THE VINE AND ITS ERUIT. 



305 



carry. All lateral shoots formad on the previous 

 year's wood should be pinched of: to a single hud) as 

 in Fig. 15 at ffi, and any loose hark removed, when they 

 may he ■well washed with soap and water, and 

 dressed with Gishurst compound, as in the preceding 

 season — ^that is, if spider has put in an appearance ; 

 otherwise, the Gishurst may be dispensed with, as 

 insecticides are of no use where there are no insects 

 to kill. As the vines have as yet only three feet of 

 internal, and a like width of external border, an ad- 

 ditional two feet may be added to each side while 

 there is yet time for the points of the roots to make 

 fresh spongioles. If the di'ainage, as well as the 

 border, is made piecemeal, add suitable widths of 

 broken brick, then cover with turf, grass side down- 

 wards ; use turf for retaining walls, and make up 

 with good turfy loam, to which the usual quantity 

 of bones, lime rubble, and other materials, which 

 wiU sustain the roots after the fibre has gone, must 



rig. 15.— Stopping. 



be added. Before making the addition, pick a little 

 of the old turf walls away with a hand-fork ; take 

 the points off any strong protruding roots, to make 

 them throw out more hard fibres ; make up the new 

 compost in a way that it wiU adhere to the old 

 border, and cover the outside portion with plenty of 

 fresh stable litter. Having cleansed the house tho- 

 roughly, wash the walls with quicklime and a'little 

 sulphur, top-dress the border, but defer mulching. 



Third and Fruiting Year.— Having decided 

 upon the period at which the vines under treatment 

 shaU give ripe fruit, the house should be shut up 

 nearly, if not quite, six months in advance of that 

 time— say on the 1st of January, to have grapes fit 

 to cut in June— and so on for successional crops of 

 early and mid-season grapes. The latest house 

 should not, however, be allowed to remain inactive 

 20 



after the first week in March, as all winter grapes 

 should be thoroughly ripe by the first week in Sep- 

 tember, otherwise much fire-heat will be needed to 

 ripen up the fruit and wood, and even then it is very 

 doubtful if the grapes will not begin to shrivel as 

 soon as the leaves fall from the vines. Now, as this 

 condition is fatal to the successful bottling of. lata 

 grapes, and time, both at the beginning and end 

 of forcing, is a- most important consideration in 

 laying on colour and finish, young maiden vines, 

 which do not respond so readily as old ones, should 

 always have plenty of time allowed to commence 

 and finish their growth. Moreover, it is a weU- 

 known fact that three-fourths of the early grapes 

 used in this country are cut as soon as they are 

 black, or as black as they ever would be ; but they 

 are not ripe, and the first bunches hear nc compari- 

 son to the last, a fair proof that time is of much con- 

 sequence, at least where quality is the test of merit. 



Therefore, assuming that the vigorous young canes 

 which have been resting since the middle of October, 

 with their points drawn down to the surface of the 

 border, to equalise the sap and so help the lowest 

 and least prominent buds forward, were shut up at 

 the time mentioned, the first fortnight may be de- 

 voted to preliminaries, but no fire-heat will be 

 needed unless the temperature falls below 45°, 

 neither will ventilation be required. After that' 

 period, a minimum of 50", with a rise of 5° by 

 day, win suffice, with regular syringing, until the 

 buds begin to break, when it may bo gradually 

 raised to 60° at night, with » rise of 10° 

 from solar and fire-heat by day. At these tem- 

 peratures, the house containing Hamburghs and 

 varieties requiring Hamiburgh treatment ma,y remain 

 until the shoots have run out three or four inches, 

 when a further rise of 5° will suffice, until the 

 grapes come into fiower. Many people give Ham- 

 burghs a minimum heat of 70?, and Muscats 75", 

 when they are setting, but the roots being right, 

 they wUl set just as well at 65° and 70° respec- 

 tively, with a rise of 10° to 15° by day. 



As bottom heat is of great importance, both in 

 starting the vines and setting the fruit, some kind 

 of material should he applied as soon as the buds 

 begin to swell, to raise the temperatm-e of the roots 

 to about 60° or 65°. In wooded districts, where 

 oak or beech leaves can be obtained, a good body of 

 these placed along the front of the internal and ex- 

 tenml borders, and a few on the surface, will be 

 found invaluable, as they give off a continuous mild 

 moist heat, favourable to the swelling and breaking 

 of the buds, and so reduce the necessity of constant 

 firing and incessant syringing. Where borders are 

 made piecemeal, as has been suggested, the areas 

 left for the reception of future additions of compost 



