THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. 97 



Never allow any of the leaves of the vine to be taken off 

 for the purpose of admittmg the sun to the grapes. 



If aphis, or the vine-fretter, appear on the vine, fumigating 

 the house with tobacco will destroy them. If red spiders are 

 troublesome, moisture and sulphur are the only remedies ; 

 syringing the vines at evening, and dusting the leaves with 

 flour of sulphur. 



In September, all but the last lateral on the spurs should 

 be cut out. 



When the leaves are off, early in November, cut back the 

 leading cane, leaving four feet only of the new, or this year's 

 growth ; this will now make the entire length of the cane 

 twelve or thirteen feet ; cut back, close to the old wood, the 

 spurs that have fruited this year ; those that have not, cut 

 back to one eye, or bud, to bear fruit the coming season : 

 clean and put over the vines the soap and sulphur, as before : 

 and, the first of December, lay them do^vn and cover them, as 

 last season. 



If the spurs are too close together, you can cut out those 

 that are not wanted ; they should not be nearer together than 

 four inches ; this would make them eight inches apart on each 

 side the cane, and closer than they are often grown ; if nearer, 

 they would obstruct the light. 



little by little, as the mercury rises ; by this method, your vines will not be exposed 

 to the injurious efl'ccts of sudden changes, as would be the case, if you allowed Ihe 

 windows and doors to remain closed until the sun shone full and strong upon it 5 in 

 such management, upon admitting air, the temperature would be lo\\ered in conse- 

 quence, which, with an increasing of the sim's rays, would be highly improper, and 

 should never be allowed. Some sudden change may render this rise of temperature, 

 in a degree, unavoidable ; if this should occur, air must be allowed to enter at once, 

 in sufficient quantity to prevent any further accumulation of it. 



In a grapery without artificial heat, it is best to accustom the vines to a plenty of 

 air, and a temperature somewhat in consonance with that without. Should you, in 

 bright and fine weather, use them to a very high temperature, the vine would be 

 made to require this, and, at the time of ripening of the fruit, when the climate is 

 always cooler, should the weather be cloudy, or otherwise unpropitious, you would 

 have no means at command to raise the temperature, and the consequence would be 

 a loss of part of the fruit by shrivel and shanking. 



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