A. J. Downing, Esq. - Dear Sir: The letter of Mr. Chorlton, in the current number of the Horticulturist, suggests an inquiry of much interest to grape growers, and to which a reply can only be obtained by each one contributing the result of his own experience - vis: how early, and how much fruit may vines (under glass) be permitted to bear without danger.

. I have read many such statements as those of Mr. Chorlton, of the wonderful success of vines in bearing the first or second year after planting, accompanied with sanguine anticipations of future luxuriant crops; but we rarely, if ever, hear anything more about them. I have had a few opportunities of observing the result in similar cases, and I have never known such early bearing to fail to injure the vines.

According to Mr. Chorlton's account, his vines ripened, the second season after planting, two hundred and sixty-two bunches, which, on seventy-four vines, is an average of between three and four bunches to a vine, and next season he has no doubt of a crop of eight or nine bunches from each vine.

Now, I have no doubt of the capacity of any well managed vines, to do what his have done thus far, but I very much doubt their capacity to realize his future expectations; and what I earnestly hope, is, that Mr. C. will inform us the next year how he succeeds, and especially if he does not succeed - for experiments which fail, are as valuable to learners as those which succeed, though much more rarely heard of. My practice is to keep an account of the crop of each vine in ray house, every year, (the vines being numbered, in order to distinguish them,) and I leave more or less fruit, in proportion as the last year's crop has been well or ill ripened. My vines, which are mostly Black Hamburghs, have been planted eight years, and were not allowed to bear a bunch till the fourth year after planting, and I have never yet been able to ripen perfectly, more than nine or ten bunches on any single vine, which is about what Mr. Chorltox proposes for his vines the coming season. I do not call the Black Hamburgh, or any other black grapes, ripe when they an red, though they are often sold in such a state - and (which is still worse,) they often receive a premium at exhibitions.

Now, there are a great many persons who have young vines coming on, to whom this question possesses a degree of interest, far beyond the mere pecuniary value of the crops; and if all whose experience enables them to communicate facts, would send you a statement of them for publication, it would go far to establish a true standard of the quantity of fruit a vine may bear with safety, and the age at which it may begin bearing. A grape vine, properly managed, will outlive the one who plants it, and perhaps several generations after him; and a sense of gratitude for such a gift of Providence, should induce us to study its nature and habits, and beware that we do not abuse it. Very truly yours, H W. S. Cleveland.

Cropping Vines Under Glass #1

I have the more confidence in this article, because Mr. Cleveland grows his own grapes, instead of growing them for others. The profesional gardeners are good men, many of them; but I have found a majority of them so opinionated, that they are troublesome. A cultivator of the soil, and a horticulturist, educated abroad, to be successful in this country, must be caught young. It is no proof, because a thing,, or the mode of doing a thing, succeeds abroad, that it will equally succeed in Ame-rica, with such a difference of climates and soils. There can be no more question that a plant should be in some degree of maturity before its bearing properties are heavily taxed, than that the animal creation should not. be over-bnrthened when young.

All growing things have their periods of infancy, maturity, and decay. The grand desideratum is to understand their true nature, and treat them accordingly.