454 THE GARDEx\ER. [Oct. 



FRUITING VINES IN POTS. 

 I DO not think that any one can doubt the correctness, in the main, of 

 the very able article on this subject in the last number of the ' Gar- 

 dener.' If I would have any objections upon any part of it, it is in 

 the third paragraph, where the writer has his doubts about the correct- 

 ness of allowing the roots to get in any way out of the pots in which 

 they have been grown. It seems to me that a Vine that has been 

 grown, and prepared for fruiting, in a pot — the Vine is such a strong 

 feeder — must, in most cases, to a great extent have taken the chief of 

 the so-called substance from the soil. And this is not all, for in many 

 gardens where there is a host of other things to be looked after, and 

 labour is not over-plentiful, I do think that — it seems a natural advan- 

 tage — they would be better to have their roots so that they would not 

 be kept so strictly to their pots. But on this subject I will go no 

 further. 



I have had three different lots of fruiting pot- Vines this year, and 

 any one could see at a glance the truth of the sentence, that more de- 

 pends upon "the way in which the Vines have been prepared than all 

 else besides; " for it is not by any means the largest and best-looking 

 that have proved themselves to be the best. ISTo doubt, size is a great 

 advantage if it is otherwise supplemented; but without that, it is 

 better to give way to one a little less strong and otherwise well 

 matured. 



But many of your readers must have observed, if not experienced, 

 the difficulty that there is in getting up a good lot of pot- Vines in 

 some places compared Avith others. At some places they will grow 

 away like willows, quickly and strongly ; whereas in other places, with 

 the greatest care, they can hardly be got to make a fair start at all. 

 At least such is my little experience. I have some very good ones this 

 year, struck in February, and grown on in an old Pine-stove, without 

 any more than usual attention, and they have quite satisfied me (I 

 send you a sample) ; whereas with, I believe, greater care at a former 

 time in a different place, I have failed to get up a first-rate cane ; and 

 even two-year-olds (cut-backs) were not so good as one-year-old Vines 

 here. This is not new, but it shows something. 



Before concluding these remarks, I will just state what I intend 

 doing with a lean-to vinery of a moderate size soon. I intend to plant 

 it next year with young permanent Vines, but before doing so I want 

 to get out of it a crop from pot- Vines. I will place a row of pots at 

 the usual distance apart along the front of the house; then on a 

 stage of boxes and planks I will have another row about half- 

 way up the house. From these I will almost get as many Grapes, 



