260 
SOUTHERN CULTIVATOR. 
This being a very propitious year for fruit in this sec- 
tion of country, we shall take the responsibility, from time 
to time, as the varieties ripen, to make comparisons, and 
if you think the result of sufficient importance to be placed 
before the readers of the Southern Cultivator, they shall 
be at your service ; if not, why, just pass a resolution that 
they be laid on or under the fable.* 
There are a number of other new varieties not yet fairly 
before the public, which, if we are not greatly mistaken, 
will come in for no small share of popularity. Amongst 
which, we prophecy,' such as Kentucky Red Streak, Sel- 
ma, Taunton, Bonum, Pryor’s Red, with some two or three 
seedlings, now bearing for the first time in our own 
neighborhood, will be justly entitled to no small share. • 
Lest your readers may call us a one-idea man, we will 
stop this gabble about Apples, and in our next give our 
experience with Pears, Should there still, however, be 
any who have never seen a healthy or vigorous Apple 
tree in Georgia, we can now assure them, if they will visit 
Habersham county, we think we can gratify their vision 
with no mean specimens, if a tree forty feet in diameter, 
from one extreme limb to the other is not too diminutive 
for their notice, and that, too, loaded with crimson June 
Apples. 
Wheat, Oats and Corn crops are all first rate. Irish 
Potatoes are calling to their comrades to lay off and make 
room. Fruit, a good crop — except Peaches, which were 
badly killed with frost — never saw it so large and fair be- 
fore, A kind Providence has opened the windows of the 
store house of Heaven and is pouring down upon us of 
His great abundance. J. Van Buren. 
Clarksville, Ga., July, 1855, 
GRAPE GROWING IN THE SOUTH. 
Editors Southern Cultivator — I am desirous of in- 
formation relative to the Grape culture, &c. ; the kind 
best adapted for the South; the lime for planting, the 
period from planting to producing, and the mode of 
culture. 
I would be pleased if you would lay this subject be- 
fore some of your grape growing friends, and elicit the 
information wanted by private letter to my address, or 
thrqugh the Cultivator if they prefer it. 
Respectfully, J. S. G. 
Enterprise, La., 1855. 
Remark. — We commend the foregoing to the attention 
of Dr. McDonnald, of Woodward, S. C. His long and 
extensive experience -in Grape growing, fully qualifies 
him as a guide and instructor iir this delightful branch of 
pomology, and we hope he wilP respond to the wishes of 
our correspondent and many others, who desire informa- 
tion on this subject. — Eds, 
— 
WINE FROM NATIVE GRAPES, OR MUSCADINES. 
Editors Southern Cultivator — It may not be gener- 
ally known that the common wild grape, will make an ex- 
cellent wine. Permit me to give the readers of the Culti- 
vator the process of making it ; 
When the grapes are fully ripe, gather them and pick off 
all the faulty and unripe grapes, and if you have time and 
patience, pick them off the bunches ; if not, they may be 
pressed while on the clusters by putting them in a 
sack made of some strong cloth ; put the sack in a com- 
mon cider press, and as you put in the grapes ma^ them 
lightly with a wooden pestle ; avoid mashing the seed ; 
*Send us on these pomological notes, by all means. No 
subject can possibly possess more interest for our readers 
or ourselves, — Eds. 
press them as long as the juice will run, then raise your 
press and stir them up ; mash and press again ; continue 
the operation until the juice is entirely extracted. Put 
the juice in a cask or jug, filling it full, so that when it fer- 
ments the foam or froth may work out, but not full enough 
for the juice to run. Keep some of the juice in another 
vessel, so that you may fill up the cask every two or three 
days, in order that the foam may work over. Put a 
cloth over the mouth of the jug or cask to keep out flies 
and other insects, but it should be loose enough to allow 
the foam to work out. Let it stand until fermentation 
ceases, which may require five or six weeks, but some 
times not half that long. Then rack it off as long as it 
will run clear ; then put one pound of sugar and half a pint 
of French Cognac brandy to the gallon ; put it in your 
jugs or cask, filling them full ; cork it up tight, so as to ex- 
clude the air entirely; then the longer it stands before 
using, the better it will be. 
The above process will answer for the Muscadine, 
which makes a good wine ; or for any other variety of 
J. R. T. 
Waltan, Co., Ga., July, 1855. 
Mmmlit CrnHomij nnli MttlftB. 
PRESERVING EGGS. 
How to Preserve Eggs I and also a recipe appears 
in the Cultivator. Permit me to give you the experience 
of a practical lady on the subject. 
Grease fresh eggs with lard, and pack them away in a 
keg v/ith alternate layers of corn or wheat bran, small 
ends downwards, and so arranged as neither to touch 
each other or the sides of the keg. In this way they have 
been kept perfectly sound for twelve months. 
Mount Lebanon, La., May, 1855. Farmer. 
Cleansing Guns. — A coi-respondent of the Scientific 
American communicates the following, which may be of 
value to sportsmen : 
Wash your gun barrels in spirits of turpentine, by dip- 
ping a rag or sponge fastened on your gun-rod into the 
liquid, and swabbing them out three or four times, when 
they will be cleared from all impurities, and can be used 
almost instantly, as the turpentine will evaporate and 
leave the barrels dry , even if they are a little moist, it 
will not prevent their going off, like water,. After being 
washed thus, there is no danger of rust, as when water is 
used. I am an old experienced gunner, and have prac- 
tised this for years, and found it useful. 
The American Agriculturist remarks on the above:— 
“ We think, however, that a mixture of one part of spirits 
.of turpentine and two or three parts strong alcohol (spirits 
of wine) well shaken together, would be preferable. 
Cleaned in this way^ they will dry and be ready for use 
immediately.” 
Killing Fowls'. — Only turkeys and geese should be 
bled to death ; the flesh of chickens becomes dry and in- 
sipid from loss of blood. The best plain, says the Poul- 
try Journal, is to take a blunt stick, such as a child’s bat 
or wooden sword, and strike the bird a smart blow on the 
back of the neck, about the third joint from the head. 
Death follows in a moment. 
To Preserve Dead Game. — Take out the intestines 
and fill the inside with unground wheat, and place the 
fowl in a heap or cask of the same grain in such a man- 
ner as to insure its being completely covered. In this 
way fowls may be preserved perfectly sweet for months. 
The feathers should be removed. 
