82 Critique on the October number. 



The Culture of the Grape and the Manufacture of Wine. — 

 Mr. D. W. Rav's cortimunication on the "Cultivation of the Grape" is a 

 carefully written and correctly compiled summary of statistical and 

 general information connected with the subject. His directions for 

 planting and rearing are judicious, and, as far as I can understand them, 

 correct, and show a thorough conversance with his subject. In his 

 mention of the principal vineries about New-York, Mr. Rav omits to 

 notice the flourishing place of Mr. Gumming, at Fort Hamilton — a gentle- 

 man whose efforts to introduce choice specimens of the seductive luxury 

 which in time gone by proved too much for even that sturdy old 

 patriarch Xoah, deserve the gratitude of at least the American portion 

 of the latter gentleman's posterity. Luxuriating in Mr. Cumming's 

 vineyard* are upwards of eight hundred varieties of grape vine, com- 

 prising many never before imported to this country. These the owner 

 watches with a fostering care, which eventually must insure success. 

 Indeed, such interest does he take in their culture, that on his return 

 from Europe (whither he recently went to personally acquaint himself 

 with the nature-tutored habits of his favorites), he brought with him 

 a vine dresser, indigenous to the soil, and to the " manor born," to act as 

 attendant on his interesting ;t)ro/o_5res', which individual can often at noon- 

 day be seen enjoying a crust and bottle of dc bon vin with as much ffusto 

 as though he were 'neath the blue skies and breathing the balmy air of his 

 own sunny France. As for that other "laborer in the vineyard," Mr.. 

 Longworth, the only equivalent we could return for his herculean 

 achievements would be, in all future ovations to the " rosy god," to 

 pledge his new partner, under the firm of *' Bacchus and Longworth" — 

 or to represent him in effigy astride the barrel, tete-a-tetc with his godship, 

 and jovially hob nobbing him over a bottle of " sparkling Catawba." To 

 such as have 7W< neglected to plant the vine, I need say nothing; the 

 harvest time approaches, and they well know the treat in store for them. 

 To those who have, I offer in consolation the sage Capt. Cattle's advice, 

 "Train up your vine tiees in the way they should grow, and when you 

 get old, sit under the shade of 'em." Make a note of it. 



The Contrast, by Mr. Bacon, is a well penned and veritable essay ; 

 but, as the premises are very nearly analagous to those so ably covered 

 in t!ie leader, I hardly deem it worth while to rt-traverse them. 



A Retrospect. — Mkssek. — You are one of the brotherhood, friend 

 Messkr. You speak fetlingiy, and your sentiments do you honor. If 

 the studv of Horticulture were as generally disseminated among the 



