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THE PHILADELPHIA FLORIST. [July 



NOTES ON GRAPE CULTURE. 



BY WM. SAUNDERS., 



Grapes Outdoors. — These are budding forth quite strong, notwithstand- 

 ing the past severe winter. In some cases however, where the last 

 year's growth has been luxuriant, and, in consequence not sufficiently 

 ripened and solidified, they are tardy in leafing out. All such branches 

 should be cut close in. Much injury to arbor grapes occurs from al- 

 lowing too many shoots to grow. Now is the time to guard against 

 this. When they are cut close down in the winter pruning, young 

 shoots will burst out in all directions. Rub off all such except the 

 strongest, leaving no more than one to each eye. This is very im- 

 portant. We have occasionally heard individuals who had not suf- 

 ficient nerve to trim their grapes properly, holding forth about the 

 futility of thwarting nature in her course, by pinching and pruning at 

 the growing plant. They forget that their vines are under artificial 

 treatment, which, to be successful, must be fully carried out. It is a 

 wrong idea, however, to suppose such treatment is opposed to the laws 

 of nature ; we only direct her in a course to serve our own ends, and 

 perhaps the best argument that can be brought to bear on this matter 

 is the fact, that those who attend properly to their grape vines, have, 

 in due season, abundance of well ripened fruit ; while he who takes 

 for his motto " whatever is, is right," must be content with a limited 

 supply of an unripened and really unpalateable article. 



Grapes Under Glass, — In this case we will proceed on the supposition 

 that we are writing for the benefit of amateurs, who, from a desire to 

 secure an interesting and profitahle amusement, have commenced the 

 culture of foreign grapes. There has been much said and written on 

 this subject, both by practical and theoretical men, to all of which we 

 are much indebted. We will endeavor from time to time to give the 

 essence of all that is practically useful on the subject. For the pre- 

 sent the shoots must be stopped as soon as practicable at one or two 

 leaves beyond the fruit \ young luxuriant vines are not benefitted by 

 being pinched too severely, the strong vigorous roots suck in a large 

 quantity of nourishment, requiring a proportionate extent of foliage 

 for its proper elaboration. Be careful to thin out the bunches suffi- 

 ciently ; one bunch is sufficient upon a shoot, and if the plants are 

 fruiting for the first time, five or six bunches each will be as much as 

 they will be able to mature without injury more or less. The heat 

 should never be kept at a uniform temperature ; during the day the 

 thermometer may range from 80 to 95 deg., keeping the atmosphere 

 humid by sprinkling water over the floor two or three times during 

 the heat of the day ; and a few of the lights should remain open all 

 night. Everything in nature has occasional seasons of excitement 

 and repose, and there is no climate in the world where the tempera- 

 ture is constantly the same. 



