6G8 



THE rRACTICAL GARDENER. 



ornamental, cither in tlie houses wliere tliey are grown, or 

 introthiced among exotic plants in the green-house or con- 

 servatory. Ahhougli the vine in general is allowed a greater 

 latitude for its roots to run into than any other of our cul- 

 tivated fruits, it is nevertheless found to produce tolerable 

 bunches in pots, containing not more than two cubic feet of 

 mould. Pots of that size, filled with rich mould, are asserted 

 by Knii^ht to be capable of nourishing a vine, which, after 

 being pruned, covers twenty square feet of surface, if they 

 be liberally supplied with Tujuid manure. 



The retarthng the maturation of grapes till a late season is 

 as important an object to the gardener as to facilitate their 

 ripening early in sj)ring, and appears to be less understood ; 

 for where there is extent suHicient for the adoption of botli 

 plans, grapes may be had fit for the table every day in the 

 year. The sorts of vines most fit for a late crop, are not, as 

 is generally the case in the culinary garden productions, fit 

 also for the earliest : the case is otherwise. The Sweet-waters 

 and Muscadines, and some others, arc fittest for early crops, 

 requiring much less time to bring them to perfection ; whereas, 

 the Muscats, Syrian, White Nice, Black Damascus, St. Peter's, 

 and some others, are the fittest for late crops, requiring much 

 longer time in coming to their full size, and also a consider- 

 able time after attaiuuig tliat size, before they ripen, and more 

 particularly their properties of remaining a long time upon the 

 vines after they are lipe before they show symptoms of decay ; 

 and, last of all, tJieir retaining a saccharine sweetness after 

 they are considerably shrivelled up. These, therefore, should 

 be made choice of for the latest crops ; and if retarded, by 

 removing the lights entirely olf tlie house, so as to keep back 

 the swelling of the buds till as late a season as possible ; and 

 after it is no longer safe to trust the advancing buds to the 

 weather, to put on the fights all night, taking them down 

 during the day, so as to keep them as much exposed to the 

 air as possible, and using only a little fire. While the vines 

 are in bloom in autumn, when the fruit is approaching to its 

 full size, give a little fire, to prevent any check to their swelling 

 off, when the nights begin to get cold, during the rest of 



