THE GRAPE VINE. IO9 



have had vines and borders to renew, I have ripened a 

 crop from pots in April and May, and then planted the 

 young vines in time to make good canes the same 

 season, the supernumeraries of ■which were fruited 

 heavily the following season — thus not losing much by 

 the renewal of borders. 



Vines in pots are also successfully dwarfed and 

 fruited in small pots on the Chinese system for the 

 purpose of dinner-table decoration, for which purpose 

 they are very interesting. Mr W. Thomson, who 

 illustrates this practice by an engraving in his 'Practical 

 Treatise,' describes this process : "When the vines are 

 placed in heat, a small pot is slipped over the rod, 

 and in this pot a neatly-made stake painted green is 

 placed, and the soil filled in round it. Through this 

 stake a strong set of wires are run at right angles with 

 each other, to which the branches of the vine are 

 tied. The small pot gets iilled with roots by the time 

 the grapes are ripe, when it may be detached from the 

 large pot and set in a small vase on the table, when the 

 tree-like plant, with its fine pendulous bunches, looks all 

 that can be desired." 



The cultivation of grapes in pots differs in no 

 essential way from that of permanent vines, except that 

 they rec[uire constant watering, and feeding at the root 

 with mulchings and manure -water. They should 

 always, if possible, be plunged in a gentle bottom-heat 

 — at least, till they are fairly started into growth. 



INAECHING VINES. 



It is now a well-established fact, that some of the 

 more tender and much esteemed varieties of grapes 



