1851 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
113 
illlH 
A Cold Vinery* 
The accompanying engraving represents the vinery 
of Philip S. Van Rensselaer, Esq., at Clinton Point, 
near New Hamburgh, N. Y. We are informed by Mr. 
Downing, by whom the account of this vinery was first 
given in the Horticulturist , that it is one of the best 
models for structures of this kind, that he has ever seen. 
It is described as follows:— 
“ The engraving shows, a span-roofed house, 80 feet 
long, 18 feet wide, and 14 feet high. Mr. Van Rensse¬ 
laer has deviated from the usual .course, in placing it 
on a north-and-south, instead of an east-and-west line; 
and the result shows how wisely, for this climate, as the 
vines on both sides are equally exposed to the longest 
influence of the sun,—enjoying it from rising to setting ; 
while at the hottest time of day they are all far less 
likely to be injured by any excess of heat than vines on 
the sunny side of a house facing directly south.” 
u The house is built entirely of wood; and while it 
has an exceedingly light and pleasing effect, is at the 
same time very strong and durable. The view of the 
interior, given in the above engraving, (in which we 
have omitted a large portion of the vines, to exhibit the 
construction,) shows that the roof is supported by three 
rows of light posts, to which, in a very simple manner 
the effect of clustered columns is given. 
u The house rests on locust posts, which are as durable 
as a stone wall, while they, offer no impediment to the 
free passage of the roots of the vines through the border 
on the outside or inside of the house. 
u In the ventilation of this vinery, Mr. Van Rensse¬ 
laer has especially improved on other structures of the 
same kind, which we have seen elsewhere. The cur¬ 
rent of air follows the same course as usual in houses 
of this kind; that is, it enters at the openings in the low 
wooden wall below the sashes, (boards hung on hinges,) 
and escapes at the moveable sashes at the top of the 
roof; a mode which passes a stream of fresh air, enter¬ 
ing at one’s command, over the whole growth of the 
vines, from the floor to the topmost branch. 
“ This is a ‘ cold vinery;” that is, one in which no fire 
heat is employed,—a species of structure every dai 
coming into greater favor in this part of the country 
To grow the foreign grape in the highest perfection, it ii 
only necessary to have the temperature of the house a. 
that command which the full sunshine, and the admis 
sion or exclusion of the outer air, gives, without resort 
ing to fire heat; and so abundant and powerful is tto 
sunshine in this latitude that the Muscat of Alexandra 
which in many seasons requires fire heat to mature per 
fectly in Boston, ripens regularly and fully on the Hud 
son in a cold-house. 
‘ 1 The house contains a very complete collection of 
grapes, obtained from Mr. Buist, of Philadelphia, and 
we were glad to learn that every vine had proved cor¬ 
rect. Besides the standard varieties, we noticed Dea¬ 
con’s Superb— perhaps the most beautiful of all new 
white grapes,—the clusters very large, berries oval, and 
closely set. Reine de Nice, (not ripe when we saw it,) 
was also laden with large clusters of very handsome 
fruit. Xeres, another white grape, also attracted our 
attention by the size and beauty of its clusters; while 
some bunches of the Palestine grape, more than twc 
feet long, made us comprehend the biblical account of 
the grapes of the land of Canaan.” 
Planting out Elms. 
A Philadelphia correspondent of the Horticulturist, 
states, that in setting out a hundred elms from the forest, 
about 18 feet high, and as large as a man’s arm, he 
fully tested the advantage of heading bach. The tops 
were so handsome that he was reluctant to touch them, 
he accordingly left a part entire, and shortened back the 
remainder about one-third, to correspond with the ne¬ 
cessary shortening of the roots outside of the large 
balls. 
Few trees were lost; most of those with entire heads 
made little or no growth the first year, and many limbs 
died and had to be cut out. Of those cut back, all 
lived; and their leaves the first summer were three times 
as large as on the unpruned trees. They have outstrip¬ 
ped the others so much, as to have entirely regained 
the symmetry and beauty of their heads. 
