PAXTON’S 
HORT1 CULTURAL REGISTER, 
FEBRUARY, 1836. 
HORTICULTURE. 
ON THE SHRIVELLING OF GRAPES. 
January 5th , 1836. 
Sir, —In reference to the “ shrivelling of grapes,” I beg leave to add 
a few remarks to those of Mr. Denyer, not only with the view of sup¬ 
porting his statements, but also to mention the result of my experience, 
for the benefit of my “ younger brethren.” 
A range of houses was placed under my care some years ago, where 
the grapes produced had been bad coloured and shrivelled. I forced 
them two seasons, and, although those berries which did swell were 
well coloured, yet the extremities of the bunches shrivelled. Mr. Judd 
had stated in the tf Transactions,” that inattention to airing the houses 
was the cause. Several gardeners of high repute, to whom I mentioned 
the circumstance, were of the same opinion. As, however, I had been 
duly initiated into the routine of forcing, and had attended to these 
houses myself, I knew the imperfection could not arise from any such 
cause. 
From several observations I had made, very similar to those men¬ 
tioned by Mr. D., I came to a similar conclusion, viz. that it originated 
in a want of energy in the root, and which, as he has justly stated, 
might arise from a variety of causes. In my case, I conceived it to arise 
from a poor, cold border. The border, I was informed, had been duly 
drained when it was made ; but, as the situation of the garden was low, 
and the subsoil strong clay, and an excavation having been made for the 
border, it was not difficult to understand that the roots must suffer from 
VOL. v.— NO. LVI. 
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