THE GRAPE. 225 



in the same manner. To guard against the sudden changes of 

 temperature out of doors, and at the same time to keep up as 

 moist and warm a state of the atmosphere within the vinery as 

 is consistent with pretty free admission of the air during sun- 

 shine, is the great object of culture in a vinery of this kind. 



Thinning the fruit is a very necessary practice in all vine- 

 ries and on it depends greatly the flavour, as well as the fine 

 appearance and size of the berries and bunches. The first 

 thinning usually consists in taking off all superfluous blossom 

 buds, leaving only one bunch in the large sorts or two in the 

 small ones to each bearing shoot. The next thinning takes 

 place when the berries are set and well formed, and is per- 

 formed with a pair of scissors, taking care not to touch the ber- 

 ries that are left to grow. All this time, one third of the berries 

 should be taken off with the point of the scissors, especially 

 those in the centre of the cluster. This allows the remainder 

 to swell to double the size, and also to form larger bunches than 

 would otherwise be produced. Where the bunches are large, 

 the shoulders should be suspended from the trellis by threads, in 

 order to take off part of the weight from the stem of the vine. 

 The last thinning, which is done chiefly to regulate the form of 

 the bunch, is done by many gardeners, just before the fruit be- 

 gins to colour but it is scarcely needed if the previous thii> 

 ning of the berries has been thoroughly done. 



The regular autumnal pruning is best performed about tne 

 middle of November. The vines should then be taken down, 

 laid down on the border, and covered for the winter with a thick 

 layer of straw, or a slight covering of earth. 



CULTURE UNDER GLASS, WITH FIRE-HEAT. As the foreign 

 grape is almost the only fruit of temperate climates, which can- 

 not be raised in perfection in the open air in this climate, we 

 shall give some concise directions for its culture in vineries 

 with artificial heat. Those who only know this fruit as the 

 Chasselas or Sweetwater appears, when grown in the open 

 air, have little idea of the exceeding lusciousness, high flavour, 

 size and beauty of such varieties as the Black Hamburgh or 

 Muscat of Alexandria, when well grown in a first rate vinery. 

 By the aid of artificial heat, which, in this climate, is, after all, 

 chiefly required in the spring and autumn, and to counteract 

 any sudden cold changes of atmosphere, this most admirable 

 fruit may easily be produced for the dessert, from May till De- 

 cember. Indeed by vineries constructed in divisions, in some 

 of which vines are forced and in others retarded, some gentle- 

 men near Boston, have grapes nearly every month in the year. 



Construction of the vinery. The vinery with fire-heat may 

 be built of wood, and in the same simple manner as just de- 

 scribed, with the addition of a flue above the surface of the 

 ground, running close along the end, two feet from the front 



