I02 FRUIT CULTURE UNDER GLASS. 



KEEPING GKAPES THROUGH THE WINTEE. 



To preserve grapes successfully on the vines through 

 the winter months, in the first place the crop should he 

 rather on the light than the heavy side, the berries should 

 be more severely thinned than in the case of summer 

 grapes, and they should be thoroughly well ripened 

 by the end of September. Large bunches should 

 be even more severely thinned than smaller ones, 

 which latter generally keep better than larger ones, 

 because the air circulates more freely through the 

 heart of them, and consequently damp is not so likely 

 to settle about them. It is also of much importance 

 that the foliage should be kept healthy as long after the 

 grapes are ripe as possible. Grapes grown in heavy 

 damp soils are not so likely to keep well as in drier 

 borders ; and in localities where the autumn rainfall is 

 heavy, it is advisable to protect the outside borders from 

 rain before the grapes are quite ripe, for grapes ripened 

 under the influence of wet borders do not keep so well. 

 The inside border should not be damped in any way 

 after the grapes have commenced to colour, but a slight 

 top-dressing of dry finely-pulverised old mushroom-bed 

 dung should be spread over it, and allowed to become 

 perfectly dry and remain so all winter. Not a pot-plant 

 requiring water should be allowed in the house. An 

 equable temperature of from 45° to 50°, according to 

 the weather, should be kept up by means of fire-heat 

 when necessary. Extra heat should be put into the 

 pipes on fine days, and air put on at top and bottom 

 to expel damp from the house. Avoid the practice of 

 firing with the view of drying up damp on wet or 

 foggy days. It has the effect of drawing a stream of 



