•®g|giS 
Hindi Ilninburuli of the Rhine. 
J. C. Neff sends me samples of a grape 
lie calls “Black Hamburgh of the Rhine," 
the fruit of which is black, about the size of 
Clinton, with a thick skin, a rich flesh, 
rather hard at center, two to three or four 
seeds, and not, as appears to me now, of any 
great value; yet Mr. Neff thinks other¬ 
wise, and gives a statement of having made 
from a half bushel of the grapes twenty-one 
less will make no material difference; only 
have it spread evenly, so that every plant 
will be fully and completely shaded. Mulch¬ 
ing should not be applied until the weather 
is cool and the ground begins to freeze; for 
if put on earlier the plants are likely to be 
injured by being too warm, and field mice 
will collect and make nests and burrows 
where they are not wanted. 
In localities where there is generally a 
some hints that may be useful at this season: 
I have encountered something in grape culture 
which is so novel and interesting to me, that I 
write it to you ns headquarters. Very probably 
it is old to you. If new, you will know how to 
make it useru) toothers, which, as an amateur 
grape culturiat, is my object in writing. 
Mr. E. D. Purdy of Pautucket, It. I., an enthu¬ 
siastic grape grower, in a small way, tells me 
that he dug up an old Isabella vine last Novem¬ 
ber, for the purpose of resetting and root-graft¬ 
ing it. As the roots were large, he cut thorn off 
within t wo feet of the vine. After setting and 
root-grafting, he observed the mass of roots 
which lie had cut off, and ns an experiment ho 
took nine pieces, varying from eight to eighteen 
inches in length, split the tipper end of each 
with his knife, inserted a graft, and tied it in 
with cotton string. lie then set. them in the 
ground, and covered them for the winter. Every 
one of those nine grafts have grown, making 
canes four feet long. 
This summer Mr. BSEDRsays an old scrap-book 
came into his hands, containing a printed slip, 
giving directions how “ to save a year’s growth 
in raising a grape vine. The process was to dig 
tip a wild grape vine, cut the root, into lengths, 
graft and set them, and the plants would he 
equal to two summers’ growth at the end of the 
first summer. 
This st rikes me ns so ready a way of extempor¬ 
izing grape vinos that, If generally successful, it 
ought to he widely adopted; especially ns the 
furnishing of wild or hardy roots to some of the 
tender rooted varieties, (such ns Rebecca,) might 
constitute almost an era In grape raising. Each 
wild vine also can be made, by tills process, to 
furnish roots for twenty, fifty, or a hundred new 
vines. The economy of this seems to me to 
make it. worth the attention of nurserymen, es¬ 
pecially in bringing rapidly forward new and 
choice varieties. Each bud would make a graft. 
—Wit. F. CilANNINO, Providence , li. 1. 
FRUITS RECEIVED, 
GRAFTING GRAPE VINES, 
BY F. K. ELLTOTT. 
Plain* from Wisconsin. 
G. N. Smith, Berlin, Wis., sends me 
samples of a plum under the name of “ Win¬ 
nebago ;” also, of the native wild plum. The 
Winnebago was so much Injured in the 
transportation that I could only make it 
out as nearly round, with a dull, yellow 
flesh, and, as it appeared, rather dry. The 
variety of wild plum was like thousands 
native to the Western States, and which in 
the earlier settlements supply an abundance 
of fine fruit; and although Mr. Smith writes 
that “ both of these are curculio proof” I 
must be permitted to say that 1 have no 
faith in any plum being curculio proof, but 
look upon the advance of civilization and 
the increased area of land yearly brought 
into cultivation of fruits tu> insuring an in¬ 
creased number of insects, and involving a 
consequent enforcement of the Great Giver’s 
law, that “ man must raise his bread by the 
sweat of his brow.” 
When Ohio was first spoken of as a new 
State, the fruit record was even superior in 
extent and magnificence to anything lately 
written of Kansas or California; hut for 
many years past fruit growing lias been 
there—except in isolated localit ies—as much 
a labor aud care, and the fruit as generally 
destroyed by frosts and insects, as recorded 
in any State. 
“Cheater Hecdling” GrnpcA, 
from Dr. A. P. Wyi.te, Chester, 8. C. I 
have a small box containing some few ber¬ 
ries of some varieties of his hybridized seed¬ 
ling grapes. Of these many fruit growers 
have hoard, under the name of “ Chester 
Seedlings,” and a pretty full account of them 
was published in the last volume of Trans¬ 
actions of the American Bornological So¬ 
ciety. 
For some three years I have observed the 
vines of some of these seedlings growing in 
my own section, and of one or more in the 
old grounds of CHARLES Downing ; and 
while I feel disposed to accord credit and 
enthusiasm to Dr. Wvi.ik’s labors, I can but, 
in justice to the public and to himself, write 
my doubts of bis having as yet any product 
of value to meet the climates and soils, Lite 
rough care and culture, of the majority of 
our present grape growing sections. 
To quote, as does our good old friend 
Lewis F. A i.t.f.n, “ it is not one swallow 
that makes a summer;” so, neither, is a test 
of one, two, or three years of a puny grape 
vine any positive reason for asserting tlmt the 
variety may not be a valuable one under 
other and more favorable circumstances; 
but so far, except in extremely favorable 
seasons for the grape at the North—as Lite 
present—all vines that partake in foliage and 
habit largely of the foreign blood are more 
subject (at the North) to diseases of mildew, 
etc., than those of our native species. 
Of the berries sent, me, the Clinton Hybrid, 
No. 9, is a berry of about the size of the old 
white Sweetwater, yellowish-green w’bite, 
and much resembles it. The Doctor states 
it to be a cross of Clinton as the female 
parent, and Muscat Hamburgh for male. 
The Clinton Hybrid, No. 3, is in all re¬ 
spects of berry—as now before me—of Iona. 
It is not as good as the Doctor exhibited of 
the same at Philadelphia al the time of the 
Pomological Society’s session. 
The Clinton Hybrid No. 6, has a good, 
well-formed hunch, slightly shouldered; 
the berries nearly or quite round, light green¬ 
ish yellow, very sweet and tender; and the 
leaf sent is somewhat of native character. 
The Doctor writes confidently of its prob¬ 
able value at the North. He gives its pa¬ 
rentage as the female, Clinton; male, Black 
Hamburgh. 
Of his Hybrid Delaware and Clinton No. 
1, the Doctor also writes enthusiastically 
and confidently, and is supported in his 
views by the editor of the Rural Carolinian, 
and also by Mr. II. W. Raven el, of Aiken, 
S. C. it is, ns received, about tlic size of a 
well-grown Delaware, the bunch less com¬ 
pact, and the color and bloom similar. In 
quality, it is sweeter and richer than the 
Delaware, with a thicker skin. The Doctor 
writes that, “ the berries are near double the 
The practice of propagating grape vines 
by grafting is constantly gaining in favor 
among our vineyardists. As a rule, the first 
vines of new sorts sent out are so small and 
ninimre for Vines. 
Will you inform me which of the follow 
ing fertilizers are the best, lor grape vines 
growing in a light sandy soil, twenty inches 
in depth ; a sub-soil for a few’ inches of grav¬ 
elly clay, aud below this to a great depth, 
clean gravel. Will well rotted barn-yard ma¬ 
nure, old hones, wood ashes, or thoroughly- 
decayed sawdust ? Any and all of these to he 
had for the trouble of loading up and draw¬ 
ing off.—W. II. Wilmot, Lawn Ridge , 111. 
We would prefer the well-rotted ham-yard 
manure. Old bones, unless broken up finely 
or dissolved, are not worth carting any great 
distance. We know of one vineyardist who 
applied several hundred loads of whole 
hones to a few acres of vineyard, but receiv¬ 
ing no benefit therefrom, dug up and sold 
them to the manufacturer of bone dust or 
flour. Wood ashes are always valuable, but 
should he applied to the surface of the soil 
after the vines arc planted. We have no 
faith in sawdust except as a mulch; and 
then, we fear that it does more harm than 
good, unless lime is occasionally applied to 
prevent acidity, and the growth of fungi. 
T’IIPC OBLONG SIBERIAN CRAB 
heavy fall of snow, mice often do great in¬ 
jury by feeding upon the roots and leaves of 
strawberry plants in winter. ' 
may he destroyed by using poisoned 
wheat, although this is not a very safe meth¬ 
od, where fowls are allowed to* run in the 
same field. Wheat, oat or rye straw, usual¬ 
ly attract mice, on account of the grain that 
it contains; and the same objection may be 
urged against corn stalks ; but coarse bog or 
low prairie hay, or leaves, contain little or 
nothing upon which mice will feed; hence 
the preference usually given to these ma¬ 
terials. 
pints of wine, while from the same quantity 
of Concord he obtained only twenty pints; 
and I he wine from the Hamburgh, lie says, 
is much the best—the must of it weighing 
one hundred and nine—while the Concord 
weighed only eighty-five. Ives’.Seedling 
made at same time, be says, only weighed 
eighty-six. 
New Strawberries. 
J. C. Neff sends us a few plants each of 
his two new Seedling strawberries, which 
we plant out, and hope to see fruit next 
spring. He names one “Valley,” and the 
other “ White Globe"—the latter of which 
he writes, “is a seedling of White Alpine 
and Golden Queen, crossed.” 
weak that it requires several years for them 
to come into bearing; and as purchasers are 
These pests usually impatient to get some return for 
1 corn or money invested, they must resort to other 
methods of hastening tlmt much-looked for 
period, besides nursing the little straw-like 
bantlings reared in a steam box from a mere 
atom of vine wood. 
There is, it is true, an occasional excep¬ 
tion to the general rule of sending out very 
small and weak vines of new varieties; but 
they are so rare as to be scarcely worth re¬ 
cording. Under such circumstances it is no 
wonder that those who nre anxious to test 
new sorts should seek some more rapid 
method of increasing growth; and grafting 
upon strong roots appears to be the best as 
yet discovered. A single lmd, with a small 
piece of wood attached, when inserted upon 
a strong stick will often make a growth ten 
to t wenty feet the first season, and bear quite 
a full crop the next. Such results can hardly 
be expected from a weak vine on its own 
roots; and in addition to the production of 
fruit, good strong wood for propagation is 
likewise procured. 
When large healthy vines of vigorous sorts 
can be obtained cheaply we would not advise 
grafting; for, as a general thing, the opera¬ 
tion is far more tedious and less certain than 
with apples, pears and many other species of 
woody plants. There are various methods 
of performing the operation as well as differ¬ 
ent opinions tts to the best time. Some pro¬ 
pagators prefer the autumn, just before the 
ground freezes, others early spring, while a 
third class wait until the leaves are partially 
or fully expanded late in spring. 
The different practices and opinions prove 
that the operation is neither difficult nor un¬ 
certain when properly performed. We have 
always had the best success in the fall, pro¬ 
tecting the grails from frost by covering with 
earth and a slight mulching over all to keep 
off an excess of water. The common methods 
POMOLOGICAL GOSSIP 
THE OBLONG SIBERIAN CRAB 
The varieties of the Siberian crab are 
becoming quite numerous, and its merits as 
a hardy fruit-bearing ornamental tree more 
generally recognized than heretofore. They 
are all among the most hardy of fruit 
trees, enduring the most rigorous climates. 
They grow rapidly, generally symmet¬ 
rical in form, have ample foliage, a pro¬ 
fusion of beautiful flowers and brilliantly- 
colored fruits. Either ns single specimens 
or in groups on the lawn, they are highly 
interesting and ornamental. One of the most 
attractive varieties among all those in culti¬ 
vation is the “ Oblong," imported some years 
ago from France by Eu. wangle & Barky, 
and it is now considerably disseminated. 
Size medium, averaging a trifle over an inch 
in diameter; form oval, oblong; stalk about 
an inch long, slender; calyx closed, project¬ 
ing; skin brilliant scarlet, crimson with a 
tldn bloom, and sprinkled with gray dots; 
tree vigorous in growth, with large leaves; 
season, latter end of September. 
We give, herewith, an illustralion, show¬ 
ing the fruit full size, with a branch reduced, 
showing its habit of growth. 
artrrncr 
A GARDENER TALKS 
SticccHN with “Gen. Grant” Tomnto. 
I am ft gardener on a small scale, and want 
to give a little of my experience during the 
past season. First, about tomatoes. I re¬ 
ceived from James VrcK a packet of seeds of 
the “ Gen. Grant” variety ; sowed them in a 
hot-bed; transplanted them to the open 
ground the latter part of May; when they 
were a foot high, I commenced tying them 
up to slakes six feet high, and after the first 
blossoms set, I cut off all laterals, leaving 
only the main stem to grow; then I applied 
liquid manure, which I obtained by setting 
up a leach composed of horse manure. Ju 
this way 1 got ripe tomatoes by the 24th day 
of July, and plenty of them, too. The vines 
were literally covered with beautiful, smooth 
tomatoes—the smoothest I have ever seen. 
The vines have continued to bear until now, 
the frost having killed them. 
Now About Otiiona. 
It may seem like a big story to you, but it 
is true, and I can bring proof if necessary. 
I raised on a piece of ground nineteen by 
twenty feet., (or 880 square feet.,) ten bushels 
of onions from tlic black seed. If any of the 
readers of the Rural New t -Yorker can 
beat that, I should like to bear from them. 
Perhaps you would like to know how I 
prepared the ground. I sowed the same 
piece last year, aud it did not pay for the 
seed; in fact the whole garden seemed to be 
run out, sour, and full of maggots and wire 
worms. So I thought 1 would try an ex¬ 
periment. 1 went to the grocery store, which 
is close by me, and told the storekeeper I 
wanted all the fish and pork brine and salt, 
that he had to spare. He let me have about 
three bushels of salt and two barrels of brine, 
and I put all on my garden, (there is less 
than a quarter of an acre of it,) idler I had 
gathered all my vegetables. Then last spring 
I plowed it and put on three ox-cart loads or 
well rotted hog and chip manure, as a top 
dressing; and such vegetables I never raised 
before. I shall try the experiment again 
some time. J- B. Whittick. 
Dutchess County, N. Y. 
PROTECTING STRAWBERRIES, 
In the Northern States winter protection 
to strawberry plants should always be given 
to insure a full crop of fruit, ll may not al¬ 
ways be positively necessary, but as no one 
can tell in advance what the winter will be 
—whether very coifl or mild—it. is best to be 
on the safe side, and this means give pro¬ 
tection to plants that arc likely to require it. 
Very little will answer the purpose, as wo 
do not expect or desire the exclusion of 
frost, but merely prevent the frequent and 
alternate freezing and thawing of the plants 
and soil in autumn and Spring. Shade is 
all that is required to accomplish'onr object, 
and a single layer of dark colored paper 
would answer every purpose, if it could be 
used as readily and cheaply as other ma¬ 
terials. 
The embryo fruit stems tire formed within 
the crowns of the plants in autumn, and the 
alternate freezing and thawing to which 
they are often subjected during cold weather, 
weakens, if it does not entirely destroy, vi¬ 
tality. There is, however, a great difference 
in varieties, some being more hardy titan 
others, requiring less protection; but we 
have never grown a sort that would not 
yield enough more fruit to pay for a light 
covering of coarse bay during winter. We 
usually apply hay, straw, or leaves to the 
depth of one or two inches; a little more o 
Section of Hedge of Crataegus 
ping each apple separately in tissue paper. 
The paper required for a barrel costs less 
than twenty-five cents. Several persons 
who are good judges have tested these 
apples, and are surprised at the perfection of 
the flavor.” 
This statement is calculated to mislead 
those not posted in keeping fruit. It should 
be understood Hint, after preparation as 
above noted, the apples should he kept in a 
dry cellar, where an even temperature can 
be maintained, which it is desirable to have 
remain at from 40' to 45', with the least 
possible change, and no unnecessary ex¬ 
posure of the fruit to air and light. These 
precautions at the temperature named, will 
insure the keeping of the fruit without 
wrapping in papers, if stowed in clean, 
light apple barrels. 
surrounding soil; tying in with baas hark, 
and using no grafting wax nor clay. In the 
spring the grafts are uncovered, the lmd only 
being left exposed. Good, strong and well 
ripened wood must always he used for cions 
else failure is sure to follow’. Large, strong 
vines are certainly better for stocks than 
small ones or pieces of roots; but the latter 
will answer, and with their aid a much 
stronger growth can be produced than with¬ 
out it. 
Among the many letters received which 
give the results of experiments in grafting 
vines we select the following as containing 
Asparagus Top* should be mowed close to the 
? round as soon as they turn yellow In autumn. 
f not abundant enough to burn, add straw, or 
leaves, nr similar material, set fire to them, and 
this will destroy ail insects and their larvffi which 
inny be OR or near the surface, and furnish 
ashes to enrich the soil. This should be done 
every fall. 
