GI.EANINCIS ON IIORTICULTUUE. 



25 



the wood has begun to ripen, water should be gradually withheld. 

 The black Hamburgh is the best kind for box culture, and the 

 White Frontignac also succeeds well ; the latter sets its fruit best 

 in the coolest part of the house. I prepare the buds or eyes in 

 the way before mentioned — just covering the wood — and use 

 leaf-mould and sand to plant them in, as soon as they have struck 

 root; I then pot them off into eight-inch pots, using a mixture 

 of well-rotted cow-dung, leaf-mould, and strong loam, in equal 

 proportions. After this, I subject them to bottom heat, until the 

 roots faix'ly show that another shift is wanted, which is the final 

 one — namely, boxes as described. 



From the time the vines are started, the strictest attention 

 ought to be paid to admitting air, and to its effects on the hygro- 

 meter; in cloudy and wet weather, short fires are to be put on 

 in the morning, so as to raise the heat nearly ten degrees above 

 the night temperature, and a little air admitted both at the front 

 and back of the house, taking care to keep plenty of water on 

 the flues and floor; for a strong fire-heat, accompanied by a 

 brisk circulation, would be very injurious if not counteracted by 

 moisture. In bright weather, equal attention is necessary' ; for if 

 a great deal of air is admitted to keep down the heat, it is impos- 

 sible to have the atmosphere sufficiently moist, consequently the 

 vines suffer. Air ought to be admitted, not so much to keep 

 down the heat, as to maintain a current of fresh air in the houses; 

 for which purpose small openings at the front and back are suffi- 

 cient. Vines will seldom be hurt by sun-heat if surrounded by 

 a pi'operly moistened atmosphere, but to maintain this in dry, hot 

 weather, the utmost vigilance is necessary. As then there is very 

 little heat in the flues, the floors ought to be kept deluged with 

 water. Although the thermometer may be kept steady, it is 

 impossible to keep the hygrometer one degree below it, unless a 

 little air be admitted, and the flues steamed as soon as the sun 

 raises the heat a few degrees, and you keep up a sufficiency of 

 moisture. After selecting the best young vines for the boxes, rub 

 off all the eyes as the vines break but the six or ten lowermost. 

 When these have attained to the length of about a foot, I select 

 the best, and rub the other off, and by the latter end of the 

 season the remaining shoot has made a strong cane, and the 

 preceding year's wood, up to A from B, is completely exhausted 

 of its sap, presenting the appearance of a piece of wire. It is 

 now cut back to B. I leave only last year's shoot nearly at its 

 full length, and everything is then in readiness for commenc- 



