212 



GRAPE PTE. 



Our old sweet-water vine, which festoons 

 our kitchen windows, and makes our goat- 

 shed glorious to behold, usually produces 

 from 800 to 500 bunches of grapes every 

 season. This year it has given the full com- 

 plement, for it has produced and ripened not 

 less than 500 very fine bunches of grapes. 

 My husband is an enthusiastic gardener, and 

 when the vine bloomed, he prepared to 

 " thin it," for it is his rule never to allow 

 any tree to ripen a heavy crop of fruit. But 

 1 caught him in time: as he mounted the 

 ladder, scissors in hand, I seized him by the 

 leg, dragged him from his proud perch, and 

 put a veto on the vine question, by insisting 

 on allowing the whole crop to come to 

 maturity. Now, I was right ; for, instead 

 of having 150 bunches of only middling 

 grapes, some of which the wasps will spoil 

 before we gather them, anil many more of 

 which will spoil before we eat them as a 

 table fruit, I have my full number of 500, of 

 which I am proud I assure you, for they 

 are nearly as tine as if they had been 

 thinned to a third of the. number, and " the 

 governor" has his greenhouse Hamburghs 

 to depend on for handsome bunches for the 

 (aide. 



J5ut what am I to do with them ? Ah ! 

 that's the point I'm coming to. I am dash- 

 ing away at grape pies, using them in the 

 same way as green gooseberries, which, when 



cooked, they somewhat resemble in flavour, 

 hut finer, and even more palatable. Now, 

 by using them in this way, 1 shall be able 

 to keep the table supplied with a most 

 acceptable kind of pastry, for, at this season 

 of the year, acid fruits are scarce, and any 

 one fond of gooseberry pies, or tarts, will de- 

 clare grape pie to be far superior, and they 

 can be used for such purposes long before 

 they ripen, so as to thin them regularly, 

 without any sacrifice, allowing the best 

 bunches to ripen fully, for storing, or giving 

 away. 



Now, out-door grape vines are common 

 enough, and it may lie useful to many who 

 possess them, to know that grapes, im- 

 perfectly ripened, or that are not of high 

 quality for dessert, may be turned to good 

 account in the family, for such an agreeable 

 purpose. 



People give up rhubarb as soon as 

 gooseberries come in. I use it all through 

 the season, and till late in the autumn, and 

 its flavour is so tine during duly, August, 

 and September, as to bear no comparison 

 with the insipid stalks we are so glad of in 

 spring. Of course, we pull only the young 

 stalks, and take care not to distress the 

 plants. This plan enables me to preserve a 

 large quantity of summer fruits for winter 

 and spring. 



An English Wifb. 



SEPTEMBER WORK IN THE GARDEN AND GREENHOUSE. 



Now that the season is nearly over, it 

 is well to make a review of plans, 

 stock, and appliances, with a view to 

 improvements and economy. While 

 the foliage remains on the trees, errors 

 in planting may be noted down for 

 remedy, and the best places chosen for 

 all shrubs and trees it is intended to 

 plant this fall or next spring. The 

 autumn lines, which increase and deepen 

 as the flowers depart, give quite a pecu- 

 liar interest and beauty to plantations 

 and shrubberies, and in all arrangements 

 in regard to planting, the autumnal 

 effects of contrasted tints of foliage 

 should be considered, and for the next 

 two months, we have every opportu- 

 nity of observing how much variety, 

 and how many charming effects may 



be obtained by a judicious assortment 

 and grouping of trees and shrubs 

 In regard to bedding-plants, the most 

 accurate estimates may be formed as 

 to the suitableness of the kinds which 

 have been used this season, for soil and 

 climate, and local circumstances, as 

 well, also, as to Mendings and contrast - 

 ings of colour, and the methods adop- 

 ted in planting the beds. Where 

 stock is wholly or partially raised at 

 home, the gardener should now have 

 a tolerably accurate idea of the varie- 

 ties and quantities required for next 

 season, that sufficient of each may he 

 secured and no more; for to be hur- 

 thened with twice or thrice as many 

 geraniums, verbenas, &c, as are likely 

 to be wanted, is as bad, or, perhaps, 



