YOUNG VINES FOR PLANTING. 23 



potted in January, they may for a time stand in any 

 convenient corner of a peach-house or vinery just started. 

 By the 1st of February they should be plunged in tan, 

 or some other medium affording a bottom heat of 90, 

 and placed as near the glass as possible. With an at- 

 mospheric temperature of 55 at night, rising to 70 by 

 day, the buds will soon appear above the soil. Contem- 

 poraneously with the development of leaves, roots will 

 be emitted all round the calloused edges of the bud into 

 the soil. At this stage see that they have what water 

 they require to keep the soil moderately moist. And to 

 guard against the formation of what I will term strong 

 bottom-heat roots, give the pots a shake with the hand, 

 so as to leave a cavity all round them, from which any 

 excess of heat may escape. When the plants have four 

 leaves developed, raise them out of the plunging 

 material they are in ; and though they will not make 

 such a rapid growth as if left in the bottom heat, they 

 will make a much safer one. The pots by this time 

 will be getting pretty full of roots ; but on no account 

 shift the plants into larger pots till they have begun to 

 grow afresh after the stand they make, when the available 

 nutriment in the bud is exhausted, and before the young 

 roots and newly-developed leaves have begun to supply 

 more. If shifted before this second growth begins, 

 they frequently stand still for a month, and often end 

 in premature ripening at the neck, and refusing to start 

 into a healthy second growth at all. 



The size of pot they should be shifted into depends 

 on what they are intended for. If for planting out, 

 an 8-inch pot is sufficient ; if for fruiting in pots the 

 following season, the size should not be less than 8 



