52 Notes and Gleanings. 



The La Constante Strawberry. — We are informed that our statement, 

 that the extra fine basket of the above-named strawberry, exhibited by Mr. John C. 

 Park before the Massachusetts Horticultural Society, July 2, was produced by 

 thinning the fruit to a single berry on a plant, and which we made on what we 

 supposed to be good authority, was incorrect. Would not it be worth while, 

 however, to try what can be done with strawberries by such, or even less severe, 

 thinning ? Of course the small, imperfect berries, which try to make as many 

 seeds as the larger ones, should be first removed. 



The California Grape and Wine Crop. — The valley of Sonoma is about 

 twenty miles long, and four and a half to six miles wide ; and there are about 

 5,000,000 vines now under cultivation. From these there will be produced 

 this year not far from 3,000,000 gallons of wine. The entire state is said to 

 contain 28,000,000 vines, and will yield this year not far from 5,000,000 gallons. 



Of the 28,000,000 vines, fully 20,000,000 are of the Mission grape, and the 

 balance are divided between Black Hamburg, White Nice, Rose of Peru, Zin- 

 findal, Riesling, White Frontignan, Chasselas, Muscat of Alexandria, Mus- 

 catel, Flame Tokay, and Black Burgundy. Grape culture is only profitable to 

 those who can make their crop into wine, and this requires a capital of at least 

 $30,000. Horticulturist. 



A Premium Plantation of Oak Trees. — We recently paid a visit to In- 

 dian Hill Farm, the estate of Ben. Parley Poore, Esq., at West Newbury, Mass., 

 for the purpose of examining the plantation of oak trees which received the 

 premium of one thousand dollars off"ered by the Massachusetts Society for the 

 Promotion of Agriculture. These trees are now of thirty years' growth, and 

 cover about five acres of ground on the slope of the hill. Many of them are 

 forty feet in height, and as thick as a man's thigh. They are mainly white oaks, 

 with a few black oaks, and some maples, walnuts, and ashes interspersed. Be- 

 sides these, Mr. Poore has large plantations of forest trees, of every size, down 

 to seedlings of one or two years' growth. He called our attention to the marked 

 superiority of growth in the young trees, which had the advantage of shelter 

 from older trees, in comparison with those exposed to every blast. He has 

 found the plan, recommended by Forsyth, of heading down young trees, espe- 

 cially oaks, of great benefit, causing them to grow with much greater vigor. In 

 the barn we saw floors supported on beams of the balsam fir, from trees planted 

 by Mr. Poore ; and there are many others still growing, and young seedlings 

 springing up, from the seed scattered around. Most of the old fir trees have 

 been injured by having the lower limbs removed ; but a few, fortunately left un- 

 touched, were much the largest and finest trees of this species we have ever seen. 



We can imagine no greater satisfaction than for a man to walk among such 

 groves of trees, of his own planting, as we have described. The subject of 

 planting trees for timber is now beginning, especially in the Western States, to 

 receive the attention which its importance deserves, and we hope to give a series 

 of papers on the subject from Mr. Poore's pen, and therefore omit any further 

 remarks at present. 



