84 TREATISE ON THE CULTURE AND 



of grapes to be gathered at once : By these means your fruit 

 will continue three times as long in succession as it would if 

 the leaves were picked off all at one time. 



I have often seen all the leaves taken off from the fruit 

 soon after it was set, which prevents it from swelling, and the 

 fruit will become hard and small, and v/ill generally crack. 



When the leaves are not too thick, they admit the rays of 

 the sun to pass through, and a warm glow of heat will be re- 

 flected from the wall*. 



You may find it convenient to let the grapes hang as long 

 on the walls as you can : I have often let them hang till the 

 middle of November, only covering them with nets or bun- 

 tine. 



When the frost begins to set in sharp, you should then ga- 

 ther the grapes. Where there are several bunches on one 

 branch you may cut it off, leaving about six inches in length, 

 or more, of the wood, according to the distance between the 

 bunches, and a little on the outside of the fruit at each end ; 

 seal both ends with some common sealing-wax, such as Wine 

 Merchants use for sealing their bottles with, which you may 

 buy at the Wax Chandler's ; then hang them across a line in a 

 dry room, taking care to clip out, with a pair of scissars, any of 

 the berries that begin to decay or become mouldy, which if 

 left v/ould taint the others : In this way I have kept grapes till 

 the 6th of February ; but, if they are cut before the bunches 

 are too ripe, they may be kept much longer. 



Having plent)' of grapes in the winter makes a great ad- 

 dition for the table ; and if properly kept, they will be of a much 

 finer flavour than the Portugal grapes, which are generally at a 

 very high price during the winter and spring. 



Grapes may also be kept by packing them in jars (every 

 bunch being first v/rapped up in soft paper), and covering every 

 layer with bran, which should be well dried before it is used, 

 laying a little of it in the bottom of the jar; then a layer of 

 grapes, and so on, a layer of bran and of grapes alternately, 

 till you have filled the jar ; then shake it gently, and fill it to 

 the top with bran, laying some paper over it, and covering the 

 top with a bladder tied firmly on to exclude the air ; then put 

 on the top or cover of the jar, observing that it fits as close as 

 possible. These jars should be kept in a room where you can 

 have a fire in wet or damp weather. 



* The leaves must never be picked off, in America, \Yhere the sun itself 

 burns them up but too fast. 



