TIVATOR. 
March. 
Notes About Grapes. 
HE Western Horticultural 
Review , loses none of its val¬ 
ue on its course through 
each successive year. The 
last number contains an 
interesting communication 
from Nicholas Longworth, 
the Nestor among American vine-growers, descri¬ 
bing a new hardy exotic grape, which appears in 
every respect to be perfectly adapted to our cli¬ 
mate. He says, “ For many years I cultivated 
foreign grapes exclusively, to ascertain if any of 
them would suit our climate. Importing thou¬ 
sands of roots from the extreme south to the 
snow-clad hills of France, where the vine region 
suddenly ends, all proved a failure; and for years 
I have been rabid with all vine-dressers, who ex¬ 
pressed a wish to cultivate the foreign grape. I 
am now compelled to cave in, and am gratified to 
do it.” This remarkable grape, he ascertained 
had been several years in cultivation in Delaware, 
Ohio—had been brought from New-Jersey—and 
had been sent from Italy about 60 years ago. The 
name is unknown. N. Longworth, however, 
adds, u I believe this is the most celebrated of the 
German wine-grapes, and called the Traminer. It 
also resembles the Red Rissling, but I am told that 
it promises to be of a darker color; the color may 
be darker here, as we have a warmer sun.” The 
vine is described as perfectly hardy, making a vast 
quantity of wood, which is small, short-jointed, 
and ripens to the utmost extremity of the shoot. 
It never mildews except in unfavorable positions. 
It is a profuse bearer, and ripens two weeks be¬ 
fore the Isabella. Its color is clear red, bunches 
very small, berries round, uniform in size, and 
compact in the bunch—sweet, juicy, thin skin¬ 
ned, having very little pulp, and preferred in fla¬ 
vor to any American varieties. 
Such a variety as this will be eagerly sought ; 
and if its qualities hold out with successive years, 
it will prove eminently valuable. 
N. Longworth states that he has about a hun¬ 
dred sorts of native grapes under trial, a few only 
of which will prove valuable. He regards the 
Charter Oak as an inferior Fox grape. He also 
finds that seedling Catawbas often have a disposi¬ 
tion to go back to the parent Fox. 
New Seedling Grape.-—C. M. Hovey states 
in his Magazine of Horticulture, that a new seed¬ 
ling grape has been produced from a native vine, 
fully equal to the Isabella, and ripening at least 
one month earlier than that variety. He received 
specimens of the fruit as early as the middle of 
September, which were the very last of the crop. 
The berries were round, black, and covered with 
a dense bloom; bunches as large as those of the 
Isabella; skin thin; flesh tender, with scarcely 
any pulp , 1 1 exceedingly sweet and delicious.” The 
vine is hardy, vigorous and productive. The name 
of the originator is not given, as it would, if 
known, subject him to a flood of orders. The 
vine will probably be secured in the hands of a 
few, and in due time be offered to the public, who 
will of course make some allowance for the charms 
which novelty throws around every new horticul¬ 
tural production. Should this prove nearly so 
valuable as is hoped, and the same result be veri¬ 
fied of Dr. Valk ? s new seedling, and Longworth’s 
newly discovered hardy foreigner, we shall soon 
have quite an addition to our list of valuable 
varieties. 
Clinton Grape.- —This variety, although not 
of the highest quality on - the score of flavor, ap¬ 
pears to lose nothing in reputation, as it becomes 
widely knovra and cultivated. It is well spoken 
of by C.‘M. Hovey, who has fruited it at Boston, 
whose vines the past season were ‘ ‘ loaded down 
with a prodigious crop.” Its merits were also 
thoroughly examined before the late Ohio Pomo- 
logical Convention. It was recommended for cul¬ 
tivation “ for hardiness of vine, freedom from 
mildew, early maturity , productiveness, and value 
as a table grape—its qualities for wine being yet 
unknow’n.” 
A Profitable Vine. —The Western Horticul¬ 
tural Review says that A. M. Clark, of Dayton, 
has gathered from a single grape vine, (we should 
like to know the variety, but presume it is the 
Catawba,) besides those used by the family, the 
past season, fifty dollars worth of grapes, at three 
dollars per bushel—that is, over sixteen bushels. 
We are told that it is well trained, well trimmed, 
and well cultivated. 
Plans of Flower Gardens. 
In the planning and arrangement of flower gar¬ 
dens, and in selecting and disposing of the plants 
in such a manner as to form the finest and most 
briliantcombinations, maybe found an interesting 
employment, by such of our readers as delight in 
the culture of flowers. This arrangement, it is very 
evident, cannot be made when the plants are in full 
bloom , for the garden must be laid out before it can 
be prepared for the reception of the plants or flower 
seeds, which may be deliberately accomplished 
during the leisure of winter; andthe combination 
of colors, a most important requisite to effect, de¬ 
termined by artificial trial on paper, so that all 
will be ready as soon as the active season of spring 
commences. 
There are two distinct modes of laying out 
flower gardens, each to be adopted according to 
circumstances. The first, where the most is to be 
made of a limited piece of ground, occupies the 
whole surface with flower-beds, with the excep¬ 
tion of narrow gravel-walks edged with box. The 
second makes the most of a limited quantity of 
labor; and consists in keeping most of the surface 
covered with a smooth closely shaven carpet of 
green turf, in which, at proper intervals, flower¬ 
beds are cut. The great advantage of this mode, 
is the facility with which the grassy surface, which 
constitutes from two-thirds to nine-tenths of the 
whole, may be gone over once a week with the 
scythe, not requiring more than a tenth of the la¬ 
bor to keep cultivated beds in a neat condition. 
Flower gardens of the first mentioned sort, are 
usually laid out in geometrical figures; one of the 
best plans which we have seen, was lately published 
