FOREIGN NOTICES. 



285 



flock or stud. So with regard to flowers, no one 

 would sow seed from inferior flowers, but would 

 select I'roni the best specimens ; and it is by follow- 

 in'^ up this system, even without more crossing than 

 is performed by nature and the bees, that great 

 improvements have been made. Thinking tlie 

 same ell'ects would accrue from a more careful se- 

 lection of culinary seeds, and that a much greater 

 degree of productiveness might be attained, about 

 three years ago I began an experiment with Long- 

 pod Beans. I carefully selected the finest and full- 

 est pods for seed, taking none with fewer than five 

 beans in each. Next year I had a good sprinkling 

 of pods with six seeds in each ; these were saved 

 for seed. The following year there were many six 

 seeded pods, and some with seven. Following up 

 the same plan, I find this season many more six 

 and seven seeded pods, and some with eight seeds! 

 There are still a few plants which produce five- 

 seeded pods ; and it is worthy of remark, that the 

 five-seeded plants have seldom a six-seeded pod 

 upon them, but all fives; on the contrary a six-seed- 

 ed plant generally has nearly all the pods bearing 

 six beans or more. As the seed-saving season is 

 now at hand, perhaps these hints may induce others 

 to adopt the plan. If the same thing were adopted 

 with our grain crops, by selecting a few of the 

 largest and best filled ears to save as seed, I have 

 little doubt more productive varieties might be 

 procured. Lusor,in Gard. Chron. 



CtTi.TURE OF THE ViNE. — Much has been writ- 

 ten on the tieatmcnt of the Vine, and yet we may 

 read every day of shrivelling, shanking, rust, red 

 spider, and similar complaints, without possessing 

 any certain cure for these etils which occur repeat- 

 edly. That a good border is an essential requisite 

 in the production of good grapes, I think every 

 body will admit, but at the same time I maintain 

 that air is equally essential in maturing and color- 

 ing the crop. In forming a new border, I should 

 recommend the soil to be excavated to the depth of 

 three feet; not more ; but the wider the border is 

 the better ; twenty feet is not too wide. There 

 should be a drain in front, and the border should 

 slope well to it. I would bottom with rough sand- 

 stone, or some material that would secure perfect 

 drainage ; and I would cover the latter with thin 

 turf or peat, to prevent it from being choked up. 

 As compost I would recommend one-fourth old 

 mortar, bone.? and charcoal — the bones and charcoal 

 to be broken, but not too small ; one-fourth decom- 

 posed tree leaves, and the remaining half the top- 

 spit of a good old pasture or common, which should 

 at least have lain in a heap for twelve or eighteen 

 months, and frequently turned and exposed as 

 much as possible to frost. The whole being 

 well incorporated, proceed to fill in the border, 

 tak.ng care to tread as little as possible. Rather 

 allow the soil to settle of itself, which will render 

 the border more porous. For planting the begin- 

 ning of May is, perhaps, the best time. Plant one 

 vine immediately under each rafter, a position in 

 which more light is admitted to the foliage. I re- 

 member seeing vines belonging to the Right Hon. 

 the Speaker, which reached the top of an eighteen 

 feet rafter the same season. In this case the vines 



were planted in the beginning of May. The bor- 

 der being n(jw made, and the vines planted, I will 

 give some account of their management. 



1 believe that houses after houses of grapes are 

 ruined by keeping them too hot at night, and not 

 giving them sufiicicnt air during the day time. Mr. 

 Mitchell, of Kemptown, Brighton, who is celebra- 

 ted as a grape grower, ascribes his success entire- 

 ly to extensive airing, and low temperature at 

 night — forty to forty-five degrees is not too low for 

 night temperature, which might be even a little 

 lower. Abundance of air should be given as early 

 as possible in the morning, to dry up all moisture, 

 thereby preventing scalding and burning — evils so 

 often complained of. Water and li(phd manure are 

 also necessary in vine culture. In hot dry weather, 

 water every other day. The border beinfr porous, 

 will allow the water to pass through readily, and 

 will carry the surface heat down to the roots. This 

 should be discontinued when the grapes beain ro 

 colour, and at that time discontinue moisture inside; 

 for the stalks of the berries are apt to become black 

 if much moisture reaches them after that time. I 

 do not hold with syringing vines after they have 

 broken ; the\' obtain sufficient moisture otherwise, 

 provided the flues or pipes are frequently sprinkled. 

 To show that air is the grand secret in grape grow- 

 ing, I will cite an instance. I once visited a friend 

 who had the care of a large establi.shraent. With 

 feelings of pride, he showed me a house of grapes 

 eighty feet in length which was really a grand 

 sight. The}' were chiefly Muscats which had set 

 beautifully. The house was oppressively hot, the 

 thermometer in front registering eighty decrees 

 and conseiiuently at top the house must have been 

 much hotter ; 1 pointed this out to him, but he 

 shook his head and gravely assured me the contra- 

 rv wouhl not do, having a cold wet border to con- 

 tend with. But mark the sequel. 1 paid him ano- 

 ther visit afterwards, when ttie Grapes were ripe ; 

 the berries were not larger than marrowfat peas ; 

 scarcely a bunch but what was shanked ; and ge- 

 nerally speaking, only the shoulders had ripened, 

 while in a small house in which Pelargoniums and 

 other plants had been kept, and which had been 

 conserjuenily well aired, the bunches were large, 

 avcrafiing one and a half to two pounds each. On 

 inquiry, I was told it was the border that had j)ro- 

 duced the difference ; but I could see nothing dif- 

 ferent trom the other in that. In fact my friend 

 had hoodwinked his judgment in order to retain his 

 prejudice, a circumstance of too common occur- 

 rence. Once more then let me impress on all the 

 necessity oi fjiving air in abundance. This advice 

 is no wild theory, but the result of long experience 

 and careful nOservation. Finally it is to be hoped, 

 that when Poiuiaise becomes better known, anil its 

 merits appreciated, we shall hear no more of many 

 complaints which attend the present system of vino 

 trrowinuf. Jl. li.in Gardener's Chron. 



Earthing up Potatoes. — I have long had doubts 

 relative to earthuig uj) potatoes being a beneficial 

 practice, and I am now convinced that it is detri- 

 mental. The vaiiely employed in mj- experiments 

 is the pink kidneys- All the sets were planted at 

 the same time, (the first week in April,) in rows 



