DOxMESTIC NOTICES. 



las, ripened in the open field ^hy the 10th of last 

 August, i. e., in 146 days, and that they were 

 as good as any I have ever eaten in Corsica, ce- 

 lebrated for its climate for the culture of the 

 vine. It must be i-emarked that this early de- 

 gree of perfect maturity, was produced by vines 

 that eight months previously were not as yet 

 planted in the sand hillsof North Carolina, but 

 were on the ocean, on their way to this, their 

 now adopted countr3\ 



In a letter written more than 17 months ago, 

 to Mr. Thomas Ewbank, at his own request, 

 which will soon be published in the Patent Of- 

 fice Eeport, you will see, sir, that I do not dif- 

 fer with you as to the importance of the method 

 of seedlings, in order to obtain new varieties 

 best suited to tliis country. It may be grati- 

 fying to you to know that your hint of resort- 

 ing to seedlings has long been anticipated by 

 me. 



As to the grape-vines being exhausted by 

 long cultivation or neglect, the experience of 

 France Vigninicole abundantly proves it. 

 Let us see, for instance, what Le Comte de 

 Gasparin says. " We must provide for this 

 state of things, (old age,) which threatens its 

 future fecundity. There exists two systems. 

 The first is to root up the vine, which tends to 

 its decripitude," &c; and again: " In about 15 

 years, more or less, the vintage of the vineyard 

 diminishes, and from this epoch, the weakness 

 which at first was but little perceptible, contin- 

 ues, and ends by becoming considerable. A 

 vineyard wliich at first produced 18 liectoliters, 

 with the same care and manures will only yield 

 9 or 10 when the vineyard will be 30 or 40 years 

 old." Vol. iv, p. 674. 



I cannot anticipate, and will not now state 

 what are my future expectations. I have plant- 

 ed European grape-vines in the open air, in the 

 hope to succeed, though you say it is in vain. 

 " Time alone can determine," I say. I shall 

 take great pleasure in informing you of the re- 

 sults of my trial. 



Your recommendation with respect to the 

 cultivation of the European vines in northern 

 latitudes, is perfectly right, but does not hold 

 good for my locality, in latitude 34''. The iso- 

 thermal line fortunately places me nearly on 

 the same footing with the south of France. 

 That Mr. Loubat and Mr. N. Longwokth, 



should not have succeeded in the field culture 

 of European varieties, is perfectly natural, and 

 nothing else could be expected, unless they had 

 tried the Khenish kinds. On the contrary, the 

 fig and almond trees do well with us. This is, 

 sir, a pretty good index of climate, and it be- 

 ing congenial to them and the cactus, I hold, 

 by parity of reasoning, that the most delicate 

 vines will continue to fiourish with us. I am 

 led to suppose, also, that in the same degree 

 as the quince stock, for instance, modifies its 

 graft, so will our luxurious, hardy native vines, 

 affect the European varieties.. Nous verrons. 



I wish that such a work as the jlmpelogra- 

 phie, by Comte Odart, should be more gene- 

 rally known in this country. Comte de Gas- 

 parin, in speaking of this work, in his " Cours 

 d'jjgriculture," says: " We have adopted the 

 nomenclature of Comte Odakt, whose Ampe- 

 lographie is the first work which presents, in a 

 manner somewhat general, the character and 

 synonyms of the grape-vines. This work is the 

 fruit of long years of research and experience." 



Such are the men I love to imitate, and quote 

 for my authority. With great consideration, 

 Joseph Togno, M. D. Diccoteaux, near Wil- 

 mington, N. C, January, 1851. 



P. S. CoMTK Odart, in his classification of 

 American grape-vines, mentions only three, 

 namely: the Skou-per-nong, (the Indian name, 

 meaning Sweet-water,) the Catawba and Isabel- 

 la, (Laspeyre) — all tliree^be it said, en passant, 

 native of North Carolina. This is, at least, a 

 sliglit proof that this is the region of the grape 

 par excellence. 



Tan- BARK FOR Mulching. — Having been a 

 constant reader for the last four years, of .the 

 best publication on horticulture in the U. S., 

 the Horticulturist and Journal of Rural Art and 

 Rural Taste, and having received more know- 

 ledge and real pleasure in the perusal than in 

 reading any other work, I take the liberty to 

 ask a few questions. Last fall I set $250 worth 

 of pear trees. I am satisfied that mulching is 

 one of the greatest securities for the life of new 

 set trees. Will you tell me if there is danger 

 in mulching with refuse tan-bark from the tan- 

 yard? If not, how thick ought it to be round 

 the tree? I have read your articles recom 

 mending tan-bark for grapes, but I have 

 plied it to young trees without your 



