526 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



here we have a force which tends to resist the 

 separation of the particles ; how will it affect 

 the boiling point of the liquid ? Most remark- 

 ably. Water thus purged of its air may be 

 heated to a temperature of 275 degrees Fahr. 

 withoi\.t boiling ; and when it does boil it is 

 Dot with the gentle ebullition of ordinary wa- 

 ter. The particles snap suddenly asunder like 

 a broken spring, and ebullition is converted 

 into an explosion. — Westminster Review, 



Grape Vine and its Culture. 



The following very practical remarks on the 

 culture of the Grape Vine are taken from the 

 Horticulturist, and are from the pen of one of 

 the most practical gardeners in the country, 

 namely William Chorlton of Staten Island. 



The plain fact is, there is nothing mysteri- 

 ous about the cultivation of this plant, neither 

 is there any other that will bear a greater 

 amount of ill treatment and recover. We have 

 said above that the grape vine is a plant of 

 longevity ; yet some of our cultivators, both 

 in the vineyard and under glass, consider it 

 necessary to replant after a few years of bear- 

 ing, because, according to their. belief, the vines 

 are worn out. N(iW if we find that, under dif- 

 ferent circumstances, certain individuals that 

 have received more rational treatment are 

 known to be hundreds of years old, and are 

 still as healthy as they were a century ago, 

 also continuing equally fruitful, and that fruit 

 of the best quality, it stands to reas(m that 

 there must be a screw loose in such experience 

 somewhere. To secure this robust old ago, 

 and the consequent profits arising therefrom, 

 it becomes requisite to consider the nature of 

 the plant. 



First. It is always found to be most at home 

 in a tolerably rich upper base abounding in 

 vegetable matter impregnated with limestone, 

 and accompanied with a well-drained subsoil. 

 Secondly, It is a rampant grower in all its va- 

 rieties, producing a large volume of branches 

 and leaves, the latter of which respire and per- 

 spire very freely, and act by drawing up and 

 elaborating the juices from the roots, and also 

 absorbing the moisture and gases in the atmos- 

 phere. According with the amount of surf\ice 

 in these leaves, and concentration of action un- 

 der the influence of steady heat and light, so 

 will be the corresponding ratio of roots and 

 wood healthy, and of parmanent structure or 

 otherwise. Such being the case, it is easily 

 seen, and if the extension of growth be unduly 

 encouraged by over-rich compost (more par- 

 ticularly while young,) the cellular and vascu- 

 lar tissues will become deranged by the excite- 

 ment, and neither roots nor branches partake 

 of the indurated character they ought to. Add- 

 ed to this, we have, generally speaking, more 

 close pruning practised, not only in winter 

 cutting, but summer shortening, also, on this 



fast growing vino than any other fruit-bearing 

 plant. Recapitulate the circumstances, and in 

 the first place we force a plethoric growth by 

 stimulating manures, and afterwards the plant 

 is prevented from performing its proper func- 

 tions by being permanently cramped into a 

 comparatively very small superficial surface. 

 How, we may ask, is such a being to form an 

 increase of hardened woody fibre in the roots, 

 or how is it possible that they can continue to 

 have strength enough to be vigorous absorb- 

 ents of the fluids around them ? The finale 

 speaks for itself. A premature imbecility, 

 with the consequent tendency to mildew, 

 shank, dry rot, decayed roots, and all the other 

 known and unknown diseases we have to com- 

 ^plain of. 



To come more practically to the point: Either 

 in the grapery border or outdoor culture, it is 

 indispensable to secure a free passage for the 

 surplus water from the subsoil by good drain- 

 age. Make choice of good, friable soil enrich- 

 ed suflSciently with decayed barnyard manure 

 and vegetable mould, and if crushed bones are 

 to be obtained readily, add a portion. No harm 

 will be done by these latter, and no propor- 

 tifjns need be given. If the flesh is not on 

 them, they will give out very slowly and prove 

 permanent. Much as has been written, and 

 many as have been the arguments respecting 

 the composts for grapery borders, I speak with 

 confidence and from experience in stating that 

 better grapes ma}^ be grown by simple double 

 trenching, with good drainage, and the addi- 

 tion of a reasonable quantity of the above men- 

 tijned material than are frequently obtained 

 by the most fastidiously formed and ruinously 

 expensi\e beds that are too often compounded. 

 The foil >wing will prove a most efiicient bed 

 when the best results are desired : — 



Dig the border clear out from fifteen to 

 twenty feet in width, from the base front of 

 the house, and two feet six inches deep. Let 

 the bottom level slope somewhat towards the 

 outside line, along which excavate another foot 

 deeper, and the same wide. Fill this drain 

 with rough stones or other such material, and 

 cover six inches of the same over the whole 

 base. If the soil taken out, or any portion cf 

 it, be of good quality reserve it, and mix one- 

 fourth in quantity of barnyard manure and de- 

 compo<ed vegetable matter with o^je bushel of 

 crushed bones to every cubic yard in bulk. 

 Whatever quantity of earth may be required 

 beside that taken out, procure it from a pasture 

 of triable loam, and use only the upper turf 

 sod. Cover the drainage base with these sods, 

 also, and fill in the prepared compost to one 

 foot above the ground level. 



Planting, Training, d'c. — Chose for all pur- 

 poses healthy vines of one or (at most) two 

 years' growth from the cutting or bud. For 

 outside, make a» hole three inches deep, and 

 level on the bottom ; spread out the roots care- 

 iuUy, and fill up with well broken soil. In the 



