CULTURE OF THE FOREIGN GRAPE. 59 



burg, and Wilmot's No. 16. The amount of fruit in this house 

 from 1855 to 1875, has averaged between five and six hundred 

 pounds, never in anj' year having fallen below the smaller amount, 

 and in some j-ears having exceeded the larger quantity. Fruit 

 from this house was once shown at one of our exhibitions and re- 

 ceived the Society's Silver Medal. This house was built by, and 

 for twenty-four years has been under the care of Robert Watt, of 

 West Roxbury, who has taken the vines up every season, tied out 

 the side branches and kept them properly trimmed, thinned the 

 fruit, trimmed the vines in the fall, and covered them for winter, 

 at an average expense of less than twenty -five dollars per year.- 

 The only additional labor connected with the house has been to 

 open and shut the windows, which has been done by the help em- 

 ployed upon the place. No water has ever been used in this house. 

 No protection has 'been given to the border except to spread upon 

 it a top dressing of manure after the ground had frozen in winter. 

 I might refer to other houses in this immediate vicinity, conducted 

 upon the same plan, with equal success, but the one at Dedham is 

 the oldest of which I have any knowledge. For the benefit and 

 encouragement of the ladies who may wish to engage in grape cul- 

 ture under glass, I am permitted to copy a few lines from a let- 

 ter recently received from a lady in Portsmouth, N. H., who, having 

 heard of Mr. Watt's simple plan of growing grapes, employed him, 

 in 1867, to construct a house, prepare the border, and plant the 

 vines. He recently wrote her, making some inquiries as to her 

 success, and from her reply, I quote the following : 



" In answer to your inquiries about my grapery, I am happy to 

 tell you that the vines were planted eight years ago last spring, 

 and I think I have had great success in growing grapes. They 

 have been fairer and larger than any raised in town, gentlemen 

 who have graperies being astonished at the size and flavor of mine. 

 I lost no vines last winter ; I have never used water in my grapery ; 

 I have never had any mildew." 



I have endeavored to show that the care of a vinery may be 

 made very simple, and that the labor can be properly done by any 

 help competent to grow successfully the various fruits in the gar- 

 den, and it may be claimed that if properly treated, no fruit can 

 be more confidently relied upon for an annual crop. Yet no 

 experienced grower ever uncovers his vines in the spring without 

 a nervous fear that he may find a part or all of them winter killed, 



