Horticulture in the United States. 7 



from the extract relating to the experiments of the French 

 chemists. Here it is : — 



" These views are still farther sustained by a very able pa- 

 per in one of the late French Scientific Journals. The experi- 

 ments in this case were made upon oats, and were between 

 forty and fifty in number. They commenced by growing 

 them out in sand, first deprived of everything soluble by acid, 

 and tlien burned to drive off all vegetable matter. In this, 

 as might have been expected, no perfect plants were pro- 

 duced. One mineral substance after another was added, 

 until at last it was found that with a certain seven [seven 

 is a mystical number,] of them, the plant flourished better 

 than with any others. It, however, was still far from luxu- 

 riant, or from yielding a fair amount of grain ; it was' not until 

 some manures containing nitrogen had also been added, that 

 entirely healthy, fertile, and strong plants were obtained. 

 These experiments appear to have been very carefully con- 

 ducted, and furnish important confirmation to those of Messrs. 

 Lawes and Gilbert." In conclusion. Professor Norton admits 

 " that in spite of theoretical views to the contrary, he (the 

 farmer) will find that in practice he can best aff"ord to pay 

 a high price for those manures that are especially rich in am- 

 monia ! " Further comment here is unnecessary. 



The vineyard culture of the grape is attracting yearly more 

 attention in the Western States, more particularly in Ohio; 

 and with the better knowledge of which cultivators have be- 

 come possessed by continued practice, as well as by the aid 

 of experienced Frenchmen who have been obtained to carry 

 on the process of wine-making, they are now enabled to sup- 

 ply a drinkable article, and one which sells readily in the mar- 

 ket. We look with much satisfaction upon the progress of 

 this department of agricultural produce, and doubt not the 

 time is near when the West will be able, by the growth of 

 improved varieties of the grape, and by selecting the most 

 suitable localities, to manufacture a pleasant wine of excel- 

 lent quality, which will, to a great extent, take the place of 

 the miserable spirituous liquors which are now consumed to 

 so great an extent throughout the country. As there is little 



