ON PLANTING THE VINES 53 



early grapes has been cut. The modus operand! is 

 as follows : The young vines are cut back to within 

 two or three feet of the individual pots soon after 

 Christmas, and stood in a cool house until the end of 

 January, when they are taken into one of the vineries 

 which is being then kept close and moist so as to 

 move the vines gently into growth. The vines are 

 turned out of the pots, every particle of soil being 

 shaken off the roots, and the latter shortened back with 

 a sharp knife. Thus trimmed, the plants are repotted 

 in a compost consisting of three parts good friable loam 

 and one of lime-rubble, horse-droppings, and small char- 

 coal, the whole being well mixed before being used, 

 the size of pots used being determined in a great 

 measure by the size and strength of the several vines 

 and the time decided upon to transplant the same into 

 their permanent quarters. Sometimes I have potted the 

 plants twice, at least the weaker ones, before transferring 

 them to the borders, in which case pots eight inches 

 in diameter inside were employed in the first instance, 

 the plants being shifted into twelve-inch pots before the 

 roots became matted or pot-bound, the stronger plants 

 being potted into the last-mentioned pot at once. Each 

 pot should have about two inches of crocks placed in 

 the bottom for drainage, the large pieces being put in 

 the bottom, and the smaller pieces on top ; putting rough 

 pieces of turf over these to prevent the soil from 

 getting among and choking the drainage, the soil being 

 rammed fairly firm about the roots in potting, afterwards 

 watering to settle the soil. In due time, the plants 

 push into growth, and are treated in accordance with 

 their varying requirements in the way of watering, stop- 

 ping, and so on. As soon as the grapes on the old vines 

 are ripe the bunches are to be cut with about ten inches 

 of wood attached, the latter being inserted in bottles 

 nearly full of rain water, with a few small pieces of 



