1 
V.r3: \rv] ?gf 
8 *r J i. o 
W) WfW /I 
Jgj^ U jr;\; R 
a; 
aWS) 
ms$n 
I 
growing American vines to the space thus 
given them, j r et for many years, the distance 
was not increased to more than six feet. 
Latterly, this distance lias been enlarged by 
putting the vines eight feet asunder either 
way, and the general belief has obtained 
that this is the extreme distance which 
should be adopted in vineyards. 
With the adoption of the wire trellis low 
training has been usually followed ; and it, 
is rare that one finds the upper wire more 
than four and a-half feet above the ground. 
Then, where any systematic pruning lias 
been pursued, it has been done either by cut¬ 
ting back the ripened wood to spurs, or by 
leaving two or three canes for the pro¬ 
duction of the shoots which were to bear 
the next season's crop. Others, with little 
or no regard to system, have cut. away the 
wood just ns it happened; and in either case 
the result lias been an exuberant growth of 
green shoots, sometimes overloaded with 
fruit, and at other times showing scarce 
any, and with vine and foliage massed into 
such a small space that sunlight, and air 
could reach but a small portion of the leaves 
that were to elaborate the sap by which the 
ripening process was to he effected. To re¬ 
lieve the vine of this superincumbent mass 
the grape grower has been accustomed to go 
ihrougli his vineyard with shears, and even 
sickle, and slash off large quantities of shoots 
and leaves, and let. nature proceed with her 
processes as best she might. 
Of European vineyards I know nothing, 
except what. I have, learned from extensive 
reading. Hence I am not prepared to say 
that the foreign vine will not bear such 
treatment,; and yet the system appears to 
me to be unnatural and vicious. But it is a 
fact to lie, considered that, near twenty years 
since the vineyards of the continent were at¬ 
tacked with the outturn —a fungus growth on 
shoot and leaf and berry, which for many 
years threatened the ruin of the vine grow¬ 
ing interest. And, further, it is well known 
that, in late years, around Cincinnati, where 
the first, extensive vineyards of the Catawba 
were planted, by the late Mr. Lonowortii, 
and were treated in accordance with the 
European methods, the grape rot. made its 
appearance, and gradually the disease has 
extended to nearly every vineyard of that 
variety in every part of the country, until 
dm Catawba has become an unpopular, in 
place of the most, popular, grape to plant for 
profit. Whether the. close planting, low 
training, short pruning and summer pruning 
have any relation to the oklhnn, or the grape 
rot, 1 am not prepared to say ; but certainly 
the diseases have become coextensive with 
that system of culture in the countries where 
they exist. 
In planting’ and training American vine¬ 
yards, our people have never seemed to study 
the nature of the American vine. We have 
sought to make each field of vines a copy of 
the one after which it was modeled, and, as 
far as could lie, to make each vine as near 
like its neighbor tvs was humanly possible. 
While the grape vine, in a state of nature, 
will ascend to the highest tree and thence 
spread over its top, we have endeavored to 
restrict its growth to a superficial space of 
a few feet, and to keep it there as long as 
the vim- should live. After years, perhaps, 
of successful fruiting, vineyards thus treated 
have not unfi'eqnently become barren, and 
have seemingly spent their energies in pro¬ 
ducing a rank growth of wood. And this 
false system of culture has been closely fol¬ 
lowed, in the face of a different practice (fit- 
served in reference to cultivating our other 
fruits. Practical horticulturists do not. crowd 
their apple trees into a small space, and with 
roots year by year extending, lop off limit 
and branch and shoot with the purpose of 
keeping the tree to the size it had attained 
when it bore its first thrifty crop of fruit. 
The grape vine, no less than the apple tree, 
has an unuttered aspiration for growth and 
expansion ; and though it matures in growth 
more rapidly, none so well as the vine itself 
knows when it has reached its normal pro¬ 
portions on the trellis. In arbor training-, 
vines are often allowed to extend over 
twenty-live feet in length and to ascend from 
ten to fifteen feet until the shoots interlock 
tlioseof a vine growing up on the other side; 
and often hundreds of pounds of delicious 
grapes are taken from a single vine thus 
treated. With this fact apparent, in thou 
sands of gardens, vineyard proprietors try t o 
stunt the growth of their vines by close 
planting and severe pruning, and for no rea¬ 
son, except that sucli a method is pursued 
in Europe with grape vines which cannot he 
cultivated in this country at all. 
But the American vine rebels against such 
treatment, and in spite of laceration, and 
excision, and “ pinching back,” it will grow ; 
ami, reasoning in the wrong direction, it 
lias come to be a maxim that certain varieties 
of the most exuberant growth, like the 
Clinton, Catawba, Isabella, and Diana should 
he planted in a lean, poor soil, to insure their 
success in fruiting. There is a phase of 
truth in. this statement,—that is, if the plan of 
dwarfing the growth of the vine is to l>e pur¬ 
sued,—for I have never seen those varieties 
kept within conventional hounds except they 
ifc_ 
were planted on the leanest clay or the most 
sterile, stony land. But suppose we were to 
reason differently? Assume that the vine 
itself has some rights that the vine dresser is 
bound to respect, and that among these is 
the right to grow and not to be dwarfed? 
Suppose that on any soil, when the vine 
seems impatient, of restraint we let it ex¬ 
tend on the trellis? does it not seem much 
more rational to allow it to do so than to 
keep the number of shoots limited by severe 
pruning, and they, in the effort, of the vine to 
restore tiic equilibrium, to grow so long as to 
hang over the top of the I rellis and even lie on 
the ground uncontrolled and almost uncon¬ 
trollable? The fact is that a rich soil pro¬ 
duces a luxuriant growth of any member ot 
the vegetable kingdom to which it is adapted, 
and hence the folly of planting all vineyards 
boundary line—as, indeed, I find nearly every 
cemetery lot of ten acres or more to lie. On 
the right, of the entrance, one hundred feet 
or so from the gateway, rises an eminence ot 
some ten feet or more, and covering, say hall 
to t hree-fourlhs of an acre. A t, the immediat e 
left of the entrance, the ground is somewhat 
below the grade of that, on the right, and 
half way back from front to rear, on the 
main central avenue, the ground is only one 
foot above that. at. the immediate left above 
noted; and the natural depression of the land 
is, or was, from this main avenue toward the 
left hand ns you enter. About one hundred 
and fifty feet from the rear, and a mound or 
rising ground similar to that in the front, was 
found, but. its upper plateau surface was not 
as great, and its sides were more bold and 
broken. 
AMERICAN INST. FARMERS’ CLUB. 
alike unt il we shall have but one soil and one 
variety of grape.—[To be continued. 
From JtIown.nl SpriuiCH, Tcnii. 
As yet but little lias been done in grape 
growing here, yet sufficient lias been done 
to demonstrate the fact that this is the home 
of the grape, 'flic Concord, Catawba, Del¬ 
aware, Diana, Tona, &c., have been fruited, 
and are at this time ripe and perfectly 
healthy; no rot, no mildew. Yet it lias 
rained almost every day for the last six 
weeks and been very hot, averaging, t hrough 
the heat, of the day, 80 to 86°. The Con¬ 
cord has the most healthy bloom on that I 
ever saw on the grape anywhere. No grape 
except the Isabella lias shown the least 
sign of disease. About all of the leading 
varieties are being tested here. 11 is believed 
that, ere long this vast table land will he the 
great vineyard of America. 1 find that one 
vineyard of Concords and Catawbas, planted 
t wo years, that, have never been pruned at, 
all, have this year produced as much and as 
good fruit as other vineyards whose vines 
have been pruned each year — both of the 
same age and on the same kind of land, 
sandy loam, with clay subsoil. Now, if we 
can get as much and as good fruit without 
pruning, why prune V Let the wise ones an 
swer.—A. J. Spencer, August 29 th, 1870. 
fentrscape ffiprbfnmg. 
A COUNTRY CEMETERY. 
RY F. R. ELLIOTT. 
Seeing in the Rural New-Yorker, An 
gust 20, an inquiry respecting how to im¬ 
prove a cemetery lot, and noting your sensi¬ 
ble remarks thereupon, it bus occurred tome 
that possibly a reduced transfer sketch of one 
from my portfolio of plans, made and exe¬ 
cuted in the way of small cemeteries for 
country towns, might lie acceptable, and 
possibly profitable, by inducing a change in 
the arrangement of Slicll grounds, 1 heir plant¬ 
ing, Ac.; for I feel sure that if once the trus¬ 
tees in charge of such a cemetery were to see 
the effect produced by working qnt such 
a design, they would not fail to adopt it 
The plan I send you is of an irregular 
OUTLINE. 
By examination of the plan, it will he 
seen that the. main avenues or roadways, 
although in the main designed to be about, 
twenty feet wide, are irregular in width, at 
times reaching forty feel, where there is a 
iability of carriages meeting, or at tlie junc¬ 
tion of one road-way into another, and that 
the lot lines for graves, etc., to he owned by 
individuals arc drawn at right angles and 
point bearings, so that accurate description 
of each can be recorded in the deed—refer¬ 
ence being only had to the number of t he 
block A, B or C. 
Next, the lot lines in no case reach the 
border of the roadway, so that there will lie 
ever a belt, on which, should any careless 
one happen to drive n. wheel, it could not 
injure the feelings of any particular indi¬ 
vidual. The trees and shrubs tlmt bound 
the whole grounds, make the groups, and 
furnish shade and scenery, are shown by 
the dot tings; and aside from these, it. is de¬ 
signed that all the balance, all the grave 
lots, etc., shall be in a smooth, green turf, 
with only here and there a little cluster ot 
summer llowcrs; or perhaps a vine of ivy 
or a plant of the low-trailing Jmiipcr rqmix. 
Head atones and foot stones, as well as rail¬ 
ings, hedges, or lot boundary barriers are 
abandoned, and the record of each grave is 
cut upon the face of a stone sunk to a level 
with the turf, or a monument, of architec¬ 
tural form and design is to he placed in the 
center of a lot, with each grave radiating 
from it. 
The result of arranging cemetery grounds 
after this plain, simple, manner, making all, 
as it were, a park or garden, with no lines 
or boundary separating one man’s lot from 
that of his neighbor, has been found satis¬ 
factory, giving pleasure to tbe people once it 
is seen completed, and thought acts upon 
thought; the old time boundaries and rail¬ 
ings, the records on tombstones, etc., are. 
seen to be only the following ot a long-time 
practice and to give to no one a reputation 
of any endurance or regard, beyond that of 
relatives. 
Should this plan he thought of service, my 
portfolio has more of tlnrsame sort, but fitted 
to other forms of ground, as well as to varied 
scenery, and with more elaborate workings, 
to meet the funds of trustees in charge as 
well as the more refined or artistic tastes <fi 
a town or city. 
-44 * 
Inquiry.— Will some one give me a plan l'or 
laying oiit a small lawn to the best advantage- 
plat hi by 65 feet.—c. 
Notes of Discussions. Extracts from Lot- 
t.i-rs, *fcc. 
Curing Sowed Corn. — CAM1SRON McVean, 
Seottsville, N. Y., writes: “l take a common 
grain cradle,and out oil’ eighteen or twenty-four 
inches of the scythe in proper shape, and the lin¬ 
gers to match, and cradle the corn as I would 
wheat, 1 ouvo it in the swathe t ill well wilted,and 
then bind tn small bundles and shook, leaving It 
till well seasoned; t hen put away in lofts or top 
of other stalk stacks, and it will keep in good 
order." 
The Cope May, >. J,, Country.- Mr. Lyman 
said:—You may remember, Mr. Chalrmun, that 
we havo had several letters referring to the bland 
climate and the excellent, soil of Capo 
May Co. I had the pleasure last, week 
of visiting that, part of the Htato and 
noting its agricultural attractions. It 
Isa tongue of land nearly one hundred 
miles smith of New York, «iul having 
great bodies of comparatively warm sea 
water on all sides tail one. Tile winters 
are so mild that ice over an Inch thick 
is seldom seen. I’otutoestnay be planted 
in December, and (he plow can run 
every month. The hard land Is only 
about (1 vo miles wide, und is flunked on 
cneh side by sea meadows, sea marshes, 
and lagoons, or sounds that are from 
three to live miles wide. These sounds 
abound In llsli, oysters, Hams, mussels, 
and t he king-crabs of which a valuable 
fertilizer is made. T uevorsnw land that 
could so easily be brought up and made 
of the highest fertility. The natural 
soil is a light yellow Hay to natural 
growth oak mixed with gravel, and Inn¬ 
ing sandy streaks or helm where pine 
grows, and in the lower lands there is 
great store of black ntnelc. 'l’lio timber 
is cedar, not surpassed In lasting finali¬ 
ties, and in quantity anflictent for fene- 
ing: the mine exposed limbers fur build¬ 
ings, and shingles. What impressed me 
was the case with which those situations 
cun lie made as fert ile us any farms in 
New Jersey or any State. Most, of the 
tracts extend from the ridge in the cen¬ 
ter ol‘ the tongue to the mar- lies, giving 
throe or four grades of land the dry 
clays and smut* of the ridge, the stronger 
soils Just above Mm tide line, and the 
Hack and blue muck of the marshes. 
I!y drawing litis muck—the weed tossed 
up by the titles and the rough grasses 
that grow on hinds wet, by tho tides to 
their barn-yards, these farmers can 
make four times us much manure as 
they would if they took no such pains, 
and this compost would he jus! hr good 
asd toppings alone. Millions and millions 
of king-crabs come up every spring on 
the west side of the peninsula to lay 
their eggs. From five t<> six hundred 
tons of n very rank manure is made by 
crushing llie«o animals in a course mill. 
This caucrine lias from twedve to Ilf teen 
per cent, of ammonia, and is a very 
quick and stimulating fertilizer; In it. ! 
was surprised that pet n Ion of the six 
hundred tons made is used by tho term¬ 
ers nearest Mu: water and the mill. Fifty dol¬ 
lars, and in many eases less, per aero will buy 
one of those admirably situated farms, and half 
of them are In market, fertile Inhabitants are u 
sen faring people, nml think farming never pays. 
Poultry Droppings for Fertilizers. I, N. Nitt- 
tku. East Bridgewater, Mass., writes the Club ; - 
“My nxpi’i-ietieii in endeavoring to utilize tho 
droppings made in mV poultry house has boon 
so saMSfhCtory that I give an account of the 
method adopted I’m- tho bonotll of the Club, mid 
those who, like myself, read tho proceedings 
with interest.. In my visits toplBCe-i where fowls 
are kept. I tmve uot.ioed how great a loss is in 
ourred by the carelessness 0 f many in regard to 
tlie droppings of the fowls, while at roost. Poul¬ 
try when routined, I judge, pass two-thirds of 
the Mine upon the roost, and by a little care and 
trouble a. great, deal of valuable compost can be 
made even from a flock of a dozen fowls. Two 
years ago 1 made In my hennery a platform two 
feet wide under the entire roost, putting up 
boards at. t lie sides and ends one und a half foot 
high, thus making, as It wore, a large trough. I 
then covered tho bottom with dry earth two or 
three Inches deep, und occasionally with it hoe nr 
spade mixed up tho earth wirli tho dung accu¬ 
mulated, continuing to add fresh uurth amt n 
small quantity of plaster every two or three 
weeks. The result has been that each spring I 
have hud a number of wheel-barrow loads of ex¬ 
cellent-compost, equal if not superior to guano, 
by tho use of which I have been enabled to pro¬ 
duce in my garden u good crop of fine, melons, 
squashes, sweet corn, and tomatoes; in fact, tin: 
host vegetables In my garden grew where T used 
this compost. All hough the season lias been un¬ 
usually dry, t last week gat hered eight good 
sized watermelons from five hills ot the " I'liiti. 
noy " variety, the largest.two weighing nineteen 
and a hair and seveteen and a half pounds re 
spectively. None of ray neighbors who used barn 
yard manure had any ns large. In the autumn 
I have a quantity of dry earth placed in a. cor¬ 
ner of flu: hennery, near Hie roost, and from this 
pile I find it hut little trouble to throw what is 
needed under the roost.” 
Prof. Whitney said : This is a good way to 
save and apply the refuse of tho hen-voosf, but 
the com post cannot bo equal to guano. Ordina¬ 
ry hen manure alone may bo consider*-'! equal 
to Peruvian guano, and its comparative value 
will of coarse diminish in proportion to tho per¬ 
centage of ear Mi mixed with It- The great ad¬ 
vantage of composting Is to dilute tho concen¬ 
trated fertilizer, so That it will not burn tho 
plants, und so that it may bo more thinly and 
uniformly applied. 
Apple Trees Bursting their Bark.—A. 15. Van 
Namur, Do VY'lttville, N. Y., 1ms several apple 
frees, the bark of which is split, from tho surface 
of the ground up eight or tnoro inches. Upon 
examination he found tho burls loose nearly or 
quite around the trunk, und now many of the 
trees are dying. “ Will the club please gi vo t he 
call so and cure, and oblige a friend and well- 
wisher?" Mr. Fuller of tho Bubal New- 
Yorker replied: —The bursting of the bark of 
thrifiy young apple trees in winter is a very 
common occurrence in the Western States. The 
richer the soil and more vigorous tho trees, the 
greater liability to injury. It is nor the degree 
of cold to which trees are subjected that causes 
the bark to burst, but it depends entirely upon 
Mietr condition nr power of resisting it; lienee 
wo And as many trees injured In a mild winter 
ns in ascvereenc. Trees Mist mnkea late growth 
in autumn appear more liable to be affected 
than those which ripen their wood early. Wo 
may not always bo able to prevent the bursting 
of the hark, but after it ha# happened a large 
portion of Mie trees may bo saved if a Mended to 
in time. Tn early spring, just as soon ns the bark 
ts found to ha ve burst, put a. bandage of some 
strong material about the stein, and press tho 
bark into its original position; but. before doing 
tills, apply grafting wax or clay to Ma* open 
wounds, so Lliat when pressed together all air 
will be excluded; Now bark will usually bo 
formed during summer on the inside of the old 
and a permanent union affected with the wood. 
Tho bandages may bn removed in midsummer, 
or as soon its a union lias taken place. We havo 
ourselves saved many trees in this way, and 
there is lit Mo danger of losing a Ire*! with tmrst- 
ed bark If It is taken euro of at the proper time. 
Derailment Waterl'lpes. —0. IT. Guam vm,S ehn- 
nevus, N. Y., asks: "Wlmf Is tho brat material 
for piping, and what would bo tho cost per foot 
or rod? Is there not a glazed northern tile, 
which would be bcllor and cheaper Mum lead?” 
Mr. Quinn says:—Glazed earthen will peel and 
emek after n while. Lead should by nil means 
bo discouraged. When water stands on load, tho 
carbonate of lead is produced, which is a slow 
poison. Prof. Whitnby said : If our correspon¬ 
dent. wants a durable pipe, ho should take iron, 
wliioti is most lasting of any, and never injures 
the water. There is no advantage in has dig gal¬ 
vanized Iron pipe. In fuel, for some mouths a 
galvanized iron pipe is us bad ns lead.nr worse. 
There Is a cement pipe which does very well 
whoro tho tell is moderate, but he .-peaks of 100 
feet fall in COO rods, with valleys Intervening. I 
think they are shut up to iron, If fliey want a 
good pipe. 
Brook Trout In New York Market. N. S. T.UT, 
Adams, N. Y., asks how much per pound trout 
are worth in Now York, and how much they 
will sell for two weeks lioneo. Dr. Cliowi i.i, 
says trout caught in this nelghlkivhood und put 
on tho market almost before they are dead, 
bring .$1.50 per pound, while Canada caught 
trout sell at.30 and 40 conts. It makes a great 
difference In tho flavor, and therefore in the 
value of front to epicure*, whether they havo 
boon caught blit u lew hours or a few days. 
They rapidly deteriorate in quality, and are pro¬ 
portionately less valuable. 
Ashes of Tail Bark n* n Fertilizer. - Tn answer 
to an inquiry concerning Ike value of the ashes 
of tan bark, Mr. Lyman saidThis question 
was earoriilly looked into a few years ago in 
Germany. I presume crnr correspondent, refers 
to oak tun hark. If ho does, ho cun lie sure that 
its nsli is as good, if not considerably better than 
the ashes of oak wood. Tho ash is about onc- 
twentlnth of tho dry bark In bulk; that is, a cart 
load of twenty bushels bark will burn a bushel 
of ashes, and of that bushel, seveniy-livo pet- 
rent., or throe peeks. Is potash, lint oak wood 
gives WHiBiderahlo carbonate of Innc in ilsash, 
wlilla the bark yields very little. As potash, how¬ 
ever, is much tho more valuable substance, I 
would advise him, by all means, to burn his ten 
bark, mid In using It, to mix lime with It. 
Broom GOTO S«**;tl for Cattle.— IT. C. TOOSB 
Hagerstown, Md., risks what would broom corn 
seed bo worth for grinding and feeding cattle, 
with corn at. 00 cents, oats 48 cents, and rye 
so cents per bushel. Mr. Kkalhj said:—“Un¬ 
questionably, the boat way to dispose of broom 
corn seed is to feed it. to fowls. Tho next best 
mode is to give it, to sheep; they are fond of it, 
and fatten Upon It. nearly as fast, as on Indian 
corn. Ground with corn, rye, oats, or barley, 11,^ 
is profusely fed to cat tle, and when mixed with 
wheat, bran it is good for milch cows. The Sha¬ 
kers frequently feed it to horses, amt at the sea¬ 
son of the year when this grain is notonly abun¬ 
dant but at band, they uso it exclusively. My 
judgment is that with corn at 90 cents, oats 48 
cents, and rye 80 cents* lor grinding uml feeding 
to cattle, broom corn seed is worth between 50 
and 00 eents a bushel, although it. would be more 
valuable to dispose of in some other way." 
A Hen-Tight Hedge Wanted, — J. C. CORN, 
Cameron, writes:—"I want to grow an ever¬ 
green hedge around my house which shall bo or¬ 
namental, and at the same time so tight and com¬ 
pact, as not to allow even a chicken to pass 
through, and not to exceed three and a-half or 
four feet In higld. Can it bo done? and what 
shall I planl, and when?" Mr, Oavanaoii re¬ 
plied " I am afraid this gentleman will never 
ne hedge-happy, lie wants too much. Arbor 
vine, hemlock, anti Norway spruce make good 
hedges, but I should say scarcely chicken-tight. 
Privet is a nice plant for tho purpose, but loses 
Us foliage in winter.” 
Refining Sorghum Sirup by the Clough Fro. 
<!«•«».—J. W AON UR, Farmington, lown, writes tho 
Club“ Sonic three years ago I bought of tho 
Clough Refining Company a farm right to use 
their process for making sorgho sirup, for which 
they charged mo $50, and also bought of them 
$5 worth uf their silicate and barytu. I prepared 
my evaporator, heater, settling tanks, &o., ex¬ 
actly as they directed, and then bought $80 
worth more of the silicate and baryta, deter¬ 
mined to give it a fair trial. I tried carefully, 
pat ient ly and exactly each of the three methods 
that they sent me, and tried It on at least twenty 
different lots of cane. I also tried each lot of 
cane with lime only, and in not a single case was 
there a particle of difference In tho same cane 
whoro I used tlie silicate, baryta and lime, or 
where t used the lime only, either In the coagu¬ 
lation, or setting, or the finished sirup. I again 
tried It last season on different lots of Cane, but 
with tho same result as before. Now, I claim 
Unit, nfior two years careful trial of the Clough 
process, I ought to, nud do. know something 
about it ; and r also know that the silicate of 
soda and the sulphate of baryta (and that is all 
there is In the process of Clough's discovery) is 
a humbug; that they do not do a partielo of 
good In anyway. I also know that the use of 
limn sufficient to neutralize the acid in tho eano 
Juice, and bringing it to a boil or scald, and then 
lett ing it. settle before evaporating, makes a far 
better lasted and clearer sirup, but that the 
limn will color it somewhat. Rut* for persons to 
take this method, although it is a good one, and 
mix with it some worthless stuff or operation, 
and get it, or a part of it, covered by u patent, 
and sell It over the country at enormous prices, 
is a swindle, and should bo stopped." 
