168 



The Grape Cultu ist. 



If every grape grower would plant 

 seeds of tiic best varieties, even but a 

 few of eaoh, how soon might wc expect 

 to surpass the.already valuable varieties ! 



Although on the down-hill side of life, 

 I havi' no idea of abandoning this expe- 

 riment, even tliough no new life lease be 

 guaranteed me. 



If some of those who think it too much 

 trouble could realize the pleasure I ex- 

 perience now, when looking at my Ar- 

 nold's hybrid seedlings, and the anxiety 

 Avitli whicli the Martha seed are looked 

 for to come out of the ground, they 

 would consider it a pleasant duty. 



Here is one thing that I beg and pray 

 for, and do not think it is asking too 

 much from my horticultural brethren 

 who have the facility to do so. It is to 

 cross the Martha with one of the large 

 bunched foreign varieties, such as 

 Bowood Muscat, White Nice, or Muscat 

 of Alexandria. Seedlings from these 



must certaiuly produce something valu- 

 able. 



If any one will do this, and send me 

 next fall a few berries thus crossed, I 

 will promise (if spared a few years 

 longer) to show something handsome 

 therefrom. 



Having no cold grapery, I can not do 

 it myself. When leaving the East, a 

 small batch of seedlings from the Martha^ 

 crossed with the Bowood Muscat, and 

 from Avhich I thought there would be 

 something valuable, were carefully 

 packed and sent along with other varie- 

 ties ; but by one of those unaccountable 

 accidents that sometimes occur, they 

 were lost. 



Hoping that this communication may 

 be the cause of some valuable acquisition 

 to our list of grapes in a few years hence, 

 I am truly yours, 



S. Miller. 



Bluffiox, Mo., May 15, 1869. 



At the regular monthly meeting of 

 the Northeast Missouri Horticultural 

 Society, held in Hannibal on the 24th 

 ult., an essay was read by Mr. A. E. 

 Trabue, and published in the Hannibal 

 Courier^ from which we make an ex- 

 tract : 



* * * In the first place, then, 

 don't send for a Dutchman ; don't give 

 him $2.")0 nor S4;jO to turn your ground 

 upsi.le down with the spade ; don't for- 

 age the land for all the old boots, bones, 

 hats, hair, horns, hides, old cats, dead 

 rats, Grecian bends ; don't cover your 

 land with greenbacks. These things 

 are well enough, but it will not pay. " 



GRAPE CULTURE. 



First, then, see if 3'our soil is dry. 

 If not it must be made dry, either by 

 blind or open drains. Then is it rich 

 enough to raise fifty bushels of corn to- 

 the acre ? If so, it is rich enough for 

 nine-tenths of our native grapes. Thus 

 being assured that you have the proper 

 soil, you will get two or three good 

 strong horses, and turn the soil over as 

 deep as they can do it ; let another team 

 follow behind them with another plow, 

 with its mold board removed, whicli 

 will follow in the track of the foremost 

 plow, and thus lift and loosen, but not 

 throw out or invert the subsoil. If 

 3'ou have not two teams, the foremost 



