4 
VINES IN GREENHOUSES. 
at least, and the breadth according to the length of the rafters, the 
bottom if not naturally dry should be made so by draining. The 
materials for the border I would recommend to be three parts out 
of four fresh turfy loam, and one fourth rotten dung with a layer of 
of lime rubbish, six inches thick forming the bottom. The whole 
composition should be well mixed and lay some time before planting 
to settle. The sorts I would recommend for such houses are the 
Black Hambro Chasselas de Fontainbleau (the latter sort resemb¬ 
ling the white muscadine) observing to plant three of the former to 
one of the latter, plants from eyes are preferable to those raised from 
layers; the stronger the plants, the sooner the produce may be ex¬ 
pected. My plan of planting the vines, which are introduced through 
the parapet wall are not immediately under the rafter, but under the 
centre of each light, and introducing them under the rafter, which 
gives a length of stem outside of the house of eighteen or twenty 
inches, without fear of breaking, observing to have the part outside 
neatly bound with hay bonds, when the vines are introduced. 
Supposing that plants can be had two years old from eyes, and plan¬ 
ted in April, take them directly into the house and cut them suffi¬ 
ciently low so as to admit of one or two eyes only inside. The tem¬ 
perature of the house at this season ranging between fifty-five and 
sixty degrees, the vines must submit to the heat required for the 
plants, and as much air as possible be admitted, taking care not 
to depress the thermometer below 55. Towards the end of May the 
plants may be removed from the house to the flower gaiden, &c. at 
which time begin to increase the temperature of the house by de¬ 
grees, till the thermometer reaches to seventy and seventy-five. The 
house may be occupied with tender annuals such as Balsoms, Cox¬ 
combs, &c. &c. previously brought forward in frames. The Vines 
will advance rapidly, and in most cases will reach the top of the 
house before the autumn; previous to taking the greenhouse plants 
in, begin to lower the temperature of the house, as the plants will re¬ 
quire much air on their first introduction, which will also benefit the 
vines in hardening the wood. The latter end of November take 
them out, and train them along the parapet wall in front, cut them in 
February, down to either an eye or two above the preceeding years 
pruning, but not to take them in before April. The same routine 
will be observed as regards temperature &c. as the preceeding sum¬ 
mer, they will again reach the top of the house and in most cases 
acquire sufficient strength to bear a good crop the succeeding year. 
As soon as the wood is ripened take them out as before, and in the 
month of February cut them to within two or three feet of the length 
