V IT 



OR, BOTANICAL DICTIONARY. 



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767 



next spring, encourage only two shoots from the two extreme 

 or lowermost eyes of each shoot so brought down, and train 

 them in an horizontal direction one foot above the top of the 

 flue. These shoots, however, will grow with greater readi- 

 ness, if they are trained upwards during the summer; and 

 they may easily be brought to the desired position at the next 

 winter's pruning-. They will then form against the back wall 

 the figure of the letter j, inverted. In the next season the 

 horizontal shoots will produce new wood from almost every 

 eye, provided all the shoots be pinched off from every other 

 part as soon as they appear. Lay in the shoots from one to 

 two feet apart, according to the kind of Vine. , Train all the 

 shoots in a perpendicular direction, and, provided they are 

 strong and vigorous, suffer them to grow to the length of five 

 or six feet before they are stopped; but all these shoots must 

 be cut down to two or three eyes at the next winter's prun- 

 ing. Only one shoot should be permitted to rise from each 

 spur the following season; and although they will in general 

 be sufficiently strong, and produce two or three bunches a 

 piece, yet only one bunch should remain on each shoot : 

 these will then be large and fine, and the wood will be greatly 

 benefited by such practice. But these shoots must be prun- 

 ed next winter very differently. One shoot must be left four 

 feet, that next it only a few inches long, and so alternately. 

 The Vines on the rafters will require a management in future 

 seasons nearly similar to that already described for them ; 

 and although it will not be advisable to prune them alter- 

 nately so near to the bottom of the rafters as was directed 

 for the two preceding seasons, yet it will be frequently found 

 necessary to cut an old shoot down to the lowermost summer 

 shoot, as near to the bottom of the rafter as can be. The 

 side-shoot, on the other rafter, should not be permitted to 

 ramble over the adjoining lights; but at the end of every 

 season it will be proper to cut such shoots down to the second 

 or third eye next the old wood, provided the bottom eyes 

 are bold and strong: this must be done not only to strengthen 

 the Vines, but also to prevent the roof of the house from 

 being too much crowded with old wood. Whilst the Vines 

 are young, one rafter will suffice for a Vine-plant ; but when 

 they become older, they will require a larger space; espe- 

 cially the strong growing kinds, which produce large leaves 

 and bunches. It will be proper therefore to train shoots 

 sideways on the wall-plate, from the stem of the plant, imme- 

 diately at its entrance into the house. These shoots should 

 be carried up the adjoining rafters, and the plants growing 

 against such rafters must be taken entirely away; except it 

 should" happen that the plant growing against such rafter is 

 trained forward to furnish the back wall. When a Vine- 

 plant occupies two or more rafters, it will be right to prune 

 occasionally, particularly whilst the Vine -is young, one or 

 more of such shoots down nearly to the bottom of the rafter. 

 This will not only contribute to strengthen the plant, but 

 will afford means to furnish the rafters with a succession of 

 young wood. When Vine-shoots are thus conducted to dif- 

 ferent rafters, every shoot may be considered as a separate 

 plant, and must be trained up in one shoot; from that time 

 it will require a management similar to that already laid 

 down. 



On the propagation of Vines by seed. Besides the common 

 modes of propagating the Vine by layers and cuttings, (see 

 pp. 761, and 7fj8.) they may also be increased by seeds, by 

 grafting, and by inoculation. In raising Vines from seed, 

 it should be sown at the end of February or beginning of 

 March, in pots filled with light fresh m6uld, and plunged 

 into a moderate hot-bed, gently sprinkling the mould from 

 a watering-pot having a fine rose. Six or eight seeds, if 

 VOL. ii. 130. 



gathered from ripe Grapes, and carefully preserved through 

 the winter, will be sufficient for a small pot, for if sown too 

 thick, the plants are apt to be drawn, and weak. In dry 

 weather, water the pots gently every day ; but in wet or moist 

 weather, give them so much water only as will keep the mould 

 moist till the plants begin to vegetate. Let this be done in the 

 afternoon, when the sun is going off the frame; which should 

 be shut down immediately, and if the heat be not too great, 

 it may remain shut during the night. As the heat of the bed 

 decays, add a lining of horse-dung, to be shaken up and re- 

 paired, as occasion requires, till the plants have got sufficient 

 strength to do without any bottom heat. About the end of 

 August take the lights off, that the plants may be hardened 

 before winter, taking care to shelter them in frames covered 

 with mats, which will prevent the autumnal frosts from injur- 

 ing the tender shoots. When the plants are about six inches 

 high, transplant them singly into other pots (deep forty- 

 eights,) filled with light fresh mould, taking great care not 

 to hurt the roots, or to break the leaders ; then plunge them 

 again into the hot-bed ; but if the heat of the old bed be too 

 much decayed, have a new one prepared to receive them. 

 If they grow vigorously, they must be shifted into larger pots 

 (thirty-twos.) When the plants are above six inches high, 

 tie them to small rods, as high as the frames will permit, 

 leaving only one stem for the first year. When the leaves 

 begin to drop, pick them carefully off the pots, to prevent 

 the plants from becoming mouldy. Keep the plants under 

 frames, or in the green-house, in hard winters, to shelter them 

 from severe frost. In March or the beginning of April, if 

 from seed ripened in this country, plant them out against the 

 walls where they are to remain ; but if from foreign seed, 

 plant only one or two, till it has been ascertained that they 

 are worth cultivating. After they are planted, cut them at 

 the third eye, if strong; but at the second, if weakly; at the 

 same time rubbing off the lower bud with the finger and 

 thumb. Mr. Speechley recommends the Grapes designed 

 for seed to remain on the Vine till they are perfectly ripe, 

 when the stones are generally of a very dark-brown colour; 

 to take them from the pulp, and to lay them on a sheet of 

 paper, in some airy, but shady place, to dry, till spring. 

 The intention of raising Vines from seed being to procure 

 new varieties of Grapes, superior to the old ones in the hot- 

 house, where a variety of the best Grapes is trained, the 

 young branches of two different kinds should be so brought 

 together, as soon as they shew their fruit, that their bunches, 

 in the same state of maturity, may admit of being entwined. 

 Attention should be paid to the size, the flavour, and the 

 delicacy of the skin and flesh; also to the form of the bunch, 

 and the length of the footstalk. All the Frontinac Grapes 

 are proper to add flavour toother kinds; the White Mus- 

 cat of Alexandria is a good one to be joined with many 

 other sorts, on account of its large loose-growing bunches, 

 and large well-flavoured berries ; the White Sweetwater 

 may be coupled with various sorts that are small and less 

 delicate ; particularly with the Red Frontinac ; the Syrian 

 with the White Muscat of Alexandria; the Black Hamburgh 

 with the White Frontinac or Sweetwater; the Black Damas- 

 cus with the Grizly Frontinac; Flame-coloured Tokay with 

 Red Frontinac; White Muscat of Alexandria with White 

 Sweetwaler; Black Frontinac with White Muscadine; St. 

 Peter's Grape with White Muscat of Alexandria. It is 

 probable that many of the present varieties of Grapes have 

 been obtained from seed, either sown by hand, or acci- 

 dentally let fall by birds, &c. And it is undoubtedly the 

 chief, if not the only way, to obtain new kinds with us. 

 If therefore it be little practised, it is partly on account 

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