NOVEMBER. 



715 



NOVEMBER. 



The embryo fruit will most likely be 

 destroyed, and a whole month's or six 

 weeks' forcing lost in consequence. This 

 is a good time to examine the wood 

 thoroughly for scale, &c., and to paint 

 them all over with the composition that 

 has been recommended for vines. 



Preservation of Grapes. In fruit culture 

 at this time one of the chief duties is fruit 

 preservation. November is just the very 

 worst month in the whole year for keeping 

 ripe fruit of any kind, and especially trying 

 fur ripe grapes ; one speck of decay or 

 mildew will soon become a thousand under 

 the influence of a November fog. Houses 

 of ripe fruit must therefore be examined 

 daily, and every specked berry or decayed 

 leaf removed. Brisk fires must also be 

 lighted in the morning, to enable air to 

 be given both at front and back, to agitate 

 the atmosphere and expel damp. No plant 

 must, on any account, be placed in the 

 house, nor a drop of water be allowed to 

 fall on paths, &c. ; neither must the house 

 be shut up close until the heating apparatus 

 is cold. 



Grapes, Ripe, Effect of Increase of Heat on. 

 An increase of temperature in the absence 

 of a current of air is most injurious to ripe 

 grapes, and causes them to decay almost 

 sooner than anything ; unless during very 

 cold weather, a current of air should always 

 be maintained through vineries containing 

 ripe grapes. Better that the grapes should 

 be slightly shrivelled than that they should 

 be altogether decomposed. In fact, the 

 toughness of rind induced in the process 

 of shrivelling is one of the surest preserva- 

 tives against decomposition. If the houses 

 are not waterproof, or plants must be placed 

 in them, the best plan will be to cut and 

 store the grapes as recommended in 

 instructions for October. 



Grapes, Ripe, Effect of Moisture on. 



Another great point in keeping late 

 grapes is to keep the rain off the borders 



in which the roots are growing. This i* 

 sometimes effected by thatching with straw, 

 sometimes by the use of boarding or tar- 

 pauling, and often by spreading a layer of 

 concrete, formed by mixing six parts of 

 coarse gravel to one of quicklime, over the 

 surface of the border. If the border has a 

 pitch of 3 or more inches from back to 

 front, and this concrete is put on about 

 3 inches thick, it will furnish a cheap and 

 efficient waterproof covering ; it may be 

 removed in the spring or not, at the option 

 of the cultivator. Excellent grapes were 

 obtained from vines in a border thus 

 covered for three whole years. During 

 that entire period they were never watered, 

 and never showed any symptoms of needing 

 it ; the surface of the concrete in summer 

 was sometimes so hot that one could 

 scarcely touch it. It never cracked with 

 the sun's rays, however, and early in 

 October it was always covered with strawy 

 litter, to prevent the dispersion of that 

 heat which its absorptive powers had 

 husbanded in the border. 



Nectarines and Peaches. If these are 

 wanted next May, the house, or trees in 

 pots, must now be started. They should 

 already have been untied, pruned, washed, 

 &c. Examine the borders thoroughly ; 

 water, and top-dress with good maiden 

 loam, if necessary. See that the house, 

 as well as the trees, is scrupulously clean, 

 so that you do not have to battle with 

 vermin as well as dark skies and inclement 

 weather for the next six months. The 

 Royal George, Noblesse, and Bellegarde 

 or Galande peach, and the Red Roman 

 and Violette Hative nectarine, are the 

 best for early forcing. Proceed slowly ; 

 give no fire unless compelled, and do not 

 exceed 45 by fire heat during the month. 



Pinery. Pines swelling off must be 

 assisted by a warm, genial atmosphere of 

 75, and be watered when necessary. The 

 bottom heat will require to be examined, 



