218 



The Grape Culturist. 



we would like to test them here, and 

 shall be pleased to return the favor 

 with what you may Avisb from our 

 collection. 



Your State certainly oifers great in- 

 ducements to grape growers, and Ave 

 trust that 3'our efforts to form a 

 society for that purpose may be suc- 

 cessful. Please let us hear from 3'ou 

 iigain.] — Ei). 



SUTIIERLANU Si'UIN'GS, WiLSOX Co., TEXAS, ) 



May -ii'tl, 1809. |i 



Oeo. Husmann, Esq. : 



Sir — In my searching and reading I 

 find your name favorably mentioned as 

 a " vinej^ardist," and am induced to 

 address you. I have recently deter- 

 mined to tnrn my attention to the rais- 

 ing of fruit, and particularly to grapes ; 

 and if I can succeed in procuring an 

 assortment of vines, adapted to our 

 soil and climate, I wish to plant a vine- 

 yard. I hope you will pardon the in- 

 trusion I make in inflicting you with 

 this hastily written scrawl, and if con- 

 venient, and not in opposition to your 

 •disposition and habits, favor me with 

 a list of vines that you think will best 

 suit our latitude (about 29"^ north), 

 with some remarks as to the proper 

 manner of propagating, pruning, etc. 

 I am too liniited in my resources to 

 procure any large number of rooted 

 vines at once, and will be driven or 

 ■compelled to procure a stock from 

 wood or cuttings, and would be grati- 

 fied to know if I can procure from 3'ou 

 cuttings from such vines as 3'ou think 

 best suited to the vineyard with us, and 

 in what number, and upon what terms 

 I can get them. Your attention to this 

 will be thanklull}' received. 



Respectfully, your ob't serv't, 



A. G. Pickett. 



[You will find your inquiries an- 

 swered in the former numbers of the 

 Grape Culturist, Avhich we send you. 

 We would advise you to try a few 

 rooted vines instead of cuttings.] — Ed. 



Leks SuMiMiT, Mo. , June 7, 18G9. 



Editors Grape Culturi&t : 



I am trying to raise a few grape- 

 vines, and desire to increase the num- 

 ber from what I have. Do not wish to 

 do so by layering, as it is said to be 

 injurious to bearing vines. But having 

 had poor success with cuttings, am in- 

 duced to ask wherein I fail. Previous 

 trials not being satisfactory (and sup- 

 posing I had gathered some information 

 from the books), concluded to take 

 more pains this spring. My three-year 

 old vines were pinched back September 

 1st ; trimmed in February ; the canes 

 cut to three buds, and buried in rather 

 dry earth and covered over with boards 

 to prevent too much wet ; prepared 

 ground the last week in April, by dig- 

 ging a trench 15 inches in depth, plac- 

 ing the soil all on one side ; pulverized 

 the ridge so formed, and set the cut- 

 tings along the slope, filling the trench 

 with old straw to retain the moisture. 

 The cuttings looked fresh with buds — 

 some swollen when set. At this date 

 very few show signs of life. How can 

 I do any better another time ? 



Respectfully, J. L. Rice. 



[You can do better, we trust, by fol- 

 lowing the directions as given in Feb- 

 ruary number, and save a great deal of 

 unnecessary labor besides.] — Ed. 



Wai.i.a Walla City, AV. T., Juik- 7, 18G9. 



The season for hybridizing the grape 

 is about past now, as most of the early 

 varieties are as large as buckshot ; 



