989 



PROCKKOINCS OF TIIK 



become considerably shadeil l)y thi* foliage. The tire was ilien 

 renewed, and kept .'■onjewhal stronger than before through the 

 day, until all the fruit was gathered. 



He ."Stated als<i that for some years past there has been so little 

 sunshine in suininer, that he has been under tlie necessity of be- 

 ginning to put lire to the wall about the middle or end of April, 

 and of continuing it night and day until tlie erop has been 

 gathered. The heat is very moderate through the day in bright 

 sunshine, until the leaves have attained llieir full si/e and have 

 partially shaded the wall ; but afterwards it is kc\)t stronger 

 through the day than at night : at noon, in bright sunshine, tiie 

 ;tir within three or four inches of the wall is very warm, often 

 90° or 100°, while at the same time the hand can be held on the 

 hottest part of the wall without inconvenience. lie has no 

 thermometer permanently j)laced at the wall, and he has only 

 tried the heat occasionally ; but he thinks, that during the summer 

 months the air at four inches from the wall at six o'clock p.m. 

 ranged between GO*^and 70°, and at six a.m. betwixt 50° and 6"0° ; 

 but it was frequently lower than 60° in the evening and than 50° 

 in the morning. 



U'hen the Grapes are pretty well coloured, a net is put over 

 them to guard them from birds ; it also prevents their being in- 

 jured much by wind and rain ; and if the net is previously dipped 

 in coal gas water, and well dried before being put up, the ripe 

 Grapes are seldom attacked by wasps. 



He calculates that the expense of heating the wall for a sea- 

 son does not exceed 30s. upon an average of seasons.- 



Black Hamburgh Grapes begin to colour about the 6'th or 

 10th of August, and some are ripe in the latter end of J^eptember, or 

 much earlier in fine seasons, if required. In the beginning or 

 middle of November what remains of the crop is cut, and pre- 

 served in a dry airy room ; the fire is then discontinued (for a 

 little fire heat is continued until the crop is off), and in a week or 

 two afterwards in mild weather the vines are pruned. 



The wall is twenty- one inches thick and is covered with a sad- 

 dle-backed coping, w^hich projects four inches on each side, and has 

 a small groove under the edge to intercept the water which flows 

 down the slope of the coping. It is about fifteen feet high, and 

 the length, which is occupied with vines and wrought by one 

 fire, is about thirty-six feet. 



* The usual price of coais at Glasgow is from 85. to 10*. per ton, according 

 to the quality and season of the year. They use dross for forcing houses and 

 flued walls, the usual price of which in Glasgow is about 35. 6d. per ton, or 

 delivered here at 5s. per ton. Some of it is pretty round, and for steady fires 

 preferable to large coals. 



