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The Grape Culturist. 



COERESPONDEXCE. 



Editors Grape Cultunst : 



Moved by an impulsive nature, I 

 embrace this first opportunity to re- 

 spond to the cheerful greetings, and 

 liberal cordiality, borne to the "Grape 

 and Wine Growers of our ivhole coun- 

 try," upon the first page of your inter- 

 esting new Journal. 



Identified with, and almost wholly' 

 given up to the expansion of the no- 

 ble and promising enterprise in which 

 you are embarked, and to which you, 

 as Editors as well as operators, pro- 

 pose in future to direct your energies, 

 I beg leave to assure j^ou of my most 

 earnest desire for j'our complete and 

 permanent success, and, responsive to 

 your kind invitation, freely tender 

 you — and, through your Journal, my 

 brethren and companions in the " good 

 work", — my humble services as a con- 

 tributor thereto; and though I can 

 hardly expect to present anj-thing that 

 shall come up to the standard of your 

 expectations, I may, out of an expe- 

 rience of twenty -five years of earnest 

 toil, much and as often as I have blun- 

 dered, and however I may have been 

 slow to observe the wants and natu- 

 ral tendencies of the vine, or to appre- 

 hend the distinctive elements of true 

 culture, so as to be able to emploj^ the 

 best means and methods at command 

 for maintaining the normal condition 

 of the vine, and thereby developing 

 the best attainable results, — in short, 

 though I may have made but little 

 progi'ess, still I may be able to pre- 

 sent some facts, and oifer some sug- 

 gestions, worthy of the attention of 



our many beginners, who, however 

 hopeful or confident of final success, 

 realize that they are groping their 

 Avay in the dark, and whom we see 

 are likely to re])eat some of the many 

 blunders which scores of us older 

 apprentices will ]>e most likely here- 

 after to avoid. 



Of one thing at least I am quite 

 well assured, and though it may sub- 

 ject me to quite palpable insinuations 

 of egotism, I am inclined to offer it 

 here as a slight qualification for one 

 seeking employment as a teacher, in 

 the primary department of Grape Cul- 

 ture. I refer to the many foolish and 

 mortifjang mistakes, from time to 

 time recognized, through that teacher 

 who — though a really thorough edu- 

 cator, has alwa^'s been known to ex- 

 act the highest tuition. 



These repeated rej)roofs, and this 

 "dear boughf experience, I shall try 

 to turn to good account ; shall use as 

 so much modifyi)ig capital, to " tone 

 down" my too positive assurance, 

 when combating the supposed errors 

 of those who, by reason of their bet- 

 ter intelligence, and well settled con- 

 trary convictions, shall feel inclined to 

 disregard my instructions. 



And yet, my dear Editors, I scarce- 

 ly expect to be able, at all times, and 

 upon all points, to agree with even 

 all our better informed " Graj^e and 

 Wine Growers," or that my views 

 and observations will alwa^-s seem 

 parallel with 3'our experience. 



But, if you gentlemen, shall be able to 

 conduct the Grape Culturist squarel}' 

 upon the basis you have laid down 

 upon 3^our said " first page;" if you 

 shall in the "long run," show that 



