100 THE CULTURE OF THE GBAPE. 



glass, in a cold grapery, whicli is now suffering from a 

 change in the temperature of 40" in the daytime, and 

 10° or 16° in the night. 



The Catawba grape, a native variety, is so subject to 

 shanking under glass, that, were it desirable to cultivate 

 it there, it would not be practicable. 



If the grapery, though not intended to be forced, is 

 provided with a furnace and flue, or the Polmaise system 

 of heating is introduced into the house, to be used when 

 occasion may require it, (and there is nothing to be ap- 

 prehended from this evil excepting when the grapes are 

 changing color and taking their last swell,) there will be 

 no danger of any serious loss of fruit, provided every 

 other care is given to the house and crop as directed. 

 But where the house is not provided with the means of 

 artificial heat, promoting a free circulation of air in 

 bright days, by throwing open freely the doors and win- 

 dows, and keeping as low a temperature as possible in 

 warm weather, is the safest mode of procedure. The 

 desire to ripen the fruit early, causes the house to be 

 kept warmer than prudence dictates. In our climate, 

 we are not always subject to this pest ; when the month 

 of September is dry and clear, we escape altogether. 



Every conceivable reason has been assigned as the 

 cause of shanking and shrivelling of grapes, by different 

 gardeners, and as frequently a certain remedy has been 

 recommended ; still, the evil exists. The term shanking 

 is used when the stem of the bunch is affected, and shri- 

 velling when only the footstalk of the berries is attacked. 

 As this is the worst enemy the cultivator of this fruit 

 has to contend with, I shall, in their own words, give the 



