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GRAPE VINES IN POTS. 



In all the round of fruit culture, I know 

 of nothing more worthy of an amateur's 

 attention than the culture of grapes in 

 pots ; for though there is literally no 

 difficulty in the way of success, yet the 

 task calls for just such an amount of 

 skill, and perseverence, and judgment as 

 are requisite to give zest to the enter- 

 prize. The man who has no genuine ap- 

 preciation of horticultural principles, will 

 never make much progress in this part of 

 the art, but the true amateur, whose heart 

 is in his work, may enter upon the pretty 

 task with the surest hope of being well re- 

 warded for his labours. Those who have 

 seen the pot-grapes exhibited from year to 

 year — and this year, they were shown at 

 St. James's Hall, in, perhaps, better con- 

 dition than ever — must be tired with a wish 

 to produce such unique specimens of vines 

 artistically trained, and holding out their 

 luscious bunches temptingly and persua- 

 sively. 



But we are only now beginning to 

 understand the grape vine ; it has been 

 more abused by empiricism, and artificial 

 treatment, than any subject we have; and I 

 hope here to show that the pot-culture of 

 grapes is almost as simple, and attended 

 with but little more trouble,'than the culture 

 by any other method. The old fashioned 

 plan of growing vines in immense pots, and 

 forcing them into abundant bearing by 

 stimulants, has exploded ; and any course of 

 treatment which hurries a plant into pre- 

 mature age, or, rather, murders it in its 

 very infancy, must explode with the progress 

 of knowledge in horticulture. To the gar- 

 deners in large establishments, therefore, 

 who have been content to take one crop 

 from a vine in a large pot, and then consign 

 the plant to the muck-heap, let me say 

 this plain word — you know nothing about 

 pot-culture of grapes, and must begin again 

 de novo. 



As some of our correspondents have 

 written for information on this subject, I 

 will briefly treat of it in each of its several 

 departments, and should have done so last 

 month, had not the chrysanthemums almost 

 wholly occupied me, both in preparing my 

 own show, and visiting others, both public 

 and private. But there is nothing lost by 

 delay, for those who purpose to pursue the 

 culture from the beginning — and I would 

 advise the amateur fruit grower to give the 

 preference to plants of his own raising — can 

 do little till the middle of January. Then 

 is the time to begin striking from eyes, 

 which is far preferable, if handsome bushes 

 are required, than either coils or cuttings. 

 But the sorts required to be propagated, 

 may not be in the possession of the grower, 



in which case he may obtain primings from 

 a nursery for a trifling expense — failing to 

 get these, he must, of course, get plants, 

 and these should be not less than two years 

 old. 



The primings should be thrust into a 

 pot of moist loam without any shortening 

 or trimming, and put in an open shed, or 

 anywhere away from the stimulus of heat, 

 and exposed to the air, without being 

 subjected to any severe frost till the middle 

 of January. Then secure a sweet bettom 

 heat, of 70 or 80 degs., and prepare as 

 many five-inch pots as you require plants, 

 for the eyes must be struck singty. Put 

 one-third of crocks in the pots for drainage, 

 and fill up to the brim with chopped turf 

 lightly sprinkled with silver "sand, and 

 press quite firm. To make the eyes, choose 

 the plumpest buds, and cut them off the 

 stem, with an inch of wood below the bud, 

 and half an inch above it — the latter must 

 be cut horizontally. Thus you have a bud 

 with a certain portion of wood and bark 

 attached to it ; place this in the centre of 

 the pot, press it down on the firm soil till 

 it is immoveably imbedded, strew over it a 

 little fine soil, and press this firm over the 

 bark, but leave the point of the bud unin- 

 jured, and just peeping through, and finally 

 sprinkle a little silver sand over to hide the 

 bud itself. Having prepared all the pots in 

 this way, plunge them in the bed prepared, 

 in which the heat must be moist and con- 

 stant. Since I have dabbled with the hot- 

 water system, I prefer a bed of bark over a 

 tank, but dung-heat will do well to strike 

 vines, if well managed. When they have 

 fairly started, the heat may be allowed to 

 decline, and they will require only good 

 greenhouse treatment, plenty of air, occa- 

 sional syringing [of the foliage — but they 

 must never be recklessly drenched with 

 water, as I have seen some growers treat 

 young vines — and while young never once 

 taste liquid manure. 



When they are about fifteen inches high, 

 shift them into seven-inch pots, and use a 

 compost of turfy loam, with one-fourth 

 very rotten powdery dung and leaf-mould 

 Now give them liberal culture, keep the 

 foliage in the highest health by the use of 

 the syringe, and a plentiful admission of 

 air. As they fill their pots with roots, shift 

 them liberally, and train out the shoots ; 

 they may enjoy plenty of light, and a free 

 circulation of air amongst the foliage. At 

 the end of the first season, cut them back to 

 two buds, and when these break next spring, 

 remove the weakest, and train the other to 

 form a strong cane, and when this is six 

 feet high, stop it to strengthen its lower 

 part, and promote a thorough ripening of 



