286 
SOUTHERN CULTIVATOR. 
One of my neighbors here who recently moved from Ala- 
bama brought with him several grafts of Apples and 
English Mulberries. The grafts were eight weeks from 
the cutting, to being put into stocks in this county. They 
were brought in a common jug tightly corked. The stocks 
used were the common Mulberry of this county. Two 
of his English Mulberries lived, but his Apples all died. 
Had he grafted his Apples upon the Wild Haw-Thorn, they 
might have lived if they had not been kept too long, for I 
have heard of several succeessful experiments with the 
Apple grafts and Haw Thorn stocks. 
I sowed a small quantity of wheat this year, (the Sum- 
mer’s Wheat from South Carolina) ; owing to unavoidable 
circumstances I sowed too late, 11th March, but notwith- 
standing this and many other disadvantages, it made 
a very fair turn out. I will sow my next in December 
One of my neighbors is just done harvesting, and from 8 
acres of black, stiff prairie land he gathered two hundred 
bushels of wheat, being 25 bushels per acre. His entire 
crop will be sold, I am informed, at ^2 per bushel, to be 
sown for seed next season. 
Oats, Rye and Barley, as well as Millet is raised here 
profitably. I have no doubt but that many good farmers 
have been deterred from moving to this section of the 
country heretofore from the fear that they could not raise 
the small grains to advantage. The above experiment of 
Mr. Copeland of 25 bushels per acre settles this difficulty, 
and we most cordially invite them to come on, and to 
bring with them young men of enterprise and energy, and 
if they have the cash they may bring it along loo, in order 
that they may not be caught without a coat in time of a 
‘‘norther,” as your subscriber was. J. W. 
Livingston^ Texas^ July, 1857. 
[Our friend, “A. C,” must answer the queries respect- 
ing the Haw, as we have no experience with that stock. 
Pear Grafts can safely be sent per mail in the winter, and 
fruit trees, vines, flowering shrubs, roses, &c., &c., also, 
when your waters are navigable. We shall be glad to re- 
ceive roots of the vines, haws, &c., mentioned, and will 
give (per mail) our correspondent special directions lor 
sending. — Eds.J 
WINE. 
The following views relate to a subject of much interest 
to our people, and proceed from a writer of great sagacity 
and practical sense : 
To the Editors of the Enquirer — “On the subject of 
the successful culture of the grape much yet remains to be 
learned in our country. Its importanceis greatly enhanc- 
ed, of late, by lepeated failures in the vintages of Europe, 
where the opinion is becoming prevalent, among all class- 
es, that the vitality of the vine itself is affected. 
“It is surmised that two thousand years of propagation 
from cuttings is too long a period to expect the original 
vitality of the virgin vine to maintain its beautiful vigor. 
So impressed are some of the Courts of the continent with 
the importance of this question to the commerce of their 
Kingdoms that they are corresponding with vine-growers 
of Cincinnati, asking for specimens of American wines 
and cuttings of our native vines. They wish to test the 
American grape on European soils, not knowing but their 
own vineyards must be renewed from the virgin grapes of 
Iv'orth Carolina, Georgia, Arkansas and Texas. 
“As Cincinnati is the successful seat of vine growing 
in the United States, the public naturally look to her for 
instru=ciion upon tlie subject. The many successful crops 
pro'luced around this city attest that the seasons are ot 
sufficient length to allow the grape to mature. But the 
many failures of late admonish the vine dressers that 
there is some unascertained cause of blight that robs them 
of the fruits of their labors. 
“ This point needs investigation. The Catawba and 
Isabella grapes, not yet twenty years from the virgin vines 
of the mountains of North Carolina, do not escape the in- 
fection. Some other cause than that of exhausted vitality 
must be operating upon them. What is it I The geolo- 
gical basis of the Cincinnati soils is marlite and limestone 
— the soils, consequently, being highly impregnated with 
lime. Some of the most observant of the owners of vine- 
yards at this city are of opinion that sandy lands will be 
found the most reliable for grape culture, and are anxious 
to have the qustion fully tested. 
“ The questions involved are more varied and impor- 
tant than the mere difference between limestone and sand- 
stone lands. There is more to be learned than the causes 
of blight upon the grapes, producing mildew and the rot. 
T’he fine flavor of the best Eui’opean wines, it is admitted, 
has not yet been attained for those of America. Until this is 
acquired our native wines cannot compete with the foreign 
unless, as is feared, the foreign wines shall utterly fail, 
and leave to us the monopoly of the markets of the world. 
This dreaded catastrope to the foreign vineyards should 
be an additional stimulus to our vine-growers to ascertain 
the secret of improving the flavor of their wines. 
“ It is a fact well known to European travellers, who 
have investigated the subject, that two adjacent vineyards 
and even different portions ofthe same vineyard, produce 
wines widely different in their flavor and commercial 
value. Some other cause than climate and seas on must 
produce such a result. What is that cause 1 Why should 
the same variety of grape produce a wine so widely dif- 
ferent when growing at one side of afield from that which 
it would produce if planted on the other side'? Why 
should two branches cut from the same vine, or two cut- 
tings from the same branch, when planted but a few rods 
apart, produce wines flavored so differently that the pro- 
duct of the one will be sought in all markets, while the 
other will sell in none, or at very reduced prices '? 
“ The answer to these questions is obvious. As the 
difference is not produced by climate and season, it must 
be caused by the difference in the soils. Considerable 
inquiry has been made upon this point. But to the ques- 
tion. What class of rocks constitute the basis of the soil 
producing the choicest wines “? No other answer gen- 
erally has been obtained than that the vines are planted 
upon slates. None, however, can tell whether it is ial- 
cose slate, chlorite slate, argillaceous slate or wica slate. If 
the slate upon which the best wines are produced be eith- 
er of the two first named, then the soil derived from it will 
include from thirty to more than forty percent, oimagne- 
sia ; if it be the argillaceous siate, the soils will have about 
twelve per cent, of soda; and if mica slate, they will 
have from five to eleven per cent, oipotash.'^ 
“ The importance of a thorough investigation ofthe 
geological basis of the vineyards of Europe by a compe- 
tent geologist, who shall visit them for that purpose, will 
be understood when it is stated that the mountain regions 
of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Arkansas 
and Texas have extensive ranges ofthe slate above named. 
*Tlie analysis of these slates arc given in the books, in 
per cents of one hundred parts of each, thus: Argillace- 
ous slate — Silica 56 11, alumina 17 21, soda 12.48, lime 
2.16, magnesia 0.20, peroxyd of iron 6.96, water 4.58. 
Chlorite slaU — Silica 31.54, alumina 5.44, magnesia 41 54, 
peroxyd or iron 10. 18, water 9.32. TaZe -—(the Talcose 
slate r\oi given) — Silica 62 80, alumina 0 60, magnesia 
3 1 92, protoxyd of iron 1.10, water 1.92. Zl/Zcc (common) 
—Silica 46.10, alumina 31.60, potash 8.39, protoxyd of 
'ron 8.65, oxyd of magnesia 1.40, fluoric acid 1.12, water 
1 . 00 . 
