DOMESTIC NOTICES. 



DOMESTIC NOTICES. 



Rural Architecture — Architects' Terms. — 

 We are glad to perceive among the advertisements 

 of this number, that of one of our first architects, 

 Alexander J. Davis, Esq., giving details of terms 

 for various professional services. We know very 

 ■well, from personal ohservation, that a large num- 

 ber of country gentlemen, possessed of more or less 

 taste for fine buildings, are deterred from calling in 

 professional talent to their assistance by vague no- 

 tions of the great expense of such services, etc. 

 Many a dwelling just escapes being beautiful in its 

 proportions and correct in its details, by this mis- 

 taken economy. A comparatively small sum, paid 

 at the commencement, to an architect of ability, 

 ensures permanent satisfaction to the proprietor of 

 a tasteful house, and gives to the whole community 

 an agreeable object instead of an ill looking and 

 clumsy one. We very well know that the majority 

 of mankind conceive they have certain good ideas 

 in domestic architecture — in ''building a house of 

 their own" — not excelled by those in the possession 

 of others. A single trial, and the perplexities of 

 building without proper plan or advice is, however, 

 generally sufficient to undeceive them on this point, 

 and to prove to them that architecture is not an art 

 intuitively understood by all men. 



Mr. Davis has had very extensive experience in 

 his profession. The University of New-York, and 

 the capitols of several of our states, are examples 

 of his ability in public buildingsj while some of the 

 most elegant villas and cottages in the country (for 

 example those of Col. Rathbone, Albany, S. B. 

 Warren, Esq., Troy, Mr. Harold of Bridgport, 

 S. E. Lyon. Esq., of Westchester, and many oth- 

 ers,) are well known examples of his talent in do- 

 mestic architecture. For invention, and scientific 

 knowledge of his art, we do not know his superior 

 in this country, and we recommend gentlemen 

 about to build to visit his rooms at the Merchants' 

 Exchange, New- York. '1 hey will find there a great 

 variety of original designs for cottages and villas, 

 and Mr. Davis, we are glad to be able to say, is, 

 aside from business, as truly desirous as ourselves 

 to contribute to a general diffusion of good taste 

 and correct ideas in the beautiful art which he 

 practices. 



Wine-making in the West — Corrections. — 

 Our proof-reader found great difficulty in some 

 parts of the MSS. of Mr. Longworth's interest- 

 ing notes on " Wine-making in the West," in our 

 last number, and Mr. L. has sent us some correc- 

 tions which ho desires to make, and some addition- 

 al information, as follows : 



"At p. 316 — for Herbemonts, Madeira, read Her- 

 bemont's Madeira. At p. 317 — first paragraph — 

 for " not as abundant leaves," read " not as abun- 

 dant bearers:" p. 318, for "a few weeks after 

 working," read " a few weeks after making:" same 

 paragraph, " 40,000 bottles," should be " 4,000:" 

 p. 319 reads, " for years the blight has given us 



but little trouble." If so written [it is, Ed.] I 

 have certainly said what I did not intend. What 

 I should have said, is this, that the rot had given 

 us no serious trouble till the last few years. 



There are some points in which I diflfer from 

 Mr. Elliott's remarks. In preparing the ground 

 he objects to " putting all the top-soil at the bot- 

 tom," and deems it better to mix it. I hold the 

 contrary. Say you trench IS inches deep, and have 

 14 inches of rich soil on the top, and a clay bottom; 

 I throw the rich surface soil below, and have the 

 4 inches of clay on the top. The object is to pre- 

 vent the roots growing within four inches of the 

 surface. In Europe they yearly cut off all the roots 

 near the surface, for, if allowed to remain, the 

 lower roots become stationary, and do not grow, 

 and in dry weather the upper roots suffering, the 

 grapes shrivel. 



In my vineyard the plough or cultivator is seldom 

 used, the vines being planted too close to permit it. 

 No vegetaliles are planted between the vines after 

 the second year. 



For the manufacture of pure Champagne, the 

 juice, or must, should be taken from the press, and 

 it is not fit for market till it has been operated upon 

 for seventeen months, and if three or lour years old 

 the better. It is a tedious business, and the break- 

 age of bottles in the coolest cellars is enough in 

 some seasons to ruin a Jerseyman. The house in 

 which I now manufacture it, was built with an 

 arched cellar, expressly for the purpose. I find 

 the building, though 40 ft. by 50, and two stories 

 high, not large enough, and if my manufacturer 

 succeeds, I shall build one of double the size, and 

 a cellar two stories deep next fall. Yours with re- 

 gard. N. Longworth. Cincinnati, Jan. 9, 1848. 



Greenhouse Plants in Pits. — There are doubt- 

 less many of your readers, like myself, who would 

 like to keep Salvias, Petunias, scarlet Geraniums, 

 and many other tender plants, through the winter, 

 in order to " bed-them-out" and enliven the flower 

 garden in summer with their gay and perpetual 

 bloom, and who have no green-house to effect this 

 object. 



Such persons may be glad to know, from one who 

 has tried it, that a pit is the thing for their purpose. 

 It may either be of good stout plank, or of brick 

 laid up eight inches thick. Mine is of the cheapest 

 and simplest kind, being made like a common hot- 

 bed frame, only there are strong posts at the cor- 

 ners and intervals, and inch and a half plank 

 for the sides. It is 12 feet long and 4 feet wide, 

 and 3 feet deep. The front edge is just level with 

 the surface, or a little above it, and the back edge 

 is about 4 inches higher. This is for the top or 

 outside lights — for the pit must have double sash- 

 es — the lower tier of sashes is 4 inches below the 

 upper. 



The outside of this is lined with tan about 2 fee 

 deep and up to the level of the upper sashes. Whc ^ 



