Keep all Vines from which the fruit have been cut cool and airy, unless, indeed, it be in the case of any vigorously growing Vines, the wood of which may not be so far advanced in ripeness as is desirable. In their case keep a little heat in the pipes, and with a free circulation of dry warm air about them, they have yet good time to ripen. Remove every attempt at fresh lateral growth, which these and all established Vines may show. Where there is any trace of red-spider, give the foliage a few good washings with water in which a little flower of sulphur is mixed. Early Vines intended for starting in November and December will be ready to prune by the end of the month. After they are pruned let all cleaning connected with them and the vinery be effected at once. If the surface of the border consists of close inert soil, remove it down to the roots, and substitute some turfy soil and a fewhalf-inch bones andhorse-droppings. Indeed this surfacing is desirable in the case of all Vines from which the fruit are cut; while the leaves remain green there is a chance of the roots striking up into the fresh soil before the leaves are shed. Recently-planted Vines that have made vigorous canes, that are not yet perfectly brown and ripe, should have a free circulation of dry warm air among them.

They must not be allowed to grow any more; and if they have rambled and become thick of wood and leaves, remove a portion so as to let light and air play more freely about them. Keep all vineries where the Grapes are perfectly ripe, cool, airy, and dry. Look over them two or three times weekly, and remove any shanked or decaying berries that may appear. If Muscats and other late-hanging Grapes are not likely to ripen thoroughly without a little steady firing by the end of the month, let such be applied. Grapes, to hang successfully, should be ripe by the first week of October at the latest. A fresh healthy leafage is of vast importance in the case of these; and should any trace of red-spider appear, let it be got rid of at once by hand-sponging or otherwise. In localities that are subject to heavy autumnal and winter rains, the outside borders should be covered with wooden shutters or some other means of throwing off the rains, and it is a good plan to cover the inside border in autumn with a little loose dry earth or old Mushroom-bed dung sifted finely. This prevents evaporation, and the border from cracking. Pot-Vines intended for early forcing should now be thoroughly ripe, and be pruned at once as far as they require it.

Place them in a cool place where they will not get either very dry or very wet at the root. The pot-Vine system is by far the surest and perhaps the best for Grapes that have to be ready for table by the beginning of April, for it is seldom that any one set of Vines bears the strain of winter forcing for many years in succession.

Vine Forcing #1

Late Grapes intended to hang through the winter should be perfectly ripe by the beginning of this month. But if in any case they are not, assist their ripening with fire-heat and a free circulation of warm air. All Grapes that have been ripe for some time will require to be looked over twice or thrice weekly, and any bad berries cut out of them. On fine days after damp ones, put a little heat into pipes, and air freely to expel damp, but keep the ventilators closed on damp drizzly days to exclude damp, and keep everything about the vineries dry and clean. In wet localities let all the outside borders of vineries where Grapes are hanging be protected thoroughly from rains, and if there is any doubt about the working of the front main drain, let it be seen to at once. Keep Vines from which the fruit is all cut cool and airy, unless, as directed last month, in the case of strong growing- Vines that are not so ripe as they should be, letting these be fired till the wood is brown and hard and compact. This also applies to young Vines planted this year, and which should not now be allowed to make any more fresh growth, but be fired, aired, and kept rather dry at the root until the wood is perfectly ripened.

If they are at all crowded, and have more than one joint on the lateral growths, let all be removed now by degrees except one bud and leaf, so that a free circulation of light and air may play about the Vines. If Vines from which spring Grapes are expected are not already pruned no time should now be lost in getting it done. Remove all loose bark from their stems; and if there has been any red-spider about them last year, scrub them well with a hard brush and soapy water. Brush and if possible paint all the wood-work; remove the soil from the surface of the border, and replace it with fresh soil. Then dress the Vines with the usual mixture, and all will so far be in readiness for a start when desired. Pot-Vines that may have been standing outdoors should be removed to some place where their roots can be protected from heavy rains. When a start with these is contemplated towards the end of the month, dress any knife-wound about them with styptic at once, and when started it will be a great advantage if they can be plunged in a mild bottom-heat. It is always advisable when starting pot-Vines thus early to put a few more into heat than are required, as a few may not start and show satisfactorily, and it is very little use to start so early unless with first-class, early, and well-ripened Vines that have had a rest.