28 



VINES FIRST YEAR AFTER PLANTING. 



all that could be desired ; and the following year, 1859, 

 the house produced over 400 bunches of grapes, with- 

 out taking one from the permanent vines. The super- 

 numeraries in the centre row were removed after the 

 first crop, but some of those in the front row still 

 remain. I may remark that out of this house we cut 

 black Hamburg grapes in August, and Lady Downes 

 seedling grapes, perfectly plump and good, till April 

 every year. 



TREATMENT OF VINES FIRST YEAR AFTER PLANTING. 



Where the ultimate object is to have vines brought 

 as early as possible to a state that will bear what is 

 termed early forcing — that is, to produce ripe grapes, 

 say, in March or April — they should be planted in 

 February, without waiting till they make young wood 

 in the pots, and started with a night temperature of 

 from 35° to 50°, rising with sun-heat 15° higher. Let 

 the atmosphere of the house be kept moist by any. of 

 the appliances for that end, and let the canes be 

 syringed twice daily with tepid water till the buds 

 burst, after which water in any other form than that 

 of vapour should never touch them, unless, as sometimes 

 happens in very dry summers, like that of 1868, the^ 

 red-spider is more than usually prevalent, when it may 

 be necessary to use the syringe, as directed under the 

 head of Eed-Spider." 



In the case of vines that are to be the permanent 

 ones, every lateral and leaf they produce should be 

 allowed to grow the first season ; by this means a mass 

 of roots will be formed in the border, that in their turn 

 Avill send up fine strong friiiting-canes the second year. 

 Those that are only the temporary ones, and that are 



