certain extent in our country; but a new mode of chemical process, and knowledge of facts connected with scientific inquiries may revive them with more purity, and render them a lucrative article of commercial exports. Such observations would more properly include the indigo plant; likewise the madder plant (Rùbia tinctòrium); the Turkish poppy, (Papàver somniferum); saffron plant, (Cròcus sativus); olive tree, (O`lea europæ`a); tea plant, (Thèa viridis); coffee plant, (Cóffea arábica); sago plant, (Cycas revoluta); black pepper, (Piper nigrum); nutmeg, (Myrística officinalis); Mahogany tree, (Swietènia Mahagoni); the banana and plantain, (Mùsa paradisiaca, and M. sapiéntum); papaw tree (Cárica papàya); Mammee tree, (Mámmea americàna); date palm, cocoa-nut tree; likewise the Teak-tree (Tectòna grándis) which could be introduced and rendered valuable. The sugar cane (Arúndo saccharífera) is gradually improving in the amount of saccharine matter contained in its annual cuttings, and, since its introduction and cultivation in the southern portion of our country, its joints have become more extensively filled with the saccharine juice, and it will not be long before it will yield equal to that cultivated in the West India islands, constitutionally adapting itself to regions farther north. I am, dear sir, respectfully yours, AUGUSTUS Mitchell.

Portland, Maine, June, 1847.

Our thanks are again due to General Dearborn for the communication of Dr. Mitchell's paper. The subject is one of deep interest to our agriculturists, and the suggestions of Dr. Mitchell, that the plants of the opposite zones can be cultivated with success in the southern portion of the country, are undoubtedly correct. It only wants some zealous cultivators to feel an interest in the matter to make a full trial of the kinds he names. The lamented Dr. Perrine, who labored so long in this great object, had just begun to see some of the fruits of his many years devotion to it, when the Florida war commenced its long continuation delayed and frustrated his plans, and he finally fell a victim to the ferocity of the savages, who then spread over that part of the territory. Now that there is every opportunity open to prosecute the work, we hope Dr. Mitchell may find friends who will assist him in carrying out his suggestions.-Ed.

ART. II. A Way to keep a Record of the Place of every Tree in an Orchard,-with or without Labels. By M. W. PHILIPS, Edwards, Miss.

I QUOTE the first part of the above sentence from page 156, as used in the heading of an article on this subject, and 1 might state an advertisement, offering a farm for sale.

I herewith give you my plan, and, thinking it so simple, I would not have thought of telling any one how, but for the article alluded to.

My peach orchards I designate as "Griffiths" or "S. W. orchard,"-" Downing's," or "East orchard," and "The orchard." The first contains 25 rows, of 16 trees each; the second, 28 rows, of 16 trees each; the third not complete.

I begin at a farm road leading south, and number the first orchard as row No. 1 West, No. 2 E., No. 1 W., &c: trees in each row, Nos. 1, 2, 3, &c., going north to south—all of which rows are laid off with a compass.

I have a book in which I keep registered the names of trees, with all the necessary information; an example I give from my East orchard.

No. Variety.

1.

EAST. Row No. 1.

Bloom.

Leaf.

Color. Ripens. Quality.

Snow. Small, White. Reniform g. (Fruit not ripened here yet.) I am examining every tree I get, as to bloom and leaf, without regarding any description from books: I note it: after I have thus a history of all my fruit trees, I will erase every name that does not come up to description; and if a fruit is worthy of a name, that comes to me under a wrong one, and I find it differs, I will name it, for future examination. My apple orchard contains 575 trees, and rather too large for plotting. My pear orchard now numbers 165; and I have some 1200 peach trees. I could not strike out any simpler plan than mine. My peach book is more extended than any other, because the peach is our own fruit, and I am desirous of paying the closest attention to it. My pear book will note color of wood; any peculiarities in leaf; growth, shape, size, color, ripening, and quality, of fruit, if for table or dessert. But it will be years before my pears will tell.

If the 80 or 90 trees add so much to the value of Mr. H.'s farm, how shall I cipher up the worth of mine? I have not told you any thing of my plums, cherries, figs, quinces, walnuts, peccans, &c., &c. I can only say, in the way of slipping in an advertisement, that, if any one will give me his price per acre, I will throw in some 5000 buds and grafts of all sorts of fruit, together with a few Berkshires, grade Durhams and Devons, Saxons and Southdowns, Bantams, Bremen, Polands, with horses and mules, to help along, and my corn fodder and tools thrown in.

As to labels, I think I mentioned, some time since, that I had tried cedar and zinc. I have now a little more experience with them. I split the cedar about one eighth of an inch thick, three to four inches long, and about two wide. I put them into my pocket; and, whilst at leisure in the field attending to my hands, or in the shade, I smooth them with my pocket knife, and cut them into some fanciful form. I then write, with a lead pencil, the name, No. of row, and No. of tree in the row: with a sharp-pointed implement I scratch this in, then follow with my pencil. I have some of these over one year old, and the wood has blackened so much, by stain of trees, &c., that the name is not intelligible; others, that I gave a coating to of linseed oil, and then one of copal varnish, are as clean, bright, and neat, as the day they were placed on the tree.

My zinc labels, with the preparation your correspondent gave me, are rusty already, except where I gave a coating of varnish these are bright and plain; and so are the labels that "were written on with a lead pencil; and to this period of time, I would as lief have the lead pencil, as both do best with the varnish, and the lead better than the preparation—if no varnish be used.

I have now 1000 zinc plates, and a lot of copper wire, cut for the purpose of labelling my trees, and only wait for the idle time of summer. I wish to learn the name of every tree I have, and can only do so by having the name and the tree in my mind at the same time: and, the labor being my own, it is my loss.

May 10, 1847.

ART. III. On the Cultivation and Treatment of the Grape Vine in the Greenhouse or Conservatory, with a Diary of the Progress of the Vines, Temperature, &c. By the EDITOR.

FROM the first publication of our Magazine, we have devoted many pages to the cultivation of the grape vine under glass, and a great number of articles will be found in our several volumes by various correspondents, both amateur and professional cultivators. The management of the vine in pots was fully detailed by ourselves in our first volume, (p. 37), in the Greenhouse and Grapery, in some able papers in the same volume, by Mr. Russell, (pp. 48, 94, &c.), in the Grapery, by Mr. O. Johnson, (VIII. p. 201), and in the Cold-house, in a very valuable article, (XII. p. 384), by Mr. Russell. We now have to add our own experience on its treatment in the Greenhouse exclusively, where a valuable collection of plants is cultivated; and, at a future time, we hope also to give an article on its management in the early vinery, which will make our Magazine a complete treatise on the growth of this delicious fruit.

Our information on the cultivation of the vine has been, in a great degree, gathered from the experience of English Cultivators, and, without making any allowance for variation of latitude, climate, &c., we have followed them so strictly that an impression has been formed that the grape could not be grown in the greenhouse without great injury to the plants; or, in other words, that either the vines or the plants must suffer, whichever the cultivator may deem of the least importance. Now in the cool, cloudy, and rainy climate of England, where every gleam of sunshine, especially in winter, is necessary to the health and vigor of both plants and fruits when grown under glass, it is important that there should be no obstruction to its free penetration to every part of the house; but, under our burning sun, where, often for weeks in succession, there is scarcely a cloud to obstruct its rays, it is absolutely necessary to the well being of most kinds of plants that there should be some shade. If this is not to be obtained by vines on the rafters, it must be had by whitening the under surface of the glass, or by fitting up curtains,

which may be rolled up and unrolled as occasion may require. It is thus apparent to all, that, however so much English practice may disclaim against the growth of the grape in the greenhouse in that climate, in this country it may be successfully cultivated without injury to the plants.

Our collection consists of a great quantity of plants, and particularly of choice assortments of the camellia, azalea, rose, heath, pimelea, cactus, &c. &c., and, for the camellia, we have, in addition to the shade of the vines, had to whiten a portion of the glass. These plants have all been cultivated in the highest condition, and are vigorous, healthy, and not the least injured by the grape vines. By the time the vines require a high temperature to swell the fruit, the plants should all be removed from the house, but their places may be immediately filled with those which are suited to a greater heat, and the greenhouse still keep up its cheerful and brilliant appearance, as we have already shown in our last number (p. 263). At the time we now write, (June), the berries of the grapes are as large as bullets, and the conservatory one blaze of flowers, and the temperature 90° at noon.

Our conservatory is upwards of eighty-four feet long, twentytwo wide, ten feet high at the sides, with a span roof, and sashes on all sides from the sill to the plate. The inside arrangements are two central walks, one the whole length, and the other from the street front to the lawn front; another walk leads all round the house next the glass, thus leaving two spaces which are constructed with stages, and two which are level with the walks, on which the large specimen camellias and other plants are placed. With this description, we shall return to the growth of the vines:

THE BORDER.

When the conservatory was erected in 1841, the growth of vines was not contemplated for the reasons we have just alluded to. But, in 1842, as we were desirous of proving some new kinds, and the correctness of others, of whose names we were in some doubt, we commenced the formation of the border, intending to plant the vines another year, not with the expectation that we should raise any grapes worth the