40 THE P HILADEL PHIA FLORIST. [Junk 



f*> have been regularly opened during warm days, and shut in cold &\ 

 \o nights, or during rustling winds. 1 now perceived that the mildew c/ 

 / was confined to those grapes contiguous to the sashes operated upon, \ 

 which for convenience were always the same, while those farther 

 removed were perfectly exempt. Being aware that this mildew is 

 caused by arid air acting upon the tender tissue of the fruit, I deter- 

 mined to keep the front lights close in future, and by way of com- 

 promise, lowered the top sashes a little more, so that there was an 

 opening of at least 2 feet all along the top of the house. Have pre- 

 viously arrested mildew on grapes by dusting them with sulphur ; re- 

 solved to defer its application in this case, until further observation 

 proved the increase of the evil. In the meantime kept the atmos- 

 phere moist by liberal use of water on the floor. 



12th. Commenced thinning out the berries, mildew appears to be 

 arrested, the berries that have been attacked swelling as freely to all 

 appearance as the others. Cut out all the laterals left on leading 

 shoot on the 2nd, leaving the top one to run up the rafter, pinched 

 the points of all other shoots on the vines. The bunches now elab- 

 orate a large amount of sap therefore, there is less danger of burst- 

 ing the eyes for next year's crop by close stopping. 



19th. Finished thinning the bunches, berries swelling finely, those 

 mildewed swelling unequally, but no appearance of spreading. The 

 foliage has not been syringed since the vines were in flower ; but 

 plenty of water used on the floor, and the roots soaked twice a week 

 with rain water. 



July 1st. Weather hot and dry, stopped leading: shoots. They 

 have now advanced to the length desired for next year's fruiting, all 

 growth made in extension after this will be removed in the winter 

 pruning. From scarcity of water the house is rather too dry. 



1th. Weather still parching. The floor slightly sprinkled with 

 water daily, vines still growing luxuriantly ; but show symptoms of 

 deficient nourishment at root. 



11th. Rain, partly filled tanks ; watered each plant thoroughly. 



19th. On account of the recent dry weather, the vines have not 

 extended much in growth. Royal Muscadine showing symptoms of 

 ripening. Mildewed berries turning brown and hard. Black Ham- 

 burg, Muscat of Alexandria, and Zinfindal seem more susceptible 

 of mildew than the others ; some of the berries changing color, 



28th. Pinched the top out of every growing shoot on the plants. 

 Cut bunch of Royal Muscadine fully ripe. Black Hamburgh 

 coloring. 



August 12th. Zinfindal ripe. \ 



A 11th. White Gascoigne. 

 M 21th. Black Hamburgh. 

 ^ 28th. Muscat of Alexandria. 



