SOUTHERN CULTIVATOR. 
367 
TRAINING AGRICULTURISTS. 
AMERICAN WINES. 
Wb have ofte'^ been asked the question : Why should The American grape crop is becoming something of 
the agriculturist know more than other people'? They i an institution in our country. In the Great West, especi- 
certainly should, for in our country they have more to do ! ally in Ohio and Missouri, thousands of acres are set apart 
than other classes ; a greater multiplicity of pursuits are ! for the cultivation of the vine, and large quantities of 
here crowded into the planter’s calling than in aity other j wine are now manufactured annually. It has been de- 
occupation. They have to make more use of the powers , monstrated by numermous experiments that our native 
or laws of nature than others. They are forced to use I grapes produce wines fully as good as the best imported 
the elements as tools. They are practical chemists, | from abroad, and so well aware are the people of Ohio 
whether aware ofit or not ; for they make use of the vari- ' arrd Missouri of this fact, that most of them prefer their 
ous substances which nature gives them, which they com- i own to the best imported brands. No crop, we have 
bine, separate, modify and change, to simples and com- | been informed, yields a more profitable reiurn for the 
pounds. The plantation is at one and the same time, a i care and labor expended upon it than the grape, 
laboratory and a workshop ; and in proportion as they i One acre produces about four hundred gallons of juice, 
operate in such a way as to afford the several elements of j and the wine sells at a iiigh price, the demand for it being 
which the substances are composed, and upon whichthey i greater than the supply. Xbisvoi y circumstance, how- 
are operating, to disunite or combine, so will be the mea- j ever, has led to its adulteraticn in some ca.scs, as liquids 
sure of their success. They depend upon the vegetable i have been sold for the pure native juice of the grape 
world for subsistence — their labor is among and upon the j which were but mixtures oflogwood, caramel, and a little 
plants of the earth, and they should know the proper name 
and nature of eveiy tree, herb and plant. They have to 
contend with insects and iinimals — they should know the 
habits and nature of these more intimately than any other 
class ofpeopie — they have to till the earth, and put its 
soil into a proper condition to produce a good crop. They 
have to change its natural state to adapt it to the various 
purposes and crops — then, why’’ should they’’ not know 
more and better respecting the ingredients of their soils, 
and the various mineral and fosil substances which they 
may wish to appropriate to their uses'? They have to 
“discern the face of the sky,” watch the changes of the 
atmosphere, and regulate their movem.ents in accordance 
■with those changes, temperature, and all the climatic fluc- 
tuations. Why, then, should they not know as much, or 
more, of the composition of the air, or atmosphere, and 
the science of meteorology, than any other people'? They 
must use all the various tools and implement of labor — they 
must take advantage of the principles of mechanics, and 
the application of mathematics to practical life. Is there 
any good reason why they should not know as much, or 
even more than others, respecting mechanical science or 
natural philosophy '? In this country they have to con- 
tribute largely to the support and formation of the govern- 
ment, and upon them depends the selection of the rulers 
and law-makers. Why, then, should they not understand 
the fundamental principles of national law, political science 
and political economy 'I They have to administer to the 
sickness of animals under ther charge, heal wounds and 
restore health. Why, then, should they not perfectly un- 
derstand comparative anatomy, at least — and, also, physi- 
ology, as well as the symptoms and treatment of diseases '? 
Indeed, so wide is the field of the agriculturist, so exten- 
sive his labors, sjp numerous the objects with which he is 
connected, so various the operations he has to perform ; 
that we verily believe he should be the best educated and 
best informed man upon the earth. Can a man conquer, 
or make himself perfectly familiar with every science, and 
anything'? By no means; yet, nevertheless, he should 
have his mind so well stored with the general principles 
of all the sciences, that he can be guided by them when it 
becomes necessary to learn more minutely, and to know 
-when he employs a man devoted particularly to any one 
branch, whether he is competent to the task, and will dis- 
charge his duty to him with fidelity and precision. 
A. G. Summer. 
To Cure Warts on Cows’ Teats. — Neat’s foot oil, 
beef gall, spirits turpentine, and old brandy ; equal parts 
of each. Shake well before using. Apply once a day. 
! native wine to impart its psculier aroma to the whole. It 
is greatly to be regretted that any wine manufacturer 
All subscriptions to the Southern Cv.ltivoXor begin 
with the January number. 
should do such a thing; but for ail this, there are a num- 
ber of Ohio brands much prized by those who have quaffed 
the juice of the grape in Sunny France, on the banks of 
the Rhine and JDouro. The brands of Mr. Yeatman, of 
Cincinnati, and some others, have a very high reputation 
in the market. 
The soil and the climate of several of our States are very 
favorable for the cultivation of the grape, and we think 
that not many years hence the importation of foreign 
wines will cease entirely. 
In Missouri, a whole county is chiefly devoted to the 
raising of grapes, -with the sole view of manufacturing 
them into wine;' ’^vhile a company has been formed there 
with a large capital, to manufacture, bottle, store and sell 
it. The wine made in Missouri is quite equal to the best 
in Ohio. The vineyards around Cincinnati are extend- 
ing every year; one horticulturist alone, as we learn Irom 
a cotemporary, sold one million of cuttings the present 
year. 
Whenever a plentiful supply of good pure native wine 
is obtained, it will supersede distilled and malted liquors 
beverages which are now too commonly used— Sden- 
tijic American. 
MACHINE FOR SPINNING SPANTSHs OR LONG 
Moss. 
Editors Southern Cultivator— My son being a sub- 
scriber to your paper, and living on the same place with 
me, I have read it regularly since he has taken it. Sup- 
posing you to be more extensively acquainted with the 
latest improvement in domesiic economy of every kind 
than any other to whom 1 could address a letter of inquiry, 
I take the liberty of troubling you with this to inquire if 
you know of any machine that will spin the Long Moss 
used in making matresses into a very loose twisted rope ; 
the single strand of which may be varied from 1-2 to 2 1-2 
inches in diameter. The reason of my making this in- 
quiry is, that I have made an improvement in the mak- 
ing of matresses, by weaving such ropes as above des- 
cribed as filling upon a strong twine warp, (See Scientific 
American, du\y 25th, 1857,) and I find the spinning by 
hand to be a slow process, as it takes two spinners to 
keep the loom going when making a square yard of the 
fabric in ten minutes. What I wish is, a machine that 
will spin as fast as two hands, with one horse power, and 
one hand to attend it. I have been making these matress- 
es about two years; they can be platted with wool with 
great facility, and are superceding every other kind of 
bed where they are known. 
If there is no such machine in existence, 1 will give a 
bonus of SlOO; and the exclusive right to make and sell 
