VINE. 267 



best to remove the Vines outside of the house, 

 or to take the sashes away as soon as the 

 Vines are pruned. 



The time of commencing forcing the Vines 

 the following spring, must be regulated by 

 the period at which it is desired to have ripe 

 fruit, allowing sixteen weeks from the com- 

 mencement of forcing to the ripening of the 

 fruit; but the nearer it is to the period when 

 the Vines naturally begin to vegetate, the 

 more cerain is an abundant crop of fine fruit 

 to be obtained. 



When forcing is commenced, if the sashes 

 have been removed from the house, let 

 them be replaced a week or more previous 

 to any fire heat being applied; also if the 

 border outside the house is not in a very 

 moist condition, let it now have a good water- 

 ing with drainings from the dunghill. If 

 there be a border inside the house, it must 

 also be watered at the same time. 



This attention to watering must be prac- 

 tised occasionally, so as to keep the borders 

 in a moist (but not wet) condition, until the 

 fruit is better than half swelled, when it may 

 be entirely given up for that season. If ma- 

 nure water cannot always be had for this 

 purpose, soft pond water may be used in- 

 stead. As soon after as it is remarked that 

 the buds have begun to swell, let a little fire 

 heat be introduced, so as to raise the ther- 

 mometer to 60 degrees. 



