November, 1905 



THE GARDEN MAGAZINE 



173 



the European grape, and by having several 

 sections of the houses started into growth at 

 various times a succession of ripened grapes 

 may be had from the middle of May or the first 

 of June until the first of the following March. 

 The roots must have drainage, and a naturally 

 well-drained location should be secured if 

 possible. If the situation is at all low or wet, 

 a somewhat elaborate drainage system is 

 necessary. First, a coating of cement two or 

 three inches thick is to be put in the bottom 

 of the border before putting in the drainage. 

 This cement bottom should be given a slope 

 in the same direction as the surface of the 

 surrounding ground and drained at the lower 

 end. The bottom should then be covered to 

 a depth of at least six inches with small stones, 

 broken bricks, etc., over which should first 

 be placed a covering of long straw or other 

 coarse material, and over this one layer of 

 good sod, turned upside down, after which 

 the border may be filled with the compost. 

 If some larger broken pieces of bone are 

 mixed through the compost it may prove 

 beneficial, and the depth of the border should 

 be sufficient to allow at least two feet of com- 

 post, and three feet would be better. 



If the grapes are to be ripened from the 

 middle of May to the first of August, the 

 structure should face the south. A lean-to 

 or shed roof is preferable, but for the sake of 

 appearance a three-quarter-span house is 

 generally used. 



For early ripening it is probably better to 

 have the border entirely inside the house, or, 

 if extended outside the house, it should be 

 on the south side only, should be enclosed by 

 a wall, covered with sash, and have at 

 least one line of heating pipe run through it. 



Grapevines for planting out should be 

 strong one- or two-year-old vines that have 



257. Gros Guillaume is grown for its large 

 bunches and late Keeping qualities. It is good at 

 Christmas. Bunches like these weigh six to eight 

 pounds. Commonly called Barbarossa, but that name 

 belongs to a red grape not now in cultivation 



256. Grapes may be grown in pots or boxes or 

 planted out permanently in the border. As pot 

 plants they are excellent for indoor decoration. 

 BlacK Hamburg, the standard variety 



been grown in pots, and if for early ripening 

 should be started into growth before being 

 planted in the borders. 



VARIETIES FOR SPECIAL SEASONS 



The varieties to be grown will be deter- 

 mined by the time when it is required to have 

 ripe fruit. For convenience this is usually 

 divided into three periods, termed early, in- 

 termediate and late. 



For early and intermediate vineries — White: 

 Foster's Seedling, sweet and watery; Muscat 

 of Alexandria, large, hard-fleshed, very aro- 

 matic but not so easy to grow; and Bowood 

 Muscat, milder in flavor than the other. 

 Black: Black Hamburg, the best known of 

 all the European grapes; Muscat Hamburg, 

 a sort of black muscat; and Madresfield court, 

 very aromatic. 



For late — The varieties that I grow are 

 a few Black Hamburg, Gros Colmar, Gros 

 Maroc and Lady Hutt. These are all good 

 keepers. Gros Colmar is ready to cut about 

 December ist, and is at its best for the 

 Christmas and New Year holidays. The 

 ordinary amateur will hardly attempt to grow 

 late grapes — they are too bothersome — but 

 everyone can succeed with an intermediate 

 crop; and the rich, large vinifera grape, so 

 different from our native kinds, is worth 

 some pains to get. 



In December the early vinery must be 

 started into growth, and for early grapes a 

 temperature for the first three or four weeks, 

 or until the flower bunches are well developed, 

 will be required at night, 45 to 50 ; day, 

 with bright sun, 55 to 65 . After the flower 

 bunches are developed the temperature may 

 be raised still another five degrees both night 

 and day, and when the flowers are opening 

 it may be raised still another five degrees. 



During the flowering period keep the house 

 somewhat drier than before. Often the 

 amateur fails to get grapes because he does 

 not see to the fertilization of the flower. Give 

 the vine a sharp knock during the driest and 

 warmest period of the day, while the flowers 

 are open. The pollen will be distributed 

 sufficiently. The crop will be removed by 

 July ist, when the borders must be kept dry, 

 especially in October and November. 



To have good-flavored grapes at whatever 

 time they may be ripened requires a warm 

 and dry atmosphere. During this period a 

 temperature of 75 to 85 may be maintained 

 during bright days. 



In growing an "intermediate" crop give 

 the same treatment as for the early, except 

 that the drying is not necessary, and that 

 instead of starting it into growth in Decem- 

 ber wait until the middle of February or 

 even the first of March. 



The late vinery should be retarded as long 

 as possible. This is done by tying down the 

 vines near the soil, leaving the side vents 

 wide open (except in severe freezing weather), 

 and placing a boxing over the top and by the 

 side of the vines, thus shutting them off from 

 the heat of the house and leaving them 

 in this position until the growth has 

 started. 



The one drawback to grapes under glass 

 is the long wait after planting. The first 

 year's growth should be allowed to extend 

 about half way up to the top of the house to 

 the ventilator, at which point they should be 

 stopped, i. e., pinched back. The second 

 year the vines may be allowed to extend 

 nearly to the ventilator, and the portion of 

 the previous year's growth will produce side 

 growths or "laterals." No fruit can be car- 

 ried until the third year, when, if all has gone 

 well, from three to five bunches may be al- 

 lowed to develop on each vine. 



258. The standard of quality is the white grape 

 Muscat of Alexandria. Requires a greater heat than 

 BlacK Hamburg and should be in a house to itsell 



