314 



THE POMOLOGIST AND GARDENER. 



1871 



afterwards I had occasion to sleep in the orchard to 

 keep out unruly stock, and slept on a cot, a couple 

 of feet from the ground. Towards morning the 

 blankets were insufficient to keep up the warmth, 

 but noticing that the ground was still warm, I put 

 the blankets on the ground, and was kept warm 

 and comfortable by the heat of the ground. 



The reason of the large grapes was thus made 

 apparent. The grapes lying on the ground were 

 kept in a comfortable condition — no congestion of 

 the lungs, no cold extremities, but all night long 

 the circulation went on filling the grapes with rich 

 juices, almost to bursting. 



In fifteen years experience I have invariably 

 found the best grapes near the ground and am a 

 strong believer in low training. 



In this country, where there is no rain through 

 the ripening season, no harm can come from the 

 grapes hanging near to the ground, and no stock 

 should ever be left more than eighteen or twenty 

 inches high. 



In cultivating the vines, the plow beam and sin- 

 gletrees should pass over the top of the vine, and 

 experience proves that low trained vines may be 

 cultivated at less cost, provided that proper imple- 

 ments are used, than high trained vines." 



Tbe Grape Vine and Its Tradition. 



All traditions seem to have been grounded upon 

 truth ; and although for the purpose of history 

 they are generally of little value, on account of the 

 distortions they have suffered through ceijturies of 

 oral transmissions, the glosses of the poets, and the 

 deliberate perversions of them by kings and con- 

 querers sought to add to their own glory, and their 

 flatterers and parasites to obtain royal favor, as well 

 as the variations engrafted upon the original sim- 

 ple narrative by national self-glorification, and the 

 pride of the race. Yet they are not without their 

 real uses when they are considered from a moral 

 point of view. There can be no doubt, it seems to us, 

 that the wise men of pre-historic times made exten- 

 sive use of tradition as a vehicle for the instruction 

 of youth in important moral truths, and by means 

 of so agreeable a method, impressing upon inexpe- 

 rienced minds valuable lessons in the aiiairs and 

 conduct of lite. The following tradition of the 

 vine seems peculiarly adapted to the illustration 

 of our idea : 



"It is recorded by an early writer that when 

 Adam planted the first vine, Satan approached it, 

 and said, 'Lovely plant ! I will cherish thee.' 

 Thereupon he slew three animals — a lamb, a lion 

 and a hog. He then poured the blood, first of the 

 lamb, then of the lion, and lastly of the hog, upon 

 the roots of the vine. The blood of these animals 

 is in the fruit of the vine to this day. So, if one 

 takes a single draught of wine, he is cheeredjby it, 



and becomes mild and docile like the lamb. If he 

 takes the second draught he becomes furious, and 

 raves and bellows for destruction like the lion. On 

 taking the third draught, reason, sense and strength 

 are gone, and like the hog he wallows in mire." 

 The simple and impressive lesson thus taught is 

 not easily forgotten. — Cor. Mobile Register. 



Raisins vs. Wine. 



The Caiifornia Agriculturist says: "The Zante 

 currant, or raisin, is being cultivated on trial in this 

 State, and promises to become an important acces- 

 sion to our vineyards. It yields finely wherever 

 tried. As fine raisins have been produced in this 

 State as ever found a market. Our friend, Mr. Bur- 

 rell, in his mountain vineyard, has made from the 

 White Muscat of Alexandria grape very superior 

 raisins, two pounds of grapes making one of rai- 

 sins. He finds it some ten times more profitable 

 than wine making, and is converting his wine 

 grape-vines to the best raisin grapes, by grafting. 

 There is no cnterpri.se that promises a surer remun- 

 eration than the planting of raisin and table grapes 

 for Eastern markets, and yet but little attention is 

 being paid this culture, nearly every planter of 

 vineyards thinking chiefly of wine and brandy 

 making. But the few who quietly and cinscien- 

 tiously appljr themselves towards consummating a 

 healthier condition of things, will reap a rich 

 reward for their honest and worthy eflforls in a 

 good business, and a noble cause." 



Wine Tax in Califoknia. — The Pacific Rural 

 Press says : The revenue law of the State taxes wine 

 as personal property, and as the grower must 

 of necessity keep it on hand two or three years 

 before it is ready for market, he is compelled to 

 pay two or three taxess — or a tax each year. This 

 operates to the discouragement of vinters. It is 

 thought that it is but justice to this class of our 

 producers, that the law should be so changed as to 

 impose a tax on sales only. 



Mammoth Grapes. — The Amador (Cal.) Ledger 

 of the 4th ult., says : We were shown last Satur- 

 day, by S. H. Bartlett, who resides about five miles 

 from this place, a single bunch of white grapes 

 that weighed ten pounds when it was cut from thu 

 vine. Besides being a monster bunch, the grapes 

 were large and of a delicious flavor." 



Fox Grape for Wine. — Mr. Longworth, the 

 American pieneer in wine making, once said : " If 

 twelve ounces of pulverized loaf-sugar be added to 

 the gallon of must, it will make a fine diy wine. 

 If twenty-four ounces, a delicious sweet wine." 



