THE BOOK OF. GARDENING. 



The question of how many bunches a vine may carry will 

 depend very much on local circumstances. One pound of fruit to 

 every foot length of rod is a safe crop for healthy, well-fed vines. 

 Market-growers often obtain double and treble that weight, but 

 their vines seldom last many years. Again, some varieties like 

 Black Hamburgh, Alicante, and Gros Column will ripen and 

 finish up a much heavier crop annually than Muscat of Alexandria. 

 Very large-bunched varieties of the Gros Guillaume or White 

 Nice type should not be permitted to bear many bunches ; while 

 the delicious but small Frontignan sorts will ripen a bunch on 

 almost every lateral if the vines are strong. Unfortunately, in the 

 rage for appearance, the Frontignan varieties have almost vanished, 

 but the Grizzly, Black, White, and Primavis Frontignans are worthy 



of a place in gardens where richly- 

 flavoured Grapes are appreciated. 



Thinning of the bunches (Fig. 

 655) can scarcely be done too soon 

 alter the Grapes are set, more 

 especially with free-setting varieties 

 like Alicante. Immediately the berries 

 can be cut out, all the inner ones 

 should first be removed with a sharp 

 pair of Grape-scissors, and the outer 

 ones also thinned out according to 

 the variety. Large-berried sorts like 

 Gros Colmanwill have none too much 

 room for full development with iin. 

 between the berries, while small- 

 berried sorts like the Frontignans 

 will not require half that space to 

 swell up. Sorts which have large 

 "shoulders" should have them tied 

 up with twisted strips of raffia. 

 The grower should always avoid 

 touching the small berries with the 

 hands or head; otherwise the bloom may be Injured, or rust 

 may set in on the fruit. Muscats should be thinned latest to 

 enable the grower to distinguish which of the berries are stone- 

 less : these should be all cut away, as they will never swell to 

 any respectable size. Figs. 656 and 657 show respectively 

 a properly and an improperly thinned bunch at maturity. 



Ventilation must be done judiciously, admitting air early on 

 bright mornings when the temperature rises a little above 

 7°deg., gradually increasing the ventilation as the day becomes 

 warmer, and closing in the afternoon with a good sun-heat. On 

 dull or cold windy mornings air should be admitted very cautiously, 

 or a check I may be given to the growth, followed by Mildew 

 cracked berries, or other evils. 



Fig. 655. — Bunch of Grapes 

 after Thinning. 



