General Notices. 341 



but the best description of houses is that which admits the rays of the 

 sun to pass tlirough it in the winter at as near right angles as can be. 

 Such a house, admitting considerably more light during the winter months, 

 is much more suitable for such a plant as the vine than low flat houses. 

 Whatever the house is, if not perfectly ready for the vines when youAvish 

 to begin forcing, get them placed in a dung frame where you can give 

 them a moist heat of 55° ; this will cause their buds to swell regularly, 

 and prepare them for their removal to the fruiting-house, when ready, 

 witiiout losing time. Previous to losing their leaves in the autumn, they 

 may, if tliousjht advisable, be disbudded on Roberts' system, leaving a 

 few more buds than you want bunches ; but one objection to this system 

 is, that if by any accident through the winter the bud should get injured, 

 it leaves a blank which, had the next buds remained, might easily have 

 been supplied. 



The number of bunches that may be left on each vine Mill depend on 

 the soil, size of the pot, &c. When the vines are strong, and No. 2 pots 

 are used, T usually leave six or seven bunches on the Hamburgh, the same 

 on the Sweetwater, and one or two more on the Muscadine. If the vines 

 are not so strong, four or five bunches on the Hamburgh will be sufficient. 

 It is much better to have rather fewer bunches and the berries fine and 

 well colored, than ill-colored puny bunches, which always is the case 

 when too many are left on the vine. The vines from being placed in the 

 house, presuming their buds to be swelled, must have their temperature 

 raised from 55° fire heat to 65° when in bloom, and it will be better if 

 this heat by nigbt is never exceeded ; of course, on all days when there 

 is no likelihood of sun heat, the heat of the house should be raised 5° or 

 10° by artificial means. Air should be admitted by some means or other 

 ■every day, early ; this is of consequence, or the leaves are apt to get 

 damp and their texture being so extremely thin, when the hot sun and 

 drying winds of March act on the foliage, they often burn and shrivel, 

 and consequently are unable to swell off" the fruit or give it color. Dur- 

 ing all the time the vines are in a fruiting state, manure water in some 

 shape or other must be frequently given. Dung Mater is made of various 

 ingredients, but in whatever way it is made it ought to ferment before 

 using, and should be applied in a pure state and at a temperature equal, 

 at least, to that of the house. The draining from farm-yards is always 

 good and safe. I use manure water, made by pouring nearly boiling wa- 

 ter on equal parts of sheep or deer dung, and fresh horse-droppings ; this 

 is fined by a lump of fresh lime, is drawn off clear, and when used is di- 

 luted with equal parts of rain-water. A very weak solution of guano is 

 beneficial, but great caution is required in using it. It is astonishing, 

 during the period of active growth, what an immense quantit}' of dung 

 water vines will take. I have frequently watered them twice a day with 

 it, and this I prefer to placing bottom-pans or feeders under the pots, as is 

 often done. If the dung water is properly cleared and diluted, it may be 

 given twice for fresh water once; when the grapes are f\illy swelled, and 

 hearinning to color, water must be more sparingly applied, using clean 

 water only. The flavor of grapes is often spoiled by being over-watered, 

 when ripening their fruit, bv the proper proportion of carbon and water, 

 which constitutes the saccharine matter in grapes, being destroyed, and 

 Tvater formed in excess. 



When the fruit is ripe, if the house is wanted for other purposes, the 



