been for ttis, the Pitmaston and Sweetwater grapes would probably have been fit to 

 cut by the 1st, instead of the 15th of August. 



My vines look well, and, if agreeable, I hope to report again next year as to the 

 effects of early cropping. The only suggestions in addition to the above, which oc- 

 cur to me to make to a beginner, are, that a vine for its proper development should 

 have at least six feet of room to itself; that a vine introduced into a border some 

 years later than the others will grow much slower than one planted cotemporaneously, 

 the first vines preoccupying the ground with their roots. And lastly, in planting a 

 small grapei-y, it is better to select varieties which mature their fruit at nearly the 

 same season, as a different condition of the grapery is required for growing fi-uit, and 

 for that which is ripe. 



Thunder and Lightning. — In Arago's Meteorological Essays, lately published, many 

 latitudes are given where the phenomenon of thunder and lightning are unknown; those 

 among the inhabitants of Lima in Peru for instance, who have never travelled, can form 

 from their own experience no idea of thunder, and they are equally unacquainted with 

 lightning, for even noiseless and sheet lightnings never appear in the atmosphere of 

 lower Peru, often moist, but never showing true clouds. Arago sums up his inquiry 

 by saying that the most brilliant and extensive flashes of lightning which appear to em- 

 brace the whole extent of the visible horizon, have not a duration equal to the thousandth 

 part of a second of time ! 



Family Attachment. — Two little African children, who are connected by a strong 

 ligament below the spine, are <?xhibited in London ; they are called the African sisters, 

 and excite the interest of the Siamese twins. They are very lively, and laugh, chatter 

 and tumble about with as much enjoyment as other children. 



Grapes in Georgia.— That able periodical, the Southern Cultivator, published at 

 Athens, Georgia, has a very encouraging article on the prospects of grape culture and 

 wine making in that decidedly progressive State. Mr. Axt has introduced vineyards 

 and hopes to make 2500 gallons of wine per acre, worth at least one dollar the gallon . 

 The vine, it says, fairly revels in that climate, adapting itself to almost every variety of 

 soil. A correspondent of the same paper says : " I feel confident that you and I will 

 live to drink plenty of Georgia wine, of better quality than Ohio can produce," to which 

 the editor replies, " and may the time come speedily." ]Mr. Axt and others have, 

 however, experienced difficulties with the rot. Mr. A. had a silver pitcher voted to him 

 for his labors at the Atalanta fair. This calculation of 2500 gallons is much too great. 



Roses. — According to Agassiz, no fossils of the rose have ever yet been discovered by 

 lie thinks the creation of the plant is coeval with that of man. 



-A Squash was on view at Chicago the other day, weighing 192J lbs ! 



