414 General Notices. 



soils and the neglect of stopping ? As much of the ascending current as 

 will keep the leaves well fed and sustain their color, will, we believe, be 

 quite sufficient after the middle of August. In looking over peaches and 

 nectarines, it will be found that many of the shoots, which were deemed 

 necessary and nailed in for succeeding crops, will begin to overlap each 

 other. We stop many of these at this period without hesitation. Pears, 

 too, whatever superfluous shoots may have been retained — with the idea of 

 preventing the blossom-buds of next year from " breaking" — should now be 

 well shortened back. In doing this, there is no occasion to strip them en- 

 tirely away ; this would remove too many valuable organs. Our practice 

 is, and we are very successful in pear culture, to merely shorten them suffi- 

 ciently to admit the sun's rays with freedom. The sturnps cut thus back 

 (each carrying three or four efficient leaves) will assist in producing elab- 

 orated matter, both to feed the fruit and to invigorate the embryo blossom 

 buds, now actively engaged in depositing food for a healthy development in 

 the ensuing spring. — {lb. p. 544.) 



Culture of Vines in Pots. — At p. 292, " A Novice" requested informa- 

 tion on this subject, and, as the call has not been responded to, I venture to 

 send you the details of a practice which will affiard ample success, if fol- 

 lowed out. Any variety may be fruited in pots, but there are some which 

 ought to take the lead, either in a limited, or extensive, collection, amongst 

 which are the Black Hamburgh ; the White Muscat of Alexandria, \^hich is 

 a truly splendid grape, in pots, and much more certain in setting the fruit 

 than when planted in the border ; the White Frontignan ; Chasselas Musque ; 

 St. Peters ; and, for very early forcing, the White "Verdelho : these are es- 

 tablished favorites, but others may be introduced when variety is desired. 

 Propagation should be effecte<i from single eyes, and it will be necessary to 

 consider if they will be required for very early forcing, or not, because it is 

 well known, that a vine acquires a constitutional habit of breaking early, or 

 otherwise, accordingly as it has been treated. 



If required for early purposes, prominent eyes should be chosen, from 

 early forced vines. The mode of making the cuttings is immaterial, pro- 

 vided there is a portion of wood, say an inch, left on each side of the eye ; 

 make the cuttings at the time of pruning, and preserve them in sand . A t the 

 time of starting, which may be from the beginning of December to the end 

 of February, prepare some eight-inch pots, by half filling them with broken 

 crocks then, to within an inch of the rim, with a compost of light loam, leaf 

 mould, and a little sand ; lay the cuttings on this (horizontally, with the eye 

 uppermost) pretty thickly, press them slightly down, and cover with sand ; 

 some, prefer sand, but this is immaterial. They should then have the brisk 

 bottom heat of a dung-bed. As soon as they are rooted, which they will 

 indicate by starting into growth, they must be potted off into five-inch pots, 

 and replaced in the fiame, keeping up a brisk heat thereto, and giving them 

 air at every possible opportunity, otherwise they will draw too much : the 

 object is to induce a stocky habit. When these pots are well filled with roots, 

 give them a shift into larger pots, and still keep liiem in the frame, until 

 they have again rooted well, when they should he shifted into eight-inch 



