farmers' gardens. 355 



ites there, whicli shows that thorough acclimation is necessaiy to success in 

 grape culture. 



All the finer varieties are liable to be winter-killed in the New England 

 States. Until the vines become too large, the safest course is to lay them 

 down in November and cover them with earth. They may be trained upon 

 walls, trellises, or stakes. After the fruit has set, the buds should be pinched 

 otf at two or three leaves beyond the fruit. Cut or pinch the side shoots off 

 as they put out. When they are laid down in November, the new canes, 

 which are to be the bearing wood for the next year, should be headed in, so as 

 to leave but few fruit buds on each one ; from two to four are better than more. 

 In the spring fork up the ground thoroughly around the roots, and keep it 

 clean through the season. Soap suds, diluted urine, or weak brine may be 

 applied several times during the summer with benefit. 



For a full discussion of the subject of the climatology of the grape, the reader 

 is referred to a valuable article by James S. Lippiacott, esq., in the report of 

 the Department of Agriculture for 1862. There are also many interesting 

 questions connected with vineyard culture which, as before stated, I do not 

 propose to touch at this time ; but will close my remarks on this topic by 

 naming a few of the hardier varieties adapted to out-door culture in the north- 

 ern States. No grape can be considered hardy that does not thoroughly ma- 

 ture its wood before the frosts of autumn. Unripened wood will almost inva- 

 riably be killed by our severe winters. 



The hardiest grapes here are tbe Clinton, King, Logan, and Delaware ; 

 next to these come the Concord, Hartford Prolific, and Northern Muscadine; 

 and next to these may be reckoned the Adirondac, Union, and Oporto ; and 

 for southern New England and the middle States, the Isabella, Diana, Rebecca, 

 Allen's Hybrid, Lenoir, and Catawba. In this list I refer rather to the hardi- 

 ness of the vine than to the quality of the fruit. 



Every farmer should have at least a dozen grapevines about his house or 

 in his garden; and thus, with little labor, he may secure from one to two hun- 

 dred pounds of delicious fruit annually for his family and his friends. 



RAISING, GATHERING, AND PRESERVING SEEDS FOR THE GARDEN, 



I have now spoken briefly of the several leading points relating to a farmer's 

 garden, and as its products are, most of them, not perennial, but require annual 

 planting and care, some suggestions in regard to raising, gathering, and pre- 

 serving seeds, seem to be all that is necessary to enable the most inexperienced 

 to establish and manage a garden with entire success. Much inconvenience, 

 loss, and " vexation of spirit" are constantly experienced through a want of 

 good seed ; and though its careful preservation has been urged for more than a. 

 thousand years, most persons are still careless or indifferent about it. Columella, 

 who wrote about the time of our Saviour, in some remarks upon the importance 

 of selecting the best seeds to propagate from, says : " I have this further direc- 

 tion to give, that when the cornes are cut down and brought into the threshing 

 floor, we should even then think of making provision of seed for the future seed- 

 time ; for this is what Celsus says : ' Where the corn and crop is but small. 

 we must select the best ears, and of them lay up our seed separately by itself.' "' 

 The " cornes" here spoken of are probably wheat and other small grains, but 

 the remarks are applicable to all seeds for planting. The fiirmer raises Indian. 

 corn for family use in a green state. No garden would be considered well sup- 

 plied without it, and its value is increased by its earliuess, and specially if it 

 goes to market. Where care is exercised in selecting the soundest and best- 

 formed ears of this grain, and those which are the earliest ripe, and continuing- 

 the practice for a succession of years, it is found to be greatly improved as to 

 the time of its maturation. The same remark applies with equal force to other 



