THE GRAPE. 



they push also, then a third stopping must take place at one 

 joint, and so on as long as the last terminal bud continues to 

 break Bearing these points in mind, nothing can be more 

 simple than the pruning and training of the vine." 



When early forcing of the vines is commenced, the heat 

 should be applied very gently, for the first few days, and 

 afterwards very gradually increased. Sixty degrees of Fah- 

 renheit's thermometer may be the maximum, till the buds are 

 all nearly expanded. When the leaves are expanded sixty-five 

 may be the maximum and fifty-five the minimum temperature. 

 When the vines are in blossom, seventy-five or eighty, in mid- 

 day, with the solar heat should be allowed, with an abundance 

 of air, and somewhat about this should be the average of mid- 

 day temperature. But, as by far the best way of imparting in- 

 formation as to the routine of vine culture under glass is to pre- 

 sent a precise account of a successful practice, we give here 

 the diary of O. Johnson, Esq., of Lynn, Mass., as reported by 

 him in Hovey's Magazine. Mr. Johnson is a very successful 

 amateur cultivator, and we prefer to give his diary rather than 

 that of a professional gardener, because we consider it as likely 

 to be more instructive to the beginner in those little points which 

 most professional men are likely to take for granted as being 

 commonly known. We may premise here that " the vines were 

 planted out in the border in May, 1835 ; they were then one 

 year old, in pots. In 1836 and 1837, they were headed down. 

 In 1838 they bore a few bunches of grapes, and made fine wood 

 for the following year, when the date of the diary commences. 



13 



14 



15 

 16 



Feb. 1839. 

 Temperature. 



50 



80 



60 



DIARY OF THE VINERY. 



Commenced fire heat in the vinery. [The 

 thermometrical observations are taken at 6 

 o'clock in the morning, at noon, and 10 

 o'clock at night.] 



Placed horse manure in the house to warm the 

 border. Washed the house. Took up the 

 vines, (which had been covered to protect 

 them from the frost,) and washed them 

 with warm soap suds : raised as much 

 moisture as possible. Weather moderate 

 and cloudy. 



Weather quite moderate and thawy. Sleet. 



Covered inside border with sand for sprinkling. 

 Thaw, Whitewashed the vinery. 



