188 



THE CANADIAN H0KTICULTXJEI8T. 



shoots except what are started from 

 below and are needed for next year's 

 bearing. This, with an occasional 

 pinching of the end of a too rampant 

 shoot will be all that is required. And 

 when one has learned so to gauge the 

 capacities of his vines as to bring each 

 year his crop of fruit to perfect ma- 

 turity, and at the same time have a 

 sufficiency of sound wood for the next 

 year's crop, he has learned all that is 

 necesssry for successful grape culture. 

 — Rural New-Yorker. 



SPINACH. 



For winter and spring " Greens," 

 Spinach takes a front rank in every 

 well-managed kitchen-garden, and, in 

 the vicinity of large cities, it is also a 

 profitable crop for market. 



Spinach needs a deep, rich soil to 

 produce maximum crops, for it can only 

 be grown with profit on land that is 

 well drained and highly manured. For 

 a succession, the seed may be sown early 

 in April and again in May — for the 

 principal crop from the first to the 

 middle of September, or late enough to 

 become about half-grown before cold 

 weather sets in. 



A piece of land from which a summer 

 crop has been taken is most suitable. 

 Before sowing, the ground should be 

 well manured, thoroughly pulverized, 

 and the surface leveled. The rows are 

 then marked out, twelve to fifteen 

 inches apart, with a garden '* marker," 

 or by stretching a line, and making 

 drills with a hoe. The seed may be 

 sown in the garden by hand, and in the 

 field with a seed-drill, using five or six 

 pounds to the acre. A quarter of a 

 pound of seed will sow enough for 

 home use. With this, as with most 

 other seeds, it is important to firm the 

 soil, after covering, with a roller, or by 

 packing with a spade or board. A& 

 soon as the plants are large enough, 



they should be hoed and thinned out 

 where too thick. What is wanted for 

 home use in midwinter should be 

 mulched lightly with salt hay, forest 

 leaves, or straw, to a depth of two or 

 three inches; this is sufficient to pro- 

 tect the leaves from injury by frost. 

 Or if the Spinach has grown to full 

 size in the fall, it may be kept very 

 well by cutting it, then placing it three 

 or four inches thick in a frame, and 

 covering it with a sash and a little rub- 

 bish. The covering of the 0])en beds 

 should not be removed before the leaves 

 commence to grow. 



The main crop is cut during April 

 and May. When the soil is rich, and 

 proper care has been given, a barrel of 

 Spinach can be cut from a square rod 

 of ground. 



The Round-leaved is the most popular 

 variety for home use as well as for mar- 

 ket. It is perfectly hardy, standing our 

 severest winters with but little injury, 

 and is of the best quality. 



The Prickly or Fall variety is said to 

 be more hardy than the round, although 

 there is but little difference in this 

 respect. It is used principally for fall 

 sowing, but does equally well when 

 sown in spring. 



Savoy-leaved has a large curled or 

 crumpled leaf like Savoy Cabbage, is 

 very hardy, and produces a heavier crop 

 than the other sorts. It is especially 

 adapted for late fall sowing. — The 

 Artier ican Garden. 



THE TUNISIAN'S PASSION FOR 

 FLOWERS. 



The Tunisian Arabs have a passion 

 for flowers, and as soon as their spring 

 commences even the poorest and rag- 

 gedest may be seen with a delicately 

 scented blossom stuck above his ear, 

 the stalk resting amid the folds of his 

 turban, and the flower projecting for- 

 ward over his dark cheek. I have been 



