JAN. 3 GRAPES. 32 1 



ber. To go through the minutiae of forcing more 

 than one house, would require more room than can 

 be spared in this volume. I shall therefore confine 

 my observations to one compartment, commencing 

 at a medium season, in order to answer the purpose 

 in a general point of view. I shall suppose the for- 

 cing is to begin the first of February ; that the plants 

 are three or four years old, fully established, heal- 

 thy, in good order, the wood having been well 

 ripened ; and that they have been pruned in Octo- 

 ber or November ; which see. 



About the middle of the month, let the border 

 be pointed or forked over carefully ; and let it be 

 watered all over with the drainings of the dung- 

 hil ; which repeat at the end of four or five days, 

 and also again, at a like interval ; giving as much 

 as will sink down to the deepest-placed roots and 

 fibres. The border on the outside should also be 

 covered, or rather should already have been covered, 

 to a good thickness, with stable-yard dung $ not, 

 however, mere litter, but good fresh dung, the 

 juices of which may be washed down to the benefit 

 of the roots. The intention of this covering is 

 to answer as a manure ; and also to keep severe 

 frost from the roots, from the time the sap is put in 

 motion, till the spring be so far advanced as that 

 the plants shall sustain no injury. Previous to laying 

 on the diing, the border should be pointed or fork- 

 ed over, that the juices may descend the more 

 readily to the roots, and not be washed off. 



From the middle of the month, the house should 

 be shut up at night, and have plenty of air through 



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