400 THE FORCING GARDEN. [jUNE. 



ripe in autumn, it is a good method to cover the 

 border within the house an inch or two with small 

 gravel (not sand), which has an eftect in dispelling 

 damps, and purifying the internal air. 



With respect to the gathering of grapes, they 

 should be allowed to hang till fully matured and 

 ripened ; especially the thick skinned, and fleshy 

 sorts. Even the thin skinned and juicy kinds, as 

 the White Sweet- Water, White Frontinac, and 

 Muscadine, (that are often cut before nearly ripe,) 

 are much improved in flavour, by being allowed to 

 remain on the plant till the skin become transpa- 

 rent, and of a russet or yellowish colour. See de- 

 scription of Grapes, Section III. on the Kinds of 

 Fruits for forcing. 



When the fruit are all gathered, prune off the 

 stubs, or short shoots on which the clusters were ; 

 and, if the summer shoots trained for the produc- 

 tion of a crop next season, have been trained on an 

 under trellis, let them be lifted to the upper one, 

 that they may be nearer to the sun and air, and so 

 may be the better matured. 



Now also let the border be heartily watered, and 

 so as that the water may descend to the lowest roots 

 and fibres ; which occasionally repeat, in a mo- 

 derate manner, while the above-mentioned shoots 

 require it ; that is, till they begin to shed their 

 leaves. Also, resume the operations of the engine 

 on the foliage ; as the red-spider, if he have not 

 already again made his appearance, will undoubted- 

 ly do so ; the weather being now dry and hot, and 



