CULTURE OF THE GRAPE VINE. 
249 
the house a perspiration is excited, which falling upon the footstalks 
of the berries cause them to wither and become useless. This is the 
principal reason of their shanking, in confirmation of which I may 
add, that in the open air, where no ventilation is required, this dis¬ 
ease never shews itself. To prevent its incursions, the house should 
have a proper degrre of ventilation both night and day. I recom¬ 
mend a pipe full of small holes to be fixed just under the roof of the 
house, at the top of the back wall, with ventilators at each end, this 
will be found particularly useful for fixed roofs where the sashes do 
not slide, the pipe may be of wood, copper, tin, or any other light 
material, the fires should always be well attended to, in order to keep 
the proper degree of heat in the house, during the season of inflor¬ 
escence, if the weather proves dry and hot, with brisk winds, the 
berries of many of the different sorts of grapes, particularly the Blue 
Frontignan, White Sweet Water, and Damascus, will be liable to 
fall off at the time of setting, and the remainder are generally small 
and without stones ; this arises from the calyx adhering to, and dry¬ 
ing upon the germen, and thereby preventing its impregnation. It is 
proper, therefore, at this period, to water the vines plentifully, to keep 
the house as close as the weather permits, and also to water the flues of 
the house often, especially late in the evening, after which the glas¬ 
ses should be immediately closed; by this plan the heat of the house 
will exhale the moisture, and raise an artificial dew, which falling 
upon the calyx causes it to expand, and thereby assists impregnation. 
Although the grapes set the best in a close moist air, the house 
should not be kept at too great a degree of heat, during the time of 
setting. In serene weather transparent drops of dew will often be 
observable in a morning on the points of the leaves of the vines, 
which is the most favourable indication that can be at the season of 
blossoming, for the berries generally set well, and their growth is ex¬ 
tremely rapid when in this state. The vine is considered by many 
to considerably abate its vegetative powers, by too long a confine¬ 
ment in a dry atmosphere, this obstacle may be removed by having 
plants in pots under them ; from the pots a moisture arises which 
rectifies and renders congenial to the vines, the air which in the same 
house was before prejudicial. When the vines are in a state of in¬ 
activity it is an excellent plan to water them all over with a fine rose 
watering pan, by which they will imbibe moisture, and accumulate 
the power which lias been considered deficient, by giving them a 
vegetating' power. But in turning them out into the open air, I 
would by all means avoid this plan, for in the year 1829, I sustained 
great injury by so doing, it was not from the severity of the weather 
