THE GARDEN WEEK BY WEEK 



Oct. fruit may be stored in large clean earthenware jars after 

 10-31 it has stood a few days to " sweat," and the jars may be 

 sealed up and put away in a cool place. Large bulks 

 may also be stored in barrels, which can be closed and 

 covered with straw ; but great care must be taken to 

 avoid putting any unsound fruits in, or others will 

 become contaminated, and rot. Late Pears, such as 

 Glou Morgeau, Josephine de Malines, Easter Beurr6, 

 Olivier de Serres, and Winter Nelis must be gathered also, 

 although they are still quite hard. Some pressure may 

 be required to remove them, but it need not be applied 

 so roughly as to injure the spurs. They may be laid on a 

 clean shelf in a sweet, well-ventilated place. The cooler 

 it is, provided that it is frost-proof, the better, as then 

 the fruit will ripen by degrees, and a suitable succession 

 can be maintained. This desideratum can be expedited 

 by selecting a few of the most forward fruits from time to 

 time, and putting them in a warm house. 



Grapes. — Where Grapes are still hanging on the Vines, 

 it will be well to look over the bunches in order to make 

 sure that there are no decaying berries ; if there are, they 

 should be removed at once, or they will contaminate 

 others. The Grapes keep best in a dry atmosphere, and 

 it will be impossible to maintain this now and onwards 

 without warming the hot-water pipes, as the external air 

 is naturally moist. It is not desirable to keep the venti- 

 lators closed, except in muggy weather. If there has 

 been any trouble from "shanking" — that is, shrivelling 

 of the footstalks of the berries — and it is certain that 

 overcropping and underfeeding are not the cause, the soil 

 may be removed from the border where the foliage has 

 fallen or is mature, and any deep-striking roots cut 

 through. The upper part of the roots should be raised 

 into the surface soil, and fresh loam put round them. 

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