74 THE GRAPE, 
As the grapes contitue to color, admit more air in cleas 
days, open the 1 wer ventilators, a little at first, gradually 
increasing, till a free current is obtained, which will assist 
very much in improving the quality in all respects, and 
likewise help in ripening the wood. 
After all are ripe, the house may be thrown open day 
and night, excepting in storms or wet weather, when it 
ought to be partially closed, so as to exclude the rain, and 
at the same time leave air to prevent the grapes from be- 
coming mouldy or cracked. 
When frosty nights begin to occur, the house ought to 
be closed in the evening, and opened again early in the 
morning. Let the temperature gradually cool down, but 
keep the leaves from injury, for the grand object now is to 
preserve them until they fall off perfectly ripe, when we 
know that nature is satisfied, and the wood sufficiently 
d to insure all requirements for another season’s 
development. 
Immediately after the leaves are fallen is the best time — 
to prune; and as we are now considered to be dealing 
with vines which have had two summers’ growth, cut 
down the cane of the present season to the same length, 
according to size or vigor, and likewise disbud it, as ad- 
_ vised for the last fall pruning, which will make a total 
length from tke bottom of nine to twelve feet. Cut the 
side spurs to three or four buds from the extreme base, 
according as they may be plump or well rounded, and at 
__ the same time peel off the loose bark from the ontside of 
