526 



FOREIGN NOTICES. 



the apricot, the nectarine, and even the 

 orange and pomegranate, flourish in great 

 perfection in the United States, yet in no 

 portion of this country does the foreign 

 grape succeed well in the open air. 



It has occurred to us, more than once, 

 that although this is doubtless attributable, 

 in part, to our sudden variations of tempe- 

 rature, yet it may also be largely owing to 

 some deficiency in the soil. What is this 

 deficiency ? We suspect sulphur. All the 

 famous wine districts in Europe are more 

 or less volcanic in their origin, and many 

 of them are old lava beds, abounding in 

 sulphur ; while, on the other hand, volcanic 

 soils are unknown to our grape-growers, as 

 well as the application of sulphur in any 

 form to the soil. 



We are strengthened in this opinion by 

 observing the striking fact, that, while the 

 analysis of the ashes of the foreign grape 

 shows only about 2 per ct. oi sulphuric acid, 

 the analysis of the must, pulp, or juice of 



the ripe grape, shows more than 13 per cent, 

 of sulphuric acid, — a most extraordinary in- 

 crease ; and we believe a larger per cent- 

 age than is found in any other fruit. (The 

 potash in the ashes of the vine is 25., while 

 in the ripe fruit it is 37.; while, on the 

 other hand, the portion of lime in the wood 

 is 40. to 6. in the fruit.*) 



Reasoning from this, we should say that 

 gypsum, (plaster, or sulphate of lime,) which 

 is sulphuric acid and lime in combination, 

 is largely demanded by foreign grapes, to 

 bring them to a ripe state ; and that in our 

 soils, (which are not volcanic,) it must be 

 an excellent application for the foreign 

 grape. Perhaps bones, dissolved in sul- 

 phuric acid, (as described in a former page,) 

 would be still better. We are making 

 some experiments, with a view of testing 

 the value of this theory, and state it now, 

 in this hasty manner, to invite the co-ope- 

 ration of other experimental horticultu- 

 rists. 



FOREIGN NOTICES. 



The Pine Apple. — There can be no question 

 that, in these days of inquiry, gardeners are in- 

 vestipfatuig the matters under tlieir care with an 

 earnestness entirely unknown to the patriarchs of 

 the art. Things which proved insurmountable 

 difficulties to them, are no longer so to the men 

 of the present day, who take nothing for granted, 

 but who apply the talents with which they are 

 endowed with a vigor and a resolution unknown 

 to our forefathers. True, some are yet content 

 to linger in the rear, cavilling and doubting, and 

 faithfully adhering to the old system of stooking 

 and steaming night and da^"^, summer and winter; 

 because they have heard somehow, it matters 

 little where, that, to fruit a Pine plant, it must 

 have a desperate heat, as it comes from the tro- 

 pics, where the thermometer not unfre(juently in- 

 dicates 100° in the shade. They have, besides, 

 read and practiced, but never questioned the pro- 

 priety of the statement, that " the bark bed is 

 obliged to be stirred, turned, refreshed, or even 

 renewed several times a year, so as to produce 

 and retain, at all times, a bottom-heat of from 75" 

 to 85'' in each of the three departments of Pine 



culture. Such directions as these remind us of 

 the books on physic, which instruct us to take so 

 many doses annually, and to double the quantity 

 in spring and autumn, as if a man in health re- 

 quired either the one or the other. 



The men above alluded to are incapable of be- 

 lieving, because, in their easy bliss, they think the 

 thing impossible, that, at Meudon, Mr. Pelvilain 

 has (in a small pit that barely holds them,) 44 

 plants, which, planted in March and cut in Au- 

 gust, produce in round numbers 350 lbs. avoirdu- 

 pois, or fruit averaging 8 lbs. each! The plants 

 which produce this rcNult have, during winter, an 

 atmosphere just a little above green-house tem- 

 perature. They are protected by coverings from 

 frost and sudden variations of climate, and are. 

 kept rather than forced. 



Mr. Fleming's success also results entirely from 

 his practice being in accordance with the laws of 

 nature. He keeps his Pines in fruit during night 

 in line weather at 65°, but in frosty weather he 

 allows the night temperature to recede to 57". 



* In the ashes of ripe plums, the per centajre of sulpliuriO; 

 acid is 3., in pears and cherries 5., and in apples 6. 



