Notes mid Gleanings. 295 



the ladies of the West, with whom he was unacquainted, — was unexpected, but 

 gave a deep satisfaction which no words could express. He had ever been a lover 

 of flowers and fruits, and of their cultivators ; and ladies were the true cultiva- 

 tors of flowers. He begged the doctor to return to the ladies his profoundest 

 gratitude, — gratitude of which he had a heart full, but not a tongue to express it. 



Keepixg Grapes. — We are often questioned as to the best method of 

 keeping this fruit. While we may not give the best way, we will give the way 

 practised by ourselves with good success. Select good bunches of fair ripe 

 fruit ; remove every defective berry, and carefully place them in boxes of one 

 layer in depth, and cover over with paper; then cover the box, and keep tight. 

 Place the boxes in a cool place not damp enough to have them mould, and they 

 will keep well until January or February. We have known them kept as late 

 as March or April by being packed in stone jars and kept cool. Some say, bury 

 the jars containing the fruit in the ground, and it will keep well all winter. We 

 have not tried this latter plan : we hope others will give their experience in 

 keeping this fruit. 



Keepixg Grapes. — I will give a method for keeping grapes in winter that 

 has proved highly successful with those who have adopted it. Cut the fruit, 

 when fully ripe, on a dry day ; spread it out thinly on shelves or tables, in a cool, 

 dry room, for a few days, two to six, according to the weather, the object being 

 to dry up the stems a little. Cut clean dry rye-straw in a straw-cutter, about 

 an inch long, and cover liberally the bottom of a suitable tightly-jointed box or 

 other vessel ; on which place a layer of fruit, not too deeply ; then cover with 

 straw liberally, and lay fruit on it again ; and so proceed with the packing of 

 straw and fruit alternately. This done, they require only a cool place, with as 

 little moisture as practicable, to insure sound fruit until the approach of spring. 

 A sprinkling of flower of sulphur increases the safety of the grapes ; but the 

 absorbing property of dry straw is mainly and ordinarily sufficient. W. A. R. 

 Newburg, N.Y., Oct. 8. 



Balsam Apple. — This plant {Mormordica balsamina) is one of our prettiest 

 summer-climbers, equally ornamental in foliage, flower, and fruit. From its 

 rapid growth, it is well calculated for covering low trellises, or is very effective 

 if allowed to ramble at will over bushes. The fruit is very freely produced, 

 and is as beautiful as curious. The seeds should be planted in pots in a 

 frame, and the plants turned into the border when all danger of frost is over. 



E. S. R., Jun. 



Libocedrus tetragona. — M. Briot states in " Revue Horticole," that this 

 plant, when grafted on Saxegothcea, not only succeeds in spite of the somewhat 

 distant affinity, but its habit becomes changed in consequence. Instead of 

 forming a narrow cylindrical column, it spreads widely, so as to form with its 

 numerous and short branches an irregularly spherical or somewhat depressed 

 mass, similar to Juniperus Oxycedrus echiniformis. 



