312 



The Grape Culturist. 



SENDING VINES BY MAIL. 



Head the plants back so that thej^ 

 will not measure more than fifteen 

 inches from the top to the roots where 

 they will easily bend. Lay them close 

 and tie. Then wind the roots carefully 

 around the lower part of the stems, 

 into as compact a bunch as possible. 

 Dip the bundle into water, then give 

 the whole bunch a covering of damp 

 moss^ filling the cavities among the 

 roots with the same ; or, if no moss is 

 at hand, damp sawdust will answer. 

 Next wrap up tightly in oiled silk or 



muslin that is air tight. Follow this 

 with a covering of paper, well tied 

 from end to end; the address plainly 

 written, and two cents worth of post- 

 age stamps for every four ounces of 

 weight, and it is ready for the mail 

 bag. 



When I lived a thousand miles 

 east of this, and things had to bo car- 

 ried across the Plains on horseback, I 

 frequently sent plants and vines to 

 Utah and California which grew and 

 flourished. S. Miller. 



EDITOES' LETTER BOX. 



XouTilEAST Pa., Sept Tth, 1SG9. 



Friend IIus>l\nn : 



Dear Sir — I am greatly in hopes you 

 will attend our exhibition at Erie. It 

 seems to me j'ou owe us a visit ; and, 

 more than this, you certainly can 

 aiford to come out and make a per- 

 sonal examination of our fruity and, 

 as far as practicable, make yourself 

 acquainted with our cultivation. 



Such an opportunity would discover 

 to you a better hope — more favorable 

 elements — for our cherished culture 

 than you seem to think we possess. 

 I can well understand how you get 

 the impressions that incline you to 

 undervalue our country (for you cei*- 

 tainly do) for growing grapes. You 

 consider we ai-e too far north; but 

 observe that you get lower tempera- 

 ture in winter, and earlier frosts in 

 autumn than we do. We can show 

 strong, healthy foliage more days than 

 3"0u in Missouri. This is a fair test. 

 I am verv certain we can o-row the 



tender varieties much more success- 

 fully than they can be grown anywhere 

 in your State. Come and see ! 



The present is the most unfavorable, 

 the coldest and wetest season ever 

 experienced here. Our general crop 

 will be quite moderate. 



Wm. GRirriTH. 



[We should be happy to avail our- 

 selves of your kind invitation, but, as 

 we have to superintend the making of 

 about 20,000 gallons of wine, we find 

 it utterly impossible to leave. We 

 take this opportunity of thanking all 

 our friends who have sent us similar 

 invitations, and assure them that it is 

 not want of inclination, if we cannot 

 accept, but stern necessity, which con- 

 fines us to our duty here. We hope 

 they will all have a good time, and 

 that they and the good cause they 

 serve will be much benefited by these 

 gatherings. 



You are certainly mistaken if you 

 think we undervalue the advanta<i:es 



