262 Ctdtiire of the Cttcumher \ . 



Art. VIII. On the ShanJcing of Grapes. By A. Saul. 



Although the shanking of grapes is a subject which has often 

 been discussed, there is, in my opinion, one cause, and probably 

 in many cases the only one, which has not been hit upon. The 

 keeping up of too much moisture in the house in proportion to 

 the heat is, in my opinion, more often the cause of the shanking 

 and shriveling of grapes than any other. Without at all ques- 

 tioning the rationality of the opinions of oth^r writers, except 

 in so far as to say that the cause imputed by J. B. W., in 

 conjunction with my own, is, I believe, the right one, I may 

 state that I have had sufficient proof that my own opinion is 

 correct. 



In 1838 I had two houses of grapes very nearly ripe at the 

 same time ; one was a fruiting-house for pines, the other a 

 succession-house. The difference in the temperature of the two 

 houses was about 10°. The degree of moisture, by sprinkling 

 the paths, flues, &c., had been kept nearly the same in both. 

 In consequence of the grapes in the succession house being con- 

 siderably shanked, while scarcely a single berry in the fruiting- 

 house had suffered, I was led to infer that the moisture had 

 been too much in proportion to the heat. Acting in accordance 

 with that opinion, I, in the following summer, kept the succes- 

 sion-house nearly dry, keeping it in that state till the grapes 

 were ripe. The consequence was, as I had anticipated, nearly 

 the extirpation of the disease. I have since acted upon the 

 same principle, with the same results; and am now fully con- 

 vinced that the real and only causes of the shanking and 

 shriveling of grapes are too much moisture in the house, and 

 deep and badly drained borders. The one, by keeping the 

 roots in a cold unhealthy state, prevents, in some measure, the 

 proper supply of pure sap to the plant ; while the other, by 

 acting upon the plant as a cold damp atmosphere acts upon the 

 human body, prevents in like manner the free circulation of the 

 life blood of the plant. 



Castle Hill Gardens^ April 8. 1841. 



Art. IX. On the Culture of the Cucumber in Pits heated by hot 

 Water. By W. H. 



I SEND you for insertion in the Gardener^ s Magazine my mode 

 of growing cucumbers and melons by hot water ; a plan which 

 I have practised for ten years with a success equal to growing 

 them with dung, and with a deal less trouble. From my ten 

 years' experience, I can confidently recommend it as an excellent 

 way of growing them where dung is scarce and fuel plentiful. 

 I have a double row of pits, 38 ft. long, and Ih ft. wide, 



