A case of this kind, which has recently come under our notice, is too striking an il-rnstratkm not to be worth mentioning here. In one of our large cities south of New-York, where the soil and climate are particularly fine for fruit-growing - where the most delicious peaches, pears, and apricots grow almost as easily as the apple at the north, it was confidently stated to us by several amateurs, that the foreign grape could not be cultivated in vineries there - " several had tried it and failed." We were, of course, as incredulous as if we had been told that the peach would not ripen in Persia, or the fig in Spain. But our incredulity was answered by a promise to show us the next day, that the thing had been well tried.

We were accordingly shown: and the exhibition, as we suspected, amounted to this. The vineries were in all cases placed and treated, in that bright, powerful sunshine, just as they would have been placed and treated in Britain - that is, facing due south, and generally under the shelter of a warm bank. Besides this, not half provision enough was made, either for ventilation or water. The result was perfectly natural. The vines were burned up by excess of light and heat, and starved for want of air and water. We pointed out how the same money, (no small amount, for one of the ranges was 200 feet long,) applied in building a span-roofed house, on a perfectly open exposure, and running on a north and souths instead of an east and west line, and treated by a person who would open his eyes to the met, that he was no longer gardening in the old, but the new world - would have given tons of grapes, where only pounds had been obtained.

The same thing is seen on a smaller scale, in almost every fruit garden that is laid out. Tender fruit trees are planted on the south side of fences or walls, for sun, when they ought always to be put on the north, for shade; and foliage is constantly thinned out, to let the sun in to the fruit, when it ought to be encouraged to grow thicker, to protect it from the solar rays.*

But, in fact, the whole routine of practice in American and British horticulture, is, and must be essentially different. We give to Boston, Salem, and the eastern cities, the credit of bearing off the palm of horticultural skill; and we must not conceal the met, that the superiority of the fruits and flowers there, in a climate more unfavorable than that of the middle states, has been owing, not to the superiority of the foreign gardeners which they employ - but to the greater knowledge and interest in horticulture taken there by die proprietors of gardens, themselves. There is really a native school of horticulture about Boston, and even foreign gardeners there, are obliged to yield to its influence.

* If we were asked to say what practice, founded on principle, had been most benoficially introduced into oar hor-ticulture - we should answer mulching - mulching suggested by the need of moisture in our dry climate, and the diffi-omtoy of preserving it about the roots of plants.

We have spoken out our thoughts on this subject plainly, in the hope of benefitting both gardeners and employers among us. Every right-minded, and intelligent foreign gardener, will agree with us in deploring the ignorance of many of his brethren, and we hope will, by his influence and example, help to banish it. The evil we complain of has grown to be a very serious one, and it can only be cured by continually urging upon gardeners that British horticulture will not suit America, without great modification, and by continually insisting upon employers learning for themselves, the principles of gardening as it mutt be practiced, to obtain any good results. This sowing good seed, and gathering tares, is an insult to Providence, in a country that, in its soil and climate, invites a whole population to a feast of Flora and Pomona.

American Versus British Horticulture #1

Out of rule, Mr. Downing. Don't you know that our new "Code of Practice" has expunged the versus altogether from the title's of causes? However, as you are not a lawyer, you will hardly be " thrown over the bar" for wrong pleading or mil-practice, in the Court of Horticulture, unless it be for the very truth-telling habit you sometimes indulge in, a specimen of which we have in this article. . If our people who require the services of foreign gardeners, would only do themselves justice, one-half of the intollerable exactions that are made upon their purses and their patience, by sundry of those imported empirics, would be abated. Of " Native American" gardeners, we have none. Gardening is too " piddling" work for them. " Cut and burn" is the meaning of the word " improvement," over a great part of the United States, while plant and prune may be the work of some less enterprising, and more painstaking ones than themselves.

Gardening and professional gardeners, are, in fact, subjects of modern introduction, to any extent in the United States; and in but few of the states now, is professional gardening considered of much account. The only "gardener" I knew in my boyhood, was a superannuated old negro, with white hair, and eyes so old that a little halo of gray encircled their pupils; and this worthy old African, called Cudjoe, used to itinerate over the neighborhood soon as the early spring broke out, and as he knew the difference in the soil and locality of the dozen or twenty gardens, which he had for the last forty years anuually made, he took the warmest and earliest places to begin with. His role of " doing up the garden," consisted mainly of sowing a few lettuce seeds in an early border; an onion bed laid out in "square," and a row or two of early peas. This being done, his labors were dispensed with, except that the "young Missuses" might now and then want a posey bed for their "four o'clocks" and "Marigolds," when old Cudjoe's services might be spun out for another half day.

After all they were pleasant times, and many snug gardens, stored with excellent vegetables, and decked with pretty flowers, succeeded the quiet labors thus began by the harmless old negro.

Since then We hare " progressed." Now we want extensive gardens, hot-beds, greenhouses, and all sorts of queer conceits requiring the continued labors of skillful men - the "continued labors" we get, as the collapsed condition of our purses testify; the "skillful" part is altogether another matter. The simple truth is - I must blast it out - we Americans do pay through the nose, most outrageously, in most cases, for our gardening, and the majority of it villanously bad at that. I have tried many " gardeners," myself, and I never tried one who made great professions of what he had " done at 'ome," and had been in high practice there, but what vilely cheated me - that, probably, was my "luck." Others, perhaps, found better; yet I have been most successful when I found a plain, laboring man, who had been nothing but an " under laborer" in good gardens abroad, and made little or no pretensions of skill, and was satisfied with moderate wages. Among such, I have found now and then, a faithful, skillful man, who, in his plain and quiet practice, knew more than a score of your vaporing, empty " professors".

Nor, so long as things go on as they do with our own people, do I see any help for them difficulties. We must know something ourselves, and then, with such "help" as we can get, rub along in a very plain way, and enjoy what we can of luxury in the enormous proportionate expense which we pay for it. Let it be understood that my remarks are not intended for all. We have many good gardeners among us - honest men, and skillful, who are thoroughly taught, and practice on sound principles. Such men deserve and meet with abundant encouagement, either in the employ of others, or when in business on their own account. I wish a few more " professional" gardeners would read the Horticulturist. It would be to their benefit.