328 TUE FLORIST. 



HINTS ON GRAPE GROWING.— No. V. 

 By a Gardener in the Country. 



The house ha^'ing been erected according to our previous directions, and 

 every thing connected with the ventilation, &c., put into working order, 

 we will leave the heating of it for a future chapter, and proceed with 

 making the borders to receive the plants. The best time for planting 

 is in the month of April or early in May; they then have their season 

 before them, and, if proper attention is given them, will fairly establish 

 themselves the first year. Sometime in the winter previous some 

 strong one year old Vines should be selected ; these should have well 

 ripened wood three feet long, and as thick as a quill — if stouter so much 

 the better. ]\Iind the plants have been propagated from single eyes, 

 and are not from layers or long cuttings, such being comparatively 

 worthless. When received, cut each back to three eyes, or buds ; they 

 will look a little stumpy, but never mind that. You may now keep 

 them in a cold pit, or anywhere away from sharp frost. Towards the 

 end of ]\Iarch they will require to be gently started into growth, and 

 indeed at that time you will perceive the buds are beginning to swell of 

 themselves. Get a portion of the soil prepared for the border put in a 

 dry place, and a sufficient number of pots, two or three inches larger 

 than the size they are in. Next take the plants out of their pots and 

 shake the old soil completely from them ; the roots will be found matted 

 or coiled repeatedly rcund the pots, particularly if the plants are what 

 they should be. These must be uncoiled and set at liberty before 

 putting them in their new pots, into which spread the roots and fill in 

 between them with the new soil. By the time for planting them 

 arrives they will have commenced making fresh roots, and uncoiling 

 them will enable the roots to strike freely into the border when planted 

 out, which they would not do so well if the roots had not been set at 

 liberty. A pit or common dung frame will be the best place for them 

 after potting, where a little bottom heat can be given ; this will soon 

 start the roots into active growth, and the buds will break strongly. 

 Failing this place them in the house where they are to be planted ; they 

 will require disbudding when they break, leaving the best shoot, which 

 should be carefully tied to a support as it advances, and the plants 

 should be kept near the glass. Of course in whatever kind of house 

 they are gro^^^l in, air will be required, almost daily, to keep them from 

 drawing, as the slower they gi'ow the stronger will the rods ultimately 

 become, and this should be remembered day by day as the Vines 

 progress. 



Having put the plants required to fill the house in order, our next 

 attention must be directed to making the border. This should always, 

 if possible, be done a month or six weeks before planting the Vines, for 

 as we have an inveterate dislike to treading artificial borders to make 

 them firm, that time will be only sufficient to allow the fresh materials 

 of which it is made to get somewhat into place before the Vines are 

 turned out. March, or early in April, is in our opinion the best time 

 to fill in the border, especially if the compost has been put together in 



