May 13. 
97 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
general in this order. It is increased by suckers only, 
unless it seeds, and if it is indulged in the moist heat of a 
stove it will grow, flower, and look well and healthy under 
any treatment, from that of the pine-apple to the melon 
cactus. With the more liberal treatment, however, it will 
look all the handsomer. D. Beaton. 
VINES UNDER GLASS. 
(Continued from paye 18-1 
The importance of Vine Culture (seeing that every 
person in easy circumstances, who loves gardening, has 
his greenhouse vinery,) is second to that of no other 
fruit. Our last paper on the subject was Greenhouse 
Vines, and it will be well, we think, to direct attention to 
this class for awhile; for, go where we will, questions 
are constantly “ popped ” about their management. 
By the middle of May, of course all bedders, and 
other supernumeraries, will be removed from the house to 
other quarters, where they will cool down, or harden off 
for ordinary purposes. The body of the greenhouse 
will, therefore, be occupied thinly with select articles, 
intended for specimen culture; no two touching. The 
front shelf, to be sure, if there be one, may form an ex¬ 
ception ; here the more delicate and dwarf kinds may be 
congregated somewhat more closely, for there is more 
light, they are nearer the glass, and enjoy occasionally a 
more free atmosphere; this shelf is, moreover, little 
hindrance to the vine dresser. 
It was emphatically observed at page 18, that an ex¬ 
ceedingly free circulation of air is necessary in vineries 
of this character. Now, in order to pursue such practice 
with safety, a hardy habit must be engendered betimes 
in the vines; a habit superinduced, if we may take a 
liberty with phrases, from the period of “ breaking.” 
Vines thus handled will not fear a puff of wind; in¬ 
deed, those out-of-doors are obliged to endure more than 
a puff. And not only the vines, but most of the pot 
things enjoy a liberal ventilation; they speedily become 
more sturdy and robust. The same course of practice 
cannot, and ought not, to be carried out in the green¬ 
house vinery, and in that where vines are forced. If, in¬ 
deed, the ill-judging manager should, in a moment of 
“vaulting ambition that o’erleaps itself,” attempt to 
carry out high-forcing with plant-growing, he must lay 
his account with second-rate grapes, and third-rate 
plants. Still, in such structures, with such objects, a 
compromise can be effected; and we must advise all 
those who thus practice, to use fermentative material 
over the vine roots, if outside, until the middle of May. 
Vines, under any mode of culture, enjoy at certain 
periods a high temperature—indeed, it is almost indis¬ 
pensable for their health ; and the question arises, at 
what period in the greenhouse vines’ summer history, 
maximum temperatures may bo encouraged with most 
benefit to the vines, and the least damage to the plants 
beneath? We do not say that a high temperature occa¬ 
sionally, say of 75° to 85°, is indispensable, but merely 
that it is of much benefit. Out-door vines, we know, 
have not such benefit secured to them; but then we do 
know that the free exposure to light and air which they 
enjoy, without any glass intervening, has a most bene¬ 
ficial tendency to solidify the wood, and, by conse¬ 
quence, induco health and fruitfulness. Perhaps, from 
the beginning to the end of June would be an eligible 
period in which to allow occasionally liberal advances 
in the thermometer; that is to say, allowing the ques¬ 
tion to be hampered by the pot plant culture. This 
period will, in the main, include the completion of the 
first swelling and part of the stoning process ; and as soon 
as the grapes begin to colour, we would not allow them 
maximum temperature, unless accompanied by the most 
liberal admission of air possible—air all night. As soon 
as the colour and ripening qualities are decided, some 
little advance may be again allowed; and when the 
fruit is all cut, maximum temperatures may again bo 
resorted to—if compatible with the plant culture— 
even until the leaves begin to turn a little yellow, when, i 
if previous proceedings have been judiciously taken, our 
natural autumn weather will of itself complete the 
wood ripening process. 
One collateral consideration must hero bo noted by 
the amateur, and that is, at what period during the ope¬ 
rator’s daily practice may the highest temperature be 
indulged in? Without hesitation, we answer from two 
to five in the afternoon. Of course not persisting thus 
except with plenty of sun-liglit. Artificial heat can only 
be warrantable in a very unseasonable summer or other 
unusually inclement period, and then more to dissipate 
damps and purify the atmosphere of the house than 
otherwise; for if it be not solar heat, it can be of no 
benefit to the vines, but otherwise, except for the above 
reasons. However, as to the dissipation of confined or 
corrupted air—those who ventilate freely will have little 
cause to fear in the generality of seasons, especially if 
they do as we advise, establish a slight circulation in 
the air of the house all night. 
The mode of ventilation may now be adverted to, for 
that, in early spring, especially, is a matter of import¬ 
ance. Of course, it may be presumed that every house 
has a regularity of ingress and egress; the first of which, 
as a general principle, is best at the lowest level in front 
(where it should pass immediately over a portion of the 
fine or piping), and the other at a high level at the back. 
These modes of ventilation, to be complete, should be 
capable of graduation, without which, they are exceed¬ 
ingly defective, as the operator, in dealing with extremes 
of temperature and cutting winds, should possess perfect 
control over them. In studying this part of our subject, 
the unpracticed should consider the character and ten¬ 
dency of a draught, and its application to the objects in 
view. Draught, by an established ingress and egress, 
may be made a heat-disperser, a purifier, and a moisture- 
robber ; indeed, the last two are almost one and the 
same thing. As a beat-disperser, use a liberal ingress 
with the maximum amount of egress. As a moisture- 
robber, rapidity in circulation is, we think, best; and 
this may be effected by throwing the back ventilators libe¬ 
rally open, and admitting a moderato r'nount in front. 
These things may be aptly compared t< the running of 
water in a channel: widen it, and the audon is sluggish; 
compress the channel into a very narrow compass, and 
the current becomes lively. Just so with ventilation; 
and our readers will do well to bear this simple figure 
in view. 
Let it be well understood, that all such operations are 
liable to be modified by the character of the weather, 
and of course must ever bo attempered in a judicious 
way, according to the objects in view. No man can lay 
down rides for daily ventilation. A watchful discretion 
is at all times necessary, and the operator must keep 
strictly in mind the reasons for his practice at the period 
of action. In early spring, when everything is arousing 
from a state of lethargy, when plants have been by neces¬ 
sity placed under what has been aptly termed a coddling 
system for many weeks, the most liberal ventilation 
must be used on every possible occasion to refresh the 
plants; and where vines are on the rafters, to keep back 
the branch action until the sun’s advancing power has 
forced some amount of action on the root to meet the | 
demands on the foliage when perspiration commences, j 
Without such, or an unusual fund of vital powers, the 
buds are sure to grow weakly, and in an ill-conditioned 
way—the bunches, perhaps, having a tendency to run 
into tendrils. Again, when the vines unfold their beau¬ 
tifully-organised and delicate foliage, susceptible of the 
slightest damage from almost any extreme, then must 
much caution bo exercised in air-giving; not that the 
