158 THE MAGAZINE OF HORTJCULTURE. 



Such is the system which Mr. Simpson has marked out for 

 his guidance, and we have Httle doubt that he will succeed, 

 as he has done with one house already. 



We have remarked that we should not enter into a detail 

 of his practice, but we cannot omit to state some of the 

 principles on which his theory is based. They are, 



l^t. To perfectly ripen the wood, leaf, and bud. 



2d. To secure a thorough resting of the vine by Avithhold- 

 ing moisture from the roots ; and, 



3d. To keep up a brisk root action, throughout the growth 

 of the crop. 



These are the main points in Mr. Simpson's system, and 

 the failure to maintain either of these will be fatal to the 

 crop. Without mature buds no embryo fruit is formed. 

 Without withholding moisture after the crop is gathered, the 

 wood cannot be ripened ; and without a vigorous root action, 

 by means of a warm border, the completeness of the two first 

 principles is entirely lost. 



Thus it will be seen that both theoretical knowledge and 

 practical skill are brought to bear upon the culture of the 

 grape on Mr. Simpson's plan ; for he is not content with sim- 

 ply producing the increased number of crops, but the fruit 

 must be of the highest excellence or the theory abandoned. 



All who appreciate the difficulties of ordinary forcing in a 

 climate like ours, and especially in such an unusually severe 

 winter as the last, must admit that it is no easy task to per- 

 form all Mr. Simpson has undertaken, and that the expense 

 is no inconsiderable item, though this he considers as nothing 

 to the importance of his experiment. Constant vigilance is 

 required to keep the temperature of the border and the house, 

 both day and night, in just the right condition ; for a single 

 hour's neglect, of a zero night, would destroy all the expecta- 

 tions of a season. Without all this attention failure would be 

 the result. 



Now what we would be glad to see, to maintain our superior- 

 ity in grape culture, is the same zeal and interest among other 

 cultivators which is manifested by Mr. Simpson. We should 

 not then have to complain of inferior specimens at our exhi- 



