580 THE PRACTICAL GAPDENER. [Jan. 



March ; this is succeeded by the first crop in the early house, 

 which carries on the supply into May, and it is continued by 

 the grapes on the rafters in the same house, until the pine- 

 stoves, which are forced early in J anuary and February, pro- 

 duce their crops. These keep in bearing through the summer, 

 when a vinery, which I begin to force about the end of March 

 furnishes the supply till the late house fruit is ready in Janu- 

 ary. This completes the succession." To effect this, he grows 

 his early crops of grapes in a wide house with a flat roof, and 

 plants the vines both on the back wall, and also on a trellis 

 proceeding from the front parapet-wall to within as great a 

 distance of the back wall as admits of a sufficient walk or pas- 

 sage between them. This trellis is at a considerable distance 

 from the roof, and placed at an angle that casts the least shade 

 on the back wall. The vines upon this trellis, and those on 

 the back wall, are begun to be forced on the first of Septem- 

 ber, and by his process produces ripe grapes the first week in 

 March, which last till May. Six weeks after the vines above 

 are put into a state of vegetation, he introduces another set of 

 vines from the front, and trains them up the rafters. These 

 latter introduced vines produce their fruit early in May, and 

 last till late in June. To prevent too much shade, only one 

 shoot is allowed to each rafter, and throughout the whole sys- 

 tem of pruning, no more wood is left than is sufficient to 

 secure a crop, both in the late and early houses ; and in the 

 summer pruning, the fruit-bearing shoots are pinched off at the 

 joint above the fruit. 



" When the crop is over, and the wood perfectly ripe, the 

 branches should be laid near the ground, and shaded till the 

 recommencement of the forcing. By this practice, they will 

 be found to have accumulated excitability. The shade wiK 

 have some affinity to the gloom of winter, which never fails to 

 give vegetation increased energy. Plants which have been 

 forced early will always have an inclination to bud at the ac- 

 customed time, whilst it is difficult to move those which have 

 never been habituated to forward excitement, but the habit 

 once induced will continue, and will enable the cultivator to 

 procure fruit at any time." 



