60 



Culture of the Vine in Pots. 



REVIEWS. 



Art. I. RevieiDS and Extracts of Works on Horticulttire. 



1. The Horticultural Reo-ister, and General Ma (ratine of all useful and, interesting 

 Discoveries connected loith JVatural Histori/ and Rural Subjects. Conducted by 

 Joseph Paxton, F. L. S. H. S. In monthly numbers, 8vo. Is. each. London. 

 1834. 



On the Culture of Vines in Pots. By John Mearns, Gardener to his 

 Grace the Duke of Portland, Welbeck, Notts. 



I am pleased to see so liberal a spirit evinced, in imparting to the world the 

 results of attentive observation and long practice, in papers on the cultivation 

 of gra|)es in pots; by which means, u|>on a very small scale, and at a trifling 

 expense, a succession of fine fruit can be preserved nearly the year ronnd. 



Any of wliat are termed Dutch pils, with convenience to manage them 

 inside are very suitable, and most economical for forcing the grape in pots. 

 For early forcing, I recommend such as Fig. 3 and 4. Such can be con- 

 structed of posts, or bricks if something more substantial be required. Fig. 

 3 has a lining of liot dung in front, and under the stage. Fig. 4 has a lining 

 all round the boarding. Tbe grapes are to be trained to a trellis, either of 

 wire, laths or osier rods, twelve inches from the glass ; it will answer the pur- 

 pose as well as the most expensive pit. 



Flo-. 3 



Fiff. 4. 



Nearly twenty years have elapsed since T first witnessed grapes success- 

 fully cultivated "in" pots, by a most enterprising horticulturist, Mr. Buck, gar- 

 dener to tbe Hon. Grev"ille Howard, Esq., llford, near Litchfiel^d. Tiiey 

 were, indeed, very fine, and very young vines, in small pots. Ever since 

 tliat time, I have more or less practised it, and never found itdiflicult to have 

 plenty of fine bunches and fine grai)es; besides being the best tasted I ever 

 met with. 1 have annually produced three dozen fine bunches of grapes, 

 and in their early stage, have picked oft" four times the number, from White 

 Muscadines; and those growing only in fourteen inch jiots tov eight years. 

 They were six years old when first potted, and during the eight years they nei- 

 ther received fresh soil, nor what is called manured water. They were watered 

 as required, with soft pond water, such as is supplied from the watering, or 

 fioaling of meadows. After it has passed off", it holds, in solution, and in its 

 most limpid state, all the fijod which most plants require, and is only such 

 food as they are capable of taking up by their spongioles, or digesting by the 

 system. They are neither stone nor earth eaters ; they are much more pure 



