388 Treatmmit and Management of the Vines. 



forth their buds and grew vigorously and with great strength 

 during the season, and they are at the present time heavily 

 laden with fruit. The other ninety-one vines were in fine 

 condition. They were at once tied up to the trellis at the 

 front of the house, and secured in a pendent position, there 

 to remain until the eyes had grown about an inch, more or 

 less. During this time the whole of the vines were syringed 

 with water in the most thorough manner every fine morning, 

 and a humid atmosphere kept up, at the same time well ven- 

 tilating the grapery every fine day. The reason why the 

 vines were not immediately tied closely up to the trellis, at 

 the time of being uncovered from their winter quarters, was 

 to insure the more regular breaking and growth of the buds ; 

 and although it is not always necessary to use this precau- 

 tion on a vine that is fruited from spurs, I still would recom- 

 mend this practice to be generally followed. But in the present 

 instance, there was three or four feet of a cane of the previous 

 year's growth at the extremity of each spurred vine, which 

 would not have broken its buds so even and regularly if the 

 placing of the vine in a pendent position had notbeen adhered to. 

 A strong rod or cane cannot be managed with any certainty of 

 success, or the breaking of the buds accomplished, without 

 being placed in such a position. 



Disbudding the shoots. — May 6th. The buds were now 

 pushing rapidly with a strong and healthy appearance, and 

 the house was thoroughly cleansed of all unsightly matter, 

 the ground raked, &c. : airing was also strictly attended to. 

 On the 12th day we began to tie up the vines to the trellis on 

 which they are trained, within twelve or fourteen inches of 

 the glass. This is a part of the business that must be done 

 by a careful hand, for the slightest touch imaginable would 

 break ofi" the now succulent shoots, and not unlikely just 

 where they happen to be the most needed. A free circulation 

 of air at this time, when the weather will allow of it, is indis- 

 pensably necessary, for if this is neglected it will be seen at 

 once, from the feeble growths and weak show of fruit. As 

 this is a cold house, having no artificial heat, it will be neces- 

 sary to guard against the sudden changes of the weather; if 

 it be dull or rainy, the waterings must be diminished ; but on 

 bright sunny days, they should be given unsparingly, — the 



