1871.] FRUITING- VINES IN POTS. 53 
standard of merit in these days, but it is certainly well qualified to afford grati¬ 
fication to every one with a refined taste, and there are many such among the 
cultivators of plants in windows—indeed, the very fact of taking an interest in 
the cultivation of such plants is itself an evidence of taste. 
I have said that the culture of the plant is very simple. I will suppose, 
therefore, that a plant has been procured in a pot. Let it be kept in the 
window until the leaves commence to turn yellow, which generally takes place 
after flowering, and with me commences about the end of June or early in July, 
when water is withheld for a week or so. The plants are then turned out of 
their pots, the soil is shaken out, and they are divided into as many pieces as 
there are suckers provided with roots. These are then planted out a foot apart in 
loamy soil enriched with decayed manure, and on a hot south border. An 
amateur might probably have to select the most sheltered and warmest spot in 
his garden for the purpose ; in any case, let it be well exposed to the sun. Should 
the ground be tolerably moist at the time of planting, no water need be given 
until the points of the young green leaves begin to push forth on the surface, 
when care must be taken to keep them well supplied with water in dry weather. 
By the end of September the plants must be carefully lifted, with a nice ball to 
the roots, potted in good fibry loam, placed for a week or so in a sheltered place 
out-of-doors, and afterwards removed to the window or greenhouse. 
When it is remembered that the plant will flourish well if plunged into a 
cistern of water, itf speaks for itself that it must be abundantly watered during 
growth. This, however, must be taken with a reservation during the depth of 
winter, at which time it is not wise to keep them over moist; but on the approach 
of warmer weather they may be placed in deep pans of water, which should be 
constantly supplied, and the plants will then be enabled to throw up and boldly 
develop the flower-spathes and leaves, after which the same simple routine of 
culture must be again followed out. Many growers prefer to separate them when 
at rest, and to repot them at once ; I do not, and consider that the planting-out 
very much strengthens them.— John Cox, Redleaf. 
FRUITING POT VINES—A LESSON FOR AMATEURS.* 
t RESUMING that the Vines received from the nursery are canes direct from 
the eye, honestly grown and well ripened, any amateur need have but 
small misgivings respecting his chances of success, bearing in mind that 
^ this preparation of the canes for pot-culture is half the battle. If, how¬ 
ever, the canes are very strong, and have been selected on account of their 
apparent strength, care must be taken lest they turn out to be what gardeners 
call w cut backs,” that is, vines grown weakly one year and cut back the next, 
* An old subscriber, who signs himself “ Amateur,” asks for a treatise on the culture of Vines in pots, 
which Mr. Miller has been good enough to supply. The directions suppose good fruiting canes to have been 
received from the nursery. 
