306 THE GRAPE. 



foliage, appropriates for As own support a portion of the juices 

 of the phmt that is generated by those branches that do produce 

 foHage." 



Routine of culture. In a vinery without heat this is com- 

 paratively simple. As soon as the vines commence swelling 

 their buds in the spring, they should be carefully washed with 

 mild soap suds, to free them from any insects, soften the wood, 

 and assist the buds to swell regularly. At least three or four 

 times every week, they should be well syringed with water, 

 which, when the weather is cool, should always be done in the 

 morning. And every day the vine border should be duly sup- 

 plied with water. During the time when the vines are in blos- 

 som, and while the fruit is setting, all sprinkling or syringing 

 over the leaves must be suspended, and the house should be 

 kept a little more closed and warm than usual, and should any 

 indications of mildew appear on any of the branches it may at 

 once be checked by dusting them with flower of sulphur. Air 

 must be given liberally every day when the temperature rises 

 in the house, beginning by sliding down the top sashes a little in 

 the morning, more at mid-day, and then gradually closing them 

 in the same manner. To guard ao;ainst the sudden changes of 

 temperature out of doors, and at the same time to keep up as 

 moist and warm a state of the atmosphere within the vinery as 

 is consistent w^ith pretty free admission of the air during sun- 

 shine, is the great object of culture in a vinery of this kind. 



Thinning the fruit is a very necessary practice in all vine- 

 ries — and on it depends greatly the flavour, as well as the fine 

 appearance and size of the berries and bunches. The first 

 thinning usually consists in taking off all superfluous blossom 

 buds, leaving only one bunch in the large sorts or two in the 

 small ones to each bearing shoot. The next thinning takes 

 place when the berries are set and well formed, and is per- 

 formed with a pair of scissors, taking care not to touch the ber- 

 ries that are left to grow. All this time, one third of the berries 

 should be taken off with the point of the scissors, especially 

 those in the centre of the cluster. Tliis allows the remainder 

 to swell to double the size, and also to form larger bunches than 

 would otherwise be produced. Where the bunches are large, 

 the shoulders should be suspended from the trellis by threads, in 

 order to take off part of the weight from the stem of the vine. 

 The last thinning, which is done chiefly to regulate the form of 

 the bunch, is done by many gardeners, just before the fruit be- 

 gins to colour — but it is scarcely needed if the previous thinning 

 of the berries has been thoroughly done. 



The regular autumnal pruning is best performed about the 

 middle of November. The vines should then be taken down, 

 laid down on the border, and covered for the winter with a thick 

 layer of straw, or a slight covering of earth. 



