PEACTICE IN RUSTIC WORK. 



uppermost. Keep tlicni as nearly as possible to the same form, and cut the bot- 

 tom end smooth. 



AVheu the ribs arc neatly prepared, nail them on to the smaller of the two cir- 

 cular boards which is to form the bottom. If they have been ])roperly prepared 

 tlicy should lie close to one another, and be as near as ])ossil)Ie at right angles 

 with the bottom ; that is, they should not lie to one side, though sometimes in 

 tlic process of being put together they may get out of place. It ought to be 

 noticed here, that a ring or hoop, made of an osier twig, is used at the inside 

 jicur the top, in order to keep the ribs in their places, and it is desirable to intro- 

 duce it at once. Therefore, nail on two ril)s, first of all, at exactly opjiositc 

 points, and nail the hoop to them. In this way it is much easier to adjust all the 

 others. But though this appears, at first sight, to be a very simple affair, it will 

 be found that considerable care and nicety are required to have the ribs uniform 

 and close together, with just the exact numljer wanted to fill up the whole all 

 round. This is the point which proves the clever workman in such a form of 

 stand, but, to be sure, so great nicety is not essential to its general appearance. 



Now, the larger of the two boards is firmly mounted on the legs, which aro 

 nailed at equal distances to hoops, one near the bottom, and another near he 

 top, as seen in the figure. But, instead of a hoop, a board may be placed neh 

 the bottom, and a flowering-plant or evergreen can be put on it when wanted. 



The bottom of the basket, that is, the larger of the two boards at a having been 

 properly " bevelled" at the beginning, is now neatly covered with the scales of 

 Fir cones, arranged in an overlapping manner. Those quite close to the bottom 

 of the basket will require to be shortened a little, and the whole may be either 

 fastened with glue, or small tacks without heads ; indeed, the nails in every case 

 should be as small as possible. It is scarcely necessary to add more, for a little 

 practice is better than a volume of directions. There is, however, one point yet 

 which needs especial notice, that is, the process of preparing the branches for the 

 ribs. Whatever kind of wood may be chosen, the branches should be cut into 

 lengths of eight or ten inches, and laid up to dry for some time ; if these lengths 

 are without knots, so much the better ; and if they cannot be evenly split, they 

 must be sawn with a sharp " ripping saw," but they must be held quite firm while 

 being sawn. For this purpose the hand will not be sufficient, and, therefore, 

 some way of keeping them firm in position must be contrived. The most fertile 

 cause of disappointment in all work of this kind is the w^ant of proper tools, and 

 the means of keeping the work firm and steady. 



Grapes. — We are greatly indebted to Mr. W. N. White, of Athens, Ga., for specimens of 

 most of the grapes mentioned in the lucid and ahle report of tlie Georgia Pomological So- 

 ciety. The Chairman (Mr. White) has so fully described these, that he leaves us little to 

 add. The Lenoir and Camaks are quite new ; of the latter, there is but one vine, so far as 

 known, in existence ; both promise well. The Georgia grapes ripen in the following suc- 

 cession : 1, Lenoir, and nearly with it, 2, Harris and Elsinburgh ; 3, Diana, Camaks, Deve- 

 reaux ; 4, Isabella ; 5, Warren ; 0, Catawba and Scuppernong ; 7, Bland and Long. 



The Catawissa Raspberry. — This fruit comes quite up to its character the present season, 

 having borne profusely, during August, on the new wood. Prof. C. G. Page, of Washing- 

 ton, D. C, says (in Hovey's Magazine) what is undoubtedly the fact, that he has realized 

 in it a source of new varieties, and to such an extent, that ere long the Catawissa will be 

 cherished only as a breeder, lie adds : " I have now two seedlings of the second genera- 

 tion from the Catawissa, and while the fruit of both is superior to the original, the bearing 

 term is extended far beyond it. We cannot but look upon its introduction as the dawn of 

 a new era in raspberry culture. The varieties are generally more hardy than the Antwerp." 



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