614 Wesi London Gardeners' Association, 



ing, and a small number of bunches were considerably shriveled. The treat- 

 ment every year being the same. The results seemed to indicate that, when 

 the plant had got too much to do, it showed its unfitness for the task ; first, 

 in a deficiency of colouring, and then in shanking and shriveling. He con- 

 sidered that the disease was not produced by a close moist atmosphere, as the 

 house he referred to was heated parti}' by fermented dung placed inside the 

 house, and always kept in a wet working state until the berries began to colour. 

 Neither did he conceive that it proceeded from want of air, as he never gave 

 any air at night before the fruit was colouring, and very little during the day ; 

 although he was careful to give a little in the morning, that the leaves and fruit 

 might be dried before the sun became powerful. Nor did he conceive it pro- 

 ceeded from too much heat, when that heat was properly applied ; that is, when 

 a high temperature was kept up by day, especially in sunshine, and the house 

 allowed to fall at night. He then mentioned instances tending to show that 

 the imperfect state of the fruit was frequently owing to the keeping up of a 

 high temperature both by night and by day, by which the excitability of the 

 plant became exhausted before its proper functions were performed, and ended 

 with advising to force the roots simultaneously with the tops. To keep a 

 higher temperature during the day, and lower at night than was generally prac- 

 tised, and to give a little air the first thing in the morning. 



Mr. Russel attributed the shanking of grapes out of doors to the confined 

 situation in which they were placed. He attributed shanking solely to the ma- 

 nagement. He mentioned some instances for the purpose of showing that 

 extremes of temperature and sudden changes would effect it, but did not con- 

 sider that it was at all owing to the crop or to the state of the roots. 



Mr. Caie considered that shanking was in some degree promoted by not 

 regulating the temperature according to the constitution of the plant. He 

 confirmed this idea by detailing instances of some vines bearing shanks and 

 unhealthy bunches in the same house in which others were healthy and 

 luxuriant. 



Mr. Adams considered that the evil did not proceed from irregularity in 

 giving air, as he had seen the bunches shank for years where the utmost care 

 was taken. He thought it arose from the borders of the houses referred to 

 being deep, as he conceived that as the heat in the human body was pro- 

 duced by the formation of carbonic acid gas, so the heat in the earth, produced 

 by the same means, would be quite sufficient, provided a httle litter was scat- 

 tered over the border, to prevent the radiation of that heat. 



Mr. Russel stated that it was a remarkable fact that carbonic acid gas should 

 produce heat, as he had been informed it had lately been compressed into a 

 solid, and constituted the most powerful freezing principle. 



Mr. Stormont could assign no reasons for the shanking of grapes, after having 

 seen a great many methods to prevent it. 



Mr. M'Kenzie considered a damp stagnant atmosphere as the principal 

 cause ; advised thinning the berries well, and letting in plenty of air, by re- 

 moving all superabundant leaves and shoots, and giving plenty of nourishment 

 to the roots, especially if planted inside. 



Mr. Gi"ey did not think the shanking proceeded either from an irregularity 

 in giving air, or from a too high temperature at night. He alluded to a 

 vinery kept regularly to 75° at night, and there was not a shanked berr}' in 

 the house. He also mentioned instances tending to show that moisture in 

 the atmosphere was not the cause, but thought it might be the result of the 

 tree exerting itself to get rid of what it could not bring to maturity. He 

 also mentioned an instance of grapes being cured of shanking by burying two 

 dead horses in the border, showing that the plants had wanted nutriment. He 

 also had seen the disease remedied by raising the roots. 



Mr. Massey considered we had made no pi'ogress in the cultivation of the 

 grape, as the disease was always becoming more prevalent. It was considered 

 to be chiefly owing to the state of the borders. He had generally found vines 

 planted inside worst, which he attributed to deficiency of nutriment and 



