346 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[NoVEMBEn, 
■where all the strongest branches, or canes, are 
above ; those below are weaker, and some of the 
lower buds, being robbed by the upper ones of 
their nutriment, may not start at all. These 
branches in fig. 3 are just the repetition of fig. 
1, and each have their strongest buds at the 
top, wliich will iu turn push first, and thus, 
if the vine is neglected, its best buds and conse- 
quently most vigorous growth will be made 
each year farther and farther from the ground. 
Upon such a vine, when old enough, more or 
less fruit would be borne, but the wood produ- 
ced each year would be excessive, and the vine 
at length become the tangled thicket we so often 
Fi" 
Fi-. 1. 
find. Now supposing that fig. 1, instead of 
having its own way, be cut back to two buds, 
as shown by the cross-line. At the end of the 
next season it will be something like fig. 3, with 
two canes of about equal size, which, if the 
vine were old enough, would have borne fruit. 
These canes again may be cut back the next 
year, or be shortened and laid down as horizon- 
tal arms, in which case the buds will break 
more evenly than when the vine grows upi-ight 
and the shoots from them will be more likely to 
fruit. A neglected vine will be a mass of 
branches, having more or less resemblance to 
fig. 3, and it should be taken in hand, bearing in 
mind what we have above stated with regard to 
the general manner of growth. Some of the 
branches may need removal altogether, while 
the wood of last season's growth will all need 
shortening. Recollecting that each good bud 
will produce a strong shoot, one can judge how 
well covered the arbor or trellis will be, and 
avoid crowding. Sometimes one and sometimes 
two shoots may be accommodated, and one or 
two buds are to be left to produce them, ob- 
serving to leave one more bud than is needed, to 
guard against the chances of the cut end of the 
cane being killed during the winter; this 
extra bud is to be cut away in February, or 
March, after the severest weather is over; For 
the methods of treating well trained vines, as 
well as for starting a young vine in a proper 
manner, see articles in the Agriculturist for 
April of last year, and for November 1863. 
Notes on Grapes, 
AVe continue our notes on the varieties as we 
have seen them in various places, or have re- 
ceived them through the kindness of friends. 
The past season seems to have upset all former 
conclusions as to the value of varieties — some 
kinds heretofore considered reliable, having 
failed in particular localities, while a few miles 
distant the same sort gave a satisfactory crop. 
Many who have fixed upon the Delaware, the 
Concord, or some other, as t/ie grape, have had 
their faith shaken by the rot and mildew of the 
past season, and have come to the conclusion 
that there is no such thing as infallibility in any 
vai'iet}'. From the number of fox grapes sent 
to us for an opinion, it would seem that there 
are many who have never tasted a good grape. 
That peculiar flavor and odor belonging to the 
large native grapes, known as foxiness, is detri- 
mental to any variet}-, and uo grape having a 
considerable amount of this can be expected to 
rank beyond second class, even if it possess 
many good qualities. Hence the Concord and 
Hartford, which have a trace of foxiness — only 
a trace to be sure, when they are well grown — are 
excluded from the first rank. It is true that 
we recommend these grapes, as they are a great 
step iu advance of the uncertain Isabella, and 
one who has a vine of either of these will be 
quite sure to have a plenty of fair fruit which 
will give him a taste for something better. 
Their ease of propagation and free growth, are 
great recommendations with the general public ; 
but as finer varieties have their qualities and 
capabilities thoroughly tested by amateurs, we 
hope to see these supplant all inferior kinds. 
There are three classes of persons who grow 
grapes : those who raise them for market ; those 
who grow them for home consumption, and re- 
gard quantity rather than quality ; and those 
who look for high excellence only. Each of 
these classes read what is said upon grapes 
with different views, and in recommending va- 
rieties for planting, one must know some- 
thing of the object the planter has in view. 
Setting aside differences in locality we still 
think, if we were to plant for immediate profit 
in the present state of our markets, we should 
put in the Hartford, Concord and Delaware. 
And to those who would be likely to treat their 
vines as they usually are served, which is to 
neglect them, we should say plant the Hartford 
and Concord, as they will give some fruit even 
under neglect. Those who will treat a vine as 
it should be treated, have a choice list in the 
lona, Delaware, Israella, Adirondac, Rebecca 
and others. Of course where the Catawba will 
flourish, it will take a high rank as a grape for 
market or any other purpose, but sucli locali- 
ties are so few that we leave it out of the list, 
and the same may be said of the Isabella. 
We wish that every one could be induced to 
plant the choicer varieties and take proper care 
of them, and hope that the time will come 
when every farmer will understand how to give 
the vine that care which it so abundantly repays. 
IsnuUa. — From specimens we have since 
seen, we think that our notes of last mouth 
hardly did this variety justice. Three bunches 
grown by Charles Downing, Esq., weighed over 
three pounds. The berries were of good size, 
and the bunches very compact. The fruit is very 
sweet, and of a delicate, though not high flavor. 
Adirondac. — At Worcester, we saw and tasted 
specimens raised at Norwich, Conn., which 
were quite equal in excellence to any of this 
kiud we have seen elsewhere. 
Alvey. — This variety is not much grown, auu 
has the reputation of being tender. In the gar- 
den of our friend " Horticola," at Hoboken, it 
flourishes finely, and is highly prolific. Those 
who like a sprightly, vinous fruit, should try the 
Alvey. Farther south, it is a great favorite. 
Rogers^ Ko. 1. — A large and extremely hand- 
some fruit, of a rich amber color, but it has a 
thick skin, a tough pulp, and is slightly acrid. 
Its size and great beauty would make it popu- 
lar as a market grape, should it prove to be as 
good a bearer as it promises to be. 
Concord. — The finest specimens we have seen 
this year were raised by Mr. Fuller, upon trel- 
lises, and closely trained by the arm and spur 
system. There is a disposition in some quarters 
to ridicule the trellis as an " iron bedstead " 
upon which the vine is to be cramped, and there 
is a great deal of nonsense about not being able 
to restrain the Hail Columbia propensities of 
the free American grape vine. This spread- 
eagle talk may please some, but our observation 
shows that the best grapes grow on the best 
trained and most restricted vines. 
- ■ — »«» .-» 
Hints to ExMbiters. 
At the various horticultural exhibitions we 
nave attended this season, we have seen much 
to admire, and some things which might have 
been belter had the exhibitors in some cases 
taken more, and in others less pains with their 
articles. These exhibitions have their uses to 
the cultivators, as under the stimulus of prizes, 
a pleasant rivalry is engendered, which results 
beneficially iu many ways to practical horticul- 
turists. But they have another use,, and one 
which we consider quite as important : they 
create among the people who visit them, a taste 
for the beautiful and the good, and serve to in- 
struct the public in horticultural matters. These 
shows should be so managed, as not only to 
benefit those who contribute, but those who go 
to see the articles, and this is a matter over 
which the managers have but little control, but 
one in which each exhibiter can aid. A collec- 
tion of rare green-house plants is always attrac- 
tive ; the visitor who is not a florist, is struck 
by the appearance of some specimen, and wishes 
to know its name, and looks around for a label. 
In the majority of cases he will see nothing to 
indicate what the plant is, but if he perseveres 
he may find a bit of weather-worn wood stuck in 
the earth of the pot ; upon this are a few 
characters iu pencil, which are all that remains 
of what was once a label. Every plant should 
be so labeled that the visitor can find the name 
without a search, and it should be iu plain and 
unmistakable characters. At the PennS3'lvania 
exhibition, we noticed that very general attention 
was given to this point, and that there were 
some notable specimens of careful labeling. 
Displays of miscellaneous cut flowers seldom 
have labels for each, but they would be 
much more iustructive if they did, yet these 
should be so arranged as not to mislead the un- 
skilled observer. In one place, we saw in racks 
of cut flower.=, the leaves of one plant placed in 
the same phial with the flowers of an entirely 
different one. A display of vegetables which, 
for extent and variet}', was the finest we ever 
s.aw, including as it did many unusual things, 
lost much of its usefulness from the absence of 
labels. Fruit should be so arranged that one in 
looking at a plate can get a distinct view of the 
form and color. A dozen Louise Bonne pears 
may make a better show with the red cheeks 
all turned up, but the true character of the fruit 
