Retrospective Criticism. 193 



this winter-forcing, tlie roots of the vines should be covered with glass, or 

 manure and litter, to keep out the frost. It would require great care and 

 attention to air and fires, to meet with any success at this season, and the 

 fruit would cost very high. By covering the border witli glass and be- 

 ginning fires early in January, you may have the fruit ripe by 1st June — 

 or, after the blossom is off, by keeping a very high temperature, the 15th 

 of May ; but this is not done without great care and attention, and no one 

 who cannot devote these should attempt it. Vines forced in January, with 

 the roots in a frozen border, do not fruit — such has been my experience. 

 My vines forced in January, the roots of which are covered with glass, 

 are now (10th April) in fine order, with the fruit far advanced. 



The 1st of March is generally allowed to be the best time to begin to 

 force vines : the risk from cold is much less, and the increase of light and 

 heat from the sun renders it natural for them to grow — and, Avith proper 

 management, the fruit may be ripe tlie last of July. 



In a cold house and a simple covering of glass, it is not safe to start 

 the vines before the 10th to loth April; with a favorable season and the 

 other requisites, the fruit will be ripe from the middle of August to Sep- 

 tember : a few bunches over a moderate crop prolongs the time of ripen- 

 ing. WJien the fruit is perfectly ripe, and kept dry, it may be preserved 

 two or three months, and even into January — after this time it shrivels 

 and loses its flavor. If this is correct, it follows that grapes may be had 

 ten months of the year; but the great trouble and expense of the October 

 forcing puts this almost out of the question. It will be, and no doubt is, 

 occasionally done by gentlemen for their amusement ; to supply any de- 

 mand for the market, it would never repay the cost. The January forcing 

 then is the first from which it is probable any will be grown by amateurs 

 for their amusement, or for the market ; and this crop may be ripe from 

 15th May to 1st June : from this date to 15th January is eight months, and 

 these are the limits in Avhich grapes in any quantity will be found. As to 

 the little trouble in forcing grapes, if you will refer to Mr. Johnson's Di- 

 ary, (which is an excellent guide to a beginner,) in your Magazine for 

 June, 1842, it will appear that the attention — daily watering, syringing and 

 thinning the berries — is not trifling; and as to the expense, in a small 

 house 33 feet front, heated by flue and hot water, it costs for fuel, from 

 January to June, $'30 ; interest on cost of house, and the expense of re- 

 pairs, #50 ; dressing for border, $5 ; total, $85. There are ten vines on 

 front border; and an average crop of 15 pounds each gives 150 pounds, 

 (which is enough until the vines are ten years old,) — about 57 cents per lb. 

 without charge of labor. There remains the back wall, but very little 

 fruit is ever grown on this : a small charge for labor would make the cost 

 more than they sell at in Boston. Thus, it does not appear to be the case 

 that they may be grown so easily or cheaply ; and as to the quality, the 

 best evidence of the difficulty of producing superior, high-colored fruit is 

 the fact, mentioned by you, tliat so large a proportion in Boston market is 

 of such inferior quality. The confinement and trouble, care and expense, 

 attending the growing fine forced grapes, is very great; and these re- 

 marks of yours would lead an inexperienced person, who acted on them, to 

 be sadly disappointed. The grape has a strong propensity to bear fruit 

 early ; and the first year of fruiting often ripens a very large crop, to its 

 damage for years after. — Yours., ^9. 



VOL. IX. — NO. V. 25 



