50 



Tlie Horticidlunst and Journal 



and Hartford Prolific with those of Dela- 

 ware, Allen's Hybrid and lona. You will 

 find in each, distinctive differences sugges- 

 tive of the character of the grapes. Then 

 test and compare the native wild grapes, 

 the Fox and Frost grapes of the woods, with 

 the tendrils of our cultivated varieties, and 

 you will soon learn easily to distinguish the 

 wild from the cultivated. 



The limits of this paper will not permit 

 me to enlarge upon the subject of vine-cul- 

 ture. I will, however, venture to express 

 my disapproval of cramped space and close 

 pruning of the vine, especially during its 

 summer growth. The American vine and 

 the American people are not unlike in this 

 respect. They require room to spread 

 themselves, and do not thrive under re- 

 straint. Grive the vine plenty of ground- 

 room that its roots may have ample space in 

 which to obtain the sustenance requisite to 

 the production and maturity of its burden 

 of fruit, and it will require a corresponding 

 space above ground upon stakes or trellis 

 for the accommodation of its luxurious 

 growth and abundant fruit and foliage. A 

 certain natural equilibrium exists between 

 the roots and upper-growth of the vine, 

 which cannot be disturbed to any considera- 

 ble extent, especially during the growing 

 season, without serious injury. To illus- 

 trate this: I have planted a young and 

 healthy vine, with smooth and perfect roots, 

 in early spring. When it had made a 

 growth of two or three feet, I have cut it 

 back to a single bud and leaf at its base. 

 After this, the plant remains apparently 

 dormant for ten days or longer, when the 

 bud slowly swells and breaks ; and if it is a 

 hardy and vigorous variety, is soon making 

 a new growth, but with less than its former 

 strength. When it has again attained a 

 similar growth, I have again shortened it to 

 one bud and leaf above the former cut. A 

 longer period of rest now ensues, followed 

 usually by a weak and spindling growth of 

 a few inches, with scarce vigor to ripen a 

 bud or two at its base before the autumn 

 frosts have destroyed its foliage. Now, if 



we take up this vine, we shall find that all 

 the new roots which had formed previous to 

 the successive cuttings of the top, are dead 

 and rotten. Only the old roots, which the vine 

 had when planted, remain, and these rough, 

 knobby and diseased — the vine in no re- 

 spect as good as when it was planted in the 

 spring. The vine will bear, without appa- 

 rent injury, any reasonable amount of prun- 

 ing during its dormant state, in fall or early 

 spring ; but I think the above experiment 

 proves that any severe cutting during sum- 

 mer is an unmitigated evil. All the sum- 

 mer pruning 1 would recommend, would be 

 the early rubbing out of superfluous shoots, 

 upon their first appearance ; leaving only 

 what is required for next year's bearing 

 wood. This, with the pinching or stopping 

 the ends of such shoots or canes as were 

 disposed to be too rampant in growth, would 

 be all I would ever consider necessary. Some 

 of the most successful grape-growers within 

 my knowledge, carefully prune their vines 

 in fall or early spring, and then leave them 

 entirely without summer pruning. Much 

 more might be said upon this and kindred 

 subjects, but I fear I have already exceeded 

 the limits proper for a paper on an occasion 

 like the present. 

 Delaware, O. 



The Lilium Auratum. 



A FRIEND of the writer, who is an ac- 

 quaintance of a successful amateur flo- 

 rist, gave an account of his plan for growing 

 the Lilium Auratum, or Golden-banded 

 lily. He thought that any soil, suitable for 

 roses, would do for these lilies. He planted 

 his four inches deep, letting the base of the 

 bulb rest on the earth, so that the roots 

 might strike directly into it. The sides of 

 the bulb wore surrounded with sand. These 

 lilies had as many as nine blossoms on a 

 stem. 



Another amateur florist, who cultivates 

 the Lilium Auratum, and other Japan lilies, 

 in a greenhouse, told the .writer that he had 

 no trouble in producing fine large plants 

 and flowers. After the plants are done 



