252 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 



whole. Make a syrup of llic sugai, 

 vinegar and spices. When the sugar is 

 dissolved, boil the fruit in the syrup half 

 an hour, then liottle. 



GRAPP; PKESURVES 



Pulp the grapes, retaining the skins. 

 Boil the pulp slowly until the seeds can 

 be seen to loosen, then put into a sieve 

 and press the pulp through. Add a 

 little water to the skins, and cook until 

 tender. Place the pulp and skins to 



gelher and measure, allowing to each 

 pint a pound of sugar. Boil the whole 

 together for 1,S minutes, when it should 

 be thick enough; if not, boil until satis- 

 factory. Fifteen minutes will, however, 

 be sufficient in most cases, provided too 

 much water was not added to the skins 

 for boiling. 



GRAPE CATSUP 



Boil the grapes, skins and all, until 

 soft. When they are boiling, weigh out 



six pounds of sugar to every nine pounds, 

 of grapes. Strain the fruit through a 

 colander, add the sugar, and boil slowly 

 until quite thick. Then add one table- 

 spoonful, each, of cloves, allspice, cin- 

 namon and black pepper; and also one 

 quart of vinegar. If the catsup is 

 thinner than desired, after the addition 

 of the vinegar, let it boil slowly, stirring 

 constantly, until it is of the required 

 consistency. — J. R. C. 



TKe Amateur GreenKouse 



Do not forget that many of your chemical ingredients will restore the 



ferns and palms will require re- properties and elements of the virgin 



potting this fall. It may not be land. It must be fresh; if possible, the 



necessary to put them into larger sized top three inches of an old pasture. 



A Bank of Decorative Plants at Canadian National Exhibition 



pots, unless they are root-bound. Take 

 them out of the old pots, clean the roots 

 by removing the earth, and replace with 

 fresh soil in pots of the same size. The 

 plants then will have a new lease of life 

 and will show their appreciation bv 

 growing more freely and more strong. 



PREPARE A COMPOST 



Now is a good time to prepare a com- 

 post heap for use next year. The first 

 and most important consideration is to 

 procure the proper kind of soil. Find 

 the soil that is suitable, and, though it 

 may be some trouble and exp>ense, get 

 it ; it will in the future amply repay the 

 initial cost. The proper kind is fresh, 

 fibrous loam, soil that has never grown 

 an artificial crop. Old, worn-out soil 

 cannot be artificially made fertile; no 



The compost heap is prepared by 

 piling alternate layers of this soil, six 

 inches deep, and of fresh cow manure, 

 three inches deep. Where the latter is 

 not procurable, use short stable manure. 

 Any chemical fertilizer that is to be 

 added may be reserved until the com- 

 f)OSt is to be used. Shape the pile with 

 vertical sides and flat top. To acceler- 

 ate decomposition, make a number of 

 deep holes with a crowbar, thus per- 

 mitting the penetration of water. If 

 this pile is prepared now, it can be 

 chopped down before winter sets in, and 

 thrown into a long heap; this will mix 

 it and make it fit for use in the spring. 

 If probably suitable for use soon, put 

 sufficient in a dry shed to last through 

 the winter. 



CYCLAMEN 



Cyclamen for winter flowering in 

 1907 should be sown now. Most per- 

 sons sow the seeds broadcast in pans. 

 This method gives very good results, 

 but they may be sown one inch apart 

 each way. The pans should be three 

 inches deep and filled with soil com- 

 posed of three parts of good loam and 

 one part of well-rotted cow manure or 

 leaf mould. To insure good germina- 

 tion of seed, place a thin layer of pure 

 sand on the surface. 



ROMAN HYACINTHS 



Roman hyacinths may be had for the 

 holiday season by planting the bulbs 

 now. Plant in pots or pans with the 

 bulb just below the surface of the soil. 

 Use rich soil and, after planting, soak 

 it with water. Then cover the pots 

 with three or four inches of stable litter 

 or cinders. Make occasional examina- 

 tions and, if they are found dry, soak 

 again with water, enough to f>enetrate 

 both covering and soil to the roots. If 

 buried outside and they become sUghtly 

 frozen, no harm will be done if they are 

 left to thaw out naturally. It is best 

 not to handle them when frozen. Bring 

 them to the light early in November. 



FREESIAS 



Plant freesias in five or six inch pots. 

 Place the bulbs about an inch below 

 the surface of the soil. A half dozen 

 may be put in a pot, placing them one 

 inch apart. Freesias do not require 

 putting outside or covering of any kind. 

 Put the pots on the bench. When 

 growth appears they should have plenty 

 of daylight and a temperature at night 

 of 55 or 60 degrees. If a large supply 

 of freesias is desired, grow them directly 

 on the bench in four inches of soil. 

 Place the bulbs at intervals of one inch 

 in rows four inches apart. 



SPIREA JAPONICA 



This is a popular greenhouse plant 

 flowering during spring. All that is 

 necessary is to pot up the clumps in 

 autumn, stand them in a sheltered place, 

 and water when necessary. Then, in 

 the new year, take them to the green- 

 house, and let them come into flower 

 gradually. 



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