Propagation of the Grape Vine. 95 



details on the formation of vine borders, as I suppose the plants to be 

 in readiness, and certainly the preparation of the borders should pre- 

 cede the planting of the vines. But before I proceed to give my 

 ideas on this head, I beg leave to make a few remarks. In perusing 

 the second number of your Magazine, I was struck with an extract 

 (page 6'2) entitled, " Propagation of Vines on the Coiling System, 

 by John Mearns." — In this Mr. Mearns asserts that the great advan- 

 tage of the coiled branch is, the extraordinary space of time gained 

 over the single eye system, or by cuttings, or even by the usual 

 mode of layers. It is rather astonishing, especially as we must sup- 

 pose Mr. Mearns to be a practical gardener, that he should have for- 

 gotten that this extraordinary advantage is only for one season (over 

 the single eye) ; it is well known that a vine can be grown from a 

 single eye under glass, the first year, from fifteen to twenty feet in 

 length, and proportionably strong, and can be fruited the second. I 

 believe I do not exaggerate in saying this much, that as many 

 bunches of grapes could be thus obtained, and of as good a quality as 

 from the coiling system. It will be perceived by this that the ad- 

 vantage is not either so very extraordinary, or so great as might be 

 supposed. The second year of fruiting the vines from eyes would 

 make up for the time lost the first season, by producing twice the 

 quantity of grapes or more ; and it strikes me very forcibly, of abet- 

 ter and finer flavor than can be obtained from vines grown in pots. 

 1 wish it to be understood, that the vines I speak of are supposed to 

 be growing in a well prepared border. Mr. Mearns further adds, — ■ 

 *' a vine excited to a high degree of luxuriance, is neither the most 

 fruitful nor produces the finest or best grapes ; I have seen Ham- 

 burghs, from three to six and eight pounds weight each bunch, the 

 vines comparatively weak, and the vine border very shallow, and by 

 no means rich. As curiosity will be created by such a remark, 1 

 beg leave to state, that such grapes were repeatedly produced by a 

 Mr. Minnett, formerly gardener to Mrs. Powes, Berwick House, 

 near Shrewsbury." 



It is more than probable, that after Mr. Minnett left this situation, 

 no more six and eight pound bunches of grapes were produced ; it 

 may be asked for what reason, as he could not do any injury to the 

 vines, without running the hazard of his successor's detecting it. I 

 do not suppose that the vines would be mutilated in any way what- 

 ever, but simply that the excitement was gone. I confess that I am 

 of this opinion, that very few fine grapes could be grown, espe- 

 cially to the enormous weight of six or eight pounds each bunch, 

 either in England or America, without the aid of some powerful 

 stimulus. 



I have been acquainted with the management of grape vines up- 

 wards of twenty-five years, the major part of this time in England, 

 and have never seen large bunches of grapes produced from vines 

 that had the least appearance of weakness; but have invariably no- 



