56 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



vine, no longer sustained by an artificial atmosphere, fails to fur- 

 nish sufficient saccharine matter to mature the fruit, and the result 

 is often seen in large, imperfectly ripened bunches, while the 

 smaller bunches upon the same vine will be well colored and of 

 much better quality. In a house without water the labor is very 

 much reduced and simplified, and the chance of failure very much 

 lessened, as the imprudent use of water, or its use when not fol- 

 lowed by sun heat, is liable to cause a sudden check to the tender 

 growth, which is often followed by mildew, doing serious injury to 

 both fruit and vines. 



I need not stop to describe the internal arrangements of a house, 

 as they are given in detail by all writers upon this subject, and 

 substantially the same. The care given to the vines in a house 

 when water is not used, is almost precisely the same as that given 

 by amateurs in open culture, with the addition of giving air or 

 ventilation whenever the sun shines. 



From the time the vines are taken up in the spring till the fruit 

 begins to color, air should be given by the upper windows only, 

 which should be opened on fair mornings as soon as the tempera- 

 ture has risen from five to ten degrees with sun heat, and if the 

 day continues bright they should be closed in season to retain a 

 genial warmth before sunset. No rule as to the time for opening 

 and closing a house can be given, as much will depend upon loca- 

 tion. A house facing southeast will need to be opened earlier in 

 the morning than one facing southwest, as the rays of the sun will 

 fall more directly upon the glass, and for the same reason a house 

 with a southwestern aspect will need to be kept open longer in the 

 afternoon. 



In starting a house, strong healthy vines, one year old, with 

 tops at least six feet long, should be procured, and as soon as the 

 border is in suitable condition in the spring the roots should be 

 carefully shaken out from the soil and placed evenly on the border, 

 one foot from the front wall, and covered with four inches of soil, 

 and the vine passed through beneath the sill directly under the 

 rafter. The earth should be pressed firmly upon the roots with 

 the foot, and the tops tied up to or towards the rafter inside. If 

 the buds all break, rub off" all but the three lower ones. When 

 they have grown to the length of tw^o feet or more, and become 

 strong enough to bear bending into position without danger of 

 breaking, select the strongest and tie it to the wire under the 



