42 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, April 19, 1859. 
water would not cause them to show fruit, or remain fruitless, 
though it might make a difference as to the strength of the Yines, 
and the size of the bundles. Sometime ago we were asked by a 
gentleman to look at his Yines, as he was afraid his new gardener 
did not understand them ; as, though they seemed in the highest ; 
health as to growth, there was little or no fruit. Every bud 
had broken strongly ; and there seemed no appearance of the 
Vines having received any cheek, as there was no sign of bunches 
having shown, and then goue off, either from mismanagement, or 
the state of the roots. We could, therefore, conscientiously, take 
all the blame off the new gardener’s shoulders, as, if there were no 
incipient fruit formed in the buds, no treatment- of his after 
Christmas, could bring or place it there. It turned out that there 
had been no regular gardener in the autumn, and that, conse¬ 
quently, the Yines were allowed to grow wild, and the border 
was neglected as to watering, &c., though the roots were near the ! 
surface. Now, there, in our opinion, was the cause of the failure. 
It is useless to expect Yines to fruit this year, unless the foliage 
was fully exposed to light, and the wood was thoroughly ripened, 
and then rested the previous season before stimulating to fresh 
growth. We have seen Yines in pots growing in a perfect thicket, 
—a capital plan for getting good, long rods,—and when hardened 
out of doors in autumn, becoming ripe enough for planting in 
frosli houses. But we should never expect to see fruit produced 
from such plants. Many of the admirers of Yines in pots treat 
their plants, not exactly, but a good deal in the same way. They 
are started into growth beneath some other plants ; and because 
they look healthy enough there, they remain under the shade for 
mouths, and grow luxuriantly, making line parasol foliage. The 
importance of light is not quite forgotten, and, therefore, towards 
autumn the plants are moved, perhaps right out of a shady house, 
to the front of- a house or of a wall; and when they stand there 
until the leaves fall it is considered the wood must be thoroughly 
ripened; and great is the dismay next- season, when such line, 
long rods, though they break regularly by good management, 
refuse to show bunches in any quantity. Fewer plants might bo 
so grown ; but less disappointment would be experienced, were it 
always kept in view, that the wood of a Vine from which fruit is 
expected this season should be thoroughly exposed to light, with¬ 
out shading, during the whole of the growing season of the 
previous year; continuing that exposure to light until the leaves 
become yellow, after which the cooler and darker the plants are 
kept before starting the better they will do for early forcing. 
Vines in pots fruiting now will ripen their fruit very fairly on a 
stage, with a shade of Yines, or anything else not over-thick, 
above them. But from such shaded plants we should expect to : 
got little or no fruit the following season. We suspect that I 
either undue shade last season, or the want of sufficient ripeness 
and firmness in the shoots last autumn, is the cause of our cor¬ 
respondent’s disappointment. That ripeness is even more essential 
than luxuriant growth.] 
TREATMENT OF YOUNG YINES IN A VINERY. 
“ I have just erected a curvilinear-roofed vinery, and have half 
a dozen Yines from Mr. Rivers, which are now just beginning 
to open their buds. I am at present without an experienced 
gardener, and, therefore, would thank you to give me the infor¬ 
mation I am in need of. What is best to be done with the side- 
buds ? Should I nip them off, and let the topmost bud be alone 
trained up the stout wire? If so, should it be done immediately ? 
I left it to Mr. Rivers to send mo which he thought best—Vines 
from eyes, established two years in pots, or strong for fruiting. 
He has sent me the former, therefore they are rather small — one 
or two too short for tying to the iron at present. Or shall I leave 
a bud ou each side to be trained parallel with them ? The Vines 
are not quite four feet from one another, and the two end ones 
are about six inches from the cuds. I intend not to force the 
Vines, as I do not wish to get fruit before September, and, there¬ 
fore, I intend it should be a cool vinery. I find the Vines (some 
of them) show signs of fruit. Will a bunch left on be any 
detriment to the growth of the Vine?”—Ax Easteux-couxty 
Subscriber. 
[1. Age of Plants for Planting. —Mr. Rivers’ decision in this 
respect is one among many, proving that the judgment of such 
a man is always to be relied on. We would sooner plant out a 
strong one-year old plant, than one rising three or four years I 
from the eye. It would have suited Mr. Rivers’ purpose bettor, 
to have sent you strong fruiting plants instead of nice plants 
rising two years old. He could, quite honestly, have charged 
you double, or more, in price, for the fruiting plants ; hut then 
he know they would not answer your purpose so well, if you 
allowed them to fruit. The fruiting itself would be slightly 
endangered by the process of planting out. Fruiting Yines in 
pots, we should prefer growing in their pots, with, perhaps, an 
opportunity for the roots to get out through the bottom. For 
planting a vinery, young plants are best for common purposes. If 
such a tiling could be had, we should prefer having three or four- 
year-old Vines, not from pots, but which had been planted in a 
border. These, taken up and carefully replanted, are less likely 
to send their roots deep than young Vines fresh planted. Never 
mind about a Vine or two not being long enough to reach your 
wire for training; place a stick, or a string, against it, aud it will 
soon be long enough. 
2. Nipping off Siile-btuls. —Wo presume that these are the 
buds along your Vine-stem, all except the terminal one, which 
you intend to form the main stem of the Vine, or continuation of 
what you have now. If, in planting, you covered any part of the 
stem, all the buds on that part should have been cut close off, or 
shoots, or suckers, will come from that part. As the buds are 
now breaking, whatever you wish removed should be rubbed 
off from their sockets by pressing your thumb, or finger, down¬ 
wards on them. If you cut them off, the part will bleed profusely. 
Rub them off roughly and there will he no bleeding. Most people 
remove these buds; and though it may not be a matter of much 
importance, wo should rather advise allowing those nicely placed 
at the sides to remain, more especially since you seem to have 
plenty of room for them. We always think that their presence, at 
least for two or three years after planting, gives strength and hulk 
to the main stem. The more the top grows, the more will the 
roots grow. Growth is chiefly what is wanted the first year. We 
think more, even, of t hat- than concentration of energy. The sidc- 
slioots help even concentration. Look at an Oak tree in a park, 
with its wide-spreading branches, and you arc sure to find a stout, 
firmly knit stem. Examine one of the same age in a thick wood ; 
and though, perhaps, of nearly double the height, the stem will 
be small in girth in comparison. We do not grow the Vine for 
timber; hut, at first, wo must have robustness and growth, to lay 
the foundation for fruit-hearing. As the buds are on these young 
Vines, and growth of stem is desirable, leave them in the mean¬ 
time. The terminal bud will take care of itself, aud monopolise 
the chief strength. To encourage it to do so, secure it care¬ 
fully from being stopped, and let- every lateral on it grow a joint 
or two before stopping. To throw this extra strength still more 
into the main shoot, stop all the shoots, from these side-buds left, 
when from six to nine inches in length. These shoots, which may 
form lasting spurs if desirable, will thus not hinder the free 
growth of the main shoot. Their presence, at first, will not only 
encourage free growth, but will add to the thickness of the main 
stem. We are supposing that these shoots from the side-buds, 
can have free exposure to light. If not, they would then be more 
in the light of robbers than assistants and providers. If you 
mean to have anything below your Vines, it would not be advisable 
to have more than one stem to each. The side-buds, if left, 
should, therefore, be stopped. If one or fwo were allowed to grow 
without being stopped, you would divide the strength of your 
Vine too much, and would be forced to cut the stems away after¬ 
wards. As advised, you will encourage root action at first, and 
add to the substance of the main trunk of the Vine. As laterals 
grow on the main shoot left, that will keep up rapid growth at 
the roots. 
3. Leaving Fruit .—If you leave any at all, it should only be a 
dozen of berries or so, to prove your kinds. If yoit are wise, for 
the future you will cut hack your Vines well tire following year, 
and be content with three or four bunches then. We have some¬ 
times taken a full crop the second year, and found the Vine 
required years to bring it round.] 
HEATING A WALTONIAN CASE.—RAISING 
SEEDLINGS IN IT. 
“ In using gas for a Waltonian Case, will you please to say 
what you consider sufficient ventilation ? The case is three feet 
from the window, which is open a greater part of the day ; and 
the funnel at the back of the case is about six feet from the fire¬ 
place. Do you consider this enough ? ” 
[Certainly not. A pipe from the back flue of the case must 
go out full into the open air, no matter how the windows arc.] 
