62 Culture of the Vine in Pots. 



shoot back, after it has made six or eight eyes, to the second or third. Pull 

 off the laterals as soon as they a])pear, and encourage tjje uppermost main 

 eye to break; by such an act, fine bearing wood will be produced for the 

 following season ; but if weak, it must not be permitted to run to too great a 

 length till its top is pinclied off, so as to strengthen the wood and eyes for 

 next year, but not so as to excite such eyes into action, unless desired. For, 

 if so, such as the Verdelho and others of the small and free bearing sorts can 

 be made to fruit the same season, when the main eyes are excited, and yet 

 not affect them for another year's fruiting. I have at this time two crops of 

 grapes upon what was this spring an old sickly stump of a Verdelho vine in 

 a small pot; it had neither roots nor wood younger than three years; and I 

 think if I were to excite some more eyes to spring, by toping, I might have 

 a third and even a fourth shew of fruit; and yet ensure a good crop next 

 season. — Hurt. Reg. for JVov. 1833. 



Propagalion of Tines on the Coiling System. By John Mearns. 



I am anxious that the season for procuring plenty of grape vine branches, 

 for coiling into j)ots, as 1 reconunended in vol. ii. may not be allowed to pass 

 by. It is a most important thing to be able to put in a rootless cutting at this 

 time, and so on till March or June ; and to insure a fine crop of grapes the 

 same season ; even to twenty or thirty bunches on one vine in a pot, as the sorts 

 may be. Although the sliouts which I have yet put into action are taken from 

 very weak vines, 1 have some with from ten to twenty bunches upon them; 

 and am not in the least ap])rehensive but they will all set, and swell oft' to a 

 fine size, and ripen very superior to those ])roduced by any other method. 

 I do not mean to say that they will ripen better than if upon a previously 

 rooted vine, if well prepared ; I only mean so far as the bottom heat is con- 

 cerned. The great advantage of the coiled branch, is the extraordinary 

 space of time gained over the single eye system, or the usual cuttings, or even 

 the usual layer. 



It may suit the nurseryman, who wishes to obtain as many plants as he 

 can from a single shoot; but that is not what the grape-grower desires: his 

 object is very different; he aims at producing the greatest quantity of fine 

 grapes; and und<;r the most disadvautageoirs as well as advantiigeous cir- 

 cumstances, in the least possible time. By my method I shall introduce 

 vines into any farmer's garden in the kingdom, where none had previously 

 been; and at the ex|)euse of little besides ten or twelve lights of glass, will 

 insure him from 500 to 1000 fine bimches of good grapes the first season! 

 If any one can boast the same, the fact has never been laid before the public, 

 else it is likely 1 should have seen it. I go thus far, on purpose to raise a 

 curiosity, and to excite every degree of emulation, knowing, that if such can 

 be excited, the system will very soon discover itself to be most imi)ortant to 

 the country. The successful cultivation of the grape is certainly one of the 

 simplest branches of the art, both in pots and in borders; if a vine be left to 

 itself, it will soon become fiuctiferons, after having been for years under the 

 most rigid discipline to little purpose. A vine excited to a high degree of 

 luxuriance, is neither the most fruitful, nor produces the finest or best grapes. 

 I have seen Ilamburghs, from three to six and eight pounds weight each 

 bunch ! the vines comparatively weak, and vine border very shallow, and 

 by no means rich ! 



As cmiosity will be created by such a remark, I beg to state, that such 

 grai)es were repeatedly jiroduced by a Mr. Minnctt, formerly gardener to Mrs. 

 Powes, Berwick House, near Shrewsbiuy. 



I have there seen bunches of Hamburghs, from fifteen to sixteen inches 

 long, and from eight to ten inches across the shoulders; the berries all of a 

 perfect black, as close as they could grow together, and the size of a boy's 

 large marbles. 



1 have coiled into pots this season upwards of a hundred branches; forty 



