360 
THE OAR DENI NO WORLD . 
May 25, 1907. 
Fruit Growing 
for Amateurs. 
For the illustrations mentioned in this article see previous numbers. 
Stopping the Branches. — If more 
than one bunch of Grapes forms on a 
branch remove the one near the extreme 
end, and then stop, or pinch off, the end 
of the branch about three to five leaves 
beyond the other bunch—the one left on. 
But you should be guided to a great ex¬ 
tent by the space; if there is plenty to 
fill up the branch may be left longer. 
Lateral shoots will grow from the axils of 
the leaves along the entire length of the 
branch. These lateral shoots must not 
be cut out entirely, but stopped just be¬ 
yond the first leaf of the lateral, and all 
sub-laterals which form on it must be re¬ 
moved altogether while they are very 
small (see Fig. 13). 
By following out these instructions the 
full strength of the Vine will be concen¬ 
trated in the development of the main 
leaves and bunches of Grapes, and also 
in the due plumping up of the buds on 
the branch for next year’s crop. 
The Proper Weight of Grapes for 
a Vine to Bear. —If you once overcrop 
a Vine it will take several years of care¬ 
ful culture to bring it back to its normal 
fruit-bearing condition. Vines which are 
planted and intended for heavy bearing 
for a few years only must not be classed 
with those which are required to bear 
satisfactorily for a generation or more. 
A strong young Vine may be allowed to 
bear two bunches of Grapes the second 
vear after planting, one of medium 
' strength should only carry one bunch. 
Established Vines will, if judiciously 
looked after, bear from 1 lb. to 1 14 lbs; 
of Grapes per foot run of rod year after 
year. Thus a Vine 12 feet long should 
be allowed to mature about 16 lbs. of 
Grapes each year. 
You may easily tell when a ine is 
overcropped. It fails to freely produce 
sub-lateral growths, the berries fail to 
colour well, and the following year fewer 
bunches show. If the Vine is bearing a 
proper weight of fruit sub-laterals con¬ 
tinue to grow throughout the summer, 
and the berries carry a rich bloom, 
finishing well. 
Treatment while the Flowers are 
OPEN. —The flowers of the Vine are very 
fragrant. The moment you find a few 
flowers open cease keeping the atmo¬ 
sphere very moist, and be sure to have the 
pipes nice and warm, but take care that 
thev do not become overheated, as if they 
did there would, be danger of the berries 
“rusting.” The “rusting” would show 
clearly when’ the berries were about half 
grown. 
Gently shake or tap the rods about 11 
o'clock every morning,-at noon, and again 
at 2 o’clock in the afternoon. The. tap¬ 
ping dislodges the pollen, and causes 
fertilisation of the berries, the latter then 
“ set" a.nd swell freely. 
Each properly fertilised berry should 
contain four stones- — four being the full 
complement. But very often shy-setting 
varieties, such as Muscat of Alexandria, 
and Alnwick Seedling, only contain two 
stones ; nevertheless two stones often 
swell to a very large size, and the berries 
also. The temperature for Muscats while 
in bloom should be 75 degrees by day 
and 68 degrees by night. Other varieties 
need not have as high a temperature by 
7 degrees. 
When the Berries are “Set.” —■ 
Directly the berries are “set,” see to the 
watering of the border.. Give a thorough 
soaking of clear water, and then follow 
with diluted liquid manure, and in one 
week afterwards .apply a dose of some ap¬ 
proved artificial manure given according 
to instructions. Feeding should be the 
rule once a fortnight up to the time the 
berries show colour for ripening, then 
once every 7 week until the Grapes cease 
swelling, and are nearly ripe, from which 
date clear water only is necessary. 
Thinning the Berries. This is very 
pleasant work, especially when there is a 
nice crop of Grapes. The shoots, up to 
the flowering stage, are very tender and 
must not be forcibly drawn down to the 
wires for tying purposes. Bring them 
down from the glass gradually. By the 
time the flowers are open they will be 
tough enough to allow of their being tied 
down level with the wires. 
When the berries are about the size of 
very small round-seeded Peas commence 
thinning (see Figs. 16 and 17). You 
must not touch the berries with the hand, 
nor rub them with your cap, but use a 
neat forked stick with which to steady the 
bunch while you cut out the surplus 
berries -with a clean pair of Grape scis¬ 
sors. 
Begin at the bottom of the bunch and 
remove all small seedless berries first, 
then others not required, and finish the 
work at the top of the bunch. There is 
more room for the berries to swell near 
the top or shoulders, so that you must not 
thin out quite as severely there as near 
the point of the bunch. At . the lower ex¬ 
tremity of the bunch and of each 
shoulder there are generally three berries; 
these you must leave, as they tend to make 
the bunch better shaped. Those varie¬ 
ties .with short foot-stalks and- round 
berries, such as Gros Colmar, do not 
finish well if the berries, are overcrowded, 
because they lack room to swell, and in 
the autumn many inside berries decay. 
Give such sorts more .space than oval¬ 
shaped berries with long foot-stalks, such 
as Muscats and Madresfield Court. 
Indeed, Muscats and the Buckland 
Sweetwater do not require much thinning- 
out of berries. Black Hamburgh—the 
amateur’s Grape — requires medium thin 
ning because the berries passers long 
foot-stalks, and though the latter are long 
the berries are almost round. 
When a bunch of Grapes is ripe 
it should retain its form when cut 
and laid on a dish, and not fall apart 
disclosing the centre. If it does fall 
apart the thinning has been too. severe. 
But, on the other hand, the berries must 
not be too tightly wedged together so a; 
to be crushed out of shape. The bunch 
must be compact (see Fig. 18). 
Treatment when the Grapes are 
Ripe. — W hite or amber coloured varieties 
need plenty of sunshine, but the black 
ones should have a little shade if ripe in 
summer time, but not in the autumn. 
Moderately warmed pipes with a gentle 
current of air through the house greatly 
assist in the ripening of the berries, and 
in preserving them in good condition 
afterwards. A stagnant atmosphere must 
be avoided. Even in the autumn the 
borders must be kept watered else the 
Vines will suffer, .and the berries shrivel. 
But some judgment must be exercised in 
applying water. Keep the soil in a nice 
moist state, but cover the surface of the 
border with very short, dry litter, then 
the moisture will be kept down and the 
berries preserved from decay. 
Air Roots.—I daresay amateurs will 
have seen “ roots ” growing from the rods 
in the houses quite high up under the 
roof. These “roots” are the result of 
two conditions, namely, excessive mois¬ 
ture in the house, and the deficient 
action of the real roots of the Vine: either 
condition alone would cause the growth oi 
roots on the rods. They must be cut ofi 
in the autumn as at that season they 
shrivel up. To prevent them growing see 
that the atmospheric conditions are con 
ducive to healthy leaf growth, and tha' 
the roots of the Vines are active and have 
plenty of good soil to permeate. 
Scalding of the Berries. —A scaldec 
berry is one which has a brown colourec 
indentation on one side, generally the std< 
next to the sun. All scalding of th< 
berries can be prevented; it is the resul 
of bad management, especially 7 regarding 
that item the closing of the house am 
the damping down of the floor. 
Some varieties are more liable to scab 
than others; Lady Downes is sooi 
scalded, and there is one stage of th 
growth of the berries when they scab 
more than at any other—the stonin; 
stage. 
If the house is allowed to remain closei 
too long in a morning when the sui 
shines brightly the moisture which ha 
condensed on the berries is heated by th 
direct sun rays and causes the scalding 
But by giving a little timely ventilatio: 
the condensed moisture is dispersed, am 
the sun, shining upon dry berries, will no 
do them any harm. 
Scalding also occurs at closing time i 
the afternoon if the sun is very powerful t 
the time and there is a great amount c 
moisture in the structure. The bettf 
plan, in such circumstances, is to dam 
dowm the floor and’path of the house, bi 
leave ’ the closing of the latter until tl 
sun's power is waning a little. Scalde 
berries are practically useless, and shou 
be removed forthwith. 
G. 
(To be continued.) 
