86 On the Ciiltivatmi of Grapes 



Here and there an Indian may be found lingering around 

 the old possessions of his nation, as if to mourn their loss, 

 and to remind us of his ancestors ; but of the forest, it is 

 almost true that not a single tree is left to recall to our 

 minds the glory of its fellows. Indeed, 1 have thought that 

 those who were obliged to clear farms, or timber laud, im- 

 bibe the same feelings toward trees which the pioneers have 

 toward the Indians — as things to be destroyed of course. 

 This devastation of our forests, the political economist re- 

 gards as a blunder, and says it is an unthrifty practice, but 

 one who looks upon trees, almost as if they had souls, 

 witnesses this needless extermination with some feelings, 

 which cannot be expressed, in the pound and penny lan- 

 guage of the mere economist. I think it is Michaux who 

 pronounces the full-grown elm to be the most magnificent 

 production of the vegetable kingdom. Is not an old, and 

 tall, and broad, and healthy tree, nobler to the eye than 

 any temple, or cathedral I The wonder of a century's 

 growth, ends in an hour, by some man v/ho never for one 

 single moment thinks of the majesty or beauty of his vic- 

 tim — who only thinks liow soonest to get it down, and 

 burned up, and out of the way of the plough. 

 Respectfully yours, 



H. W. Beechek. 

 Indianapolis^ Indiana^ Jan. 1843. 



Art. II. On the Cnltivation of Grapes under glass, ivith- 

 out fire-heat, as practised by Mr. Crawshaij, an emi- 

 nent English cultivator. By the Editor. 



Some time since (Vol. VIII, p. 350), a correspondent was 

 solicitous that we should present our readers with an arti- 

 cle from the pen of some practical cultivator, on the best 

 treatment of the grape under glass without fire-heat; giv- 

 ing a detail of the complete management of the vines, to- 

 gether with the temperature of the house, the whole in the 

 form of a diary^ similar to the excellent paper, upon the 

 growth of grapes in vineries, by Mr. Johnson, in our last 

 volume. We shall endeavor, in the course of the present 



