Early crops that have finished the stoning process, and that are required to ripen as early as possible, may be encouraged forward more freely with an advance of temperature to 70° in mild weather; but if cold east winds prevail, and the days be sunless, it is better to force more gently, taking advantage of bright suns to shut up early, and husband heat for the night with the least possible amount of fire-heat compatible with the temperature required. This rule is applicable to Vines in all stages. We consider it preferable to push on Grapes that are required early in the interval between the stoning and colouring period than to force hard after the latter process commences. Nearly all black Grapes colour better in a moderate heat than in what may be termed maximum or Muscat heat. As soon as colouring begins, give air a little more freely and decrease the moisture. The increase and decrease of these elements should never be sudden, but gradual. A small amount of air left on at night is favourable to good colour; and a strip of perforated zinc or hexagon netting placed over the openings is a good plan for preventing strong blasts of cold air.

If the early crop is from Vines in pots, a constant watch must be kept to prevent their suffering from either a deficiency or superabundance of water. Discontinue watering with manure-water when colouring com-mences. Attend to all Vines in late stages, by timely stopping, thinning, and tying down shoots as directed last month. Young and all vigorous Vines should never have their growths tied down to the wires at once, or they will break off at their junction with the old wood. They often bear the strain at the time, but give way in ten or twelve hours; and this applies to the very best order of growths, so that cautions tying-down is a great point with those who are experienced. With longer days, more light, and milder weather, the temperature may range a few degrees higher at night than for last month, especially when the houses can be shut up warm with sun-heat in the afternoon. Examine inside borders, and keep them moderately moist with water at a temperature 8° or 10° more than that of the atmosphere. Where there are still late Grapes hanging in small quantities, it is desirable for many reasons to cut them, and keep them in a dry front room.

There are many ways of preserving them; some do it by cutting off a piece of the Vine with the bunch, and placing the end of the wood in bottles of water; others stick the end of the wood into a Turnip or Mangold- Wur-zel. Grapes can also be kept packed in cotton-wool in dry drawers. As soon as they are all cut, lose no time in pruning the Vines and dressing them as directed last month. Then the house can be kept cool and well aired for a month at least before they begin to grow. This is a good time to complete making new Vine-borders and planting young Vines, though it can be successfully done till midsummer. The welldoing of the Vine depends to a great extent on the preparation of the young Vines. This was wonderfully exemplified in our own experience last spring. We planted a quantity of Vines in March; some were in large pots, in rich ill-drained soil; these had long, bare, straggling roots with few fibres: others were grown in 6-inch pots in light loam, which when shaken out looked for all the world like the roots of a Box-tree; so full of small, short, turfy roots were they, that they seemed to have licked up even the very soil. The latter Vines were not half the thickness of the former, but they were hard as a hazel rod, with prominent eyes.

The result in autumn was that they made by far the finest Vines. Vines grown on in bottom-heat, and Vines too early exposed to the open air or to drenching rains before either their wood or roots are ripe, should be avoided. The thorough maturing of the roots is a most important point, far too often lost sight of. In planting let every root be carefully disentangled and spread out in all directions: long bare roots are best cut back to induce them to branch into fibres nearer the stem; and if they have been grown in rich adhesive soil, give them a good washing in a pail of water before planting them. After washing, dash a handful of dry sand about them, to cause them to separate more freely, and prepare them for being laid in the soil. When planted give a watering with water at 85° to 90° heat. Allow the Vines to break a few inches in a temperature of 50°. If started hurriedly after being planted they will not start so robustly.