284 



Propagating the Vine. 



Vol. XL 



the year," what may we anticipate as the 

 limit of our operations in this way ] With 

 a territory undefined in its extent, a soil as 

 varied as our climate, and consequently an 

 adaptation of both soil and climate to produc- 

 tions of every article of necessity or luxury, 

 it appears to the writer, that we may hope 

 for generations to come, to have our granaries 

 looked to as Europe's great resort with her 

 dense population, in time of need. There is 

 but little danger at present, of our falling 

 into Ireland's deep, radical error — we mean 

 that of having comparatively, but one crop. 

 While we have such a redundancy of land, 

 and that adapted to every variety of produce, 

 we shall endeavour to secure plenty, by 

 keeping up that variety. A goal of unexam- 

 pled prosperity would seem to be before us: 

 yet should we always bear in mind, that as 

 our rye crop was stricken in 1836, and as 

 Ireland's distresses show that her staff is 

 now blighted, not one only, but a dozen of 

 the staples of this favoured land may be 

 arrested by the frost, the blight, or the worm 

 While we have abundance, is it not delight 

 ful to witness in every section, the opening 

 of our very country's heart, to the appeals of 

 foreign distress, and the cheerfulness with 

 which we yield to those appeals, a part of 

 that, whose value is greatly enhanced by 

 the increased demand occasioned by this very 

 distress. Those who are able to give, enjoy 

 a privilege of great value. C. 



Philadelphia, Third month, 29th. 



Propagating the Vine. 



We have regarded Hoare's Practical Treatise on the 

 Cultivation of the Vine, as among the best. In look 

 ing over it a few days since, we were amused with the 

 following fanciful plan, which we insert for the benefit 

 of such as have not the book, and yet may be inclined to 

 try it.— Ed. 



We will describe a mode of cultivating 

 the vine, which, from its simplicity and eco 

 nomy, and its easy practical adoption, rocom' 

 mends itself most especially to the notice of 

 a vast class of persons who are not in pos 

 session of tlie means to practice any of the 

 usu^l methods of culture. 



This mode of culture is ba.sed upon two 

 important principles connected with the 

 growth of the vine. The first of which is, 

 that a body of substances or materials, of the 

 nature already described, being enclosed in 

 a hollow brickwork or masonry erected on 

 the surface of the ground, will nourish and 

 support the roots of a vine inserted therein, 

 as effectually as it would do, were the brick- 

 work or masonry enclosing the materials, 

 placed bcloio the surface of the ground. The 

 second principle is, that the roots of a vine, 

 when enclosed in this manner, and supplied 



with the requisite degree of moisture, will 

 strike upwards, and grow as freely in that 

 direction, as they will downwards or hori- 

 zontally, when the brickwork and materials 

 are henpath the surface of the earth. 



On these two important principles, an 

 easy and novel mode of cultivating vines 

 may be practised, which may be described 

 as tliat of building hollow brick erections on 

 the surface of the ground, of any shape, cir- 

 cular, square, or otherwise, and fillino- them 

 with dry materials of the description already 

 mentioned, then planting in each erection 

 amongst these materials, the roots of a vine, 

 and training the branches of it on the outside 

 surface of the brickwork. 



These are the principal features of this 

 method, which, perhaps, will be more clearly 

 understood from a detailed account of the 

 mode of putting up an erection of this de- 

 scription, and planting a vine inside of it. 



For this purpose, a hollow circular column 

 five feet high and three feet in diameter, 

 may be chosen. A circular erection is the 

 best, because the sun will shine all round it 

 throughout the growing season, and also be- 

 causethe shoots of a vine can be trained so 

 much more easily round a circular column 

 than round one of any other description, hav- 

 ing corners or angles to it. 



It must first be observed, that, as the soil 

 or ground on which erectionsof this descrip- 

 tion can be put, will have no connection 

 whatever with the roots of the vines that are 

 to be enclosed within them, proper and con- 

 venient sites may be chosen wholly irrespec- 

 tive of the nature of the soil on which the 

 erections are to be built. Any situation 

 therefore will do, provided it be sheltered, 

 and have an open exposure or aspect facing 

 the course of the sun. 



Assuming, then, that a proper site has been 

 chosen for the erection of a column of the 

 above-mentioned description, the following 

 directions in building it are to be observed: — 

 1st. Lay a course of bricks on the ground 

 in the form of a square, the sides of which 

 shall measure four feet. This is to form the 

 base of the column, and is intended to give 

 t an architectural feature. Now, if the site 

 be near any building or wall, or straight path, 

 then the sides of this base must be at right 

 angles with that building, or wall, <fcc. ; but 

 if none of these exist, tlien the base must be 

 laid with its corners pointing to the four car- 

 dinal points of the horizon. The joints of 

 the brickwork are to be filled in with cement 

 or stiong mortar, so as to prevent the roots 

 of the vine from penetrating through into 

 the soil beneath. 



2nd. The base of the column being laid, 

 the circle for the brickwork of it must then 



