CULTIVATION OF FRUIT 



443 



C, 



FIG. 3& Vine. Showing method 

 of planting. 



maintain a warm, moist atmosphere so conducive to growth would 



be useless. More air and less heat and moisture should now be given 



gradually, until in a few weeks' 



time the vinery is kept com- 

 pletely cool, the ventilators being 



left open night and day. By the 



month of December the wood 



will have thoroughly ripened, the 



leaves have fallen, and the buds 



in the axils of them have fully 



developed. 



At this period it is necessary, 



strange though it may seem, to 



cut down the Vine cane that 



probably has reached half-way up 

 the roof 

 of the 

 house 

 to within 

 two good 

 buds of 

 its base, 



i.e. usually about 2 or 3 inches above ground. 

 The object of this operation is to establish the 

 Vine well before allowing it to bear fruit, and 

 also to enable it to form a good, strong stem. 

 It is evident that if the first year's cane were 

 left half or the whole of its length, and the 

 following year side shoots were allowed to de- 

 velop, both the former and the latter would be 

 very weak. Keep the vinery quite cool until 

 the first week in April, when it may be closed. 

 No fire heat is necessary, except in very cold 

 weather. 



A night temperature of 50 degrees is 

 sufficient for the first few weeks. When the 

 thermometer registers 65 degrees during the 

 day the top ventilators should be opened 2 

 or 3 inches, and if the sun continues to shine 

 more air, both at the top and front of the 

 vinery, must be given in the course of an hour 

 / / ' or so. Syringe the pathways and walks of the 



FIG. 39. Vine. One year house occasionally, especially when the venti- 



old. Prune to dotted lators are closed in the afternoon. The ther- 



lines. mometer then may register as high as 80 



degrees without any danger. Taking advantage 



of the heat of the sun in this way lessens the need of so much fire heat, 



and is far better for the Vines. A house that is thus thoroughly warmed 



