1876.] 



AND HORTICULTURIST. 



209 



Society, Mr. R. Warington gives some interest- 

 ing particulars relating to this plastering. It 

 consists of treading in with the grapes a kind of 

 plaster known in Spain as "yeso," about 10 lb. 

 being added to the quantity of grapes required to 

 make a butt of wine (lOS gallons). The " yeso" 

 reduces the acidity, and "is used equally for red 

 and white wines, but is not emploj^ed in the pre- 

 paration of the sweet wine ' vino dulce,' made 

 from over-ripe grapes for the purpose of temper- 

 ing sherry." Besides plaster other substances 

 are sometimes added to wine, and aifect the 

 composition of the lees. A substance known as 

 Spanish earth is commonly employed in Spain 

 for fining the wines. This earth is also occasion- 

 ally used by English wine merchants for a simi- 

 lar purpose. This so-called Spanish earth has a 

 somewhat soapy feel, easily impressed by the 

 finger-nail, but containing sometimes fragments 

 of slates. "When rubbed in the hands under 

 water the earth is resolved into an unctious 

 paste, and it is in this condition applied to the 

 wine which it is destined to clarify." 



Versailles Currant. — In the London 

 Gardener's Chronicle Mr. Barron makes this a 

 Bynonym of the cherry currant. In this coun- 

 trj' there are two distinct kinds. La Versaillaise 

 has a long bunch ; the cherry is a comparatively 

 short bunch. The berries are darker, sweeter 

 and smaller than the cherry. He also gives the 

 following notes in regard to some other syno- 

 nyms, about which we would be glad to have the 

 experience of some of our American growers, as 

 we are under the impression some of these syns. 

 are really distinct : 



" Gondouin [syns., Raby Castle, May's Victoria, 

 Imperiale Rouge, d'Hollande ^ grajipes longues]. 

 — This a remarkably strong-growing late variety. 

 The bunches are very long. Berries large or 

 above medium, of a bright red color with a sharp 

 acidity. As a bearer it is only medium. The 

 plant is of a most robust growth, soon forming 

 large bushes. Shoots strong, reddish. Leaves 

 hirge, dark green, with reddish veinings, flat, 

 deeply cut, very showy, and very distinct. The 

 flowers have also a reddish tinge. This is one of 

 the latest currants to ripen and hang well on the 

 plants afterwards. The plant, i'rom its strong 

 vigorous growth, is very suitable for growing as a 

 standard or large bush. 



" Red Dutch [syns., Fertile, Fertile d'Angleterre, 

 Fertile de Palluau, Fertile daBertin, La Hative, 

 Hative de Bertin, Bertin No. 9, Belle de St. Gilles, 

 Chenonceaux, Grosse Rouge de Boulogne, Queen 



Victoria, Red Grape]. — This is one of the best 

 varieties in cultivation. A most almndant bearer, 

 and ripening early. The bunches are long and 

 the berries large, full and juicy, of a bright red 

 color. The plant is of a dwarf and somewhat 

 slende?^ habit of growth, never attaining a large 

 size. The leaves broad and flat, deep green, 

 having a sort 'of metallic glavicous hue, which 

 renders it in appearance quite distinct. The 

 synonyms here given are all referable to this one 

 variety, and which is the one generally grown 

 and known in this country as the Red Dutch." 



Mr. Barron reduces all currants to sixteen 

 vai'ieties. Since the above was written we note 

 that Mr. Fuller agrees with Mr. Barron that the 

 two are identical. 



Plum Culture in Ohio. — Mr. Bateham saya 



that plum culture is considerably on the increase 



in Ohio. Small growers cannot care for a few 



trees, but in large orchards it pays to keep a man 



with shaking machines to 



knock down the curculios. 



¥, 



' iA 



Chickory Salads. — In 

 our country we know 

 chickory simply as a root 

 used in the adulteration 

 of ground coffee. In 

 Europe they use both the 

 roots and leaves as ingre- 

 dients in salads, and the 

 demand for them has in- 

 duced as many varieties 

 as we have of peas or cab- 

 bages. In looking over the 

 catalogue of Messrs. Vil- 

 morin, Andrieux & Co., of 

 Paris, we note that one 

 whole page of their closely 

 printed catalogue is de- 

 voted to varieties of chic- 

 ory. Considering liow 

 hardy the plant is, and 

 how much Americans val- 

 ue salads it might be well 

 to try these more exten- 

 sively than they have 

 been. We give with this 

 an illustration of one 

 which they seem to speak 

 highly of under the name 

 of Witloef, or great chic- 

 ory root of Brussels. 



