Preserving Grapes through Winter and Spring. 197 



keep up a temperature constantly equal — all of which are essential 

 to the well-being of fruits, and none of which can possibly be at- 

 tained in the house in which the grapes are grown. It would, of 

 course, be wise, in arranging a room of the sort, to have hollow 

 walls and other contrivances to attain the conditions under which 

 fruit is known to keep best. M. Charmeaux, the great grape 

 grower of Thomdry, was, I believe, the first to try it extensively. 

 Now as we grow by far the best and largest quantity of hothouse 

 grapes of any country, this method will prove of far more use to us 

 than to the French. I was. told by experienced French gardeners 

 who have adopted the system, that they keep the fruit as long this 

 way as upon the vine, with fewer mouldy berries, and almost with- 

 out trouble ; and it is not likely that a man would cut down half a 

 dozen houses of fine grapes at the beginning of October unless he 

 had already proved it to be a good system. 



The advantage of having all the stock of grapes safely housed and 

 away from the attacks of vermin and other interlopers, is another 

 of many advantages presented by this plan, which I now leave in 

 the reader's hands for trial, confident that it will prove a great boon 

 to the grape grower, and tend to make that fruit — everyday grow- 

 ing in popularity — a great deal more enjoyable and obtainable in 

 the winter and early spring months. For if it be a process requir- 

 ing much care in large well-conducted gardens, how much more 

 difficult must it be for the large class of amateurs and small gar- 

 deners to preserve their fruit in good condition ? In places where 

 the stock of grapes is not sufficient to require a special room for 

 their keeping, part of the fruit room might be adopted, or even a 

 dry cellar or store room. 



The above was written previous to visiting M. Rose Char- 

 meaux, with whom the system originated. I have since seen his 

 grapes stored for the winter ; the method was in full working order, 

 and even more simple and effective than could have been supposed. 

 He began by having a stove and a couple of chimneys to keep right 

 the atmosphere of his large grape-room ; but finding that the grapes 

 keep very much better without this, he now simply devotes to his 



