A dictionary of modern gardening - University Library

GR A 266 GRA
" In winter, the shoot from the ex- i
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of every month till April. Where there
tremity of the bearing branch is cut off, are but three houses, it will be early
at the top of the roof, or within twelve enough to commence the first house in
or fifteen inches of it, and the shoot November, the second
from the spur is cut down to the mid- and the third in April.
in February,
To cause the
die of the roof, and all the spurs which vines to break equally all the length of
had borne the grapes are now cut out. the shoot, tie them down to the front
Each vine is now furnished with two windows, until the buds are all expandshoots
of bearing wood, a part of old ed, that one part of it may not be more
barren wood, and a spur for producing
a young shoot the following year. In
the fourth summer a full crop is pro-
excited than another.
" When every bud has pushed, carefully
separate the vines one by one;
duced, both in the upper and lower
half of the house. The longer shoot
and as it is convenient, regulate the
shoots, stop them, and tliin the number
bearing on the upper half of its length, of branches, and do all that is required.
and the shorter on its whole length; a
leading shoot is produced from the short
Then tie them up loosely to the rafter;
and should they hang down a foot from
shoot, and another from the spur the glass, it is an advantage, especially
" In the pruning season of the fourth during the early part of the season.'
year, the centre shoot is entirely removed,
and replaced by the side shoot,
now the whole length of the roof, and
this side shoot is in its turn supplanted
by the shoot from the spur, while a spur
is prepared to succeed it.
" Summer Pruning. — Mr. Mearns
gives the following directions : —
—
' Stop
Syringing and Steaming.— " During
the time of forcing the vine (unless they
are in blossom) and the ripening of the
fruit, syringe them freely with rainwater,
morning and evening, all over;
also steam the houses by pouring water
on the pipes or flues, to keep up a
moisture in the air. It is beneficial to
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the bearing branches at the bunch, in the growth of the plant, swells the berstead
of the next joint above it, which ries, and keeps down the red spider
is the usual practice; for I found that] While the vines are in blossom, refrain
the fruit did equally well, and it divest- from syringing, but use the steam freely,
ed the branch of an incumbrance, while " When the berries begin to colour,
it allowed a much larger portion of light also cease syringing; but use the steam
to come into the house, together with a a fortnight longer, though only at night
more free circulation of air among the
fruit and young wood. I blind all the
eyes on each fruit spur as soon as they
push above a joint or two, before I
pinch them back, always cautiously retaining
one eye ; and am particularly
cautious that nothing should happen to
injure the leaf that accompanies the
As soon as the grapes are nearly ripe,
keep as dry an atmosphere as possible,
both to give the fruit a good flavour,
and to ripen the wood."
Covering the Border.—"This in the
early part of the forcing season is absolutely
necessary, using either light
horse-litter, or fresh-gathered leaves.
No frost must be allowed to reach the
stems or roots ; if it does, the vines
will droop when the sun shines, and
the bunches will be crippled, and per-
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bunch, for if that is lost, the fruit of
course will come to nothing."' Hort.
Soc. Trans.
Forcing. — This is sometimes com
menced in September, but the close of haps never come out properly. A tarihe
next month is sufficiently early. paulin is useful to cover the litter and
Mr. Appleby, of Macclesfield, gives dung, to keep off the heavy rains and
the following very full and excellent snow."
directions:— "In places where there 1 Temperature. — " Commence forcing
are a number of houses devoted to the the vine with a low temperature. The
vine, it is possible to have ripe grapes first week keep up the heat to 50o, the
all the year round. To accomplish this second to 60°, the third to 65°, and the
completely, six houses are necessary
though it may in some degree be done
with three. In the former case, the
fourth to 70 Night temperature about
10° lower. A good rule is 60o for vines
in leaf, and 70^ when blooming and
first house ought to be started at the
end of October, the second on the first
of December, and so on, the first day
ripening fruit ; the night temperature
may then be 20° lower."
Setting the Fruit. — " To effect the