VINES. (FOR THE "DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS.")

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXIII, Issue 3192, 9 October 1867, Page 3

VINES. (FOR THE "DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS.")

Gbapes may be raised on vines of one season's growth, from cuttings, in the following way :—: — Select shoots of some strong, wooded sort, such as the Royal Muscadine or Sweetwater. The cuttings ihould be of last season's wood, near to older wood, and may be cut in lengths of fire or six eyes. Make a free split at the butt end, and insert a pebble or peg of wood to keep it open. The soil to plant in should be of a free nature, well drained, naturally or otherwise; shelly ground is eligible for vines, for the lime of the shells, and the obstructions they present to the young roots, cause them to branch out into a multitude of fibrous feeders, on which fruitfulness depends. But in planting cuttings in shelly or other dry ground, throw a spit of clay into each hole, or, what is better, a spit of turf from a salt marsh, if easily obtained. The holes may be about six feet apart, in lines lying north to south —the direction in which the vines are to be afterwards trained. About five feet of space is left between the lines. Plant the cuttings in a slanting direction, using a dibble to open the clay, and leaving only one eye above ground. One cane alone is | allowed to grow from each vine; and is trained to a stake planted in an upright position for the convenience of dressing, and to expose the wood of the plant to the ripening power of the sun. As the growth advances, rub off all lateral spurs as soon as they appear, and pinch off the top of the tender shoots as every second or third joint is formed. The sap is thus checked, and the wood hfis several days to swell before the terminal eye is large enough to push out; and this process may be safely performed on vines growing in dry soil without danger of the buds or eyes already formed bursting out, for vines have a tendency to push out first at a terminal bud. The pruning need not be attended to in the latter part of the season when the vigour of the «ap is declining. "When the vine has shed its leaves, cut down to a standard about two feet from the ground, and pare off all the lower eyes, leaving two or four at the top for bearing, according to the strength of the shoot, which should be strong enough to stand erect, and withal short-jointed. Vines treated in this manner have borne large bunches of grapes from every eye of four, and two bunches from some of the eyes. The vines may now be trained on rods tied from stake to stake, and the same systen of pruning or pinching be followed after the first joint beyond the bunch has been formed. At each successive winter pruning, all new wood should be cut back to about four eyes. The bearing power of the vine is not increased by leaving long shoots of the previous season's growth, for, as above observed, there is a disposition to push out first at the extremities, and thus many of the lower . eyes will not burst at all; and the vine will afterwards appear to be top-heavy, with long spaces of barren wood.

HAEICOT BEAN. This pulse, which is sometimes called the American bean, deierves general cultivation from its large profits and quick returns. It will grow on poor soil ; requires very little care ; and is very prolific. Great quantities of these beans are raised in the United States, where they command a good price even when maize is at a low figure. The practice is to stick in a bean wherever a corn of maize has missed. It is a standard article of food on board American vessels, and is largely consumed in the States ; being soaked in water during a night, and then baked with a few strips of pork or bacon on them. They may also be used as a green vegetable after the manner of kidney beans. They may be planted in rows, the beans a foot apart in every direction, and require no rods, being of the dwarf species. Planted early in September, the plants will be seen in January, when a second crop may be put into the same ground. The produce of one seed numbered 670 shelled beam, and, allowing sir to each pod, 111 pods. A seed was taken from this plant and put under ground immediately; this yielded a good return, and so ripe as to fall »ut of the husks. There are several varieties of white beans, but the subject of this i» a plump, oval seed about the size of a Champion pea. — I am, &0., . D. Gtobdon. Mongonui.