A discussion of interest to agriculturists is being carried on regarding the course to be pursued with exhausted land, some of which has been tilled ever since the Roman occupation.

Mr. Mechi, some think, grows bis wheat at too great a cost. When the inclosure of fresh land is exhausted, then begins the real struggle for improving our resources upon the acreage that we have. The question is not, as simply stated, "how to grow two blades of corn where but one grew before," but how to grow them at lea cost. There is hardly a farmer now who does not know that the second blade may be bought too dear; that the essence of improvement in any and in every branch of industry, manufacturing or agricultural, lies not in the bare problem of increased production, but in that relatively with diminished cost. And is not this the pressing problem now?

We have at South Kensington what is called a "Food Museum," in which everything eatable from all nations is exhibited. A large addition has been made by a remittance of Chinese edibles from China, forwarded by Sir John Bowring. They consist of specimens of tea, preserves, sharks' fins, and birds' nests, and cases of prepared meats for soups, conspicuous among which are some suspicious looking legs and arms that make one think of kittens and puppies, but they prove to be antelope legs! The wines are numerous, ale made from rice and flavored with the flowers used for the same purpose in preparing tea. Tobacco in many forms is abundant; one parcel is labelled "mild, for women." Everything finds its way to London.

The power of straw as a conductor of electricity has been utilized in France by employing it for conductors or lighting rods. Experiments show that an electrical shock sufficiently powerful to kill an ox may be discharged by a single straw! As ever, yours, Hortulanus.

Dear Horticulturist: - You may have thought me very severe in my first letter from this metropolis of politics, and to tell the truth I did feel indignant at some things that my eye lighted on. Great sums have been expended on architecture here, and great amounts have no doubt been jobbed and wasted, but there is something to show, and I am not a little proud of my townsman's skill in erecting the new capitol buildings. Mr. Thomas U. Walter is one of the fortunate individuals who in this and the Girard College has made his mark. But what I want to arrive at is, the sad discrepancy of things around. What would you say if you saw a stately mansion costing a fortune, erected in the midst of a brick yard, and occupied by the owner, without a tree planted or an enclosed garden? You would smile, no doubt; and if there is a similitude in the erection of a capitol costing a nation's fortune almost, and a building for an institute to disseminate knowledge among men, with neither of them surrounded by as much civilization as you find at a gentleman's country seat, you would at least wonder and inquire the reason.

You would find assembled at Washington all sorts of people, except tree lovers and admirers of lawns; you would ascertain that the place is governed as Cuba is, by a succession of masters, who stay too short a time to do any good to the public grounds, and who if they did it would have the mortification of finding it undone by their successors. What we now want is a governor like Tacon, at Havana; he made great improvements in drives and avenues, which will redound to his honor as long as they last At Washington we want an enthusiastic Tacon, and we don't care whether he fills the presidential chair or an inferior office; if he has the enthusiasm, he can gather around him sufficient taste to accomplish the simple business of keeping the grounds, after they are planted in proper order. Why, your friends would undertake the work without charge beyond a dollar or two a day! I venture to assert that the nurserymen, gardeners, and amateurs of the United States would agree to furnish ornamental trees for the whole job, gratuitously; aye! and a friend to plant them too, if necessary, in order that we might have a national example of what public grounds should be. But this would scarcely be accepted.

Everything here is done by appropriations, and it just so happens when a thousand or two dollars only are wanted, every man in Congress has got so stingy of the public means, that though they vote books and postage stamps to themselves, there is no chance of getting a Cedar of Lebanon placed where the ash-heaps stare at the intruder, or a group of Portugal Laurels, here and there, in a climate in which they are per- J fectly hardy. A magnificent Magnolia grandiflora is standing in the garden of the venerable and able Peter Force, Esq., to show what might be done by a proper selection of trees, but there it is unobserved and unappreciated, while marble walls and fine ceilings costing millions, are built to hold the rattle-traps of rejected inventions. A well-balanced mind would shave off a hundred dollars from some nonsensical ornamentation to give a civilizing effect out of doors, if it could accomplish it in no other way. Put there are other modes of doing it; if nothing better offers, let us recruit an army of gardeners and nurserymen, march down to Washington and storm it; let us pitch the useless public documents into a paper mill, and use the proceeds to pay a laborer a dollar a day to plant and mow the public grounds! What say you 7 Washington, D. C. J. J. S.

Correspondence #1

Editor of the Horticulturist : - Dr. Houghton, in bis communication in the January number of the Horticulturist, says he is well assured that his position in respect to the value of native grapes is sound and just. He thinks there is no native grape worthy of cultivation in vineyard form; that native wine is wretched stuff; the grapes not fit to eat, and do not pay to raise for market.

I do not intend to make any comments at this time, further than to say that I think it remarkable that the Doctor made this discovery at this late day, considering the existence of fortunes made from native vineyards, (the taxes on a single one of which are over $30,000 yearly,) and results equally splendid in my own vicinity.

Now, as he calls for facts and statistics, I will refer him to a few gentlemen 70 miles north of New York, who will testify to the following, if necessary.

H. W. Murdfeldt, Esq., of Newburgh, Orange County, N. Y., has a vineyard, the vines of which were planted at different periods. First lot planted, 100 vines, have borne four crops; second lot planted, 150 vines, have borne one crop. These 250 vines are all that I will speak of in connection with this vineyard, as the others are younger. These vines, it was thought, did not occupy one half acre, but to make the calculation safe, it was considered as half an acre. Product the past year, 3700 lbs.; brought 14 cents per lb.; variety, Catawba. When these vines get old enough to bear a full crop, they will produce as many more pounds. The ground on which the first vines were planted was not trenched. He now trenches as he plants. Mr. Murdfelt says they have ripened fully each year.

Mr. Charles Wooley, of New Paltz Landing, Ulster County, N. Y., last year produced from three-fourths of an acre four tons of the most beautiful grapes I ever saw. I think I hazard nothing in saying that his clusters averaged half a pound each. They brought ten cents per pound. Varieties, Catawba and Isabella. The earth was not trenched. Mr. Wooley never fails to ripen his grapes.

S. B. Trowbridge, Esq., a retired gentleman of Poughkeepsie, who cultivates the vine more particularly for the pleasure it affords, produced last year at the rate of $1,024 per acre. This gentleman gave me a very interesting statement of his mode of cultivation, which you may have, if useful.

Mr. Bruyn, of Esopus, Ulster County, (a near neighbor of R. L. Pell, Esq.,) and Isaac Meritt, Esq., of Hart's Village, Dutchess County, both last year produced results equal to any of the above; so I am informed by their neighbors, but not having seen them and their grounds, can not speak as of facts.

Messrs. J. Heaton and W. Kniffin, my neighbors, have equalled any case 1 have named. Mr. Heaton's vineyard covers several acres.

No one acre of the above cost over $200 - cost of vines, preparation, and planting. I think any person can arrive at a conclusion between these figures and the Doctor's declaration that our native grapes are worthless.

I think the Delaware and Concord will far exceed the Isabella and Catawt>a in value for vineyard purposes.

I think there will be no disagreement with the Doctor in relation to his having eaten those "sour grapes," for it is apparent that his " teeth are on edge".

A. J. Caywood.

[The facts presented by Mr. Caywood have a direct bearing on the subject, and could be greatly multiplied. We think we may venture to say for the Doctor, that ho is open to conviction. We have an article from Mr. Murdfeldt, detailing his success in grape culture. Will you please send us the account Mr. Trowbridge gave you? We shall be very glad to have it. - Ed].