BRTGIIT ON GRAPE CULTURE. 57 



ATJlIOSrn ERIC CONDUCTORS. 



The philosophy of Atmospheric Conductors, undet 

 vine borders, we have presented in various articles pub- 

 lished in the horticultural journals. The following is 

 from an article on this subject, which we contributed to 

 the Philadelphia Gardener's Monthly, for January, 

 1859 :_ 



<' One of the chief points in the management of vin- 

 eries, as all intelligent gardeners are aware, is to control 

 and regulate the temperature of the borders, so as to 

 give the roots an early start in the spring, and to put 

 them into a state of repose early in the fall. If the 

 growth of roots be too luxuriant in the fall, in conse- 

 quence of excessive heat in the border, immature roots 

 and wood will be the result, greatly to the detriment of 

 the vine the ensuing season. So if the vine, by frost, 

 prematurely lose its foliage, then the main roots can- 

 not be matured, and a good < break' of buds cannot be 

 expected in the spring. There must be a perfect unity 

 of action between the upper extremity of the vine and 

 its ^oots, to ensure the highest degree of success in grape 

 culture. 



" In the fall, as we all know, the temperature of the 

 atmosphere will often fall to 40° Fahrenheit, while the 

 earth two feet under the surface is at 65°. On or 

 about the 15th of November, 1857, the thermometer 

 fell to 17°, and the foliage of many vines in cold houses 

 was suddenly cut off, while the bottom heat of the bor- 



