Delaware inquirer. (Wilmington, Del.) 1859-18??, 1859-07-23

Introduction of Exotics---E xpe-
riments with the Grape Vine and
with the Tea Plant.

Among the many squares that are not
squares in the plan of this city, is one of the
five acres, bounded on the north by Missouri
avenue, on the east by -Four and half street,
on the south by the Canal, and on the west
by Sixth street. Less than n year ago, this
square was but little better than marsh or
morass but ii is now fast assuming form and
beauty. The draining has rendered the soil
dry, warm and friable and ingenious culture
is developing upon the surface products that
have seldom hitherto been fOnnd in close
proximity. Here are young but prospecting
grape vines from FL Paso, from Arkansas, and
other states Of the Union as well as from
Hungary and Egypt, all to be tested in various
ways, but especially by experiment having for
their object the blending of varieties by n.y.
bridizaton, in order that the American, re-
tanning its vigor and exuberance, may have
its acerbity, its q ferocity" as it is sometimes
expressed, subdued through the influence of
the older cultivated grapes of other climes ;
or that these may be reinvigorated through
the influence Of the more hardy American
vines. The Egyptian varieties-the ''seed-
less" and the " lady fnger'-of which there
are eight or ten thousand plants, have been
introduced by the means of cuttings the I'll
Paso, of which there are one or two hundred
thousand, have been produced from seeds
Here also is forest OF tiny pines, an inch or
twoin height, sprung from seeds brought from
the Pacific coast and native plum trees, from
seeds obtained in Arkansas and in Texas and
radishes from China; onions from Egypt +;
"Melochia, an Egyptian soup plant, the
leaves of which are exceedingly mucilaginous
and agreeable in flavor; the Pyrethrum eau
casicum, the dried flower heads of which pro-
duce the far famed vermin destroying powder
the wax bearing Rhus of Japan, the product
of which has recently created some sensation
in commerce the hemp palm from China, of
which grass cloth is made; the oea fra
grams of China, from which the better yarie-
ties of tea derived their rich aroma the
seedless pomegranate of Egypt, highly priced
because it is seedless /; the camphor tree, the
cork tree, the Mahonia of Texas which pro
duces fruit of great value for preserving
the osier willow from New England, which
soon attains a height of eight or ten feet
cauliilowers, large health, well headed, and
prolific in seeds, and remarkable because of
their peculiar cultivation; American oaks from
the acorn; the American larch, &c. Here,
TOO may be seen, as developed in this locality
theproducts of one hundred and twenty-three
samples of wheat collected from every region
OF the globe, similar experiments with the
same series being in progress in central Penn
sylvania and in TeXas-wheat bearded md
wheat beardless, and wheat of marvellous va
riations of appearance, all attended by the
beneficial coccinellida, which are busily en-
ployed in devouring the plant lice and other
parasites by which the wheat is attacked; and
an apiary of choice bees, we are informed, is \
soon to be appropriately added to this scene |
81 ingenuity and industry. But the browning