Your note on "Lima Beans Without Poles," in the February number of the Monthly, has induced me to make a few remarks on the various uses to which wire may be applied for gardening purposes, as a support to plants. Also to give my own experience in the matter.

Wire in its various kinds and multifarious uses, seems to have become not only a local, but a national blessing; and it seems might be much more generally utilized for gardening purposes. It might be more used for flowering vines and ornamental work, as well as for grape vines.

I have grown Lima beans on upright threads between two horizontal wires for several years, and found it a very good plan, and can recommend it where poles are scarce; not only in gardening, but for field culture also. Eight or nine inches apart between the threads is better than eighteen, and about six feet high to the top wire is enough.

By topping the vines at the upper wire they will bear to the ground, and under ordinary circumstances yield a most abundant crop. One vine to each thread is enough. We cannot have too many Lima beans. They are an excellent vegetable, will keep the year round, and may be had green in their pods all winter, by picking off while yet a little green, and spread thinly on a loft or attic, or laid on shelves; this retains their summer flavor.

I believe hops can be grown the same way advantageously by raising the top wire about three feet more than for beans, or about nine feet high. They should also be topped when the vine reaches the upper wire.

Peas grow well on two or three wires stretched along the rows, fastened at intervals to short stakes; and even one wire is preferable to letting them lie on the ground, and will greatly increase and improve the crop.

Tomatoes are also very much improved by some support of this kind, and in fact wire should be more generally utilized for gardening purposes.

For the benefit of the readers of the Monthly, I have visited the great wire establishment of Cooper, Hewitt & Co., Trenton, N. J., to learn the prices of the different sizes and grades of wire adapted to these purposes; and by the courtesy of one of the firm, Mr. W. Hewitt, was shown over that vast establishment. I saw many of the numerous processes of wire making; drawing and reducing down to the size of a hair; one pound weight of which is capable of extending over a distance of more than two miles. I learned also from that gentleman, that two wires wrapped together, instead of one, are better for every kind of trellis work where a strain is required, as the expansion and contraction from heat and cold, by this means affects only the wrapping and not the metal; thus preventing breakage by contraction; and these two twisted wires may be had for little more than the price of one single piece, which is a double advantage. I also found these gentlemen have invented and for sale, cheap wire trellises for peas, tomatoes, etc, as well as for other kinds of ornamental fencing, each sort having four or five double wires twisted around laths and stakes, and which can be made and formed to suit any purpose; and the former can be bought for about 2½ to 3 cents the running foot, which is very cheap, and they look neat and tidy.

Can be rolled up and stowed away in winter, and will last many years.

What they call double wire cable No. 14 costs about seven cents a pound and will stretch about twenty-nine feet, so that a person may calculate beforehand what it will cost to wire his crop for field or garden.

By getting galvanized wire it will last a long time and save the trouble of painting. Indeed, galvanized wire is the only kind to use for garden purposes.

Now suppose we calculate the cost of an acre of Lima beans, for the sake of comparison: A square acre is about 69½ yards on each side, and with poles placed 3x4½ feet apart will take 3,226; and good cedar poles will cost at least 3 cents each, which amounts to $96.78. Now two double wires stretched over the same distance 4½ feet apart would take 661 lbs., and at 7 cents (the highest figure) would cost $46.27. Or, suppose we do not plant so close and place the poles 4x4 feet apart, this would take 2,723, and at the same price, 3 cents, amount to $81.69. Two double wires placed 5 feet apart would take 589 lbs., and at 7 cents cost $41.23.

Posts, staples and thread will cost something, but I consider the extra labor of putting down and taking up the poles offsets that cost, and I think the wire bears the most for the whole line is covered.

Accordingly, wire costs about one-half, or, as in the first calculation, a little less than half the price of poles, even supposing they could be procured easily and purchased cheaply.

Chambersburg, Trenton, N. J.

[Our readers will we are sure unite with us in giving thanks to Mr. Bennett for this excellent practical as well as suggestive communication. There is no doubt but wire might be used with excellent economy in many cases now seldom thought of. In field culture there will yet be one item in favor of poles for hops and beans, wherever they can be easily obtained, namely, the ease with which a horse can work the hoe and harrow both ways; but this may be obviated by having horizontal wires at the regular pole distances, and strings from the wires to the ground when poles are scarce. - Ed. G. M].