110 



THE CULTIVATION OF GRAPES IN POTS. 



kinds, from some known good bearing 

 vines, taking care to have the wood per- 

 fectly hard and ripe, with the eyes promi- 

 nent and round. If the vines are intended 

 to be fruited the next season, the eyes 

 should be potted in 32-pots, placing them 

 one inch below the surface, and using soil 

 of a light turfy nature, or if stiff, adding a 

 portion of half decayed leaves ; only one 

 eye must be planted in each pot. This 

 should be done early in February, and 

 when finished the pots containing the eyes 

 may be plunged in any pit or frame that 

 may be at work, where a bottom-heat can 

 be maintained of 90°, or thereabouts. They 

 may remain there until growth has com- 

 menced, when sun-light being indispensa- 

 ble to the welfare of the young plants, they 

 should be placed (if they were not previ- 

 ously,) as near the glass as possible, sink- 

 ing the pots as the plants reach the glass, 

 but still keeping a steady bottom-heat, and 

 supplying them with air every day if pos- 

 sible. It is supposed that the heat of the 

 frame or pit varies from 60° to 90° in sun- 

 shine. When the pots are filled with roots, 

 which will be some time in April, they may 

 be transferred at once into their fruiting 

 pots, which should be 2s or 4s, according 

 to the strength you wish your vines to at- 

 tain ; bearing in mind that those in the 

 smaller size will ripen their wood earlier, 

 and consequently be available for forcing 

 at an earlier period than the others. This 

 operation will bring us to a consideration 

 of the description of soil or compost most 

 suitable for the vine. When growing na- 

 turally out of doors the vine will flourish 

 in a variety of different soils and composts ; 

 but when its roots are confined in so small 

 a space as a pot, we must place within the 

 action of its roots that kind of soil from 

 which it can most readily assimilate the 

 elements which constitute its food. After 

 trying nearly all the different composts re- 

 commended by the numerous authors on 

 the vine, I am convinced that the more 

 simple the constituents of the soil are for 

 it, or any other kind of pot-plant, the more 

 successful will be the results. The com- 

 post I use is two-thirds turfy loam, from a 

 down having a chalky bottom, and one-third 

 decomposed night-soil. Should the loam 

 be strong, I use the same proportion of half 



rotten horse-droppings. The turves in the 

 loam should only be half decayed, and it 

 should be used as rough as possible. 



Afler potting, the plants should be placed 

 in some house or pit where a temperature 

 from 60° to 80°, or 85°, is maintained ; 

 they should also be so arranged that the 

 shoots as they advance can be trained im- 

 mediately under the glass, and be exposed 

 as much as possible to the light. The front 

 kerbs and back shelves of pine-pits are 

 suitable places, and the partial shade that 

 the vines afford, benefit the pines during 

 three or four of the summer months. 

 Where there is only a vinery they may be 

 trained between the permanent vines, or in 

 any other place where the cultivator can 

 make room for them. As the shoots ad- 

 vance train them carefully, and stop the 

 laterals as they appear. When first potted 

 the plants will want but little water, but it 

 must be gradually increased as the pots 

 become filled with roots ; they will then 

 require it regularly during their growth, 

 and manure water may occasionally be 

 given, although the quantity they demand 

 the first season is small in comparison to 

 what they require afterwards. The most 

 suitable length of cane for pots is from four 

 to six feet, but if from any peculiarity in 

 the house, in which they are to be fruited, 

 a longer length may be required, they 

 should be left accordingly, as the vine will 

 grow strong enough for fruiting, 8, or even 

 10 feet long. After it has grown a foot 

 more than the length required the next 

 season, it should be stopped ; three or four 

 of the upper laterals, however, may be al- 

 lowed to grow at a few joints, to prevent 

 the topmost eyes breaking. Manure water 

 may now be applied to cause the buds to 

 swell, and care must be taken to preserve 

 the principal leaves, as they are now per- 

 forming a most important part in regard to 

 the crop next season. When the wood ap- 

 pears to be turning brown (or ripening,) 

 water should only be applied to prevent the 

 vines flagging, the laterals- should be taken 

 off, and every means should be employed 

 to ripen the wood perfectly. Indeed, if it 

 is not convenient to allow a large admission 

 of air when they are growing, it would be- 

 nefit them much by removing them to a 

 cool house, where they would have the be- 



