5. Water every day from the appearance of the blossoms until done
gathering the fruit; this increases the crop largely, and, at the South,
has continued the vines in bearing until November. Daily watering will
prolong the bearing season greatly in all climates, and greatly increase
the crop.
6. Protect in winter by a slight covering of forest-leaves, coarse
straw, or cornstalks.
7. To get a late crop, keep the vines covered deep with straw. You can
retard their maturity two weeks, and daily watering will prolong it for
weeks.
8. Apply, twice in the fall and once in the spring, a solution of
potash, one pound in two pails of water, or two pounds in a barrel of
water in which stable-manure has been soaked.
9. The best general applications to the soil, in preparing the bed, are
lime, charcoal, and wood-ashes--one part of lime to two of ashes and
three of charcoal. The application of wood-ashes will render less
dissolved potash necessary.
These nine rules, strictly observed, will render every cultivator
successful in all climates and localities.