Encyclopaedia of Gardening 149 



rubbish mixed in, will grow Grapes well. If the site is damp it 

 should be drained, otherwise the roots will get into sour, water- 

 logged soil, and the bunches will " shank " that is, the footstalks 

 of he berries will shrivel up before the Grapes are ripe, and they will 

 never colour, or develop proper flavour. Planting : A good plant- 

 ing Vine bought from a nursery in autumn or winter will prove to 

 be from 6 to 10 ft. long, but the whole length should not be retained. 

 After the Vine has been planted the cane should be shortened, and 

 the extent will depend on the height of the glass front; if the Vine 

 is cut back to a point where the starting shoot will have full light 

 directly the bud breaks into growth it will be right. The roots 

 should be covered lightly, and the soil trodden firmly but gently 

 round them. Pruning and training : The first year the Vine may 

 reach the top of the house, and while its progress may be regarded 

 as satisfactory in one way, it would not be advisable to retain all 

 the growth which it makes. On the contrary, the rod should be 

 cut back to a third of its length in winter with the object of thicken- 

 ing the lower part. The growth that goes to the top the second 

 year will be much stronger than the first, but if the cane has not 

 thickened well it had better be shortened again by one-half. Any- 

 side shoots that push must be pruned close in to basal buds, which 

 it is the habit of Grape Vines to form near the main rod, and from 

 which the next year's lateral shoots push. Deliberation in thus 

 developing the main rod will be rewarded in future years. Fruit- 

 ing : A few bunches of fruit may be taken the second year if the 

 rod is strong, but there should not be anything like a crop until the 

 third year, in which season, if all has gone well with the vine, each 

 lateral may be allowed to bear a bunch. These laterals should be 

 chosen from the best shoots that push on each side of the rod about 

 a foot apart, and should be brought carefully down to the wires and 

 tied at right angles with the rod. When the lateral has made two 

 leaves beyond the bunch of fruit the end should be pinched off, 

 as unlimited extension is undesirable. When the fruit has been 

 gathered each lateral may be cut back to half its length, and further 

 pruned back this time to the basal bud near the rod in autumn. 

 Moisture and ventilation : Air and water are important considera- 

 tions from the very first. The Grape Vine loves fresh, pure, but 

 not dry air. A well-managed vinery is a pleasant place to enter, 

 because the air is what gardeners well call " buoyant; " it is light, 

 fresh, and sparkling. The condition is secured by providing plenty 

 of ventilation, keeping the soil moist, and syringing regularly from 

 the time growth starts. Let not the grower be caught napping 

 with his ventilation. If the sun breaks out on a house which is 

 quite closed while he is still abed there may be scorching of leaf and 

 scalding of berry. These troubles are the most likely to happen 

 after a damp spell. Temperatures : Artificial heat becomes im- 

 portant in proportion to the amount of forcing which is to be done. 

 If Grapes are wanted in April, enough piping must be provided to 

 maintain a temperature of 50 to 60 in November by artificial 

 means, and 65 to 75 when the Vines come into bloom; this, be it 

 understood, without sun heat. It means, of course, forcing all 

 r through the winter. If Grapes are not wanted before July or 



