94 THE GRAPE. 



material, in which the roots will ramify very freely. At 

 the first move from the striking-pot an ordinarily fertile 

 soil is best, and the pot may be a quart in measure. As 

 the young plant continues to progress, and has grown a 

 foot or eighteen inches in height, it will be safe to remove 

 into one of a gallon size, using the prepared compost, and 

 make sure of efficient drainage by throwing over the bot- 

 tom a couple of inches of crocks, or, still better, pieces of 

 charcoal ; over this put a portion of the roughest of the 

 compost, and fill in to near the top with the finer part, after 

 having placed the plant in its proper place and position. 

 Be careful not to break the ball of earth, during removal, 

 when the pot is turned upside down, which may be pre- 

 vented by giving the upper edge a smart rap on any solid 

 substance near at hand, and keeping the fingers over the 

 under surface, so as to receive the whole as it becomes 

 liberated. After potting, give a good watering, and as the 

 stems continue to elongate, tie them up carefully to stakes, 

 until they have attained the height of seven feet, when 

 the tops may be pinched off. Throughout the season the 

 uppermost eyes will continue to push fresh growth, which 

 ought to be stopped, each time, one leaf above the pre- 

 vious operation. The object of this is to prevent the 

 young vines from extending so much growth as would 

 cause the lower leaves to be shaded, and consequently not 

 able to elaborate the juices sufficiently to produce matured 

 buds in the axils, the result of which is, a deficiency in the 

 formation of the embryo fruit. If the plants are kept in a 

 brisk and moist heat, and properly attended to by syring- 

 ing and watering of the roots,.they will progress fast, and 

 by the middle of July will be ready to be placed in the 

 fruiting-pots, which ought to be from three to four gallons, 

 according to the luxuriance of the vine, or robustness of 

 the variety. The same process as to potting must be 



