May I be permitted a small space to support Mr Simpson's argument on the above subject. We have a vinery here planted with different kinds of Grapes, and one end is occupied by Muscat of Alexandria: but before this year, the said variety could not be got to set well, though the night temperature was kept at 75°, and other methods employed that generally insure success. This year the house was started in the usual way, early in March. All went well until the bunches were coming into flower: at this period we would have raised the night temperature to as nearly as practicable 75°, but to our chagrin a "flaw " presented itself in the boiler, and in consequence of this, they received but very little artificial heat during the whole time they were in flower; partly owing to the condition of the boiler, and the state of the external atmosphere, the thermometer almost nightly went down below 45°. We had grave doubts about our Muscats, but we made the utmost of solar heat, and syringed freely on bright afternoons, and instead of a failure, we have the finest crop of Grapes the Vines have ever produced.

Being one of the rising generation of young gardeners, I would like to conclude by heartily thanking Mr Burbridge for his words of encouragement at page 275. A. R. C.

Temperature Of Forcing-Houses #1

We gardeners are very apt to make the most of a theory with which we may happen to have fallen in love: circumstances and events, which would have either been passed unnoticed, or otherwise been set down to another cause, are brought to the support of an espoused theory. "A. R. C.'s " method of reasoning on his Muscats setting, may be classed. under this head. It is a fact, which I have proved entirely to my own satisfaction, that Muscats will set as freely subjected to a minimum temperature of 75°, as they will in any other down to 45°; only, in each and every degree that may be chosen, artificial help to impregnation must be given. Muscat - Cannon Hall being the worst setter, and Mrs Pince the best - Buckland Sweetwater, Golden Champion, and Black Morocco, are all liable to set badly, on account of the cap - if I may be permitted so to call it - which envelops the anthers and stigma, unless some means are taken to dislodge it. This "A. R. C." accomplished by syringing. I attain the same end by shaking the Vines gently, and, in stubborn cases, going over the bunches individually and removing them by hand.

There seems to be a very wide meaning attached to Mr Simpson's remarks on the desirability of a lower night temperature for forcing; for my part, I am unable to see how it would be possible in early forcing - say, starting at Christmas, the Grapes to be ripe by the beginning of June - to have the fruit ripe in time, unless an average very near that recommended by Mr W. Thomson and other authorities on the Grape Vine is kept up. Nor do I think Mr Simpson's remarks tend to convey an impression to the contrary. The fact is, unless artificial heat is applied to keep the temperature to about the average recognised as the most suitable by practical men, more especially from the time the bunches have well "shown" onwards to the ripening process, the Vines will come pretty much to a standstill. Mr Simpson's theory of rest at night will recommend itself to every one as very natural; but I fear, if Grapes are to be had ripe, as now, at a certain time - I mean, early-forced Grapes - we must " stick " to our present temperatures, though, in very cold weather, letting the temperature drop a little rather than fire too severely. I consider it a very good plan to have a bed of fermenting material on the borders of early-forced houses.

It goes far to create humidity in the atmosphere, whilst it, at the same time, obviates the necessity of so much firing. "We can doubtless dispense very much with fire-heat with late-started houses, as the length of the day, the shortness of the night, the increase of the outside temperature, and the increasing powerfulness of the sun's rays, all go to keep up the required average temperature. In our late vinery scarcely any fire-heat has been given, nor will there be any more till the crop begins to ripen, when firing will be carried on as the state of the weather may call for. It may be well to warn those who have been induced to dispense pretty much with fire-heat, to be careful in the application of moisture. Even now, I am careful to have the house thoroughly dry every day, and in the dull weather damping is very cautiously gone about. Mildew is very easily produced, and not quite so easily got rid of.

I cannot agree with Mr Simpson, that, as he wrote in a contemporary a few weeks back, the main cause of failure in Grape-growing is caused by too high temperatures. I believe the cause is to be found very generally in over-cropping the Vines, and over-manuring the border, in the shape of manure-water, to induce the Vines to finish the crop. It is notorious that very few have the courage and the common-sense to crop young Vines lightly; and these few, instead of making an appearance, according to the number of vineries they may have at command to " finish " up, one after another, will hold on the even yearly tenor of then way, the Vines meanwhile improving year by year. I see no prospect of lowering our "firing" bills to any great extent through lowering the "forcing" temperatures, for what may be saved in fuel will be lost in earliness - and in many cases this is of more consequence than the coal or coke bill: for my part, I would not care to have a lower minimum temperature than 60° to 65° for early forcing, nor do I think it necessary, in order to insure the setting of the crop, to raise the temperature any higher.

I cut Black Ham-burgs in twenty-four weeks from the time the house was shut up, and 65° was rarely exceeded until colouring commenced, nor was the heat many times lower than GO0, though no attempt was made to keep to a fixed temperature. From the time colouring commenced, from 68° to 73° was the minimum range, with air continually "on" - the Grapes were sweet though not ripe. We made the most of sun-heat all through, running up to a figure in the day-time which would alarm a good many. Coke is more than four times the price it was last year at this time. I, for one, wish we could get things to succeed in a lower temperature, but doubt it very much. R. P. B.