The other morning, in conversation with a gentleman upon the subject of the cultivation of the grape, the readiness with which fine crops might be obtained and the pleasure to be derived to the cultivator, he made the following remark :

"I can not grow the grape. I have a fine spot of ground, a very fine garden, with a large surface of brick wall facing a southern aspect. I have tried and tried in vain, and can not get any grapes. What is the reason?"

Yes, what is the reason?

As many other persons may be desirous of knowing how one or two good, strong, healthy vines may be made to bear even luxuriantly, in a small garden plot, or beside a brick wall, and occupy at the same time but little space, the following practical suggestions may be of some service.

In the first place, you have a small plot of ground; if flanked by a brick wall of a southern aspect, so much the better.

The next question is, what kind of vines shall I plant in order to secure a good crop of grapes? (provided I can grow any.) I wish for good eating grapes.

From the following vines, a selection may be made, that would in most cases, give good satisfaction, viz.: The Catawba, Isabella, Concord, Creveling, Diana, Rebecca, and Union Village. The above are all good grapes, and will undoubtedly always hold a high rank among the reliable out-door grapes.

Having made your selection from the above named vines, upon the manner of planting the same, your future success mainly depends.

I have found from carefully noted experiments, that the grape vine should never be planted in wet soil. It requires good drainage. In planting a grape vine, with the expectation of having it grow and bear fruit, the ground should first be drained of all its surplus water, and most thoroughly trenched, to the depth of three feet, not less than two feet and one half at the least. The trench should be for the border, from four to six feet or more wide, according to the space of the ground. Having thus prepared the trench, fill it with oyster shells, bone dust, wood ashes, lime, broken bones, etc., two-thirds full, and over this place six inches of good garden mould. Upon this mould set out your grape, placing the roots at an equal distance apart, carefully spreading the rootlets upon the mould, and carefully covering up the same with a preparation of mould made from equal parts of garden soil and scrapings taken from the road.

When the trench is nearly filled, a shallow basin or hollow may be left of two or three inches depth to receive the rains, and waterings if necessary. If the vines can be trained on a trellis, or "lean to" against the brick wall, so much the better will be the prospect of getting earlier grapes.

Yet under almost any circumstances, one can with ordinary care raise good grapes. Good grapes may be grown upon a small lot, six feet distant from each other, and trained upon stakes six or seven feet high. They should be treated in the same manner as the above, and placed in such position as to receive as much of the sun's rays as is possible.

Having thus answered the question so often asked by so many persons, "How can I raise grapes in my garden?" and told them of our own experience, we having informed them how to plant the vine, when they have grown them, ready for pruning, we will tell them how we prune and train our own; and of the success we meet with from our own experiments and efforts.

[Olapod's grape border has the merit at least of being peculiar, if not original. Thirty inches of bone dust, bones, lime, wood ashes, etc., and only six inches of soil! It is not very much like the border we should recommend for the same purpose ; and how a grape vine is to grow in it we can not imagine. Besides, its cost will frighten most people out of the idea of growing a vine, admitting a vine will grow in it. We are inclined to believe Olapod has got a little confused here. Quite as strange as the composition of the border, is the omission of the Delaware grape. We think it might have found a place among so many. - ED.]