THE GRAPE IN COLD VINERIES. 



pleasing and more beautiful, than the most graceful curve "vrould be Avithout any useful 

 object, either apparent or real. It is but an one-sided view of nature that denounces the 

 " Quaker-like straightness" of the streets of Philadelphia; but the3'^are beautiful because 

 they are in character and in keeping vfith a place of labor and of business. There is no 

 beauty in the idea of having to go round the circumference of a circle on a matter of busi- 

 ness, instead of driving straght through its diameter, unless there can be beauty in an in- 

 convenience. Nor is it in reason that avenues should be denounced in all circumstances, or 

 all occasions. They are often abominable, but sometimes grand. What could supply the 

 want of the short wide avenue that leads from Walnut-street, Philadelphia, through the 

 square, to the venerable old Hall of Independence? or who would object to the magnificent 

 avenues of live oaks, a hundred years old, that adorn many of the fine plantations in Ca- 

 rolina. 



It follows, then, that a curved line is not pleasing, merely because it is a curved line; 

 nor is a straight line to be objected to, merely because of its straightness; either case will 

 depend upon its being in character with its aim and purpose. It is the expression that 

 governs the beautiful, and whatever is beautiful must be founded in nature. The land- 

 scape gardener has but to give a meaning, has but to stamp an expression of beauty upon 

 his works; then, no matter whether his jmnciples of design be circles, curves, or straight- 

 ness — whether they be squares or triangles — whether his materials be foreign or indigen- 

 ous, exotic or native, American or English — his works will please. 



I again repeat my conviction, that manj' gentlemen do not employ professional talent in 

 the laying out of their grounds, because they imagine that their own ideas, tastes, and 

 views cannot be respected — that everything must bend to the exact principles on which 

 the artist he might employ deemed " nature" to rest. Would it not be better to give up 

 this pretension of following nature.' Better to follow after nothing, or rather to imitate 

 nothing, but to create for ourselves? It is folly to pretend that we can make our 

 work appear to have been done by " nature herself." Let us avoio our art. We value a 

 picture because we know it is a picture, and not that we believe we are looking at some- 

 thing real; in like manner let us wish not merely to liave our work valued because we 

 have tried to " imitate nature," but because we have licightened the beauty of some por- 

 tion of nature for ourselves. Thomas Mekhan. 



Bartram, near Philadelphia Jan. 10, 1862. 



DETAILED CULTURE OF THE GRAPE IN VINERIES. 



BY WM. CIIORLTOX, STATEN I.SLAND, N. Y. 



Dear Sir — I respond with pleasure to your wishes respecting the description and 

 management of the cold vinery, erected two years ago, at this place, by my emploj'er J. 

 0. Green, Esq. 



The house is 74 feet long, and in other respects, the same as jMr. Van Rensselaer's 

 at Clinton Point, described in a late number of the Horticulturist, with the exception of 

 there being only two rows of pillars inside, which gives a pathway six feet through the 

 middle of the house. There are 24 vines to each roof, and Won each side of the pathvva}^, 

 being one to each pillar, making a total of 74 vines. Tlie base soil of the be rdcrs is a 

 tenacious, hazelly loam, resting upon an adhesive gravelly bottom. The borders 

 feet wide on each side of the house and twenty inside, giving a breadth of GO feet and 



