116 



NEW ENGLAND FAHMER. 



For the New Enr/land Farmer. 

 GRAFTING GRAPE VINES- 



Mr. Editor — Sir : I noticed, in the sixth number 

 of the current volume of your paper, an article on 

 the grafting of grape vines, signed James Oliver, 

 lij'nn. My late husband (Judge Darling) acciden- 

 tally made a discovery in the science of grafting 

 vines, which was very useful to him, and which, I 

 bjlieve, he never communicated to the public ; and 

 l>resuming that Jus discovery may be equally as use- 

 ful to some of your readers as it was to the judge, I 

 proceed to communicate the facts. 



The judge was considered, by all that knew him, a 

 very scientific and successful horticulturist, but for 

 many years had no success in grafting vines. He 

 oxxjrtcd himself to get all the information that could 

 ho obtained, both by reading and conversation, and 

 tried every experiment that his own ingenuity could 

 suggest, but wholly without success. The flow of sap 

 fi'om the stock, at the season of grafting, would be so 

 great as to prevent the stock and scions uniting ; 

 therefore he thought that he should be obliged to 

 abandon the propagation of those varieties that 

 would not grow from cuttings, although convinced 

 that others were in possession of a secret by which 

 they succeeded. 



One year, the judge planted a great many grape 

 seeds of different kinds, hoping thereby to obtain 

 now and valuable native varieties ; but when they 

 came to blossom, most of them proved to be non- 

 Ijoarers. Accordingly, when he had his garden laid 

 out, the next spring, he had them dug up as mere 

 cumberers of the ground ; but after they were dug 

 up, they looked so fresh and healthy that it seemed 

 to him a pity to throw them away, and he concluded 

 to make one more effort at grafting. He accordingly 

 set a variety of scions, after the different modes of 

 grafting, and planted out the stocks ; and, much to 

 his surprise, every graft took well and grew vigo- 

 rously. He then, of course, thought much of the 

 cause of his success, and came to the conclusion, 

 that the breaking of the roots, in transplanting, 

 caused the sap to flow in a different direction, and 

 gave the stock and scion a more equal chance. He 

 repeated the experiment many times afterwards, and 

 with uniform success. Mr. Oliver did not state, in his 

 communication, whether his stocks were transplanted 

 at the time of grafting or not. If they were not, his 

 success was undoubtedly owing to the late date in 

 which his grafts were set, and after the growth of 

 the vine had proceeded so far as to prevent bleeding. 

 And would not grafts cut and set in July or 

 August be equally successful? Who can give infor- 

 mation upon the subject ? 



Very respectfully, 



MRS. NOYES DARLING. 



New Haven, Ct., March 10, 1849. 



Editorial Remarks. 



The grafting of grape vines is not well understood, 

 and Mrs. Darling has done an important service to 

 the cause of horticulture in throwing light upon this 

 subject, llie late Judge Darling contributed lib- 

 erally to the cause of improvement, by his valuable 

 communications for the press, which were distin- 

 guished for scientific research, close investigation, 

 and plain, practical details ; and though he is no 

 naore among us in person, his spirit of intelligence 

 and enthusiasm has pervaded the land, and it will 

 live with the enlightened cultivators of the soil. 



The facts presented in the foregoing communica- 

 tion correspond with the practice of some cultivators 



in deferring the grafting of grape vines until they 

 are in foliage, or partially leaved out, as the sap then 

 becomes a thick mucilaginous substance, and the 

 vines cease to bleed. We hope that various experi- 

 ments will be made the ensuing season on this sub- 

 ject, and that some of our friends will communicate 

 useful results. 



For the New Efiffland Farmer. 

 THE GARDEN. 



Mr. Cole : There is probably no part of the 

 farmer's domain that affords a greater amount of 

 profit and comfort than the garden. Its crisp and 

 tender vegetables, its delicious fruits, are not only 

 congenial to the palate, but highly conducive to the 

 health of the family. 



The earlier the luxuries that the garden affords 

 can be brought to the table, the more valuable they 

 become ; and hence it should be an object to prepare 

 the land and sow the seed at a time which will 

 promise the earliest maturity. 



In our own experience, we have advanced the pea 

 crop from two to three weeks by following this 

 cheap and simple method : As soon as the ground is 

 open in the spring we dig a trench from six to 

 eight inches deep, and fill it half full of recent horse 

 manure. Over this we place such a quantity of 

 earth as may be necessary to prevent over-heating 

 the peas, and sow them, covering the usual depth. 

 We then take two boards of any convenient width, 

 and nail their edges together, forming a covering like 

 the roof of a building. This box we invert over the 

 peas on cold nights and stormy days, but remove it 

 in favorable weather, to give the plants light and air. 

 By pursuing this course, you may have peas six 

 inches high before your neighbors think of sowing 

 them. 



Tomatoes. — Last spring, our early planted toma- 

 toes in frames all failed ; and in order to have as eaidy 

 a supply as possible, we went to a gardener, and gave 

 him twelve and a haK cents for two dozen plants. 

 ^Vhen we planted these out with our utmost care, 

 we saw a few little frosty fellows, that had sprung 

 from self-sown seed of the previous year, scattered 

 over the bed, which we allowed to live, not knowing 

 but ihci/ might, if the season should be long and 

 warm, add to our supply. In due time, these were 

 transplanted into hills duly enriched with hen 

 manure. They had a much more healthful growth, 

 and matured their fruit as early as the hot bed 

 plants, put out under equally favorable circum- 

 stances. 



This leads us to infer that tomatoes may be ad- 

 vantageously planted in the hills where they are to 

 remain in autumn, or as early in spring as the earth 

 will admit of working. Good seed seldom fails, and 

 the earlier it is sown, as a general thing, the earlier 

 the maturity. 



As2)aragus. — How often we have heard the ex- 

 clamation, " I wish I had your asparagxis bed ! " to 

 which we could only reply, " You can have just as 

 good a one, if you'll set yourself about it." Yet no one 

 knows the value of this delicious vegetable by seeing 

 it grow in rich luxuriance. It is only when placed 

 upon the table that its excellence can be duly appre- 

 ciated, and not then fully, for its healthfulncss on 

 the stomach is its highest praise. We can show 

 you a good bed of it, as it is almost as easily raised 

 as pigweed ! 



I'he asparagus bed should bo well supplied with 

 fine manure early in spring, if it was not done in 

 autumn, and it should be well forked in as early as 

 the ground is dry enough to work, after which a 

 good dressing of salt or strong brine should be given. 



