FRUITS AND \EGETABLES UNDER GLASS 



CHAPTER XIII 



KEEPING QUALITIES OF GRAPES— STORING, PACKING, 

 EXHIBITION 



The Cool Storehouse —Packing Grapes for Forwarding -Handling 

 Grapes for Exhibition 



OWING t(i our extremes of temperature. Grapes with us cannot be lield 

 on tlie \ines as long as in more moderate climates. In our climate 

 there is often a temperature of 90° and over in Summer, with good 

 air. While this is congenial to Grapes before they are ripe it will not keep them 

 long in good condition after that condition is reached. Much again dep'i'nds on 

 the keeping quality of the Grape. Perfectly finished fruit will keep in a plump, 

 fresh condition longer than that imperfectly finished. Grapes which are inclined 

 to be watery when ripe, possessing a very soft pulp, cannot be held long on the 

 vines, while berries which are solid, firm, and full of sugar, instead of water, are 

 in much better condition for hanging on the vines. 



Where a steady supply is desired from an early house, do not plant 

 it all to early kinds, such as Black Hamturg, Foster's Seedling, etc., but 

 add Appley Towers, which would be ready for use when the earlier kinds 

 were disposed of; include also some Gros Maroc and Muscat of Alexandria; 

 these will follow the varieties above noted and will fill in between the 

 early and midseason house. If it were possible to keep the Grapes in a fairly 

 steady temperature of about 50° when ripe, they could easily be held in excel- 

 lent condition for a couple of months. When the fruit is ripe it is well to shade 

 the house lightly either with a permanent shade or by spraying some whitening 

 on the glass. This can be done in a few minutes, and if a period of rain comes 

 on the first shower will wash it off and leave the glass clear, which is better on 

 cloudy or wet days. I therefore prefer the whitening to a permanent shade. 

 The foliage of Muscat of Alexandria seems to be injured by the extreme heat 

 of the sun in Summer, and it should be shaded somewhat from its hot rays 

 though not so much as to exclude the light. Excellent Muscat can be grown in 

 this way. This Grape seems to be more subject to sunburn in some localities 

 than in others anc', wherever this trouble is likely to occur, the proper preventive 

 measures should be taken or the vines will soon deteriorate; the foliage which 

 is the life of the plant must he protected. 



In order to keep Grapes in good condition all through the Summer and 

 sometimes into the Fall with no fire heat at all, it Is necessary to keep a clr\. 



