402 
ADDITIONAL REMARKS ON COILING VINES. 
them, if it be intercepted by the glass at a considerable distance from 
them, they must never be expected to either set their fruit well, mature 
it, or to ripen their wood with any probable chance of its being fruitful 
the following season. 
I have stated in former communications, that such as I select for 
fruiting the first season, I cover over their main stems with moss, which 
I keep moist by sprinkling them night and morning with water from a 
cistern inside the house ; my object for which is, to keep the tempera¬ 
ture of the stem, as much as I can, beneath that of the house, and to 
prevent evaporation from the branch as much as possible, until an 
abundance of vigorous roots are induced, and the grapes perfectly set; 
after which period they are perfectly safe, with judicious attention, 
when they are best removed from the bottom-heat to a curb or flue, 
where plenty of light and air can be had. By such treatment I have 
succeeded very far beyond my most sanguine expectations ; and the 
method is as simple as any in the art, and the attention trifling to any 
active mind, where suitable accommodation is at hand. In a former 
number of the Register I gave plans for some economical pits for such 
purposes, where more expensive ones may be an object, if not previously 
upon the spot. 
Were I to deviate from the treatment which I have stated, I believe 
that I should be unsuccessful. Reasoning upon the habits of the vine, 
I was induced, by a momentary thought, to adopt the method I pursue, 
and, for the first season, am as successful as some are for years by old- 
established vines. 
I believe there are some that are too bigoted in the opinions which 
they have formed of their own, and consequently too proud to be dic¬ 
tated to by another, that they are blind to any reasoning but that 
suggested by themselves. 
I do not believe that the method directed by me has been attended to 
by those who have not succeeded in the system, or they could not have 
so completely failed ; and it is proved here that the arguments against 
it amount to nothing but nonsense, and do much injury to an important 
object in the art of horticulture. I hope that you will soon take up 
the subject in a very different light to that of Mr. Fish, in the Gardener’s 
Magazine ; and if you will condescend to pay me a visit at Welbeck, 
I shall be pleased to lay ocular proofs before you, which will ever 
confound theoretical reasoning.—Your obedient servant, 
John Mearns. 
[ We are much obliged to Mr. Mearns for these additional facts, as 
well on behalf of our readers as ourselves. We, indeed, were not before 
