113 



7ial of Horticulture, says he has y lants growing in 

 lO-inch pots which are two feet high, and two feet 

 six inches in diameter, some of the leaves of which 

 are six inches across. 



The compost best suited to Mrs. Pollock is good 

 turfy loam, leaf mould and sand, in about equal 

 parts. After the plants get well established in their 

 pots, give a top dressing of well rotted hotbed ma- 

 nure. In winter, it should be kept near the glass, 

 in a temperature of about 50° or 55° ; it will thus 

 keep growing all winter, and furnish a good supply 

 of cuttings for spring. These may be struck best in a 

 moist bottom heat, using light sandy soil. When 

 well rooted, pot off in loose sandy soil, place near 

 the glass in a warm house, and give air every day. 



THE lONA AND DELAWARE GRAPES IN 

 OHIO. 



BY MR. M. B. BATEHAM. 



The brief report, given in your J anuary No. , of 

 the discussion on Grrapes at the annual meeting of 

 the Ohio Pomological Society, though doubtless 

 designed to be impartial, is not entirely correct; and, 

 I find, is misleading the minds of some readers, 

 especially with reference to the present standing of 

 the lona and the Delaware in this State. I trusty 

 therefore, a few words of explanation will not be 

 deemed out of place, especially as I am not a propa- 

 gator, nor advocate of any particular grapes, but 

 only seek to plant the ^65^ myself, and advise others 

 to do the same. 



It is admitted that a majority of the speakers, at 

 the meeting referred to, had been quite unsuccess- 

 ful, especially the past season, with the lona and 

 Delaware vines. The summer had been unusually 

 wet, and mildew prevailed on the vines very gene- 

 rally in Pennsylvania, Central Ohio and Indiana, 

 affecting all the choice varieties of Grapes, and 

 in some places the Concord. 



At the Zanesville meeting, full nine-tenths of the 

 persons in attendance were residents of central Ohio 

 — the least favorable portion of the State for grape- 

 growing — and only two were from the Lake Shore 

 district, where there are now about eight thousand 

 acres of grapes planted in six counties, while there 

 are only about 2000 in the other 82 counties,— in all 

 say 10,000 acres in the State. 



Mr. Bateham was the only person who spoke of 

 the conduct of the lona and Delaware on the Lake 

 Shore Kegion, and his remarks are so imperfectly 

 given in the report referred to, that I copy them 

 here from the published transactions : — 



Mr. B. said "he had traveled extensively along the 

 Lake Shore region the past summer, and had seen 



very little mildew or other disease on the lona or 

 any other vines ; and from all that he had seen or 

 learned of the lona fruit and vine, he should plant 

 it more extensively than any other, for that region, ! 

 if he could afford to buy the plants, — believing it to j 

 be the best of all our hardy varieties: for, although 

 like many others, he had lost some vines by the past 

 winter, he had no more doubts of its hardiness than 

 he had of the Delaware, which suffered as badly by ^ 

 its side." [ 



All the speakers who complained of the failure of 

 the lona vines admitted that the Delaware, in like 

 circumstances, had fared as badly ; and, as the lat- 

 ter has been found generally reliable for twenty 

 years past even in central Ohio, it is not likely that 

 sensible people will be disposed to abandon it for a 

 singlel years' failure, or that persons who have 

 learned to appreciate real excellence in grape fruit 

 will be willing to forego the chances of having their 

 tables supplied with ripe lonas and Delawares, 

 though there may be occasional failures, as is the 

 case with choice varieties of fruits in all countries. 



PLANTING ASPARAGUS. 



BY X. 



This appears to be such a simple operation, and yet 

 so mystified by theorists and self-called G-ardeners, 

 that I offer the following method : it is thoroughly 

 practical, and perhaps, what is better, it is simple: 



In the fall, trench your ground to the depth of 

 18 inches at least, throwing it up as rough as possi- 

 ble. As soon as the ground is workable in the spring, 

 again turn it over, forking in a good coating of rot- 

 ten manure. 



I prefer one year old plants, and, if possible, to 

 have them just as they are st^irting in growth. 

 Mark out your line, leaving 18 inches between the 

 rows, and 3 feet from row to row to form the future 

 alley. Lift off 2 inches of soil, and insert the spade 

 to its depth, slanting tow^ards you ; reverse the spade 

 and repeat this operation. You have now a saddle 

 formed place, the crown of the Asparagus roots 

 upon spreading the roots equally on both sides, — ■ 

 spreading them out like a fan. Press the soil firmly 

 all around, and be careful the bottom of the crevice 

 is filled up. 



If a crop must be resorted to, I know of none less 

 injurious than onions, — of course the future alley 

 forming the present one. In the fall, roughly throw 

 up your bed with a fork ; never use a spade; throw 

 up the alley as rough as possible. 



The following spring again fork up your bed, 

 giving it a moderate coat of manure. Throw out 

 your alley to the depth of 4 inches on the bed, well 

 breaking and pulverizing the soil, so that there is 

 no large lumps. You may cut moderately from the 

 bed this first year after planting, being careful to 

 allow the first head to run to seed. Do not press 

 too hard upon it the 1st and 2d year after planting. 



This system was extensively practiced, and I can 

 point to beds of Asparagus planted 20 years ago 

 and still profitable. I am strongly opposed to fall 

 planting, — Spring alone is the proper time. 



