134 THE CULTURE OF THE GEAPE. 



the autumn of 1739, while the grapes were yet on the 

 vines, was of such intensity as to kill a remarkable vine 

 of the White Muscat variety. This vine was exposed to 

 the south, and protected from the cold winds ; it was iu 

 the Eue Poiture, at Besangon. The age of this vine was 

 unknown, but the stem was about six feet in thickness, 

 the branches extended to about forty-six feet high, and 

 spread over a wall more than one hundred and thirty- 

 three feet. The death of this remarkable vine caused a 

 painful sensation through the whole province." — Cha/ptal, 

 Traits sur la Culture de la Vi^ne, p. 144:. 



It is unusual to see a bunch of Black Hamburgh grapes 

 weighing more than four pounds. At the exhibition of 

 the London Horticultural Society, at Chiswick, on the 

 9th of July, 1836, there M'as shown a very fine bunch of 

 this variety which weighed eight pounds and six ounces ; 

 it is mentioned in Loudon's Magazine as " hitherto un- 

 rivalled ;" see vol. 12th, page 444.* 



A simple furnace and flue, to run along the front of 

 the house, even when it is not intended to force, is desi- 

 rable, as a small fire can then be made in wet weather, 

 and, after the fruit is ripe, by keeping the air dry, you 

 will be able to preserve the grapes sound a great length 

 of time. 



The fall pruning of the fourth year will leave the vine 

 established at the proper length at which it may ever re- 

 main; the fall trimming the fifth year, and ever after, 

 will be the same as that of the fourth, — cutting the lead- 

 ing cane back to the dormant eyes. 



* I had the satisfaction of seeing this bunch of grapes; it probably is the 

 largest bunch of this liind ever gro^n. 



