THE CULTURE OP THE GRAPE. 63 



or three times a -vveek, given in such quantities as reason may 

 suggest, using it in a -warm state along with the drainage of 

 the dunghill. If all has gone on well, the berries -will soon 

 begin to change color ; be cautious they do not receive a 

 check, to avoid which, keep up the heat and moisture in the 

 day. As the grapes approach ripeness, suspend, by degrees, 

 the humidity of the house, keeping up a brisk heat and giving 

 l^lenty of air. Examine the heat at the roots at the time the 

 grapes are changing color ; if it has begun to decline, reno- 

 vate it, keeping up a heat at the roots as high or higher than 

 the temperature inside the house. You will see the benefit 

 from this, in the grapes swelling to an uncommon size, mth 

 no fear of that pest, shanking and shrivelling. After your 

 grapes are ripe, lower the heat of your house by degrees, 

 keeping it cool and dry, removing the dung from the roots, 

 as recommended in previous parts of this work. 



" On the coloring of grapes, we often hear it remarked 

 that, though perfectly ripe, many are not well colored, black 

 grapes more than white ; the loss of color, in my opinion, is 

 by an over-abundant crop. By the old method of forcing the 

 vine, it is the general practice in June to put out the fires, 

 and to use little or none until September or October ; the 

 change may happen at the time the fruit is changing color ; 

 the house is then lowered in temperature, and kept cool and 

 dry ; by such practice, black grapes will attain a good color, 

 (if a light or moderate crop,) subject to shankmg, and at the 

 expense of size ; and Black Hamburghs no more answer to 

 their name, as regards the shape of the berry, than a Black 

 Prince resembles a Black Damascus ; you will always find 

 that they are small finger, or oval shaped, whereas, groAvn by 

 the practice I recommend, they are large, and nearly globu. 

 lar. It is quite practicable to grow fine, noble swelled fruit, 

 and colored to perfection, to be certaui of which, you must 

 not aUow the vines to carry too heavy a crop, keeping the 

 temperature as recommended in all their stages of growth 

 through this work. In giving an opinion on the defect in the 



