306 
THE GEAPE. 
foliage, appropriates for its own support a portion of the juiceg 
of the plant that is generated by those branches that do produce 
foliage.” 
Koutine of culture. In a vinery without heat this is com- 
paratively simple. As soon as the vines commence swelling 
their buds in the spring, they should be carefully washed with 
mild soap suds, to free them from any insects, soften the wood, 
and assist the buds to swell regularly. At least three or four 
times every week, they should be well syringed with water, 
which, when the weather is cool, should always be done in the 
morning. And every day the vine border should be duly sup- 
plied with water. During the time when the vines are in blos- 
som, and while the fruit is setting, all sprinkling or syringing 
over the leaves must be suspended, and the house should be 
kept a little more closed and warm than usual, and should any 
indications of mildew appear on any of the branches it may at 
once be checked by dusting them with flower of sulphur. Air 
must be given liberally every day when the temperature rises 
in the house, beginning by sliding down the top sashes a little in 
the morning, more at mid-day, and then gradually closing them 
in the same manner. To guard against the sudden changes of 
temperature out of doors, and at the same time to keep up as 
moist and warm a state of the atmosphere within the vinery as 
is consistent with pretty free admission of the air during sun- 
shine, is the great object of culture in a vinery of this kind. 
Thinning the fruit is a very necessary practise in all vine- 
ries — and on it depends greatly the flavour, as well as the fine 
appearance and size of the berries and bunches. The first 
thinning usually consists in taking off all superfluous blossom 
buds, leaving only one bunch in the large sorts or two in the 
small ones to each bearing shoot. The next thinning takes 
place when the berries are set and well formed, and is per- 
formed with a pair of scissors, taking care not to touch the ber- 
ries that are left to grow. All this time, one third of the berries 
should be taken off with the point of the scissors, especially 
those in the centre of the cluster. This allows the remainder 
to swell to double the size, and also to form larger bunches than 
would otherwise be produced. Where the bunches are large, 
the shoulders should be suspended from the trellis by threads, in 
order to take off part of the weight from the stem of the vine. 
The last thinning, which is done chiefly to regulate the form of 
the bunch, is done by many gardeners, just before the fruit be- 
gins to colour — but it is scarcely needed if the previous thinning 
of the berries has been thoroughly done. 
The regular autumnal pruning is best performed about the 
middle of November. The vines should then be taken down, 
laid down on the border, and covered for the winter with a thick 
layer of straw, or a sligh t covering of earth. 
