THE GRAPE VINE. 93 



of summer-ripened grapes, entirely discontinued after 

 they are quite ripe. I have always found that gi'apes 

 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 regu- 

 larly and freely. It keeps the bark on the stem moist 

 as well as the coating on the buds, and is much more 

 favourable 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 

 presence 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 

 mornings, 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. 



When syringing is discontinued, in the case of early 

 forcing with a maximum of fire-heat, keep up a con- 

 stant supply of moisture by means of the steaming 

 apparatus and daily sprinklings. Even in the case 

 of Black Hamburgs, and other free-setting sorts, it 



