92 FRUIT CULTURE UNDER GLASS. 



throw off rain and snow ; and a fortnight before forc- 

 ing is commenced, a bed of leaves, as recommended 

 for the inside border, should be laid on it, to be also 

 protected from rains, that would wash the heat out 

 of it. 



Temperature. Apply fire-heat sparingly for the first 

 fortnight ; give just sufficient in conjunction with the 

 heat which escapes from the bed of leaves, to keep the 

 night temperature at 45 in cold frosty weather, and 

 at 50 when the weather is mild. After the first 

 fortnight raise it by degrees to from 50 to 55. As 

 soon as the buds have fairly started, give 5 more by 

 degrees, making a point of rising to 60 when the 

 young shoots are showing their bunches. By the 

 time they are in bloom it should be raised to 65, 

 which is sufficiently high as a night temperature in 

 the earlier months of the year. Eange the day tem- 

 perature with sun-heat from 1 higher than the night 

 in the early part of the season, to 15 as the natural 

 heat increases and less fire -heat is needed to keep 

 it up. 



The temperatures which are here recommended 

 are sufficiently high for the early months, when 

 mostly dependent on fire-heat. But further on in 

 summer, especially after the grapes are thinned and 

 stoned, and a higher temperature can be kept up with 

 a minimum of fire-heat, the night temperature may be 

 kept at 75 till late at night. Muscats, from the time 

 they show their bunches onwards, require 5 more 

 than the general run of other varieties ; and to set 

 Muscats well in the months of April and May, the 

 night temperature should be 70. As soon as the 

 grapes begin to colour, a slight and gradual decrease 

 of temperature should take place ; and in the case 



