171? ^w the Potato^ 



early (say Feb. 15.)> let the temperature be low (say 50° Fah- 

 renheit), and the atmosphere moist, that the vines may break at 

 all the eyes. The canes, for this purpose, ought to be laid quite 

 level ; and, as soon as shoots have been protruded from the eyes, 

 the canes may be fixed to the trellis, and the temperature in- 

 creased ; but I should by no means allow them to bear fruit yet 

 (unless, perhaps, a cluster on each vine, to prove the sorts). If I 

 intended to force for early fruit the third year, to save repetition, 

 I shall refer to the " Diary of Forcing," which I have already 

 given (Vol. X. p. S^?.)- 1 o have grapes in their proper season, 

 I would begin to excite the vines in the middle of March, by 

 keeping the temperature about 50° or ^^° Fahr. : if it will keep 

 at this without fire heat, so much the better. When the vines 

 are coming into flower, 60° Fahr. would do them good ; and, 

 after that is over, and the fruit thinned, they will do very well 

 at B6° Fahr. as a minimum, and at 85° Fahr. as a maximum, 

 of sun heat. I would cause the lateral shoots, or spurs, to bear 

 the grapes, which I would stop at one joint beyond the fruit, 

 and, in pruning, cut back to one eye. 



That I may be clearly understood, I shall assume dates : — 



Jan. 1. 1836. Vine eyes potted. Feb. 14. 1838. Vines excited. 



Nov. 1. 1836. Vine border finished. Sept. 1. 1838. Vines uncovered. 



Feb. 14. 1837. Vines planted. Jan. 1. 1839. Canes pruned. 



Jan. 1. 1838. Canes pruned or cut March 15. 1839. Vines excited, 



back. July, 1839. The fruit ripe. 



The sorts I would cultivate are, Muscat of Alexandria, Dutch 

 Sweetwater, White Frontignan, White Muscadine, Black 

 Hamburg, Black Prince, Black Frontignan for vineries, and 

 Black Esp^rione and White Muscadine for walls. 



Art. IX. On the Potato, particularly the early Varieties. 

 By A. Forsyth. 



My respected father cultivated this root during a period of 

 half a century ; and I have prepared sets, planted and cultivated 

 them, after his instructions, under his eye, and since that time, 

 for a period of nearly twenty years. I have also had it in my 

 power to mark their culture in different parts of Britain (some 

 500 miles between), in various soils, and under various circum- 

 stances, with as various success ; and, notwithstanding all the 

 experiments that have been made (as detailed in the Horticul- 

 tural Transactions^ and other papers on this subject to which I 

 have had access), it does not appear to me that any of the 

 writers have reached the root of the evil. 



In the first place, then, according to our theory, there is a 

 radical error in the practice, much in vogue among the growers 



