102 



ON THE MANAGEMENT 



particularly when the bunches are extremely- 

 large. The first thing to be done is, to extend 

 both the main shoulders, as also the less projecting 

 parts of the bunch, which parts should be sus- 

 pended by small strings, and fastened to the rafters, 

 or glass-case frames above. Every projecting part 

 of the bunch should be raised to an horizontal 

 position ; and, when the berries are fully swelled, 

 they will retain that position even after the strings 

 are cut. 



In thinning of the berries, great care should be 

 taken to leave all the most projecting ones on every 

 side of the bunch ; since by this means the dimen- 

 sions of the bunch will not be diminished. 



In those kinds of grapes that produce very close 

 growing bunches, it will be necessary to clip out 

 more than two-thirds of the berries ; but in some 

 kinds, one half ; and in the loose-growing kinds, 

 with long foot-stalks, the taking out one-third is 

 generally sufficient. 



By this mode of thinning, the remaining berries 

 will, in general, swell well, and grow to a very great 

 size j and will not be subject to rot, as is generally 

 the case with grapes in a hot-house, when the ber- 

 ries are permitted to grow close, and to become 

 wedged together. 



In training the shoots of the Vines, I have 

 hitherto taken notice only of furnishing the rafters, 

 or roof, of the hot-house ; but there is yet another 

 important object that demands our consider- 

 ation, which is, a further advantage that may be 



