42 Culture of the Vine in Pots. 



grow (luring summer in order to preserve tlie main eyes, were cut 

 in close, leaving a straight, clean shoot. 



In November, the vines were placed under the stage of the green- 

 house, where they remained till the first week in March following, 

 and were then placed in their former situation. 



March I5th, 1834, — the buds began to open, and by the 30th, 

 the fruit-buds were distinctly visible ; two to four bunches appearing 

 from every eye, with the exception of two or three of the lowest. 

 When the fruit was fairly developed, the shoots were stopped at the 

 second bud above the upper bunch ; and one bunch only was retained 

 on eacli shoot, with the exception of two vines ; on these, two bunches 

 to each shoot were allowed to remain, for the purpose of ascertaining 

 more fully, to what extent vines in pots could support and ripen a 

 crop of fruit. The two last mentioned vines were Black Ham- 

 burghs. One of them produced twenty-eight, and the other thirty 

 bunches; but it ultimately proved to be too large a number for them 

 to ripen perfectly. Water was plentifully supplied, as often as the 

 surface of the soil in the pots became dry, and the foliage was syr- 

 inged frequently. No other care was necessary throughout the 

 season, than occasionally to tie up the bearing shoots, to prevent 

 them from being broken by the weight of the fruit. 



Five of the vines, viz. three White Chasselas and two Hamburghs, 

 produced from eighteen to twenty-five bunches each, or one hundred 

 and six collectively ; and on the 30th of July, the Chasselas grapes 

 were perfectly ripe; the Hamburghs had changed color, but did not 

 arrive at maturity till about the 25th of August. Although from 

 fourteen to twenty bunches are considered by the English cultivators 

 as a good crop for one vine, yet, from the experience which we have 

 had, thus far, in the culture of vines in pots, we have no doubt but 

 that thirty bunches and upwards, of the small growing kinds, as the 

 Sweetwater, Muscadine, &ic., may be obtained from each vine, equal 

 in excellence to those grown by any other method. Mr. Stafford, 

 one of the most successful cultivators, says, that all the most delicate 

 sorts are superior, when grown in pots, to any he ever saw grown on 

 the rafters ; and he further states, that he has often proved, that a 

 pot placed in the house, on the 1st of January, and the same species 

 trained up the rafter, and subjected to the same heat, — the former 

 will ripen its fruit at least a month earlier than the latter. 



The annexed plan is one we would suggest to those who wish to 

 erect a small house, which would answer the purpose of growing 

 grapes in pots without great expense. 



Fig. 1, is a section of the house, which is ten feet in diameter, 

 eight feet high at the back, and four feet in front ; it is sunk two feet 

 under the surface of the ground, as at {a a), if the situation is dry — 

 otherwise it should be on a level ; (b) is a flue which may commence 

 at either end of the house, as convenient, and should be carried 

 across the end, along the front, and out at the back ; (c) is a pit in 



