90 FRUIT GARDEN. 
branches, by strands of fresh matting. If they appear 
crowded before they begin to color, some berries may still 
be clipped off, but care must be observed not to touch — 
them after coloring, for fear of rubbing off some of the 
bloom which constitutes so much of their beauty. 
Any person having a green-house for the protection of 
tender plants and exotics, can, with little or no additional 
expense, manage to make it secure him every year a crop of 
the finest kinds of foreign grapes. The vines may be planted 
outside near the front wall, in the lower part of which open- 
ings are to be left in the brick or wood-work, to permit the 
vines to be passed or drawn out. As soon as the weather will 
admit the plants to be exposed to the open air, the vines may 
be passed into the house and attached to the rafters or 
other supports, where they are to be trained and treated 
according to the rules laid down for their management. 
In the fall, the ripe grapes may be taken off, the vines 
trimmed, withdrawn from the house, and properly bound 
up and secured against the frosts of winter. Meantime, 
the hot-house plants are enjoying their appropriate places 
of protection. : 
Much useful information relating to the proper manage- 
ment of vines in graperies will be found under the head of 
Pruning and Training, when describing the operations 
of the forcing garden. 
The Fic-Tres (Ficus Carica) is not a great favorite in 
Britain, the fresh fruit not being much relished, and the 
tables being supplied with a vast abundance of dried figs 
imported from the Mediterranean countries. Every good 
garden ought, however, to contain a few trees, to furnish 
an occasional dish; and we doubt not that the fresh fruit, 
if it were more common and better grown, would be more 
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