304 



THE POMOLOGIST AND GARDENER. 



1871 



impregnated with Clinton, also Delaware and Con- 

 cord each impregnated with Clinton hybrids No. 1. 



He says— "I have never seen mildew on the 

 Frost Grape, (Cordifolia) therefore think it may 

 make a fine basis for hybridizing." In summing up 

 his experienci;, he makes this remark — "There ap- 

 pears to be no end to the sporting. One of the 

 most vigorous, healthy vines, with fruit of the finest 

 flavor, or certainly as fine as I ever tasted, either na- 

 tive or foreign, is a white or yellow fruit, whereas 

 its parents bore one a black and the other a dark 

 red truit. Two seedlings of the same crop have no 

 resemblance, either in wood, foliage or fruit, &c." 

 These purdy practical and experimental results, es- 

 tablish the great bewildering fact, that causes are 

 brought into action that deflect, refract and inter- 

 change with certain vital centers in vegetation — 

 which like light, is one, and yet has rays differing in 

 action, forming the basis of primary and a host of 

 intermediate colors, originating from a primary, 

 fundamental, latent force or motion, or prismatic 

 refrangibility of its rays. 



We know that there is such a property as motion, 

 which we consider as simply a resultant feature, or 

 expression of force, by watching the changing con- 

 ditions, forms and positions of material objects and 

 their varying appearances. It is true, motion out- 

 side of materiality, we can know positively nothing 

 of it, because if such there could be, it would be 

 beyond the reach of our demonstrative faculties. 

 Motion stands as an extreme expression of an 

 originating property, lying between the precincts of 

 power and inertia. 



To conclude, I will simply add, that there are 

 deep underlying physical and electrical causes — I 

 was going to say also spiritual, but that is tabooed, 

 if I should say vitality. Huxley says, "What bet- 

 ter philosophical status has "vitality" than "aquosi- 

 ty V" And why should "vitality" hope for a better 

 fate than the other "itys" which have disappeared 

 since Martinus Scribblerus accounted for the opera- 

 tion of the meat-jack by its inherent "meat-roasting 

 quality" and scorned the "materialism" of those 

 who explained the turning of the spit by a certain 

 mechanism worked by the draught of the chim- 

 ney ?" I am admonished to take heed, for Huxley 

 also puts this question — "Why trouble ourselves 

 about matters of which, however important they 

 may be ice do know nothing, and can know nothing." 

 But in his efibrt to show the physical basis of life — 

 what does he show or establish, what is his proto- 

 plasm, carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen, 

 these combine under certain conditions. These new 

 compounds are lifeless. "But when brought togeth- 

 er under certain conditions they give rise to the 

 still more complex body, protoplasm, and this 

 PROTOPLASM exhibits the phenomena of life." 

 Bully for Huxley, here it is in a nut shell. 



W^arner'B Grape Picker. 



We doubt not many of our readers have experi- 

 enced the inconvenience of holding a basket, or 

 other kind of receiver with one hand, and at the 

 the same time trying to pick grapes with the other, 

 for it is difficult to sever the wiry stems from the 

 vine without the use of a knife in one hand, while 

 the cluster is held with the other. It appears to us 

 that we have here a very useful and convenient 

 implement to facilitate the operation, as it requires 

 the use of but one hand, and not only severs the 

 fruit from the vine, but holds it fast at the will of 

 the operator. It comes from the land of the vine — 

 California. It is described by the Pacifi/; Sural 

 Press: 



" It is made of brass and is very neat in appear- 

 ance, combining in one instrument a cutting device 

 and holding jaws for seizing the severed twig or 

 stem. It consists in the employment, in connec- 

 tion with the knife, of two pinching jaws, one of 

 which is grooved longitudinally through its central 

 Une, while the projecting sides are formed into 

 teeth for the purpose of not only giving greater 

 holding capacity, but also of providing space for 

 the stem or twig to occupy without entirely flatten- 

 ing it when the jaws are closed. These teeth also 

 serve to hold the stem in front of the cutting-blade 

 while it is being cut. 



A, A, represent the handles, and B, b, the two 

 jaws of a tool similar to an ordinary hand-punch. 

 Secured by means of screws, to one side of the jaw, 

 B, is a knife or blade, c, which in connection with 

 the edge of the opposite jaw, 6, will serve as a pair 

 of shears. In severing the stem, it will be caught 

 by the teeth and prevented from slipping from the 

 lower jaw while it is being cut ; and as the jaws 

 close together it fills the hollow of the teeth, and is 

 pressed Into the longitudinal channel, thus giving 

 a firm hold without completely flattening it, as is 

 the case with plain jaws. 



This implement is of especial advantage for pick- 

 ing grapes and other heavy bunches of fruit, too 

 large to be held by the tension of a spring. To 

 parties having large vineyards where grapes are 

 used for manufacturing purposes, or for market, 

 this tool is especially useful," 



