Where climbing plants are protected by the trees into which they climb, the leaves of the trees receive the injury, and the climbing plants and their fruit are protected. Where plants and shrubs are near forest or orchard trees, they are similarly protected. Where, as in neglected vineyards, tall weeds are allowed to grow and overshadow the fruit of the vines, the grapes are protected in part, and the weeds receive the injury. Where, as in young vineyards the few bunches growing are near the bottom of the stake, and the new wood and leaves overhanging them are not tied up, but allowed to fall down and cover, surround and shelter the bunches, the leaves receive the shock of the lightning, and the grapes are protected. Where, in bad tying of the vines many of the bunches are crowded into the middle of the bush, and there covered and hidden from sight, and apparently almost smothered for want of air and light, these inside bunches escape the rot. Where grapevines are producing fruit on the tops of arbors, the bunches. of grapes hanging below, and the leaves shooting up above, the leaves receive the injury in great part, and the grapes comparatively escape.

Here let it be remarked, that though the grapes may have escaped the rot by means of the protecting influence of the leaves, yet if the leaves are in great part injured or destroyed, the grapes do not ripen, and are valueless for wine purposes. The rea-son why old vineyards are more liable to rot than young ones is, that the old ones are not so well protected by leaves and vigorous growth of new wood. For the same reason, the Catawba is more liable than the Isabella, and the Isabella more liable than the Concord, and all vines of small growth of wood more liable than those vines that grow abundantly into wood and leaves."

Besides the grape rot, he classes pear blight, mildew, the rot in peach, plum, etc, etc, as all attributable to the same cause, viz., mechanical injury from the heat of lightning. As a remedy or preventive, he suggests the introduction of copper-coated lightning-rods throughout the vineyards, and among fruit orchards.

We confess, at present, we are unbelievers in his theory; but if there is anything in it, certainly the preventive is easily adopted, and we trust experiments will be made. If Mr. Bennett will show us vineyards in which the preventive has proved a success for a series of years, we shall feel more confidence in the theory than we now do.