THE 



AMERICAN FLOWER GARDEN 

 DIRECTORY. 



ON THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. 



We are not aware of any vegetable production that is 

 more conducive to the luxurious gratifications and pleasures 

 of man than the vine. In fact, there is no fruit so delicious, 

 applicable to so many purposes, nor any that is so agreeable 

 to all palates : from the remotest ages the vine has been cele- 

 brated as the emblem of plenty and the '' symbol of happi- 

 ness." Its quickness of growth, its great fertility, and as- 

 tonishing vegetative powers, with its unknown age, has ren- 

 dered it one of the most fruitful blessings bestowed by 

 Providence ; a blessing which almost every inhabitant of this 

 Union may enjoy, and we see no occasion to doubt but that 

 thousands of acres of our fertile uplands will be converted 

 into vineyards, producing the finest fruits and richest wines 

 in the world. Indeed, with very little care and attention, 

 our unsightly post and rail-fences may be converted into 

 grape espaliers, and fine wines produced at as little cost as 

 spruce beer ; every square foot of surface might be made to 

 produce a pound of grapes, and every post, at least, round 

 our gardens afford ample space for one vine, which would 

 yearly produce from three to nine pounds of fruit, fit either 

 for the table or the wine-press. But the small space allotted 

 in this volume will not allow us to dilate on this fruitful 

 subject. Our object is to give a few hints on the aspect, 



