1872 The Western Pomologist and Gardener. 115 



ticiilarly under a high state of cultivation and excessive pruning. This defect ma)' also 

 be in a particular variety to some extent, as the Taylor grape, which is a very rampant 

 grower, and will not set fruit well until old and pruned long, so as to produce short, well 

 matured growth. The whole Conlifolia species show the same tendency and require long 

 pruning or age to produce satisfactory results. A close examination of the Taylor grape 

 shows a defect in both the stamens and pollen. 



80 far as we have examined the flowers of our barren grape vine they show the same 

 defect in stamens and pollen, but to a greater extent while the pistils appear perfect. We 

 believe a change of soil, long pruning or age will overcome this defect. But the true 

 natural barren or male vine will never overcome its defects under any condition, for the 

 flowers are defective in the pistils, and if they were perfect fn stamens, anthers and pol- 

 len they could never be fertilized. I have no doubt but an examination of Mr. Stauffer's 

 grape vine will show perfect pistils but defective stamens, anthers or pollen, the same as 

 my own vine, but not as the true barren or male vine. 



Deterioration of Sollii.»Hoiv are Tlipy to bo Kept irp ? 



By Wm. p. LirriNCOTT, Veknon, Iowa. 



Ed. Pomologist and Gardener: — We have had considerable rain hereabouts of late. 

 It commenced when clean field ground was thawed out about three or four inches deep, 

 and the eflect has been to wash away large quantities of soil, especially of fall plowing, 

 ■where the dirt was light and dry as an ash heap. These periodical washings of our soils 

 win in time, it seems to me, leave us with only the bare clay. Perhaps the soil is not 

 entirely lost to man as it goes to build the delta of the Mississippi, and may in time be 

 cultivated there, producing oranges and other southern fruits, which may be sent back to 

 us who had before raised corn in the same material ; who knows? 



There is much said about the deterioration of soils from over cropping, but how are 

 they to be kept up ? There can be nothing returned to the soil but what the soil pro- 

 duces, and not all'of that. If we send to the Pacific for guano, or to the coast of Maine 

 for gypsum, still the soil furnishes the ability to produce those articles, so that shift the 

 subject around as we may we cannot return anything to the ground that the ground does 

 not directly or indirectly produce, and as before said wc cannot return all of that, because 

 there is the evaporation and waste of our own bodies, and the same of all our domestic 

 animals, our clothing, the wear and tear of all machinery, etc., etc., all of which is lost to 

 tlie soil, except what little of it may be returned by the atmosphere. Is it not to 

 the atmosphere, the great receptacle of nearly all that we lose, that we must look to 

 for a restoration of these losses? The rich prairie lands of Iowa that have been in culji- 

 ration for thirty years and over show a decided falling off in productiveness — two causes 

 operating, wasliiug and cropping. Where will it end ? 



But there are countries in the world that have been under cultivation for many thou- 

 sands of years, with populations several times as dense as our own, and still the peo- 

 ple live. How is this ? How have they managed to keep their soils in condition to 

 raise anything? Their crops are as exhausting as ours, and they are subject to washes 

 like ours. The delta of the Ganges grows faster than that of the Mississippi. True, 

 the people are not so profligate as we are, they save everything, even down to their 

 old shoe-strings, for manure. But the land produces their manure, it produces their 

 shoe-strings, and as much cannot be returned as is taken off. What then has kept 

 these lands in tilth for so many thousands of years ? Are they gradually runnino- 

 down even now, as ours do ? Is that the reason why in some of the Eastern countries 

 the people eat snails, snakes, toads, rats, mice, lizards, etc? Is this gradual washing 

 and exhaustion of soil the cause of the present dreadful condition of Persia ? Is Per- 

 sia approaching the condition of Sahara? Was not this wide expanse ot barren sands 

 once a habitable country? 



Man is a good deal like other animals. Give a horse, a cow or other animal a good 

 house, and tt-11 him to live in it, and take good care of it, and how will he do it? 

 He will fill it with filth, and then live out doors; this he cannot help, although he 

 might paw out a little of the dirt. Man cannot hinder the washing and wearing out of 

 his lands, but he could do better than he does. 



