94 FRUIT CULTURE UNDER GLASS. 



the months of April and May, the night temperature 

 should be 75°. As soon as the grapes begin to 

 colour, a slight and gradual decrease of temperature 

 should take place ; and in the case of summer-ripened 

 grapes, entirely discontinued after they are quite ripe. 

 I have always found that grapes that have plenty of 

 time to colour put on the finest finish both in colour and 

 bloom. 



Moisture. — As soon as artificial heat is applied, 

 syringe the vines three times a-day with clean water at 

 the same temperature as the air, or rather warmer. 

 Keep the steaming-tray full night and day. A moist 

 atmosphere, as all early forcers of the vine are aware, is 

 of great importance in exciting vines to start regularly 

 and freely. It keeps the bark on the stem moist as well 

 as the coating on the buds, and is much more favour- 

 able to a good " break " than dryness. Continue the 

 syringing till the first young leaves are formed, then 

 discontinue it, and do not resume it again till the 

 grapes are cut, unless rendered necessary by the pre- 

 sence of red-spider. There is, perhaps, no urgent 

 objection against constantly syringing the foliage, ex- 

 cept when the vines are in bloom and the grapes 

 colouring. But, unless to keep down red-spider, I 

 could never see that it did any good ; and to syringe 

 with some waters in which there are deposits such as 

 lime, spoils the appearance of the fruit. Moreover, 

 syringing has the objectionable tendency to drive the 

 foliage out of its natural position. And on bright morn- 

 ings, if all the moisture is not dried up through the 

 night, there is a risk of getting the leaves injured by the 

 rapid evaporation of the moisture off the leaf, or what 

 is generally termed scalding. 



