August, 1912 AMERICAN HOMES AND GARDENS v 
REBUILDING MESSINA 
HE United States Consul at Catania, 
Italy, Mr. Arthur Garrels reports that 
up to July 1, 1911, there had been no evi- 
dence of any serious undertaking of actual 
work in connection with the rebuilding of 
the city of Messina, which was destroyed 
by the earthquake in December, 1908. The 
first two and one half years after the catas- 
trophe were given over to the erection of 
temporary shelters, some six or seven-per- 
manent new buildings, and a desultory re- 
moval of the débris from the main streets. 
In July, 1911, systematic work was be- 
gun under contracts let in sections by the 
city for the removal of the débris from the 
streets and building sites. Under the 
scheme in operation the city advanced the 
money, benefited property being assessed its 
proportioned share, with a tax payable in 
installments running through a period of 
years. The plan of reconstruction embodies 
a raise in the level and an extension of the 
harbor front. This provided an easily ac- 
cessible dumping ground. In the removal 
of the débris, contractors’ railways with re- 
versible cars and the ordinary Sicilian carts 
are used. The rather steep incline of the 
city’s surface toward the dumping ground 
makes the use of the former economical and 
efficacious. The loaded cars are run down 
under their own gravity, the empties in long 
strings at a time returned by horses. 
On the site of what was the old city of 
Messina not a-single new building had been 
erected or even begun by December 31, 
1911. In the district immediately adjacent 
to the southern limits of the old city, which 
lies between the latter and the section that 
contains the frame temporary city, some 8 
or 10 new buildings have been erected and 
a number of partially demolished structures 
remodeled, to conform with the new regu- 
lations as to height and mode of construc- 
tion. Governmental, municipal, and the 
general business of shipping, etc., is still 
carried on under temporary and makeshift 
facilities. 
WHEN TO PICK GRAPES 
N order to have the right flavor and to 
keep well, grapes must be ripened on the 
vines, wherein they differ from many other 
fruits. Instead of improving in quality after 
being picked, they soon lose their sweetness 
unless allowed to remain on the vines as 
long as possible in order to ensure com- 
plete ripeness. The amateur is often able 
to protect his grapes from early frost by 
covering the vines with a blanket or by 
piling cornstalks or pine boughs among 
them. The commercial grower may need 
to use smudges to save his crop. 
Grapes drop off the stems after they have 
been picked if the atmosphere is too dry 
and mold when it is too moist, so that they 
are not easy to keep. Perhaps the best 
plan is to store them in a cool but dry place 
packed in single layers in dry cork waste, 
such as may be obtained at the fruit stores 
in the cities. Sheets of cotton will answer 
as a substitute for the cork. People with 
only a few grapes for home use will find 
this a simple way to prolong the season and 
to prevent the fruits spoiling before it is 
eaten. SS 
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HE American idea of retail department 
stores has appealed strongly to the pro- 
gressive native element of the new Republic 
of China, and the American Consul-General 
at Hongkong reports the success of such 
establishments recently opened there, organ- 
ized and operated by the Chinese them- 
selves, in accordance with up-to-date com- 
mercial ideas. 
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