106 On the Management of Grapes in Vineries. 



so as not to occupy the whole space under the glass with the 

 foliage, for I consider that very great advantage arises to the 

 fruit from giving free admission to the sun from the centre 

 of each light. 



My system of forcing commences early in January, when 

 I put on the sashes ; no fire is used in the first week ; in the 

 second week a little fire is made every other night; the third 

 week the heat is kept from 50° to 52° of Fahrenheit, and so 

 I continue, not allowing the temperature to exceed 55° until 

 the Vines begin to break ; from that time until they blow, I 

 keep the heat between 52° and 57° ; and whilst they are in 

 bloom, the heat is raised to between 57° and 65°. Air is 

 regularly given plentifully through all these stages, until the 

 bloom appears, when the house is kept close, except the 

 sun be very powerful. When the bloom is past, attention 

 is paid to thinning the grapes ; a regular heat is then kept 

 up, and air in due quantity, as the weather permits, is ad- 

 mitted, observing to give a larger proportion when the heat 

 of the sun is strong, and always shutting up the house early 

 in the afternoon. I generally contrive to have my chief 

 crop of Grapes ripen about the latter end of July. 



The stems of the Vines, especially at the lower part, near 

 the flue, should, from the time that the house is shut up and 

 heated by the fire, to the time that the bunches first shew 

 themselves, be moistened with water gently applied with a 

 syringe, so as to keep the stems from becoming dry and 

 hard. This materially facilitates the production of healthy 

 and good fruit. 



