164 ' MONTHLY JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURE. 



it. It signitles everytliing relatins: to the profitable management of a farm. It 

 bestows the exact amount of h\l)or to produce the largest results. It demands 

 the exact amount of outlay in manure, stock, buildings, 6tc. to insure the largest 

 profits. It exacts the performance of labor in the right manner, and at llie right 

 time. It requires the produce to be sold, as a general rule, the moment it is 

 ready for market. In short, it must pervade the whole farm, in all of its opera- 

 tions, and cannot be taught in experimental institutions, nor upon farms which 



.have more pupils than can be profitably employed. 



We have, in this county, " The Orange County Scientific and Practical Agri- 

 •cullural Institute," which, I think, is admirably calculated to impart to pupils 

 more of the right kind of agricultural knowledge, in the right way, than any in- 

 stitution or method I have heard of. It is superior to ihe plan recommended in 

 " The Book of the Farm," in this, viz. that the farmers who are engaged in it — 

 the price for board and tuition being very low — take no more pupils than they 



■can profitably employ. They do not, therefore, depend on the pupils for a living, 

 but on their farms ; consequently, the pupils learn exactly wliat they will have 

 to practice when they operate for themselves. At the same time, they have the 

 advantage of being instructed in the scientific branches of an agricultural educa- 

 tion, by a thorough-bred scientific gentleman, who is at the same time engaged 

 in Agriculture on a farm of considerable extent, and is capable of performing any 

 of the practical labors. Here, then, we have an institution, the first and only one 

 •of the kind, combining all the advantages recommended in " The Book of the 

 Farm," in the highest degree. I can speak of its utility, because i have a son a 

 pupil in it, and live in the neighborhood. I have, however, no other interest m 

 the institution than what is common to the neighborhood, and all others inter- 

 ested in the general improvement and elevation of our agricultural population. — 

 But I feel a degree of pride that a plan so practical, and promising such impor- 

 tant results, should be conceived and executed by the ingenuity, enterprise and 

 public spirit of my near neighbors, who projected and perfected it : and, if you 

 think this letter worth a place in your very useful pages, it will afl'ord me 

 pleasure to contribute this, my mite, in communicating a knowledge of it lo oth- 

 ers who may desire to be benefited by the advantages it offers. 



Very respectfully, yours, \V. F. VAN AMRINGE. 



GRAPES NOT MATURING, &c. 



"Mr. J. S. Skinner, New- York : Philadklphia, August 3, 1846. 



Dear Sir: I should be glad to obtain information respecting grapes. I have 

 one vine covering a large arbor, on which the fruit never matures. It hangs t'cry 

 yull every season ; and, about the time of attaining their full size, there appears 

 on them a small speck, whicii gradually increases until they turn black or purple 

 all over, wilt, and fall off. This vine has acted so from its first bearing up to 

 this time, now six years. 1 have a number of vines on the opposite side of the 

 house, covering a long trellis, which I perceive are going, t/iis season, in the 

 same manner ; while an intermediate one, against the house, is not at all affected. 

 J have tried close pruning, and very little of it, without any perceptible effect. 



I observed, I think, noticed in the meetings of your Agricultural Society, re- 



fported in The Tribune, some time ago, an account of a superior farm ffote. I 



Ihave not had time to examine the Library from the beginning, which only came 



•to hand a few days ago, owing to a mistake of your agents, but hope I shall find 



a drawing of it. A good gate is needed. Your.'<, respectfully, w. ii. cajir. 



We should be plea.sed to give the iiifi)miation, if in our power. 



In the garden of Mr. Smith, at Astoria, wo lately saw a vine in veiy fidl iuid promising 

 ■'bearing, for the first time since it was tran.splanted. It was an old vine, and had proTcd bar- 

 Ten until this year. The projjrietor had buried near its root a good part of an old horse, 

 -which ho had caught floating in the river. 



Philadelphia and its viciuitj-, with tlicir Biiists and their Laudreths, are by no means defi 

 cient, comparatively, in horticultural knowledge and experience. As to the gatf, we can 

 only repeat — all in due time ! In Stephens's Book of the Farm, which we are republislimg, 

 there are 12 pages given to tliis subject, with engraNings. 

 (35G) 



