[ February 21, 1884. 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
141 
COMING EVENTS 
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Royal Society at 4.30 P.M. Linnean Society at 8 P.M. 
22 
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Quekett Club at 8 p.m. 
is 
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Royal Botanic Society at 3.45 p.m. 
£4 
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Quinquagesiha. 
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Society of Arts at 8 P.M. 
FORCING VINES IN POTS AND PLANTED OUT. 
N producing Grapes as early in the season as 
possible the majority of persons are anxious to 
spare permanent Vines such a strain upon 
their energies as they undergo in forcing, and 
for this purpose Vines grown and prepared in 
10-inch pots are forced for yielding early Grapes. 
Never, I think, in the whole history of horticul¬ 
ture were so many employed for this purpose as 
at the present time. Certainly some consider 
that the produce from such Vines is not of much account, 
and only useful to maintain a continuous supply. It is 
scarcely to be expected that the fruit should be quite equal 
to that from those started two, or even one month later in the 
season, yet some wonderfully good fruit can be produced 
from Vines in pots. Up to the present time, however, I 
have failed to obtain from Vines confined in the pots in 
which they were grown fruit equal in size of berry and 
quality to that from others that have been transferred into 
pots 2 or 4 inches larger. The latter is preferable, and 
I am more convinced than ever that the little extra labour 
occasioned by the potting is more than repaid by the better 
quality of the fruit. Only last year I had the pleasure of 
seeing a house of Vines in pots grown on the principle I 
described in these pages a few years ago, which for finish, 
size of berry and bunch were superior to any I had before 
seen. If the fruit had been the produce of permanent Vines 
it could not have been expected better ; in fact, a house full 
of such fruit early in the season would have been regarded as 
a grand success. 
It is not my intention to detail the system again, and 
only allude to it because the time of year has arrived when 
it can be carried into operation. Those who attempt the re 
potting must be careful how the watering is performed until 
the roots are growing freely and have taken full possession of 
the new soil. If the old ball is allowed to become dust dry 
only poor progress afterwards need be anticipated; indeed 
experience proves that growing Vines annually and fruiting 
them in the pots in which they are grown is by no means the 
easiest or most economical system. Transferring the Vines 
when the roots commence action into larger pots is preferable, 
but even this is not so good as planting out the Vines. Some 
may urge that good Vines can be purchased at moderate 
prices, and that the supply of fruit will than compensate for 
the first outlay. This I do not deny, and have followed 
the practice myself when for the want of room I have been 
prevented growing those raised at home. 
The best supply of early Grapes can be obtained by 
planting out well-grown Vines in a small house in narrow 
borders purposely prepared, not to be destroyed after one 
crop, but to be retained for a number of years. Those who 
have Vines in pots now commencing growth and showing 
their bunches have them in the most suitable condition for 
this purpose. The borders need not be more than 18 inches 
wide, and the same, or even less, in depth. Suppose the 
house in which they are to be planted is a span-roofed struc¬ 
ture, with a bed 3 feet wide on each side and the walk down 
the centre. If the borders are half the width of the beds, 
and the depth is in accordance with the width, it will bo 
ample for the Vines for at least four years. The borders 
may be composed of good loam, a little wood ashes, quarter 
and half-inch bones, and a little fresh lime sprinkled 
amongst the soil as the border is being made. If the loam 
is heavy, charcoal, broken bricks, or even coarse sand may 
with advantage be used; if, on the other hand, it is light, 
reduce clay to powder by drying and add it to the soil. The 
borders should be well drained, so that the soil employed 
cannot become saturated and sour about the roots. 
In such a structure the Vines should be planted on each 
side about 2 feet apart, allowing every alternate Vine to 
extend to the eaves of the house on the opposite side. This 
arrangement will leave the Vines on each side after the first 
crop has been gathered 4 feet apart, while the rods when 
they have extended their full length will be 2 feet from each 
other. Before planting, be careful that the soil of the borders 
has become sufficiently warm, so that the roots will not bo 
checked. The old balls of soil and roots must be in a moist 
condition before they are placed in the border, and it will be 
wise to make three or four holes through the ball before 
planting to insure water entering afterwards. If they are 
once allowed to become dry it is difficult to get them 
thoroughly soaked after, and much injury, or even the loss of 
the crop, may be the result. The soil of the border should 
be pressed firmly round the roots in planting, and when 
finished the surface should gradually slope inward to the 
stem, and be allowed to remain in this condition until the 
roots are growing freely'in the surrounding soil. 
It not unfrequently happens that in forcing a number of 
Vines in pots, however well they may have been grown, a 
certain per-centage may fail to show fruit satisfactorily. 
These should not be thrown away, unless the cultivator has 
sufficient for planting without them, but accorded positions 
where they can extend for fruiting the second year. It will 
be understood that the first crop is to be taken from every 
alternate Vine, and after it has been gathered the rods can 
be cut out to give the others every chance of properly 
developing and maturing their wood. It is not necessary to 
remove the whole of the fruit from those intended to bear 
the second year, unless the temporary Vines are capable of 
carrying an ample supply. I have taken six bunches from 
the Vines the first season they were planted, on an average 
10 lbs. of fruit, and they have done well the following season, 
but it is unwise to crop them so heavily. 
After the Vines are planted, if they have not broken 
strongly at the base—and they seldom do so early in the 
season—peg down upon the border the rods intended for the 
second year—that is, the bare portion ; the remainder may 
be taken upright and tied to the wires. By this means the 
canes will throw out abundance of fresh roots, which will not 
only add to their strength and vigour the first season, but 
be a great help to them in the second. A small house was 
planted with Vines after fruiting one year in 14-inch pots 
early in the year 1882; these were pegged down early last year, 
and have made abundance of roots, in fact sufficient to bo 
independent of their former feeders. They have carried three 
good crops of fruit, one in large pots, two since they were 
planted out, are again this year showing fruit well, and have 
increased much in strength since they were pegged down. 
I am convinced that Vines planted out in the manner 
detailed and liberally treated will give a greater yield of 
superior produce than it is possible to grow under the system 
generally practised at the present, time. From the appear¬ 
ance of the Vines upon which my experience is founded I 
believe they will bear creditable crops of fruit for at least 
half a dozen years. Overcropping must not be tolerated. I 
am no advocate for fourteen or fifteen bunches of inferior 
fruit, and consider six well-finished bunches ample; in fact, 
No. 191 .—Vol. VIII., Third Series, 
No. 1847.— Vol. LXX., Old Series, 
