78 THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. 



forced grapes wtli less humidity in the house than some use 

 when the crop is young, which helps to elongate the footstalk. 

 In later grapes, if there were more air admitted, or artificial 

 heat kept up in cold damp weather, either would remedy the 

 disease ; but, as I stated in my former paper, give air and 

 artificial heat at the same time. As I am making this second 

 attempt to impress on the mind of the reader that the cause 

 is really in the footstalk, I can and will advance a few thuags 

 to make it more evident. 



" I was asked this season, by a gardener, what I would 

 say to a vinery being left a httle open all night at top ; my 

 reply was, I had not tried it, but I would not hesitate in say- 

 ing it was more hkely to do good than harm. He said that 

 there were the finest grapes in a house so treated that he 

 had seen all the season. I was asking a gardener, about 

 Christmas, how liis grapes had done this year ; his reply was, 

 Very well ; I adopted your plan, (except one light, which I 

 could not move,) giving plenty of air. The grapes under the 

 light, which I could not move, were not so good as the others. 

 In a house I had this disease take the crop, with the excep- 

 tion of a vine at the end, where the steam-pipe entered, pro- 

 ducing a great and drying heat ; and there was a door, with 

 a ventilator over it, which all aided to keep off the disease. 

 This vine alone was always free from it : this speaks for itself. 

 Perhaps many may think I am too sangmne on this subject ; 

 but should I be right in my opinion, and in the means of pro- 

 ducing a remedy, I shall be vain enough to think I have done 

 some real good. Should any person really find the correct- 

 ness of it, I hope they will do me the favor to acknowledge 

 it in your magazine, which will be attended with some good ; 

 and should it be fairly proved my idea is wrong, I invite the 

 same insertion from those who may have proved it to be so ; 

 but let them give it more than one trial, and fair ones, for I 

 have no desii-e to mislead." 



Vol. 11, page 603. " Having been troubled with the 

 shrinldng or shrivelling of grapes, more or less, for several 



