816 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ October 6, 1892, 
WOKK.fo^WEEK.. 
FRUIT FORCING. 
Vines.— Early Forced Vines in Pots. — To have ripe Grapes in 
March the Vines should be started not later than the early part of 
November. The Vines must be selected from those which have been 
started early in the year as cut-backs, and grown through the spring and 
summer in abundance of light so as to secure sturdy, thoroughly 
solidified canes, with plump buds, the wood being brown and hard. 
Strong canes are not necessarily the best for fruiting in pots, certainly 
not for early forcing, but they must be stout, short-jointed, and well 
matured in the wood, and the eyes must not be pointed or flat, but 
rounded and rather prominent. The varieties also should consist 
of the best forcers. White Frontignan never fails to show plenty of 
fruit on well grown canes, and it sets, swells, and perfects earlier than 
any other, and possesses a rich Muscat flavour. Foster’s Seedling can- 
hardly be grown at all without fruiting freely. It forces first-rate, 
ripens about the same time as the Black Hamburgh, and has a sweet, 
juicy, but not any Muscadine flavour. Black Hamburgh answers well 
for very early forcing, and, unless over-burdened with fruit and 
hungred or over-fed, finishes well. Madresfield Court produces fruit 
freely on well-matured canes, its oval berries show to advantage beside 
Black Hamburgh, and the flavour of the ripe Grape is very agreeable, 
sometimes having a slight trace of Muscat. Those four varieties we 
have found thoroughly reliable, and under good management they will 
produce Grapes fit for the table in March. It is no use, however, 
attempting to force indifferent canes, and the best must have a house 
that will catch every ray of light, as a lean-to or three-quarter span 
facing south, and plenty of hot water pipes, with due provision for 
ventilation. It is also a great aid in forcing to keep the glass free from 
ice. This can be effected by fixing a 1J inch wrought iron galvanised 
pipe along the bottom of the rafters about 6 inches from the head of the 
front lights, and another at a similar distance lower down the roof than 
the opening of the top lights, the pipes being taking longitudinally of 
the house. The heat given off by these pipes is advantageous for venti¬ 
lation purposes and to secure a more even temperature. The Vines being 
in their fruiting pots, say 12-inch, will only need the drainage seen to, 
and if defective rectified, but if they are in small pots they may be 
shifted into larger, yet only so increased in size as to admit of about an 
inch of soil all round the ball, which should only be loosened a little at 
the sides, and the fresh soil must be rammed as compact as the ball. 
Turfy loam, free from wireworm, torn up to a convenient size, with a 
pint of steamed bone meal to every bushel and a similar proportion 
of wood ashes form a suitable compost. The advertised fertilisers are 
excellent, and may be used instead of the above substances, following 
the instructions supplied with each. It is better not to be under the 
necessity of potting the Vines, yet it may be done without prejudice to 
the forcing. Provided the soil is moist enough, so as to keep the roots 
healthy, no water should be given, and the Vines are best kept no more 
than just damp at the roots till they start into growth. 
Where there is a bed of about 3 feet depth and 4 feet width, 9-inch 
pedestals of loose bricks may be erected at feet to 3 feet distance 
apart and in the centre of the bed, and carried up so high that when the 
pots are placed upon them their rims will be slightly higher than the 
pit edge. The pit being filled with Oak or Beech leaves a gentle warmth 
will be afforded the Vines, and a genial moisture pervades the house, the 
bottom heat accelerating root formation, the transmission of steady sup¬ 
plies of nourishment, and this, with the congenial condition of the 
atmosphere, induces the canes to break well and to progress satis¬ 
factorily. The roots also pass from the qpots into the leaves, deriving 
support—mainly nitrogenic and potassic elements—beneficial to the 
growth of the Vines and the production of Grapes. The temperature at 
the roots must not exceed 65° to 70° at the start, raising it by adding 
fresh material to 75° when the Vines are fairly started. The Vines 
should be placed in position by the middle of this month, and have a 
temperature of 50°, which will promote slight activity in the sap, and on 
November 1st the temperature must be kept at 50° to 55° by artificial 
means until the buds swell, then gradually increase it to 60°to 65° when they 
are breaking. The canes should be depressed to a horizontal position to 
secure their breaking regularly, and the house and canes willneed damp¬ 
ing every morning and afternoon, but not before the Vines are started. 
Early-forced Planted-out Vines. —These may be forced to ripen the 
Grapes in March or early in April. It is, however, one of the worst 
practices in forcing Vines, and is little followed now, as the thick- 
skinned Grapes meet most requirements up to May, and where thin- 
skinned Grapes are desired in March and April it is better to provide a 
supply by growing Vines in pots. Nevertheless, pot-vine Grapes are not 
equal to those produced by Vines well established in inside borders, yet 
the Vines wear out quickly, as the consecutive early forcing is a great 
strain on their energies through the growth having to be made at the dullest, 
and the rest taken at the hottest period of the year. It is extremely difficult 
to preserve the foliage in health after the Grapes are ripe, for red spider is 
seldom or never disassociated with early-forced Vines, and, unless the 
laterals are encouraged, so as to keep the roots active and afford an outlet 
for the sap, the buds that are intended to furnish the succeeding season’s- 
crop of Grapes would probably be forced into growth in late summer, as we 
have seen them doing so in September. The beginning of December is 
quite early enough to start permanently planted-out Vines, and they 
will then ripen Grapes of the highest excellence in May. There is 
nothing gained by hard forcing except thin foliage to be scorched by 
powerful sun or made brown by red spider, and very moderate Grapes. 
Very early Grapes, however, generally finish well, except when the 
Vines are overcropped, and are free, as a rule, from shanking, even when 
the roots of the Vines are in an outside border 20° or more less in 
temperature than the mean of the atmosphere of the house, the micro¬ 
organism that produces this disease not being present at the dead season, 
of the year. 
Where there is no provision for growing pot Vines, which we strongly 
advise, and Grapes fit for table must be had in late March or early 
April, the Vines should be started not later than the middle of November, 
and we prefer to commence in earnest a fortnight earlier. Up to that 
time the house should be kept cool and dry, and the outside border, if 
any (and it is a grave mistake in early forcing), should be protected 
from autumn rains by covering it before the ground is chilled by con¬ 
tinued wet and cold. We use a good covering of dry leaves with a little 
litter on the top to prevent them blowing about, 9 inches thickness 
being effectual against frost, and if tarpaulin is employed over all in 
case of heavy rains or snow nothing further is required. If the border 
is allowed to become moistened through by the autumn rains before 
being covered, no water will be needed there until the Grapes are per¬ 
fected. Fermenting materials on outside borders are often more injurious 
than beneficial, because the heat is not regularly maintained, often being 
allowed to become cold and wet just at the time when the Vines need 
active roots to supply nourishment to the foliage and fruit. But they 
are very useful for placing inside the house to generate and maintain a 
genial condition j,of the atmosphere, and are economical, as the warmth 
and moisture given out lessen recourse to so much fire heat or sprinkling 
from the syringe. The fermenting materials should not be used until the 
house is closed, but they will need to be thrown into a heap a week or 
ten days previously, turned, and moistened if necessary. Three parts 
Beech, Oak, or Spanish Chestnut leaves to one of stable litter give a more 
suitable warmth, and a more congenial and ammonia-charged atmo¬ 
sphere than all manure. Mix well together when thrown into the heap, 
sprinkle water if dry, turn in four days to a week, throwing outside to 
inside, damp again if necessary, and when warmed through the material 
is fit for placing in the house. 
Late Muscats. —The Grapes will now be thoroughly ripe, but they 
will improve in colour and maturity up to about December, and the 
foliage will be retained some time longer where the border is kept pro¬ 
perly moist by watering as required in the early part of fine days. 
Muscat of Alexandria and Canon Hall become quite whitish, yellow, and 
sere at the edges of the leaves long in advance of the foliage falling, 
whilst the veins and footstalks are quite green and capable of assimi¬ 
lating some food which goes to plump and perfect the buds and is stored 
in the wood. Retain the leaves, therefore, as long as possible, and a 
moist condition of the soil will not injure the Grapes provided the 
atmosphere is not stagnant and does not become saturated with moisture 
for want of increased ventilation on fine mornings to dissipate it instead 
of allowing it to be condensed on the Grapes. A temperature of 50° 
should be maintained at night and 5° more by day, with sufficient 
ventilation so as to insure a circulation of air, and it should be admitted 
freely on all favourable occasions by day. If the Grapes are not well 
finished they should have a night temperature of about 60° to 65°, 70° 
to 75° by day, and 10° to 15° rise from sun heat, all with air, and the 
soil must be kept properly moist; but it is difficult to get finish into 
Grapes by a forcing temperature in autumn. 
Late Grapes. —The thick-skinned varieties will be thoroughly ripe if 
they were started in good time, and have been assisted through the late 
spring and summer months with artificial heat. When the Vines, how¬ 
ever, are started in April, and not accelerated in growth and for the 
perfecting of the Grapes, the latter will not be ripe, and they probably 
never will ripen, as we have found a forcing temperature after October 
comes in to have a very indifferent effect upon the fruit in ripening. 
If there is any deficiency of finish the chances are that it will never be 
improved ; but in that case the temperature should be kept at 60° to 65° 
at night, 70° to 75° by day, 80° to 85° from sun heat, continuing this 
until the Grapes are ripe—at least, until the wood is brown and hard, 
which is essential to the production of fruit in the ensuing season. 
Only thoroughly ripe Grapes can be expected to keep satisfactorily, and 
in that case, the wood also thoroughly matured, all spray or laterals 
may be removed down to the main buds, ventilating freely on all favour¬ 
able occasions, and fire heat will only be necessary to prevent the 
temperature falling below 50°. To prevent dust settling upon the 
berries, raking or sweeping must not be practised. If the border is 
covered with clean dry mats it will to some extent prevent evaporation, 
assist in keeping the atmosphere dry, and prevent the soil cracking. 
Ventilation, however, is the best antidote against the Grapes damping, 
and there must be a certain amount of atmospheric moisture, with a not 
very dry condition at the roots, or the Grapes will shrivel. Outside 
borders may be covered with glass lights to throw off heavy rains, or a 
good covering of bracken or straw is very serviceable, but many have to 
be content with a few inches thickness of leaves or litter. 
Young Vines. —There is little gained by keeping Vines that have a 
tendency to keep on growing in an atmosphere favourable thereto, and 
lateral growth after this serves only to accelerate the evil—immaturity 
