20 
THE FLORIST AND POMOLOGIST. 
[ January, 
year; for forcing and pot-culture, it is the best white companion to Black Ham¬ 
burg. Biiclcland Siveetivater comes next, and would be placed first, but I have 
not found it do well except when worked upon Black Hamburg. For many 
years I have exhibited Buckland Sweetwater at the early shows of the Eoyal 
Horticultural Society and other exhibitions, nearly always taking first prizes with 
them, but the vines are all grafted on Black Hamburg stocks, and planted- 
out. If Buckland Sweetwater can be grafted on this stock, and the vines be 
placed in a sunny position, no white grape except Muscat of Alexandria can be 
compared to it. White Frontignac is a very good white grape for pot-culture, 
and should be grown for its distinct, rich musky flavour. The new varieties 
raised by Mr. Thomson, of Clovenfords, I have not tried in pots. They are 
noble grapes, but I am afraid too tender for pot-culture ; they are both grown 
at Loxford Hall in the early vineries, and when we can pilot them over the 
various ills that grape-vines are heir to, no other white grapes are equal to them 
in appearance, and the flavour is distinct and very rich. They are worked on 
the Black Hamburg stock; but even then, should the sun catch the leaves, 
through insufficient ventilation or other causes, Duhe of Buccleiich will suffer 
first, and Golden Champion next. But then we ought not to be caught napping, 
and knowing that high-class Crapes are likely to be injured if we are, it will be 
only an incentive to increased vigilance. 
Well, then, in a few words, the sum of the matter is this :—If the largest 
quantity of first-class grapes is to be furnished from a given space from pot- 
vines, and if a few white grapes are wanted, it will be best to grow five canes 
of Black Hamburg to one of Foster’s Seedling. 
Excellent pot-vines can be supplied by the trade for forcing purposes, but 
they are very expensive, and when gardeners have to grow a large number, they 
must also propagate their own stock. The eyes should be saved from vines that 
were fruited early, and they should be put in, each eye singly, in small pots in 
December, about the middle of the month. Towards the end of January place 
the pots in a forcing-house with a temperature of 55° at night. The pots should 
be plunged in a bed of tan, or other fermenting material, in a bottom-heat of 85° 
or 90°. When the young vines have grown three or four inches, repot them into 
5-inch pots, and plunge the pots again into the bottom-heat. When the roots 
have grown to the sides of the pots, raise them up and simply stand them on 
the surface of the plunging material; in ten days or a fortnight after this, the 
vines may again be potted into 8-in. pots. I never plunge them after this, as 
they make a better class of roots when the pots are not plunged. After these pots 
are again well filled with roots, the vines will be ready to be potted into their 
fruiting-pots. 11-in. or 13-in. are the best sizes. Each time of potting, the 
compost should be well rammed in round the ball. 
Vines luxuriate in rich clayey loam, with some crushed bones added to it. 
If the loam consists of the turfy part of an old pasture, no manure will be re¬ 
quired ; but, if the loam is not fibrous, a little rotted stable-manure added to it 
