246 Observations on tlie Cultivation 



this season, about the latter end of August, at night, or when 

 the nights turn cold; and this fire should be continued until 

 every leaf falls off. The third season, I would allow the shoot 

 in the middle of the sash to remain, nearly to the top of the 

 house, cutting down the other two to two buds, or eyes, which 

 will produce two shoots on each side of the fruiting one, and 

 which are to be trained up to their full length. The house may 

 be shut up about the 1st of March, and the fire lighted about 

 the middle of that month, the heat being raised gradually to 75°, 

 at which it may be kept until the fruit is ripe ; when it should be 

 allowed to fall off by degrees, but not entirely discontinued until 

 the whole of the leaves have fallen off. 



I now come to the winter pruning for the fourth season. It 

 will be observed, that I had one fruiting shoot, and four young 

 shoots, for every sash last year : the old one I would allow to 

 remain, with spurs of three buds, and one of the young shoots 

 on each side of it, nearly to the top of the house; the other two 

 I cut down to two buds, which will produce two young shoots 

 on each side of the three fruiting ones, to be trained up to their 

 full length. If the vines have been all along treated as above, 

 they will now be very strong, and will be able to stand forcing 

 nearly a month earlier, if required ; and also more heat than when 

 they were younger : indeed, I consider that vines, after they 

 have attained to the age of standing forcing, should have much 

 more heat than is commonly given to them. 



I will now describe my method of winter pruning for the fifth 

 year, which will show how I would continue it. It will be ob- 

 served, that I had three fruiting shoots, and four young ones, for 

 every sash last year ; the spurred one I cut away altogether, and 

 spur the two which had only fruited one year, with two of the 

 young shoots, which will leave two for cutting down, to produce 

 four young shoots again. Now, it will be seen that I have always 

 two spurred shoots, and two young shoots fruiting, and two to 

 cut down ; which is not only a regular method of pruning, but 

 one which will keep the vines in a far more growing state, than 

 the common methods of having so much old wood upon them. 

 It will be seen by this regular method of winter pruning, that the 

 summer pruning can be done in much less time, which is also an 

 advantage, by my method of performing ; which is, to pinch off all 

 the laterals which may appear below the fruit, and one bud above 

 it; continuing to pinch off all above the next bud, as the plants 

 grow, for the whole season. With regard to the number of 

 bunches which I would allow to grow on each fruiting spur, it 

 should be all that set well, as the vines will be able to bring to 

 maturity almost all the fruit they show, if treated in the manner 

 I have endeavoured to describe. 



I have said that vines, in my opinion, should have more heat 

 than is usually given to them. I have forced vines at 76° of fire 



