Premature Shriveling of Grapes. 137 



clipping it ; the back is then to be replaced, and two iron bars, 

 with link ends, placed under the box ; four chains from the 

 rollers are then hooked into the link ends, and the chains are 

 afterwards wound upon the rollers by means of a cast-iron wheel 

 and pinion attached to the axis of the same, and worked by four 

 hand-winches. This being done, the tree and box remain sus- 

 pended in the centre; and there is a stopper to each pinion 

 wheel, by the removal of which the chain is unwound, and the 

 tree is, when required, lowered down gradually with rapidity 

 and ease. 



This machine possesses many advantages; namely, two men 

 are hereby enabled to carry trees of upwards of a ton weight, 

 which commonly require eight or ten men to effect their removal 

 by a common truck. Also, in some instances, the entrances of 

 orangeries or other houses are too contracted in height to 

 admit of trees being removed upright, and it necessarily takes 

 much time and labour to get them out safely by a common 

 machine ; whereas by this one, the difficulty is entirely obviated ; 

 for, by winding the chains on one of the rollers more than 

 the others, the head of the tree becomes depressed in propor- 

 tion, and the purpose is effected without any additional labour 

 whatever. 



I am, Sir, yours, &c. 

 St. Margaret's Gardens, John Davidson. 



Nov. 22. 1833. 



Art. X. On the premature Shriveling of Grapes in Forcing- Houses. 

 By Mr. J. D. Parkes, F.H.S., Nurseryman, Dartford. 



Sir, 



A Variety of causes have been assigned for that disease in 

 forced grapes which produces a shriveled appearance in the 

 footstalks of the bunches, and also a want of size and colour in 

 the berries ; more especially in the Frontignans and muscats. 

 Some consider that it proceeds from the roots being too deep in 

 the ground ; others think that it is occasioned by the temperature 

 of the earth in which the root grows (when vines are planted 

 outside the house) being so much lower that that of the atmo- 

 sphere within; and some attribute the disease to a want of air. 



Having observed that early forced grapes are in general free 

 from this disease, and that it never occurs to grapes grown in 

 the open air; and having found, in a house under my care, that 

 some bunches immediately over a steam-pipe were free from it; 

 I have come to the conclusion that the cause is, stagnation of 

 cold moist air ; and the remedy, the application of artificial heat, 

 to such an extent (even in summer, when the weather is cloudy) 



