274 FRUIT CULTURE UNDER GLASS. 



fruit prematurely. Later plants are test not shifted till 

 March. Take off and pot any suckers that may be on plants 

 of winter-fruiting sorts from which the fruit is cut. 



Vines. — ^Attend to grapes still hanging as directed last 

 month. Prune all vines as- soon as the fruit is cut from 

 them, and dress all cuts made after this season with styptic, 

 to prevent any chance of their being weakened by bleeding 

 in spring. Wash and otherwise clean and dress succession 

 vines and vineries. Remove superfluous bunches from all 

 free-setting sorts as soon as ever it is apparent which are best 

 to leave. Shy-setting sorts are best left till it is easily seen 

 which are set most perfectly. Should the weather be cold, 

 avoid hard forcing, which in dull sunless weather only debili- 

 tates and defeats the end in view. Keep vines in bloom 

 steadily about 65° at night, with a rather dry atmosphere. 

 Shy-setting sorts may be impregnated by drawing a dry clean 

 hand over the bunches and tapping the vine-stems at mid- 

 day, or a bunch of some free pollen-making variety may be 

 rubbed or shaken among the blooms of shy sorts. Take 

 advantage of forcing on bright sunny days if time is import- 

 ant, shutting up with sun-heat at 80°. Where the early crop 

 is from pot-vines, and now swelling off freely, water regu- 

 larly with manure-water, and the heat for such may be a few 

 degrees more than is desirable for permanent vines. Air- 

 giving should be carefully attended to wherever vines are 

 started, and in all progressive stages a close stagnant atmos- 

 phere is ruinous to vines. Stop the growths as previously 

 directed. Start succession vineries. See that all vines now 

 started have their roots, if outside, properly protected from 

 heavy falls of snow and rain. 



Peaches. — Still continue to force with caution if the 

 weather be cold. Do not much exceed the temperature re- 

 commended last month for the various stages. Gently syringe 

 with tepid water when the fruit is set, giving a vigorous 

 syringing or two to free those just set from their old blooms. 

 Pay particular attention to inside borders, and see that they 



