168 
| THE DICTIONARY OF GARDENING, _ 
Vine—continued. 
Pot CULTURE. The growing of Vines in pots is of a 
twofold character: first, that of producing plants for 
planting-out, subsequently to be grown as permanent 
Vines ; and secondly, that of producing plants for fruiting 
in pots. Some cultivators grow the Vines obtained from 
eyes “struck” in early spring to their “ fruiting sta 2 
the same season. Others strike the eyes, and grow the 
plants on so far, and the following year cut down, re-pot, 
and grow on again, thus occupying two years in pro- 
ducing a similar result. The one-year-old plants, if pro- 
perly grown, are generally considered the better; but 
they are only produced under very favourable conditions, 
requiring an excessive amount of care and attention, and 
cost, possibly, more than the two-year-old plants, or “ cut- 
backs,” as they are familiarly called. — ` 
Potting. Liberal pot room must be provided, so as to 
grow the Vines quickly ; therefore, as soon as it is found 
that the roots have reached the bottom or sides of the pot, 
re-pot into a 5in. or 48-sized pot, from this, immediately 
the roots have again reached the bottom, into an 8in., and 
from this into a 10in. or 12in. pot, which is called the 
fruiting-pot. This last size will be found quite. large 
enough for all practical purposes. Plants that are intended 
to be grown the second year need not be potted into larger 
than 8in. pots. After the last shift, which should not 
take place later than the beginning of July, when the 
pots get stored with roots, they should be liberally top- 
dressed from time to time; this top-dressing will be 
found to get filled with fibry roots. - 
Soil. The best, fresh, fibry loam that can be procured, 
with the admixture of broken charcoal, and a little bane- 
dust and decayed manure, should be chosen for the first 
potting ; the rougher the condition in which the soil is 
used, the better. The pots must be carefully and effi- 
ciently drained. For the second and third pottings, the 
soil may be somewhat richer. Top-dressings should con- 
sist of half-rotted manure mixed with the soil, together 
with some horn-shavings or bones. Care must be taken, 
in potting, to have the soil of the same temperature as 
that of the houses in which the plants are growing, and 
the Vines should be potted in the same place if possible, 
so as to prevent any possibility of chill from exposure, 
the check to their growth arising therefrom being ex- 
tremely injurious at this stage. 
Watering, §c. Abundance of water is at all times 
. necessary for growing Vines. They should be syringed 
several times a day, and the atmosphere kept con- 
tinually charged with moisture. When the fruiting-pots 
ar of roots, liquid manure should be frequently 
applied. 
~: Temperature. Vine-eyes, on being struck, ehonld be 
plunged in a bed having a bottom-heat of 80deg., and an 
atmospheric temperature by fire-heat of 65deg. or 70deg., 
which, by sun-heat, may be allowed to rise to 90deg. or 
100deg. Too much sun-heat can scarcely be indulged 
in, if the atmosphere be plentifully charged with moisture, 
The same regulations as to temperature apply throughout 
the season, or until the Vines begin to ripen. Bottom- 
heat is not requisite when the plants attain a large 
size. 
Training, &e. As the yo Vines , the į 
to be staked, and to have the | tendrils Deg eiert tha 
pinched off as they are put forth. The leading shoot 
should not be stopped until it has grown to the required 
length. When the Vines have arrived at theirs full 
length, - 6ft. to 10ft. as the case may be. 
pped, and the laterals, as they appear, kept. 
stopped also to the first leaf, in ay Be Zoe? -— 
| as recommended for permanent Vines. When the canes 
are ripened, which may be in November, they should be 
at once pruned; that is, all the lateral spurs should be 
cut off, and the stem cut down to the length required— 
from 5ft. to 8ft., according to its strength. 
D 
. Vine—continued. 
The young Vines, whilst growing, should be kept as 
close to the glass as possible; and as they increase in 
length, a good situation for them is along the front of 
a low pit or house, training the rods to a trellis against 
the roof. In this manner the whole of the leaves, &c., 
are fully exposed to the sun's influence, and well-developed 
fruiting-buds are produced the entire length of the rod. 
Ripening the Canes. The ordinary method, towards the 
end of the season, when the Vines are fully grown and 
show signs of ripening off, which they will do naturally, is 
to give gradually more air and less water, and after a short 
time to allow them to be fully exposed or removed to the 
open air. The plants, however, should never be allowed 
to flag or suffer from want of water. 
Production of Frwiting Vines in Two or more Years. 
The treatment required is practically the same as that 
recommended for the one-year-old Vines, with this 
difference, that, instead of beginning with “ eyes,’ young 
plants have to be dealt with. In winter, these young 
Vines should be cut down to one or two eyes or buds; and 
in January or February, the pots should be placed in heat. 
As soon as the eyes have started, the plants should be re- 
potted, the old soil being shaken out and new soil applied. 
The smaller the pot that will contain the roots, the better. 
The plants should be plunged in bottom-heat, and re- 
potted as required, and as already directed. These "ent, ` 
back” Vines, having somewhat the start of the “ eyes,” 
generally form the largest and strongest plants. They may 
be, and sometimes are, grown to a great size, and potted 
into the largest pots, when they produce enormous crops, 
some twenty-five or thirty bunches on a single plant, 
notable examples of which have been often exhibited by 
Messrs. Lane and Son, of Berkhamsted. Some of these 
large Vipes may be fruited in pots for several years. 
Treatment of Fruiting Vines. The forcing of pot Grapes 
may commence in November, or at any subsequent period. 
Those selected for early forcing should be the first 
ripened, and the canes should have been pruned quite a 
month before their introduction to heat, otherwise they 
may bleed. The use of well-ripened canes is a most 
important matter for early forcing. 
A low house or pit is the most suitable for pot Vines. ` 
They have simply to be placed on a shelf along the front; 
or the pots plunged in a slight hotbed. The temperature 
at first should not exceed 50deg. by artificial heat, but 
must be increased, as the eyes break and begin to grow, to 
60deg., and about the flowering period to 70deg. or there- 
abouts. With sun-heat the temperature should range 
much higher; but in this respect the treatment of pot ` ` 
Vines as regards general management, atmospherie con- 
ditions, ventilation of the house, Ze. is exactly similar to 
that of plants grown in the ordinary Vinery. 
After the Vines are placed in heat, water must be very 
sparingly applied for some time, until the roots commence 
growing, otherwise the soil will beóome sour and the 
roots-will decay: it is better to allow them to be a 
little dry than otherwise. As the plants come into 
full leaf, a copious supply of water will be required. 
. Whilst the fruit is ripening, extreme care is necessary— 
especially if the crop be a heavy one—to maintain the 
Vines in a thoroughly healthy state. Careless watering 
will destroy the best of crops; more failures are attri- 
butable to this cause than to any other. Liquid manure 
should be frequently given to the healthy plants. 
Re-potting is seldom required. The best time to 
re-pot is about the period of the setting of the grapes, 
MN EVANS eege state, so that ben? 
x e to the new soil Top-dressings of soil mix 
aen Goen op bone shavings, &oc., gab. be freely 
As to their cropping capabilities, a strong Black Ham- 
burgh Vine, in a 12in. pot, may be allowed to bear 8lb. or 
to eight fair-sized bunches. 
101b. of grapes—from six 
Md: uL 
