50 



THE FLORIST AND POMOLOGIST. 



ALL ABOUT GRAPES. 



Having lately cut (3rd of March), some Trebbiano Grapes in good con- 

 dition, perhaps some account of the vinery in which they were grown may be 

 of interest to the readers of the Florist and Pomologist who are anxious to 

 preserve late Grapes. The vinery is 100 feet long by 18 feet in breadth, and is 

 intended wholly for growing Muscats, Trebbianos and other late White Grapes. 

 It is heated by hot-water pipes, one-half of them being on the trough principle ; 

 and I find by keeping some sulphur in the water, in the spring and summer 

 months, that the fumes from it effectually check the ravages of the red spider, 

 and, no doubt, will help to prevent the mildew from appearing. The borders 

 are likewise heated with pipes, both inside and out, and heat enough generated 

 to secure a good root-action in the winter months to preserve the Grapes 

 from shrivelling. The Grapes in this house were well ripened by the middle 

 of August, and it is of the greatest importance to the keeping qualities of 

 late Grapes to have them quite ripened by the end of September at the 

 latest. 



Where heated borders cannot be had, it is a good plan to have wooden 

 shutters or some other waterproof material to cover the outside border with. 

 This covering ought to be put on early in the autumn before the ground gets 

 cooled and soddened by the heavy autumnal rains, and with a good slope so 

 as to carry off the melting snow or rain quickly. A range of vineries has lately 

 been erected here, 154 feet in length, and they are intended for growing Bar- 

 barossas, West's St. Peter's, Lady Downe's Seedling, Kempsey Alicante, and 

 other late black Grapes ; and the outside borders will be protected in this way 

 — first, by putting on some dry litter or fern, and then the wooden shutters 

 above it. 



I am glad to hear my Mend Mr. Thomson, of Dalkeith, has succeeded 

 so well in forcing early Grapes in the autumn months, and as the greatest 

 authority on the theory and practice of horticulture has commended his system, 

 we may now consider it a "great fact." I am old enough to remember some 

 other great horticultural triumphs which have been ushered in quite as san- 

 guinely — Polmaise heating to wit, and yet have proved of doubtful utility in 

 the generality of cases. Where early Grapes are required in January, the 

 Vines must be rested in June and July, the warmest months in the year, and 

 forcing commenced in September, and they begin to ripen in December, the 

 most sunless month ; but it seems sun heat is not required for that process 

 for early Grapes. To have Grapes ripe in March, forcing must be commenced 

 in October, and the roots of the Vines, if in outside borders and not artificially 

 heated, would be in a worse condition than the September-forced ones, although 

 they would have more sun heat for the Grapes ripening. I believe I distinctly 

 stated in my communication on Grapes, in the Florist and Pomologist, 

 page 3, that the surest and safest way to have early Grapes ripe in March and 

 April, would be to grow them in tubs or pots with bottom heat. Where there 

 are plenty of hothouses, a pit or house could easily be devoted for that purpose, 

 and no difficulty can be found in raising from 200 to 300 fresh plants every 

 year, from early eyes or cuttings, to keep up the sticcession. To begin forcing 

 established Vines in October with the roots in the outside borders, requires 

 great attention in protecting them, and the Vines do not last long in bearing. 

 The late Mr. Forbes, of Woburn, had, perhaps, more experience in forcing 

 early Grapes than any gardener in England, and he told me he had great 

 trouble and anxiety to keep up the supply in the winter months with Vines 

 in the open borders. Every third or fourth year after forcing, his Vines got so 



