SEPTEMBER. 



694 



SEPTEMBER. 



certain, instead of accidental, fitful, and 

 rare. The trees, although their special 

 functions, as fruit producers, have been 

 discharged, still require as much care as 

 ever, particularly with reference to the 

 leaves, which should be kept perfectly 

 clean, that the trees may be preserved in 

 health. Insects are often allowed to per- 

 forate, and soot and dust to suffocate the 

 breathing pores of the leaves ; and some 

 will even cut off the leaves to allow the 

 sun to shine on the fruit. The conscien- 

 tious gardener, however, must not allow or 

 do anything of this sort. 



Trees , Leaves of. The leaves, it must 

 be remembered, are the chief instruments 

 in converting certain earthy and saline 

 matters, and air and water, into the proper 

 food of plants. Consequently, the greater 

 tb number, provided they are well ex- 

 posed to the light, and the more clean and 

 healthy the condition of the leaves, the 

 more rich and luscious will be the fruit, 

 and the more robust the health of the 

 plant producing it. But the leaves perform 

 a twofold function ; they do not only ripen 

 one year's crop, but they lay the basis of 

 fruitfulness for another season. No sooner 

 do they mature the fruit for the current 

 year, than they begin to store up organis- 

 able matter for the next. The quantity of 

 fruit for the next season depends upon the 

 amount of this organisable matter stored 

 up ; and the amount stored is determined 

 by the number of clean healthy leaves that 

 are fully exposed to the light. Hence, the 

 longer the leaves can be maintained in 

 perfect health, the better will be the crop 

 for the ensuing season, and vice versd. 

 Yet, notwithstanding all that has been said 

 above about the importance of leaves, as 

 soon as peach leaves will come off with 

 the gentlest touch by drawing the hand 

 up the shoot not down they may be 

 partially removed. When their adherence 

 to the branch becomes so slight, their 



elaborating functions are finished ; and as 

 there may not be sufficient wind under 

 glass to shake them off, they may be thus 

 assisted by the hand in parting company 

 with the branch or shoot on which they 

 have grown. 



Vinery: Foliage of Vines. Care must 

 be taken in preserving the foliage of grape 

 vines, not to allow too many leaves on the 

 lateral shoots. It is the large leaves at the 

 base of the fruiting branches, near to the 

 main stem, that are of most consequence. 

 The buds at their base will yield next 

 year's crop, and the fuller, rounder, and 

 more plump they become, the larger that 

 crop will be. The great point is to main- 

 tain these leaves in health without inducing 

 new growth or causing the buds to break. 

 A comparatively dry atmosphere and cool 

 temperature are the chief things necessary 

 for this. These are also the main deside- 

 rata for preserving grapes as long as pos- 

 sible. An excess of drought and sudden 

 alternations of temperature are, however, 

 almost as injurious as too much water. 

 If the latter induces decay, the former 

 causes the fruit to shrivel, and robs them 

 of that luscious satisfying goodness which 

 is the chief charm of first-rate grapes. 



Vinery: Mildew on Grapes in. Ripe 

 grapes must be frequently looked over, and 

 every specked berry be at once removed. 

 If mildew makes its appearance in the late 

 houses, paint the pipes with a mixture of 

 equal parts lime and sulphur, and sprinkle 

 the infested parts with dry sulphur. Pre- 

 vention, however, is much better than 

 cure ; and experience has shown that a 

 yearly painting of all the pipes in the house 

 with this composition will prevent mildew. 

 The fumes of the sulphur from hot pipes 

 can do no harm ; they are not disagreeable, 

 and there is reason to believe that they are 

 a certain preventive of mildew. Flues, 

 however, must not be painted over neai 

 the fire, as the slightest ignition of sulphui 



