576 THE PRACTICAL GARDENER. [Jan* 



Fruit of the New Providence pine has been grown in the 

 garden of W. Crawshay, Esq., Cyfartha Castle, Glamorgan- 

 shixe, of the following extraordinary weights; one twelve 

 pounds fifteen ounces, one t^n pounds eight ounces, one ten 

 pounds, and two nine pounds each. In the same garden, 

 twelve queen pines have been cut, weighing altogether thirty- 

 five pounds. 



FORCING VINES. 



Attempts have been made to have crops of grapes ripe in 

 March, by beginning to force in August, but after much ex- 

 pense and trouble, this practice has seldom realized the ex- 

 pectations of its most sanguine advocates. The time of ripen- 

 ing is not always early in proportion to the time of beginning 

 to force. When the course of forcing coincides nearly with 

 the natural growing season, ripe grapes may be cut in less 

 than five months ; when short days compose a third part of 

 the course, in less than six months ; when the course includes 

 full half of the winter, it will require seven months before we 

 can calculate upon ripe fruit, and then it will be of an inferior 

 quality. The best time to begin to force is the first of March, 

 if the object be to obtain a good crop of well-flavored grapes 

 moderately early. In proportion as the state of vegetation is 

 put into action before that time, the natural habits of a deci- 

 duous plant, and the unfavorable state of the weather, will 

 leave a great number of obstacles, and discouraging contin- 

 gencies to retard final success. 



Those who are ambitious to have ^rly fruit, to answer the 

 demands of the market or their employer, and who have seve- 

 ral grape-houses, generally begin -to'^orce the earliest by the 

 middle of December, and sometimes in November, and suc- 

 cessively in other, houses the first day of the year, the first day 

 of February, lind the first day of March. To go through the 

 details of all these houses, would lead to frequent repetitions 

 which might tend rather to confuse than otherwise, and there- 

 fore we will confine our observations to one department, and 

 begin with the year to regulate the vinery, and have every 

 thing in order for commencing forcing by the first of February. 



