Feb.] THE rORCiNG GARDEN. €G3 



After the vines are pruned, tie them nearly up to the glass 

 with matting, to iron rods or laths fixed to the rafters on pur- 

 pose. As soon as they begin to swell in their buds, and show 

 themselves ready to break, let them down about a foot from 

 the glass, so that they may receive the benefit of the warm air 

 round about them, and not be liable to be injured by frosts. 

 If the buds burst strong and bushy, it is a good sign that they 

 will show fruit ; but if weak, the contrary will be the effect ; 

 and if they miss showing fruit on the fourth or fifth joint, they 

 will show none at all, and in that case, the young shoot that 

 doos not show fruit should be broken off, as it would only take 

 the nourishment from the others, which have shown fi'uit. Do 

 not let more than one or two bunches grow on one bud, for if 

 too many be left on the plant they will not swell well. If the 

 vines be planted inside of the house, care must be taken to 

 keep them sufficiently watered; and in dry weather, in the 

 spring and summer, the border on the outside of the house, 

 in which the roots of the vines run, should be plentifully sup- 

 plied with water. 



The forcing of vines by dung-heat has been often tried, and 

 has, in many cases, succeeded to the utmost expectation. In 

 Holland they are very generally forced by that means in pits 

 constructed for the purpose, and one spirited horticulturist has 

 adopted the practice, under the direction of a Dutch gardener 

 in this country. In Denmark, wooden houses are so con- 

 structed, that by means of linings of hot dung applied to them, 

 grapes are brought to tolerable perfection. 



In the years 1825 and 182G we practised a somewhat similar 

 plan, and perfectly succeeded. Having a few vines of the 

 Royal Muscadine, which annually bore immense crops of fine 

 grapes upon a wall, but which seldom or ever ripened, the 

 situation being adverse; we erected a temporary house the 

 length of the wall, and at four feet distant from the wall put 

 in a row of oaken posts, which were charred as far as they 

 were covered with the mould. These posts stood two feet 

 above the ground-level, and were braced together at top with 

 a piece of plank two inches thick, and four broad, upon which 

 the bottom of the sashes rested, as well as the rafters, which 

 latter were four inches ])y two, and rested in the usual way 



