THE CULTIVATION OF GRAPES IN POTS. 



109 



but the tree, blooming very late in spring, 

 is seldom overtaken by prowling and irre- 

 gular frosts. Some of our best fruits, have 

 stingy bearing trees, or trees of very ten- 

 der and delicate habit ; and we are obliged 

 to tolerate more hardy and prolific trees 

 with fruit somewhat inferior. 



" A few fruits are retained on the list 

 because they have the singular property of 

 being uninjured by frosts, and others be- 

 cause, though not remarkable for flavor, 

 they are endless keepers, of both which 

 properties the Rawle's Jennetan of this re- 

 gion is an example. 



" In fruits designed for market, beauty 

 and abundance must be allowed to super- 

 cede mere excellence of flavor. Some very 

 rich fruits are borne in such a parsimonious 

 way that none but amateurs can afford tree 

 room. 



" Nor are we to overlook nursery quali- 

 fications ; for, of two fruits equally good, 

 preference shou'd be given to that which 

 will work the kindliest in the nursery. 

 Some will bear grafting on the root, some 

 will not ; some take well by budding and 

 grov/ off promptly and with force ; others 

 are dull and sluggish, and often reluctant 

 to form the new partnership. While then 

 it will always be to the nurseryman's inte- 

 rest to work such kinds as he can sell the 

 most of, he has a right, in so far as he di- 

 rects the public judgment of his neighbor- 



hood, to give a preference, among equal 

 fruits, to such as work the surest, and 

 strongest. It is as much the interest of the 

 purchaser and the public to have the freest 

 growing sorts, as it is the nurseryman's in- 

 terest. Thus, if another Seckel pear could 

 be found growing on the tree of William's 

 jBoji Chretien, it ought to supplant the old 

 Seckel tree ; which, in spite of its in- 

 comparable fruit, is a vexatious thing to 

 manage ; and, as often in the case of 

 other and fairer fruit, makes one won- 

 der how such amiable and beautiful daugh- 

 ters ever had such a surly and crusty old 

 father. 



" A pomological censor must also have 

 regard to varieties of taste among men, and 

 to commercial qualities of fruit ; and to its 

 adaptation to soil and climate. 



" Nor are the humbler tests of cooking 

 to be overlooked. Some fruits are good 

 eaters and poor cookers ; some cook well 

 but are villanous to the taste when raw ; 

 some will stew to a fine flavor and sweet- 

 ness without sugar ; and some have re- 

 markable jelly properties. But after the 

 largest allowance is made for taste, hardi- 

 ness, keeping, prolific bearing, colour, size, 

 texture, season, adaptation to soils, &c. &c., 

 there will be found, we think, a large num- 

 ber of tenants in our nurserymen's cata- 

 logues, upon whom should be instantly 

 served a writ of ejectment." 



THE CULTIVATION OP GRAPES IN POTS, 



BY JOHN SPENCER, BOWOOD, ENGLAND. 



[Three of our correspondents, within the 

 last month, having requested information 

 on the subject, we reprint, from the Gar- 

 deners' Chronicle, the following very valua- 

 ble article, by a practical gardener in Eng- 

 land, which we recommend to the aUen- 

 tion of those growing foreign grapes under 

 glass. Ed.] 



The first impulse given to fruiting vines 

 in pots was by a paper in the "Horticultu- 

 ral Register for 1831," by Mr. G. Staflfbrd, 



then gardener at Willersly Castle, in Der- 

 byshire, and which at the time elicited 

 much surprise. Through him I became 

 practically acquainted with the system he 

 followed ; and since then having been more 

 or less engaged annually in preparing and 

 fruiting a considerable number of vines in 

 pots, I can safely bear witness to the suc- 

 cessful results that will follow the practice 

 detailed below. 



After fixing on the kinds of vines you 

 intend growing, the first thing to be done 

 is to procure eyes (or buds) of the required 



