January 2.] 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
211 
i in doing so. We would advise in this event that the i 
vines be double potted, that is, the pot with the plant j 
sunk into another, after the manner of tender Ericas, 
&c.; and if they are placed over a source of heat—as 
| pipes or Hues—all the better. It must be understood 
i that there is no absolute necessity for taking them out 
i of the plunging medium ; we merely recommend it in 
I order to get them as near to the light as possible—this 
| being an all-important affair. 
The stem must be carefully trained up stakes, or other- 
| wise so as to expose all possible foliage to the sun, and 
the lateral shoots all stopped at one joint from the main 
stem. Some persons now stop the main shoot when 
about six feet iu length, but we would only recommend 
such in case of necessity ; for we will suppose that 
another year’s culture is necessary, in order to obtain a 
good crop. Thus, regular training and stopping, and 
liberal waterings when requisite, with tepid liquid ma¬ 
nure, with a complete exposure to light, constitute the 
remaining culture of the season. 
By October the leaves will be all fallen, and the plants 
may be instantly primed back to about nine inches in 
length, when they may be plunged in any sheltered and dry 
spot for the winter; laying the pots on one side to keep 
out the rain, and throwing some litter over them in severe 
weather to keep out frost. In the course of January, in 
the succeeding year, they may be again introduced to 
heat, as before, and must receive the final shift; the 
size of the pot must be in part dictated by the position 
they are to occupy : a pot, however, at least a foot in dia¬ 
meter must bo used. And now, again, the most perfect 
drainage must be employed; and both it and the lumpy 
turfy material must increase in the size of their com¬ 
ponent parts, in a just ratio to the increase of pot-room. 
It is needless to go over cultural matters again, a 
similar course to that of the preceding year must be 
followed, only they will require more liberal waterings 
still, when the new pots are full of roots. When the 
buds commence growth, a selection must be made of the 
eyes or shoots to be reserved; and here practices differ: 
some retain four or five shoots, others only one or two. 
These points must be ruled principally by the position 
they are to occupy. We may merely observe, that most 
good cultivators reserve only one cane ; and this is 
trained carefully, as in the preceding season, and is 
usually stopped at about six feet in length. This throws 
extra strength for a while into the principal leaves, and 
through them into the fruit buds at their base. The 
stopped shoot will shortly push another lender, and this 
may be permitted to produce another foot or so of 
shoot, when it will be well to practise a second stopping. 
All this while the laterals are regularly stopped, as iu the 
first year’s culture. 
Iu August or September they will sink to rest, and 
may be pruned immediately; the length left to bear 
must be entirely determined by the size of the pots. 
About three feet, or nearly so, may be left to a 12-inch 
pot; and about four or five feet, if in 15-inch pots : 
regard must, however, be had to the space overhead, as 
to height, &c. They must now again be plunged for 
their rest period; and the best place is a shed or out¬ 
house facing the north, taking care to protect well the 
roots. 
If required to be forced early, they may be introduced 
to heat soon after Christmas; and now a bottom-heat 
of 75° will be of great service, if only for a couple of 
months. They will require no repotting. A little of 
the powdery surface soil may be removed from the top 
of the balls, and replaced by a rich and turfy top-dress¬ 
ing. 11 is good practice at first introduction to heat, to 
form the cane into a curve, in order to make it develope 
the buds with more equality. As soon as the young 
shoots show the bunch, a selection must be made; three 
shoots with bunches will be plenty for a 12-inch pot, 
allowing one more bunch to every inch of increase of 
size in the pot. Thus a 15-inch pot would cany six 
bunches, one on each shoot. Not a shoot must be left 
on but those carrying bunches. All the subsequent 
management as to stopping, &c.,is precisely as for vines 
in houses; each shoot is stopped at a single eye or two 
beyond the bunch just before the bunch blossoms; and 
through the summer the stopping must bo continued, 
suffering a leader on each shoot to ramble a little occa¬ 
sionally, especially whilst the stoning process is going 
on, when they may be suffered to acquire a liberal ex 
tension of foliage. As soon, however, as the last swell¬ 
ing commences, a somewhat close stopping may again 
take place, and henceforth new growths must be kept in 
check; such would only rob the system of the plant; for 
all now becomes concentration and elaboration. Through¬ 
out the whole process, as great a surface of foliage must 
be presented to the light as possible ; and the smaller 
leaves of laterals must not be permitted to shade the 
principal leaves. 
We will now add a few maxims of the greatest import¬ 
ance in the way of recapitulation. 
Root Management. —Water moderately at root when 
emerging from a state of rest, increasing" the amount 
progressively as the amount of foliage increases. As 
soon as the berries are nearly ripe, decrease the amount 
slightly until the fruit is all cut, using clear water during 
that period. When the fruit is removed, if the leaves 
are green, again resume occasional waterings of liquid 
manure. 
Soil. —Let three parts the volume of soil be chopped 
turf nearly twelvemonths old. 
Potting. —Let one-sixth of the depth of the pot be 
drainage of imperishable materials; such as coarse 
boiled bones, charcoal, and crocks; covering the whole 
with fibrous turf from which most of the soil has been 
shaken. 
Bottom-heat. —Whether a plunging medium can be 
obtained or not, so place the pots as that the chief 
volume of the roots are a few degrees warmer than the 
average temperature of the house; and screen the pots 
from the immediate action of the sun. Pans, with water 
in them occasionally, may be resorted to with benefit by 
cautious practitioners. 
Top-dressing. —Towards the middle of May, it may 
prove a benefit to apply three inches of rich half-rotten 
manure on the surface of the pots. 
Rest State.— Let the roots become nearly dry before 
the pots are plunged for the winter. 
Atmospheric Management. —Keep the atmosphere 
very moist whilst the vines are budding, somewhat drier 
whilst blossoming, and, again, a liberal amount of air 
moisture whilst the first swelling is proceeding; and 
cease to use appliances of the kind from the moment the 
last swelling for ripening commences. 
Syringing is a great enemy to a fine bloom; a good 
cultivator will dispense with it altogether, except per¬ 
haps at the “ breaking ” period. 
Steaming. —Have nothing to do with so dangerous 
a procedure; rather moisten floors and other surfaces, 
if necessary. 
Ventilation. —The more of this the better, provided 
draughts can be avoided, and the necessary heat main¬ 
tained; above all,be sureto give air early in the morning, 
if only a very little—say towards eight o’clock a.m. during 
January and February; and as early as six o’clock during 
the warmer months. The bottom warmth should always 
be a little in advance of the average air heat; if a plung¬ 
ing medium is resorted to, let 80° be the maximum. As 
to atmospheric heat, let it be ever ruled by the light. 
Commence with a day-heat of 55° through the break¬ 
ing period, advance gradually to 60° until the vines are 
in bloom, then rise to 75° ; and henceforth let this be 
your maximum point by artificial heat. Night heat 45® 
