FOREIGN AND MISCELLANEOUS NOTICES 



is a clay loam, perhaps somewhat mixed with marl, seems to be admirably adapted to the 

 growth of the grape. The Catawba is much more palatable than the Isabella, and for 

 wine is far superior. Large quantities of wine are made from these vine}-ards. Wines 

 of various brands — I had almost said "foreign and domestic," Champaign, &c — at all 

 events, numerous brands, some of them in imitation of foreign wines. 



The iron green-house of Mr. Resor, (iron instead of wood,) is a most admirable struc- 

 ture. Had that old incog., " Jeffries," been there, he must have admired it, and re- 

 pented of his strictures on this beautiful edifice. Here were exhibited to us some of the 

 most beautiful specimens of the Black Hamburgh grape I ever saw — very large bunches, 

 and of " most delicious flavor," as we all could well attest ■without the aid of proxy. 



While at Cincinnati, we must needs wend our way up to Mount Adams — there to spend 

 an hour in star-gazing through the monster telescope, the largest but one on the continent 

 of America. On the whole, we were well pleased with our visit at Cincinnati. We had 

 the pleasure of visiting many fine gardens, green-houses, vineyards, &c.; and also of be- 

 coming much better acquainted with many of our western horticultural friends; and their 

 kind attention to strangers from abroad, contributed not a little to the pleasure of our 

 visit to the Queen City of the West. B. Hodge. 



Buffalo Xiursery, Feb., I80I. 



/nriigii null Sisnllniitniis llntim 



Large Rose Trees. — I have often heard 

 amateurs, when admu'ing some of the large spe- 

 cimens in the nurseries here, express astonish- 

 ment at their prodigious size, which they at- 

 tribute to their great age, and good soil. But 

 it must be told, that the system of pruning has 

 as much to do in this matter as the age of the 

 trees, or the soil in which they grow. The 

 oldest of the large trees here cannot nimiber 

 more than twelve years, though (here are others 

 much older, not half the size. Often have I 

 seen rose trees full of shoots, nearly all pro- 

 ceeding from the base of the head, owing prin- 

 cipally to close pruning. When the knife is ap- 

 plied, whether in autumn or in spring, the 

 greater part must be removed, for there is not 

 room enough for the whole to be developed. 

 Now, it is not the production of a large num- 

 ber of branches I consider injurious: if the 

 tree is in a healthy and vigorous condition, this 

 is natural and advantageous. But why should 

 they not be obtained in such positions that they 

 may be of permanent benefit to the plant — be 

 made to extend its size, and render less thin- 

 ning necessary? This may be done. Two years 

 ago, after having pruned a number of large spe- 

 cimens, in which I had observed this error, I 

 watched for the bursting of the buds, with the 

 view of practicing disbudding. When they had 

 shot forth about half an inch, I took a knife 

 with a sharp point and commenced my search 

 heart of the tree. From here I rubbed 

 close to the bark, a great number of buds, 

 only such as, from their position, pro- 



mised to increase the size or improve the con- 

 tour of the head. If a bud was pushing where 

 there was a gap, such was left; the others were 

 thinned, leaving those which took a lateral and 

 outward course of growth. Proceeding up- 

 wards, I cleared the center of the tree pretty 

 freely, leaving only just so many buds as seem- 

 ed necessary to preserve it from becoming strag- 

 gling. Towards the top, and circumference, 

 also, the buds, where crowded, or likely to 

 cross each other, were removed. A month af- 

 ter the first looking over, fresh buds had bro- 

 ken, and thus was opened a prospect of more 

 gaps being filled, the outlines of the heads be- 

 ing still improved, and their size extended. 

 They were looked over again and again, and 

 the same plan followed out. The growth was, 

 in consequence, more vigorous than that ofthe 

 previous year, and the fiowers fine. On the fall 

 of the leaf in autumn, the succeeding course 

 of action M'as apparent. The trees were prun- 

 ed as usual, and there was little mind exercis- 

 ed in the operation — little thinning required — 

 no necessity to look at the tree for some mi- 

 nutes before one could determine Avhere to be- 

 gin; which, in my early attempts, I must con- 

 fess, I have often done, owing to the intermi- 

 nable interlacings of the shoots. The second 

 and third year the same plan was followed, and 

 the trees are now of handsome form, large and 

 healthy, producing an abundance of good fiow- 

 ers. It should be stated that the first year they 

 were taken in hand, they were watered once a 

 week, for two months, with liquid manure. 



