THE CANADIAN HOBTICOtTDEIST. 



31 



stem of the grapes with the knife or shears 

 held in the other hand, and take off all 

 green and decayed berries, then lay in 

 carefully in a basket, then proceed to the 

 next ; when the basket is full, carry it to 

 the place of packing, which should be 

 under roof ; the next operation is to pack 

 them in boxes, which should be both 

 light and strong ; twelve by eighteen 

 inches, and four or five inches deep, is a 

 convenient size and will hold from sixteen 

 to twenty pounds if properly packed ; to 

 do this right it will take some experience. 



I would recommend that the box be set 

 on a table of convenient height, having 

 the back end of the box elevated three or 

 four inches by placing something under 

 it, then commence at the end next to you 

 and lay the bunches in carefully, pressing 

 them together gently, but not hard enough 

 to break the berries. When the bottom 

 of the box is covered one layer deep, com- 

 mence at the front again, put in a second 

 layer, placing the larger bunches in the 

 low places and the smaller bunches on the 

 high places, thus keeping them as level as 

 possible ; proceed in this manner until the 

 box is full, being careful to have the box 

 as level as possible when done. Cutting 

 bunches to fill up cavities is not a good 

 practice, as large bunches sell best. 



When the box is full set it aside and 

 proceed to fill another, and so on until all 

 are full. The boxes thus filled should be 

 allowed to stand until the stems of the 

 grapes are wilted and become pliable, 

 which will take from six to twenty-four 

 hours ; then take a board and cover the 

 box, placing one hand under the box and 

 the other on the cover ; then set the box 

 on end holding the cover securely in its 

 place with one hand, then shake or jostle 

 the grapes till they settle compactly toge- 

 ther, which is easily accomplished after 

 the stems are wilted ; this wiU cause a 

 cavity at the upper end of the box, which 

 should be carefully filled with grapes that 

 have had stems wilted in order that they 

 may pack closely. 



Great care should be taken to avoid 

 rubbing the bloom off the grapes, as it 

 injures their appearance, and it is thought 

 they will not keep so well. Care should 

 be taken to hide the stems .of the last 

 layer and have the berries look even or 

 level oil the top. Grapes should not be 



allowed to stand in the sunshine after they 

 are gathered. Grapes packed according 

 to the above directions can be transported 

 a long distance without injury. — E. P. 

 BoTHWELL, in Fruit Recorder. 



THE CORWIN'S COLLECTIONS. 



The collection of specimens and relics 

 brought back from Arctic regions by the 

 Arctic cruiser Corwin is described as large 

 and interesting. Lieutenant Myrick and 

 Doty have accumulated a rare assortment 

 of models of weapons and boats used by the 

 tribes inhabiting the extreme northern 

 limits of the habitable portion of the globe. 

 These models include boats of various 

 shapes and character, hunting weapons, 

 pipes, bird traps, nets and other trinkets 

 which would prove invaluable to a col- 

 lector of the curious in any portion of the 

 world. Dr. Ross, of Washington, who 

 accompanied the exf%dition, has a col- 

 lection of very rare specimens from the 

 Alaskan and Siberian coasts, as well as 

 from Herald Island and Wrangell Land. 

 Among these are specimens of the flora, 

 vegetation, soil, and minerals of the newly 

 acquired territory. New Columbia. Among 

 the flora may be seen some of the most 

 delicate and beautiful flowers, and while 

 all are void of brilliant colors, the leaves 

 and blossoms, all of delicate tints, are very 

 beautiful and extraordinarily curious as 

 coining from an unexplored land so close 

 to the North Pole. The grasses are also 

 delicate, and resemble both the common 

 bunch and "foxtail" variety of California 

 and the blue grass of the Eastern States. 

 The rock from Wrangell Land is a coarse 

 blue sandstone, a fine slate, and some 

 pale drab sandstone, all good building 

 material. The specimens of coal from 

 Cape Lisbume, on the north coast of 

 Alaska, are of a deep black color, soft and 

 bituminous. It is easily ignited, and 

 emits a strong sulphuric odor. From 

 Herald Island the Corwin brings some fine 

 specimens of granite, which is susceptible 

 of a high polish. It is gray in color, and 

 resembles the granite of Lake Superior 

 and the coast of Maine. Among the cu- 

 riosities in the possession of Mr. Haloran, 

 the boatswain of the Corwin, is the tooth 

 of a mammoth found upon the shores of 

 Siberia. It ia as large aa a 20-pound can- 



