234 THE FRUIT GARDEN 



accomplished. One cannot be sure that the graft is securely joined to the stem 

 until the parts have become hardened in the autumn. One only of the top 

 buds of the grafted shoot should be allowed to grow, and in course of the season, 

 if the grafting is successful, it will make a long growth, which in winter must 

 be cut back to I2 inches or longer according to its strength. At the time of 

 pruning, that part of the shoot inserted in the bottle of water must be cut away 

 close to where grafted, as the water is no longer of use. As the grafted shoot 

 increases in strength and size, so must the vine to be discarded be cut away to 

 make room for it : in two or three years the new variety will take the place of 

 the old. 



Inarching is of a similar nature, but is carried out in summer, when two 

 green shoots are united in the same way as directed for bottle-grafting. 

 In this case the variety one wishes to substitute for that discarded should 

 be grown in a pot, and as soon as the young vine has produced a shoot 

 large enough, it should be grafted upon a similar green shoot of the other 

 vine, as near the base of the stem as possible. This is an excellent way of 

 finding out expeditiously the value of a new grape, as by inarching a shoot 

 it is possible to obtain fruit the next year ; whereas if the new vine were 

 planted out in the ordinary way, it would at least take two years. 



VINE CULTURE IN POTS 



The cultivation of the vine in pots has been brought to perfection in this 

 country ; many thousands are so grown every year. Eight or more bunches, 

 weighing from i to 2 lbs. each, can be grown on a pot vine, and ripe grapes 

 can be had in eighteen months after the bud is inserted in the small pot. 

 When the vines are not unduly forced and the pots are placed in a narrow 

 border of rich soil into which the roots can enter through the bottom and sides 

 of the pots, as heavy a crop of good grapes can be grown in this way as can be 

 produced on vines permanently planted in a border, but the pot vines are so 

 exhausted as to be of no further use after the grapes are ripe, and must be 

 thrown away. The pot vine is most valuable for the production of early 

 grapes by forcing. By its aid we not only obtain eiccellent early grapes, but 

 at the same time preserve the vigour and health of early vines for a much 

 longer period. Without the pot vines early permanent vines would be 

 forced much harder, and consequently would be worn out more quickly. The 

 pot vine, carrying a crop of ripe fruit, with its richly tinted foliage of crimson 

 and gold, is excellent for decoration. Instructions for the propagation of the 

 pot vine are given in the general notes on the subject. We will suppose the 

 young plants to have been potted into 7-inch pots. 



As soon as the vines have again filled their pots with roots they should 

 be repotted into 12-inch pots. The pots must be clean, and should have 

 holes at the sides as well as in the base. The drainage should consist of clean 

 broken crocks an inch deep with larger pieces placed over the holes. The 

 soil should be as previously advised, excepting that the lumps of turf may be 



