Crops in pots that have been required to ripen early, may be pushed forward freely as soon as the stoning process is complete. Advance the night temperature to 70° when the weather is mild; but if the generally cold east winds of March prevail, and the days be sunless, it is better to force more gently, and make up time afterwards. Take advantage of every sunny day to shut up early, and husband the sun-heat for the night, so that the least possible fire-heat may be required. This rule applies to Vines in all stages. We consider it much more preferable to push the Vines on in the interval between the stoning and the commencement of the colouring than at any other stage before or after. Nearly all Grapes, and especially black ones, colour better in a moderate temperature, and well shaded with foliage, than under circumstances the reverse of these. As soon as colouring begins in very early crops, give air a little more freely, and gradually decrease the air moisture, leaving the air on continuously night and day. A constant watch must be kept over Vines in pots, to see that they never get a check for want of water. They should be nourished by rich top-dressing, and waterings of guano, soot, and sheep or deer dung water alternately.

Attend to all Vines in different stages of growth, according as they may need disbudding, stopping, tying down, or thinning of bunches and berries. These operations should always be promptly attended to; then the energies of the Vine are not needlessly expended. Heavy cropping should be avoided as one of the greatest evils and mistaken practices of Grape-growing. In the first place it usually defeats the end held in view by those who practise it, for the Grapes are never so large and good in quality as under moderate cropping; and in the next place, the Vines always succumb to the strain sooner or later, and oftenest sooner. It is difficult to give rules for weight of crops. Vines planted 4 feet apart, and allowed to carry plenty of foliage, can carry a much heavier crop with impunity than Vines at 2 1/2 feet. Vines at the latter distance apart should never be allowed to carry more than a pound of fruit to every foot length of rod. Pay particular attention to inside borders of early vineries that have a good proportion of roots, and see that they are never allowed to get dry. On the other hand, where heavy sprinklings are given several times daily, take care that the soil is not kept in a too wet puddly condition.

This constant heavy sprinkling is in our opinion an evil practice that does much harm to the roots and foliage of Vines, especially if free ventilation is not attended to. If any late Grapes are hanging on the Vines they should now be removed to a dry room, where, if there be only a few bunches, they will keep for a time without being bottled; but if there be more than a score of bunches, bottle them by all means. Now is a good time to plant young Vices where new borders have been prepared for them. Shake the soil entirely from their roots, and wash them thoroughly in a pail of water before planting them. If the plants have unfortunately been grown in large pots, in ill-drained, rich, pasty soil, the roots will be few, long, and destitute of those short twiggy fibres which are so desirable. Cut them back a bit, so that they may send out a batch of young roots nearer the stem. Spread the roots carefully out, and cover with some of the finest soil to the depth of 6 inches. If near to hot-water pipes mulch them with some horse-droppings to keep the moisture from evaporating rapidly.

The system of growing Vines for planting in pots any larger than 7-inch ones is one of the greatest mistakes in Vine-culture. As a rule, Vines in small pots ripen their wood much better and make more fibrous roots - and these are very important conditions to secure. Then how much easier nurserymen could pack them, and how much less the carriage would be. Give us a well-ripened cane from 4 to 5 feet long, as thick as an H.B. pencil, and a good potful of twiggy roots, and any one may have the large topped and rooted ones.