38 MARKET NURSERY WORK 



rule applies to grape vines as much as to any, therefore in 

 watering give to the plants as much as they need, but no more. 

 The soil of the bed must be wholesomely moist, but never wet ; 

 the atmosphere humid rather than dry. Grapes cannot be 

 successfully grown without the aid of the syringe or its equivalent, 

 quite apart from its enforced use as a deterrent for several 

 insect pests. What is generally known as a " growing " atmo- 

 sphere is the ideal, approximating that of a warm, moist May 

 morning, when we are accustomed to say, " you can see things 

 grow." But as } 7 et there must be no forcing, and the ventilation 

 must be the safety-valve in that respect. If the atmosphere 

 is too close the growth of the vine will be rapid and weak, the 

 exact opposite of what we want. Palpably, then, we must 

 strike the happy medium and carefully avoid any extreme in 

 the atmospheric conditions. 



The first year's growth will probably be not less than 8 feet 

 or 9 feet, and this might be stopped towards the end of August 

 to throw what remains of the diminishing energy into the eyes, 

 too late to excite lateral growth. As the foliage shows signs 

 of ripening water must be almost withheld, but not to such an 

 extent as to reduce the border to dust. Early in December 

 the rod will be headed back to within 6 feet, select- 

 ing a good developed bud at which to cut back. At 

 this point the second year's work may be said to have 

 commenced. 



SECOND YEAR 



The " positive " for the second year is made up of the two 

 " negatives," viz., there must be no forcing and there must be 

 no crop. In March the border must be given its first watering 

 of the season ; the young rods must have their ties removed, 

 and be bent well over to check the natural tendency of the 

 rising sap to rush to the extremity of the rod, and so to divert 

 it to the lower eyes until it has started them into growth. 

 When quite sure that these lower growths have made sufficient 

 headway as to command their supplies of sap, straighten the 

 rods and tie them in position, never doubting for a moment 

 that the top eyes will speedily catch up with the lower ones. 



