THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. 59 



take to break will be a fortnight or three weeks. (Previous 

 to forcing, the vines must be washed with a composition of 

 soap, sulphur, etc.) I generally keep my vines tied horizon- 

 tally along the front until every bud is in motion. Keep a 

 low temperature in the night, say 45°, till you perceive them 

 all moving ; 15° or 20° higher in the day will do no harm, 

 by sun heat, syringing them morning, noon, and night, and 

 keeping a very humid atmosphere. When the buds are fully 

 broken, tie them up to the roof ; you may raise the tempera- 

 ture gradually in the night, up to their time of showing fruit, 

 8° or 10° ; the same by day, observing to keep up a very 

 humid atmosphere. Syringe lightly, and close your houses 

 early in the afternoon. Your vines Avill now be showing three 

 or four bunches at every eye left at winter-pruning ; by no 

 means leave more than one bunch upon each shoot, and one 

 on the leading shoot. My practice is to stop the shoot on the 

 spurs at one eye beyond the bunch, taking off all laterals and 

 tendrils as they appear. The leading shoot must be kept 

 neatly tied up, divesting it of laterals, &c., as for last season, 

 until it reaches the top of the house ; you may then stop it, 

 leaving a lateral or two to keep it in check, as well as on each 

 spur, if danger is to be apprehended from the breaking of the 

 natural buds. As they approach the time of blooming, raise 

 the night temperature gradually to 65° or 68°, increasing the 

 day temperature in the same ratio, keeping the house, when 

 the vines are in bloom, rather dry." After the grapes have 

 set, and are thinned, the temperature of the house is to be, 

 at night, " say 65° ; and 85°, 90°, or 95° in the day, with a 

 very humid atmosphere. 



" If cloudy, cool weather should intervene, keep up a brisk 

 heat, by stirring well your fires early in the morning, and, up 

 to midday, keeping up to 80°, or 85° with a very humid at- 

 mosphere, allowing your fires, or boilers, to cool down in the 

 after part of the day ; it is my practice to give heat with 

 light, and to reduce it with approaching darkness. A vine, 

 after vegetation is commenced until the fruit is ripe, should 



