We are really surprised that the author of this work should claim this as original, or even new; for vine borders upon the same principle, if not in the exact form, were constructed more than one hundred years ago, as may be seen by consulting almost any work upon gardening of that time.

Clement Hoare, in his work on the cultivation of the grape, an edition of which was published by W. D. Ticknor, of Boston, in 1837, advocates this form of border, and his plan is so similar to that in the work under consideration, that we are induced to quote a few lines from each.

Bright, on page 55, says, " The inside border, at first, if true economy be consulted, should be made only two feet deep and three feet wide, resting upon a concrete bottom, with six inches of small rough stones or oyster-shell drainage above it," etc. Page 61 he further says, " That in addition to placing the grape border altogether inside the house, and detaching it from the front wall and from the soil, we have also lately divided the border into sections two feet wide by brick partitions, keeping every vine by itself," etc.

Hoare on the Grape, page 159: " Another general rule also remains now to be mentioned, which must not be departed from. All vines intended for early forcing should be planted inside of the vinery." Page 160, after giving directions for the excavation of the border, he continues: " Pave the whole area of the bottom with good hard bricks, well jointed together either with cement or well-prepared mortar,"

" Now, as a series of walls is to be run up parallel to the ends of the house for the flooring bricks to rest upon, the next step to be taken is to divide the area of the bottom into as many equal portions, or breadths, as shall be equal to the number of vines intended to be planted.

"The roots of each vine being thus kept separate, any vine can be taken up, and removed, if circumstances should at any time render it necessary, without disturbing the roots of the other vines." Thus it can be seen that the detached and divided border is far from being original with Mr. Bright.

Proper drainage is well known to be the first essential thing in making a vine border; and that the soil is certainly more congenial to the grape than a solid and impervious concrete, is evident. The injurious effects resulting from the roots of the vines going to too great a depth in the soil, which is urged by some vine-growers, is not so great an evil as would result from the impervious bottom. These impervious bottoms prevent not only the passing down of surplus moisture, but prevent the ascent of underground warmth.

These divided borders with impervious bottoms have been thoroughly tried in England, and in a few instances in this country, and we regret to say that in most instances they have failed to give satisfaction.

Mr. Marnock, of the Botanic Garden of Regent Park, England, says that he had made such borders, and upon examining several of them, that be very much doubted their practicability, as the moisture could not escape although the borders may slope very rapidly to the front drain.

The fine sediment that will descend to the bottom and fasten itself there, will form a thick puddle that will prevent the surplus moisture being carried away, and the roots that come in contact are consequently destroyed. In "Johnson's Gardener" vol. iii., p. 109, when speaking of the detached and divided border of Hoare, he says: "This is a failure; and it is a subject for regret that one who had written so ably and practically on wall-culture of the vine, should have reasoned so incorrectly, and launched forth such wild theories relative to the management of its roots." Thus it appears that this very border that is recommended by Bright and put forth as new, is an old feature in grape-culture, and one, too, that has been condemned by some of our best and most experienced gardeners.

The chapter on preparing the soil for vineyards I would heartily recommend, if he would only add a few inches more in depth to the soil.

It is not for the purpose of aiding the roots to penetrate deeply into the earth that we advocate trenching two or more feet deep, but it is to cause the surplus moisture to pass off quickly, and yet have it sufficiently spongelike to supply the wants of the roots.

This point has been fully investigated and proven, that deep tillage is indispensable in vine-culture. That the Ohio German, as well as all other systems practised in this country, is based upon the plan of deep rich borders, and deep trenching and heavy manuring, as Mr. Bright asserts, I think is incorrect.

That it has been advocated by a few authors, and in a very few instances put in practice, I do not deny, but if our observations have been correct, in a majority of cases the very opposite has been the case, and the very want of good culture has been the cause of the many failures.

We know of some vineyards near Cincinnati that were planted fifteen years ago upon soil that was plowed only fifteen inches deep, and they have succeeded very well. But they were planted upon hill-sides where the soil is naturally rich and deep, yet these vines show signs of failing when they should only be in their prime; and the men who planted them are now trenching their grounds two feet, and in some instances twice that depth for their new vineyards, having learned by personal experience what has been taught in the books of past ages; namely, that a deep, rich, and porous soil is the only soil where the vine flourishes.

Although wc have found in this treatise of Mr. Bright those things which, in justice to the horticultural public, we feel called upon to condemn and expose, we have also found that which, to the amateur, is of much value; and instead of condemning the work as a whole, we should be glad to see it widely disseminated. Because a work is faulty in some parts, it does not follow as a consequence that it is entirely without value. We do not suppose Mr. Bright wrote as he did intending to deceive the public. That he should have fallen on the same mode of culture as others before him is nothing singular, or more than occurs in every business or profession where knowledge is gained by experiment. That we do not agree with him is no fault of his; our examinations, investigations, and experiments have shown that to be worthless in practice which he judges correct in principle.

Mr. Bright deserves the thanks of the public for this book for the good there is in it, and because it will lead to an investigation of the positions stated.

(To be continued).