330 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
GRAPES UNDER GLASS. 
WILL THEY PAY 1 
The grapes which grow without protec¬ 
tion on all the hill sides of Southern Europe, 
can only be produced with us, in their per¬ 
fection, under glass. The difficulty seems to 
be, not so much in the temperature of our 
climate, as in its great and sudden changes. 
The atmosphere is clear and hot enough to 
mature even tropical fruits and vegetables in 
the summer. But there is something pecu¬ 
liar in the constitution of the European va¬ 
rieties of the grape, that they will not flour¬ 
ish in our climate. Mr. Longvvorth, after a 
life of experience with them, has discarded 
nearly every one, and now looks to grapes of 
American origin for successful cultivation 
in vineyards. 
The peculiarities of our climate have led 
to the cultivation of European grapes under 
glass. Vineries with heating apparatus were 
at first built, and this was thought to be es¬ 
sential to give them an early start, and to 
prolong the season sufficiently for them to 
ripen. But it was afterwards discovered 
that artificial heat was not necessary to ripen 
even the late maturing graperies, and the 
only advantage of heated varieties was to 
furnish grapes at seasons of the year that 
would otherwise be impracticable. By ju¬ 
dicious management, with both kinds of 
vineries, a succession is kept up throughout 
the year. 
These grapes are still articles of luxury, 
confined to the tables of gentlemen of wealth 
in the suburbs of our cities and villages, and 
to those in the city, who have long purses, 
andean procure them at the Broadway res¬ 
taurants at one to two dollars a pound. They 
are now an indispensible article on special 
occasions at the fashionable Hotels, at ex¬ 
travagant parties, and at wedding entertain¬ 
ments. The caterer for these occasions can 
not do up the brilliant thinginhis line, with¬ 
out Black Hamburgs, Muscats of Alexandria, 
and the magnificent Cannon Hall Muscats, 
which are so large that the uninitiated gen¬ 
erally suppose that Hall is a misprint for 
Ball, as the size of the grapes are sugges¬ 
tive of ammunition for cannon. So great is 
the demand for these grapes, that the culti¬ 
vation is constantly extending, notwithstand¬ 
ing the large outlay necessary for a vinery. 
Usage, to say nothing of table luxury and 
health, now demands of every gentleman of 
wealth, in the suburbs of our cities, that he 
should have a grape-house as a part of his 
establishment. 
Besides these, fruit growers are turning 
their attention more largely to vineries as 
a means of increasing their income. No de¬ 
partment of horticulture is making more 
rapid progress, and in none is information 
more eagerly sought. Cold vineries espec¬ 
ially are becoming common, and Black Ham¬ 
burgs, and the Muscats, are invading new 
neighborhoods every year. Hundreds with¬ 
in the limits of our circulation are debating 
the question of a vinery this fall, and are 
only waiting for the assurance that the in¬ 
vestment will pay, to commence operations. 
We recently met an amateur cultivator at 
one of our State fairs, who very kindly gave 
us some light upon this point. He showed 
upon the tables thirty-one varieties of grapes, 
most of them grown under glass. We were 
at his residence a few years since, when he 
was putting up his new vinery, and were 
glad to see so fine an exhibition of its pro¬ 
ducts. This building is a span, one hundred 
and fifty two feet long, and accommodates 
240 vines. The estimated yield of each vine, 
in a season, is twenty-five pounds of grapes, 
making as the whole product of the building, 
4,000 pounds. These would sell readily at 
seventy-five cents a pound, by the quantity, 
making the value of the fruit three thousand 
dollars. Of course a gentleman with a large 
family, and an admiring circle of friends, 
(whose admiration certainly would not di¬ 
minish with the grapes in the back ground), 
would not be able to dispose of the whole of 
his crop to ready purchasers. But with all 
the calls of family and friends, he had sold 
grapes this season to the value of fifteen 
hundred dollars. One who should go into 
the business for the profit would be certain 
of a product of three thousand dollars, with 
good management. 
The cost of building this grapery was thir¬ 
ty two hundred dollars, some four years 
since, when building materials were a little 
cheaper than now. The expense of taking 
care of the vines, he estimates at the price 
of labor for two hours each day during the 
season. Though a man of extensive busi¬ 
ness, he has actually attended to his vinery 
himself. But suspose we put the whole cost 
of labor, fertilizers, interest of money and de¬ 
preciation of property at five hundred dol¬ 
lars, it gives a clear profit of one thousand, 
saying nothing of the ton of grapes eaten and 
given away. If these were to be sold, it 
would give #2,500 as a return for an invest¬ 
ment of thirty two hundred. Of course this 
sum will not be returned the first year after 
the grapery is built. The vines should pro¬ 
duce nothing the first year they are set, and 
the second, but a few bunches as samples. 
But after that they will begin to be remuner¬ 
ative, and will pay a large profit. 
This gentleman gave it as his opinion, that 
no kind of fruit growing paid as well as 
grapes under glass- He cultivates to sell 
rather than to take premiums at the fairs, 
and thinks it better economy for the pro¬ 
ducer to cultivate a larger quantity of fruit, 
which will sell for seventy five cents a 
pound, rather than to restrict the bearing of 
the vines, for large bunches and large ber¬ 
ries, which will bring a dollar a pound or 
more. He informed us, that the demand 
was brisk for all he had to spare. Large 
quantities are marketed at the summer wa¬ 
tering places, like Newport and Saratoga, 
as well as in the cities. 
Gentlemen, who only care to supply their 
own families with this delicious fruit, of 
course will not need to build so large a 
vinery as this. A lean-to of half the length 
of this, and costing not more than four or 
five to fifteen hundred dollars will afford an 
abundant supply for eight months in the 
year. 
Those who wish to go in to the business 
to make money, will need a much larger cap¬ 
ital, and must either study the culture of the 
vine themselves, and give their personal at¬ 
tention to it, or employ a competent garden¬ 
er to make this his chief business. 
There is one very important advantage, 
which this crop has over many others. The 
cultivator has the complete control of the 
climate, and can regulate the heat and mois¬ 
ture to suit the wants of the plants. Insects 
are at his mercy, and a crop of fruit is al¬ 
most as certain as the season. The fruit can 
all the while be kept under lock and key, 
and no pilfering village boys can rob him of 
the fruits of his toil. 
There is another advantage in this kind 
of cultivation. It requires so much capital 
to carry it on, that competion is very much 
restricted, and the price of grapes is likely 
to be largely remunerative, for many years to 
come. There is never a glut in the market, 
and as long as the prosperity of the country 
continues, and fashion and luxury alike pre¬ 
scribe them at social entertainments, the de¬ 
mand must far exceed the supply. The 
price for good grapes grown under glass has 
seldom been, we believe, less than seventy 
five cents a pound, and the finer varieties, 
from forcing houses, in the spring, frequent¬ 
ly bring two dollars and a half a pound. 
There can be no question that grapes will 
pay, and pay largely, according to the skill 
and capital invested in their cultivation.— Ed. 
THE FLOWER GARDEN. 
The garden has now been nearly disrobed 
of the charms which so long made it attrac¬ 
tive, and its inmates are fast hieing to their 
Winter’s repose. The Chrysanthemum still 
lingers to shed its glory on its departing 
companions; and here and there may be 
seen a clump of Sweet Alyssum, or a solita¬ 
ry Phlox, or an Antirrhinum, which seem 
loth to depart; but soon these, also, will fol¬ 
low their companions who have gone before. 
Now look about, and see if something may 
not be done for the security of the plants, 
and to give the garden a somewhat tidy ap¬ 
pearance, even during the long Winter 
months. It is a practice with some to cover 
the flower beds with manure ; but this is of¬ 
fensive both to the eye and smell, and is not, 
as a general thing, at all essential to the pro¬ 
tection of the plants; moreover, it is a great 
waste. Manure should be dug under as soon 
as applied, and not allowed to “ waste its 
sweetness on the desert air.” We prefer a 
good covering of leaves to anything else, 
where protection is essential. If not already 
done, Dahlias, Gladioluses, Tigridias, Tu¬ 
beroses, Erythrinas, and all other tender 
roots and bulbs, should be lifted, and stowed 
away in the cellar, or some convenient part 
of the green-house. Pompone Chrysan¬ 
themums, Antirrhinums, and other half 
hardy plants, will need a little protection, if 
the beds are not covered. Cut off the dead 
wood from Herbaceous and other plants, 
clean off the walks and lawn, and gather up 
all the dead wood and litter, to be dried and 
burned, and the ashes spread on the beds 
I and borders. Make everything look as neat 
