34 



CANADIAN HOm ICULTURIST. 



are so palatable. The early growth of 

 the grape up to the time it attains 

 nearly full size and forms seeds does 

 not specially demand mineral fertilizers. 

 But aVjout midsummer the overloaded 

 vine falters in carrying its heavy load. 

 The grapes refuse to color, and it is 

 then that mildew and rot generally 

 make their appearance, though the rot 

 is a self-propagating disease which once 

 introduced perpetuates itself from year 

 to year. European vine growers 

 manure the vine mainly with ashes, 

 burning the trimmings and applying 

 them yearly to the root as part of their 

 supply. This furnishes both potash 

 and phosphate. Thinning overloaded 

 vines is always necessary with some 

 varieties. In any case diseased bunches 

 or berries should be cut out at once to 

 prevent spread of the infection. — 

 American Cultivator. 



Coal Ashes For Vines. 

 Twenty years ago I planted vines in 

 my yard, where I had to do a good 

 deal of tilling in, and the material em- 

 ployed was principally coal ashes. 

 Wherever the ashes came in contact 



with the vines we had the largest crop 

 of the finest grapes I ever saw, the 

 voots seemed to run riot in the soil to 

 a distance of ten to fifteen feet, and 

 were a mass of fine fibres. The grapes 

 were in large bunches that crowded 

 each other for room, fine, plump, thin- 

 skinned berries, while fruit on vines 

 from the same aged cuttings, from the 

 same parent vines, planted in the 

 natural soil, were late, hard and sour. 

 My varieties were Concord, Catawba 

 and Ives' Seedling. — A. B., in Vick's 

 Magazine/or March. 



Paper Bag's. 

 Dr. E. E. Case, of Connecticut, fav- 

 ors the use of paper bags for grapes for 

 the following reasons : (1) Protection 

 from insects, birds, dust and predatory 

 fingers. (2) A slightly lengthened 

 period of growth, and therefore a larger 

 size and higher fiavor of the fruit. (3) 

 A more delicate and beautiful color 

 and bloom. (4) Almost complete pro- 

 tection from rot and mildew. (5) 

 Protection from early frosts which may 

 destroy the leaves without injuring the 

 fruit. 



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Fl2eWERS 



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SUMMER IN WINTER OR LIFE UNDER GLASS. 



MASON, PETERBOROUGH. 



IF I could in the limited space 

 allotted me, make things as beau- 

 tiful and as really delightful on 

 paper as they are in nature, and thus 

 persuade all my readers who are able 

 to construct a small conservatory or 

 greenhouse, to decide at once that 

 before another summer they would 

 have one, I should think I had done a 

 little toward bringing sunshine, if not 

 happiness, into many a home. 



Let us take a walk out into our 

 greenhouses this cold winter morning. 

 Oh ! you say, this is a Florida climate, 

 if not a tropical one — but I see the 

 thermometer indicates only 68°, sun- 

 shine and all ; why, I would have 

 thought it 80° or 90°. Is this not 

 delightful ? Seethe white Calla Lilies, 

 and all colors of Geraniums. Here 

 are some beautiful Hyacinths just 

 coming into bloom, double and single ; 



