OF VINES. 189 



them hang till the middle of November, only 

 covering them with nets, or buntine. 



When the frost begins to set in sharp, you 

 should then gather the grapes. Where there are 

 several bunches in one branch you may cut it off, 

 leaving about six inches in length, or more, of the 

 wood, according to the distance between the 

 bunches, and a little on the outside of the fruit at 

 each end ; seal both ends with some common seal- 

 ing-wax, such as Wine-merchants use for sealing 

 their bottles with, which you may buy at the Wax- 

 chandler's ; then hang them across a line in a dry 

 room, taking care to clip out, with a pair of scis- 

 sars, any of the berries that begin to decay or 

 become mouldy, which if left would taint the 

 others. In this way I have kept Grapes till the 

 sixth of February ; but, if they are cut before 

 the bunches are too ripe, they may be kept much 

 longer. 



Having plenty of Grapes in the Winter makes 

 a great addition for the table ; and, if properly 

 kept, they will be of a much finer flavour than the 

 Portugal Grapes, which are generally at a very 

 high price during the Winter and Spring. 



Grapes may also be kept by packing them in 

 jars (every bunch being first wrapped up in soft 

 paper), and covering every layer with bran, which 

 should be well dried before it is used, laying a 

 little of it in the bottom of the jar ; then a layer 

 of Grapes, and so on, a layer of bran and of 

 Grapes alternately, till you have filled the jar; 



