476 On Forcing Grapes, as practised in Denmark, 



days, to sink; during that time much air was admitted to let 

 out the steam, which arose from the dung ; it afterwards was 

 levelled, and tan worked over it about a foot thick ; from 

 that period, the house was shut up night and day, except 

 in sunshine, the lights were slid down and the house regu- 

 larly covered at night. 



A very low temperature can only be obtained during the 

 first eight or ten days, before the tan becomes warm, and 

 the temperature is but little augmented before the buds 

 begin to move or swell, which I perceived on the 12th of 

 March ; from that time 1 let the thermometer rise a little 

 more, and when the buds were so advanced that the 

 Grapes appeared, which was on the 29th of March, I let 

 the thermometer in sunshine rise to 16 degrees of Reaumur 

 (68 of Fahrenheit) though it was placed under a rafter in 

 shade. 



Before the Vines begin to bloom I always tie the shoots, 

 and cut or break away unproductive and superfluous shoots, 

 for I never touch the Vine when in bloom. 



On the twelfth of May the Grapes began to bloom, and 

 continued in flower about a fortnight. On the 21st of 

 June they seemed to begin forming their seeds. In this 

 period, viz. from seeding till the swelling began, I always 

 gave much air that the seed might have sufficient time to be 

 formed ; and besides, at that time of the year, the sun can, 

 although much air is admitted, raise the thermometer to 

 18 or sometimes 20 degrees of Reaumur (72 or 76 of Fah- 

 renheit). On the 14th of July, some of the berries turned 

 black, and by the beginning of September they were fully 



