182 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
Horticultural IJqrartmnti 
To Horticulturists. — Our weekly issue of 
so large a journal, gives us ample room to devote 
to the different departments of cultivation, and 
we have commenced with this volume, to allot a 
separate space to Horticulture. We have secured 
additional efficient aid in its conduction, and we 
invite horticulturists generally, to send in their 
contributions on all subjects interesting and in¬ 
structive to those engaged in similar pursuits 
with themselves. We are receiving the leading 
foreign and domestic horticultural journals, and 
shall be abundantly able to bring promptly be¬ 
fore our readers all that transpires, which may 
be new and useful. 
- ♦© o - 
Cayuga County (N. Y.) Horticultural 
Snow.—We learn by a circular received, that 
extensive preparations are making for holding 
this show at Auburn, between the loth and 30th 
of June—the precise day is not named. We 
see that the committee of arrangements consist 
of sixteen Ladies, and two Gentlemen—for chair¬ 
man and secretary we suppose. Dr. Adahi 
Clark estimated that in any good enterprise, 
one womam was worth seven and a half men. 
The Auburn Show then must be successful. 
Our best compliments to the committee of ar¬ 
rangements. We will be present at that show 
if toe tan. 
— ■—* * * - 
For the American Agriculturist. 
THE PIE PLANT. 
Your remarks in regard to the cultivation 
and value of this plant are entirely correct; but 
the leaf stalks when gathered for use should not 
be cut, but pulled off from the socket, by which 
means they are gathered with great facility 
without injury to the plant. - 
Hew-Rochelle, May 18, 1854. 
In our article on the above subject, we used 
the word “cut,” because this is the general 
manner of speaking among gardeners; but we 
invariably pull ours as recommended by our 
correspondent. We are glad, however, that he 
has called attention to the subject, as others not 
so well acquainted with the cultivation of this 
delicious vegetable, might, in consequence of our 
not using the proper word, have cut instead of 
pulled, their leaf stalks. 
—-—- 
For the American Agriculturist. 
A NEW IDEA. 
At a late meeting of the Farmer’s Club of the 
town of Bradford, it was 
Resolved, That owing to the awakened inte¬ 
rest on the subject of horticulture, and the want 
of all correct practical knowledge pertaining 
thereto, a committee of three be appointed to 
engage one or more practical gardeners and 
horticulturists, to whom employment should be 
guaranteed by the Club for the whole season, 
to locate in the neighborhood so that their ser¬ 
vices and instructions may be available by any 
of the members on certain specified and reason¬ 
able terms. 
The idea strikes me as being a good one, if 
the Club has spirit enough to thoroughly carry 
it out for a few years. The influence of an ex¬ 
perienced and thoroughly competent horticul¬ 
turist thus employed, could not fail to confer a 
great benefit in improving the tastes of the 
neighborhood, as well as the general appearance 
of our farm residences. It is not the means nor 
the desire that is so much wanting, as correct 
plans to start with, and instructions in carrying 
them out. I feel quite sure that a competent 
horticulturist could find and propose many 
plans of improvements adapted to the various 
wants, situations, and circumstances of the dif¬ 
ferent members of the Club, that if followed out, 
either in part or entirely, would greatly enhance 
the value of their estates. 0. Green. 
We commend the spirit shown by the Bed¬ 
ford Farmer’s Club, and we hope their plan will 
be successful, and serve as an example to others. 
- ♦ e •- 
THE GRAPE—THE VINEYARD. 
Tiie following article is taken from the 
Horticultural Review and Botanical Magazine , 
published monthly at Cincinnati, Ohio. 
The natural region of the grape-vine of our 
country, in its several species and varieties, is 
very extended ; we find the wild vines growing 
as far north as lat. 45°, and extending into 
Texas on the south. The Hill grapes and 
Chicken grapes, vitis cesti. valis, abound upon 
the gravelly ridges of the Middle States; while 
the Fox grape is found in flat lands and near 
water-courses, in many parts of the same geo¬ 
graphical range, and extending into New-Eng- 
land, which has latterly become almost as fa¬ 
mous for the Charter grape , which is of this 
class, as one of the cities of Connecticut is for 
the Charter oak, whose cavity, now 7 secured 
with padlock and iron door, was once the de¬ 
pository of invaluable documents. The varie¬ 
ties of the Fox grape, Vitis labrusca, prevail 
over a wide extent of territory, covering the 
central portion of the Union, from the lakes on 
the north, to the Tennessee river on the south. 
In this same region, wherever the river bot¬ 
toms and adjacent hills are composed of a rich 
soil, we find, very generally distributed, a lux¬ 
uriant vine, sometimes of enormous size, on our 
western streams, where inay be seen stems one 
foot in diameter, swinging, suspended from the 
tops of forest trees one hundred feet high. 
This is the variety known as the River grape or 
Forest grape, Vitis riparia; the fruit is very 
small and too tart and austere for the table, but 
its presence has, by most authors, been assumed 
a good indication of a favorable location for a 
Vineyard—this assumption, however, although 
supported by the authority of Michaux, him¬ 
self, has not always proved to be a safe guide. 
The elements for the production of an im¬ 
mense growth of wood are certainly present in 
these soils; but, as their appropriations to the 
culture of superior varieties of the vine have 
not always been attended with success, it may 
be inferred that the conditions requisite for the 
productions of choice fruit have not existed. 
Still it must be confessed that the natural growth 
of wild grapes may be taken as an index of 
considerable value, due reference being had 
to the exposure and elevation of the spot se¬ 
lected. 
In a range south of the region just alluded to, 
beside the varieties of the species already men¬ 
tioned, we find a new class of vines presenting 
themselves. In North Carolina, the source of 
the celebrated Catawba, and where perhaps 
several of the better sorts of the Fox grape, or 
those nearly allied to it grow, the Scuppernongs 
and Muscadines, also make their appearance, 
and constitute the chief representatives of this 
genus in that range of latitude, and extend to 
the Gulf of Mexico. In Arkansas, which is 
very fruitful in climbers, the grapes abound in 
almost all situations—the Muscadine varieties 
being most common on the sandy soils, and the 
better kinds on the rolling swells south and 
east of the range of Masserne Mountains; 
among the latter, several have been discovered 
which bear a strong resemblance to the Cataw- 
ba. In Texas new varieties are discovered, 
some of which may have great merit, but noth¬ 
ing very superior has yet been brought into 
notice. 
Looking abroad, we find that the soils of the 
Grape countries of the world are equally various. 
In these, however, one striking feature may be 
observed, quite different from the natural con¬ 
ditions of our land; there the original produc¬ 
tion of grapes w r as limited, and embraced a very 
few 7 sorts, while the distinct species and varie¬ 
ties in this country, as described by some bo¬ 
tanists, are exceedingly enormous. The great 
number of varieties cultivated in Europe are 
either those that have been introduced from 
other lands, or produced from seed—new indi¬ 
viduals, but not true natives. In Spain, the 
soils are described as being flinty, and fre¬ 
quently volcanic or granitic. In France we find 
an equal diversity in the character of the land 
planted with grapes; but generally speaking, 
that which is rich and level, is not valued so 
highly for producing wines of high character, 
although the quantity is sometimes enormous. 
There w r e find gravelly, chalky, clayey, rocky 
and sandy soils, levels, and ridges, and steep 
terraced hill-sides, all in turn appropriated to 
the culture of the lucious grape and flowing 
wine. In Italy, the limestone of the Sub-Apen¬ 
nines as well as the Scoria hills, and the lava 
rocks of ancient volcanos, and the gravelly de¬ 
tritus of the Alpine streams, all yield their sur¬ 
face to the culture of this crop. In the islands 
of Madeira, the clefts of the volcanic mountains 
filled w r ith the decayed materials which in cen¬ 
turies have smouldered from their craggy sides, 
furnish a refuge which has hitherto been conge¬ 
nial to the roots of some of the most delicate 
varieties of grapes, now suffering under the 
maladie , after they have obtained a wide cele¬ 
brity in their products. In the northern parts 
of France, and in Germany, the banks of the 
Rhine and the adjacent regions, with their Mus- 
selkalk rocks, have been quarried out and built 
up in terraces to support the fruitful vine, 
wdiich here approaches its northern limit; but 
which submits to severer rigors and a stiffer 
soil in the damp climate of Hungary, where the 
snow often interferes with the vintage. 
The reader must not hence infer that any 
soil, and any situation will answer for the cul¬ 
ture of the grape, although it appears, from this 
hasty glance, that the cultivation is extended 
over many kinds of rocks, with their peculiar 
soil. One axiom may be advanced—the min¬ 
eral constituents of every plant, must pre-exist 
in the earth that has produced it; hence, the 
soils which contain a good share of the elements 
of any plant, and in a proper state of disinteg¬ 
ration, will, cceteris paribus , be found to be the 
best adapted to the production of that plant; 
now the analysis of the Grape-vine and of its 
fruit, demonstrates the existence of a large pro¬ 
portion of potash —granitic and volcanic soils 
furnish this material, and may be assumed as 
the most favorable for the vine—this assump¬ 
tion is supported by observation. But in the 
preparation of the surface of the earth, immense 
attrition, denudation and transport of the differ¬ 
ent rocks have occurred, resulting in a happy 
variety of several ingredients, more or less 
thoroughly mixed in most soils. In this portion 
of our ow r n country, we do not find a very large 
proportion of this very valuable and important 
ingredient; hence, the dpriori conclusion res¬ 
pecting the culture of the grape, would have 
been adverse to its introduction ; but we find a 
sufficiency of the necessary potassa to furnish 
luxuriant growth and well-ripened fruit, and we 
have intelligence enough to add successive sup¬ 
plies, as a special manure, when we shall find a 
deficiency indicated by failing crops—this ap¬ 
plication has already been made to some vine¬ 
yards with happy results, as will be shown in a 
future number. 
Soil and Position. —Some diversity of opin¬ 
ion exists among those who plant the vine, as 
to the most favorable exposure—each has his 
peculiar notions, often founded upon precon¬ 
ceived views brought from a distant country, 
not similarly situated and with a different cli¬ 
matic constitution from our own, or drawn from 
the dogmas and experience's of writers and 
planters in other lands. From these various j 
