THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
October 27. 
59 
object being, in reality, to produce an artificial wind, if 
I may be allowed such a term. 
It may here be borne in mind, by those inexperienced 
in ventilation matters, that, liko other things, tho 
greater the demand, the greater or more rapid the 
supply; therefore, if the object be to create a lively 
current of air, it will be best effected by a much greater 
egress than ingress, as to the size of the apparatus 
through which it is effected, and vice versa. 
As soon as the berries are in full course ol colouring, 
every lateral, however small, should bo stripped clear 
away; and nothing left, in fact, but the principal or 
first-formed leaves. If any supernumerary shoots had 
been left with a view to provide for future contingencies, 
they should be pruned to the proper point the moment 
the foliage discolours; as although, in summer, we strenu¬ 
ously advise people to guard against the erroneous idea 
of stripping leaves, &c., in order that the sun may shine 
on the fruit; yet, now we advise the very reverse; get 
sunshine on every berry if you honestly can; the sun 
has now little power, and moreover, the principal foliage 
may not now be shaded by any means. 
As the foliage decays, constant attention must be paid 
to removing those leaves which have evidently performed 
their office ; this may readily be known by their general 
appearance of decay—the “sere and yellow leaf” is a 
thing of poetry; everybody can understand this. One 
thing, however, may be urged here; it is frequently neces¬ 
sary to leave the footstalk, merely pinching the leaf itself 
off. This is done to avoid any violence to the eye, or hud, 
at the base of the footstalk; for the latter, at least, should 
remain until it falls of itself; and the shade of the 
decaying foliage being removed, the cultivator should 
therewith rest content. 
It may not be generally known, that the foliage of the 
true West's St. Peter's Vine is of high importance for 
dressing-up dessert dishes. We use it here constantly 
through tho winter months. Those who admire what 
are called autumnal tints will highly appreciate the style 
of its foliage. It is an almost indescribable mixture of 
bronze, and yellow, and green ; and its effect by candle¬ 
light is splendid indeed. 1 speak here of the foliage 
when nearly decayed, and at the period when it requires 
occasional removal from the Vine, in order to admit the 
solar rays. 
To wind up the detail of care requisite in preserving 
late Grapes, I may observe, that the scissors must be 
plied about twice a week until the last bunch is cut. 
Manage how wo will, a decaying berry, here and there, 
will occur, and there is no safety but in their speedy 
removal. The operator must take care to avoid rubbing 
the bloom from the berries, for rubbed and mauled 
berries are a disgrace to the cultivator. We never 
syringe after the berries are finished thinning, and our 
Grapes at this time, in consequence, possess a bloom 
equal to a Plum, aud, withal, are as black as the sloe, 
notwithstanding the late untoward season. I never 
knew Grapes colour so well as they have done this 
vear. R. Erjrington. 
MATERIALS FOR PROTECTING PITS, &c„ 
FROM FROST. 
“ Please to let me know what would be the best 
aud cheapest covering for a cold pit, forty feet by nine 
feet. 1 want it to roll backwards and forwards. Where 
obtainable, and price?” “ How you do abuse the poor 
bass mats; are you not ungrateful to good old servants ? ” 
“Will you just tell me how many gentlemen have 
authorised their gardeners to get nice woocf.eu-shutters 
for their pits, at the expense of some six shillings for a 
moderate-sized light? How many have yon got your¬ 
self?” “What do you think of Frigi-dom.o, asphalt, 
canvass, glazed or waterproof calico ? and what would 
be the comparative expense, and the best mode of ap¬ 
plying any of them respectively ? ” “ We live in the 
retirement of the country; all sorts of litter are com¬ 
paratively of little value ; could we not use straw mats, 
thatched hurdles, or neat straw covers, which you pro¬ 
mised long ago to let us know how to make, but which 
I have never seen described ? ” 
These are merely a sample of the enquiries that are 
made, week after week, as the cold season approaches. 
I introduce them prominently here, that our manu¬ 
facturers may see what is wanted in this respect, as 
well as for the protection of wall-trees, and other tender 
plants in spring; as anything that can be made strong, 
flexible, and waterproof, and yet economical in price, 
will be sure of a very great sale. So far as I recollect, 
I introduced the subject of protection last week, but a 
few more points will bear referring to, premising, how¬ 
ever, that they are to be received more as hints than 
injunctions; and that it is no part ot the aim ol this 
work to recommend any particular merchants or dealers. 
Though the principles of protection have been fully 
elucidated, we may just refer to one or two for the sake 
of fresh readers and new beginners. It comes to much 
the some thing in the end, whether we speak of keeping 
in heat, or keeping out cold; and yet, I think, the matter 
would be simplified if we used the former phraseology, 
aud spoke of cold more as a negative than a positive 
quality. For instance, in a pit, possessing an enclosed 
atmosphere so many degrees warmer than the external 
air, there will be a continual radiation of heat from the 
glass, and every exposed part of the pit, until the in¬ 
ternal and external heat become alike. To preserve 
this heat, we protect the walls, and throw a cover 
over the glass. It has been shown, that in early forcing 
the same practice is valuable, not only as a saving of 
fuel, but preventing tender vegetation being injured by 
a dry fire-heat, on the one hand; or exposed to the 
entrance, through lap and cranny, ot air nearly as well 
deprived of its moisture by frost as if it had passed 
over a blast furnace, on the other. This, unless pre¬ 
vented, will take place even among the residents of 
cold pits, and all the more prejudicially when filled with 
watery juices, after weeks of dull, muggy weather, as we 
have lately had, and are still threatened with. Hence, 
the care necessary in giving air when the air is dry 
from frost, many plants being robbed of their moisture, 
and, consequently, scorched from this cause. But our 
business, at present, is the keeping in of the enclosed 
heat. 11 will be evident that that will be effected only 
and so long as the covering prevents the glass, &c., 
from being cooled. The simplest covering, therefore, 
will be better than none, as it lor a certain time will 
prevent the radiation of heat. When once the covering 
and the glass together become of the same temperature 
as the external air, the parting of heat from the interior 
would go on with great rapidity. If, in these circum¬ 
stances, we throw a quantity of litter, hay, &c. (if dry, 
so much the better), over the first covering, the radiation 
is taken from the glass to the fresh surface; in other 
words, we compel John irost to begin his work anew, 
and we do so every time that by turning and breaking 
the surface of that litter we thus break the straight 
line of radiation. 
Hence, the material used; the mode of applying it; and 
the principles that regulate the radiation and conduction 
of heat; become matters of importance. As a general 
rule, the absorbing, conducting, and radiating ot heat- 
powers in bodies are in proportion to their density. 
Thus, a plate of iron exposed to a heating or cooling 
medium, on one side, or part ol a side, would soon be 
heated and cooled all over and all through. You might 
wait long before the same thing took place in a plate of 
wood. A piece of smooth, hard ground, other things 
