23J: OPEN AIR GRAPE CULTURE. 



crop of fruit. Pursue the same system anTiuallj, 

 pruning the tree always between the 20th and 30th 

 of September, and in the course of seven years you 

 will be rewarded for your patience and expense witl^p 

 half a ripe crop in most summers, and a whole ri23e 

 crop in warm summers." — Loudon. 



The following method of hastening the maturity of 

 grapes on open walls, was communicated to the Horti- 

 cultural Society of London, by Mr. Thos. Fleetwood : 

 '' Before the vines are out of flower, he brings each 

 bunch into a perpendicular position by a thread at- 

 tached to its extremity, and fastened to a nail in the 

 wall, carefully confining the young branch w^ith the 

 bunch thereon, as close to the wall as possible. The 

 period of blossoming is preferred for this operation, 

 because the bunch at that time takes a proper posi- 

 tion, without injury. 



By this practice the bunches are kept so steady 

 that the berries are not bruised by the action of the 

 wind, and being fixed close to the w^all, they receive 

 such additional heat, that they ripen a month earlier 

 than when left to hang in the usual way." 



But of all the plans which have been proposed, 

 perhaps the simplest and most efficient is ringing, 

 girdling or breaking. It has been employed for 

 many years in France, although it is there conceded, 

 that it injures the quality of the wine produced. Foi- 



