Nothing is more desirable for the horticulturist and vine grower than to have some cheap and convenient arrangement for stretching and loosening the wires on trellises. M. Du Breuil describes and figures two in his works; but either of them requires a greater outlay than warrantable, and more time to manage them than can generally be spared. They are, besides, not easily obtainable. Saw stiffeners, sometimes recommended, are too expensive, the same is true in regard to hooks, about. six inches long, with a screw cut at the longer end, and a winged female screw to fit it. In order to use them, the posts must by perforated, by which process their strength is impaired.

Last winter I was present in a hardware store when a gross of tuning pins was sold It struck me at once that they were just what was wanted to fasten and stretch the wires of trellises as well as the strings of pianos. Those of the larger size were about two and a half inches long, nearly cylindrical, and a little thicker than a good goose-quill ; they have their upper ends flattened or squared to fit the tuning key; about half an inch below this flattened upper part each is perforated with a little round hole, and a very shallow, hardly perceptible thread is cut on the lower part.

I bought immediately a gross myself, together with a tuning key, in order to try whether they would answer for the trellis as well as for the piano. As the holes were too small for trellis wire, I made a little drill, to make them larger, on a lathe which is in my possession. Any locksmith will do that little work very cheaply. All that is needed besides is a gimlet or bit to bore the holes in the posts, but of considerably smaller diameter than the tuning pins, which must be driven into them with a hammer. They will then only yield to the tuning key; the stress of the wire will not loosen them at all.

They are not clumsy in their appearance, and are so easily managed that I think it my duty to call the attention of those interested in the matter to them. My friend the editor of the Horticulturist saw them last summer on my grounds, and was very much pleased with their working*