FOREST AND STREAM. 



69 



r oodbnd, Mmm md §ntdm. 



GRAPE CULTURE IN TEXAS AND CALI- 

 FORNIA. 



A CORRESPONDENT writes from Gainesville, Texas, 

 under date of August 20th:— 



"I mail you to-day ia a small box a sample of our wild grapes. They 

 grow on the upland in the lower cross timbers in great quantities. The 

 raw land can be bought at from $3 to $5 per acre. Seeing an article in 

 your paper about California raisins has caused me to think they might be 

 raised here " 



The box containing the grapes has reached us in good 

 condition, and the contents found to be very similar to our 

 own wild grapes. We fear, however, that this grape, even 

 when transplanted and treated with the greatest care would 

 never be suitable for raisins; the skins are too thick to dry 

 readily, and the fruit is not sufficiently delicate for this 

 purpose. There is no reason, however, why Texas should 

 not produce grapes as well adapted for both raisins and 

 wine-making as any now grown in California. In fact, in 

 some respects that State has an advantage over California, 

 inasmuch as her Summer rains would render unnecessary 

 the artificial irrigation, which in the latter State is advan- 

 tageous, if not absolutely necessary to the young plants in 

 the earlier stages of their growth . In fact, it is only of 

 late years that it has been discovered that the regular Sum- 

 mer soaking given to the vineyards could be dispensed 

 with, and native viniculturists in the southern counties still 

 adhere to the old custom at the expense of the richness and 

 wine-making properties of their grapes. 



Yines appear to love a stony or sandy and sterile soil, 

 where the requisite amount of heat is also to be found, and 

 viniculture in Texas would probably be, as it is in Califor- 

 nia, exempt from those diseases and difficulties which are 

 the bane of growers in Europe and other portions of our 

 own country. There are thousands, yes tens of thousands, 

 of acres of land in Texas admirably adapted to this busi- 

 ness- not the rich river bottoms suitable for other agricul- 

 tural purposes, but hill sides and sandy mesas, where the 

 cactus and horned toad now hold undisputed sway. We 

 remember seeing on the magnificent vineyard of Sunny 

 Slope, in Los Angeles county, a corner inclosed within the 

 rabbit proof fence, which was cut off from the former bed 

 of a mountain stream, and on which, on the surface at 

 least, was apparantly pure sand. The vines on this spot 

 were in the most flourishing condition, and the proprietor 

 informed us that the grapes were of a superior quality. 



Any of the varieties grown in California would probably 

 answer equally well in Texas. In fact, the vine in the 

 former State, and the immense business which has sprung 

 from its introduction, can almost be called the result of ac- 

 cident; the padres who founded the missions brought cut- 

 tings with them from Old Spain and Mexico, and from 

 these has sprung the common variety known as the "Mis- 

 sion." With the spread of viniculture as a business came 

 also the introduction of almost every variety known to the 

 world, the qualities of many for table, wine, or raisin mak- 

 ing, being still in embryo; hybridization has also been at- 

 tempted, and in some cases with great success. The com- 

 mon mission variety alluded to above, the white muscatel 

 of Alexandria, the Zagos, and probably other varieties, 

 would succeed for raisin-making in Texas. The first named 

 is the hardiest and easiest to propagate. In fact, nothing 

 can be easier than the laying out of a vineyard, and the 

 subsequent cultivation on the California plan. The ground, 

 after being thoroughly broken up and harrowed, deep 

 plowing being essential, is laid off with a marker in paral- 

 lel lines six feet apart each way. The cuttings, which are 

 in lengths of two and a half to three feet, are inserted in 

 the ground at the points of intersection with the simple aid 

 of a crowbar, two buds being usually left -exposed. The 

 after cultivation is very much the same as that followed 

 for corn, no stakes or trellises being used, and the vines 

 trimmed back to one bud each year. Vines planted in this 

 manner are expected to bear the third year, and to produce 

 profitable crops in the fourth and fifth. 



Upon the completion of the Texas and Pacific Railroad 

 it will be very easy for our Texas friends who may desire 

 to engage in this business to procure an ample supply of 

 cuttings from Southern California, and we shall be happy 

 to put them in communication with the leading vine cul- 

 turists of the State. The price of cuttings of the mission 

 vine extends only to the expense of cutting and labor in- 

 volved in shipping; the choice varieties, such as the mus- 

 catels and Hamburgs, rose of Peru, and others, are worth 

 $10 per thousand; rooted vines can be bought in the nurse- 

 ries for $2 to $4 per hundred at from one to three years of 

 age, but for cultivation on a scale of any magnitude the 

 cuttings would be preferable. 



The greatest enemies to the vine culturist in California 

 are the rabbits and gophers. The latter can be kept away 

 to a great extent by having a patch of alfalfa in the vicin- 

 ity of the vineyard, but during the long and dry Summer, 

 when every other green thing has been devoured, the rab- 

 bits play sad havoc with a young vineyard, although the 

 older plants, from the height of the stalk, escape. 



The usual complaint against California wine is that it is 

 too "heady." This the wine makers attribute to the soil 

 possessing too much of what they technically term "fat," 

 and anticipate that when it has been longer worked this 

 quality of richness will leave it and improve the wine-mak- 

 ing qualities of the grape. In addition to this the mission 

 grape, of which a large proportion of the wine is made, 

 contains so much sugar that it is necessary to add a certain 

 proportion— say twenty gallons to the pipe— of native 

 brandy to prevent the fermentation which would repeat- 



edly ensue. This, oe course, adds to the strength of the 

 wine, and is the fruitful source of complaint from visitors 

 to the State. The wines Nld here under the name of Cali- 

 fornia are generally compose^ principally of a mild juice 

 imported from Europe, advance being taken of this very 

 quality of the true native wine to<oist an adulteration on 



the public. 



+++. — 



THE 



NELUMBIUM 



LUTEUM. 



flowers all Winter. They are all easily grown in any good 

 rich soil with an admixture of sand to keep it light and 

 porous. 



There are scores of other plants nearly as described, but 

 these are kinds which flourish best under the treatment of 

 an inexperienced person, and I am quite sure they will give 

 good satisfaction.— [E. E. Retford in Western Rural. 



THIS beautiful, and in northern latitudes exceedingly 

 rare, water plant was discovered in the vicinity of 

 Monroe, Mich., nearly twenty years ago in the waters of 

 La Plaisance Bay, a beautiful sheet of water five miles long 

 and one mile wide on the west extremity of Lake Erie. Its 

 presence there, and the astonishing growth and natural in- 

 crease of the plants in those high latitudes, have been a 

 source of great interest to the botanists who have come in 

 contact with the plant and the circumstance of its exist- 

 ence in those waters. Mr. Whelpley, who first called at- 

 tention to the fact, was a meteorological reporter for the 

 Smithsonian Institution at Monroe, and communicated the 

 discovery to that institution, and received the following 



reply:— 



Washington, D. C, May 30th, 1875. 

 Thos. Whelpubt, Esq.: 



Dear Sir— * * * * The plant in question is no doubt the Ne- 

 lumbium luteum of Wildenow. It is common in the extreme West 

 and South. The Asiatic species, I believe, is Nelumbium speciosum, 

 and is supposed to be represented on the Egyptian monuments. The 

 plant, however, has long since disappeared from the valley of the Nile. 

 The above are the only two species known, and constitute the Nelum 

 biacca of Lmdley. When the seeds are ripe, we should be pleased to re- 

 ceive a specimen, if a convenient mode of transportation can be de- 

 vised—probably by mail. 



I am, respectfully, your obedient servant, 



E. Fobman, Assistant Secretary. 



In compliance with this request Mr. Whelpley trans- 

 mitted a package of seeds, which were planted in the 

 aquatic department of the public gardens, and also by pri- 

 vate gentlemen near Washington. The Nelumbium specio- 

 sum has been successfully cultivated by artificial means in 

 tight tubs and excavated tanks, proving that the Nelum- 

 bium luteum can certainly be domesticated, and become 

 one of the most interesting individuals in the great floral 

 family, and if those found in the waters at the head of 

 Lake Erie prove to be the hybrids, as above suggested, a 

 hardihood of plant and facility of culture can be reached 

 that might be attained in the unmingled class, besides the 

 addition of fragrance from the nymphia oduata. It seems 

 the Asiatic lotas was held in high esteem by the an- 

 cients. Not only was it thought sacred by them and an 

 object of worship, but was considered a model for Indian 

 architecture, the same as the bud or germ was for the 

 Gothic, and the acanthas leaf for the Tuscan, the domes of 

 their temples being copied from the inverted corrolla of the 

 lotus. 



We notice in monuments that have been exhumed from 

 Ninevah that the lotus flower occupies a prominent place, 

 and always appears in connection with their altars for re- 

 ligious worship. It doubtless grew in the valley of Eu- 

 phrates, and was held sacred by those people the same as 

 by the Egyptians. The flower is now in full bloom iD 

 Monroe, and the bays and bayous are in many places cov- 

 ered with the leaves and flowers, while the air is fragrant 

 with the rich perfume. 



Judge Conger, of Michigan, read an essay a short time 

 since touching upon this plant and the island near which 

 it grows in such abundance. 



— *+*+- 



PLANTS FOR THE HOUSE. 



♦ 



A LADY writes to me to know what plants I would 

 recommend, and how many for two south windows 

 of a sitting room . She wants something of a variety in 

 the collection, and prefers those which give good satisfac- 

 tion as regards constancy of blooming, and are not very 

 particular as to the treatment they receive. 



Sixteen well grown plants are enough for two ordinary 

 sized windows. There maybe five or six hanging plants, 

 if desired, and no plants are more ornamental than our 

 best drooping plants are when grown with care. 



I would recommend four flowering geraniums. For 

 scarlet, I would take Hector, which is large of flower, has 

 immense trusses, and a very profuse bloomer. For rose, 

 Master Christine, a very beautiful plant every way. For 

 salmon, Fritz, or Mrs. Austin, both desirable. For white, 

 the White Princess, or Madame Yancher. 



For roses, I know of none more desirable than Hermosa, 

 bright rose, double and very fragrant, and a profuse 

 bloomer; Agrippina, small, blooming in clusters of very 

 rich dark crimson, and Safrano, pale sulphur yellow, large, 

 full and delightfully fragrant. The Marshal Neil and Bon 

 Silene roses are beautiful, but more difficult to grow satis- 

 factorily than the other three mentioned. I have never 

 had any success with Marshal Neil. 



You will want two carnation, and among a large number 

 of splendid kinds I know of none better than La Purite, 

 bright, clear rose, and Peerless, pure white, both profuse 

 bioomers and very fragrant. Of course the collection 

 should include a calla and oleander, and an abutilon, audit 

 ought to have a couple of bouvardias, say Davisonii, pure 

 white, and Hogarth, rosy scarlet. Then you want a helio- 

 trope for fragrance, and a rose geranium. This gives you 

 sixteen plants . But if you want some ornamental leaved 

 plants omit a rose, or the salmon geranium and put in a 

 coleus, than which none are better than Setting Sun, bright 

 crimson edged with yellow, and a plant of the abutit >n 

 Thompsonii. This is one of the most striking and effec- 

 tive variegated plants. The leaves have two shades of 

 green and two of yellow, and the colors do not blend into 

 each other, but are clearly defined like mosaic work. 



For hanging-iplants take Moneywork, Saxifraga, Kenil- 

 worlh ivy and Wandering Jew. These grow readily and 

 are all fine and effective plants. And you want an English 

 ivy, too, to clamber up between the windows, and a double 

 Chinese primrose. With this collection you ought to have. 



Cure for Ring Bone. — A correspondent of the Western 

 Rivral gives this cure for rinff bone:— * 'Pulverized canthar- 

 ides, oil of origanum, oil of amber, oil cedar, Barbadoes 

 tar, British oil, each two ounces; oil of wormwood, one 

 ounce; spirits of turpentine, four ounces; common potash, 

 one-half ounce; nitric acid, six ounces; oil of vitriol, four 

 ounces; lard, thr^e ounces. Melt the lard and slowly add 

 the acids; stir* well and add the other ingredients, stirring; 

 until cold. Clip off the hair and apply by rubbing: and 

 heating into the parts affected. In about three days, or 

 when the part is done running, wash off with suds made 

 with white castile soap and apply again. In old cas^s it 

 takes three or four weeks, and in Recent cases two or three 

 applications have cured." 



he MmmL 



A Yistt to Newton. — We have just returned from a 

 flying visit to Newton, N. J., where we were introduced to 

 the kennel of Mr. Theo. Morford. Mr. M., it is well known, 

 makes it a specialty to breed orange and white setters with 

 black points, and now he can show four or five brace of 

 magnificent dogs of those colors, and we assure our shoot- 

 ing friends that it would be worth a visit to Newton to see* 

 their performance, and the easy and great control he has 

 over them. And then at Newton can also be found the 

 breeding kennel of Mr. A. C. Waddell, who now has quite 

 a display of thoroughbred setters and pointers and Iheir 

 whelps, among which is Fanny, a full-sized liver-colored 

 pointer bitch, which has recently been served by the fa- 

 mous black pointer Phil. The pedigree of Phil is well 

 known, but having no better pedigree than said bitch 

 Fanny, she being by Dandy out of Moll; Moll out of Nell 

 by Shot. Shot was imported by Dr. Alsop, of Middle- 

 town, Conn. Dandy is the property of Mr. James Wab- 

 berton, and Moll is owned by Mr. Krechus, both of New 

 Britain, Conn. Fanny is certainly a magnificent specimen 

 of a high-bred pointer bitch, and from her and old Phil 

 something altogether extra may be expected. 

 -#-♦+- 



A Fine Retriever. — The Halifax Herald says that a 

 pointer dog the other day drove a handsome peacock into 

 the water of the Northwest Arm. Several boats went to 

 its rescue, but not in time to save it. The dog witnessed 

 the scene from the shore, not venturing into the water, and 

 when the boats headed for the land it sagaciously turned 

 tail and fled, and was soon no more. The bird was the 

 property of a gentleman residing at the Arm, and was a 

 valuable one. 



More Poisoning. — A letter to John Avery, Esq., Presi- 

 dent of the Blooming Grove Park Association, from the 

 Superintendent at the Park, dated Aug. 31, says: — 



"Four of our dogs, yours, one of mine, the black setter 

 Fanny, and the hound Storm, died the other night. I 

 suspect they were poisoned by some of our pseudo friends. 

 When you come up try and bring dogs with you." 



[We have been pained to record the death by poison of a 

 score of most valuable dogs within the single month just 

 past, and the villiany is not confined to- one locality, but 

 extends from Maine to Kansas. There is no doubt but that 

 the miscreants above alluded to, could be indicted and pun- 

 ished severely for malicious mischief, in any State of the 

 Union, and the sooner the law is enforced the better] 

 There |are precedents enough on the court records to guar] 



antee this. — Ed.] 



___ — . — ^»» — — 



On Breeding Hounds. — In breeding; hounds we hava 

 to be fully as particular as we are in breeding pointers and 

 setters. Before choosing our dogs and bitches, their char- 

 acters ought to be fully developed, and it will take at least 

 two seasons for us to be thoroughly acquainted with them, 

 and if three all the better. The sire should be a hard 

 worker, a quick hunter, and a good drawer. By quick we 

 do not mean fast; a quick hound turns with the scent, a 

 fast one. overruns it. The bitches must have width in their 

 loins and length in their flanks. Never breed from an old 

 bitch, although you can put a young bitch to an old dog, 

 with expectation of a fine litter. In shape, hounds should 

 have a wide head, wide chests and wide ribs, hams long, 

 short from hocks to feet, thighs muscilar, feet round, 

 forelegs short and straight, shoulders well set back, the 

 neck long and clean, although w^e prefer the neck a little 

 throat}-". The earlier in the year the pups are born the 

 better. A diary should always be. kept, and after every 

 day's sport the performances of the different hounds who 

 have distinguished themselves noted down in it, as well as 

 remarks of wind and weather, etc. , and it will prove here- 

 after when choosing your sires from your two or three sea- 

 son's hounds an invaluable record, by help of which you 

 can at once choose exactly what hound you wish to mate, 

 for you must mate mental qualifications, as well as a sym- 

 metrical form— i. e., what qualities your bitch may be de- 

 ficient in, should be in preponderance in the sire. If your 

 diary is kept alphabetically, very little trouble will be ex- 

 perienced in running back two or three years to see the 

 performances of different hounds in the field. When your 

 brood bitches are heavy, they should no longer be left in the 

 kennel, but have a place appropriated to themselves, with 

 an inclosed place to run in, the larger the better. If they 

 can be left loose, only shutting them up at night, it will be 

 a great benefit to both mother and pups. Four are suffi- 

 cient to leave with the mother; the longest and heaviest. 

 When the puppies are a few days old, cut off dewclaws 

 and a bit of -the tail with a pair of sharp scissors.— -Canal 

 dian Sportsman. 



