in a cool, but frost-proof, 

 rather dry cupboard or room, and the grapes may be kept till Christmas. It is better to 

 cut and bottle grapes than to allow them to remain on the vines after October, when 

 the house is used for wintering plants. 



Houses in which grapes are to be kept on the vines must have waterproof roofs, 

 proper heating apparatus, and thorough ventilation. Grapes will not keep well unless 

 thoroughly ripened by the end of September. The longer the leaves can be preserved 

 in health, the sounder the grapes keep after they are gone, provided the fruit is 

 thoroughly ripened, and the wood completely matured. Damp arising through the 

 application of water should be dissipated by efficient ventilation day and night. Grapes 

 cannot keep plump unless the roots of the vines are in a moist, healthy medium. In 

 foggy weather it is best to keep the pipes warm, and expel damp by a chink at the top 

 of the house. Aim at an equable temperature of 40 to 45 after the leaves have fallen, 

 5 more for Muscat of Alexandria. When frost prevails let the house remain closed ; 

 the warmth in the pipes will keep the atmosphere in motion. Look over the grapes 

 occasionally for the removal of decayed berries ; indeed, daily after the first are seen. 

 Some growers prefer to keep the grapes on the vines as long as possible. In that case 

 the house is shaded with mats or blinds after the leaves fall, a cool, dry atmosphere 

 maintained, and no more fire-heat employed than is necessary to exclude frost and prevent 

 damp. "With great care and attention grapes may be so kept good in quality until 

 March, but there is then great danger of the vines being weakened through bleeding in 

 consequence of the late pruning The alleged loss of quality in bottled grapes is very 

 slight, and they can be kept much longer off than on the vines. Black Hamburgh 

 grapes are difficult to keep in good condition on the vines till Christmas, but cut when 

 the leaves fell, and placed in bottles, they have kept sound until February. We have 



