Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1867-04-23
The VINEYARD OF MARCUS BUCK ESQ.

THE VINEYARD OF MARCUS Buck ESQ.
NEAR FRONT Royal, VA.-A correspondent
of the Richmond Enquirer gives the following
account of Grape Culture by Marcus Buck,
esq. near Front Royal:
Mr.. Buck has eighteen or twenty acres in
vines, and is now putting in eight or ten acres
more. His ground is selected with reference
to soil and exposure-a light rich soil, with a
southern or southeastern exposure being pre-
ferred while steep hillside is especially
desirable, although Mr.. B. has several orchards
which have northeastern exposure from
which he expects az good results as from those
looking to the South.
The ground is ploughed as deeply as posi-
ble. The first rlow is follow by large subsoil
and coulter, the ground is then checked off,
say four by six or six by eight feet, as may be
most desirable, depending in great measure on
the nature and and character of the ground
The remaining labor of cultivation IS very
small, being simply the keeping of the ground
clean, pruning the vines, and gathering the
fruit. One hand can tends from five to seven
acres with ease, or say from 5000 to 5000
vines; making an expense Of say Sl2 to $50
per acre per annum for cultivation. An acre
Of Catswba vines will yield the third year from
400 to 500 gallons of wine, worth in its un-
manipulated state, So per gallon product Of
from 81, 200 to 81 500 per acre. In the hands
Of an experienced manipulation this vine, pre-
pared as "spark!ing Catawba," &c., and nice
ly bottled and labeled would bring much more
Two hundred and fifty gallons per acre is an
ordinary yield the second year.
Mr.. b. does not use any fertilizers beyond
light barn-yard manure, swamp muck &c
Heating manures must be avoided. Mr.. B.
has travelled extensively with view of
acquainting himself with the grape culture
elsewhere, and it is his conviction that the
Piedmont section OF Virginia is better suited to
the profitable cultivation of the grape than
which often destroys the crop in the West is
three weeks earlier than in the New York
vineyards Mr. 3. has heretofore cultivated
the "Catawba" principally, but is now actively
engaged i'll planting the Concord and the
''Joes," varieties which he deems superior
to all others and destined to supercede them.
Mr.. B. preserves his grapes, as winter apples
are kept, plump and sound until March. Mr..
&. has also extensive peach orchards, from
which ne gathered last year several thousand
bushels. The success Of Mr. Buck has induc-
ed many others to initiate his example, and
there is every reason to suppose that ere many
years, the wine crop of Virginia shall be one
Of the most important Of her varied produc-
tions
JOHN BRIGHT. of ENGLAND. is ffty-si years
old. He is the son of John Bright, Of Green
bank, near kochdale, from whom, with two
brothers, he inherited the business of cotton
spinning, carried on uoder the firm of
John Bright & Brothers. He frat distinguish
ed himself in political life by his efforts against
the corn laws as far back as 1886, heading the
anti corn league in 1888: making speeches at
the provincial gatherings OF farmers and at
public assemblies, and dealing with facts and
figures in a way that told we'll on the country.
unsuccessiulIy contested the representation OF
the city of Durham, for which he stood again
in July of tie same year, and was elected
Since then, with the exception OF some eighteen
months, representing, at various times, Dur
ham, Manchester, and Birmingham, be has
been in the House Of Commons. He made
his maiden speech in Parliament, on the motion
for extending the principles of free trade, in
lS43, and, strangely enough, in the same year
he spoke earnestly against the slave trade-sup-
preston bill as calculated to inhict a serious
injury on the commerce Of the country con-
Dected with the regions to which the bill
applied.
Mr. Bright is the most effective speaker in
Parliament. With Mirabeau head, set square
upon herculean shoulders burly figure, stur-
ton; good voice, distinct enunciation, and
ready choice Of language, he is nearer the
American standard of forensic eloquence than
probably any other man in England. Besides,
he is really the only good speaker in the Com
mons who is free from that mannerism-that
drawl aod hesitation-so offensive to good taste
in every other part of the world. Since the
death of Richard Golden he is unqcstionably
the most powerful supporter Of all measures
for the rights of the people and the most
stauuch advocate Of the reform of administra-
tive abuses, of any public man in England;
and though bis hard hitting assertions OF his
views are sometimes dealt forth somewhat IN
aiscreety, he has nevertheless made steady
progress towards the end he has had in view
for twenty odd years.
In private lite Mr.. Bright is irreproachable:
He is member of the Society OF Friends ana
frequent speaker in their meetings. Though
ranking among the second or third class only
of Manchester houses his firm does prosper
GUS business, and he himself is possessed Of
competent estate After the death of his first
wife, 10 1e4l, he married in l847 the daughter
of Mr.. Leatham, Of Wakefield, by whom he
had several children. Int
LYING IN BED.-lt is often a question
among people who are acquainted with the
snatomy and physiology of man, whether
lying with the head exalted or level with the
body is most wholesome. Most consulting
their own ease on this point, argue in fovor of
that which they prefer.
Now, although many delight in bolstering
up their heads at nig ght and sleep sonndy
without injury, yet we declare it to be a dan
gerous habit The vessels through which the
blood passes from the heart to the head are
always lessensd in their cavities when the head
is resting in bed higher than the body; there,
fore, in all diseases attended with fever, the