36 
THE FLORIST AND POMOLOGIST. 
[March, 
guineas had increased from 956 to 970. The Royal 
Commissioners had let the gardens for this year to 
the Commissioners of the International Fisheries 
Exhibition, who had shown the utmost courtesy, 
consideration, and liberality to the Society. Under 
the arrangements with the Fisheries’ Commissioners 
the Society would retain its standing at Kensington 
this year; and, as to the future, committees had 
been named by the Royal Commissioners of the 
Exhibition of 1851 and also by their own body to 
negotiate. It was not, however, likely that the 
deliberations would be pushed on very fast during 
the tenure of the Fisheries Exhibition. It had been 
said that they had maintained the litigation with 
the Commissioners with too much pertinacity, but 
the facts showed that the debenture-holders had a 
reasonable claim which the Society was bound to 
defend, and did defend at a cost of £911. The 
Society’s financial position was not due to the acts 
of the present Council. It was due to the unfortunate 
disputes at the time of the International Exhibition, 
which had cost the Society the loss of Fellows re¬ 
presenting £4,000. They had done their best for 
the debenture-holders. New Fellows continued to 
join in considerable numbers. — The report was 
unanimously adopted, the retiring officers were re¬ 
elected, and the vacancies in the Council filled up 
by the election of Sir C. Strickland, Sir P. Cunliffe 
Owen, and Colonel Beddome. 
VINES AND VINE CULTURE. 
Chap. XXIII. —General Management. 
'F)Y General Management is here meant all 
j vh that relates to the maintenance in the 
£>-5 houses of those atmospheric conditions 
that may be requisite for the proper 
cultivation or development of the Vines or 
their fruit. Requirements vary so much that 
it would he simply impossible, even were it 
desirable, to lay down hard and fast rules to 
be followed in every case ; much, very much, 
must always be left to the discretion of the 
cultivator. 
Since the introduction of cheap glass, 
Orchard Houses, Ground Vineries, and other 
unheated structures for the cultivation of the 
Vine, the term Forcing, at one time very ex¬ 
pressive of a definite condition, has become 
nearly obsolete. Any means that may be 
adopted for the forwarding of the growth of a 
plant to a greater extent than would take 
place naturally, may be termed Forcing. 
Heat is the motive power. The Vine growing 
in an unheated Orchard House—that is, not 
heated artificially—is forced by solar heat to 
a certain degree. Some Vines are forced in 
spring to induce them to commence growth 
early; others require forcing in autumn, to 
ripen their fruit. 
^ ines may be forced into growth and to 
bear fruit at any season of the year, provided 
—and provided always—that the wood is 
properly ripened. Early forced Vines of one 
season force more easily the following year, 
and established Vines always more easily than 
young ones ; indeed young Vines—excepting 
pot Vines—should not be hard forced. 
To secure early grapes, say in April, the 
Vines should be started into growth in Novem¬ 
ber. The period of time required from the 
commencement of growth to the ripening of 
the fruit is for the Black Hamburgh about 
five months. Thus, Vines started in March 
should have fruit ripe in July, and those 
coming naturally into growth by the end of 
March in August and September. The Mus¬ 
cat of Alexandria, Alicante, Lady Downe’s 
Seedling, and other late grapes, require 
nearly six months to ripen and finish 
properly. 
All Vines should be started sufficiently soon 
to have the fruit ripe in the early part of Sep¬ 
tember, for grapes ripened later than Septem¬ 
ber require a great amount of firing to finish 
them, and do not keep well through the 
winter. The grapes ripened in September 
are the latest that arrive at full maturity. 
If, say on January 1st, we take as an ex¬ 
ample, a Vinery from which ripe grapes are 
required to be cut in the month of June, the 
management necessary to secure this end may 
be stated in general terms as follows:— 
1. Temperature .—At the commencement 
a night temperature of about 60° will be 
sufficient until the Vines have started to grow. 
The heat should be raised gradually to 70° by 
the time they come into flower. When the 
grapes are fairly set a lower temperature may 
be maintained until after the stoning period, 
when, if necessary, a rise of a few degrees may 
be allowed. When the grapes commence to 
colour a lower temperature may be maintained, 
but fire-heat is almost always required in order 
to maintain a bracing atmosphere. 
For day temperatures a rise of 5° by fire- 
heat may be allowed in dull cold weather, and 
of 10° or more, if by sun-heat up to 80° or 
90°, as the season advances. In very cold 
weather, however, it is better to have a lower 
temperature than to maintain a high one by 
overheated pipes. 
2. Ventilation or Air-giving .—The object 
