SOUTHERN CULTIVATOR. 
287 
It is ti'Lie that ten or twenty year’s experimenting by Am- 
erican wine-growers would test the question, and siiovv 
which of the slute-roclt formations contain the magic ele- 
ments necessary to the production of the choicest wines. 
But who will risk the trouble and expense of the experi- 
ments'? And why should such delay be made when a 
single year might supply ample data to guide the vine- 
grower to a correct solution of the question'? 
“ The experiments already made in grape culture in 
Tennessee, North Carolina and Georgia, within the last 
few years, have been attended with very encouraging suc- 
cess ; but, so far as known, the fine flavored varieties of 
wine have not yet been produced. Lei it once be under- 
stood that the territory above named includes all the va- 
rieties of soils known to the vineyards ofEurope, and soon 
our mountains would swarm with vine-dressers, and the 
hills be made to flow down with wine.” 
PROLIFIC CUCUMBER VINE — CROPS, &:c. 
Editors Southern Cultivator — -We to-day were 
shown a Cucumber Vine, growing in the garden of A. J. 
Nichols, Esq., of this village, the product of which is be- 
yond anything we ever saw or heard of. Mr. Nichols in- 
formed us he had taken seventy cucumbers from it, and 
that it now has two hundred and twenty-five still on it. 
We counted on the end of one branch, two feet in length, 
18 cucumbers ; on another, eighteen inches in length, 12. 
The vine is still vigorous and fresh, and shows not the 
least symptom of decay, and, we have little doubt, will 
produce 500 or more specimens of fruit. The vine is 
simply trained on a bush some 4 or 5 feet in height. Mr. 
Nichols will keep an account of the number of cucumbers 
the vine produces during the season, which will be com- 
municated to you at the close of the season. 
Wheat and Oat crops first-rate; Corn looks fine and 
promises to be unusually good; rains abundant. The 
only regret we now have is the entire loss of our fruit, 
with the exception of a few Apples. 
J. VanBuren. 
Clarksville^ Ga., Angnst, 1857. 
WINE AT THE SOUTH. 
Editors Southern Cultivator — Your correspondent 
‘B of Clinton, Georgia, is behind the age in your region. 
He says he “can make 300 gallons of wine from an acre.” 
Explain this. Mr. Axt, of the same climate, and I presume 
in the same region, guarantees an average crop between 
2000 and 2500 gallons to the acre. Here we deem 350 to 
400 gallons a full average crop. The most I have ever 
known raised here, on an acre, was 1000 gallons and 
was sold for SI, 250. But I would advise “B.” to lay the 
Scuppernong aside, from what its extensive grower, Mr. 
Weller, published. He put 3 pounds of sugar to the gal- 
lon of “must,” or less sugar and some spirits, and then 
made what he called a Hock Wine, which is a hard dry 
wine. To make a fine wine of the character of Hock, the 
Catawba requires no sugar. One and a half pounds of 
crushed loaf sugar to the gallon put to the ‘ must” of the 
Catawba, makes a sweet wine, to suit sweet ladies and 
gentlemen, not drinkers of Hock Wine. The hills of the 
northern part of your State and of South Carolina should 
be valuable for wine, even where of no value for any other 
crop. Yours truly, ' N Longworth. 
Cincinnatti, Ohio, Avg , 1857. 
N B — The last pressing, about one-fifth, should be put 
in a separate cask, and about 2 pounds of sugar put to the 
gallon It makes a valuable sweet wine, and the first four- 
fifth is greatly benefited by it. Or if a sweet wine is not 
wanted, put 1 pound ofsugartothe gallon. 
HEALTHFULNES.S OF FRUIT. 
There is no doubt, (says the Spirit of the Press,) but 
that the free use of fruit is highly conducive to health, and 
indeed almost indispensable to it. Much of the sickness 
in the Western country is occasioned by the want of it. 
ft is the scarcity of good fruit that creates such a demand 
for physic at the West. The various fevers and bilious 
disorders prevalent in the summer season are m.ore owing 
to the want of it than any other cause. And not until fruit 
is generall)^ cultivated, and used as an article of diet, shall 
we be rid of these disorders, which are sapping the life- 
fountains of our farmers annually. 
Nature, in this as in all other respects, has bountifully 
supplied us with varieties, which, if properly cared for, 
will enable us to enjoy a succession throughout the year. 
But fruit is not only a necessary of life — it is one of its 
great luxuries. What is more enticing to the palate than 
luscious fruit'? And as an article of diet nothing equals 
it. It is easily raised, costs but little, promotes health, 
and is loved by every one. Most people content them- 
selves by cultivating two or three varieties. This should 
not be so. Fruit is more needed throughout the summer 
season than almost any other part of the year. The farm- 
er cannot take a step which will add more to his own 
joys, and those of his own family, than by having such a 
succession as will furnish him with fruit the entire year. 
1 A CHEAP LUXURY. 
The last few years of extraordinary productiveness and 
high prices have enabled every farmer, of proper skill and 
industry, to make something more than enough to furnish 
him with the mere neceesaries of life — 'the eating, drink- 
ing, and clothing — and he should devote a portion of his 
time and earnings to furnish himself and family with some 
of its cunijorts and luxuries. Don’t start, prudent and 
economical farmer! We are not going to advise you to 
get an enamelled carriage, with a coat of arma — or a five 
hundred dollar piano, or a hundred dollar shawl, for your 
wife. The luxury we suggest, though the gratification 
derived therefrom, is almost incalculable, will cost com- 
paratively nothing. It is, that you shall properly beautify 
and adorn your hovic. And to do this you do not stand 
in absolute need of anything hut what nature has given 
you, in plenty, at y»ur very doors— Trees, Grass, and 
Flowers. 
Do not object that you have not a fine, large house. It 
matters not whether you live in a mansion, a cottage, or 
a cabin. Nature’s embellishments harmonize with and 
beautify any object they may surround. Nature does 
not work in the artistic straight jacket style of adapta- 
tion. Therefore, during the coming .season, make your 
home beautiful by .surrounding it wdth shade trees, a nice 
srass-plat, and a few flower-beds. To do this, you need 
no costly or tender exotics. Jf you have a taste for them, 
and money to spend for them, we will not object. But 
the flouri.shing and hardy plants of our own soil are quite 
as beautiful, if not as novel, and require much less care 
and trouble 
We have not room to give you particular directions as 
to what and how you should plant. Clear off as large a 
plat of ground for a yard as you can conveniently spare 
—you need not fear that your American utilitariani.sm 
will suffer you to devote too much to the purp('«e It 
must be kept clear of chips, brush, straw, or other litter. 
Set out whatever kind of trees you like, so that they grow 
rapidly, have a large spreading top, a dense foliage, and 
