THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 



99 



trimmed are worth their weight in 



gol^l- R. Lewis. 



Maitland. 



I am not surprised to see so many 

 expressing their satisfaction at the 

 improved size and appearance of the 

 Iforticulturist, and I, in common with 

 all (I hope) of your readers, consider 

 so valuable a book well worth pre- 

 serving for future reference, and here 

 propose to give some practical instruc- 

 tions of the manner of keeping the 

 year's numbers in compact form. First, 

 if the paper is folded when received, it 

 should be placed against a warm stove 

 pipe, or something warm, and rubbed 

 with the hand till the crease disappears, 

 then it will be in better shape to read 

 and lay away. When all the numbers 

 are received at the end of the year, 

 strip off all the outside covers, placing 

 the illustrations, index and title page 

 in their proper places, and the backs 

 all true, then take stove pipe wire, or 

 any soft wire, make two or three staples 

 about half- inch wide, and long enoujjh 

 to go through the book and clinch ; 

 make holes as near the back of the 

 book as possible with a brad-awl to suit 

 the width of staples, which put through 

 and clinch with the handle of the awl, 

 using pressure only; but, of course, 

 cutting away any surplus wire before 

 the clinches are closed down. Now 

 prepare and glue a double fly sheet to 

 each side over the staples, being careful 

 not to put on a strip of glue more than 

 just sufficient to cover the staples. 

 Any strong manilla paper is preferable 

 to white tea or printing paper. Be 

 sure to have the fold on a straight line 

 with the back, as this is to form the 

 inside of the hinge to the back. Cut 

 some card-board just the size for the 

 covers, which glue to the fly sheet, but 

 keeping the edge of the card-board back 

 a quarter of an inch to form a hinge at 



the back, and press all firmly between 

 two boards in the vice of work-bench. 

 As soon as the glue will hold, cut a 

 strip of binders' cloth, green or buff 

 window hoi land, the length of the book» 

 and wide enough to cover the back and 

 catch the sides a half- inch or more,, 

 which glue fast to the back, bringing 

 over the edges to catch the card-board 

 on each side. JNIake this tight and 

 smooth, press again and smooth down 

 the back, and press the cloth in to form 

 hinges. While standing for a few 

 minutes select two of the cleanest out- 

 sides that had been stripped from the 

 monthly parts, cut the edges true and 

 glue on to the covers of the book,, 

 leaving a small strip of the cloth at the 

 back exposed. On my last year's I 

 used the cover that contained the 

 officers for 1882 for back. The month, 

 can be erased from the title page with 

 a common ink eraser, or fine emery 

 cloth. After it is dry cut all down 

 true with a sharp chisel, first having 

 the leaves firmly compressed between 

 two boards. The edge of the chisel' 

 should be a little rough, and, of coui*se, , 

 drawn lengthwise. If all has been 

 done with any taste, you will be proud 

 enough of your book to show it to your 

 neighbour, and likely get him to become 

 a member. In this way I bind my 

 Catalogues, American Agriculturist,. 

 Rural New Yorker^ &c., which I find 

 more convenient than to have them 

 lying about my room. 



I have invariably found my best 

 bunches of gnijies nearest the ground. 

 Last year I trained very low, and 

 found that on our warm, dry soil, 

 grapes ripen more regularly, earlier, 

 and give finer bunches, than if trained 

 against a wall to bake in the sun, as. 

 some of mine did last year All this 

 suggests low trellis and low training. 



J. P. COCKBURN. 

 Gravenhurst, Muskoka. 



