146 [A 



SSEMBLY 



the roofs being protected by covering the border with long stable 

 manure to the depth C>f six inches. 



On the 12(h of March, 1845, the vines were uncovered, and well 

 washed with soft soap and sulphur, with the view of softening the 

 ■wood, divest them of dust, kill insects, and prevent mildew; the af- 

 ter treatment the same as before. The vines were suffered to pro- 

 duce from six to eight clusters each, these were brought to great per- 

 fection; the leading shoot from each vine was again carried up to 

 the angle of the roof. The buds which produced fiuit were stopped 

 two joints above the fruit, the clusters nearest home being generally 

 selected, all laterals being stopped at two joints, and so continued 

 through the growing season; the farthest extremity of the main shoot 

 after being once stopped, suffered to run riot. 



In November, the vines were again pruned, the main shoot being 

 reduced one-third, and the shoots which had produced fruit, cut back 

 to one, or at the farthest two eyes; the vines and border protected, 

 as in the preceding seasons. 



March 17th, 1846, the vines were again treated as in IMarch 1845, 

 and tied up to the rafters, one-third of each vine being lied up to 

 within two feet of the glass, the remainder left pendant, till all the 

 buds had broken. A humid atmosphere was maintained till the 17th 

 of May, when the grapes were in bloom. For near three weeks af- 

 ter this lime we had very dull, cloudy and wet weather, the tempe- 

 rature of the house seldom exceeding 65 degrees; but being deter- 

 mined thoroughly to test the practicability of growing grapes in this 

 climate without lire heat, I applied no fire in two houses, and was 

 surprised myself to set the fr-.iit at so low a temperature. I of course 

 kept the houses as dry as possible during the time they were in 

 bloom, and availed myself of the advantages of a little sun shine to 

 gently shake the vines or clusters, so as to disperse the farina, 



I had an extraordinary show of fruit in each house, but thinned 

 out at least two-thirds of the clusters, and one-third of berries on 

 the remaining clusters, leaving but fifteen clusters on each of the 

 large growing grapes, such as the black Hamburg, and not more 

 than 20 on the Muscadine, Chasselas, &c. This appears a great sac- 

 rifice of crop, but I am convinced, that over cropping a vine is one 

 of the greatest errors of grape culture in this climate. 



By over cropping, you not only injure the constitution of the vine, 

 but it is impossible to color the fruit; and consequently it is almost 



