If all goes well, these shoots will soon push out, and after a short time will grow rapidly, and should reach the top of your house by midsummer, when their tops should be broken or pinched off. Side branches or laterals will also push at every joint, and these must be allowed to grow for a foot or more, and then stopped, for it is not good to allow the growth to get crowded. From the time the Vines are planted, all through the summer and autumn months, ventilation, to cause a circulation of fresh air about the foliage, must be regularly attended to. In bright, warm weather, a circulation of air should be kept up night and day, for a high night temperature is a mistake. Without sun-heat, your temperature should always be from 65° to 75° by day during the growing season. If this cannot be obtained naturally, then it should be provided artificially. It does not matter much what it is during the hours of darkness. Our vineries are sometimes as low as 40° on a cold morning, and very often 50° even in fine weather. We are particular to have a good growing temperature by day, but if the temperature is anywhere between 40° and 55° we never bother ourselves, although the heat declines to the former figure.

We will not refer to this point again, as that is all we have to say on the matter, except that, with bright sun and air on, 80° or 90° is not too much. Water will be necessary for the inside border occasionally during summer, and even the outside one, if the summer prove dry. At first, while the plants are small and few roots are in the borders, no great quantity will be necessary; but in a year or two thorough drenchings will be needed, for Vine-leaves evaporate water at an almost incredible rate, and the consequence is that Vine-borders get very dry in a short time. When this happens, the Vines soon lose their vigour, and red-spider comes to prey on their leaves, and the two, between them, soon turn strong healthy plants into weaklings. Care must therefore be taken that the Vines never suffer for want of water. Vines are rather liable to be attacked by red-spider, but complete and copious syringings, directed full tilt at the back of the leaves, will soon settle it. When the fruit is on the Vines, care must be taken not to dash the water at the bunches, but past them, or the beautiful bloom, which enhances their value and appearance on the table, will be washed off.

Water which trickles off the leaves on to the bunches will not harm the bloom much, although it will not improve it. Of course, when red-spider is absent, syringing is not necessary, but a washing once a-week before the Grape begins to colour will not spoil the bloom, and will prevent spider making its appearance. At whatever stage it appears, drown it out, for that is the only way to keep healthy Vines; and although trickling water may injure the bloom a little, Vines which are weakened year after year by attacks from red-spider will soon cease to produce Grapes worth having, far less preserving the bloom on. You will know when it begins its work, for the leaves, when attacked, will appear as if they intended ripening off. If the leaves grow yellowish before their time, examine the backs of them carefully, and the downy webs which the creatures weave will soon be seen, and a little close examination will reveal the minute insects themselves. Sometimes thrip makes its appearance. In this case the attacked spots look as if they had been scorched by fire, and if leaves having this appearance are examined, the thrips will be seen. They are small black insects - yellow when young - and are much larger than spiders, but still small enough to escape observation unless looked for.

The mischief they cause soon betrays them. Sponging them off with soapy water is the only cure worth naming. Sometimes scale and mealy-bug get carried to Vines with other plants, and both are terribly troublesome insects. Their names describe their appearance. The sponge will remove the scale, but if they are allowed to establish themselves, it will take a deal of trouble. Mealy-bug must be sought for and killed individually; such a task we hope you may never have, and therefore we advise their immediate destruction the moment any insects appear. It costs much less work than to leave them alone until winter, and then attempt to destroy them. Insects must be destroyed in summer, or they will not be destroyed at all. That is our experience. At the same time, a good scrubbing with a hard brush and warm soapy water, after the Vines are pruned, will help to destroy any lingerers. Don't paint them over with nasty mixtures which do no good, but which get washed off with syringing during summer on to the leaves, glass, etc.

By the end of summer and beginning of autumn the wood will get brown and hard. When this takes place, more air should be given, especially in bright weather, and the heat may be allowed gradually to decline. If, however, the wood is not brown, the heat must be kept up until it is, for if winter comes before the wood is ripe, it will come too soon. After it is ripe and the leaves turn yellow, you should thatch your outside border to prevent its being kept soaking wet all the winter, for any young roots that may be in it will very likely get spoilt. After the leaves have fallen, no more heat will be necessary than will just keep out frost; but you will likely be keeping Pelargoniums over winter in the house, and will keep the frost out for their sake.

A week or two after the leaves have all fallen, the Vines will need to be pruned. Now you will need some courage to do this properly, for although the operation is in itself very simple, it may cost you a pang to cut away the whole of the growth which you have been at so much pains to produce; and yet you will not do right, unless the Vines be very strong, if you do not cut down the rods to within 6 inches of where they started last year. (We ought to have said sooner that each plant should only be allowed to produce one rod, and that the advice given to allow two buds to remain on the young cane at planting-time was for fear of any accident occurring. As soon as one takes the lead the other should be pinched, and prevented from growing further.) After they are pruned the cuts should be dressed over with a little shell-lac varnish, to prevent any sap escaping - or bleeding as it is called - for this sometimes happens, and it is very weakening. After pruning is over, the surface of the border should be broken up an inch or two with a fork, and if the soil has subsided below what is the intended floor-level, more soil should be added.

This soil should contain an extra allowance of manure and bones, for the roots of Vines travel towards where their food is, and it is highly desirable to attract them to, and to keep them at, the surface. Over all, a few inches of decayed manure should be placed, and this should be kept always moist, so that, when waterings are given, its manurial matter may be washed into the border. Its continual moisture will be an attraction to the roots besides. When this is done you will be ready for another year's start. J. H.