232 



OPEX AIR GKaI'E culture. 



from cold winds, dews, and rains during tlie niglit, 

 and of a liigli degree of confined solar heat during 

 the day." — Loudon. 



Mr. Maund, editor of the ''Botanic Garden," em- 

 ploys the follow^ing method of obtaining a few^ 

 bunches : " Although my experiment is not yet com- 

 pleted, I cannot omit mentioning to you its success. 

 Grapes grown on open w^alls in the midland counties 

 are rarely well-ripened ; therefore, I provided a small 

 glazed frame — a sort of narrow hand-glass — of the 

 shape shown in the annexed outline, to fix against 

 the wall, and inclosed in it one branch of 

 the vine with its fruit and foliage. The 

 open part, wdiicli rests against the wall, is 

 13 inches wide, and may be of any length 

 required to take in tlie fruit. The sides 

 are formed of single panes of glass^ seven 

 inches wide, and meet on a bar which 

 may represent the ridge of a roof, the ends 

 inclosed by triangular boards, and having 

 ^'° ^'- a notch to admit the branch. This was 

 fixed on the branch a month before the vine came 

 into flower. The consequence was, the protected 

 branches flowered a week earlier than the exposed. 

 The frame was not fitted closely to the wall, but in 

 some places may have been a quarter of an inch from 

 it. The lateral branches beino^ shortened befoi'c it 



