No. 151.] 645 



grape, of which they may partake ad libitum, without producing the 

 baneful effects of our ordinary liquors. 



There is not a man among us who cannot make his own wine; it 

 is only necessary to pick the grapes, express the juice, and place the 

 liquor in a clean barrel, let it ferment freely, and bung it up tight. 

 It you would preserve your grapes for dessert, place them in some 

 porous vessel and cover them with the sand, after having sealed the 

 stem with sealing wax, or put them in a tin hermetically sealed box, 

 and exhaust the air. 



JERUSALEM ARTICHOKE. 



The following communication was made from Hon. Sidney Wel- 

 LER, M. C, from N. C: 



It may not be too presumptous in me as a member of the Ameri- 

 can Institute to request the conversational members to take up the 

 subject of the Jerusalem Artichoke, and particularly to throw all 

 the light that can be had on the question: " Whether my position 

 is feasible that the Jerusalem Artichoke can be made a substitute 

 for the Irish potato." 



I venture to announce the above named vegetable, very important 

 to our agricultural interest, in at least three respects, viz: 



1st. As a substitute for the Irish potato, which it is no longer 

 safe to cultivate on account of its destructive disease. 



2nd. As the most profitable crop that can be made for fattening 

 and store feeding swine. 



3rd. As a most important auxiliary renovator of the soil where 

 grown. 



In glancing over the " Patent Office Report of 1845," my eye, 

 Mr. Editor, met some extracts therein of my communications on 

 vineyards, improvement of the soil, asd the artichoke, (pages 321, 

 •362, and 932.) 



