26 THE GRAPE. 



house may serve as a winter conservatory for flowering 

 plants, but experience shows, that however late the vines 

 may be kept back in the Spring, the buds will burst before 

 the weather is suitably mild to turn the plants out, and 

 into the open air ; and at this time the vines will require 

 a temperature peculiar to themselves, which would gene- 

 rally be too damp and close for the plants, many of which 

 at the time, will be in a blooming state, requiring more air 

 and a cooler atmosphere, than will be suitable for the 

 vines ; besides it is almost impossible to keep down insects 

 in a house where plants are kept. There is some excuse 

 in an early forced grapery, which is so congenial to the 

 well being of some natives of the tropics, but as a general 

 greenhouse requires heating and the cold grapery does not, 

 the expense of two houses is not so great, compared with 

 the advantage to be gained ; therefore if possible, it is 

 much better to have two houses where both are wanted. 

 If pecuniary benefit be an object it is also more profitable, 

 for the grape if well dealt by, will be honest in return, and 

 pay a large per-centage upon capital, independently of 

 ordinary expenses of labor, &c., but when neglected the 

 reverse is the case. 



In order to give free range to the roots it is advisable 

 to erect the house upon stone pillars, or locust, or cedar 

 posts, (each of which ought to bo directly beneath a rafter,) 

 which will allow them free egress to the outside borders. 



There are several ways by which these houses may be 

 ventilated, perhaps the most convenient is to admit air at 

 the top, and near the bottom, or under the wall plate. 

 The lower opening ought to be made so as to shut very 

 tight, as the admission of cold drafts from below has a 

 tendency to reduce the heat in the lower base of the house 

 the very part which, if possible, ought to be the warm- 

 est. Nature here teaches us a lesson, and it would be well 



