82 THE CULTURE OF THE GKAPE. 



commencing to bloom, keep up a very liumid tempera- 

 ture by day, gradually raising the nigbt temperature to 

 65° or 68° at the time of blooming, raising the day tem- 

 perature in proportion. I always keep the house humid 

 and close fiom the time the buds have sprung two or 

 three inches imtil they are changing color; (when in 

 bloom they will require to be kept dryer.) I never give 

 air, after the shoots are stopped, up to the fruit changing 

 color, till tlie thermometer attains 80°, and this being a 

 humid and cold climate, in dull weather I have the boil- 

 ers worked in the fore part of the day, letting them cool 

 down in the afternoon, so that I use little or no fire in 

 the night; but, as I said before, give heat with light, and 

 allow the house to get cool with darkness, the very re- 

 verse of the old practice in forcing the vine. 



" As your fruit proceeds in swelling, keep the night 

 temperature to the point as stated for blooming, until the 

 berries are stoned ; you may then raise a few degrees, 

 but at no period do I exceed 70° in the night. They 

 will now swell apace ; take off all laterals, keeping the 

 house very humid ; you may allow the temperature to 

 rise, by sun heat, to 90°, 95°, or 100°, or even higher, so 

 that you keep a very moist atmosphere. Examine your 

 border when the fruit is stoned ; if the heat-has greatly 

 declined, add more fermenting material/for upon this, in 

 an equal degree as on the temperature of the house, de- 

 pends the success of noble swelled fruit. Your vines, if 

 any are planted on the back wall, or otherwise inside the 

 house, must have every attention paid them as to mois- 

 ture at the root, summer pruning, and, in other respects, 

 be treated as the roof vines. When the foliage is fully 



