1868. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



249 



in Concord, Mass. This is one of the hardiest and 

 most prolific of grapes, and ripens earliest. Then 

 there are the hybrids, obtained through the care 

 and patient skill of Mr. Rogers of Salem, Mass., 

 yielding handsome and delicious fruit. But indi- 

 vidual tastes vary so much in deciding upon the 

 qualities of different species and varieties of the 

 grape that, if you are about making your first at- 

 tempt at its culture, the wisest course to pursue is 

 to procure an offset of one that has been most sat- 

 isfactory in soil and location similar to your own. 

 The care of a vine any woman can attempt — 

 with the exception of taking down and putting up 

 its higher branches. With a spade and fork, of 

 suitable size, she can dig the soil, set or plant the 

 roots, and keep the gi'ound upon them in good 

 order. She can also do much of the pruning ; and 

 train its branches more naturally and gracefully 

 than a man would be likely to do. As a general 

 thing, common garden soil, if it is light and warm, 

 is sufficient for the grape. Wood-ashes are an ex- 

 cellent fertilizer for it, also soapsuds and all the 

 slops of the house. Broken bones, or bone-dust, 

 and gypsum, may be used if the soil is sandy. 



For planting, take strong, well-rooted vines of 

 two years, and be careful to spread out the roots so 

 that they do not cross or overlay each other, — if 

 they get tangled and knotted the flow of the sap is 

 interrupted and they will not flourish. Set them 

 about six inches below the surface of the ground. 

 A successful cultivator says tliat the best time for 

 pruning grape vines is the early part of November ; 

 and that leaf-mould or chip-dirt, an inch or two 

 deep should cover the earth upon their roots through 

 the winter. The bi-anches should be taken down 

 every autumn at this time, and covered in the 

 same way, until the vines are very large. If vines 

 put foith a great abundance of foliage, some of 

 the leaves may be taken from branches where no 

 fruit has set, or the end of the shoots on which 

 the grapes are growing may be cut ofiF; but full- 

 grown leaves near the fruit must on no account be 

 removed, unless they are diseased, — early leaves 

 must never be taken, because an early and good 

 crop of fruit depends much upon the leaf's pro- 

 tection in its first stages. 



A housekeeper who has once realized the ad- 

 vantages of a grape vine will never be without one. 

 Aside from the attractive appearance it gives to 

 home — as it hangs upon the blank, bare side of 

 the house or barn, and covers the clumsy porch 

 and shed — and the pretty arbor of leafy coolness 

 it makes for an hour of quiet reading or musing 

 in the wearisome midsummer days, the conven- 

 ience of its fruit for family use should not be 

 lightly esteemed. But in our enthusiasm for the 

 grape let us not overlook other vines, which, if 

 yielding us no bodily nourishment, yet serve a 

 high intellectual pui;pose as ornaments for our 

 grounds. The eye delights in variety of scenery, 

 and the different climbing plants add each their 

 peculiar charms to the view. 



Next in order, by reason of beauty and strength, 

 stands the Anvpelopsis quinquefolia, the American 

 woodbine, or Virginia creeper. It grows wild in 

 our woods, climbing over the gnarled oaks and 

 maples, and creeping and hanging around the 

 rocks. The leaves are very glossy, of a deep 

 green till autumn ; then they change to scarlet and 

 crimson, shading off to a rich purple, and have a 

 fine effect falling upon gray walls, or drooping 

 over the white porches or porticos of houses. The 

 flowers are small, of a dull, greenish red, and pro- 

 duce clusters of dark blue berries, said by some 

 to be poisonous. It should be set in rich, damp 

 soil, and it flourishes best away from the full heat 

 of the sun. Bring it from the woods late in the 

 fall. It can be increased by slips or cuttings. It 

 is so hardy, — needing no protection from the frost 

 — and so cleanly, and so beautiful in its autumnal 

 glorj', that it ought to be more widely cultivated. 

 The Celast7-us scandensov Climliing Bitter-sweet, 

 sometimes called Staff-tree and Waxwork, is 

 another native vine of great beauty. It is a strong 

 and rapidly growing vine, easily trained over ar- 

 bors or upon a trellis. The foliage is a handsome 

 green ; the flowers, also green, are insignificant, 

 but the fruit is highly ornamental. Long after the 

 winds of autumn have denuded the vine of its 

 leaves its clusters of five or six berries — or rather, 

 capsules, which open their bright orange doors and 

 disclose the coral-like berry — give an exceedingly 

 cheerful appearance wherever they hang. Long 

 strips of the leafless vine, adorned with these 

 brilliant clusters, if gathered before the frost 

 comes, will keep their beauty a great while ; and, 

 In-aided with the Christmas evergreens for parlor 

 decorations, lend an air of cheerfulness to the dull- 

 est home. The Celastrus should be raised from 

 seed, or from the young shoots. It delights in a 

 moist, shady situation. 



The Tecoma, an abbreviation of its Mexican 

 name, Tecomaxockitl, — or Trumpet-flower, is our 

 most showy native vine. It was formerly classed 

 among the Bignonias It is said that it will grow 

 wherever the Isabella grape flourishes. In some 

 situations it needs to be covered with mats or 

 straw through the winter. Its foliage is of a light 

 green ; its blossoms, which are tubular, are some- 

 times three inches in length, and over an inch in 

 diameter at the mouth. They are of a scarlet-or- 

 ange hue and grow in bunches. During two or 

 three weeks in July they are a gorgeous adorn- 

 ment for the verandah or doorway. The Tecoma 

 or Bignonia is raised from cuttings or layers, or 

 from seeds, which follow the blossom in long coarse 

 pods. It thrives well in a soil of sandy loam, and 

 likes a plenty of sun. 



The Clematis, Traveller's Joy, or Virgin's Bower, 

 is deservedly a favorite among Avild creepers. It 

 grows rapidly, and bears an abundance of white 

 flowers. These are succeeded by winged seeds, 

 growing in tufts — looking like elegant plumes. 

 Strips of this plumy vine are also beautiful for in- 

 door decorations. The plant is easily raised from 



