116 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 



After the second pinching of the 

 fruit-bedring brances, as described 

 above, the laterals will generally start 

 once more, and we pinch the young- 

 growth again to one leaf, thns giving 

 each lateral two well developed leaves. 

 In closing let us glance at the olijects 

 we have in view : 



1st. To keep the vine within the 

 proper bounds, so that it is at all times 

 under the control of the vintner, with 

 out weakening its constitution b} 

 robbing it of a great amount of foliage. 



2d. Judicious thinning of the fruit, 

 at a time when no vigor has been ex- 

 pended in its development. 



3d. Developing strong, healtliy foli- 

 age, by forcing the gi-owth of the 

 latei-als and having two young, healthy 

 leaves opposite each bunch, which wil; 

 shade the fruit and serve as conductor.'- 

 of the sap to the fruit. 



4th. Growing vigorous canes for next 

 year's fruiting and no more, thereby 

 making them stronger ; as every part 

 of the vine is accessible to light and 

 air, the wood will ripen better and more 

 uniformly. 



5th. Destruction of noxious insects. 

 As the vintner has to look over each 

 shoot of the vine, this is done more 

 thoroughly and systematically than by 

 any other process. — From the Wine (tnd 

 Fruit Grower. 



NIAGARA AND ITS WILD FLUWERS. 

 A lovely aflernoon in the Indian 

 summer I We are sitting near tlie toj) 

 of the hill close above the great Hoi'se- 

 shoe Fall at Niagara, and the wealtli and 

 loveliness of the wild flowers, foi-ming 

 one of Natui'e's most exquisite wild 

 gardens, lying stretched out at our feet, 

 makes us think how many of our gar- 

 dening friends — yourself more than 

 most — would find a deep enjoyment 

 could they be here, and see what we 

 aj-e now seeing, and what I will try to 

 to describe, faint and feeble though my 



description must necessarily be in com- 

 parison with the glorious reality. 



The gi-eat Cataract itself is in un- 

 usual magnificence; the early autumn 

 i-ains liave brought a large V)ody of watei' 

 into the lake, and the torrent of liquid 

 emerald pouring over the jagged rocks 

 is deep and massive, and its thunder has 

 an uuAvonted tone of grandeur and 

 solemnity. Far away in the distance 

 lie the quiet waters of the great lake, 

 placid and unstirred as yet. and the 

 white sail of a far-off boat is seen as it 

 gets an occasional gleam of sun wliile 

 passing from one shore of the lake to 

 the other. Nearer at hand, for the 

 s])aee of a mile or so before reaching 

 their doom, the waters, placid no longer, 

 foam and swirl, hurrying madly along. 

 Every dancing waA'e crest is turned 

 into molten silver in the i-ays of the 

 westering sun ; every rock lying in the 

 channel seizes a passing wave and 

 whii-ls it upwai-d in masses of glittei-ing 

 spray, till at last, when on the brink of 

 the great chasm, there comes to the 

 rushing waters a sudden gathe' 'ng up 

 of irresistible strength, and the}, whose 

 only object hitherto seems to have been 

 to dash themselves past all obstacles 

 with reckless and evei'-increasing speed, 

 become all at once possessed with a 

 sense of their awful power as they 

 suddenly, swiftly, silently, drop ovei- 

 the perpendicular rock into the fear- 

 some turmoil below, great green jewels, 

 wide and deej), in a setting of frosted 

 silver. 



And this solemn magnificence and 

 grandeur has the exquisite conti-ast of 

 so lovely and peaceful a foi-egrouud ! 

 The hillside down which we are looking, 

 and which stretches to the edge of the 

 v.-ater, is aglow with vivid colour- 

 huge golden masses of Solidago of many 

 kinds, great clumps many yai'ds wide 

 of big, deep purple, primrose-eyed 

 Asters alternate with those of a pale 

 shimmering lilac, and with others small 



