%U.f Jt tA cb ^ o . 5 .C \^ e. METROPOLITAN TORONTO ^i V LIBRARY :^ fi^m 789 YOhJGE TORONTO M4W 2G8 Aug ■'DSS Horticulture in the School and in the Home The Canadian Horticulturist Volume 30, No. 1 JANUARY, 1907 TORONTO Price 50 Cents a Year K ^fi, .^ k P^h ^0. A NEW YEAR SC3NE IN CANADA THE ONLY HORTICULTURAL PUBLICATION IN CA^'ir A Issued Each Month TtLy^y^ EstablUHed 1856 Mixture Packet 10c. IF YOU WISH an up-to-date Vegetable or Flower Garden file coming season, you must have SIMMERS' Seed Catalogue =For 1907=— Because it contains the most complete list of Veg- etables and Flowers, together with many striking .BCivelties. Simmers' Field, Vegetable and Flower :'*J-3«erfihave for over fifty years been staple with the '.•' best farmers/ piarket gardeners and critical private planters. WBen you buy seeds, you naturally ex- j)ect them to ^^minate. This is an absolute neces sity, but th^«"most important point is the quality of the vege^dble or flower produced. Simmers' ,^ quality s^6?. Larconibe 194 Vegetables in Saskatchewan . Angus MacKay 194 Diseases of the Potato .... Douglas Weir 1 95 Tomato Growing in Alberta 190 General Editorial 198 Iced Cars for Fruit ig8 New Brunswick Fruit Growers' Association . . igg Fruit Crop Reports 200 Vegetable Crop Reports 201 Notes from the Provinces 202 Desired — A Dominion Conference in 1908 . . 204 British Market for Canadian Fruit .... vii Onion Blight or Mildew . . . W. T. Macoun ix INDEX TO ADVERTISEMENTS Acetylene Lamp viii Banks v, x Baskets, Boxes and Ladders .... i\-, 202, 204, 205 Commission Merchants v, 202, 206, vii, x Exhibition 206 Kencing vii Fertilizers 204, 205, 206 Flower Pots x Fruit Evaporator 20^ Furnaces 206 Gasoline Engines x Greenhouse Material ........ 20, Land Companies iv, vi, 201, 204 Nursery Stock iii. vi, 200 Orchard and Garden Tools x Paper for Fruit Wrapping: iii, 203, viii Pianos and Orgfans ix Roofing ix Rubber Stamps and Engravers viii, x Seeds, Bulbs and Plants iv, 205, x Spraying Machines and Insecticides xi Steamship Companies ii, 201, xi, xii Typewriters viii Veterinary Remedies x Water Tanks 206 r The Sovereign Bank of Canada Head Office, Toronto Paid-up Capital, $3,000,000 BOARD OF DIRECTORS: .-Emilu s Jarvis, Esq. - - President Randolph Macdonald, Esq., \st Vice-President A. A. .Allan, Esq. - 2nd Vice-President Hon. D. McMillan Hon. Peter McLaren Arch. Campbell, Esq. W. K. McNaight, Esq. M.P. A. E. DVMKNT, Esq. M.P. F. G. Jemmett, Es^. Gen'l-Man, M.P. P. Alex. Brice, Esq. K.C. R. Cassels, Esq. Asst. Cen'1-Mtin. Savings Bank Department Interest at best current rates paid quarterly. 88 BRANCHES THROUGHOUT CANADA Mention The Canadian Horticulturist wh'^n writing Export Apples — == llth YEAR == WOOD ALL & CO., LIVERPOOL The Pioneers of the British Export Trade, 1847. BOYD, BARROW & CO., GLASGOW 35 years' best standing. BRISTOL FRUIT BROKERS, LTD., BRISTOL A live company in good standing. M. ISAACS & SONS, LTD., LONDON Unsurpassed in London. Firms in all important markets. Liberal advances. Cable quotations. Reliable information. Agents at Seaboard. Write me what you have for sale or consignment. EBEN JAMES Phone 5735 Main TORONTO 103 Union Station Meiiti"!! The Canadian Horticultnrist wlicn writing. VI THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST August, 1907 BRITISH COLUMBIA IRRIGATED FRUIT LANDS The Kettle Valley Irrig-ated Fruit Lpiids Co. have just put on the market the first part of their magnificent Fruit Lands, which have been subdivided into lots of convenient sizes ; a large number of these lots front along the Kettle River. PRICES FROM $100 TO $150 PER ACRE with an ample supply of water for which NO RENT is charged. Soil a rich, sandy loam, which produces the finest fruits and veg- etables. Valuable local markets in surrounding mining towns where prices for produce are always high. Splendid climate and excellent railway facilities. Apply for Full Particulars to W. O. WRIGHT MANAGING DIRECTOR Mention 'I'he (.;;iii;iili:ni Hurtii'ulturist whfii wntiri; MIDWAY British Columbia HARDY TREES FOR MANITOBA SASKATCHEW^AN AND ALBERTA GROWN AND FOR SALE BY CANADA'S GREATEST NURSERIES Varieties tested and recommended by the Western Experimental Stations at Brandon and Indian Head, and now being successfully grown by thousands of our West- ern customers. Hardy RUSSIAN Apples and Crabs, Americana Plums, largest collection of Hardy Small Fruits, Seed Potatoes, quick growing hardy trees for Windbreaks and Shelter Belts. SEND FOR OUR HANDSOME DESCRIPTIVE CATALOGUE, AND LIST OF HARDY WESTERN SPECIALTIES 0_1 _^_^ __- \A/otTf^H "^ ^^^ ''^'^'^ ""' represented in your district, write us for terms. We want an ajfent in every town anc OcllColllCll VVdllLCU. district in 1 he West. Liberal terms. Pay weekly. Specially desitrned outfit for Western agents nd STONE CS, WELLINGTON FONTHILL NURSERIES TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA Mention The Canadian Horticulturist when writing September, 1907 THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST Vll TKe Canadian Horticulturist Contents for September Harvesting Apples in Ontario Cover Photograph by Sallows Fruits and Fruit Growing' British Market for Canadian Fruit .... 207 Apples — From Grower to Consumer/. A. McBride 208 Packing Apples in Boxes . . . Alex. McNeill 209 Photograph by Sallows Marketing Peaches • 210 Photographs by Pringle and Booth (pages 210 and 211) Harvesting and Marketing Apples P. J. Carey 21 1 Pointers on Box Packing . . Robt. Thompson 2f2 Harvesting Blackberries . . . . H. S. Peart 212 Flower Garden and Lawn Perennials in Manitoba . Dr. H. M. Speechly 213 Photograph furnished by W. T. Macoun Canadian Novelties in Gladioli 214 Lawn and Garden Hints for September . . . 215 Protection for Perennials . . . . S. S. Bain 216 Picking Fruits at Home 216 Odd Hanging Baskets . 218 Making the Herbaceous Border . E. By field 217 Photographs furnished by the author Vegetable Department Blanching Celery 218 Greenhouse Lettuce F. D. Ghent 218 Marketing Melons W. G. Home 218 Potato Diseases Douglas Weir 219 Fall Work With Potatoes . W. A. Broughton 219 General An Establishment that is a Credit to Canada . 220 Editorial 224 Vegetable Crop Reports 226 Grants to Horticultural Societies 227 Fruit Crop Reports 228 Notes from the Provinces 229 Recent Bulletins on Orchard Pests Wm. Lochhead 231 Fruit Growing in Pr. Edw. Lsland A. McNeill 233 Preserving Fruits and Vegetables ix INDEX TO ADVERTISEMENTS Acetylene Lamp ... 234 Banks viii, xii Baskets, Boxes and Ladders .... iv, v, 232, 22,^, x Colleg'es 230 Commission Merchants .... vii, viii, 226, 228, xi, xii Exhibition v Fencing 233 Fertilizers iv, v, 233, xiii Kireless Cooker ix Flower Pots xii Furnaces 234 Gasoline Engines xii Greenhouse Material .... .... xi Nursery Stock iii, 229, xi Orchard and Garden Tools 228, xii Paper for Fruit Wrapping vi, 233 Pianos and Organs iv, xiii Real Estate 226 Roofing xi Rubber Stamps and Engravers xii, xiii Seeds, Bulbs and Plants vii, viii, x, xii Spraying Machines and Insecticides xiv, xv Steamship Companies ii, 231, xv, xvi Typewriters x Veterinarv Remedies xii Water Tanks xiv Beautiful Spring Flowers We offer a complete ass^irtment of the following' Sprinjj and Winter Flowering^ Bulbs, for planting in October- November. FREEZIAS, SNOWDROPS. UUES. CROCUS. TUUPS, NARCISSUS. HYACINTHS, ETC. Plants, Bird Seed and Supplies, Poultry Supplies, Flower Pots and Fancy Vases, Lawn Grass Seed, Vegetable, Flower and Farm Seeds of all descriptions. Send for illustrated descriptive catalogue, now ready—FREE White Calla Lilies, 20c. each SPECIAL OFFER Collection No. 1 — For House Culture, 26 Bulbs, retail price, 90c, for 50c, postpaid. Collection No. 2 — For House Culture, 54 Bulbs, retail price., $1.80. for $1.00, postpaid. Collection No. 5— For Garden Culture, 50 Bulbs, retail price, 90c, for 50c, postpaid. Collection No. 6— For Garden Culture. 100 Bulbs, retail price, $1.80, for $1.00, postpaid. John A. Bruce & Co., Hamilton, Ont. SEED MERCHANTS ESTABUSHED 18S0 Mention The Canadian Horticulturist when writing Export Apples ===^ lltl, YEAR = WOODALL & CO.. LIVERPOOL The Pioneers of the British Export Trade, 1847. BOYD, BARROW & CO., GLASGOW 35 years' best standing. BRISTOL FRUIT BROKERS, LTD.. BRISTOL A live company in good standing. M. ISAACS & SONS, LTD.. LONDON Unsurpassed in London. Firms in all important markets. Liberal advances. Cable quotations. Reliable information. Agents at Seaboard. Write me what you have for sale or consignment. EBEN JAMES Phone 5735 Main TORONTO 103 Union Station Mention The Canadian Horticulturist when writing. MU THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST September, 1907 A Beautiful Collection of House Plants for winter flowering can be had by planting a few bulbs this month. flBut only well formed and fully developed bulbs should be planted. ■ No amount of careful culture can make a poor bulb produce good blooms. ^Remember this. ^Our Dutch bulbs have been specially grown for us by Holland's leading bulb expert. They are well formed, fully developed and properly cured; and with the most ordinary culture will produce pleasing results, both indoors and out. ^Ask for our bulb catalogue if you have not al- ready received one. Wm. Rennie Co., Ltd., Toronto and Montreal, 'Winnipeg and Vancouver Write to the Nearest Address Mention The Canadian Horticulturist when -writing. iPPLESWNTED FOB EXPORT REPRESENTING James Adam, Son & Co. Liverpool James Lindsay & Son, Limited Glasgow Nothard & Lowe, London Manchester Fruit Brokers, Limited Manchester THESE are the larg-est and most reliable fruit merchants in Great Britain. Your interest demands the securing of our prices and terms of sale before selling your crop. Write to-day. Market cables received every sale day. TELEPHONE MAIN 5131 A. E. W. PETERSON APPLE BROKER 27 CHURCH STREET - TORONTO, CANADA Mention The Canadian Horticulturist when writing SEEDS, BULBS AND PLANTS Send for our Bulb Catalogue, which is free to all horticulturists. All the best novelties in Bulbs, etc., are fully described and most of them are illustrated. Palms, Rubber Plants Shrubs, a Specialty The Steele, Briggs Seed Co. Limited TORONTO HAMILTON WINNIPEG Mention The Canadian Horticulturist when writing r Tke Sovereign Bank of Canada Head Office, Toronto Paid-up Capital, $3,000,000 BOARD OF yEMILIUS Jarvis, Esq. Randolph Macdonald A. A. Allan, Esq. Hon. D. McMillan Arch. Campbell, Esq. M.P. A. E. DVMENT, Esq. M.P. F. G. Jemmett, Esq. Genl-Ma7i. DIRECTORS: President , Esq., 1st Vice-President 2nd Vice- President Hon. Peter McLaren W. K. McNaught, Esq. M.P.P. Alex. Bruce, Esq. K.C. R. Cassels, Esq. Asst. Gen'UMan. Savings Bank Department Interest at best current rates paid quarterly. 88 BRANCHES THROUGHOUT CANADA Mfntion TTif Canadian Hnrficulturist v>h»n wrStine October, 1907 THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST VII TKe Canadian Horticviltxirist Contents for October Picking Grapes Near Lake Huron . . . Cover Photograph by Sallows Fruits and Fruit Crcwing Apple Growing in Quebec . . . . I?. Brodie 235 A new Fr\iit Market Wanted in Toronto . . 236 Feed Orciiard Trees with Proper Manures . . 237 Use of Sand in Transplanting 238 The Plum Glut This Year ... C. C. Peltit 239 Photograph of Exhibition by Pringle and Booth Grapes Near Lake Huron . . . W. Warnock 240 Packing Apples in Boxes . . . .A. NcNeill 240 Flo-wer Garden and La-wn Bulbs for the Window in Winter . Wm. Hunt 241 Photographs taken specially for The Canadian Horticulturist Lawn and Garden Hints for October .... 243 The Fall Care of June Roses . A. K. Goodman 244 Preservation of Seeds 244 Forcing Plants by Ether . . . . J. E. Howitl 245 The Fragrant Freesia Wm. Htitit 246 Making Root Cuttings 246 Vegetable Department Growing Celery Easily ..../. IV. Rush 246 Forcing Lettuce Under Glass . Eugene Davis 247 How Montreal Melons are Grown . . R. Brodie 247 Vegetable Crop Situation 254 General The Largest Nursery Firm in Canada .... 248 Photographs by Pringle >ad Booth Editorials 2^2 Fruit Crop Reports 256 Notes from the Provinces 257 The Climate of the Okanagan Valley H. Gordon 258 Poultry Department S. Short 259 A Dominion Conference Next Winter .... 260 At The Canadian National 262 The Niagara District Exhibition ix INDEX TO ADVERTISEMENTS ^^"l*- xii Baski-ts, Boxes and Ladders v, 262, x Commission Merchants vii, viii.^se xi, Exhibition ' • ^''■'■'"'=='=" ■ 262,' X, xi Flower Pots Furnaces Gasoline Engines ^H Greenhouse M.iterial j Hi>rticultiiral Books ^H Nursery Stock iii, 255. 258, 259, 260, 26, Paper for Fruit Wrapping- ^ Pianos and Org:ans -^^ ^^jjl Roofing .... " XI Rubber Stamps and Engravers ^-6 ^jj; Seeds. Bulbs and Plants .... v, vi. vii, viii, 256,'xii Sprajmg- Machines and Insecticides . . . ; 2,7, xiv, xv Steamship Companies ....... ii, 258! xv.'xvi Typewriters Veterinary Remedies ^^11 Wat. r Tanks ... XIV Beautiful Spring Flowers We offer a complete assortment of the following Spring and Winter Flowering Bulbs, for planting- in October- November. FREES IAS, SNOWDROPS. UUES, CROCUS, TUUPS, NARCISSUS, HYACINTHS. ETC. Plants, Bird Seed and Supplies, Poultry Supplies, Flower Pots and Fancy Vases, Lawn Grass Seed, Vegetable, Flower and Farm Seeds of all descriptions. Send for illustrated descriptive catalogue, now ready — FREE White Calla Lilies. 20c. each SPECIAL OFFER Collection No. 1 — For House Culture, 26 Bulbs, retail price, 90c, for 50c, postpaid. Collection No. 2 — For House Culture, 54 Bulbs, retail price, $1.80, for $1.00, postpaid. Collection No. 5 — For Garden Culture, 50 Bulbs, retail price, 90c, for 50c. postpaid. Collection No. 6 — For Garden Culture, 100 Bulbs, retail price. $1.80. for $1.00, postpaid. John A. Bruce & Co., Hamilton, Ont. SEED MERCHANTS ESTABUSHED 1850 Mention The Canadian Horticulturist when writing Export Apples =^— == llth YEAR ^== WOODALL & CO.. LIVERPOOL The Pioneers of the British Export Trade, 1847. BOYD. BARROW & CO.. GLASGOW 35 years' best standing. BRISTOL FRUIT BROKERS, LTD., BRISTOL A live company in good standing. M. ISAACS & SONS,' LTD., LONDON Unsurpassed in London. Firms in all important markets. Liberal advances. Cable quotations. Reliable information. Agents at Seaboard. Write me what you have for sale or consignment. EBEN JAMES Phone 5735 Main TORONTO 103 Union Station Mention The Canadian Horticulturist when writing via THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST OctolxM-, 1907 A Beautiful Collectiori of House Plants for winter flowering can be had by planting a few bulbs this month. ^But only well formed and fully developed bulbs should be planted. No amount of careful culture can make a poor bulb produce good blooms. ^Remember this. ^Our Dutch bulbs have been specially grown for us by Holland's leading bulb expert. They are well formed, fully developed and properly cured; and with the most ordinary culture will produce pleasing results, both indoors and out. ^Ask for our bulb catalogue if you have not al- ready received one. >Vtn. Rennie Co., Ltd., Toronto and Montreal, V^innipeg and Vancotxver \irrite to th« Nearest Address Mention The Canadian Horticulturist when writing. APPLESWANTED FOR EXPORT REPRESENTING James Adam, Son & Co. Liverpool James Lindsay & Son, Limited Glasgow Nothard & Lowe, London Manchester Fruit Brokers, Limited Manchester THESE are the larg'est and most reliable fruit merchants in Great Britain. Your interest demands the securing of our prices and terms of sale before selling your crop. Write to-day. Market cables received every sale day. TELKPHONE MAIN 5131 A. E. W. PETERSON APPLE BROKER 27 CHURCH STREET - TORONTO, CANADA Mention The Canadian Horticulturist when writing SEEDS, BULBS AND PLANTS Send for our Bulb Catalogue, which is free to all horticulturists. All the best novelties in Bulbs, etc., are fully described and most of them are illustrated. Palms, Rubber Plants Shrubs, a Specialty The Steele, Briggs Seed Co. Limited TORONTO HAMILTON WINNIPEG Mention The Canadian Horticulturist when writing Apples for Export D. CROSSLEY & SONS, Liverpool and Glasgow The only firm selling apples Exclusively by Private Sale. THOMSON & MATHIESON, Glasgow The coming firm in the Glasgow market. NORTH OF ENGLAND FRUIT BROKERS, Manchester The largest apple receivers in Manchester. HENRY LEVY, London The oldest established house in London These firms absolutely refuse to advance money to buy in opposition to independent shippers and have no bad debts to make up. They do their own selhng and have no auctioneer charges to pay. Advances against Bills of Lading only. Market reports. Shipping agents at ports. Write for information. A. S. CHAPIN PHONE MAIN 3547 75 YONGE STREET TORONTO M ntion The Canadian Horticulturist when writing November, 1907 THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST vu The Canadian Horticulturist Contents for November Something to be Thankful For Photograph by Pringle and Booth. Cover Fruits and Fruit Growing The Fruit Marks Act . . . Alex. McNeill How to Pack Apples in Barrels Orchard Manures P'all Cleaning in Orchard and Garden, W.Lochhead Some Enemies of the Plum . V. R. Gardner Packing Apples in Boxes . .. J. A. Webster Flo-wer Garden and La-wn Hints on Dahlia Culture . . Max Moineau What Amateurs Can do in November . . . A Plan for a Hardy Border . . E. By field Sketches by the Author. Pointers on Window Gardening Veronica Roderick Cameron Bulbs for Spring Flowering . . R. B. Whyte Vegetables and MarKet Gardening A Simple Experiment with Fertilizers . . . Wintering Cabbage Market Gardening Up-to-date Vegetable Crop Reports 263 265 266 266 267 267 268 268 270 270 271 272 273 274 275 286 General A Well-known Nursery Concern 276 Questions and Answers 279 Editorials 280 P'ruit Crop Reports 282 Notes from the Provinces 283 The Dominion Fruit Conference 285 The Coldstream Valley . . . . H. Gordon 285 INDEX TO ADVERTISEMENTS Banks xii Baskets, Boxes and Ladders v, x, xiv Cold Storage 290, xiv Commission Merchants vii, viii, 289, xii Exhibition v Fertilizers vii, x, xiv Flower Pots xii Furnaces 290 Gasoline Engines xii Greenhouse Material xi Horticultural Books 290, x, xii Nursery Stock .... iii, iv, vi, 287, 288, ix, xi, xii, xiv Pianos and Organs iv, xiii Rooting 290 Rubber Stamps and Engravers xi, xiii Seeds, Bulbs and Plants viii, xi Spraying Machines and Insecticides 289, xv Steamship Companies ii, 288, xv, xvi Typewriters xiii Veterinary Remedies ix, xi THE NEW PLANT FOOD Everybody having plants in the house, garden or con- servatory desires them to be at their best— healthy and vigorous, abundant in bloom and foliage. qWith the knowledge gained by our thirty years' experience in manufacturing Fertilizers, we have prepared in "Watch- em-grow" a combination of plant food elements, mixed with the necessary chemicals, in proper proportions, and in the best forms, to give the maximum results. It is odorless and easily applied. qXhat you may test the merits of "Watch-em-grow," we will send on receipt of ten cents, to any address in Canada, a package, postpaid, containing a sufficient quantity to fertilize . eighteen to twenty plants for two months. Prices for larger quantities quoted on application. The Standard Fertilizer and Chemical Co. SMITH FALLS, ONT. ^^'""'^ E»tablUhed 1879 Incorporated 1885 Export Apples ——=^ Uth YEAR = WOODALL & CO., LIVERPOOL The Pioneers of tKe British Export Trade, 1847. BOYD, BARROW & CO., GLASGOW 35 years best standing. BRISTOL FRUIT BROKERS. LTD., BRISTOL A live company in good standing. M. ISAACS & SONS. LTD., LONDON Un surpasse sed in Londo Firms in all important markets. Liberal advances. Cable quotations. Reliable information. Agents at Seaboard. Write me what you have for sale or consignmen EBEN JAMES Phone 5735 Main TORONTO 103 Union Station Mention The Canadian Horticulturist when writing Vlll THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST November, 1907 A Beautiful Collection of House Plants for winter flowering can be had by planting a few bulbs this month. ^But only well formed and fully developed bulbs should be planted. No amount of careful culture can make a poor bulb produce good blooms. ^Remember this. ^Our Dutch bulbs have been specially grown for us by Holland's leading bulb expert. They are well formed, fully developed and properly cured; and with the most ordinary culture will produce pleasing results, both indoors and out. QAsk for our bulb catalogue if you have not al- ready received one. Wm. Rennie Co., Ltd., Toronto and Montreal, 'Winnipeg and Vancouver 'WTrit* to th* Nearest Address Mention The Canadian Horticulturist when writing. SEEDS, BULBS AND PLANTS Send for our Bulb Catalogue, which is free to all horticulturists. All the best novelties in Bulbs, etc. , are fully described and most of them are illustrated. Palms, Rubber Plants Shrubs, a Specialty The Steele, Briggs Seed Co. Limited TORONTO HAMILTON WINNIPEG Mention The Canadian Horticulturist when vt'riting APPLES WANTED FOR EXPORT REPRESENTING James Adam, Son & Co. Liverpool James Lindsay & Son, Limited Glasgow Nothard & Lowe, London Manchester Fruit Brokers, Limited Manchester 'T'HESE are the largest and most reliable -*- fruit merchants in Great Britain. Your interest demands the securing* of our prices and terms of sale before selling your crop. Write to-day. Market cables received every sale day. TELEPHONE MAIN 5131 A. E. "W. PETERSON APPLE BROKER 27 CHURCH STREET - TORONTO, CANADA Mention The Canadian Horticulturist when writing Apples for Export D. CROSSLEY & SONS, Liverpool and Glasgow The only firm selling apples Exclusively by Private Sale. THOMSON & MATHIESON, Glasgow The coming firm in the Glasgow market. NORTH OF ENGLAND FRUIT BROKERS, Manchester The largest apple receivers in Manchester. HENRY LEVY, London The oldest established house in London These firms absolutely refuse to advance money to buy in opposition to independent shippers and have no bad debts to make up. They do their own selling and have no auctioneer charges to pay. Advances against Bills of Lading only. Market reports. Shipping agents at ports. Write lor information. A. S. CHAPIN PHONE MAIN 3547 75 YONGE STREET TORONTO Mention The Canadian Horticulturist when writing December, 1907 THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST TKe Canadian Horticvilturist Contents for December View of Ontario Horticultural Exhibition . . Cover Photograph by Pringle and Booth, Fruits and Fruit Growing San Jose Scale on Infested Fruit 291 Questions on Fruit Culture . . G. Reynaud 293 Group photograph by J. L. McLaren Mulching the Strawberries . . W. H. Burke 294 Brown Rot V. R. Gardner 295 Flo-wer Garden and La-wn An Experience with Asters . . CM. Bezzo 295 Winter Protection for Plants . V. R. Gardner 296 Canadian Holly R. Cameron 296 Pointers on Dahlia Culture . Max Moineau 297 photographs by the Author Kniphofia — Blanket Flower . . R. Cameron 298 Seasonable Hints for Amateurs 299 Group photograph by Pringle and Booth Amateur's Greenhouse in December, A. Alexander 300 Vegetables and MarKet Gardening The Marketing of Vegetables . F. Williams 301 Forcing Rhubarb with Ether . J. E. Howitt 302 Asparagus and Ginseng 302 Ontario Vegetable Growers' Convention . . 308 General Questions and Answers 303 Editorials 304 Ontario Horticultural Exhibition • 306 Fruit Growers' Convention 307 Ontario Horticultural Association 308 Notes from the Provinces 309 Dominion Fruit Conference Wanted . . . . 312 Petroleum Emulsion for San Jose Scale . . . 313 Ontario Horticultural Experiment Station . . viii INDEX TO ADVERTISEMENTS Banks ^I^ Baskets, Boxes and Ladders iv, ix, x Commission Merchants 3 "3. 314 Fencing 312 Fertilizers v, ix, x Flower Pots vii Furnaces 31^ Gasoline Engines 314 Greenhouse Material ......... viii Land Companies vi Nursery Stock iii, v, vii, viii, 312, 313 Pianos and Organs iii, iv Roofing vii Rubber Stamps and Engravers ix, x Seeds, Bulbs and Plants v, vi Spraying Machines -512 Steamship Companies ii, 313, xi, xii Typewriters x Veterinary Remedies ix Everybody having plants in the house, garden or con- servatory desires them to be at their best— healthy and vigorous, abundant in bloom and foliage. QWith the knowledge gained by our thirty years' experience in manufacturing Fertilizers, we have prepared in "Watch- em-grovv " a combination of plant food elements, mixed with the necessary chemicals, in proper proportions, and in the best forms, to give the maximum results. It is odorless and easily applied. flThat you may test the merits of "Watch-em-grow, " we will send on receipt of ten cents, to any address in Canada, a package, postpaid, containing a sufficient quantity to fertilize eighteen to twenty plants for two months. Prices for larger quantities quoted on application. The Standard Fertilizer and CJiemica! Co. SMITH'S FALLS, ONT. li-"-'' Established 1879 Incorporated 1885 H, enry s Nurseries PACIFIC COAST GROWN SEEDS for the farm, garden, lawn or conserv- atory. Reliable approved varieties at reasonable prices. Each variety tested as to vitality before sending out. Fin- est collection of Japanese Lilies and Dahlias in Canada for spring planting. Thousands of Fruit and Ornamental Trees, English Hollies, Greenhouse Plants. Home grown. No Borers. No Scale. No fumigation to dam- age stock. No windy agents to annoy you. Buy direct and get trees that grow. Bee Sup- plies, Spray Pumps and Spraying Material, Cut Flowers, etc. Oldest established nursery on the mainland of British Columbia. Catalogue Free. M. J. HENRY 3010 Westminster Road - Vancouver, B.C., Canada Mention The Canadian Horticulturist when writing VI THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST December, 1907 ChilliwacJ^ The Garden of British Columbia BEST OF FRUIT LANDS AT PRICES REASONABLE NO IRRIGATION WRITE FOR OUR ILLUSTRATED BOOKLET Caw ley & Paisley CHILLIWACK, B.C. MentioQ The Canadian Horticulturist when writinsr CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS HIGHEST QUALITY HOLLY MISTLETOi: "Well -berried and Selected Specially Foliage Perfect for our Trade Moss and Paper W^reatKing, Bells Etc. CHOICi: PALMS RUBBER PLANTS AND ARAUCARIAS IN VARIOUS SIZES AT REASONABLE PRICES ORDER NOA)V FROM THE STEELE, BRIGGS SEED CO. L-imited 132 RING ST. HAST, TORONTO Mention The Canadian Horticulturist when writine FRUIT LANDS Situated between Vernon and Armstrong in the famous Okanagan Valley, one mile from C. P. R. station. Railway with siding runs through the property. Lots front on main road. Excellent water for which there is no charge. Lake and town close and handy. Climate and scenery unsurpassed. Fishing and hunting A 1. Per acre $100, one-third cash, balance 1, 2, 3 years, 6%. You cannot make a better investment. . Profits are enormous. KIRTON ORCHARD COMPANY 317 Portage Avenue, Winnipeg, Man. ^ Mention The Canadian Horticulturist when writing THERE ARE NO IRRIGATION DIFFICULTIES W^ITH OUR The Canadian Horticulturi^ Vol. XXX JANUARY, 1907 No. 1 TKe Future of tKe Apple in Ontario" JK. McNeill, CHief, Fruit Division, Otta-wa The; future of the apple trade in Ontario rests upon several natural conditions, soil, climate, markets, transportation and the trend of trade, as well as upon the character of the men who are growing the fruit and the character of the men who are handling it. I will also assume that men will do what is for their best interests, although I am perfectly well aware that not in- frequently this rule of action is violated. On the whole it would be more correct, perhaps, to say that I am endeavoring to show the lines along which the apple industry should develop rather than the actual development that will take place. Of the various elements that enter into this problem I propose to select a few, the importance of which has been overlooked, or which are not likely to be handled by others. Some of the most important I will pass over with just a simple reference. Transportation, for instance, is a most important element in connection with the future develop- ment of the apple industry. Soil is also another important element. Fortun- ately here I need say little, inasmuch as there are few parts of Ontario where the soil is unsuitable for the culture of apples. Some parts may be slightly better than others, but on the other hand the conditions are so uniform and the question so local that it may fairly well be omitted in an investigation of this kind. GEOGRAPHY, TOPOGRAPHY AND VARIETIES I shall confine myself more particu- larly to questions of climate and the selection of suitable varieties for local conditions and the trend of trade with special reference to the markets. For the purpose of developing these points, I have drawn a map marking the vari- ous portions of it to suit the conditions which I believe prevail with reference to temperature and climate generally. I will use this map for the purpose of drawing your attention to certain phys- ical features that have a most import- ant bearing on the development of ap- ples, a bearing that has been entirely overlooked in the planting of the or- chards of Ontario. Nevertheless, by a process of the survival of the fittest, the "An address deliviTed before the recent convention of the Ont.Trio Fruit Growers' Association. trend of apple orcharding is shaping itself very nearly as the physical fea- tures of the province would dictate. In any case, the development of markets and the distribution of population has proceeded so rapidly within the last quarter of a century that those who planted the orchards 25 years ago can scarcely be blamed if they did not fore- See some of the results that were in- evitable now that their orchards should be in full bearing. APPLES AND ALTITUDES I would first draw attention to the heights of land. This element in the determination of climate is not a strik- ing one in Ontario. Nevertheless, the net results of height above the sea level RanKs Hig'K The last issue of The Canadian Horticulturist is most creditable to the publishers. It takes rank high up among the outdoor mag- azines.— The Busy Man's Magazine. are just as definite and just as effective as in mountainous districts such as Brit- ish Columbia. The traveller in British Columbia can stand at the foot of a slope and pick tender flowers, but rais- ing his eyes but a few hundred feet, he can see the whole mountain top covered with snow and, perhaps, even with glaciers that never disappear. The re- sult is brought about solely by the dif- ferences in the height between the base of the mountain and its top. The slopes in Ontario are so gradual that we are not aware of the heights we reach. I would, therefore, play the schoolmaster to the extent of noting that Lake Huron is 575 feet above the sea level. Lake Erie 565, and I^ake On- tario 262 feet. Compared with this we have: Chatham, 589 feet, London 805, Brantford 705, Stratford 1,189, Durham 1,687, Walkerton 931, Mount Forest 1,348, Orangeville 1,557, Lindsav 854, Peterboro 649, Ottawa 215, Montreal 47. FOUR ,FRUIT DISTRICTS The accompanying map of Ontario divides the province into four divisions for apple culture. District No. 1 grows all the tender fruits, such as peaches, apricots, dwarf pears of all varieties, tender and all varieties of apples, plums, pears, cherries, etc. This region is specially adapted to early fruits and vegetables, being from ten days to two weeks ahead of the districts surround- ing the large markets. District No. 2 grows excellent winter apples of all varieties to perfection. It is characterized by a large number of comparatively small orchards contain- ing numerous varieties of fruit. Many portions are excellently adapted for plum and pear culture. District No. 3 is specially adapted for winter apples. There are many large orchards especially on the shore of Lake Ontario. The farmers here are making a specialty of orcharding. A district on the Nottawasaga Bay should be classed with District 3, having large orchards of comparatively few varieties of winter fruit. In district No. 4 the ordinary winter varieties are not hardy. This district, however, grows Fameuse, Mcintosh Red, Wealthy and Wolf River to perfection. The first two are dessert apples that, if properly packed, should command the very highest prices as dessert apples. The midland counties of western On- tario, on account of their altitude, must be classed with district No. 4. In this district the ordinary winter varieties grown in the adjacent counties are not hardy. The height of land embracing the counties of Dufferin, Wellington, Perth, and Waterloo, renders the winter cli- mate frequently so severe as to make it impossible to grow the tenderer varieties of apple trees. We are, therefore, obhged to put these counties in the same apple district as the northern portion of the province, which I have designat- ed as district No. 4, and which includes the valley of the Ottawa and St. Law- rence Valley, roughly as far as King- ston. For the purpose of the apple in- dustry I need only consider the more favored portions of this district No. 4, where thev grow the Fameuse and Mc- intosh Red, the Wolf River, Duchess and Wealthy. Such varieties as the Spy, Baldwin, Cranberry Pippin, King, etc., are altogether too tender for this 2 THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST area, so that this district is not consid- ered in the production of what we call winter varieties. The counties bordering on the north shore of Lake Ontario, together with a small portion of the county of Grey, bordering on Georgian Bay, and one of two townships in the county of Dufferin, designated district No. 3, have that happy medium climate that renders them peculiarly well-fitted for the win- ter varieties. The temperature is not so severe as to cause serious loss from winter killing, and the summer temper- atures not so high as to prematurely ripen these varieties. The counties bordering on Lake Huron and the second tier of counties north of Lake Erie, named district no. 2, are also admirably suited in climate and soil for the production of winter varieties, but orchards in this district. Some of the finest of the apples, if not the very finest exhibited at the recent Ontario Horti- cultural Exhibition in Toronto, came from this district. Such a condition of affairs calls for some explanation. If the fruit can be grown to perfection, and if orcharding is profitable, why is it that we find this waste of fruit and want of confidence in the apple industry? CLIMATE NOT FAVORABLE The explanation is partly a question of climatology and partly an economic question. As a matter of climate, this district No. 1 has a mean annual tem- perature many degrees higher than dis- tricts 3 and 4. The Fameuse apple will be in full bloom in Chatham early in May; the same variety will not be in bloom in Lindsay for two weeks later. Map of Ontario showiug Four Divisions for Apple Culture the orchards of these districts were planted under different conditions that have induced me to place them in a separate class. We come now to the counties border- ing directly on Lake Erie, which I have grouped under district No. 1 . This may be called the tender fruit belt of Ontario, where peaches, cherries, tomatoes and all tender fruits are grown with the greatest success. The apple also grows here to perfection. Nevertheless, it is a matter of notoriety that, though the earliest orchards of Canada were plant- ed in this district, and though it made its reputation as an apple growing district long years before the other portions of the province were settled, of late years the industry has fallen into disrepute. Splendid old orchards in perfect health and vigor and bearing a full crop have been chopped down to make way for ordinary grain crops, and even in years -of comparative scarcity, as last year and this, thousands of barrels of apples have been allowed to go to waste in The fruit grower in Chatham does not fear serious frost until the first of No- vember, probably until November 10 or 15. The fruit grower north of Lake Ontario is very anxious, indeed, if he has any apples exposed the last week of October. It will thus be seen that the- apples north of Lake Ontario begin to grow nearly two weeks later than in the southern parts of Ontario. It will also be noted that in district No. 3 they do not have nearly so high a temperature during the summer months and conse- quently are nearly a month later in reaching the same degree of maturity as the varieties in district No. 1. In con- sequence of this, all the common winter varieties, such as the Baldwin, Spy, Rus- set and King are ripe in district No. 1 early in October, and in the natural or- der of things are subjected to the warm, genial weather that prevails in this dis- trict during the latter part of October. At the end of three weeks of this warm weather the apples are in a condition of maturity when they must go at once into consumption. That is to say, apple operators will not store these varieties, or if owing to very favorable conditions of temperature, they do attempt to store them, the consequence is a very serious loss when they come to be repacked dur- ing the winter months. The growers, then, of winter stock in this district are forced to sell so as to go on the market at least before Christmas, and they have not the alternative of accepting this market or the later winter market. CHEAP APPLES It might be noted just here that in the apple industry it is always likely that the cheapest apples will be those that must go into consumption during the months of October, November and December. During these months there will always be the fag ends of the high priced early apples as well as the odds and ends of the late winter varieties that for one reason or another have to be forced upon the market. These two sources of supply, together with the large volume of apples that ripen nor- mally at this period, will always make a surplus at least of No. 2 grade at this time. Herein lies the reason for the low prices and for the want of market for the apples grown in district No. 1. Somewhat different conditions pre- vail in the district which I have des- ignated No. 2, including the second tier of counties on Lake Erie and the counties bordering on Lake Huron. This district, of course, fades inperceptibly into district No. 1 upon the south, but upon the whole is admirably fitted for growing the winter varieties. In common with district No. 3 it has that happy medium of chmate not so severe as to induce winter kilhng and not so high in temperature as to prematurely ripen the apples. The standard winter varie- ties are matured normally, so as to meet the temperature approaching the freez- ing point that prevails in these districts after the first of November. These apples go as it were into a natural cold storage and, if harvested with care and placed at once where they will be pro- tected from the occasional warm days, will be in the best condition to be re- packed and shipped for the winter market. FUTURE FOR EARLY APPLES What, then, should be the aim of the orchardist in the counties north of Lake Erie, district No. 1 ? One thing is cer- tain, they can never compete under nat- ural conditions with other portions of Ontario in the production of winter apples. It is very true that in this re- spect they have conditions not dissimi- lar to the orchardists in New York state, and they may make orcharding as suc- cessful in New York state by adopting the same devices as have been adopted there, namely, an extensive system of cold storage. If, at some point, or THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST several points, in this district, cold stor- ing most successfully in Simcoe. Both is not likely to lessen for many years, age facihties are provided whereby the of these organizations have this year but the market for apples cannot be apples may be packed when they are sold all the apples their patrons had measured by this standard, large as it matured (the last of September or the at prices much higher than the average will be. The great cost of distributing first of October), and placed in cold prices paid for winter apples in the the apples Hmits the consumption very storage chambers, where they will be counties north of Lake Ontario. What largely to the cities and towns capable has been done at Chatham and Simcoe of taking at least carload lots. During can be done in Essex and Elgin and the last few years there have been es- other counties constituting this district. tabhshed along the railway lines of the western provinces, hundreds of quickly reduced to a temperature near the freezing point, they may, with con- fidence, then be repacked for the winter trade. Dismissing, however, the question of cold storage, the orchardists here should recognize the defects of their a.pples and market them early in the season, indeed, though they have not cleary recog- nized the defects of their apples as keepers ; all the apples that have been used have been sold for immediate consumption. THE IRRESPONSIBLE BUYER As has already been pointed out, the market is not always a reliable or steady one, and consequently the more reput- able dealers have avoided this district in their operations. It has been the prey too fre- quently of the irresponsible buyer who has com 2 in with his gUb tongue and a light purse, and promised prices that induced the apph grower to part with his fruit. The apples were packed and shipped, and if the price reaUzed was a good one, or if the apple operator was so fixed that he could not get out of the district readily, he paid the farm- er a part, or the whole, of what was promised. If, on the other hand, the markets were poor, if he made a clean breast of thematterand explained that the markets had gone wrong and he could not pay the promised price, the farmer very quickly realized that he had no recourse. This, however, is not a necessary condition of affairs. It simply indi- cates bad business meth- ods, and the remedy here is quite aside from any question of climate, soil, varieties r markets. The question is simply une of organization among the apple growers themselves. This has been demonstrated by the success of one or two cooperative organizations which have been working in this district. I need only to refer you to the suc- cess with which the Chatham Fruit Growers' Association is working. An- other cooperative organization is work- Ontario-Grown Apples Shown at Rjcent Ontario Horticultural h THE WESTERN MARKET Just here may be a convenient place to discuss the question of markets for early apples. The two most important markets for early apples are the western provinces and Great Britain. The mar- kets of the western provinces are open- ing so rapidly that few who have not paid special attention to this matter will realize and appreciate the extraor- dinary growth of late years. The influx stations, none of which, until recently, were able to take the fruit in carload lots. Last year and this some dozens of these places have come into the market accepting carload lots. A few years ago Winni- peg was the only distributing point. Now large distributing warehouses have been estab- hshed at Regina, Prince Al- bert, Moose Jaw, Calgary, Lethbridge and Edmonton. In consequence of this an extra- ordinary demand for fruit has sprung up, quite out of propor- tion to ,the nurnber of pepple ' entering the country last year and this. The comparative cheapness with which the fruit can now be distributed has increased the consumption among the people. The ex- traordinary prosperity of the west has made it possible for almost everyone to enjoy fruit, which necessarily is high priced even yet com- pared with the price which is received by the grower. We can look forward, then, confidently to a market there that will readily ab- sorb a very large propor- tion of all the fruit that Ontario can grow. It is very true that the Ontario grower in the near future will have to meet the cornpetition from the province of British Col- umbia. This, however, he need not fear. The growers of each prov- ince, when all the ele- ments of success are taken into considera- tion, are upon a com- paratively equal footing, and even if this were not the case, the market will likely increase much faster than the production of fruit in both provinces. {To be concluded in next issue) xniDiiion With the advent of the San Jose Scale into this district, driving the care ess unthrifty grower to the wall, and the opening of the great Northwtist so rapidly, to say nothing of New Ontario, the prospects were never brighter for success in fruit culture. THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST Top-WorKing' Unprofitable Fruit Trees TOP-WORKING orchard trees is the grafting over of old trees or of worthless varieties after they are estabhshed in the orchard. It is an important operation in the secondary care of fruit orchards and may be practised on trees of all ages, provided they are strong and healthy. Varieties that have been planted and found not suited to local and climatic conditions or to the demands of the market may be worked over with some variety of desired merit. Top-working may be useful also for grafting var- ieties into the tops of self-sterile trees to ensure cross pollination. It may be employed to reform the tops of trees that have been found not true to name. It is the best means for saving time in testing new varieties by top-working them into bearing trees. It is a means of overcoming weak, straggling, and other bad habits in' certain varieties. It is also an important factor in reducing the danger of sun-scald by grafting a susceptible sort on a variety that has proved more resistant to the disease. It may be used in some cases to modify insect injuries. Top-working may, therefore, be used bv the fruit grower with advantage in many ways. Chief among the many and the one of most importance in most orchards is the changing of poor varieties for ones of value. In the case of the peach, top-work- ing is best done by bud-grafting. Bud- ding is a part of the general process of grafting, but differs from grafting proper in that the scion used consists of a single bud instead of a twig com- prising one or more buds. The bud may be successfully set in old wood, but to secure more certain results it is necessary to bud on wood of one season's growth. To get this new wood, the main branches should be cut back when the tree is dormant to within one and a half feet of the trunk. The following season a new growth will spring from the stubs, and this may be utilized for the desired pur- pose. If the growth has been super- fluous, only a portion of the new shoots need be budded. It is advisable, how- ever, to bud more than eventually will be required, so as to ensure a suffi- cient number of perfect unions. All unions in excess of the desired number which is usually four or five, may be removed when growth starts the follow- ing spring. Apple trees are usually top-worked by means of the cleft graft. As a rule, it is better to top-work each year only a portion of the top of old trees so as not to be too severe. Cut the branches of an inch or an inch and a half in diameter off squarely, making a clean cut with no ragged edges. SpUt these in the centre and insert the scions, usually two, one on either side, so that the cambium or green layer iust beneath the bark comes in contact with the cambium of the stock. Coat the wounds with grafting wax or wax bandages so as to exclude the air and the spores of disease and to allow of rapid healing. Cleft grafting is not difficult in the hands of a pers.jn of ordinary care and intelligence. rig'Kting Plxim Curcxilio Among the insects which attack the plum orchard the curculio is the most destructive. Many methods of com- batting this insect have been tried, but ^ few of them can be claimed to be * effective. Regarding successful treatment, Mr. F. G. Stewart, of Homer, wrote The Horticulturist as follows: "Last seas- on I used altogether arsenate of lead for plums, and I do not find more than two plums cut by the curcuUo on a tree. It is more expensive than Paris green. The latter costs about four cents a barrel, while it takes three pounds of the lead at 17 cts. a pound, or 51 cts. worth for a barrel. But what would that matter on 50 trees, when it saves the crop so well. Three baskets of good plums will more than pay the difference. Another point in favor of the lead arsenate is that it does not wash off as readily as does Paris green." THe Gravenstein Ralph S. Eaton, Kentville, Kova Scotia A better apple might have been made than the Gravenstein, but few Nova Scotians will admit that a better one exists, either as a dessert apple or for cooking." Like much highly bred stock, however, the tree and fruit has some weak or tender points. The tree has been more susceptible to so-called "col- lar rot" than any other variety, and some growers are hesitating to include it in their new plantings. The fruit is susceptible also to black spot, and, as it is a large and early maturing variety, its rapid expansion of pulp and skin causes cracks where the roots of the spot have their hold. Previous to five years ago, the Grav- enstein brought more money to Nova Scotia growers than any other variety. Since then the Baldwin and perhaps Ribston have led. But it is too fine an apple to give up growing, and there is hardly sufficient reason for doing so. The "collar rot" was due probably to some special climatic conditions of the winter of 1900, which may not recur for many years. There is ample proof that with thorough spraying the fruit can be grown beautifully clean. The tree re- quires very little pruning and is a beauti- ful, symmetrical grower. Though the first home of the Gravenstein was in . Typical Gravenstein Tree, Pruned Germany, Nova Scotians feel that they can surpass the German product. An Effective WindbreaK This windbreak is on the farm of Mr. T. A. Scott, of Meyersburg, Ont., who writes to The Canadian Horticultur- ist as follows : " It has paid its cost over and over again and I would not be with- out it. It saves 25 to 50 per cent, of my apples each year. It is about 25 feet distant from the nearest row of trees, so it does not shade them. In most orchards the air circulates too freely, more especially in a winter Hke 1904, when many farmers lost a great number of both voung and full grown trees by frost. Mine came through safe with the exception of one or two at the end of A Shelter Belt of Spruce Trees the break. I would not think of plant- ing an orchard without a break on the west and north side, if not already pro- tected by a hill, and if I had an orchard already grown I would lose no time in planting a break. Spruce makes the best. TKe Stra^wberry and Its Culture" THE strawberry is more cosmopoli- tan in its adaptation to soil, climate and conditions, as well as palates, than any other fruit. It grows and flourishes in the sunny south. It is found smiling its welcome in the early spring on the prairies of the far north, and at all points between it grows or may be grown. It was feared by many that the im- portation of strawberries from the Unit- ed States would result in weakening the appetite of consumers and lowering the price of the home-grown article. The history of demand and average prices for the past 10 years shows a contrary effect. With the increase of importa- tions and the trebling of the acreage in home-grown berries, the demand and price have kept full pace. [ 1^ CULTIVATION 'V The old saying that in order to prop- erly train a child one should have begun with its grandmother, applies with full force to the cultivation of the straw- berry. If land has been liberally fertil- ized and tilled in such a manner as to keep down all weeds for two or three seasons previously to its being planted, half the battle has been fought and won. With ordinary intelligence applied to later operations, success is insured. While the strawberry will succeed on a variety of soils, the ideal one is a rich, sandy loam with a quicksand sub-soil, not too near the surface. Having selected such a soil, it should be well fertilized and fall plowed. In spring, cultivation should begin early in order to retain moisture and, in cases where the soil is heavy, to keep it from becom- ing hard. When ready to plant in I spring plow deeply, harrow and then 1 roll firmly. PLANTING The distance between the rows and be- tween the plants in the row depend j somewhat on personal opinion and largely on the habits of the variety. I prefer a distance of three feet between I the rows and from 15 to 24 inches be- I tween the plants in the row. ' Probably the most common method ! of planting is for one man to carry a ; spade in one hand and a basket of plants I in the other, while another man or boy : puts the plants in the holes made by the spade and each presses a foot through the earth at the roots of the plants as they pass on. In this manner an active man and a boy can plant about one-half an acre a day. As soon as the planting is over, the soil should be well cultivated and hoed to retain moisture and to prevent the *A portionof a paper read before the recent convention of the Ontario Fruit Growers' Association. "Wm. F. 'W. Fisher, Burlington, Ontario. air from getting at any roots that have not been entirely covered. Cultivation should be continued at intervals of about once a week for the first two months. Early runners should be turned into the rows as they form the strongest plants. The rows should not be allowed to become matted by plants that set late. Some of our most successful growers allow each parent plant to set but two young plants on either side. This system, called the "hedge row," is not generally practised, nor is it con- ceded to be always practicable. When the frosts of December come, the rows should be mulched in such a ovens (which are still designated ex- press cars), or when the trains run into market three or four hours late, the result is quite different to that obtained when the crates are properly handled, deposited in a well-ventilated car and dehvered at their destination on sched- uled time. The distribution of the crop is one of the most important factors, and we think the ordinary grower would do well if he would confine shipments on com- mission to the larger centres, and allow buyers at local points to supply smaller markets. If all the mouths in the Do- minion are given access to a full allow- Plan to have a Field of Strawberries like this Next Year way as to protect the plants from the severity of the winter. The following spring, cultivation is again necessary, especially if the plantation is to be main- tained for a second year's picking, PICKING AND SELLING To get the berries picked carefully, regularly and promptly, is the knotty part of the problem. Provision should be made a season in advance for a sup- ply of pickers. These require consider- able tact in managing. Picking is done by piecework at the usual rate of one cent a box. In addition, a premium of some kind might be given those pickers who, by skill and neatness, bring in their berries in the most attractive and saleable condition. Marketing is the next feature in order. The success or failure of all our efforts up to this stage depends, to a greater or less degree, on the services rendered by the transportation companies, rather than on the prices charged. When the crates are thrown three or four feet by a stupid, careless expressman, and land- ed in one of the old-fashioned, stuffy ance of strawberries, we need not fear a glut in future markets. I have outlined a system involving a large amount of labor, care and expense. What result should the average grower expect from such a system, fairly carried out? Place the average crop at 7,500 quarts an acre, the average price at six cents at railway station, making thus the sum of $450 as the gross receipts for an acre. From this, deduct the follow- ing charges : Plants required, $25 ; cul- tivation, $25; fertihzers, $35; rent, $5; picking, $75; packages, $75; and pack- ing and delivery, $25. This makes a total of $275 and leaves a net profit of $175, a sum which every good cultivator may expect to exceed and which, also, compares favorably with other branches of fruit growing. I do general pruning early in the spring and then go over the trees again after the leaves come out to remove diseased limbs, which could not be noticed before the buds open. — Harry Dempsey, Rednersville. Interest the CKildren in Horticulture THE feeling is unanimous that chil- dren interested in horticulture play an important part in both home and civic improvement. The work of horticultural societies in various towns and cities in Ontario has demonstrated the value of getting the children en- thusiastic. Societies that have under- taken this work are so pleased with the results that they pronounce it a line of work well worth continuing. This was evidenced at the recent convention of the Ontario Horticultural Exhibition held in Toronto, Nov. 9, when an inter- esting discussion on the subject took place. The discussion was led by Mr. J. Thos. Murphy, secretary of the Simcoe Horticultural Society, Simcoe, Ont., who said in part : ' ' The main thought that we have in interesting school chil- dren in horticulture is to improve the appearance of our town by beautifying it with lawns and gardens. The course we pursue is to buy qi:antities of seeds and give them to the school teachers of the public school, who re-distribute them to the pupils. We buy the best seeds that can be procured from the best growers. The first year we spent only $5 for seeds, but that was sufficient to enable us to hold a little exhibition in a building near the schoolhouse. In the afternoon the flowers were placed and judged while the children were in school. By the time school was out, the exhibition was ready for inspection by the children. In the evening, the band furnished music and the public turned out to see the show. "Last year, 1905, the amount paid for seeds was increased as we were en- couraged to continue the work. The children took an interest in it. Many little tots became as anxious about their productions as old growers that exhibit at the fairs of the horticultural society. We gave about $10 worth of seeds. The previous year's program for judg- ing and amusement was followed except that a plate was placed at the door for contributions from the public. From this latter source, $15.75 was realized. After paying the expenses of the fair, which amounted to only $5.75, we got back the $10 that originally was paid for the seeds. In white asters, there were 21 entries in the junior division; in blue or purple, 23; and in mixed colors, 20. In the class for nastur- tiums there were 21 entries. The total entries in all the classes by school chil- dren amounted to nearly 500. The dis- play was a creditable one, "This year we suffered from drought for six weeks or more. The exhibition was not as good as the one last year, but there were quite a large number of entries. They totalled about 400. The children are interested more than ever. We again realized $15 at the door by contributions. "Interesting children in horticulture in our town is creating a wholesome rivalry among them; it is stimulating a desire to produce plants and flowers a little better than their neighbors. We find also that the gardens in town are improving in appearance, particularly the lawns and grounds in front of the dwellings. During the past two years the appearance of the town in general has been improved." THE WORK IN OTTAWA In a brief talk on the character of the work in Ottawa, Mr. R. B. Whyte said: "There is no doubt about the value of the work. It has a marked influence on the appearance of a town or cit}'. To get results in civic and home im- provement, we must first reach the in- dividual. We cannot do better than to begin with the young child. If you can get a boy or girl really interested in growing flowers, you are doing him or her a great benefit. There is nothing that tends more to keep a boy or girl out of mischief, out of bad habits and bad company, than the care of a garden of his own and one in which an interest is taken. With that object in view, I began four years ago, through our horticultural society, to distribute seed to a limited number of school children. In a large city, like Ottawa, it is prac- tically impossible financially to give seeds to all the children in the schools. Besides; there are many children who have not the facilities with which to care for and grow them. "The first year I started with aster seeds. My method was to give three packages of aster seeds, white, pink and mixed, to 10 children in each class of 14 schools in the city. The teacher had the privilege of choosing those who were to get the seeds. To each teacher I gave an order on a seedsman that I had selected to supply the seeds. I gave them, also, 10 orders to be given to the children most likely to carry out the purpose of the distribution. With each order I gave three entry tickets, numbered, with instructions that they should be attached to the exhibit. The teachers supplied me with a record of the names of those who got tickets and what they were for. "For the purpose of instructing the children in the best way to grow the flowers, I printed a- little bulletin and I made it as simple as possible. My intention, also, was to visit all the children during the summer and see how they were getting on, and to help them with what advice I could. I managed ■to'^visit a number of them. In spite of the instructions given, many of them covered the seeds too deeply. When exhibition time came, only 40% of the children who received seeds were able to make entries. ^The qualitj' of the flowers shown was excellent. In every respect, they were equal to and, in many cases, superior to those grown by our regular exhibitors. "The second year sweet peas were distributed instead of asters, as they are easier to grow. The change was gratifying. While only the same per- centage of children exhibited, the show was a pretty one. The results of that year's work showed that there were many children disappointed because, having no gardens, they were not in a position to grow flowers. "The next year a division was made. Ten children got poppy seeds (seeds that I grew myself) and a like number were given geranium plants. The plants were distributed in four-inch pots, most of them in bloom and of the same variety. Prizes were offered for these at the vSeptember show. About the same proportion of children succeeded with the geraniums as with the seeds. "During the fourth year, 1906, Phlox Drummondii and begonias were grown. The seed was divided in two divisions. The proportion of children who were successful remained about the same as in past years. "One of the difficulties that face a city organization of this kind in encour- aging school work, is the fact that the holidays interfere. A large percentage of the children who attend school leave the city for six or eight weeks in the summer time. It is difficult to get more than 30% or 40% to complete the experiment. Our success, however, has been gratifying both to Mayor Ellis and myself, who have carried it on for the past two years at our expense. Fine plants were shown at the exhibition. The flowers have been equal to those shown by more experienced exhibitors. "Every year I issued a bulletin. It is no use giving seeds without instruc- tions. Verbal instructions practically are of no use. A printed bulletin is necessary. It should tell how to sow the seeds and grow the plants, how to prepare them for exhibition and other in- formation necessary to the child's success. "A valuable feature of our work has been the giving of a number of gladiolus bulbs in addition to the money prizes, which never were very large. The high--^ est money prize was $1.50, and the low- est 25 cents. Each exhibitor that won a first prize this year got 60 bulbs ; each second, 50; each third, 40; and so on, down. "Two years ago, I gave bulbs for the first time. I offered prizes for flowers THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST JU F grown from those bulbs the following j-'ear. The scheme was a success. The particular value of it is that it keeps up the continuity of interest. The same child is had for at least two years. Naturally, it is the older children in the school who get the seeds. Usually when they have advanced to a higher class we lose them; but, if you give them prizes in bulbs, you can hold them for two years or more. The children are pleased with the bulbs. There is no expense attached to the giving of them.'as I grow them myself." RESULTS IN BRANTFORD The nature of the work in Brantford was outlined by Mr. T. Walter Brooks, secre- tary of the Brantford Horticultural Society, as follows : ' ' Our society was organized in 1868. Under the old plan of carrying out the show for flowers, fruits and vegetables, the society was a failure. In 1903 we failed. In 1904 we held no show. We got gave them to the children to grow for Sept. 14. We had 493 entries and gave competition. The prizes were given in as prizes 127 plants, including araucaria, plants, not in money. palms, rubber plants, ferns and 600- "The past spring (1906) we distrib- hyacinths. We gave a bulb to each. ^'^^m- :■■* .-«»,.' ->^- ^ V ..■ . ■^^1 4- \ ^j^^^mj^m ^P School Gardens Incite in Children a Love for Plants and Flowers uted 8,277 packages of flower seed to 1,500 children of the public and separate pupil that made an entry, so that all g(Dt something. There were about 1,500 people at the show, all enthusiastic. "The seed was purchased wholesale and we put them up in packages our- selves. The cost amounted to a trifle over one-half a cent a package, includ- ing the printing. On the envelopes were printed instructions respecting the sow- ing and care of the seeds. "We succeeded in getting the city authorities to plant bulbs in the city parks. The city council has been asked to fix up and plant a piece of land be- longing to Greenwood Cemetery with shrubs and trees for nature study, and to have them labelled with both com- mon and botanical names. The city cannot do this at present. Special legislation is necessary. We are going to try again, and probably something will be done. The city made some im- provements, but not all that we desired." A Model Schoolhouse and Grounds The Rittenhouse school at Jordan Harbor, Om., is a model for others to follow. The grounds are beautifully planned and planted. Adjoining the grounds shown in the cut is a large plot used as a garden, in which the children are required to grow vegetables and flowers. The location of this school is adjacent to the new experimental fruit and vegetable station in the Niagara district. through the year as well as we could and managed to save a little money with which to start the following spring. The next year we bought seeds and schools. Each child received five pack- ages of different seeds. We gave asters, scabiosa, zinnia, verbena, and nastur- tium. Our exhibition was held on Catalpa Trees for Posts Is the catalpa a serviceable tree for fence posts ? Can it be grown in Ontario with suc- cess? How is it propagated? — R. C, St. David's, Ont. The catalpa makes a durable post. The best species for the purpose, and the- only one that is really hardy in Ontario, is Catalpa speciosa. The trees are propagated by seeds, either at home or in the commercial nursery. Buying- seedlings from nurserymen is the most, satisfactory plan. 8 THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST Fertilizing' House Plants LACK of sufficient fertility in the soil is the cause of many house plants dying. In most cases the potting soil was not well prepared. With a soil of proper composition and judiciously watered afterwards, most growers claim that very little, if any, fertilizer is required. In fact, it is claimed by many that plants are lost because too much plant food was given. • Until the last few years liquid manure was the chief fertiUzer used, and perhaps fewer plants were dam- aged as long as that was the case. The introduction of concentrated hor- ticultural manures and plant foods which are more easily applied and less objectionable as far as appearance and odor are concerned, has resulted in many discarding the liquid manure. Among the valuable fertilizers com- monly used are Arnott's Concentrated Horticultural Manures, Steele- Briggs' Plant Food and Rennie's Plant Food. In discussing this subject with The Horticulturist, Mr. F. F. CoUins, of Toronto, said: "These concentrated plant foods are much more easily ap- plied, are cleaner to handle, and contain more of the fertilizing elements re- quired by the plant than does the liquid manure frequently used. I have used Arnott's Horticultural Manure, and know that it is good for strong plants. There is, however, no use in applying such foods to sickly plants. Most amateurs make this mistake. They imagine that if a plant is weak it needs more fertilizer. Instead, the plant needs nursing. It does not need fertilizer any more than a sick man needs a beefsteak. It would do the plant more good to repot it, to wash and cut the ends off the roots and then to reset in clean, sweet soil. It should be kept pretty dry for a month or six weeks, and after that it should have regained its former thriftiness. "In adding fertilizer it should be given in small doses. I prefer a small application twice a week to a larger one only once a week. For palms, ferns and healthy, well-rooted plants, half a teaspoonful in a 12 quart can of water once a week gives good results. Fach plant should get a thorough watering, care being taken that none goes on the fohage." Magnolias in Queen Victoria ParK RodericK Cameron, Niagara Falls, Ontario THF Star-flowered Magnolia, Mag- nolia stellata, should be planted more extensively in this and similar localities. It is an early bloomer. The flowers are pure white and semi-double, numerous and fragrant. The plants often begin to bloom when but t\vo feet high, and they never grow beyond the size of a medium-sized shrub, very bushy and short jointed, a feature much desired in all shrubs. I am satisfied that this variety is the hardiest of the number grown here, but it should be planted where the morning sun would not strike it. It flowers during the first week in May, and is, therefore, subject to late frosts. The sun being kept from it early in the morning will save the flowers from injury, if they are not frozen too hard. It is said that magnolias are hard to transplant successfully, particularly if of medium to large size. I have found no trouble with them if they are well trimmed back and planted in deep, damp soil. I have one transplanted after flowering for eight years. Some of the leading branches died back be- yond where they were cut ; but the plants bloomed the same season freely. It is Magnolia Soulangeana, one of the hardi- est and best, and it blooms soon after the aforementioned. The flowers are white with some purple on the outside of the petals. It grows to a large shrub or small tree in size, and is a prolific bloomer during the first of June. Magnolia Lennei comes into bloom next in succession. It is more shrubby, with large flowers, reddish-purple out- Star-flowered Magnolia side, and more showy than the preced- ing varieties. Perhaps it is not quite so hardy. Immediately after this one, the Um- brella Tree, Magnolia tripetala, comes into bloom. It grows here to a height of 35 feet, making a magnificent tree, with leaves about 18 inches to two feet long. This species produces flowers about 10 inches across, pure white, with a pleasant odor at a distance, but rather heavy close by. It blooms from the middle to the end of June. The cone- Uke fruit produced by this variety is very beautiful towards fall, being of a bright pinkish-red color, and about five inches long by three in diameter. Following the Umbrella Tree in bloom comes the sweetest of them all, the Sweet Swamp White Bay, Magnolia glauca, by some called the Beaver Tree. This is a very attractive shrub or small tree, evergreen in the south, but decidu- ous here. The flowers are milk white, globose, very fragrant and pleasant, about three inches across. They are not produced all at once like the fore- going, this one blooming during the first two weeks in July. The leaves are Hght green above and purplish-white on the under side — wherefore its name, glauca. There are several other varieties of magnoha grown in Victoria Park, but these are the best and hardiest bloom- ing in succession as named. The mag- nolia and tulip trees should not be plant- ed in the fall; better plant when the ground works well in the spring. They do best on deep, damp, peaty soil; but will succeed well on a sandy loam. All the magnolias are magnificent plants, producing showy blooms in abundance. But, independent of the blooms, they should be grown if for nothing else than their foliage. The Mortality of Trees There are trees living to-day that are believed to be hundreds, and, perhaps, thousands of years old, and they show no signs of decay. From the theoretical view-point, there is no reason why the life of trees should cease; they should taste of immortahty, as each successive year sees the renewal of organs where- by life is maintained and also the multi- plication of roots and leaf shoots to furnish nourishment. Practically, how- ever, death is as sure to the tree as it is to the animal kingdom. According to its own internal organism, a tree could go on living forever; but there are ex- ternal conditions that bring life to a close. A tree is dependent for its food supply mainly on the soil in which it stands. If this soil is sterile, the tree will starve to death. The ravages of insects also bring it to an untimely end ; cater- pillars destroy its leaves, beetles pene- trate and kill the wood. Fungus dis- eases comprise other mortal factors. The air is laden with germs which enter into the tree in every exposed crevice, and perform their deadly work. The elixir of life for the tree is in the destruc- tion of insects, the annihilation of disease and the maintenance of fertility in the soil. With these conditions, trees might live almost forever. TKe UmbellisKment of Home Grounds C. Ernest Woolverton, Landscape Designer, Grimsby, Ontario Mr. C. Ernest Woolverton TO those who have grounds of their own, the subject of their improve- ment for the most beautiful effect should be one of the greatest interest. The true ar- tistic features of the rooms of a house are not brought out until they are properly furnished. So also the lawn must be fur- n i s h e d in order to bring it into true relationship to the house. Few people seem to ap- preciate the true beauty that lies within an open green sward, but if they were to go to the best art museums in the world and study the finest landscape pictures that the most celebrated artists can produce, they would find that the very heart of the landscape picture lies within this tender green space. This, therefore, places the lawn next in importance to the house, as the home should nestle down in the heart of the picture. It is, then, around and about the house that the true value of the open lawn is apparent. It lends dignity and at the same time gives the house its true set- ting. Shrubs and flower-beds scattered about would be sure to mar the artistic effect which the open lawn gives and should, therefore, be confined to the boundaries, grouped in the corners or in turns of roadways. By so doing, the framework of the picture is constructed. No hard and fast rules can be given for the planting of trees and shrubs. Every, place requires a different treat- ment and this treatment must be gov- erned by its condition and location. For instance, a small park in a city square would be best suited by an archi- tectural design, because its surroundings are of a formal nature; whereas, a gentleman's country home would, in most instances, call for a natural design to harmonize with its surroundings. Where the natural style is followed, how- ever, the following principles should be observed: The lawn should be kept open ; walks and roads, where pos- sible, should be laid out in curved lines; trees and shrubs should be grouped and not placed in straight rows; the build- ings should be united to the grounds by the use of shrubbery planted at the base. Climbers also aid wonderfully in bring- ing into closest harmony the house with the grounds. Very picturesque effects can be pro- duced, even on small grounds, by strictly following out the landscape idea. The illustration shows a section of a small lawn, about 100 feet deep, which has been laid out in the natural style. The trees and shrubs are so arranged as to form points and bays of green. In the depth of the bays and in front of the shrubbery are planted hardy flowers. No better place can be found than that to plant hardy perennial flowers, as the dark background of foHage sets them off to a wonderful advantage. This section of the lawn was planted so as to give the most beautiful effect as seen from the house. Here you look right into the recesses of the bays, which give the lawn the appearance of having much greater depth than it really has. This effect can be height- ened by planting blue flowers in the innermost depths of the bays, as blue always lends distance to a scene. When planting the border do not would have never-ending attractions. By a good selection of shrubs and flow- ers, bloom could be had the entire sea- son. As one moves about the place^ he is continually greeted by new sur- prises, because the scene is continually changing. In fact, the same objects viewed from different positions appear altogether changed because new settings are given them. How much more beautiful and home- like is a lawn laid out in this simple and natural way than one geometrically divided into so many parts, all brilliant and aglow with showy beds of geraniums and gaudy coleuses and acalyphus, show- ing perhaps the day of the week or some other extraordinary and unnatural figure I Pattern bedding does not belong to the architectural ideal, nor, indeed, does it belong to any system of landscape gardening. The architectural style suits many places that the natural would not, but, until pattern bedding with all its oddities and monstrosities is completely ■ i^^ ^^H^a^ ^»^P HH 1 i£^ ^--"■^xp W" ^^g ^^^^^^ "* ^^^^^ 1 ^M p ^^^ S ^p ^U- U4,\yw House An open Lawn with Trees and Shrubs Grouped on Border is Effective. make the mistake of planting one little flower by itself, to be neglected and un- noticed, but plant in bold masses. The effect is much more striking and beau- tiful. Be careful, also, about the colors. Some colors are always at war with one another, and unless they are blended off they will continue to quarrel all summer. Yellow and red, for instance, would never look well together; they should at least have an intermediate color such as bronze, but it is best to keep them well apart. Use plenty of white, as it is the great harmonizer. A lawn planted as the illustration suggests, and, of course, with the same idea continued on the rest of the grounds. forsaken, landscape gardening cannot be spoken of as a fine art. Amaryllis bulbs that have been semi- dormant will soon show signs of growth.- When this occurs pot them at once in fairly rich loamy soil. If new chrysanthemum plants are required, do not pinch off the young growth. When three or four inches in length, cut them off below a leaf joint and insert the cuttings in sharp sand. Keep them in a shady spot where the temperature is about 60 degrees. When rooted pot them singly into small pots.. Re-pot when necessary. I Timely Topics for tine A.mateur Gardener JANUARY is the half way point be- tween last year's garden and the garden that is to be. You can have a better garden than ever next sum- mer by planning now. In devising im- provements, if you have a lawn, or in- tend to make one, bear in mind that it is equally as important to the general appearance of the home as flower beds andborders, or the trees and shrubs. Some people think it is of even more import- ance, and like to have their places en- tirely green without any color to relieve them. Others give their undivided at- tention to the flower-borders. A few think trees and shrubs are all that is wanted. Draw a diagram of the home grounds to scale. Don't say "It's too much trouble." It's not, if you approach the work in the right spirit. When you draw the plan, have in mind the effect that the proposed planting will produce in after years. The home grounds should be modelled after Nature. Freedom from formality is best, but not a copy of Nature in her wildest moods. A lawn dotted with plants and trees in a haphazard, in artistic manner is not desirable, nor is it well to plan a set design drawn according to Euclid, nor are forest conditions what we want, or a tangled wild wood — we should plan a scheme resembling natural con- ditions, sensibly arranged. Plan to place the trees and shrubs mostly in groups, seldom alone. Main- tain an open expanse of green, and an open outlook. The junctions of the roads and walks should be planted with shrubs. When the driveways curve, make the curve appear necessary by judicious planting. Arrange the plan so as to beautify waste places. Don't forget the value of planting trees, not only for ornamentation, but also for comfort and protection. PLANNING THE KITCHEN GARDEN Every home should have a kitchen garden. You get better things than money can buy — fresher vegetables, better varieties. At home, one can select the varieties that stand for quality, not those that are grown for their abihty to keep or to ship long distances. Measure accurately the length and breadth of the plot of ground that you intend to devote to the growing of vegetables. Make a diagram of it. Then decide which way the rows should run. Some plants, like com, potatoes and curcurbits require more space than others. On the diagram, draw a line for every single row that is to be planted and name each crop. In parenthesis, immediately below the name of crop that it is to follow, place the name of each succession crop. A diagram of this kind planned now will be of much value when planting time comes. THE GROWING OF HOUSE BULBS If you took the advice given in our lawn and garden notes for September and October, you will now have a stock of bulbs in pots for bloom during the winter months. The bulbs will flower profusely if given half a chance. Fail- ures are due to improper care and to in- experience on the part of the grower. The most common fault is in the matter of irregularity in temperature and in watering. Bulbs will not do well in a temperature that is too warm in the day time and too cold at night. The temper- ature should be more uniform. The soil in the pots should not be allowed to become too dry. Water as often as necessary to keep moist. THE WINDOW GARDEN Window plants are susceptible to cold drafts of zero weather. On cold nights place sheets of newspaper or similar material between the plants and the window. Keep as moist a temperature as pos- sible around the plants. Spray or syringe the foliage on fine, sunny days. When possible ventilate the room on warm days. This may be done by lowering the top sash of the window and thereby avoiding the entrance of direct drafts on the plants. FLQ-wl^RS FOR EASTER With the exercise of a little care and intelligence, the amateur may force flowers for Easter with success. Among the plants that are useful to grow for this purpose are hortensia, the green- house spiraea and the freesia. Do not forget that the spiraea must be kept con- stantly moist. Buy the roots at once, and pot them. In the course of five weeks they may be brought into the warmth. The hydrangea needs similar treatment. Both of these plants require from 10 to 12 weeks to come into flower fi-om the time they start to grow. TKe Cultivation of Hardy Flo^svering SKrubs THE cultivation of hardy, flowering shrubs is worth the serious thought of those interested in that line of horticulture. This branch of floricul- ture has advanced in equal proportions with any other. The change that has taken place within the last 30 years is immense. At that time the number of varieties was very limited, but now many enterprising nurserymen have added considerably to the list of hardy shrubs, until there is an almost unlimit- ed list at our disposal. Before considering the use of decidu- ous shrubs for planting, let me urge on all planters, and on every gardener, the necessity of securing stock from some reliable nurseryman who has the reputa- tion of furnishing, good, clean, healthy stock, true to name. Otherwise all the work will go for naught. I have seen many failures in this line through pur- John "WalsK, Montreal, Quebec chasing from unreliable firms who send out stock regardless of its fitness to stand the freezing and thawing they are subjected to in this ever-changing climate. The nurseryman will be in strong evidence this spring, because the winter has been so changeable and so mild. Hardy stuff is bound to suffer from so many extreme changes. In my garden I had to gather snow to cover the roots that were exposed to the se- vere frost — a thing I never had to do before during my long experience in this country. In starting shrubs I would urge on planters the necessity of beginning in the right way. The ground should be prepared thoroughly. Don't dig a hole half big enough and cram the roots into it. Dig out all the old soil to the depth of at least 16 inches, leaving a little to spare, rather than make a hole too small. Instead of using the old sour soil, it is better to pay a carter a, fair price for good rotten turf that has been stacked up for at least one year. With the addition of a little manure, success is assured. It may be necessary in some locations to use drainage. In the case of a low, wet place a layer of broken bricks or slate should be put in the bottom. This will prevent the roots from enter- ing the cold, wet soil. There are several methods of plant- ing, either singly or in groups. The most popular way lately has been in zig- zag borders. When this method is adopted a nice effect is produced. It is especially suitable for covering a fence or other unsightly objects. In this sys- tem the shrubs can be graded accord- ing to the height they grow. The fol- lowing is a list of the newest and best '!• H E CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST II varieties according to their seasofi of blooming: Amygdalus, Flowering Al- mond— alba and rosea are both beauti- ful shrubs, the first to bloom. Spiraea chamaedrifolia, beautiful panicles of pure white flowers. It comes in one week earlier than Van Houttii, and is just as pretty. Spiraea arguta multi- flora, with a wealth of pure white flowers, giving the plant the aspect, in and coronarius. The Golden Syringa, too, makes a compact bush, with its yellow foliage in early spring. Lonicera Morrowsi is one of the newest bush honeysuckles of merit. It is of spreading habit, and covered with dark purple berries. Lonicera Alberta is one that cannot be too strongly rec- ommended. It has spreading habit, is suitable for covering banks, and is A Fine Specimen of Hydrangea Paniculata Grandiflora Taken when in bloom last September on the grounds of Dr. A. Haikniss. Lancaster, Ont. the distance, of being covered with snow. Spiraea Van Houttii, too well known to need any description. Spiraea Thunbergii, a very useful plant, noted for its dwarf habit; suits well with its companion, Anthony Waterer, and Bumalda. "^In Philadelphus syringas there is another study. Syringa avalanche, branches five to six feet high, bending to the ground with their load of sweet- scented flowers. Bouquet Blanck — Very floriferous, with long branches of double or semi-double flowers of medium size, making a compact bouquet; one of the newest syringas. Fantaise— Another new variety, with pure white flowers, rosy centre, very fragrant. Globe de Neige — A plant of bushy habit, enor- mous flowers of the purest white, branches arched and bent by the weight of the flowers. Perle Blanck — A bushy shrub with an abundance of large flowers, measuring two to two and one- half inches in diameter, of free flower- ing habit. vSyringa rosea — A com- pact bush, flowers three inches in diatm- eter; a double variety. There are also the older varieties, such as grandiflora a free bloomer, with flowers a light purple. Rhus cotinus rubra, Smoke Tree — an improvement on the old well-known variety. Viburnum tomentosum, and much superior to the older varieties of Snow Balls. Weigela, Eva Ritka, is another candidate for honors in this class. It is a dwarf grower, holds the bloom late in the season. To enumerate all the varieties in each class would fill a volume. I have simply given a list of the latest and best varieties of the different species. How- ever, there are one or two older ones that have stood the test, namely. Hy- drangea paniculata grandiflora, one of the best late flowering shrubs in culti- vation. Viburnum opulus and V. pli- catum, although not perfectly hardy, are excellent specimens for forcing. A most interesting class of plants is the French lilacs. Some years ago my employer purchased a dozen of the latest varieties then known, and planted them at his farm. Last June I was out to see them, and they are simply grand. They were nearly all in bloom and were a sight worth seeing. A few of the best of them are: CoUiit de Rerchone, rose color; Japonica, a very late one; Villosa, rosy pink; President Loubet, one of the best and darkest; Pasteur, another dark red one ; Affinnes, one of the earliest to bloom, at least two weeks ahead of the others, pure white flowers; Mme. Lemoine, double white, fine for forcing; Mme. Casimer Perier is also a fine one. All authorities agree that the proper time to prune shrubs is just after flowering time. With young shrubs very little of this work is needed, at least for some time. The straggling shoots should be cut back to give the bush a proper shape. If the other details are attended to carefully, nature will do the rest. Bloom in January The extremely mild winter of last year was productive of abnormal devel- opments in the Niagara peninsula. On January 21 in Queen Victoria Park, at Niagara Falls, Ont., frogs were croaking in the ponds, toads were hopping about catching mosquitoes, butterflies, bees and wasps were flying about, pansies were in full bloom, while evergreen shrubs dared to burst forth into blossom. A photograph of a handsome bunch of flowers of Black Hellebore, or Christmas Rose, Hellebortis niger, was sent to Thb Canadian Horticulturist by Mr. Roderick Cameron. The flowers, two to two and a half inches in diameter, were A Christmas Rose pure white but soon turned pink and then green. The stems were short. The leaves were evergreen and resem- bled the leaves of the peony. No flower surpasses Centaurea im- perialis. Each plant produces flowers on long wiry stems. They are exceed- ingly graceful for cutting as well as for corsage wearing. They grow like weeds and are superior to carnationF. Practical Plant Breeding* THERE are two classes of plant breeders, both of which are doing good work of more or less value from the scientific and economic view- point, in the interest of advanced knowledge and our advancing civiliza- tion. The first is the breeder who works for the purpose of proving his theories, and who by a limited number of re- corded crosses is able to place the simple analysis of his investigations in present- able form for educative purposes. The second, or the breeder for practical results, cannot do this without placing limitations upon his activity, which means his experience and success, as it is only the man who makes many crosses who may hope to approach even the border of a field of limitless possibilities in results. By practical plant breeding I mean the application of that knowledge of the science which will enable the worker to secure the highest ratio of economic value in the results. In my work on the Canna, which embraced all available species and early European hybrids, as well as the latest and best productions obtainable, I proved yearly the correct- ness and value of my contention, for seven years of select breeding gradually eliminated types of no commercial value, until in the last season not only were discards practically nil, but the value and quality of the selected seedHngs were equal to those of the best novelties of European introduction. The great value of the system advo- ■cated by me is the fact that the success of breeding depends much upon the removal of every influence adverse to increased multiplication of advanced types. This will be appreciated by those workers on bulky plants and trees of slow maturing habit, requiring a large acreage for development, and the fact that I am speaking from an experience with nearly a million new hybrid gladioh, a plant that requires comparatively little space, although needing from three to five years to mature from seed. Fifteen years of unbroken work on this now my sole specialty has also proven the value of my views in practice. In the progres- sion of my system the first five years only is known to commerce, having been discarded by me 10 years ago; the second series of five years is little known commercially, and received the Pan- American Exposition Gold Medal and St. Eouis World's Fair Grand Prize; while the third series of five years is all in my personal possession, and un- known outside my trial grounds. ♦Extracts from a paper submitted to the Plant Breeding Conference, held in London, Eng- land, last summer. H. H. Groff, Simcoe, Ontario It is imperative that the breeder should specialize, that he should use every obtainable wild species of his specialty, and in using each for the pur- pose dictated by his judgment and ex- perience, thus control and render amen- able to his direction the vital forces and chemical constituents of this founda- tion stock. By using all obtainable species he multiplies the possibilities for practical results and increased diversity in the material to be evolved from the product of future years, and yearly dis- carding species and early hybrids as they are superseded in the course of his operations. Wild species are only of value so far as they may supply some desirable qual- ity for incorporation in a domestic type containing other good qualities such as size, vigor, vitality and adaptability. Illustrating from my specialty, the blotch of the small purpureo-auratus can be placed upon a six foot domestic type, free from the objectionable cowled habit of this species, the throat mottling of the weak growing Saundersii can be transmitted to a race of strength and vigor, with the added influence of its wide, open flowers, and so on indefinitely. That the foregoing can be done is good reason for not developing race hybrids, with the consequent loss of the most important quality of general adapt- ability to changed conditions. The natural development of wild species is usually accomplished by restricted con- ditions of habitat, an influence of ages impossible of neutralization by a few seasons' crossing. So highly do I appre- ciate this feature of adaptability that in bringing my productions to maturity I grow on four kinds of soil — sandy, sandy loam, clay loam, and humus or vegetable deposit — and before use in breeding they are proven in this quality in order that it may be also transmitted in cross- ing. Breeding from wild species is, therefore, of little practical value, as the farther our removal from their many objectionable features the better, and when by proper selection their best qual- ities can be controlled and applied ac- cording to our knowledge and discretion. My advice to plant breeders is to multiply types by many thousands, using special proven selections as sires, on the lines of practice by successful animal breeders. Select and develop domestic races and sections of such high quality, vitality and general adaptabil- ity, that their progeny will not only be of higher quahty than the parents, but that this quality will be produced in quantity in the highest possible ratio. This is practical plant breeding. XKe -Amateur's GreenKouse SOME readers of The Canadian Horticulturist may have some chrysanthemum plants that they desire to keep over. While professional florists would not find it profitable to keep over old plants, amateurs may do so, as they do not make as close an estimate of the cost incurred through time and labor. Cut down the old stem to within an inch or two of the soil. After doing this keep the plants in a temperature of about 45 or 50 degrees. A comparatively cool temperature is necessary to prevent a too rapid growth of the young shoots that appear on the surface of the soil. Water the plants often enough to keep the soil only fairly moist. Give air on warm days. When growth has reached about three inches pinch off the tips of the shoots. Repeat the pinching every three or four weeks until May. Then place the plants out of doors on fine days in a sheltered spot, to harden off the growth. Divide or pot the whole plant into a pot one or two sizes larger, or it can be set in the open ground to grow during the summer. Continue to pinch off the tip growth every few weeks until July. Then the plants may be allowed to grow at will. Cyclamen bulbs that are showing flowering buds will require plenty of water at the roots. Light applications of liquid manure will increase the density of color and the size of the flowers. Cuttings of lobelia, double alyssum, cupheas, and similar plants desired for hanging baskets and vases should be taken now. This will give them a chance to make nice plants by the time they are required in spring. Why not grow some perennials and house plants from seed? As soon as possible sow seeds of verbena, pansy, lobelia, petunia, snap-dragon, daisy, forget-me-nots and impatiens. The plants will be of good size by planting- out time in May. Sow seeds of tuberous begonia now, if you want large flowering plants by June. Among the house plants that may be grown from seed sown in January or February are Jeru- salem cherry, heliotrope. Primula ob- conica, and various vines such as aspara- gus ferns and the foliage asparagus {A. Sprengeri), smilax and Cobea scandens. Forcing Vegetables for MarKet J. L. Hilborn, Leamington, Ontario A BRIEF description of our forcing houses may be of interest, as they are constructed differently to any I have seen. The main building is 42 x 100 feet, and has cement walls about two feet high. The boiler room, 16 x 20 feet, is made of the same material. The roof consists of three even spans, resting upon valleys that are of suffi- cient height to allow one to walk erect in the paths which are about 15 inches below the top of the beds. There is an additional row of rafters on either side, extending from the outside wall up- wards at half pitch to the first valley. At intervals of 8 or 10 feet on both of these lean-to spans, we have well-con- structed doors. These consist of a strong frame, made of three specially cut sash-bars, which are bolted to an angle-iron at both ends and properly braced . The outer sash-bars are grooved at the outside bottom comers, so as to fit tightly upon the rafters beneath. When these doors are closed the roof is as warm as if it were solid. The door frames are designed to carry two rows of 16 X 16-inch heavy glass. Doors of this kind are very useful in a vegetable forcing house. They not only make easy the operations of taking in soil and fertilizers and of removing plants, but they also are valuable for ventilating later in the season, when ordinary ventilators do not furnish sufficient ventilation for best results. All rafters in the house are made of cypress. They were well painted be- fore erection. The foot of each is sep- arated from the valley timber by a strip of galvanized iron. This prevents the woods coming together and causing de- cay at this the most perishable part of a greenhouse. CROPS GROWN We undertook to grow lettuce through last winter, and to bring along sufficient cucumber and tomato plants to plant the house in early spring. As we were late in getting started, and as we did not have a sufficient number of lettuce plants to properly fill the house until late in the season, we did not realize much profit on the crop. One must thoroughly understand the business and have favorable conditions to realize profit from growing lettuce in mid- winter. It was impossible to keep any part of the house warm enough to properly bring along the tomato and cucumber plants in midwinter. Fairly good plants were secured but, when ready for bench- ing, it was too late. For the spring crop, less than one- third of the house was planted with tomatoes; the balance with cucumbers. We began to bench the cucumbers early in April and concluded the work as soon as time and material permitted. TRAINING THE VINES For a number of years, we trained our cucumber vines to a trellis made of binder twine and supported by stakes. While good results were obtained, yet it was not satisfactory. The trellis had to be constructed each season and much tying of the vines was necessary. This season, we constructed a trellis that has proved more satisfactory. It is made of wire. From The Page Wire and Fence Co., of Walkerville, Ont., we ordered a quantity of light gauge wire for the horizontal runs and a sufficient number of coiled bobbins to weave these into an eight-inch mesh. This made an excellent trellis. At the end of the sea- son we loosened the supports, rolled up were blooming well and setting fruit. Most of them had been grown in four- inch pots and were considerably pot- bound. This is an advantage, as it tends to hasten fruitfulness. The plants were set 13 x 17 inches apart and tied to a string or stake. They were trained to single stems. When the plants had reached a height of about four feet and contained four or five clusters of fruit, they were pinched back. Side branches were clip- ped off. The leaves also were clipped back to admit more light and a better circulation of air among the plants. The plants blossomed profusely; al- most every blossom set and developed nice, smooth fruit. The majority were of marketable size and sold readily. Had the crop been earlier, probably better prices would have been realized. The beds for both cucumbers and to- The Forcing Houses of Mr. J. L. Hilborn, Leamington, Ontario the wire and stored it for future use. It can' be put up quickly when wanted again. TOMATOES About the middle of April, the tomato plants were ready to bench. At that time we had large stocky plants, that matoes were fertilized with well-rotted manure and bone meal. About the time the harvesting of the fruits began, both crops were mulched with manure. The varieties of tomatoes that have done best are, in order named : Best of All, Frogniore and Lorillard. S^veet Potato C\ilt\ire p. G. neyes, Ottc I HAD long held the opinion that Ottawa was within the sweet potato belt ; so, last spring, wishing to put my theory to the test, I consulted numerous catalogs with a view to obtaining the necessary plants. I was unable to find what I wanted offered in any Canadian catalog then in my possession, so was compelled to go to the United States for stock. It seems to me a want of enter- prise on the part of our seedsmen that they do not catalog these plants. I placed a small order with a well-known Boston firm and received the plants about May 20. As last spring was un- usually cold and backward in this lo- cality, I put the plants in pots and kept them under glass until all danger of frost had passed, removing them to the garden during the first week in June. Not a plant failed to grow. By the middle of July they had taken entire possession of the ground. Owing to the drought that prevailed in this part of Canada during the past summer I was obliged to water the plant" 14 THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST occasionally to keep them from wilting. About October 1, the vines were killed by frost. Being somewhat curious to know the result of my experiment, I at once proceeded to dig the potatoes. I found them growing in a vertical cluster attached to the base of each plant. Some of the largest were 15 inches in length and two inches in diameter. The product of one hill numbered 35. So well pleased am I with the result, that I shall try to grow at least 100 plants next year. From my knowledge of the climatic conditions which prevail in Western Ontario, I feel satisfied that all the sweet potatoes required by Canadians might be grown in that part of our fair domain. They seem to thrive best in a warm soil, which should be deeply cultivated and well enriched. The vines resemble the morning glory or the English ivy, and, like these, will form roots at the axils of the leaves should they come in contact with the soil. The Colorado potato beetle has no use for the foliage of the sweet potato plant. The absence of all insect pests in connec- tion with its culture is of itself a source of great satisfaction. TKe Culture of Caulifld^er" AFTER 40 years' experience in growing and handling the cauli- flower, I find that it requires the closest attention from the planting of the seed until the crop is sold, to secure a good profit. With a good crop there is a good profit ; a poor crop gives a \ rge deficit. ere is a greater demand for choice '. u ers to-day than for any other vegetable. It now requires thousands of heads to meet the demand where a few years ago hundreds would do. THE SOIL If properly prepared, any good soil will grow a fair crop. The land best adapted to growing a successful crop is a deep, rich loam that is thoroughly drained (underdrained if possible), so that it may be easily kept loose and mellow to retain moisture in a dry season. The land should be made as rich as possible by repeated applications of well-rotted stable manure. Mix each application with surface soil to a depth of not more than four or five inches, so as to form a rich humus that will retain moisture even in the driest season. The fall is the proper time to prepare the soil. GROWING THE PL.\NTS One cannot be too careful in selecting the seed. The best is always the cheap- est. If 3^our seed merchant gives you good seed, stick to him. I have pro- cured my seed from the same house for years and have always received it good and true to name. My favorite varieties are: Snowball, Erfurt and Rennie's Drouth Resister, for both early and late crop. I grow a few Autumn Giant, but find it not so sure a header, although it produces some extra fine ones. For early crop, sow the seed early in March in a well-prepared hot bed and sow thinly. Thickly-grown plants are more liable to "damp off." To pre- vent this, the bed should have plenty of fight and air, and not be watered too often. As soon as the plants are large ♦The essay on growing cauliflowers that won first prize in the competition conducted by the Ontario Vegetable Growers' Association. A. KnigHt, Cataraqui, Ontario enough to handle, they should be potted in fair-sized pots or transplanted into a new bed, which should be prepared several days before needed. Great care is required in setting out the young plants to prevent any serious check to their growth. A stunted plant is liable to head up prematurely and is worthless. By potting the plants, we get a much earlier crop and surer heads, and that means dollars. The plants can be set in the field quite earl}', as they will stand considerable frost. The seed for the late crop should not be sown before the middle of May, and should be sown thinly in the very best soil to get good stocky plants. These do not require transplanting before set- ting in the field. Tate plants require watching to prevent the cabbage fly from checking their growth. Tobacco .dust or hellebore, dusted on Hghtly while the plants are damp, is the best preventative against them. Do not set plants too small. If kept growing rapid- ly, as they should be, they will be ready for the field in five weeks. Transplanting should be done on a damp, cloudy day. I find it a good plan to take up the plants the day previous to setting in the field, leaving plenty of soil on the roots, and to place them in a damp cellar. New rootlets will start. It is a great help as it pre- vents wilting. They are more easilj'- handled and the growth is checked very little. CULTIVATION IN FIELD Before setting plants in the field, the soil should be made loose and mellow by repeated cultivation, but not worked when too wet. For the early crop, I set the plants in rows three feet apart and 20 inches between the plants in the row. For late crop, rows the same and 30 inches between plants. Before plant- ing, give the field a good dressing of wood ashes, so that it will be well mixed in soil by frequent hoeings and cultiva- tion, which must be kept up until the crop is grown. Weeds should be kept down after plants are too large for cul- tivation, by hand pulling or hoeing, as the crop needs all the moisture the soil will give it. The green worm must be kept off, Paris green or hellebore is a sure pre- ventive. I prefer using the latter, as many customers object to the use of Paris green. If necessary, go over the field several times. Begin in time. They are sure to ruin the crop if not effectually dealt with. As soon as heads begin to form, great care is required in tying up, to protect them from the sun, wind and dust. Perfect heads are what we should aim to get. From them we derive the profit. The tying should be so done that it will be easy to see when the head is ready to cut. Good judgment is re- quired. It is better to cut a little early than too late. Young, tender heads are more saleable. More are consumed if taken to market young than later. If danger from frost threatens, the leaves should be tied more closely. This will protect the heads from a certain amount of frost, say seven degrees. When the growing season is over, all plants that show signs of heading should be pulled and placed in the root house. Removing all leaves that are not re- quired to protect the head. Leaving the roots and soil that lift with the plant. vStand them as closely as possible and bank up the outer side. You will thus have nice, small heads for a long time after the outside heads are done. MARKETING When marketing, the heads must be handled with care so as to reach the consumer in a perfect condition. I use a crate holding three tiers, 12 in each. The crate is partly open, so that the buyer can examine the contents. For shipping, use large barrels. Wrap the heads with paper and pack firmly so that they cannot move. Nothing will run away with money like an uncared for greenhouse. During the past there has been too much jealousy among the vegetable growers. There is much to be learned by reading, and also a great deal to be gained by the growers relating to each other their experiences with the various crops. — H. E. Reid, Toronto. !i«<%:^t^ '^ilix/ *<^|*^t/ «^^5jtx/ ^■C^Si:*^ v^^Itk/ >*^|*^i/ '<%t^u "^^C^u '■^%c^tj '^^t^f "^^PK/ <<%t^tJ ''e§iM^f'( OUR QUESTION AND ANSWER DEPARTMENT Keaders of TKo Horticulturist are invited to submit Questions on any pHase of Horticultural -worh. Self-sterility of Frviits What is meant by self-sterility of varieties? — R. G. W., Nelson, B.C. Certain varieties of fruits, when plant- ■ed alone, fail to fertilize their own blos- soms and are said to be self-sterile. They are barren to their own pollen, although that pollen may fertilize the flowers of other varieties. Self-steril- ity is said to be due to the pollen of such varieties being impotent or un- congenial when it falls upon the pistils of their own flowers. This condition is a varietal peculiarity and may be affected also by climatic and local con- ditions. Sxibsoilin^ for Stra-wberries Should a sandy loam with clay subsoil be plowed with a subsoil plow for strawberries? — ■ G. H. de B., Toronto. Where sub-soiling can be done, it is advisable to loosen a clay subsoil for strawberries and other fruits, but in a small garden it is not imperative. The operation improves the drainage and gives the roots a deeper and freer area from which to draw moisture and plant food. London Pvirple Compare London purple with Paris green as an insecticide. — E. F., Oakville, Ont.; !&""%"" The composition of lyondon purple varies considerably and, as a conse- quence, it does not give as uniform re- sults as Paris green. It is cheaper than Paris green and is more soluble in water. London purple contains some free ar- senic and, when used, must be mixed with lime. MvilcHing Trees Does mulching retard the blooming period of trees, as peaches or plums? — C. S., Berlin, Ont. No, mulching does not retard the blooming period. Buds can swell and grow while the roots remain frozen and dormant. The bursting vegetation of spring time is more or less independent of root action. It is supported by a store of nutriment within the twig. XKe Care of Manure Kindly state how to prepare manure for fruit growing purposes. Is it necessary to give the same treatment to manure hauled from the city as to that produced in the home stable.' — G. H. de B., Toronto. For fruit growing, it is best to apply barnyard manure in a rotted or par- tially rotted state. Covered sheds are used for temporarily storing manures, where they can have water added if too dry or if likely to "fire-fang"; or ab- sorbents, such as straw or gypsum, may be used if they are too watery. Man- ure hauled from the city will give best results if thrown in the shed and mixed with the home-produced material. Man- ure for tree fruits may be applied in a greener state than that intended for the growing of small fruits. Moving Lar^e SKade Trees I have some fairly large shade trees that I desire to transplant. What is the best time to do it and how? — P. T., St. Stephens, N.B. The best time to move large trees is in winter. In late fall or the early part of an open winter, a trench should be dug around and at a reasonable distance from the trunk, depending upon the size of the tree. This will leave the roots in a ball of earth which, when frozen, may be moved with the tree; thereby permitting the operation to be performed without disturbing the roots. MaKing Plans for La-wns I desire to prepare a plan for improving the grounds about my home. Please outline some of the principles to be followed. — L. B., George- town, P.E.I. It is best to have the lawn open and wide and to group the trees and shrubs on the borders. Zigzag borders are the most effective. Plant irregularly and allow the grass to run into the openings between and apparently behind the clumps. This makes the lawn appear as though it extended much farther than it really does. By preserving open out- looks at a few places in the border, we may appropriate to ourselves distant views. Other pointers on this subject are embodied in an interesting article on page 9. W^aterin^ Hovise Plants When watering house plants, is it well to apply sufficient water to run out at the bottom of tile jjot ? Does not plant food leach out when that is done ? — W. A. F., Ottawa, Ont. It is not advisable to apply sufficient water to run through the bottom of the pot in appreciable quantities. It is necessary to gauge the amount, so that when it first appears to trickle through, it will then stop. It should be noted, also, that soil in a pot acts as a filter. The first water that percolates through it comes ovit somewhat pure. Should a constant stream run through, how- ever, considerable plant food would be lost. Vitality of Seeds How long will seeds retain their vitality? — A. B., St. Johns, Que. The period of vitality varies with the kind of seed. Seeds of the willow lose their vitality in two weeks after matur- ity; on the other hand, seeds of the cucumber may retain their vitality for ten years. It is said that oily seeds will retain their vitality longer than others. This is true with regard to the seeds of mustard, which may retain their vitality as long as 30 years, but is not true of large seeds like the walnut, butternut and similar types. To a certain extent, the vitality of seeds depends upon sur- rounding conditions. BooKs on Hedg'es Please tell me the titles of some books on the growing and care of hedges for ornamental purposes? — V. F., Kentville, N.S. An excellent treatise on the subject is entitled "Hedges, Windbreaks, Shel- ters and Live Fences," by E. P. Powell. It will be furnished by The Canadi.\n Horticulturist on receipt of price, which is 50 cents. Optimxim Temperature What is meant by an optimum temperature for the germination of seeds ? — R. Mfl., Owen Sound, Ont. An optimum temperature for the germination of seeds is that temperature at which the greatest number of a given quantity of seeds will germinate most rapidly. It is the condition of tempera- ture that produces the best results. SAveet Potatoes Can sweet potatoes be grown successfully out- doors in this locality. Kindly state how to go about it. Can tliey be sprouted in the house like Irish potatoes. — G. H. de B., Toronto. vSweet potatoes cannot be grown in Canada with commercial satisfaction, except perhaps in the Essex peninsula of Ontario. In an amateur way, ex- cellent specimens have been grown by Mr. Walter Ross, of Picton, Ont., by Mr. P. G. Keyes, of Ottawa, and others. It is not customary to sprout them in the house. Tubers are bedded in an outdoor hotbed early in spring. In a few weeks the latent buds will sprout, and by the time all danger from frost has passed, a dense growth of "slips" will cover the bed. These are removed from the tubers and set by hand in the field or garden in rows three or four feet apart — the plants generally fifteen inches apart in the rows. Read the article on page 13 of this issue. 16 THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST The Canadian norliculturisl Published by The Horticultural PublishinE Company", Limited The Only Horticultural Magazine in the Dominion Official Orean of British Columbia, Ontario, Quebec and Prince Edward Island Fruit Growers' Associations and of the Ontario Vee- etable Growers* Association H. Bronson Cowan, Editor and Business Manaeer A. B. CCTTiNO. B.S.A., Associate Editor W. O. Rook. Advertising Manager Garrett Wall, Circulation Manager GREAT BRITAIN Prank ■Fletcher, 135 Henrietta Street, Old Tratford Manchester, Eng., Advertising and Circulation Manager 1. The Canadian Horticulturist is published on the 25th day of the month preceding date of issue. 2. Subscription Price 50 cents a year, three years $1.20, strictly in advance. For all countries except Canada, United States and Great Britain add 50c. for postage for each one year subscription. 3. Reniittances should be made by Post OflBce or Money Express Order, or Registered Letter. Postage Stamps accepted for amounts less than $1.00. 4. Discontinuances— Responsible subscribers will con- tinue to receive The Hoeticultdrist until the publishers are noticed by letter to discontinue, when all arrearages must be paid. 5. Change of Address — When a change of address is ordered, both the old and the new addresses must be liven. 6. ^Advertising Rates quoted on application. Circu- lation 5,500. Copy received up to the 18th. Responsible representatives wanted in towns and cities. 7. cArticles and Illustrations for publication will be thankfully received by the editor. Our Protective Policy We want the readers of The Canadian Horticul- turist to feel that they can deal with our advertisers with our assurance of the advertisers' reliability. We try to admit to our columns only the most reliable ad- vertisers. Should any subscriber, therefore, have good cause to be dissatisfied with the treatment he receives from any of our advertisers, we will look into the matter and investigate the circumstances fully. Should we find reason to believe that ,iny of our advertisers are im- reliable, even in the slightest degree, we will discontinue immediately the publication of their advertisements in The Horticulturist. Should the circumstances war- rant we will expose them throu§:h the columns of the paper. Thus, we will not only protect our readers, but our reputable advertisers as well. All that is necessary to entitle you to the benefits of this Protective Policy is that you include in all your letters to advertisers the words "I saw your ad. in The Canadian Horticultur- ist." Complaints should be sent to us as soon as possi- ble after reason for dissatisfaction has been foimd. Communications should be addressed: THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST, 506-7-8 Manning Chambers. TORONTO, CANADA A MUCH NEEDED MOVE The success of the proposal of Hon. Sydney Fisher, Dominion Minister of Agriculture, to set aside $100,000 to encourage the erection and operation of cold storage warehouses for the protection of perishable products, including fruit, will depend upon the manner in which the money is distributed. Properly managed this appro- priation should accomplish a vast amount of good for the fruit industry of the Dominion. The feeling among growers that cooperation presents a solution of the many serious defects under which they have labored has been growing during the past few years. The financial assistance now suggested by Hon. Mr. Fisher may prove the only incentive that has been lacking to lead to a great expansion of this movement. What is wanted, so far as the fruit growers are concerned, is not so much assistance for the erection of plants with mechanical cold storage, as it is assistance that will enable them to erect simple but commodious buildings such as those being used by the Walkerton, Thornbury, Oak- ville and one or two other cooperative fruit growers' associations of Ontario In most of these warehouses there are no facilities for cold storage, even with ice. They would be improved however, were ice cold storage added. The cost of installing mechanical refrigeration is so great and the period during which it would be required by the great majority of our fruit growers — excepting only those in such sections as the Niagara district, and the southern por- tions of British Columbia, where the tender fruits are handled extensively — is so limited that at- tempts to encourage such refrigeration would be likely to prove more disastrous than beneficial. It has been suggested that the assistance to V)e granted by the Dominion Government should be extended over a period of four years. The object to this extension of the time of payment is to insure the operation of the buildings, once they have been erected. We do not consider this drawing out of the period of payment would be advisable. The proportion to be paid by the Dominion Government is so small, that were it to give only one-tenth, as is now proposed, on the completion of the buildings, it would not be suflficient to lead the average "farmer-fruit grower " — and it is this class that is likely to receive the greatest benefit from this movement — to put up the remaining nine-tenths, that it would be required even with the assurance that a por- tion of that amount would be rebated within the next two years. Once a building has been completed, the mere fact that it has been erected, should be all the guarantee that the Govern- ment will require that the building will be used later. If the Government, therefore, will agree to give 25% of the cost of the building ui^on its completion in a manner satisfactory to the department, and say, 5% at the cud of the first year, its offer, in all probabililty, will be accepted by a considerable number of associations and individuals throughout the country. If it is the Government's intention to grant this money to encourage the erection of ordinary warehouses, suitable for the storing of winter apples, whether or not they have ice storage, and if the period of payment is not extended unduly, we believe that the proposal of Hon Mr. Fisher will prove one of the greatest boons the fruit industry has ever received, and that the results will be a lasting memorial to his work. scheme, it would not be possible to accuse them of lacking a desire to bring the child in closer touch with nature. BEAUTIFYING SCHOOL GROUNDS While travelling throughout the Niagara dis- trict last summer, we had occasion to observe the various degrees of ornamentation to be seen around and about schoolhouses in villages and country districts. Far too many of them show- little or no attempt to beautify the school sur- roundings, and thus they present dejjlorable pictures of barren aims and crude ideals. On the other hand, there are many school grounds that are beautifully laid out and planted with taste and care. The Rittenhouse school, with the surrounding grounds, Jordan Harbor, Ontario, as illustrated in this issue, is one of the finest, if not the one par excellence, in Canada. It is a model for others to copy. But as it is privately endow^ed, and not at the mercy of a limited allowance, it is not surprising to see it in the lead. There are many schools, however, with only ordinary resources that have been made beautiful. The school grounds at Grimsby, Ontario, though com- paratively new, are being improved each year by means of tastefully planted trees, clumps of shrubbery and beds of flowers. Many schools in other parts of the province, less favored than the one at Grimsby, are also improving the ap- pearance of their surroundings. Last summer we visited the school at Vineland, Ontario, and enjoyed the privilege of a little talk on nature study with the children. The school is well equipped with material for practical instruction in nature study. Mr. J. E. Painter, the teacher, is to be congratulated on his eftorts in this direc- tion, and particularly for his many original schemes and ideas for making the children in- terested in the work. The school grounds are nicely planned. Trees and shrubs and flower beds, some formal and some natural, present a very pleasing effect. As yet, there is no land for school gardens. To offset this, Mr. Painter requires his pupils to set apart a small plot for the purpose at their homes, and, at regular in- tervals, to report progress. Were teachers, sim- ilarly situated in other districts, to adopt this SCIENCE IN FRUIT GROWING Many fruit growers oljject to the use of the word "science" when ajjplied to fruit growing, or, in fact, to any phase of agricultural work. When the word "science" is brought into con- versation on fruit matters, nine men out of ten will resent its use, because they imagine that science is beyond the scope of commonplace things. When a man talks of science in fruit growing he is considered unpractical — a dreamer of things in the clouds, away above earthly possibilities and ordinary practices. This idea of the meaning and value of the word "science" is far from the correct one. Science is nothing more than knowledge, and knowledge system- atically arranged. When the knowledge gained by practical ex- perience in fruit growing is arranged into a system, it becomes a science. Fruit growers should not, therefore, be too hasty in c riticiz- ing the value of science in fruit growing' 'Tis true that the scientific man often formulates theories and advances ideas that are, at first thought, somewhat far-fetched and impractic- able— some of them may be far from correct. Nevertheless, such theories and such ideas, al- though apparently of no immediate value, go to show that these men of science are striving for more knowledge, which may be systematically arranged for the benefit and use of those who devote their attention to the practical side of the business. The practical man is the most important factor in our fruit industry, but he should bear in mind that the scientific man also has his place — a place more important than many fruit growers will admit. The suggestions of the deputation of vegetable growers, appointed by the Ontario Vegetable Growers' Association to visit Guelph and confer with the executive of the Ontario Agricultural and Experimental Union, were practically ig- nored by the director of cooperative experiments in horticulture. In an address on the subject. Professor Hutt said that such work could not be attempted inside of three or four years, as he considered it necessary for the Union to have a basis upon which to select and disseminate varieties, and to outline ex]x;rimental work of other kinds. This conception of what is neces- sary is rather far-fetched. It does not carry weight with the vegetable growers, who point out that the Horticultural Department at Guelph has been testing varieties of vegetables that were discarded by them years ago after practical tests. A basis for experimental work in vegetables can be furnished by hundreds of practical vegetable growers throughout the prov- ince, men who have spent a lifetime in experi- rnenting in a practical way with all the leading varieties offered for sale by seedsmen. Such growers could furnish information now without it being necessary for trials to be made at Guelph. Cooperative experiments in vegetables should be made a feature of the Experimental Union work for this year. There is no excuse for wait- ing three or four years. The new tariff does not materially affect the fruit situation. The duties, with one or two ex- ceptions, are practically the same as before. Pears, instead of an ad valorem duty of 20 per cent., are now covered by a specific duty of half cent a pound; pfums, formerly under an ad valorem duty of 25 per cent., are now changed to 30 cents a bushel. The placing of oranges and lemons on the free list will create a greater de- mand for foreign fruits, and possibly some de- crease in the desire for home-grown fruits. This feature of the new tariff, together with the utter disregard of the Tariff Commission for the request of fruit growers for more protection. THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST 17 lead us to the conclusion, predicted in the col- umns of The Canadian Horticulturist last spring, that when fruit growers themselves fail to agree, the tariff remains the same. Ontario Agricultural and E-xper'l Union The rec]uest of the Ontario Vegetable Growers' Association to have the government grant to the association of $600 increased to $1,000, is a reasonable one. This association receives a smaller grant than any other association of the kind in the province. It has almost double the membership of any other association. Its mem- bership, also, is more representative than that of other organizations. Branches of the asso- ciation are to be found from Ottawa and King- ston in the east, to Sarnia and Tecumseh in the west. The vegetable industry is much more important than that represented by the Ontario Beekeepers' Association. The Beekeepers' As- sociation receives a grant of $1,000 a year, and it has a very small membership. Although not much more than an infant, the Ontario Vegetable Growers' Association already has done much to awaken a greater interest in advanced methods of culture in the production of vegetables. Its future success will depend largely upon the assistance the association receives from the On- tario Government. The sum asked for is a reasonable one and the granting of anything smaller would not be in accord with the dignity of the Ontario Department of Agriculture, which has accomplished much valuable educational work through organizations of this kind. Fruit growers in all parts of Canada will watch with interest the progress of the large commercial fruit company that has been organized in Nova Scotia by Mr. Ralph S. Eaton, who is president and manager, and others. The Hillcrest Or- chards, I^imited, has been organized in the right way. Being under corporate management, with Mr. Eaton at its head, it promises success. Mr. Eaton is a man who is familiar with the technical as well as the practical phases of fruit growing. He is, also, a business man of more than ordinary capabilities. Under Mr. Eaton's direction, the Hillcrest Orchards, Limited, is likelv to be a paying investment. Failures of previous attempts to form companies of this kind have been due largely to lack of experience on the part of the men in charge. The secretaries of all horticultural societies will confer a great favor on our circulation de- partment if they will kindly send in their sub- scription lists for 1907 at the earliest possible time after their annual meetings. This will enable us to have all names correctly entered on our mailing lists for the coming year, and in- sure all the society menil^ers receiving every issue of The Canadian Horticulturist through- out the year. It often happens that when names arc received one or two months after the annual meetings, that back copies of The Horti- culturist have been exhausted, and subscribers are unable to receive the full year's issue. Those of our readers who desire a bound vol- ume of The Horticulturist for 1906, can obtain same at our office. Owing to the size of the magazine having been enlarged for 1906, the charges for binding will be a little higher than formerly. Volumes for last year will be bound for $1.2.5. No better horticultural work of reference could be desired than a bound volume of The Horticulturist. It is up-to-date, newsy and makes a very valuable book when bound for the year. Send in your back copies for binding. It is a source of satisfaction to find goods,, purchased from a firm not personally known, to be as good or better than represented. Goods advertised in the columns of this paper are sold by firms that do business on the square. Readers will do well in patronizing our advertisers. AT the recent meeting of the Ont. Agric. and E.xp. Union, held in Guelph, a number of subjects of interest to fruit and vege- table growers were discussed. The ques- tion of introducing vegetable tests in con- nection with the work of the Union was the subject of a brief talk by Prof. H. L. Hutt. In the course of his remarks, he intimated that the Union was willing to undertake work of that nature, but that the time was not yet ripe. He said that he required .3 or 4 years to carry on work with vegetables at Guelph before it would be wise to disseminate material for cooperative work over the province. A committee was ap- pointed to confer with a delegation of vegetable growers from the Ont. Veg. Grs. Assn. The result was not encouraging to the growers. Mr. J. Lockie Wilson Recently appointed Superintendent of Agricultural and Horticultural Societies for (Ontario to Jill the posi- tion made vacant by the resignation of H. B. Cowan, editor of this paper. " W'c arc pleased to notice that The C.^naiil-vn Hokticulturist is growing with each issue." — A. G. Hull & Son, St. Catharines, Ont. A report of cooperative experiments on small fruits was .presented by Professor Hutt. He outUned the progress of the work from its begin- ning to the ijresent day. Particulars were given regarding the cultural directions sent out when the plants and the varieties disseminated were mentioned. "Our Commercial Fruit Interests," was the subject of a valuable address by A. McNeill, Chief, Fruit Division, Ottawa. He outlined the various fruit-growing areas of the province and mentioned the classes of fruits adapted for each. The tender fruits are confined to the western end of Lake Ontario. The particular industry of that district is the growing of vegetables and fruits for the early markets. It has at least 2 weeks the advantage of any other section of the province in the point of time. The capacity for production is unlimited. Local markets are sometimes over-supplied. Distant markets can- not get the material they require. Ottawa will take 2 or 3 carloads of strawberries a day. There is a splendid opportunity to open up a good trade in other parts of this province and in other pro\inces. The counties along the north shore of Lake Ontario produce some of the finest winter fruit that is grown in the world. The cost of storage is so small comparatively that there is little fear of gluts in the markets for that class of fruit. Owing to altitude, there are sections in the province, apparently in the midst of a fruit-growing area, tl-.at cannot grow fruits to perfection. On tlie whole, the future for apples in Ont. is bright . A practical paper on the results of cooperative experiments with fertilizers, was read by Prof. R. Harcourt. He pointed out the value of fertilizers, and the limits of their effectiveness. A report on farm forestry for 1906 was read by E. J. Zavitz. He emphasized the importance of planting with trees, especially white pine, waste farm lands, steep, gravelly hillsides and other areas not adapted to the growing of farm crops. While it is not generally considered remuner- ative work, there is no investment that will yield such large returns as will the wood lot if properly managed. In connection with the subject of our fruit in- terests, Robt. Thompson, of St. Catharines, spoke on the possibilities of developing the markets of the west. Two years ago. Prof. Reynolds sent 2 experimental carloads of fruit from Ont. to the west. That was the beginning of a won- derful progress. This year, no less than 64 car loads were sent from St. Catharines. While Ont. growers must compete with B.C. in that market, they have the advantage in quaUty. The dealers of the west prefer Ont. grown fruit. Mr. Thompson intimated that it will be 20 years at least before Ont. is able to provide a sufficient supply of fruit for the west. A. E. Sherrington, of Walkerton, also took part in the discussion. He dwelt more particularly on the question of coopera.tion among fruit growers. He mentioned many interesting features of the cooperative movement. Judging' ExKibition Apples Editor, The Canadian Horticulturist, — At the late fruit exhibition in Massey Hall, To- ronto, there was a very large amount of dis- cussion with reference to the merits of certain apples shown as plate specimens. Among the exhibits could be found some clean, smooth, bright apples, almost perfect in every way but only of normal size or perhaps slightly below. In competition with these, there were frequently some extraordinarily large apples, but somewhat rough and lacking in color. Although the ques- tion of quality, as judged by the palate, could not in all cases be determined at that time, it is to be presumed, as the result of almost uni- versal experience, that the smaller apples would have the finer flavor. The question involved was to which should the prize go in case of com- petition between two such lots of apples. In some cases, it was asserted that the higher prize went to the large apples rather than to the smaller ones. The point I wish to raise is this: Is there any agreement among fruit men generally as to the value of size in plate specimens? Until we have some such agreement and until this agree- ment is expressed in the prize list, there will be an unnecessary friction between exhibitors and an unmerited criticism of the judges. In order to start a discussion on this subject, I state my personal view of this case with the hope that it may draw out the opinions of others. I should be strongly in favor of follow- ing the custom in vogue in England of regard- ing any size above normal as a grave defect in a dessert apple, and that, even for cooking pur- poses, there should be only a moderate value attached to size compared with the other qual- ities of regularity, smoothness and high flavor. I should, therefore be in favor of adding a note in the prize list to the effect that judges be in- structed by the Directors to regard abnormal size as a serious defect in the dessert class. — A. McNeill, Chief, Fruit Division, Ottawa. Before BuyInK Books, write for oiu" extensive book catalog, which we will gladly send free to all interested in horticultural works. It con tains 16 pages and should be in the home of every fruit grower, gardener, and amateur florist. It is a good reference book. Send for it now. — ^The Canadian Horticulturist, 506- 7-8 Manning Chambers, Toronto. The Otta^va Garden Competitions' THE effect of the garden competitions in the city of Ottawa has been beneficial, both from an educational and an ornamental standpoint. The city has improved in appearance. These competitions were inaugur- ated by Lady Minto in 1902. The objects that Lady Minto had in view were the encouragement of neatness and order in the keeping of grass plots and flower beds in the private homes of the citizens, especially where fronting the street; the encouragement of flower growing, and their tasteful arrangement in beds or borders; and -to awaken increased interest in horticulture in general, so that the gardens and lawns entered in the competition might be object lessons to the rest of the citizens. It was hoped also that the presence of a well-cultivated and pretty garden in every part of the city would shame the owners of neglected gardens into improving them. A general and uniform neatness would bathe result. JUDGES AND JUDGING Three gentlemen prominent in horticulture and amateur gardening were appointed by Lady Minto to act as judges for the 3 years, 1902-03-04. These were Mr. R. B. Whyte, Ottawa's leading amateur gardener, chairman; Mr. W. T. Macoun, Horticulturist, C.E.F., Ottawa; and Mayor J. A. ElUs of Ottawa. The gardens were visited four times during the season, about the last week in June, July, Aug., and Sept. Points were given monthly for neatness and order, floral display and general effect. COMPETITORS The competitors were divided the first year into 2 classes, those employing professional gar- deners or outside help during the season, and those who did the work themselves or with the assistance of members of their immediate household only. Amateurs were allowed to employ outside help before and on May 24, but not after. The city was divided into 2 districts. Prizes were awarded to the three best gardens in each district. The remaining competitors received no rewards. The prizes consisted of gold, silver, and bronze medals, suitably en- graved. The 2nd year, 1903, the percentage plan was introduced. In the professional class three valuable medals were presented In the amateur class, all competitors scoring over 75% received $15 cash, and those scoring under 75% and over 60%, $10 in cash. In 1904, the gardens were judged together, no distinction being made between professional and amateur. As some competitors did not care to receive cash prizes, Lady Minto substituted medals and certijicates of merit, signed personally by Her Excellency. A competitor's experience During the first 2 years of the competition, 1 personally was not successful in winning a high prize, but I gained experience. Each month, immediately after the judges' rounds, I visited the first 3 gardens on the list. There I took notes of value for use in my own garden. When the competition opened in 1904, I catered to the judges' taste in regard to group- ing and blending of flower colors. My reward was one of the first prizes. Beside the honor of winning the first prize, many other advantages were mine. The garden always was scrupulous- ly neat. We had more bloom of better quality than ever before. Flowers from my garden won more prizes at the Hort. Soc'y's shows than in former years. I had gained a broader knowl- edge of and a keener enthusiasm for horticul- ture. A JUDGE'S experience With the termination of Lady Minto's stay in Canada ended the garden competition under her name and direction. After the lapse of a year, the scheme was revived by Lady Grey. The judges appointed by Her Excellency are Mr. W. T. Macoun, chairman; Mr. H. N. Bate, • A paper read before the convention of the Ontario Horticultural Association recently held in Toronto S. Short, Ottawa chairman of the Ottawa Improvement Cora- mission; and myself, Pres. Hort'l Soc. Mr. Bate acted as referee or consulting member, and did not visit the gardens with the other judges. In addition to giving 20 points each for cleanness and order, floral display and gen- eral effect, the judges this year have given 20 points for labor and enthusiasm. This would give new beginners a chance to compete with experienced gardeners. On the whole, the different competitors kept up their enthusiasm during the summer, some of them remarking to the judges that they were determined to win a high prize, evidently being quite satisfied with their work. It would have been better for them had they visited some of the leading gardens in their neighborhoods and'made observations for improving their own places. I am afraid they will be disappointed when the scores are announced. One garden that scored well is situated in one of the poorer districts of the city, renting for probably $6 or $7 a month. All the houses on that side of the street are alike. About the middle of the block is situated the house and garden entered into the competition. The house is the home of an English family; the mother and children — chiefly girls — are all lovers of flowers. Their efforts in flower growing were very successful and somewhat pathetic. The garden consisted of a little plot about 5 ft. wide and 10 ft. long in front of the house and a little alleyway leading to the back yard. The An Old Man's Good AA^orh I have obtained 15 subscribers for The Canadian Horticulturist. Had I re- ceived the agency sooner I flatter myself that I could have more than doubled the number, for this is a wholly rural section. The farmers here take other farm papers that are hard to oust. Yet I have done it a little. To get the 15 subscribers I had to walk an average of 2}^ miles per subscriber. I am an old man, 86 years old. In doing this I have done what I desire. I have introduced in my locality the best horti- cultural paper in Canada. — S. P. Morse, Lowville, Ont. flowers were giown in flower-pots,, home-made hanging baskets and old iron vessels, painted green. Fuchsias, geraniums, calceolarias and other house plants formed the collection used to ornament the little verandah. During the long, dry summer these plants were beautifully fresh, always in bloom and exceedingly attractive, so much so that they drew the attention of the passer-by from the broken gate and unpainted fence which we were told the landlord promised to repair in the fall. In the alleyway, spiraeas and ferns flourished, and in every available comer of the back yard the different annuals bloomed to perfection, showing daily attention. The little yard was divided up, each little girl having a portion. Keen rivalry seemed to exist and when the judges praised an individual bloom its owner showed intense satisfaction. This garden and the happiness that the family derived from it are object lessons to their neigh- borhood. The best garden this year is owned by a middle- aged civil servant who looks after it himself. The garden is evidently his hobby. It is the back-half of a city lot that runs through from one .street to another. The garden scoring 2nd place was one of the largest entered. A pro- fessional gardener was employed. The third garden is owned by an amateur and is situated on the side of a steep hill. The judges were instructed to consider the circumstances of each competitor and the size ef each garden. In judging a small garden we expected a higher degree of excellence than from a larger. In gardens with wealthy surroundings we expected choicer varieties ofi,flowers thanjin those of humbler circumstances. EffectJof competition The inauguration^ of the competitions by Lady Minto awakened a new era of horticultural enthusiasm in Ottawa. A short time afterwards, the Ottawa Improvement Commission was appointed by the Dominion Govt, and given an annual appropriation of $60,000 to be spent in improving the driveways and beautifying un- sightly spots about the city. Membership in the Ottawa Hort'l Soc. rapidly increased. This year the membership is the largest of any society in the province. Larger entries and better qual- ity of exhibits were a feature of the society's shows. Flowers seeds and printed instructions on how to grow them were distributed to the school children of Ottawa by R. B. Whyte and other patriotic citizens, who donated also prizes in the autumn for flowers grown from the seeds distributed. School trustees sodded and ornamented grounds around schools that before were ugly and bare. A love for flowers has been developed among the citizens in general. Florists' establishments have doubled in number during the last four years. Market gardeners, who formerly grew only small fruits and vegetables, are now growing large quantities of flowers, chiefly sweet peas and asters, to sell at the market at a greater profit than the vegetables. On the whole, the com- petition has worked wonders in Ottawa. The scheme commends itself to the benevolence and public spirit of the citizens of any city or town, no matter what the size Philanthropy can find no better channel Horticulture in ScKools Rev. P. C. L. Harris, Guelph, Ont. Five years ago, the Guelph Horticultural Society began its work among the school chil- dren. The first year's distribution was geranium plants.- About .300 of these were given out. The exhibition in the early fall was very fine, but in the distribution several varieties were used, and this resulted in a lack of uniformity. Some plants were free bloomers; others were §low, etc. The second year, and in 1905, we distrib- uted the seed of Semple's Branching aster. The first time about 500 packets were distributed, while in 1905, about 926 packets were given to the boys and girls of the public and separate schools. The exhibition in 1905 was not pro- portionately as good as that of the year before, which was exceedingly fine. Last year geran- iums were again distributed, all of one variety, and about 500 pots in all. It is very difficult to estimate the results of the work : that can be better done after further trial. There are, however, some evidences of good accomplished. The prizes given for these competitions have been mostly bulbs, and many of the children are beginning to take a good deal of interest in the growing of bulbs of different varieties and are succeeding well. Such competitions will inspire a love for the beautiful in plant Ufe, both for the house and garden. "The full results will be seen after many days. It pays. Have you a friend who you think would like to take The Canadian Horticulturist? Send us his name and we will gladly send him a specimen copy. "The More the Merrier!" I renew with pleasure my subscription to The Canadian Horticulturist, which I have taken for the past 20 years. Throughout these years I have learned many useful things from its pages, and expect to learn more as the magazine grows in size and importance. — Walter N. Turnbull, Gait, Ont. THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST \9 Suggestions for W^orK at New Exper t Station J. "W. Crow, O.A.C., GuelpK THE establishment of a new experimental farm in the Niagara district was mentioned first in connection with plant-breeding. It was thought that the Ont. Govt, should undertake this work. In order to draw out dis- cussion of this question through the press and at fruit growers' meetings this winter, the following is submitted. Others will no doubt discuss the experimental and research work to be undertaken. Plant-breeding in Ont. must have 4 objects in view : 1. The improvement of our present commer- cial varieties with respect to their shipping quahties and the production of new varieties of superior excellence in this regard. This is the crying need of the Ont. fruit industry to-day. Our fruit is handicapped in the distant markets in which we are compelled to sell because it does not carry well and consequently arrives at the door of that consumer in poor condition. Ship- ping quahty is lacking in all early and mid- season peaches; also in many otherwise excel- lent plums, and in most grapes. Earlier peaches as good as Crawford and as firm as Elberta; plums like Reine Claude but of different season, and compact bunching, mildew-proof grapes, as firm as Lindley, are within the range of possi- bility, and would reward all effort and outlay in producing them. Many other lines of improve- ment might be mentioned that will occur to fruitgrowers 2. The production of good varieties of sufficient hardiness to withstand the vigorous climate that prevails over the greater portion of this province. Many who are not fortunate enough (horticul- turally) to live in the region adapted to tender fruits desire to grow their own plums, grapes, cherries, etc., and it will be seen at once that their interests are to a certain extent opposed to those of growers in the more favored sections. While the needs of the Niag. dist. growers should occupy a large share of the attention of the plant- breeder, plans for the future should be broad and comprehensive, and everything possible should be done on the new farm for both interests. The extent to which hardiness can be bred into a plant is a matter of conjecture and remains to be determined. In the light of recent knowl- edge it would seem that this work can be car- ried on to a greater or less extent in the Niag. dist. It is conceded that selection within the limits of the species can result in no change in hardiness; the only alternative is cross-breeding or hybridizing. At So. Dakota tlais crossing is done in the greenhouse, because the tender species which they desire to use will not stand their winter unprotected, and because the high winds which prevail make outdoor crossing difficult and arduous. It would seem that the crossing could as advantageously be done out of doors within the habitat of the less hardy species, and the new station is favorably situated for much work in this direction. The actual testing of the promising seedlings produced would, in any event, require to be general throughout northern sections. 3. The production of new varieties of excel- lent merit without regard to their shipping quality or hardiness. Large quantities of this class of fruit are already consumed in the fresh state in the Niag. and Essex peninsulas, and sold in the markets adjacent to them. Addition- al large quantities are made use of by the canning factories, and these 2 interests are practically identical in the quality of fruit used. Extension of season in either direction, so as to give a better succession of high-class fruits throughout the year, is much to be desired. Cold storage facilities aid in lengthening the canning season only in 1 direction, and good early varieties of peaches, pears and plums would be most welcome to the canner and to the home consumer. 4. The improvement of fruits native to but uncultivated in the more northern sections. Our native cherries have never been improved, and the hardiness and productiveness of these and of other fruits, such as blueberries, offers an interesting field to the plant-breeder. This work must be forwarded in the section to which the fruits which it is desired to improve are native, but it should be done under the direction of the head of the plant-breeding department. There are many other problems arising out of the foregoing, such as the production of disease- resistant varieties, and of more suitable stocks for grafting and budding, which require solution. In addition to these the problems of the vegetable grower and florist demand attention. The breadth of the work and the importance of the interests concerned merit generous treatment at the hands of the government. The director of the new station should be thoroughly capable of directing the experimental and plant-breeding work, and should be allowed a free hand in doing so. No work in hybridizing can be undertaken at the new farm until trees and plants reach bearing age. In the case of the tree fruits this means several years' time lost unless work can be begun in other places. This brings to mind the experi- ment stations and their stock of varieties already in bearing. It is quite possible that excellent use could be made of some of these. The Dept. of Hort. at the O.A.C. has made a beginning in plant-breeding and has several promising seedlings under test. Extended work with fruits, flowers and vegetables is being plan- ned for the future. The dept. would be pleased to obtain results of accurate observations on disease resistance. It is desired to find out if there is variation in this respect within the variety. If such is the case, selection alone would probably bring about the desired end. If such is not the case, the crossing of varieties, which is a much more uncertain process, would have to be resorted to. Information concerning specific examples of resistance to mildew, scab, rot or blight in varieties subject to these diseases would be gladly received. Letters from Hort'l Societies The St. Thomas Hort'l Soc. was organized in Jan., 1906, and we enrolled over 80 members. Our first work was to start a lawn and garden competition. We have been trying to get the city council to beautify certain plots and to ac- quire property for park purposes in the city. In conjunction with the schools of the city, a flower show was held on Sept. 22. No prizes were offered, but through the school children a large exhibit was secured. The Canadian Horticulturist was given to each member and bulbs were distributed in Oct. We expect to distribute seeds next spring to the school chil- dren and to our members. A committee of 2 of our members contributed seasonable articles to our daily papers, for the information of mem- bers. On Dec. 6, a public lecture was given by P. M. Thompson, M.A., Science Master of the Coll. Inst, on "Plant Societies." There was a good attendance. We expect a strong society next year. — S. Silcox, Pres. THE KINCARDINE SOCIETY The Kincardine Hort'l Soc.'s work the past year has exceeded the work of any year of the former 7. Its progress is steadily onward. Every encouragement is given to plant for recre- ation and profit. Nearly every garden and home is embellished with plants of rare beauty and merit. We have encouraged the culture of fruits, and always place a fair proportion of fruit trees bushes and vines on our premium list, as well as plants and bulbs. We aim to give every member many times more value than is got from the membership fee of $1, as you will see by the following list of trees and plants presented to the members- Fruit trees, 192; lilies, 108; perennial phlox, 15; callas, 24; dahlias, 40; gladioli, 150; tulips, 805; hyacinths, 240, azaleas, 39; geraniums, 180; roses, 98; and shrubs, 35, Our membership the past year was about 135. We hope to have it over 150 the coming year. Our annual show was held on Aug. 30, and was well patronized by young and old. From the schools were about 2.50 pupils, and there was a steady stream of visitors, many wishing that the exhibition would be open the following day. The flower show was free to all and a handsome display. Many of the plants would be no dis- credit to professionals. A very instructive lec- ture was given by Prof. H. L. Hutt, with which many of our local fruit growers and gardeners were highly pleased. With carefulness and economy, the willing efforts of our directors, the earnest zeal of our secretary, the kindly recognition of our town council, and the solid and financial aid of our provincial government, a society has been built, whose refining influence is seen and recognized by town and country. This year we will give as a premium to every member (in addition to the flowers or fruits), the best, neatest and cheap- est horticultural magazine in Canada — The Canadian Horticulturist. — ^Wm. Welsh. Rind W^ords Many encouraging letters are being received from our subscribers concerning the improve- ments that have been made in The Canadian Horticulturist within the last year. A few of those just received are here given. Natur- ally, it is encouraging to us to receive such letters. Here they are: "Our society is well pleased with The Hor- TictJLTURisT, and our members wish it every success."— Robert Davis, Secy. Hespeler Hor- ticultural Society, Hespeler, Ont. "I am delighted with the appearance of The Horticulturist. It is one of the best month- lies I know of on orcharding and the cultiva- tion of fruit. Not only that, but the informa- tion it gives on the marketing of apples is worth everything to the fruit grower. I have given a few copies of it to parties I thought ought to have it." — ^John Spencer, Henrys- burg, Que. ' ' Here is one dollar as a renewal for your magazine for two years. We are pleased with the improvements and congratulate you upon the able manner in which you advocate the interests of the horticulturists. With best wishes for your success." — R. Jack & Sons,. Chateauguay Basin, Que. Of Interest to Fruit Growers Every one who grows fruit, either on a large or small scale, will be interested in the adver- tisement of The Fruit-Grower, St. Joseph, Mis- souri, which appears in our columns. This publication is issued monthly, is handsomely il- lustrated, and comprises from 32 to 80 pages each month, and all phases of fruit growing are covered. The first four issues of 1907 will be handsome special numbers, the January issue devoted mainly to reports of meetings of horti- cultural societies, February to spraying, March to gardening and April will be the small fruits number. Every reader of this paper who is in- terested in fruit culture should take advantage of the liberal offer of the publishers to send The Fruit-Grower for three months on trial, abso- lutely free. Read the advertisement and send your name and address at once, mentioning this . paper. On page 300, Dec. issue of The Canadian Horticulturist, the orchid cuts should have been transposed. Books For AH. We have listed in our book catalog all the popular modern horticulturaL* works, at the most reasonable prices. Send for - a catalog. It's free • TKe Dominion Government's Cold Storage Proposition THE proposal of the Hon. Sydney Fisher, Minister of Agriculture at Ottawa, to assist in the establishment of cold storage warehouses for plants and other tender products, will be welcomed by the fruit growers of Canada. \\'hile it may not be acceptable in all details, it is a big step in the direction of what is needed. One or 2 private schemes have been presented to the government with requests for assistance, but they were thought to tend towards a mon- opoly of the business. The proposition of the minister is framed with a view towards elim- ination of a danger of this kind. The main features of the proposal, as outlined by Mr. Fisher in the House, are as follows: Contracts with individuals or companies who may wish to establish cold storage ware- houses, shall be entered into only for such places as, in the opinion of the minister, may fairly justify the investment or the establishment of .such an enterprise. The scale of the invest- ment also shall be such as is justified in the •opinion of the minister; that is to say, in some places, a cold storage warehouse which would • cost $30,000 may be justified, where one of $100,000 would not. The contract would also indicate the conditions on which the aid would he granted. The 1st condition would be a -control of the rates by the government, which are to be charged for the accommodation of the public. The 2nd condition would be that the temperature be maintained at a degree necessary for the proper preservation of the articles intended to be placed in the chamber. The assistance is proposed to be given in this form; That on the completion of a build- ing approved by the minister, a bonus of 10 % on the investment shall immediately be paid, and that in succeeding years after a short term, which has not yet been definitely determined, an additional 20% of the whole investment shall be paid. The minister is inclined to pro- pose payments after the initial 10% as follows: At the end of the 1st year's ojieration, 5%, and at the end of each successive year, a simi- lar amount, until a total of 30% of the whole cost has been paid. The minister stated that it was not the intention to grant a bonus to . any cold storage plant now in operation. It is proposed to provide for official inspection and supervision and the keeping of the buildings. There are some features of the proposal that are debatable. In the House, some members criticized the [jroposition. It was pointed out that it would be better to allow the individual to erect cold storage buildings where, in his judgment, it was required, and not to leave the choice of location to the minister. It was -suggested, also, that the total amoimt of the bonus be paid on completion of the building, and not extended over a period of years. K. D. Smith, of Wentworth Co., Ont., was of the opinion that the bonus should be given in one lump sum. Various letters have been re- ceived by The Canadian Horticulturist from fruit growers and dealers regarding this • question. Some of them are herewith published : This one was received from R. J. Graham, of Belleville, Ont,; "We have mechanical cold ■storage that will hold 20,000 bbls. It cost about $30,000, including site and railway siding, fitted with I.inde British machinery. We have, also, ice cold storage which we built prior to the mechanical storage. For some things, ice is quite good enough and is very much cheaper than mechanical, but for carrying apples late in the season it is a total failure, for the ice gradu- ally melts and as the season advances the tem- perature gradually rises in an ice storage unless fitted with mechanical devices and ice salted. For apples that are coming in store in Nov. and going out before middle of March, ordinary fruit houses such as they have in this locality is quite good enough. I understand that the ob- ject of the propcsed assistance to cold storage construction is to have facilities for taking care of fruit early in the season when weather is un- favorable and this can only be done through mechanical storage. It has been demonstrated that such storages will pay when used exclu- sively for apples. There are perhaps 30 such storages in New York state located where the apples can be placed in storage the day they are gathered, which is of vital importance where the fruit is intended to be carried any consid- erable length of time. "Unquestionably millions of dollars' worth of apples have been destroyed, wasted and lost to the country b)' not having such facilities avail- able where the apples are grown. With the present improper railway equipment and diffi- culty in securing cars, large losses are made which cannot be avoided. If the assistance pro- posed will result in the establishment of a num- ber of mechanical cold storages in the sections where apples are grown it will be certainly bene- ficial to the country and especially to the own- ers of the fruit. The only thing about this pro- posal that seems unfair is establishment of stor- ages in the vicinity of those already built. It would seem to me that if these storages are assisted by the government, then those already established should be compensated in the same proportion where they do similar service in the apple growing districts." The opinion of F. S. Wallbridge, of Belleville, is as follows: "In most of the apple growing sections, cold storage warehouses for apjiles are not an absolute necessity. If the assistance proposed were given to frost-proof storage build- ings for storage purposes, and let the coopera- tive assns. put in any apparatus they may see fit, either mechanical refrigeration or ice storage, or even ventilation, I think it would be best. In most of the apple sections, there are not a great many summer apples grown and a very small compartment of the building would answer for cooling any early varieties that the assns. might have. In my opinion it certainly would be more helpful to the apple growers to get assist- ance in building frost -proof storage buildings than being assisted in putting up cold storage plants which they only require to a very limited extent, as the late fall and winter apples do not require any other storage than the frost-proof storage, and those apples are grown to a much larger extent than the earlier varieties. The trouble that most of our assns. find is in getting a reasonable priced storage to hold their winter varieties until prices are sufficiently high in European markets to warrant sale of them. At the present time such a small price is being offered in the Eurojjean markets for such varie- ties as Ben Davis that those apples naturally have to be held until there is a market for them in the latter part of the winter or the early spring. I trust that the Hon. Mr. Fisher means to ex- tend the assistance to assns. that intend putting up frost-proof storages." J. D. Biggar, Grimsby: "I am of the opinion that the government would be justified in assist- ing in the erection of cold storage warehouses where they would be of sufficient benefit to the community. I also appreciate the benefit de- rived from its action in assisting in improving cold storage transportation facilities." Elmer Lick, Oshawa: "I can see decided ad- vantages in the .scheme. The apple grower needs to have his fruit cooled before shipment during Aug. and generally most of Sept. I have never yet known fall apples which were packed at a temperature around 60 or below, to land in the British market in bad shape, that is if they were shipped at once after packing. Our softer winter apples, as well as the fall varieties, need cooling before packing, or immediately after- wards. If the present proposals provide, in some of the best apple sections, a means of doing this at reasonable cost, either by ice or mechan- ical means, a very good purpose will be served. 20 "Usually there is little trouble in keeping our later winter varieties through medium of air ventilation. The fact must be remembered, however, that the sooner an apple is cooled to freezing point the longer it will keep. That is a very important advantage of ice or mechanical cold storage. The only question in connection with this matter that bothers me is: Where will the business come from to make it pay? Apples will furnish business for 3 to 5 months. Will there be other business enough to keep down expenses to a reasonable basis? This is a very inviting field for theory, and one rather difficult to prac- tically say how it will work out." Daniel Johnson, Forest; "Mr. Fisher's cold storage porposals, appear to be a step in the right direction. Ont. fruit growers and farmers have long felt the want of something in that line. It is to be hoped that the government will next season see its way clear to go much further in assisting them. It would perhaps have been better if the government had under- taken the establishment of these warehouses on its own account, and to regulate the rates in the interests of the country." THe Seedless Apple Frances Wayland Glen, Brooklyn, N.Y. The report of the committee of the Ont. F.G.A. Convention, held in Toronto, referring to the Spencer Seedless Apple, gave me much pleasure. It is time that quack horticiOi urists, like quack politicians, were sent to the rear to remain. The great jjrogress made in horticul- ture during the past 0 years has been from growing varieties, not species. The seedless orange, probably, is a cross of two species, and what we call the navel is a deformity. It is the only seedless fruit that is of any value. God has set a limit to the propagation of deformed fruits or animals. This fact clearly indicates that the wise horticulturist W'ill follow God's plan and not Mr. Spencer's. It is unjust to those who have rendered such beneficent services to humanity in the crossing of varieties to have some quack notion like the seedless apple overshadow the results of their patient labor. Permit me to return thanks to Professor Craig of Cornell University for his letter in the Nov. issue of The Canadian Horticulturist. Dairying and Fruit Gro-wing A large number of the dairy farmers in the vicinity of Colborne and Belleville, Ont,, are going in for fruit growing on an extensive scale, and appear to find it a profitable side-line in connection with their dairy operations. While driving through this section recently a represent- ative of The Canadian Horticulturist was surprised to find how extensively the farmers of that section have set out orchards during the past couple of years. It seems that recently large profits have been made on apples in that section, with the result that there has been a regular boom, the reaction of which will be felt by some farmers who, it was noticed, have set out their orchards in very unfavorable locations. "This is the greatest, apple section in the province," said Reeve Alyea, of Colborne, to our representative. "In Colborne alone," he continued, "we have 16 apple-packing ware- houses, the smallest of which holds about 7,000 bbls., and the largest 20,000. A new cement warehouse is being built which, when completed, will hold 30,000 bbls. Our farmers let their hogs run in the orchards, where they eat wind- falls and wormy apples. In this way, too, the orchard is manured. "Over 1,000 acres were planted with apples this year. Some dairy farmers and others in the vicinity of Colborne have sold the apples in their orchards this year for from $450 to as high as $1,200, the buyer to do the picking and packing, and the grower the hauling." THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST 21 Nova Scotia Fruit Growers' Convention THE 43rd annual meeting of the N.S. Fruit Grs. Assn. was held at Wolfville on Dec. 12, 13 and 11. There was a good attend- ance. While the meeting cannot be re- garded as one of the most important in the history of the Assn., it was quite a successful one. Owing to the good work done at the Dominion Conference of Fruit Growers at Ottawa last March, several questions which usually occupy considerable time, such as the grading, pack- ing and marketing of fniit, did not receive the usual attention. The address of the president, Mr. John Don- aldson, was full of practical information. In it he said that there was an abundant show of blossoms in the orchards last spring, but cool, wet weather prevented good poUeiiation. A favorable summer was followed by an ideal autumn, but a gale in October blew off a large amount of fruit. The crop was below medium, but the apples were comparatively free of spot with the exception of Gravensteitis, which were badly aflected, there being only a small pro- portion of No. I's. The advantage of having this refuse fruit utilized by the canning and evaporating factories, which used a large amtjunt this 3'ear, was referred to by the pres- ident among other things. An interesting address on "Orchard Manage- ment," by W. T. Macoun, C.E., Ottawa, followed the president's address. A report of it will appear in our next issue. The afternoon of the 2nd day was all de- voted to spraying, it being felt that this was the most important subject that could be discussed in view of the fact that the Graven- steins had been almost ruined by spot this year. Prof. F. C. Seais, Horticulturist. Agric'l College, Truro, had charge of this subject, and subdivided it into nozzles, pumps, hose, fungi- cides, lime, insecticides, preparation of the mixture and api)lication of same, so that the whole subject was thoroughly covered. The plan adopted was to have several fruit growers speak on each branch of the subject. The Vermorel nozzle, or a modification of it, was considered the best. It was shown that it was very important to change the disc in the nozzle frequently', as the aperture soon wid- ened by friction, and a coarser spray was the result. The general opinion was that 3 nozzles were as many as could be economically used on each line of hose even on a power pump, while 2 or even 1 was sufficient on a hand pump. No one pump was considered the best. It was generally thought that 34-'nch hose was better than J^-inch, being considerably lighter and just as efTective. The complaint was made that hose did not last long enough. A special 5 ply hose was referred to by Mr, Black, Wolf- ville, as being the most durable, and while a little more expensive, it was much more satisfactory than the hose usually bought. The variability of lime was referred to, and it was shown that it was important to use good lime. As a rule 4 lbs. to the bbl. was sufficient, though more could be used if necessary. Some arsenate of lead had been used in N.S. this year. There was a discussion on the rel- ative merits of it and Paris green as insecti- cides. Some had found it difficult to mix, while others were favorably impressed with it owir.g to its adhesiveness, and the good results obtained. As a poison had to be used with each application of Bordeaux mixture, it was thought that the adhesiveness of the arsenate of lead did not offset the danger from using a poison of its color in consideration of the gen- eral carelessness of fruit growers in leaving j poisons about. Dr. las. Fletcher, Entomologist and Botanist, Dom. Exp. Farms, who was on the program to 1 speak on "Insects and Insecticides," was ' called on vvhen the discussion had reached the 1 point of the pro])er time for spraying, a fruit i grower claiming that he had very satisfactory results from only spraying once, and that when the trees were in full blootn. Dr. Fletcher took a very decided stand on this subject, showing that insects, especially honey bees, which visited the flowers, were killed by the poison; that in Ont. it was considered so im- portant not to spray at that time, that a law- was in force which prohibited fruit growers from doing so. Not only were bees killed by the ]Joison, but the crop was lessened by the Paris green injuring the pistil of the flowers, thus preventing fruit from setting. He rec- ommended 4 sprayings with Bordeaux mix- ture, 2 before the flowers opened, and 2 after. All insects could not be controlled by 1 spray- ing, as they were active at different seasons of the year. The one spraying would control the black spot. Thoroughness in spraying was of the utmost importance. It is an ex- pensive operation and, if not properly done, money was thrown away. Speaking of the San Jose scale, he congratulated the fruit growers on not having it In procuring nurs- ery stock, he advised getting trees from Ont. rather than the U.S., if good trees could not be obtained in N.S., as the Ont. nvtrseries had their stock thoroughly inspected and fumigated according to law. "Practically all the insects affecting trees in N.S.," said Dr. Fletcher, "can be controlled by spraying." - - -_ '_ .'^i In concluding, he stated that at many of the meetings he had the pleasure of attending during the last 2 years, many of the important subjects which had come up for discussion at the present meeting, as for instance, "collar rot," had been keenly discussed. He urged the members to keep accurate notes as to all the conditions of soil, weather, location and particularly to methods of cultivation in orchards where trees died from this mysterious injury, so that actual data taken at the time might be available foi comparison and dis- cussion at the next meeting, thereby arriving at something definite. Considerable discussion took (jlace on the No. 2 apple, as defined in the amended Fruit Marks Act. Mr. G. PI. Vroom, Dom. Fruit Insp., explained the view taken by the inspect- ors in regard to this grade. The point not clearly understood by the fruit growers was as to what was meant by "material waste." From Mr. Vroom's statement, it is understood that 80% of a No. 2 grade, providing thev are of medium size, may be spotted, providing the spots are not large enough or numerous enough to cause "material wa,ste." A fruit grower should be able to form a fair opinion of what would cause material waste. A ques- tion was asked as to whether any apples of a "fancy" grade had been exported from N.S. this yeaT. The statement was made that 800 hbls. had been exported, it being understood that the man who exported them wns S. B. Chute, Berwick, N.S. A large proportion of this fancy grade went to South Africa. The fruit growers of N.S. are very anxious to have a fruit exp. sta. in the AnnajioUs val- ley. The matter was discussed at some length, ar. It has been for many years, and a resolution urging the estalilishing of such a station will be sent to the Dominion and Provincial gov- ernments and to the members of parliament. A move was made at this meeting to make some town the headquarters of the Assn., where it would meet every year, but this prop- osition was voted down. It was thought that more good could be done by moving arotmd. It is probable that the meeting next year will be at Berwick. The exhibition of fruit, though not large, was of good quality It was iudged bv Prof. F. C. Sears and Mr. W. T. Macoim. The officers elected for next year are: Pres., John Donaldson, Wolfville; vice-p., G. C. Mil- ler, Middleton; sec, S. C. Parker, Berwick — the same offiicers as last vear. Mr. Donaldson was highly complimented for the manner in which he filled the office during the past year. A popular meeting was held on the evening of Dec. 13, when addresses were given by Lieutenant-Governor Fraser, Judge Longley- Dr. Fletcher, Prof. Cumraing, and Mr. Camp, bell, the local member. The addresses were more than of usual interest, and delighted the large audience assembled. — W. T M. Ontario's SicK Little Ones The 31st year of the Hospital for Sick Chil- dren in Ont. work has just closed. It is some- thing to be proud of, and the results, both in its in and outdoor department, compare most favorably with that of any of the large hos- pitals on either this or the other side of the Atlantic Ocean. The hospital is not a local institution, but provincial. The sick child from any place in Ont. who can't aflord to pay, has the same privileges as the child living in Toronto, and is treated free. The hospital had last year in its beds and cots 858 patients, 331 being from 231 places outside of Toronto. The cost is 1.37 cts per patient a day, and there were 138 sick little ones a day in the hospital. Since its founda- tion the hospital has treated 12,120 children. About 8,500 of these were unable to pay, and were treated free. Next year the hospital will supply i^repared food for infant feeding at cost. .This will enable mothers at a trifling cost to feed babies properly, and so decrease the great mortality amongst children. Babies under 2 years are now received, so that mal-nutrition cases and those of the digestive organs will be treated. The I,akeside Home for I,ittle Children, To- ronto Island, is the summer home of the mother hospital. It is open from May till Oct. every year, and during this period nearly 300 chil- dren are benefited by their residence, On- tario's breezes (the Home receives them from all sides) do much for the little ones who are able to be moved from the main building in the city. About 80 children sleep every night in the open on the balconies of the Home. A dollar sent to the Hc^spit'al for Sick Chil- dren is $1 sent on an errand of mercy and nnbil- ity— for sweet mercy is nobility's true badge. Please send contributions to J, Ross Robert- son, chairman, or to Douglas Davidson, sec- treas. of the Hosjiital for Sick Children, Col- lege Street, Toronto. Encourage tKe Apple The farmer in the east is naturally looking with some envy upon the bumper grain crops which the farmer in the west gets by merely tickling the soil. He hears of men going out upon the prairie, taking up land, running up a shack, putting in a crop, and then banking good hard money at the end of the year. But if he would look up at his apple trees instead of far away at distant fields, he might be better em- ployed. The patient, old, gnarled apple tree is bearing gold for hifn every golden autumn, and yet he lets a great share of it waste upon the ground, or, worse still, deteriorate by improper handling. If he would turn his golden apple into golden dollars he would forget to envy the western novice with his goldeti grain. — Montreal Star. In this issue, W. H. Brand, of Jordan Station, Ont., draws attention to 3 articles for which he is Canadian agent. He was at the Ont. Hort. Exh. with a "Wallace" sprayer that appeared to be as near perfection as one could desire. "Target Brand" scale destroyer is becoming well established in Ont, Before long, our fruit growers will find it hard to do without it. Kewanee Air Pressure Water Works Systems enable every rural resident to have a full water- works service and fire protection the same as in the citv, with a valuable feature in addition, viz., either hard or soft water can be used. See Mr. Brand's advt, on another page. The annual meeting of the N.B. Fruit Gro. Assn. will be held at Fredericton on Feb, 14, 22 THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST Prince E,d^ward Island F. G. A. Meeting THE 11th annual meeting of the P.E.I. Fruit Grs. Assn. was held in Charlottetown, Dec. 10 and 11. It was profitable and successful. The trea.surer's report showed the assn. to l)e on a satisfactory footing, a balance of some ■$80 being on the right side of the ledger. After other routine business, Pres. Burke ap- pointed Messrs. Tanton and Moore judges of the fruit. The fruit show Was smaller than usual ijut a most creditable one for this ofT-year. The regular program was taken up minus the addresses of Dr. Fletcher, W. T. Macoun, and others, who were unable to attend. It com- prised the president's address — an utterance which reviewed the situation completely, and pointed the way to ultimate success. Later, some of its features will be published. Suffice it to say now, that Dr. Burke thinks the indus- try far enough advanced to firmly point out some things necessary to make it thrive and pros-[)er. Encouragement was the word of the past, instruction the need of the present, coopera- tion the desideratum of the future. The presi- dent's address was unanimously and cordially accepted. Mr. Registrar White then read a valuable paper on "Experience in Island Horticulture," in which he criticized somewhat facetiously the methods of some of our planters, and declared that it is not sprays that is so generally needed, but fertilizers. A lively discussion followed, participated in by Prof. Ross, Fred. Bovyer, John Xewson, John Robertson and J. A. Moore. It was largely confined to varieties, and the audi- «nce enjoyed it immensely. Another session of the assn. was engaged in receiving reports, reading correspondence and the discussion of practical topics. The report of the committee on prize lists was adopted. The transportation committee announced some substantial improvements in freight rates on fruit through the medium of the railway com- mission, and asked that express companies be also subject to this commission. The commit- tee on cooperation also reported favoring the establishment of a packing, jamming, evaporat- ing and cidering establishment at Charlotte- town; and a resolution, spoken to by John Robertson, Inkerraan, and Hon. F. L. Haszard, asking the Federal authorities to take this mat- ter U[) as they did dairying here, was unanimously carried. The delegates to the Dominion Conference at Ottawa, in March last, presented their report, through the president. The proceedings of this important meeting are already printed and dis- tributed to fruit-men. On the question of instruction, President Burke announced that he had recently seen Commissioner Ruddick, and that he had be- come fully convinced of the desirability of hav- ing good instructors visit orchards everywhere, and intended doing this service to P.E.I, horti- culture. A resolution approving the plan of personal visitation was adopted. C. R. Dickie. Muddy Creek, made a valuable address on "Cranberry Culture," giving his ex- perience in growing, packing and marketing this luscious berry. He said that off half an acre he gathered 37 bbls. of fruit this year, and the crop was not extraordinary. Last year cran- berries fetched S.36 a bbl. iti Montreal. . A paper on "Strawberries" which, when pub- lished, will give individual growers the best in- formation, was read by A. E. Dewar, one of the largest planters in the province. Asked by the chair as to the suitabihty of Island soil and con- ditions to the production of this favorite fruit, he said: "I am satisfied that we can grow the best strawberries here that America can pro- duce." Mr. Robertson and Mr. Dickie added further information on the subject. The election of officers was then taken up, the president asking to be relieved after long service. John Robertson thought it was impossible to permit him to retire yet ; there was nobody who had done so much for the industry and no one else could do so much. He moved, seconded by A. W. Stems, that the Rev. Dr. Burke be re- elected, and the motion was carried by a stand- ing vote. The president thanked the Associa- tion for its confidence, but he said that next year they must surely find another occupant for the presidential chair. The elections resulted as follows: Patron, His Honor, Lt.-Gov. Mac- kinnon; pres.. Rev. Dr. Burke, Alberton; v.- pres., D. J Stewart, Aitken's Ferry; directors, A. J McFadyen, C. W. Black, C. R. Dickie (Prince), John Johnstone, John Newson, George Auld (Queens), F. G. Bovyer, John Robertson, J. A. Dewar (Kings). Auditors, Franklin Bov- yer, A. W. Sterns. The same committees as last year were then struck by the chair. At a subsequent meeting of the board the old sec- trea.s., A. E. Dewar, was re-elected. A TalK About Apples In Ont. there are about 22.5,000 bbls. of apples in storage, according to P. J. Carey, Dom. FVuit Inspr., who recently was interviewed by The Canadian Horticulturist. He estimates the quantities in the various localities as follows' Georgian Bay, 1.5,000; Hamilton, 10,000; Oak- ville, 2,000; Toronto, 1.5,000; Whitby, 8,000; Oshawa, 15,000; Bowman ville, 4,000; Newcastle, 10,000; Cobourg, 8,000; Grafton, 10,000; Col- borne, 65,000; Brighton, 3.5,000; Trenton, 15,000; Belleville, 15,000; and Frankfort, 7,000. In respect to the quality of apples in storage, Mr. Carey said that he believes the Georgian Bay dist. leads, there being at least 75% free from defects. In the other districts there is not much choice. On the whole, the fruit cannot be considered of good quality. There is between 50 and 60% No. 1. Many of the apples are Your Prosperous New Year (^ r^EPENDS upon the quality of the Nursery ^-^ Stock you have planted. Make sure of con- tinued success by buying your next season's supply from our nurseries. Our thousands of satisfied customers is a guarantee of its high quality. Q l5 r0 THE HELDERLEIGH NURSERIES E. D. SMITH, WINONA, ONT. Mention The Canadian Horticulturist when writing THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST 23 -wormy and affected with "ink spot." Never before has "ink spot" or sooty fungus been so bad in this province. Last season seems to iave been favorable for its development. The worst feature of the disease is that it will develop in cold storage, a condition that usually checks other diseases. One feature in apples that will grade No. 2 is worth noting. Mr. Carey said that many No. 2's will give good satisfaction, because in certain sections considerable quantities of apples have been deformed simply on account of insects eating a portion of the surface of the apple around the calyx end. When such apples are cut, they will be found to be soimd on the inside. Last year's crop has been an object lesson for the man who will not spray. Diseases and worms developed more than usual. In many sections of the country, the value of spraying has been demonstrated. Orchards situated side by side, sprayed and unsprayed, have yielded clean fruit in quantities proportionate to the attention that was given to combatting insects and fungous diseases. SOME PROSECUTIONS A great improvement has been noticed in the pack by the fruit inspectors, reports Mr. Carey. It is regrettable to learn, however, that there are still dealers and packers who do not con- form to the requirements of the law, A number of prosecutions have been made. AU of them pleaded guilty and paid their fines. Among them are, in Brighton, W. R. Simpson, F. F. Snelgrove, R. D. Snelgrove, \V. J. Snelgrove, O. W. Chatterson and \V. Chatterson; in Picton, J. G. Jarvis; in Trenton, W. P. Bonter and F. F. Snelgrove; and in Colborne, J. and R. Coyle. Most of these were first offences; the latter firm however, has been prosecuted 10 or 11 times. Besides the foregoing, complaints have been laid against about 30 others in various parts of the province. Some of these are now being prose- -cuted, and others will be at an early date. BritisK Colvimbia Letter C. p. Metcalfe, Hammond The climatic conditions for Dec. are much the same as Nov. Severe winds and rainstorms have thrashed the fruit trees and canes about, breaking off many raspberry and blackberry canes over their supports. In places where summer pruning is not practised, it is advisable to cut the canes back in the fall to 6 or 8 in. of the height you desire to have them the following spring. This strengthens the canes and renders them less liable to break. It is better to leave this 6 or 8 in. on and to recut them again in the spring as they frequently winter -kill at the tips. Fall planting of fruit trees and canes is con- sidered safe if the soil is dry and well under- drained, but it is better to give them some kind of a mulch and ensure protection for the roots. Strawberries and plants of like nature, that are essentially surface rooted, are better planted in the spring, as they are liable to heave out of the ground when it freezes with the excessive mois- ture we have. *' '. ~" B.C. has again won the gold medal against all exhibitors at the exhibition of Colonial fruits, at London, Eng., held under the auspices of the Royal Hort'I Society, in addition to several other medals won by exhibitors. FOR SALi: AND W^ANT ADVERTISEMENTS Advertisements under this heading inserted at rate of one cent a word for each insertion, each figure, sign or single letter to count as one word, minimum cost, 25 cents, strictly cash in advance. I ANDSCAPE GARDENING —Plans drawn *-' to scale for laying out and planting parks, cemeteries, public or private grounds. Work supervised. C. Ernest Woolverton, landscape architect, Grimsby. MOTICE. — ^The noted Breckon Peach is con- trolled by R. Breckon, of Toronto, from whom only, or his authorized agents using his bill-heads, stock of this peach can be purchased. A printed description of this peach will be mailed on request. — R. Breckon, 456 Dundas St., Toronto. Be Independent. — We have a proposition that will appeal to all men interested in horticulture and who wish to be their own employees. Write immediately. — The Canadian Horticulturist, 506-7-8 Manning Chambers, Toronto. «iw* 4 Sizes for 2, 3 and 4 horses THE BISSELL has made a great record throughout all Canada. There are good reaeon-. why this is so. Balanced Right— Does not hump up. Improved Plate— Outs and turns soil over. Hitches Well Back— Easy draught. This Disk has several Imitators hut no equal. None genuine without the name BISSJ^^LJj. For sale by Agents. Manufactured by T. E. BISSELL ELORA, ONT. Ask for Booklet "E" Mention The Canadian Hortkulturist when writing. Dominion Line ROYAL MAIL STEAMSHIPS Portland to Liverpool CORNISHMAN Jan. 5th *CANADA ...... " 12th NORSEMAN ....." 19th WELSHMAN •' 26th ♦DOMINION Feb. 2nd ♦These Steamers carry all classes of passengers Portland to Bristol (Avonmouth Dock) TURCOMAN Jan. lOlh MANXMAN " 24th ENGLISHMAN •. . . . Feb. 7th TURCOMAN "21st Favorite steamers for all kinds of perishable cargo having fan ventilation, cold storage, and cool air chamber. G. W. TORRANCE M. A. OVEREND I .... 28 WeUington St. E., TORONTO DOMINION LINE - PORTLAND, Maine. Mention The Canadian Horticulturist when writing. SEEDS Producing the most satisfactory results in the harvest ARE WHAT WE SELL Our Vegetable Seeds are grown from selected stocks and are used by the most crit- ical Gardeners and Truckers in this Country. Our Flower Seeds are noted for their striking colors and large bloom. Sutton's Specialties Always on hand. Descriptive Illustrated Catalosue Mailed Free on ^Application DUPUY & FERGUSON 38 Jacques Cartier Sq., Montreal Mention The Canadian Horticulturist when writing 24 THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST i POULTRY DEPT. i W Conducted by % fl S. Short, Ottawa f The question is frequently asked, "Is there money to be made raising fowls as a sole means of making a living?" To this my answer is, 1 have known several try it, some intelligent men, and they have, after two or three years, branched out into some other business as a main issue, and continued to keep fowl as a minor branch. There are in this province men who make money with poultry, but they are fanciers and ex- hibitors— men who are experts in judging specimens of the different breeds which they buy, sometimes at a very cheap figure, from someone who does not know an exhibition fowl. They then exhibit and sell the birds again at a high price. I am doubtful though, if these men make much more than from $300 to $600 a year. Very few of them do that. Again there are fanciers who attend the leading shows, and buy the prize-winners in the breeds that they handle, frequently paying from $50 to $75 a bird. Creighlon Poultry Yards High Grade Stock possessing utility and exhibition qualities Barred Plymouth Rocks and White Wyandottes Cockerels of either breed, $2.00 each S. SHORT, PROP. OTTAWA, ONT. Mt-iiti'iii Till- i,';iii.'i»liaii llortlfultdrist when writing IF YOU HAVE APPLES OR POULTRY TO CONSIGN we can handle them for you to advantage. If apples are in car lots, write us and we can sell them for you f.o.b. your station THE DAWSON COMMISSION CO. Cor. West Market and Colborne St. TORONTO ONTARIO DOMINION NURSERIES f^yy-' "■ ESTABLISHED 1860 ^Z:'~Z~J Fruit and Ornamental Trees Shrubs and Vines WE HAVE NO AGENTS ! WE SELL DIRECT ! Catalogue for 1907, just out, mailed on application The Smith & Reed Co., ST. CATHARINES ONTARIO They often advertise extensively the fact that they have these birds in their breeding J^ens and have eggs to sell from $3 to $5 a setting. Money is made in that way, but only as an ad- dition to an income earned mainly from some other source. 1 do not know one person who has made a living raising poultry and eggs for the everyday market. While I make this statement, I do not say that it cannot be done. The market of to- day is totally different to that of 2 years ago. Then, in the cheapest season, June, fresh eggs, choice, could be purchased for 15 cts ; this year the same article sold for 22 cts., and in some cases 25 cts. a dozen. In Dec, also, fresh eggs were 9 to 10 cts. a doz. more than they were two years previous. The main increase is notice- able in dressed fowl. This increase in selling price is somewhat offset by the cost of feeding material, but not altogether. It may be, that now better prices prevail for poultry jjroducts, money could be made in this way, but I would advise that poultry raising should be engaged in, in conjunction with some other industry, say, market gardening, fruit raising, bee keeping, or dairying. With either of the iirst 3 industries, most of the work is in the summer time, when the fowls need or can get along with the least attention, leaving the winter months free to look after the fowl when eggs are the highest price. With proper arrangements the fowls can use for runs during several months of the summer the orchards and berry patches and will destroy injurious insects and caterpillars. In this way, one has 2 chances of getting a living. Should the crops fail, the fowl would perliajis come to the rescue, and vice versa. In any event, to any one who has an inclination for work of this kind there are few occupations so healthful or inter- esting as poultry keeping. Mention The Horticulturist when writing TilE BISSELL STEEL ROLLER With Three Drums and Strong Rigid Frame. Some improvements are: Heavy Steel Axle, Thick Heavy Steel Plate. Drums Riveted up to stand any strain. Roller Bearings. Kuns lilcc a bird. Full particulars free by mail, or aslc your dealer. None genuine without the name *' BISSELL." Look out for it. Address T. E. BISSELL - ELORA, ONT. Write for Booklet '* K ' Let Me Sell You a Chatham Incubator On Time If* Ur/- .^usai;.. Do you know there is big money in raising poultry? Do you know there is more money in running a good incubator than in almost anything else you can do for the amount of time and trouble it talies? Do you know my incubator will pay you a biirjD PETROLEUM. Beware nf Oil Solatiooa that will SEPARATE, endanceritiij the life or llie tree. Do not be peiduatled to buy inferior IniUations. Write for chnilai, ler'iig what iwers have to say about KlUO-SCALE. Our 1907 beed rnd lmi>Iemeiit Calalncue free. Write for It, ORIFFITH * TURNER CO., JOT «• Pa» Street, Baltimore, Md. Northern Grown Trees Apple, Pear. Plum. Cherry. Peach. Nut and Or- namental Trees. Small Fruits, Roses, Shrubs, cheap. Specialties: Wismer's Dessert Apple and Mammoth Prolific Dewberry. Send for free Catalogue — it tells the whole story. H\T/IC\/irD NURSERYMAN . W lOlVlJtK., PORT ELGIN. ONT. Items of Interest In the report of the election of officers for the Ont. Hort'l Assn. that was pubHshed in the Dec. issue, a number of names of directors were omitted. They are as follows: Jas. Guilfoyle, CoUingwood; Robt. W. Woodroffe, Woodstock; A. Alexander, Hamilton; and J.,T. Rose, Brantford. - - - :^ — — - — — ^^ The Bowmanville HortT Soc. is working hard to exceed this year the last year's membership of 93. During 1906, a number of interesting lectures were given by prominent speakers. Some of these lectures were of such interest to school children that the school authorities allow- ed the children out early in order to attend the lectures. - " — z — ;r""E' The exhibition of colonial fruit at the Royal Horticultural Society's Hall, in London, Eng., during the first week in Dec, attracted consider- able attention. A huge display of apples from B.C., which was awarded the society's gold medal, obtained favorable notice in the press, as did a smaller N.S. exhibit, which got the Knightian silver gilt medal. Silver medals were bestowed on individual growers. The Ottawa branch of the Ont. Veg. Grs. Assn. met on Dec. 1, and elected the following officers for the ensuing year: Pres., Duncan Smith, Ottawa; vice-pres., P. Parissien, Cum- ming's Bridge; sec.,T. Mockett, Billings' Bridge; and director on provincial board, F. W. Williams. While in London the other day, the writer was particularly interested in the many improve- ments made by the Spramotor Company in the interests of the fruit growers. The products of the company are now used in nearly all coun- tries, shipments destined for England, Russia, Cuba, New Zealand and far-away India were ready and in progress. Their trade now war- rants their catalogue being printed in French, Spanish and German, besides our own tongue. Orders from 10 states and provinces coming in one mail were shown the writer. Their Ameri- can business at Buffalo now equals the Can- adian, although only quarter the age. They deserve credit for their enterprise. ^jM^liiflQ Now is the time to place ^^* \*IllUO your orders for Spring de- livery of freshly imported Orchids. Our prices are very low, quality considered. Also large stock of established Orchids on hand CARILLO & BALDWIN SECAHCUS, N.J., D.S.A. BETTER FRUIT Is what everyTruit grower should grow. Is what every fruit dealerVants. Is what we can tell you how to grow.l Is the only strictly Horticultural Paper in the United States. Is what you should subscribe for, if you want to know how to realize more money for your fruit. SUBSCRIPTION PRICE, $1.00 PER YEAR SEND FOR SAMPLE COPY Better Fruit Publishing Co. HOOD RIVER, OREGON Mention Tlie Canadian Horticulturist when writing EXPERIMENT CGet the habit of ordering' Trees, Orna- mentals, Shrubs, Rcses, Small Fruit Plants, etc., direct from the Central Nursery. We have been shipping our gfoods to satisfied customers for 26 years, and why? Be- cause they get good thrifty well-grown stock that grows true to name and O.K. Cut out the middle men's profit. Mail your next order, or write for prices direct '° .t.lv™™ :::;tt'"' a. & h ull & son. st. c.tk.,i.... o„. MAKE MORE MONEY ON FRUIT CROPS Eveo'one whogrrows fnilt. whetliernn a large or pmall ■^aks or who has a bevvy pat<-'h or a tfardfti, s-liuulU he ntere.fted in getting tlie most j)rofU from his crops. ST. JOSEPH, MISSOURI is the only magazine in America which is devoted • excluisivt'ly to the interet*tn of those who grow fruit. Ilandsomelv illnstratfd :3« to TSpapros ea^-h month. Tt-llsali about fruit ofall kinds— and nothing but fruit— how to inarkft, how to pack, .-ultivatp. spray, prune, how to MAKE MORE MONEY from crops. Satniile fret-. Regular price 81-00. and each subscriber gKs choice of one of ourBro. Jonathan Fruit Books— the be-sD in f.vistence. Three Months Free We are so confident The Fruit-Grower will phase, we will send it three months absolutely free to anyone in- terested in fruit, on terms noted in Coupon below. We offer Cash Prizes for new subf-ciibers— write forpar- ticulars. Write you rnameandRdd£es sin blunks below. Fruit-Grower Co., Box S,St. Joseph, Mo. I accept your FKEE three months' trial oin-r. At end of three months I will tither pay for a year's sub- .■^criptlon or notify you to stop paper. In either event there is to be NO charge for the three months' trial. Route or P. O. Box Number _ Tow n ^__ . Jokn B. Smitli &' Sons Limited Cor. Straclian and Wellington Aves. TORONTO C JoiBSnu^SoNs. LIMITED. \ TORONTO /^ \ SASH BAR ( ALL WOODWORK. FOR GREENHOUSE \CONSTRUCTION/ Clear Cypress for Greenhouse Work Men tion The Canadian Horticulturist when writing Manufacturers . . of . . LUMBER LATH SHINGLES DOORS SASH BLDfDS SaOS, ETC. The Canadian Horticulturi^ Vol. XXX FEBRUARY, 1907 No. 2 Varieties of Fruits WortK Gro^ng in Ontario OrcKards ONCE more the time has come when the selection of varieties for the next season's planting is among the questions that confront the fruit grower. To choose varieties that will be most successful and a source of profit, the fruit grower should profit by the experiences of his neighbors, he should observe the behavior of varieties grow- ing under conditions similar to his own, and be governed accordingly. Personal preference for -the quality of a particular variety should not be the only consideration when selecting for a commercial plantation. Local con- ditions of soil and climate must be studied. The demands of the market to be supplied is important. Inter- pollenation also must be kept in mind ; it is never best to plant an orchard, a vineyard or a small fruit plantation of one variety alone. Among the men most capable of ad- vising the planter on the choice of vari- eties are those in charge of the fruit experiment stations of Ontario. .A. number of letters bearing on the subject from these men and others have been received by The Canadian Horticul- turist for the benefit of its readers. NORTHERN DISTRICTS The following list is submitted by Mr. J. G. Mitchell, of the Georgian Bay station; "After an extensive trial of 190 varieties of all kinds of plums, I find that there is nothing new that, for profit and general use, can displace many of the well-tried old kinds. The following cover the season: Red June, Washing ton, Bradshaw, Lombard, Quackenboss or Glass as it is often called. Arch Duke, Yellow Egg, Coe's Golden Drop, Reine Claude and Prune de Agen. German Prune also is a good plum, but rather a poor bearer. Japan plums I condemn on account of their poor quality. In cher- ries, all leading varieties succeed admir- ably; still, one year with another, Montmorency and Early Richmond will make most money. "In apples for profit, cut the list very short: For fall, Gravenstcin, a few Wealthy, Blenheim and Ribston; for winter. Spy, King, Baldwin and Mann. Plant all varieties from .3 to 10 feet farther apart than the usual distance for said varieties. "Cultivate thoroughly; prune sys- tematically; give abundant fertility. If these simple instruction^5 are carried out, the result cannot help but be satis- factory. Acre for acre, for labor and money invested, the orchard will be three or four times more profitable than any other part of the farm." Yo\i SHoialcl HaVe It The Canadian Horticultur- ist is a publication which is wor- thy even a larger circulation than the very wide circle it now reaches. For some time it has been under- going improvements, till now it can take rank with any monthly illustrated publication as to make- up and quality of paper and press work, while it stands alone in the special field to which it is de- voted. Every lover of fruit or plant life will find it not only in- teresting, but helpful, for it is filled each month with timely articles by the best authorities on each subject, and it very prop- erly is recognized as the official spokesman and intelligence de- partment for the horticultural interests of this and adjoining provinces. We can heartily com- mend The Horticulturist to everyone at all interested in that subject. — Goderich Star. the ESSEX peninsula For the Essex peninsula, Mr. J. L. Hilborn, of Leamington, writes as fol- lows: "The peach is the principal fruit grown here. It would be a very suc- cessful and satisfactory crop to grow were it not for the fact that our soil is very dry and that we get very little snow, so that peach trees are liable to severe freezing of the root, causing a serious loss when we get a severe winter. The varieties that have done best are as follows: Dewey, Brigden, Engol Mammoth, New Prolific, Kala- mazoo, Crosbv. Banner, Golden Drop, Lemon Tree, Elbcrta, Smock. "Grapes are grown to a small extent, but should be more extensively planted. There is a splendid opportunity for grape growing, if properly undertaken, in this district. All the leading var- ieties succeed ; . but, as we are a week to 10 days earlier than other parts of the province, would recommend planting early varieties such as Moore's Early and Campbell's Early. "Plums are but little grown. Some of the Japan varieties, however, do well; of those tested, I prefer Burbank and Satsuma. "What is most needed in this country, so far as fruit growing is concerned, is live experiments to determine how best to successfully winter the roots of trees and vines in seasons of severe freezing and no snow." THE NIAGARA DISTRICT For the Niagara District Mr. Linus Woolverton, of Maplehurst, Grimsby, writes: "The peach is the most profit- able fruit to grow in the Niagara district. Many persons who have large bearing apple trees of the very finest variety are taking them out to use the ground for peaches. In some cases as much as $200 has been taken for the peaches grown on a single acre; so it is not surprising that such land is held at $1,000 an acre. A large number of varieties are being grown for profit, but the following list has been satisfactory with the writer: Sneed, Alexander, Greensboro, St. John, Early Crawford, New Prolific, Champion, Elberta, Willet and Smock. "The next fruit in importance is the pear. Uf late, however, since bananas have flooded our summer market, the price of pears in Ontario has lowered at least one-half. Still by shipping to the Northwest and to Great Britain, good profit may be made in pear growing. The following list is excellent : Chawbon, Wilder, Gifford, Clapp, Bartlett, Hardy, Box, Howell, Louise, Duchess, Pitmaster, Clairgeau, Anjou and Easter Beurre. "In cherries, some varieties are being grown on quite a large scale, especially Montmorency and English Morello. The former is in large demand for put- ting up at the factories, as well as in private families; the latter is later, when cherries are well out of the market. The following is a good list of cherries 26 THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST for profit: Wood, Knight, Napoleon, Tartarian, Dyehouse, Montmorency, late Duke, Elkhorn, Windsor and English Morello. "In plums there has been much dis- couragement, because for two years the crop has been a comparative failure. Last season the Japanese plums, usually noted for their productiveness, failed entirely. But the price of this fruit has been advancing; and the prospect is that the plum crop in the future will be as profitable as formerly, unless good prices should lead to overplanting again. For the Niagara district the following selection is recommended: Red June, Burbank, Bradshaw, Chabot, Gueii, Yellow Egg, Lombard, Quackenboss, Shropshire, Satsuma, Reine Claude. "Currants, too, of late, are in demand. A few years ago I ploughed up a planta- tion of two acres of fine Cherry currants ; now 1 am ordering a fresh lot for plant- ing in the early spring. On hght soils, the black currant is unprofitable; but on clay loam it is more productive. Even the red currant, the most profit- able kind, goes too much to wood growth on rich, sandy loam, and on light sand is very subject to leaf blight. Of the red currant we plant Victoria, Wilder, Cherry and Fay. "Raspberries also are in demand these days. One new variety is proving itself of great value; viz., the Herbert, which was originated at Ottawa. It is hardy as well as productive, and the henry is large. I would plant Herbert, Marlboro and Cuthbert." THE BURLINGTON DISTRICT The following are recommended by Mr. A. W. Peart as desirable varieties for planting in the BurUngton district: "Apples, summer, Astrachan and Duch- ess; fall, Ribston, Blenheim, Pippins and Wealthy; winter, Baldwin, Green- ing, King and Northern Spy. Pears, summer, Wilder, Clapp and Bartlett; fall, Boussock, Louise, Duchess (dwarf), Anjou and Kieffer; winter, Josephine, Winter Nelis and Easter Beurre. Plums, European, Bradshaw, Niagara, Imperial Gage, Lombard, Yellow Egg, Glass and Reine Claude; Japan, Red June, Abundance, Burbank, Chabot and Satsuma. Peaches, Alexander, Greensboro, St. John, Early Crawford, Champion and Elberta. Cherries, Early Richmond, Montmorency, Eng- lish Morello, May Duke and Windsor. Grapes, black, Moore's Early, Worden and Concord; red, Delaware, Lindley and Vergennes; white, Niagara and Moore's Diamond. Blackberries, Sny- der, Ancient Briton, Western Triumph, Agawam and Taylor. Raspberries, red, Marlboro and Cuthbert; black, Hilborn, Older and Smith's Giant; purple, Shaffer and Columbian; white. Golden Queen. Currants, red. Cherry, Fay, Victoria, Wilder, North Star, and Prince Albert; black, Naples, Lee, Collins' Prolific and Saunders; white, Grape. Gooseberries, Pearl, Downing and Red Jacket. "The above fruits are grown on gravel- ly loam and clay loam soils, well drained. AH planting is done in the spring. The bruised, torn ends of the roots of young trees are cut away, and the top cut back to balance the root. They are planted deeply enough for the top of the collar of the roots to be three or four inches below the level surface of the ground, a consideration which is too often neglected. Dwarf pear trees are planted deeper by two or three inches in order that the base of the pear stock may throw out roots and thus reinforce the quince bottom which is rather light. Young orchards are kept cultivated for several years, growing some sort of a crop in them, but always leaving room for horse cultivators on each side of the trees. In planting young bushes, a great deal of labor is saved by plough- ing a deep furrow in the proposed row. To accelerate knitting with the soil, the bruised ends of these should also be cut away. At planting time the soil should be in a fine granular, moist, but not wet, condition. In filling in earth around trees and bushes, leave a depres- sion of 2 or 3 inches. The cultivator will soon level it and young weeds will be more easily checked." The following letter was received from Mr. W. G. Home, of Clarkson: "Clarkson has become noted for growing fine strawberries. The principal vari- eties are the Williams, Sample, Beder- wood. Glen Mary, Clyde and Warfield. The Sample and Warfield varieties being pistillate, would have to be planted with some of the other varieties. A great many raspberries are also grown. Of the red varieties there has been none on the market as yet to beat the Cuthbert. Clarkson growers almost exclusively grow this variety. In blackberries we find Snider and Western Triumph the best." STRAWBERRY VARIETIES Rev. E. B. Stevenson, Ponsonby: "The best varieties of strawberries after careful trials seem to be the follow- ing: New, Cardinal, Mead, Three W.'s, Minute Man, and Wonder; older vari- eties, Palson's Beauty, Splendid, Ruby, Fountain, Sample, Senator Dunlop, Haverland, and Glen Mary. The past year was one of the best in our experi- ence for prices and yield." A. New^ Pest of tKe Apple' AN insect which up to the present time has not been reported as a serious pest, occurred in such de- structive numbers during the past season that it must now be reckoned with by the orchardist. The insect is known as the Apple Leaf-Miner or the Trumpet-Miner of -the apple (Tischeria tnalifuliella Clemens). It was first observed in Pennsylvania and described by Dr. Clemens in 1860. Later its occurrence has been recorded in Kentucky, New York, Illinois, Texas, Minnesota, Mich- igan, New Jersey, Vermont and On- tario. The injury is caused by the tiny caterpillars mining in the leaves, mak- ing large, brownish patches (Fig. 3). If several of these patches are produced on ♦This warning was sent out recently to Con- necticut fruit growers by the Storrs Agricultural Experiment Station. It should be heeded by growers in Canada. A n S >* ST ■ . >^1M ,.t«C1"* \ (1) The Apple-Leaf-Miner a leaf, it rolls up and ceases to per- form its functions. The mines fre- quently become so numerous that they run together and form one large blotch. As many as 68 full-grown caterpillars (Fig. 1) have been taken from a single leaf, indicating that originally there were as many distinct mines. The upper branches of the tree are usually more seriously infested and lose their foliage first (Fig. 2). This loss of foli- age results in premature, undersized fruit. By checking its vegetative ac- tivity, the vitality of the tree will also be more or less reduced. LIFE HISTORY ^Early in June the egg, which is so small that it cannot be seen with the naked eye, is deposited singly on the upper surface of the leaf. A drop of wax seals it to the leaf. In about six days it hatches and the young cater- pillar, without exposing itself to the outside world, bores into the leaf. At THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST 27 first it makes a narrow channel, but with the increase in the size of the insect and its appetite, the channel becomes wider and a trumpet-shaped mine is the result. The full-grown caterpillar is not more than a quarter-inch in length. In color it is green with a brown head. It changes to a pupa about the middle of July. After about 10 days in this condition the adult, which is an incon- spicuous brown moth, appears. These moths soon commence de- positing the eggs that produce the second brood. The second brood cater- pillars are much more destructive than the first. They reach maturity about September I, when they cease feeding and prepare for winter. After lining the mine with silk they settle down until spring when they change to pupae. They remain in this condition only a few days when they become moths. As the caterpillars feed beneath the leaf surface, application of insecticides (2) A Badly-infested Tree is useless. The most effective remedy is to gather up and destroy the leaves in the fall. Where orchards are regularly tilled the early spring plowing will be equally effective. A fully illu.strated bulletin by Mr. C. D. Jarvis, giving the life history of the insect will be issued soon and can be secured by addres.sing The Storrs Agricultural Experiment Station, Storrs, Connecticut. Central packing houses should be established in every locality where apples are grown, and all the fruit should be sent there to be graded and packed. In connection with the packing house, some means should be used to manu- facture the culls into either evaporated fruit or jam. The apples should be de- livered just as taken from the trees, graded into No. 1, No. 2 and culls, and be paid for by the barrel or box, accord- ing to grade. — A. E. Sherrington, Walk- erton, Ont. TKe Apple Industry in Ontario and its Future^ A. McNeill, Chief, Fruit Division, Ottawa IN 'addition to the west there is an- other growing market available for the Ontario grower, namely, the market of Great Britain. It has formerly been an axiom of apple growers that Canadian fruit would be acceptable in Great Britain only when there was a failure of the English and European crop. This conception of the British market is not a true one. For a number of years a large quantity of early fruit has gone from Canada to Great Britain, and prices have always been quite satisfac- tory, and there appears to be no good reason why this market should not con- tinue and, in all probability, increase even in the face of the competition with the apples of the home market. It is quite true that the Canadian apples will not compete with the best early fruit of Great Britain, but there are certain features of the business that are dis- tinctly in favor of the Canadian growers. First, we have an admirable system of ocean transportation and a fair degree of efficiency in the railway transporta- tion. If the early fruit is cooled prop eriy before being packed and then shipped in a refrigerator car, there is almost an absolute certainty of its reaching Great Britain in the best of order. The question, therefore, of losses in transhipment is reduced to a mini- mum. During the last two or three sea- sons the cargo inspectors at Montreal and at ports in Great Britain have verv carefully reported upon the condition of the apples at the time of shipment ♦The continuation of an address delivered be- fore the recent convention of the Ontario Fruit Growers' Association and published in the last issue of The Canadian Horticulturist. and upon arrival in Great Britain, and in no case has there been a serious loss where it would be shown that the fruit was properly started from the orchards. BENEFIT OF BIG SHIPMENTS In the British markets the Ontario grower has upon his side the large (3) Infested with Leaf-Miners _ An apple leaf with both a trumpet mine and a serpen- tine mine. The latter is caused by a different species and IS not so abundant. brokers and fruit merchants. The Can- adian apples reach the brokers and fruit merchants in uniform packages, uni- formly graded, and in large quantities compared with English fruit of one or two varieties. This element of uniform- ity in grading packages and variety will, itself, almost offset all the disadvan- tages that we have in the matter of transportation. It is easier for the fruit merchants to buy and distribute Can- adian apples than it is to buy and dis- tribute the home-grown fruit. The English orchards have the disadvantage of being planted with a great many dif- ferent varieties, and no two portions of England put up their fruit in the same kind of packages. It is very difficult for the dealer in Great Britain to get the same varieties or the same packages of home-grown fruit twice. This makes all transactions in English fruit a retail affair, and naturally the large sales all go to the Canadian or American product. As compared with the American apples, I quote from the latest number of an English market paper, The English Grocer, to show that Canadian apples have a preference of two shillings per barrel, which effectually protects them from any serious competition from states to the south of us. Taking these two markets then, the markets of the western provinces and the British markets, I see no reason why the present stock of apples should not be sold at good prices if proper means are taken to place them upon the markets. One word more with reference to this southern division. No. 1. If, then, the market for early fruit is to be a growing one. I should strongly recommend that the growers confine themselves very largely to the early varieties. The Red Astrachan can be shipped from the county of Essex the third week in July, the Duchess the last of July and the first of August; the Wealthy, of course, 28 THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST somewhat later. Such varieties as these, therefore, should be selected, and this district should apply itself to supplying not only the western provinces, but our own city population in Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal and Quebec, with all the ap- ples they need after the first of August, when we would entirely exclude the American product that now finds its way to our markets. It is unfortunate that the orchards of this district are devoted so largely to Baldwins, Spys and Russets and other winter varieties, in- asmuch as these apples come in in the glut months of October and November. If the orchards were composed of the early varieties that I have mentioned, the prices would be much higher than could be realized for the very best win- ter fruit in any part of Canada. TOO MANY VARIETIES The conditions in district No. 2 are predominates, yet the aggregate is a very large number of trees, probably not less than two and a quarter million. The difficulty comes in in making sales. The large apple operator can- not without extraordinary expense har- vest these apples profitably. He can- not send his gangs of men around more than once or twice at most, and yet these orchards would furnish almost continu- ous picking from the first of September until the close of the season. As a con- sequence, many of the apples are picked before they are ripe or sometimes after they have reached maturity, and many of them are not picked at all, be- cause they are not in the proper state of maturity at the time the gang visits the orchard. Though the aggregate,, of course, is so large, the number of desir- able varieties is probably not more than half the aggregate number. Map of Ontario, showing Four Divisions for Apple Culture somewhat peculiar. Of course, there is no sharp line of demarcation between these districts, and the southern portions of Brant, Oxford and Middlesex may in some years be properly classed as part of district No. 1, but the greater portion of district 2, including the counties of Lambton, Middlesex, Huron and Bruce, and part of Grey, has all the advantages for growing the very best winter varie- ties of apples. The planting, however, was done in the earlier days. In the selection of varieties there was the great- est latitude. No orchard was consid- ered complete without a dozen or more varieties, which was all well enough for home market or for home use, but ren- dered the conditions very unfavorable for the commercial market. Every farm, too, had an orchard, very few of a large size, and very few making a specialty of apples ; in fact, very few counted it more than a pure side line in their general farming operations. The result is that, though the small orchard NEED OF COOPERATION The recommendation which I would make for this district is cooperation in marketing and selling. There is no one who can pick these apples so cheaply ' or so well as the man who grows them, but he cannot pack them nor market them. He has not enough of any one kind to pay him to do this properly. It can be done, however, by uniting into cooperative associations, which would furnish the packers and the facilities for selling. It is notable that two of the most successful societies in cooperative associations are in this district, namely, Walkerton and Forest, and I cannot help thinking that a very slight encour- agement would organize several more associations. THE CENTRAL COUNTIES The central counties of western On- tario, marked No. 4, call for some special comment. The altitude here and, con- sequently, the climate, is adverse to the best conditions for apple growing. Flesh- erton is fifteen hundred feet above the sea level, nearly a thousand feet higher than Lake Huron, and twelve hundred feet higher than Lake Ontario. Never- theless, there are many sheltered spots where the apples, even of tender varie- ties, succeed fairly well, so that it is not surprising that in this district there are probably more than half a million trees. One could not recommend though, the planting of early varieties for commer- cial purposes. These varieties would be three weeks or a month later than those grown in the southern tier of counties and would come in during the glut months, having none of the advantages of the apples of better varieties and bet- ter quaUty grown in the southern tier of counties. I see no hope, therefore, of a profitable apple business being con- ducted here, except along the general lines that would be recommended for the Ottawa and St. Lawrence Valleys, district 4. (Concluded in next issue) Varieties for Ne-w Br\jns-wicK J. C. Oilman, Fredericton, N.B. Many varieties of fruits and seeds are of little use for general planting in our province. While there are favored localities where a fruit may appear satisfactory-, it would not be reliable in others. Some kinds, however, give good returns to the careful planter. Among the apples most profitable are: Duchess, Wealthy, Alexander, Fa- meuse and Mcintosh. These varieties give the best average returns with the least loss in trees. Golden Russet has proved very hardy, and is giving good average crops, but not large ones. Ben Davis did well till the freezing winter of '03 and' 04, when the trees did. Scott's Winter is hardy, but small. Bethel, Dudley Winter, Shackelford, Baxter, Princess Louise, Bishop Pippin or Yel- low Bellfleur, and many others are grown in a small way. In some dis- tricts they are giving good returns. . In strawberries, we can grow most kinds with success. The Cuthbert is the best red raspberry. Snyder, Ag- awam and Taylor among the blacks, give good crops occasionally, but this class is uncertain. The leading varie- ties of gooseberries and currants also do well. Grafting should be performed with a keen, sharp-bladed knife, so that the vessels and pores of the wood may be cut smoothly and evenly, and the stock and scion brought into immediate and even contact. When setting out new orchards num- ber the rows and record in a book the name of the varieties in each, and also the name of the nurseryman from whom the trees were purchased. Fruit Gro^ng in Manitoba D. W. BucKanan, Director, BucKanan Nursery Co., St. CHarles, Manitoba NOTWITHSTANDING the many failures that resulted from the early attempts to grow fruit in Manitoba, and the general belief which at one time prevailed that fruit growing would never be suc- cessful here, it can now be positively stated that considerable progress has been made in the direction of suc- cessful fruit culture in the province. Manitoba has been passing through very much the same experience as the border state of Minnesota in the matter of growing fruit. Indeed, the early ex- periences in Minnesota were perhaps quite as unfavorable as here. The early settlers in that state, who came mainly from the eastern states, brought with them the same varieties of fruits that they had been used to cultivating in their eastern home. Failure resulted from the fact that these fruits were not adapted to the northwestern state in which they had located. Manitoba's early settlers came also from the east, and they made the same mistake of trying to grow the same varieties, with the same treatment and cultivation as they had followed in the east. Minne- sota now produces large quantities of fruits, including apples and plums, as well as small fruits, but in tree fruits at least, the varieties now largely grown have been originated in that state. They are home bom and bred varieties. The same course will have to be worked out in Manitoba before the best results are attained. In small fruits, a large measure of success has been already attained in Manitoba. In fact, we may safely say that we have passed the experimental stage in growing many varieties and species of small fruits. It has now been clearly demonstrated that there is noth- ing to hinder any person from growing all the fruit in currants, gooseberries, raspberries, strawberries, and so on, that will be required for home use. A few large commercial fruit farms, also, have been successfully carried on, but the great scarcity of help and high wages makes it a difficult matter to conduct a small fruit farm on a commercial scale. Help such as is required for this class of work is practically unobtainable. Only adult male help can be had and that in limited supply. Indeed this scarcity of help curtails the growing of fruit even for home use on the farm, as the over- worked farmer will not undertake any- thing that is likely to add to his burden, if it can be avoided. In currants, gooseberries, raspberries and strawberries, success may be read- ily attained. All that is necessary is to find out what are the varieties best adapted to the country, and the mode of cultivation best suited to the require- ments. It will not do now, any more than it would have worked in the early years, to select at random the varieties grown in the east. Neither will it do to follow the same mode of cultivation as is practised in the east. The necessary knowledge, as to varieties and cultiva- tion, however, is now within the reach of any one who wishes to learn. This knowledge has been acquired and worked out by the untiring efforts of our fore- most horticulturists, and has been dis- seminated by our horticultural societies and in other ways, so that it is not now necessaryjto start bHndly when begin- ning the work. The knowledge which has been gained as to varieties and best mode of cultivation, constitutes perhaps the bulk of the progress that has been made in fruit growing in Manitoba. to this region, also is a useful fruit, though not as valuable as the true cran- berry. It does well under cultivation, and we have occasionally seen these bushes growing in the settler's garden. The bush cherry is also very productive under cultivation, and is promising. In tree fruits, the work is still in a more or less experimental state. Ex- perimental work has been confined mostly to apples and plums. A few cherries have been produced and one pear tree reached the fruiting stage, but these have only been as novelties and not with really any hope of making them a profitable feature. The only plums that are of any value are a few of the very earliest ripening Americanas. Some success has been' had with plums of this class. The future of plum growing lies in the direction of improv- Young Stock on Grounds of Buchanan Nursery Co. When the country becomes more thickly settled, the supply of help will increase, and the farmers will be in a position to give more attention to matters of this nature. Then fruit growing will be more largely indulged in. There are many varieties of wild fruits, native to various sections of Manitoba, that produce large crops. These include the plum, raspberry, strawberry, red and black currants. Vi- burnum or high bush cranberry, June- berry, cranberries (different forms of the low or vine species), cherries, and so forth. Several of these are undoubted- ly useful for cultivation, and being na- tive to the country are, of course, per- fectly hardy. Some of the wild plums are of good quality, and no doubt in time this native fruit will be greatly improved. The presence of cranberry marshes of wild fruit would also indicate that the growing of this fruit may be- come an important industry in time. Some of these wild cranberries are of extremely fine quality. So far, we know of no attempt to cviltivate the cran- berry. The Viburnum, or so-called "bush cranberry," which is indigenous ing our native stock, which combines hardiness with the early ripening habit. Most of the named varieties of the Am- ericana class of plum do not ripen early enough to make them safe here, even if they possessed the necessary hardiness. Apples have been experimented with largely and, considering the class of stock with which it has been necessary to carry on the work, we have no reason to feel disappointed with the measure of success attained. In fact, when an occasional tree proved fairly hardy from among the large number of trees brought in from the east or the United States, it made the outlook hopeful for a time when home-grown trees, propa- gated from these few hardy specimens, could be obtained. Plants and trees, like persons or animals, certainly show special characteristics. It is true that an occasional tree will show a hardiness and vigor of constitution quite in ad- vance of others of the same variety. The hope of the future, therefore, lies in propagating from these exceptionally hardy specimens. We will undoubtedly produce new varieties of apples and hybrids, just as they have in Minnesota, 30 i" HE CANADIAN 11 O R T 1 C U L T U R 1 S T that will be hardier than anything we now have, and be well worthy of culti- vation. A few of these new seedlings have already been produced. In the meantime, we have a number of trees in bearing scattered throughout the prov- ince, of the varieties which have proved the most successful in Minnesota. There are orchards varying from a dozen to over 100 trees which have fruited in a single year. Propagation from the hard- iest specimens may now be carried on both by grafting and by growing seed- lings. We now have, therefore, a solid basis upon which to work. Progress will be more rapid than in the early days, when all stock was brought in. In 1901, an exhibition of tree fruits was held in Winnipeg, at which there were 47 exhibits of standard apples, eight of hybrids and 18 crabs, besides a number of seedlings, grown in the prov- ince. The named varieties, also, were grown in Manitoba. Since that date, considerable progress has been made and an exhibition now would certainly show a vast increase in the entries. Commercial Varieties of Fruits lor Nova Scotia THE question of varieties is so much a personal matter that it is difficult to map out a list of varieties which shall represent everyone's preferences. Still, the bulk of Nova Scotia plantings are confined within comparatively nar- row limits as to varieties and if there can be said to be a well-defined "tendencv" of late years, I believe it is in the direction of sticking to the old sorts and being more chary of the new and untried. The list of apples which most often appears as the "best 10 varieties for commercial planting," is probably the following: Gravenstein, Ribston, Blen- heim, King, Baldwin, Spy, Golden Rus- set, Stark, Fallawater, and Nonpareil. But, in the newly set orchards Graven- stein does not often appear, partly be- cause most growers feel they already have enough of this variety and parth' because a good many trees of this sort have gone out with collar rot, or kindred diseases. The writer believes this latter reason need have but little force if orchards are carefully and consistently managed; if they are carried along systematically from year to year as regards culture, not overstimulated, and if a good corn crop is sown each year to check the trees up for winter. There is no question that of the vari- eties mentioned above the Blenheim is just now by far the most popular. Its sturdy growth and freedom from black spot in both leaf and fruit, and the fact that there is so little waste in packing the fruit have combined to bring it to the front. Comparatively few early apples, ripen- ing before the Gravenstein, are grown; not enough in the writer's opinion. The most popular would be Yellow Trans- parent, Duchess of Oldenburg, Red Astrachan and Williams Favorite. Other autumn sorts that are quite large- ly grown are Alexander, Wolf River, and Wealthy. Wagener and Ontario are par excellence the popular sorts as fillers, though Ben Davis is also set for this purpose, while Mcintosh, Hub- bardston and Rhode Island Greening all have their friends and ought to have more. Coming to pears, practically the onlv varieties grown commercially are Clapp's Prof. F. C. Sears, Truro, Nova Scotia Favorite and Bartlett. The liability of the former, as grown here, to rot at the core makes the profit from it some- what problematical, though it succeeds more generallv than even the Bartlett. Burbank Plum Tree Headed-in Hillcrest Orchards, Kentville, N.S. Nova Scotia can grow excellent Louise Bonne, Beurre d'Anjou, Beurre Hardy, Sheldon, Boussock, Flemish, and Ver- mont Beautys. On the whole, commer- cial pear growing is but little practised, partly because pears do not, as a rule, succeed so well here as they do in Ontario and parts of the United States, and largely because apple culture is found so much more profitable. The list of first-class market plums is a long one, but is confined largely to the Prunus domestica class. Burbank and Red June among the Japanese have proved very satisfactory with some growers. Shiro and Apple are promis- ing, especially the former. But for the most part it is the European varieties that are grown. The best 10 commer- cial sorts would probably range about as follows: Washington, Bradshaw, Grand Duke, Reine Claude, Yellow Egg, Monarch, Lombard, German Prune, Imperial Gage, and Shropshire Damson. Spring planting is followed almost altogether, as our winter conditions are too variable to make fall planting very sure of success. From my experience in the government model orchards, I would never use manure in the hole at planting time. During the first year or two we sometimes put a small quantity of manure in the hole after the tree had been set and the roots covered, in cases where the soil did not seem to be rich enough. But we found that this com- paratively large quantity of fertilizer (and that too in a form which would only become gradually available) tended to induce too much and too late a growth, which often resulted in winter- killing. Since then we have usually been careful to use the surface soil about the roots and occasionally to scatter some manure over the surface about the tree. In ail cases we have reserved a strip alongthe tree rows,beginningateightfeet in width and increasing year by year, for the exclusive use of the trees. I am strongly of the opinion that the growing of a crop right up to the trees (particu- larly a potato crop, which requires late culture and the digging of which amounts to another later cultivation) is to be condemned as too likely to induce late growth in the trees. This strip we culti- vate every week or 10 days till July 1, and then sow a leguminous cover crop, usually crimson clover. With these two — good culture and a cover crop of this kind — we can usually get all the growth necessary with but little manure while the trees are young. The operation of grafting should be so contrived that a permanent and con- siderable pressure be applied to keep the surface of the cut places closely together. Varieties of fruits recommended for planting in Prince Edward Island and British Columbia are mentioned else- where in this issue in letters from the regular correspondents of The Cana- dian Horticulturist. TKe Western Horticultural Society George BatKo, Secretary, 'Winnipeg THE genesis of organized horticul- ture upon the Canadian prairies has not, so far as I am aware, been carefully recorded and preserved as a matter of accurate history. Enough is known, however, to warrant the statement that it is upwards of 25 years since the earliest beginnings were made. A society was then formed in Winnipeg that was to devote itself especially to the encouragement of tree planting. The life of this organization was brief; but it was followed in 1884 by a new society, which in turn was succeeded by two or three later associations that, one after the other, came into and went out of existence. In 1895, the market gardeners of the Winnipeg district, to the number of 17, met and formed what has since grown into the Western Horticultural Society. At first, this organization was purely professional; but, later, provision was made for the admission of amateurs. Gradually the conclusion was reached that the society would be more wide- ly useful if it held fewer meetings. Instead, it sought to gather the experi- ence of horticulturists scattered farther afield, and then to present this to the public in printed form. In pursuance of this policy, the papers read before the society, since the year 1896, have been published in the form of reports and given wide distribution. Mr. W. G. Scott President Western Horticultural Society. On account of the scattered member- ship, the meetings for some years past have been held but once a year, an attempt being made to hold a good con- vention at a time when people hving at a distance would be able to reach Win- nipeg on a reduced railway fare. The advantage of this will be evident to anyone who observes that the member- ship of the society is scattered over Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta, that quite a number of the most enthus iastic members have to travel some hun- dreds of miles if they wish to attend these gatherings. For a number of years an annual free distribution of plant premiums has been made to the members, an attempt being made to constantly introduce to the general public a few reliable and desirable plants that have not become as widely known as they sljould. Much good has also been accomplished by the careful compilation and period- ical revision of a list of trees, shrubs, and so forth, to be recommended for planting in the prairie provinces. Those who remember that the horticulture of the Canadian west is entirely different from that of the eastern provinces, or from that of British Columbia, will un- derstand how valuable to the settler have been these lists, which have been pub- lished as widely as possible in the agri- cultural and general newspapers of the country, as well as sent out to members in pamphlet form. The present membership of the soci- A View of the Carnation Exhibition in Toronto The American Carnation Society held iu Annual Convention and Exhil)ition in Toronto on January 23 and 24. The Exhibition was the finest ever seen in this country. Tnousands of blooms of high-grade carnations were shown. One firm alone sent 8000 blooms. 31 32 THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST ety is nearly 200, but as it has only been within the past few years that the public of the west has been turning its attention to the subject of gardening and home adornment, and as the inter- est in horticulture is bound to develop as better and more comfortable homes are evolved, it is safe to predict a much larger membership in the near future. A brief reference to the horticultural possibilities of the prairies may interest. While we are debarred from growing many species that thrive in more humid and warmer climates, we are still permit- ted to enjoy some of the most beautiful of the shade trees and shrubs that are grown in eastern Canada; many of the small fruits are reliable and yield abund- antly; some success has been reached with hardy apples and other tree fruits; and we enjoy a succession of radiant bloom in the flower garden from May to October. THe A.inateur*s GreenKouse DAFFODILS that were planted late in the fall outside, should now be brought inside. To have them in flower for March, the pans or pots should be placed under the benches. Leave them there until the third week in February, then place them on the bench, partially shading the place where they,stand; this will give better stems. A little later, move them to the light and keep in a temperature of about 55 de- grees. After that, less heat is required to bring them into bloom. Do not give anv bottom heat, and keep the plants in a night temperature of not over 50 degrees. Give plenty of sunlight and ventilation. HVl^RANGEAS It is time to start forcing hydrangeas. Hydrangeas that were grown in pots last summer ripen their wood sooner than field-grown ones. .AH unshapely plants should be straightened and put into acceptable form before growth starts, by staking and tying where needed. Do the work neatly. When starting to force hydrangeas, place them in a temperature of 45 or 50 degrees. Do not give too much water at first, but sprinkle frequently. After the new growth breaks, increase the temperature gradually until 65 degrees is reached, in which the plants should be kept until flowers commence to show color. Then place the plants in cooler quarters. MISCELLANEOUS If you wish good cuttings, your stock plants must have proper attention. Sup- ply plenty of sun and light. A low temperature and wet soil will kill helio- tropes and salvias, and the mealy bug will destroy the coleus stock plants if kept in moist atmosphere. Pruning is often necessary to regulate the growth. In propagating, either by seed or cuttings, the best habited speci- mens should be selected. To materially aid the development of young plants, keep everything clean on the propagat- ing bench. Azaleas should be given the greatest care. Free the plant of all refuse and dead matter. If they are starting to grow, keep them in a temperature of 60 degrees at night and spray daily. To insure a uniform growth, pinch back the more vigorous shoots. Fall propagated geraniums should now be shifted into three-inch or three and a half-inch pots and potted firmly in rather heavy soil. Cuttings may be re- moved from these plants in from three to five weeks. If branches are desired, pinch out the tops of the young plants. plants should be fixed either by tying or bending the canes around stakes. Palms should be kept dry, especially when the thermometer is down. EASTER LILIES Lilies intended for Easter should be on the bench. As is usually the case, Last Season's Border of Old-fashioned Perennials at Ontario Agricultural College The early date of Easter this year necessitates a longer period under glass for our early flowered hardy shrubs, hybrid perpetual and Rambler roses, in order to have them ready for this most important floral festival. Bring in your hybrid perpetual roses at once and stand them in a cool house. There is no possibility of immediate root action; and, as the roots and top will start to- gether, it is advisable to wait a week before pruning the tops, so that the work can be more carefully done and the proper number and kind of eyes left on the stem. Rambler roses require very little pruning. When there are plenty of strong canes, all that is necessary is to cut away the wood that flowered last spring and the unripened tips of shoots. If a mulch of cow manure is intended, wait for two weeks until the roots are active. Before starting to leaf, the they will vary in the headway made. By assorting them into two or three grades, better results will be had from now on. When they are first brought to the bench, they should be partially shaded until the leaves have turned from white to green. At first, they may be kept in a temperature of about 50 degrees. In the course of 10 days, more heat must be afforded, but give it gradually. Probably 60 degrees is best. Great heat will bring the most backward into shape, provided they are furnished with an abundance of active roots. Should you have planted diseased or immature bulbs, it is beyond your power to produce satisfactory results in forcing. Fumigation for aphids should not be neglected, but do not wait until the centres of the plants are over- run with them. As soon as the lilies are brought into the house, fumigate regular- ly once a week. Timely Topics for Amatexir Plant Lovers THE month of February is the month of seed and plant catalogs. Most of them this year are well prepared and illustrated. They are interesting not only for the lists of varieties that they chronicle, but also for the many excel- lent cultural directions that they con- tain. The amateur should not make the mistake of discarding old reliable varieties for new ones of unknown merit. The professional gardener chooses standard varieties, usuallv those with in spring is the pretty little dwarf-grow- ing, white-flowering Arabis alpina. It has a bright and effective appearance when flowers are scarce in the garden. No garden should be without one or two plants of Dielyira s peciabilis , bleed- ing heart. It is one of the most useful early-flowering summer plants that we have. The German and Siberian species of iris are a splendid class of plants for planting in the garden. They are of particular value in the lazy man's gar- flowered, and easy to succeed with. Gaillardia grandiflora has a free, contin- ous habit of flowering that makes it valuable. A plant or two of Rudbeckia or golden glow always have a place on the lawn or in the flower border. They make either splendid backgrounds or centre plants. .\NNUALS One of the prettiest of the countless annuals that are mentioned in the seed cA Border of Poppies, Sweet Peas and Perennials Worth Imitating Grown on the beautiful grounds of R. B. Whyte, Ottawa the shortest descriptions in the catalogs. The novice selects the novelties. PLANTS FOR THE BORDER A list of common border plants for the amateur garden may be of value to our readers. Permanent border plants, spoken of in the catalogs as hardy herbaceous perennials, are a class of plants particularly suited for busy people and their gardens. It is better to purchase plants than to rely on seed, as it takes a long time with many varieties to secure flowering results from seedling plants. When once well established, herbaceous perennials will continue to give splendid results for several years. They require little care and attention. About every second year, some classes may need dividing and transplanting. One of the first border plants to flower den. They succeed well in almost any kind of soil if not too moist, and can be had in a great variety of colors. They do not require much attention. Japan- ese varieties require proper care and attention for best results. Herbaceous peonies should be in- cluded in the list that may be selected. They are almost indispensable for sum- mer decorative purposes. A few plants of the perennial phlox will be useful both for garden decoration and to furnish a supply of cut flowers during the hot summer months. The old-fashioned columbine cannot be left out. The fact that they are old- fashioned makes them attractive. Coreopsis grandiflora gives a bountiful supply of yellow, daisy-like flowers in early summer. Cavipavula persicifolia, Canterbury bells, is hardy, showv, blue catalogs is the well-known larkspur. It has a place in the mixed border. Among plants of the aster family a packet of mixed colors of Scrapie's laranching aster will give the best results. A good sized border or bed of annuals may be made of a packet each of zinnias, marigold, candytuft, Phlox drummondii, sweet alyssum, scabiosa, salpiglossis, balsam, mignonette, antirrhinum, cos- mos, ten weeks' stock, cornflower, sweet peas, nasturtium and a few castor oil beans. THE WINDOW GARDEN Plants in the window will feel the increased heat of the sun. This will necessitate a close watch being kept for insect pests. The best way to avoid trouble is to try and prevent the pests from making their appearance. Keep all growing plants, such as fuchsias. 34 THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST geraniums, calla lilies and so on, well moistened at the roots. Syringe or sprinkle the foUage two or three times a week with lukewarm water. It is well to place some weak tobacco water once a week in the solution the plants are syringed with. Watch for sudden frosts. The hot sun of some winter days often lures the amateur into a feeling of false security and induces him to neglect taking proper precautions against extreme cold weather at night. Should your plants become frozen, place them at once in a comer of the room where the temper- ature is a few degrees above freezing. Cover them carefully, and keep them in the dark for 24 hours, or until the frost is out of them. If not frozen too severely, they may be saved in this way. Avoid bringing plants that have been frozen into a high temperature. Keep them away from bright sunUght for a week or two after they have been frozen. They will also require less water for a time until root action and growth have commenced. It soon will be time to start fuchsias into growth that have been resting during the winter. Bring the plants to the Ught and prune back the tips of last year's growth so as to make a shapely plant. Give the plants more water than they had whilst resting, and place them in a warm position. As soon as the small leaves begin to appear, shake the plants out fairly well from the soil they are in. Repot into the same sized pots, using soil composed of two parts of rich Ught loam, and one part each of sand and leaf soil, mixed well together. Give the plants plenty of drainage. Water well when potted and not again until the soil shows signs of dryness. Syringe the top of the plants daily. This will help them to break into growth strongly. It also keeps down the red spider, which is the worst insect pest that the fuchsia has. Plants breathe through their leaves, and consequently require fresh air every day. Keep the leaves free from dust. Wipe them off with a wet sponge once a week. Open a window or door on warm, sunny days, but see that direct drafts do not strike the plants. SEBDS FOR FEBRUARY SOWING Seeds of verbenas, lobelias, cocks- combs, double petunias and the Vernon begonia may be sown in pots or boxes in the window towards the end of the month, so as to secure large plants for window boxes or hanging baskets Sowings for bedding-out may be made about the first of March. Seeds of schizanthus and mignonette may be sown for pot culture. Would you not like to have sweet peas next spring earlier than you had last season? Why not sow a few seeds now in pots or boxes for planting out- side when the time comes? Put six seeds in each six-inch pot. By the time you usually sow seeds outside, you will have strong plants three or four inches high. When safe to plant outside, make a trench two or three inches deep, and in it place the plants ten inches apart. When planting, knock the ball of earth out of the pot carefully, and do not disturb the roots. Pandan\is Sanderi Fred. J. Goode, Toronto THE plant shown in the accompany- ing illustration is one of the most recent introductions into the al- ready large family of Pandanus. It is a splendid addition to the Ust of plants both for table and other decorations where bright and showy foUage is essen- tial. In habit it resembles Pandanus Veiichii, with the difference of color in variegation. In Pandanus Sanderi the markings are rich golden yellow. In some instances, the centre of the plant will be yellow, which makes it verv Pandanus Sanderi effective. As a large specimen plant it is probably the best Pandanus grown. Unlike P. Vietchii, no starving is neces- sary to ensure a good variegation. It is a good grower. If kept in a warm and protected part of the greenhouse with ordinary treatment, good results can be expected. With one or two plants to start, a stock of this very desirable plant can be worked up. The offshoots that grow from the stem of the plant furnish us with the best means of reproduction. These should be cut off close to the stem with a sharp knife. The off- shoots should then be potted in two and a half or three-inch pots, using as a compost equal parts of peat loam and sand. After potting, plunge in sand in propagating frame with bottom heat about 70 degrees. In a few weeks they will have rooted sufficiently to be re- potted in three or four-inch pots, after which, a shady bench will be the most suitable place to grow them till thorough- ly established, when they can be'given as much sun as possible. A much heav- ier compost is better for repotting than the one recommended for striking the cuttings — two parts good loam, one part leafsoil and a little sharp sand. These operations can be carried on at any time during the year. Over- potting should be avoided, as it has a tendency to coarseness of growth and absence of coloring. The large plant in the illustration is in a 10-inch pot. Fruit Gro^ring on City Lots Amateur fruit growers in cities should look to quaUty rather than to quan tity. The best tasting fruit is not always the most marketable. A strawberry- of the finest eating qualities cannot be shipped long distances. At home, one can select the varieties that stand for quality, not those that are grown for their ability to keep or to ship. Even small lots can be used for grow- ing some kinds of fruit. Along the walls fruit trees can be trained and grown so that they will take up but little room. For small areas intensive methods of culture and care must be employed. One method of pruning trees for small lots is the fan system. By this method, the trees are kept low and the branches are trained to grow in opposite directions, all others at right angles to be cut off. This system admits of more trees on a given area and at the same time allows inter-cropping one way between the trees. It also tends to produce better quality and color in the fruit, as the sun has a better chance to do its work. Peaches also can be grown successfully in tubs of 15 inches in diameter. These tubs can be removed to the cellar in late fall where they will be safe during the winter. In cold districts, grapes and other tender fruits may be grown under glass-covered sheds. Glass sheds cost very little and can be used for a variety of tender fruits. City amateurs can afford these things for the pleasure there is in it, to say nothing of the benefit derived from having fresh fruits grown at home. When building a conservatory, do not allow a carpenter to construct it without consulting an experienced florist. Cut off all flowers from house plants as soon as they begin to fade. Iio"w to MaKe a AA^ater Garden LAST winter it was decided that there should be a lily pond. Ac- cordingly a suitable place was chosen on the south side of a clump of trees. The Beginning of a Water Garden Adjacent grounds gradually sloped down to it. The form of the pond was laid out in what might be described as a long oval, bent in the middle to the shape of the clump of trees and a little smaller at one end than the other. The total length was about 150 feet and the aver- age breadth about 20 feet. Digging was commenced on April 23, and con- tinued in the spare time that could be taken from the usual spring garden work, with some hours overtime also put in. As the ground was uneven, it was necessary to dig three feet in some places and not more than two feet in others; and the soil taken out was used to fill up the surrounding depressions. The digging was finished on May 14, the labor costing about $60, paying $1.50 a day, and 20c. an hour for over- time. The city cement sidewalk gang were then called in, and two and a half inch drain tile was laid around the bottom, outside edge, with several lines across all grading to. one outlet. About 10 to 12 inches of coarse gravel, unscreened, from the pit was then spread over the whole bottom. Concrete sides were built up and the floor laid, a flange for outlet and overflow being let in at the same time at the lowest point. A three inch pipe, the height of the water level wanted, is screwed into this flange so that it can be taken out when the pond is to be emptied. When finished, the depth of the pond was 18 ins. in the shallowest place and 21 ins. at the deep- est. Tiles, gravel, concreting, etc., cost about $500. The land around the pond was then graded to the top of the concrete walls A. H. E.-wing, "WoodstocK, Ontario SO that the grass would grow right down to the water's edge. This has a much more natural appearance than if the walls were raised above the land level. Later, some rock work was built along part of the north side and clumps of Eulalia planted, considerably adding to the beauty of the pond. Fourteen Nymphaeas, water lily, four Nelumbi- ums lotus, and six other ac- quatics were ordered from Dreer's, Philadelphia. These arrived in due time and were planted in boxes four feet square and ten inches high, early in June. They were very small plants and not much was expected from them; but contrary to expectations, all] but one grew rapidly, flowered well and were a great source of interest and admiration until the beginning of October. The tender lilies, after having been touched by frost, were taken into the greenhouse with a good ball of mud adhering to them, gradually dried, the earth cleaned off by strong hosing and the tubers stored in moist sand. The Nelumbiums were similarlv treated. places, however, where there is silfficient depth of water, the hardy liUes may be left in their places all winter. It is only necessary that their crowns be below the ice. There is no reason why aquatics should not be more grown by all lovers of horticultural pursuits, even by those who have only small gardens. A small pond can easily be dug, and the bottom and sides made water-tight with puddled clay. Concrete is better, of course, but more expensive and not essential. No continuous supply of water is neces- sary; merely filling up the evaporation is all that is wanted. A good syringing of the plants every evening will do that and be beneficial at the same time. Lilies will not grow well where a fountain is kept playing or where there is a continual influx of cold water. Some of the Nymphoeas and Nelum- biums can be grown even in half barrels, and will do well too, though, of course, they will not have the natural look about them that the pond-grown plants have. There are many varieties of Nymphoea, both hardy and tender, some of them — one might say all of them — are very beautiful; many shades of red, from the palest pink to dark crimson, several shades of blue, some yellows and many whites of various forms. Nelumbium speciosum, the best, has large, round leaves standing out of Drainage is an Important Part of the Work The hardy lilies in their boxes were later on pulled to the small end of the pond, and the water drawn off. Stout sticks were put across the pond from side to side, corn stalks were crossed on these again, and leaves were piled on to the depth of two or three ft. This, it is hoped, will keep out the frost. In the water with very large, pink flowers and curiously formed seed pods. It is a luxuriant grower and, if the roots are not confined, will take possession of the whole pond. Cyperus alterni- folius, Cypress grass or umbrella plant, grows well in the pond, partially sub- merged. Papyrus antiquorum, some- 36 THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST what similar but prettier and taller, is from April to September, the best time also of easy growth. Some of the wild being early in May. Tender Nym- aquatics and swamp plants are very phceas should not be planted until the prettyand well worth growing at the edge weather has become warm and settled, The Water Garden in the Making — The Gang at Work of the pond, either in or out of the water. A water garden will become most fascinating, and will well repay the first outlay, needing very little attention when in going order. Many people have natural facilities at hand, the only conditions necessary being sunshine, still, warm water, and plenty of rich soil. Further, where there are stag- nant pools of water, it is a hygienic neces- sity to stock them with plants and fish in order that malaria and the mosquito may be brought to nought. The best soil for aquatics is rotted vegetable matter from ponds or swamps, or if this is unprocurable, good heavy loam with one-third its bulk of well rotted cow manure. The following are a few hints taken from Dreer's aquatic circular, and they may be thoroughly reli'ed on : The depth of water may vary from a few inches to four feet ; all hardy Nymphceas will give better results if only covered by 12 inches of water during summer months. For growing in water two feet or more deep, only the strongest sorts should be chosen. If the water is too deep, construct boxes four feet or more square, 18 inches deep, and place 12 inches below surface. Tender Nym- phceas and Nelumbiums should not have more than 1 2 inches of water above the crowns. When planting dormant rhizomes, they should only be covered with two or three inches of water until they have made their first floating leaf ; then gradually increase the depth. By covering with water too deep at first, many failures have resulted. In planting it is merely necessary to push the rhizomes into the soft mud so that they will be just covered . Hardy Nymphceas may be planted the warmer and more sheltered the place the better. In tanks or ponds they may be planted singly 6 to 10 feet apart; in large ponds or lakes better effects are produced by planting in groups of three or more, 18 inches between each plant. All Nymphceas and other aquatics should be exposed to full sunlight. The writer firmly believes that there are sheltered spots in Canada, especially in the Niagara peninsular, where the magnificent Victoria regia, or' Ama- zon lily, could be grown if good sized plants were put in, say, about the middle of June. There is a variety now named Victoria Tricken, which is much hardier, of more rapid growth, and which flowers earlier than the original. These can be grown from seed sown very early in spring in a temperature of about 80", which may be re- duced when the leaves appear; or the plants may be bought at plant- ing time. When planted in the pond they require more soil than the Nymph- ceas, and a larger surface of water for the development of the leaves. The crowns should have about 18 inches of water over them. The pond described maintained a temperature during the summer of 70" to 80", and at times ascended to 85", the sun being the only source of heat. There is no doubt in some favored spots higher temperatures would be attained. Vegetable Txibercvilosis Frances Wayland Glen, Brooklyn, New York Fifty years ago, Dr. Edward Mott Moore, of Rochester, N.Y., a nephew of the great surgeon, ^■■alentine Mott, said to me: "Frank, I wish I had 100 fam- ilies who would retain me to keep them in health at $50 a year, or a total of $5,000. I would devote myself to them alone. I would endeavor to keep them in health. I would watch their diet, their teeth, their mastication, their liquid foods, their baths, the drainage of their houses, the exercise they en- joyed, their habits as to narcotics and stimulants and their mental and moral conditions. I would see them when in trouble or sorrow, as well as in sickness. I would tell them not to get angry or vexed. I would advise them to be charitable, kind to the poor. In short, to live in harmony with their Creator in heart, mind, soul and body." His remarks are as applicable to the stock raiser, dairyman or shepherd as they are to the medical adviser of the human being. They are as good also for the fruit, flower and vegetable grower as for any other class. In one respect, fruit growers are in advance of the medical advisers. From my stand- point of observation, I consider that the black spots on our fruit is vegetable tuberculosis. The fruit grower endeav- ors to prevent the disease rather than cure it. Bordeaux mixture does for the fruit tree what Dr. Moore wanted to do for his patients. Bordeaux mixture In June the Work was Completed kills the germs of the disease before they inoculate the fruit or the leaves which are the lungs of the tree. Tuberculosis is transmitted to chil- dren bv drinking the milk of infected animals. Where do the cows get the germs? Not from the fresh air of the fields, not from the sunshine, not from the rain that falls upon their backs, not from the dew distilled in the air above them; but, from the grasses, leaves, fruits and vegetables that they eat and THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST 37 digest. This converts vegetable tuber- culosis into animal tuberculosis, then it passes from the animal into the human lungs and blood. In plants, it first attacks the leaves or lungs, then the fruit, then the body; last of all, the circulation of the plant is destroyed. The plant dies from heart failure. To cure tuberculosis in the vegetable world v.ould mean drainage of swamp soils, dykage of marsh lands, irrigation of all lands by canals, reservoirs, arte- sian wells, windmills, or by electrical engines with water as the motive power. With well-drained land, well-plowed, subject to a constant supply of water, and with the judicious use of artificial fertilizers, we can quadruple our crops. We can also get rid of tuberculosis and other diseases that now interfere with Success on the farm. MaKing' and Storing Cuttings I wish to propagate some of the shrubs on my lawn. Can I do so by means of "slips" or cut- tings? If so, how should they be made and treated? — W. M., Ottawa, Ont. Most of the hardy shrubs may be propagated by the use of cuttings. The length of the cutting is governed by the distance apart of the buds, as two buds at least are required. Six to 10 inches is the regular length. When plants are "short-jointed," more than two buds are preferred. When making the cuttings, cut off the lower end close to the bud, and leave the exposed sur- face smooth and clean. The upper cut may be half an inch or more above the bud. Store them in moss, sand or saw- dust over winter and plant in the spring. When planting some kinds of shrub cuttings, or even currant or goose- berry cuttings when the tree form of bush is desired, it is necessary to remove all buds except the upper one so as to prevent the formation of underground shoots. Proper Time to So-w Seeds What is the best time to sow seeds in spring, and how deep should they be planted? — W.R., Varennes, Que. as- Hardy seeds, such as onion, spinach and lettuce, may be sown as soon as the ground can be worked. Seeds of corn, cucumber and squash cannot be sown until the ground becomes warm. Much depends on the kind of seed and on the physical condition of the soil. Seeds always should be sown in freshly-stirred soil, as they then will be placed in direct contact with moisture. On heavy soils, sow after a rain rather than before it. In soils where a crust forms over very fine seeds, it is advisable to keep the surface moist until the seedlings have pushed through. One cannot state the proper depth to plant without knowing the kind of seed that is to be sown. Small seeds are Two Months Later August the Water Gar leii Appeared Like Thiii usually sown about one inch deep, al- though celery and some others cannot be planted so deeply. Plant peas, beans and corn from two to four inches deep. Seeds may be sown somewhat deeper in sandy soils than in heavv clavs. PHyllotaenixim Lindeni Fred. J. Goode, Toronto A PLANT of exceptional merit and one deserving of a place in every collection of ornamental plants is Phyllotoenium Lindeni {Xanthosoma Lindeni). It has all the qualities that go to make a good decorative plant. The leaves are dark green, about one foot long, with well-defined midrib and Phyllotcenium Lindeni numerous veins of ivory white. Leaf stems in large plants often measure two feet long. It is a rhizome tuberose, and its native habitat is New Grenada. It is easily propagated by cutting the root stocks into small pieces. These root readily in a good peat loam and leaf- soil with a little sharp sand and broken charcoal. Use two and a half-inch pots. Plunge in bottom heat to ensure success. -\ little care is necessary at this stage. A dry atmosphere is fatal to the young growth, but do not give too much water. When plants are large enough for repotting, a four-inch pot will be the most service- able. From this on, a warm greenhouse will be the best place to grow them. Well- grown plants in six-inch pots are ex- cellent for table decoration, but as speci- men plants in 14 or 16-inch pans they are most effective and very showy. The plant in the illustration is grown in a 16-inch pan, and is considerably over four feet through. Owing to the very porous nature of the material used for potting, it is necessary to feed the plants during their growing season, the spring and summer. Liquid cow manure with a little soot added is the most beneficial fertilizer. During winter, heavy syringing over- head and not too much water at the roots w'ill allow the plants to rest. This treatment will ensure good strong growth the following season and will more than compensate for the extra care and at- tention. Azaleas Bloom Often Do azaleas bl,oom more than once, and what age must they attain before blooming? Azaleas will grow and flower for years if plants are taken care of during sum- mer. Stand azaleas out of doors in sum- mer in the oots on some coal ashes in partia shade. Sprinkle foliage every day with clear water in summer. Azaleas are mostly imported from Holland ready for flowering. It takes several years to grow flowering plants of azaleas. — An- swered bv Wm. Hunt, O.A.C., Guelph. Profitable Varieties of Vegetables for MarKet ONE of the most important factors connected with the management of a market garden is the selec- tion of varieties. It is a local matter. Varieties that are meritorious in one district may be useless in another. In choosing, the gardener should know what kind of a variety is wanted and what it is wanted for, and then select a variety that approaches the ideal. Old, well-tried varieties are the most reliable. New varieties, or novelties, should be tested but not grown ex- tensively until proved of value. List of varieties recommended for the various districts have been pre- pared for the readers of The Canadian Horticulturist. The selections of Mr. Fred Collins, of Chatham, Ont., for his district is as follows : " In choos- ing varieties of vegetables we must bear in mind two things; first, the require- ments of our market, and second, the varieties adapted to our soil. Some of us in this vicinity neglected the first of these precepts last season and grew some red celery. We knew its superior quality, but the public did not like the color. Anyway, we shall not grow red celery next season. A variety of celery better than White Plum for early market is Livingstone's Snow-White; it is a more attractive celery and of better flavor. Golden Yellow, however, is easily the best of all. "In tomatoes we grow principally Earliana for early, but for late I would head the list with Matchless. The best general purpose cucumber is the Arl- ingfton White Spine; especially is this an attractive table variety, but it an- swers well for pickles. In all vege- tables we have our individual prefer- ences; I would say that the following are the most popular here: Cauliflower, Snowball and Erfurt; cabbage, Charles- ton Wakefield for early and one of the various Drumheads for late; carrots, Chantenay; onions, Prizetaker, Yellow Globe Danvers, Red Wethersfield; let- tuce. Grand Rapids; corn, Premo for early, Evergreen for late; beets, Cros- by, Egyptian and Eclipse ; muskmelons, Montreal Nutmeg and Osage. "When planting seed in greenhouse or hotbed, the soil should be well-rotted turf and stable manure, with an addi- tion of, say, four quarts of sharp sand to a bushel of soil. This should be well mixed and sifted. Small seed, as celery, should be sown on the surface and covered either with dried, sifted moss or with a piece of coarse sacking. When germination takes place, the cover should be removed and a par- tial shade afforded by laying strips of -lath at intervals across the bed. Great care should be exercised in watering; for if the soil becomes too dry or too wet during the process of germination. the delicate germ will be injured and perhaps destroyed. Avoid excessive changes of temperature at all stages of growth." NIAGARA FALLS DISTRICT The following remarks were received from Mr. Thos. R. Stokes, Niagara Falls South, Ont.: "This is stock- taking time for the manufacturer, mer- chant and farmer. The successful busi- ness truck-grower should possess a rec- ord book in which dates of planting Flat Cabbages and marketing, amounts sold, prices realized, and so on, are correctly kept. With such a record, it is possible to purchase seeds both economically and intelligently. To avoid previous mis- takes, discard unprofitable varieties and eliminate the disappointment of over- production, with its subsequent glut of the market by this or that vege- table. It is the haphazard growers >.: ■ ■ ■■ ^ ' jjy^lfii . \ • ^^^Mte"" ^6^- ' jhhI^^^^H^ "'aM'M gHM^H^^^pH^pH^^ J^M ^m HHHU^^^^T '^' -^j^B ^^^^^^^^^^^ ^H^HHjjH ^^ ^^^^^^^BH^^^BHBBi'^^^^ Savoy Cabbages who are responsible for glutted mark- ets, and they say that gardening does not pay. The annual seed catalogs of reliable seed merchants should 'be carefully read, and new varieties given a fair trial. "Starting with asparagus. Colossal is the local standard with Columbian on trial in new beds. Brussels sprouts should be grown only in a limited way, as demand is small compared with cabbage; Dalkeith is the variety grown. The same may be said of Kale. "Wax beans — The round, brittle pad- 38 ded varieties are the only kind to grow here, such as Burpee's Saddle-back. Green beans — Refugee gives best satis- faction. Beets — For extra early, Egyp- tian; for main crop and pickling. Im- proved Eclipse. Cabbage — -First crop, Early Express, Wakefield ; second early, Early Summer and Vandergaw; late crop and sour-krout, Winningstadt, Dan- ish Ball, Chester King, Gait Dutch Savoy, Chester Savoy and Vertus; red. Red Rock. Carrots — Early, Oxheart; general crop, Chantenay, Nantes and Scarlet Intermediate. Celery — Early, White Plume; second early. Golden Paris; late. Triumph and Pascal. Cel- eriac — Prague. "In cauliflowers, the best seed and varieties should be grown; cheap seed and late sorts waste money. Plant Erfurt, Whitehead, vSnowball, Gilt Edge and Danish Summer. Cress — Extra, Curled. Cucumbers — Hothouse, Rol- lison's Telegraph, Duke of Edinburgh ; outdoors. Early White Spine; late and pickling. Evergreen White Spine and Arlington. Com — Extra early, Peep O'- Day and White Cory; second early, Early Giant; late, Country Gentleman and Stowell's Evergreen. Lettuce — Forcing, Grand Rapids; garden crop, Non-Pareil leads in popularity; Big Boston, Calif omian Cream and Trianon Cos. Muskmelon — Emerald Gem is the local favorite, followed by Rocky Ford, Osage and Cantaloupe. Water- melons— Cuban Queen and Plunney's Early. Citron^Colorado Mammoth. Leek — Dunand Limited and Mussel- burgh. Onions — For bunching, White Southport ; pickling, Silverskin and Bar- letta; transplanting, Prizetaker; main crop, Yellow Danvers. Peppers — Hot, Cayenne; sweet, Ruby King. The new Neapolitan established itself as an ex- tra early sweet variety last season. Parsnip — Hollow Crown, Gursney and Elcomb's Giant. Peas — Earliest of All, American Wonder and Gradus lead for extra early varieties, and Telephone, Advances, Hero and Marrowfats for ' main crop. Parsley — Triple Moss Curled. "In potatoes Early Ohio is still the leading early variety, although Nought- Six and Michigan are extensively grown ; main crop, Uncle Sam, Carmen, Rural New Yorker, Hebron. Pumpkin — For cooking. Sugar; field, Connecticut. Rad- ish— Rosy Gem and Scarlet Turnip for forcing; French Breakfast and Char- tiers for summer; White and Red China and Black Spanish for winter. Spin- ach— Victoria, Bloomsdale, Viroplay. Salsify — Sandwich Island. Rhubarb — Victoria and Johnston's St. Martin. Squash — Boston is the main summer and fall, and Warted Hubbard tlu leading winter. Vegetable Marrow- — Turban and Marblehead. Tomato^For {Concluded on page 40) Growing Tomatoes for tKe Canning Factory T. D. Rivett, B.S.A., Department of Ae'ricviltvire, Toronto i TOMATO growing in Ontario is be- coming more and more extensive, and has proven so far to be one of the most profitable crops of the farm. Although we have no definite figures to date, yet one cannot fail to see that this industrv is on the in- crease. In 1904, over 1,500,000 bush, were consumed by the canning factories alone, representing a sum farm- value of $326,486. As the consumption in- creases, together with improvements in canning methods and machinery, the supply naturally will increase also. There are distributed throughout eastern, western and southern Ontario some 50 canning factories. Of this number 40 make tomatoes one of their specialties, and offer every inducement for farmers to grow them. Of late, however, there is a feeling of dissatis- faction with the price per bushel, which is 25 cents, the farmer on the one hand claiming that 30 cents should be, and is, a moderate price, especially where dangers of early frosts are prev- alent; while, on the other hand, the canners claim that 25 cents is not only legitimate, but insures the farmer a fair margin of profit. It might be said, however, that where the farmer meets with exceptional conditions, 25 cents would seem sufficient, but in normal conditions, 30 cents is hardly too much in consideration for the risk which the average grower has to encounter in the general run of seasons in this province. SOIL THAT IS SUITABLE The tomato will grow and succeed in a great variety of soils, and in different districts will give different results, on the same kinds of soil. The best re- sults, therefore, will be obtained only by a close study of the soil and its treatment under the prevailing con- ditions. The best soil is a clayey loam. Al- though it is not as early as others, yet it produces a firmer and thicker to- mato with a smaller percentage of water, which to the canner is of great importance; for, the larger the percent- age of moisture, the greater will be the lack of sohdity and the smaller the number of cans to the bushel. The waste in pulp and juice at present com- mands little value on the market. The land should be well drained, either artificially or naturally, and if possible, the location should be an elevated one so as to insure atmos- pheric drainage, thereby lessening the probable damage by light frost. Un- der no conditions should one try to grow tomatoes in a low, damp locality. Not only do they suffer for lack of drainage there, but early and late frosts will, in all probability, damage them, and fungous diseases, such as wilt and blight, are more likely to be prevalent. PREPARING THE LAND It is always best to grow crops in rotation, and this applies equally well to tomatoes. The tomato should be preceded by a hoed crop, and prefer- ably a deep-rooted one. In the fall, after the land has been plowed, a good dressing of well rotted manure should be appHed to the soil and ribbed up. In the spring, this should be thoroughly incorporated with the soil, and a suit- able seed-bed prepared for the time of planting. WHAT IS THE BEST VARIETY? The question of variety is of great importance, and can be solved only by continued experiment. No variety will give the same results, on different soils and in different localities. Season, cli- mate, treatment and source of seed, all have a prevailing influence on develop- ment, product on and time of ripening. One must observe his neighbor's meth- ods and experiment for himself, before he will eventually find the most prof- itable tomato for his district. The following are those grown in the differ- ent sections of Ontario with apparent success : Early^Earlianna, Chalk's Early Jewel, Moore's Early Marvel, Atlantic Prize. Late — Stone, Ignotum, Living- k Field of Beans in the Essex Peninsula of Ontario Tlic crowing of beans is carried on extensively in the Essex peninsula of Ontario, particularly in the counties of Huron. Kent and Essex. This year the industry in- creased wonderfully. Whole farms were devoted tt» the (frowing of this crtip. Most of the beans are grown for winter use and are consumed in Canada. 40 THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST ston's Perfection, Favorite, Matchless, Success, Ruby, the New Queen, Royal Red Wonder, and Marvel. The great essentials to be ooked for in a variety are earliness, size, color, solidity and smoothness, and regularity. The Stone and Ignotum possess to a marked degree all these qualities, ex- cept earliness; they are too late, and throughout Ontario are invariably in- jured by the early frosts. The Earli- anna is the best of the earlies, but it is not a good canner, as it lacks is smooth- ness, regularity, soUdity, and contains too great a percentage of water. GOOD SEED ESSENTIAL In a measure the future of the to- mato plant depends upon the kind of seed. Poor seeds will produce poor plants, and naturally a poor crop. Good seed is essential to success. The managements of canning factories and associations have realized this, and in most cases import or buy their seed from reliable firms, retailing them to the farmer at cost price. This insures the vitality and pureness of seed, but most of these seeds are grown in south- em latitudes, the fruits of which are said to require a longer season to mature than those grown at more northerly ones. Where shortness of season has such a prevailing influence as in Ontario, earliness becomes an essential rather than a factor. It has been suggested that this difficulty may be overcome by the growers growing their own seed. Although this is a good solution of the problem, yet few growers have been able so far to make a success of it. In Prince Edward County, where perhaps the finest tomatoes are grown, this practice is prevalent. The chief failures lie in the mixing of varieties and their choice of fruit for seed. The farmer who raises his own seed must keep his varieties distinctly apart in order to prevent interpollenation or cross fertilization, and this naturally increases the cost of production. Again, and perhaps the most important, is his choice of seed. Too often he selects promiscuously the choice in- dividual fruits and expects his seed to produce the same. He must remem- ber that prepotency does not lie in the ndividual fruit, but rather in the vine, and that seeds from those that produce the greatest number of uniform and good fruit are more likely to inherit the potent qualities of the parent than seeds saved from plants that here and there produce one or two excellent fruits. If the grower bears these factors in mind, there is no reason why he should not produce and save his own seed to great benefit. GROWING PLANTS Every farmer can, and should, grow his own plants. Excellent results may be obtained at a low cost when care and perseverance are practised. The seeds may be germinated in a flat, 18 by 12 inches and three inches deep. The soil should be a light loam. When the seedlings are from two to three inches high, they may be put into an- other flat, and finally, after they are from four to five inches they may be again transplanted into another flat, this time three or four inches apart. A preferable way is to plant two or three in a strawberry box. In this way they are easily handled and the roots are less liable to be broken. These operations have to be started in the latter part of February, and artificial heat is necessary. A small number of plants may be grown in the house, but the most convenient method is to use a hotbed. The expense in- curred is very slight, and if good man- ure is used the heat will be found to be ample. Strong, bulky plants are required. Factors, such as crowding, too much heat, and lack of ventilation should be avoided, or spindly plants may result. HARDENING THE PLANTS It is a universal practice to harden the plants prior to setting them rer- manently in the field. This is done in order to moderate the great change from artificial heat to the cold nights and mornings of the spring. All that is necessary for this process is a cold frame in which the plants should be placed for at least a fortnight before planting. SETTING THE PLANTS OUT The land should be thoroughly stirred and a good seed bed prepared to re- ceive the plants, which may be planted three by four feet or four by four feet. An ordinary marker, such as for corn, may be used, the plants being inserted at the intersections. Choose a cool day and cloudy if possible. Plant in the afternoon, as this lessens the in- juries of drying out of plants and en- sures a better catch. In planting, great care should be taken not to in- jure the roots or break the plants, and the earth should be firmly pressed around base of each. Cultivation should be started imme- diately and kept up so as to conserve moisture and to keep down the weeds. It should be stopped when the plants have covered the ground, and render cultivation impossible without injury to the vines. MARKETING THE FRUIT Good strong bushel boxes with the grower's name or initials printed on the side should be used, the fruit being picked and placed in these and taken straight to the factory. Although the grower of tomatoes for the factory is not catering to a fancy markft, yet he should not for one moment lose sight of honesty. Too often blighted and worthless fruit is packed away out of sight in order to deceive the factory. This method may be beneficial for a short time, but in the long run it is found out and the grower gets in the bad graces of the manager, who will inspect his fruit thoroughly, and will await a chance for retalliation. Hon- esty is the best policy. If the farmer were to practise this policy and have nothing to do with petty deceptions, he would not only benefit himself but all others with whom he comes in con- tact. He would aid in placing the tomato-growing industry on a more satisfactorv basis. Starting Harly Celery The seed for early celery should be sown in the hotbed in February. See that the sun does not strike the seed either before or after sowing as it re- tards growth. Seedlings that have been set back seldom develop properly. A hotbed for celery should have at least 2}/^ feet of manure with four to six inches of good garden soil on top. A surface hotbed is better than one in which the manure is placed below ground. If a hole is dug, do not make it more than six inches deep. Water gathers in and destroys the heating power of the manure. A surface hotbed should be made so that the manure extends one foot each way beyond the frame. The latter being placed in the centre, is filled with six inches of soil, and is made high enough to admit of a six-inch space between the soil and the glass. As growth of plants develops the frame may be raised accordingly. Plants in a hotbed so prepared and well covered at night will stand a heavy frost without injury. Varieties of Vegetables (Coticluded from Page 38) extra early, Earliana ; second early, Chalk's Jewel; late, Ignetum, Dwarf Stone, Royal Red ; New Success gave rnuch satisfaction last year, also the i Enormous; for pinks. Plentiful sur- | passes everything in quality, color and ' vield. In turnips. Snowball, Orange j Jelly, Swede, Hall's Westbury, Sut- | ton's Champion and Elephant are most generallv grown." Do not start the hotbed too soon. Select and buy your seeds early. Do not buy seeds because they happen i to be cheap; get the best. \ Careful attention to ventilation of hotbeds is one of the important means of making plants stocky. ^'<%:^tj' '<%t^tJ ^^^l^^tj" vc^'^L' "^f^TKf '^^t^tf > "^^t^Lf *«%:^C/ '^^'^L^ *<^|*«^ «<'%r«tf ><^4^t/ **%^/^ OUR QUESTION AND ANSWER DEPARTMENT Readers of XKe Horticulturist are invited to submit Questions on any phase of Horticultural ■wforK ^^)a^^/>^r%>«na%>> /i*jfil^^ n^Jfi§>^ ntJffi^ ntJffi^ ntJffi^ /y^^ Oyst 3r-Shell DarK-Louse Would Gillett's Lye be of value in treating Oyster-shell Bark-louse? — F.F., Brighton, '/ We do not recommend Gillett's Lye ks a remedy for the Oyster-shell Bark- Jouse. As far as we know, it is a soda lye, and we do not think that it would be at all effective. There are two very satisfactory remedies for this insect. trhe best is the lime-sulphur wash to be Applied about the beginning of April. The wash must be properly made and tx)iled for at least two hours before jeing applied to the tree. It will usu- illy clear the tree completely of this cale and of any other that may be ipon it. The other remedy is an application of rdinary whitewash. This should be pplied in the fall and repeated a sec- nd time. The effect of it is that when scales off in the winter it carries the hsect with it. I am not at all sure bat it will destroy the eggs of the bark mse, but there is no doubt that the me-sulphur treatment, if applied in such way as to completely reach all the iterstices of the bark, will kill both ales and eggs. We are intending to irry a further series of experiments with le lime-sulphur wash, and other in- rcticides in the early spring, and hope ) have more information to impart ter on. — Answered bv Dr. Charles J. . Bethune, O.A.C., Guelph. Propagating Apple Trees Will you please give detailed instructions for le pro[)agation of apple trees bv root grafting? iC.M.H., Bridgetown, N.S. Standard apple stocks are grown from :ds, and dwarf apple stocks from lound layers of the Paradise apple. eds for standard trees are either im- irted from France or obtained from e pomace of cider mills. As a rule, iit growers or nurserymen do not ow stocks, the raising of which is a isiness in itself. The seeds are re- Dved from the pomace by washing. ley are then dried and stored in sand a cool, dry place until spring. Fall 'ng may be advisable in loose, well- ined soils. Spring planting is better apted to our conditions. The seed vld be sown as soon as the ground in fit condition to receive them in s three feet apart for horse cultiva- n, or in drills 5 to 10 inches wide for jnd labor. Sow two or three inches :p. Cultivate well, and thin if neces- The seedlings should grow 8 to inches that season. In the fall they are sold to nursery- men, who root graft them during the winter. The roots are cut into sections four or five inches long. The lower pieces are discarded. The best ones are selected and whip-grafted with scions of about three buds that have been taken from trees of the desired variety the previous fall and stored. After the union is made, the parts are wrapped with waxed bands to exclude the air. Bands or string should be used that is strong enough to hold the parts for the time being, but, at the same time, weak enough to break when pressed by the growth of the graft. Pack the grafts in sand and store until spring in a cool cellar. Should the cellar be close and warm, the grafts are apt to start into growth, and subsequently rot. In the spring, when the ground can be worked, plant the grafts in the nursery and care for them until two years old, when they may be sold or transplanted to the or- chard. "Varieties of PeacKes Kindly name the best early, medium and late peaches for market purposes that may be grown on sandy soil. — F. H., Sarnia, Ont. Most peaches do best on sandy land. For your section the following varieties probably will give good results: Early St. John, Early Crawford, Fitzgerald, New Prolific, Engol, Elberta, Golden Drop, Kalamazoo and Smock. These are mentioned in their order of ripening, and are vellow fleshed free-stones. Selecting Nursery StocK As I intend to buy some trees for planting, i desire some information regarding nursery stock. Will you tell me the points that should be observed when purchasing. — I.R., Burlington, Ont. When buying nursery stock secure trees of the desired varieties that will give the best possible results. The trees must be true to variety and of a proper age for planting — -apples, pears and quinces, from two to three years; peaches, not more than one year from the bud ; and so on. Large trees are not always the best. Medium-sized ones are usually more satisfactory. Whether large or small, they should be healthy, thrifty, smooth and well grown, but not spindly. They should possess good roots, and be free of fungi and injurious insects. It is best to avoid trees grown in districts subject to tree troubles, such as peaches from a district where leaf-curl is prevalent or pears from a section where blight is known to exist. To secure these desirable features in the trees, it is advisable to have a written agreement with the nurseryman to that effect. Allow no substitution of varieties and reject all inferior stock. When convenient to nursery, it is well to inspect the stock and buy directly from the nurserv rows. Treating' Freesias When my freesias are finished flowering what shall I do with them? Can the bulbs be kept and planted next fall? — C.D., Annapolis, N.S. Give freesias less frequent waterings after flowering, witholding water grad- ually until the foliage turns yellow. Give no more water. Place pots away just as they are in a dry room or cellar. About the end of August or early in September shake the bulbs from the soil and re-pot them in fresh, rich, loamy soil. Use some drainage in pots. Water sparingly until growth has well commenced. Place in window when potted. Freesia bulbs treated in this way can be kept for years. Plant only large bulbs for flower- ing.— Answered by Wm. Hunt, O.A.C., Guelph. Winter Care of Hibiscus . How shall I treat a hibiscus that bloomed freely last fall? Does it need a rest? — B.T., Bracebridge, Ont. Keep the hibiscus partially dormant in winter. This is done by giving suffi- cient water to keep the soil barely moist, and by keeping the plant in a cool room or basement in a temperature of 45 to 50 degrees. The pot or Japanese hibiscus likes partial rest during winter as de- scribed to flower well in summer and au- tumn.— Answered by Wm. Hunt, O.A.C., Guelph. Heating a Forcing House What is the best system of heating a forcing house for the growing of vegetables? — R N., Hamilton, Ont. Forcing houses may be heated by hot water, steam, or, in cases where the house is small, a smoke flue. The two former are the most satisfactory, although much more expensive. Steam averages higher in temperature than the hot water. The heat from steam is dis- tributed more regularly than that from hot water. It heats longer runs, and is better for crooked circuits. It is prob- able that steam is the most economical source of heat for a large forcing house. If the reader of The Canadian Hor- ticulturist who asked a question re- garding weeds in lawns, will send his name and address, the desired infor- mation will be furnished by letter 42 THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST The Canadian Horlicullurisl Published by The Horticultural PublishinE Company^, Limited The Only Horticultural Magazine in the Dominion OAcial Orean of British Columbia, Ontario, Quebec and Prince Edward Island Fruit Growers' Associations and of the Ontario Veg- etable Growers' Association H. Bkonson Cowan, Managing Editor A. B. CtTTTlNO, B.S.A., Horticultural Editor W. G. Rook, Advertising Manager Garrett Wall, Circulation Manager GREAT BRITAIN Prank Fletcher. 13S Henrietta Street, Old Trafford Manchester, Eng., Advertising and Circulation Manager 1. The Canadian Horticulturist is published on the 25tli day of the month preceding date of issue. !. Subscription Price 50 cents a year, three years $1 .20, strictly in advance. For all countries except Canada, United States and Great Britain add 50c. for postage for each one year subscription, a 3. Remittances should be made by Post Office or Money Express Order, or Registered Letter. Postage Stamps accepted for amounts less than $1.00. 4. Discontinuances — Responsible subscribers will con- tmue to receive The HORTicnLTURiST until the publishers are notified by letter to discontinue, when all arrearages must be paid. 5. Change of Address — When a change of address is ordered, both the old and the new addresses must be tirtn. 6. cAdvertising Rates quoted on application. Circu- lation 5,500. Copy received up to the 18th. Responsible representatives wanted in towns and cities. 7. ^Articles and Illustrations for pubhcation will be thankiully received by the editor. Our Protective Policy We want the readers of The Canadian Horticul- rtJRisT to feel that they can deal with our advertisers with our assurance of the advertisers' reliability. We try to admit to our columns only the most reliable ad- vertisers. Should any subscriber, therefore, have good cause to be dissatisfied with the treatment he receives from any of our advertisers, we will look into the matter and investigate the circumstances fully. Should we find reason to believe that any of our advertisers are un- reliable, even in the slightest degree, we will discontinue immediately the publication of their advertisements in The Horticulturist. Should the circumstances war- rant we will expose them through the columns of the paper. Thus, we will not only protect our readers, but our reputable advertisers as well. All that is necessary to entitle you to the benefits of this Protective Policy is that you include in all your letters to advertisers the words "I saw your ad. in The Canadian Horticultur- ist." Complaints should be sent to us as soon as possi- ble after reason for dissatisfaction has been fotmd. Communications should be addressed : THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST, 506-7-8 Manning Chambers TORONTO, CANADA THE TARIFF QUESTION Tlie hot discussion of the tariff question as it relates to fruit, that has been precipitated by the action of the directors of the Ontario Fniit Growers' Association, in agreeing to confer with a committee from the Michigan Hortictiltural Society on this subject, may result in good. It serves to illustrate how careful the directors of the association must be in dealing with matters of this kind. This, unfortunately, now, is largely a poUtical question concerning which there is a clear-cut difference of opinion among growers all over the country. Any action that the association may take, therefore, on the sub- ject is certain to bring it into open conflict with a large number of growers and to accomplish but little if any good. The outcome, probably, would be that both political parties would en- deavor to gain control of the association, and that would be disastrous. This whole tariff question, when boiled down, resolves itself into this: Were the United States markets to be thrown open to our Canadian growers, it would enable us, at certain seasons, to dispose of much of our fruit to better advan- tage than is now possible. On the other hand, were our markets thrown open to the United States growers, it would mean that Canadian growers, particularly those who produce peaches and small fruits, would be at the mercy each year of the growers in any section of the United States where fhere might happen to be a glut. This would make the position of the Canadian growers very precarious. While there are advantages in favor of a tariff on fruits, we feel that it is absolute folly for a small number of growers to attempt to have a tariff imposed that would shut southern fruit out of our markets, and particularly our western markets, at seasons of the year when such fruit cannot be produced in sufficient quantities in Canada. The best suggestion we have seen so far is that made by Mr. W. Maclean, M.P., who advocates the establishment of a tariff on fruits and vegetables during only those seasons of the year when they will be of benefit to our growers. This suggestion has much to recom- mend it. It is reasonable, and a little time spent looking into it more thoroughly than has yet been done would be of advantage. As regards the directors of the Ontario Fruit Growers' Association, the discussion that has taken place has made it clear that they will need to deal with this subject with the greatest care. They are handling an explosive substance which, if it goes off, may have disastrous results. THEJCOLD STORAGE ACT The cold storage act introduced into the Do- minion Parliament by Hon. Sydney Fisher is not drafted in a manner that will tend to encour- age the erection of cooperative fruit packing houses by fruit growers and, therefore, is dis- appointing. It may encourage the construction of such plants by private individuals and thus assist growers indirectly. The benefits likely to be derived, even in this way, however, we fear are not great. The act provides that only ten per cent, of the cost of the warehouses will be advanced by the government upon their completion. The remaining twenty per cent., to be paid by the government, will be distributed in four annual instalments of five per cent. each. This means that the persons interested in the erection of these warehouses will not receive their final share of the government's assistance until four years after the buildings have been completed. The object the government has in view, in distributing its assistance in the manner pro- posed, is commendable, but we fear it will defeat the objects aimed at, at least as far as fruit growers are concerned. What the fruit industry needs is assistance that will offer a strong induce- ment to growers — who are proverbially slow to move in matters of this kind — to undertake the erection of simple warehouses, provided with ice cold storage for use during only a limited period each year, that will enable them to handle their fruit on the cooperative basis. Unless the assistance thus given upon the com- pletion of the warehouse is equal to at least twenty per cent, of the cost of construction not many growers are likely to take advantage of it. The remaining ten per cent, could be dis- tributed in two instalments of five per cent, each during a period extending over two years. This is a most important matter. Fruit growers will do well to draw it to the attention of their members in the House of Commons. nursery, it would be well for the government to appoint a man at each of them to superin- tend the work during the shipping seasons. This would incur some expense, but nothing to compare with the advantage gained in lessening the spread of San Jose scale and other injurious orchard pests. A feature of our fumigation laws that is sub- ject to adverse criticism is compulsory fumi- gation of stock at the border from states that enforce laws at home. It would seem that something could be done to remedy this matter. It is claimed that, while one fumigation may not injure nursery stock, a second one (as is now required at the border) is oftentimes disastrous. Until this is done, however, the condition of affairs at the border could be mitigated by passing a regulation compelling firms on the other side, who desire to do business in Canada to pack in a separate package those classes of stock that the law require shall be fumigated As it is now, nursery stock of all kinds is placed in the same package, thus necessitating considerable labor and time in removing the content s and sorting them . A simpler remedy still but one not so efficient, would be to compel foreign nurseries to write distinctly on the out- side of the package the classes of stock that arf contained therein. This would facilitate worl that is important when one considers that al Niagara Falls, last spring, there entered Canads 504 consignments, comprising 7 full carloads besides 632 boxes and bales — to say nothing o the quantities that entered the country at othe; points. It has been suggested that dipping nurser trees in a Ume-sulphur wash be substituted fo fumigation with hydro-cyanic acid gas. Thi has much to commend it. Experiments shoul< be conducted at the Ontario Agricultural Colleg or elsewhere to determine its worth. FUMIGATION METHODS There is need for a more vigorous enforce- ment in Ontario of the law respecting the fumi- gation of nursery stock. The semi-annual in- spection by officers of Department of Agriculture is beneficial as far as it goes. It is not enough. Besides the visits of the general inspector, some- thing should be done to ensure fumigation being done when the inspector is not on hand. Many of our leading nurseries can be depended upon to carry out the provisions of the law without government supervision, but there are others who consider the matter one of much trouble and useless— and there are a few nurserymen who boast of their ability to fool the inspectors. To prevent the^work being slighted in any . THE HORT'L SOCIETIES' ACT On the first of this month the new act govtrr ing the horticultural societies of Ontario can into effect. Hereafter, the horticultural soc eties of the province will work on an entirel new basis. The provisions of this act have bee referred to before in these columns but furtht reference at this time may be in order. Exception, so far as we know, has been take to only two of the main clauses. In the pa some half-dozen societies have devoted mo of their funds to the holding of exhibitioi of fruit and flowers at the time of their loc agricultural exhibitions and in conjunctic therewith. Under the new act this will not 1 permissible, and a few of the societies are cor plaining on that account. We still hold th: this provision of the new act is sound. Agi cultural and horticultural societies were cs' lished for two radically different puryi When, therefore,a horticulturalsocietytum? most if not all of its funds to the holding ( exhibition in conjunction with an agricub society, it becomes, to all intents and purp a branch of the agricultural society. A go\ ment grant to horticultural societies w never have been made had it been thought their funds would revert back to agricuii societies that, also, were receiving governr aid. The new act, therefore, does well to : down the principle that horticultural societii hereafter, must work along the Unes for v' they were intended. The second clause to which exception : , been taken is the one that stipulates that societv shall not expend more than one-thi of its funds in any one line of work. The w dom of this clause will depend largely upon t manner in which it is enforced bv the Dei ment of Agriculture. It may be taker. granted, at the outset, that the Departi will not be arbitrary in this matter. Win • society is accomplishing good work, even i its expenditures in one line to exceed the '■• limit, the department can be depended on THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST 43 to interfere. On the other hand, experience has shown that in some cases cliques obtain control of a society and manipulate its funds largely to their own benefit. This may be done in various ways such, for instance, where the membership is small, by devoting most of the money of the society to the purchase of seeds, bulbs and plants for the members. In other cases, practically all of the money may be diverted to the holding of one large exhibition annually, which often is but slimly attended and at which the prize money is divided among about a doz^n exhibitors. There are so many excellent lines of work that societies can under- take, it is desirable that there shall be provision in the act which will prevent any one line being followed to the extreme. We feel that the new act should be given a trial as it is. It will be time enough to demand a change when it has been shown that its various provisions are likely to result in more harm than good to the societies as a whole. The best features of the act are that it pro- vides for an increase in the grant to horticultural societies, that it abolishes all cause for friction between agricultural and horticultural societies m regard to their grants, and that hereafter the grants to societies instead of being practically uniform from year to year, as in the past, will depend as to their amount, upon the work done by the societies. During the next few years there promises to be a marked increase in the number of these societies in Ontario and in the alue of their work. Prince Ed"warcl Island Letter Rev. FatKer Durhe, Alberton Along the line of the Michigan Central R.R in southern Ontario the company has planted catalpa trees. Work of this kind is to be com- mended. While it is done by the company with a business view it tends to beautify that portion of the country. As it will ulitmately furnish posts and ties for the railway, it will help to check the rapid deforestation of southern Ontario and other parts of the province that now is going on and is to be regretted. Al- though the planting of these trees is in only an experimental stage, there are many districts govt where it would be advisable for the C.P.R. and 10 a the G.T.R. to do likewise. nil Mtll iwti llflllf skM Con Fruit Gro-wers See Minister Objection was urged to the action of the Ont. J' Fruit Grs. Assn. by a deputation on Jan. [before the Minister of Agriculture in Toror 24 'oronto. The action was also resented of the assn. in appearing before the tariff commission last summer without the authority of the fruit growers of the country. The delegation claimed that the provincial assn. did not properly represent the fruit inter- ests, also that they have not authority to act in the matter, as their powers are educative d. ■' and not legislative. The minister promised to lere ef look into the matter. There were present A. H. Pettit, H. L. Roberts, N. Cossitt, J. A. Livingston, Fred Henry and J. E. Henry, of Grimsby; W. B. Bridgeman, T. H. P. Carpenter, J. Thompson, E. M. Smith, W. M. Orr, I. Vanduzer, Winona; T. Lewis, Bar- tonville; J. Webster, Stony Creek. Ml tilt I ttd 0 xlibili tkotl lillitt (timisi ties » ajiicol joven At a meeting of the directors of the Hort'l Pub. Co., Ltd., held in the offices of the company, Toronto, Jan. 23, reports were presented that «11 *? showed that the company has been making satis- 'actory progress. Great growth was shown in " le case of both The Canadian Horticulturist id The Canadian Florist, the 2 publications owned by the company. The following board of directors was elected: Messrs. W. H. Bunting, St. Catharines; J. H. Dunlop, Toronto; A. W. Peart, Burlington; H. Jones, Maitland; Elmer .flviipj Lick, Oshawa; Hermann Simmers, Toronto; •tkel* ind H. B. Cowan, Toronto. At a subsequent je tskii meeting of the directors, Mr. Bunting was elected president, Mr. Dunlop, vice-president, and Mr. Jaifs ti Depart 'nil r »HE great question of varieties of apple trees comes up at every convention. Some hold to its paramount importance for successful orcharding, with tyros in the business, at least; others make the broad and proud boast that Prince Edward Island can grow well all the apples which flourish in the northern temperate zone. Senator Ferguson, who does as well as says, is now ready to get up and make this latter assertion. Still it is just pos- sible that some varieties do better here than others, generally speaking. In special situations and when well fertilized and handled, most apples, we believe, can be grown successfully. Take the early varieties. No place can grow the Yellow Transparent to greater perfection. They are hardy and fruitful and of the best quality for an early apple. Then, following them, the Red Astrachan and Duchess grow and bear profusely. Alexander and Wolf River, its close parent, cannot be grown better anywhere; and we grow Fameuse, Mcintosh Red, Canada Red and Baxter, just as well. We like to believe, too, that we can outdo Nova Scotia in its favorite Gravenstein. Certainly ours are delicious apples — large, luscious, well-colored and longer keeping than the Annapolis VaUey fruit. In winter sorts we can succeed in Spys, Kings, Russets, Ribstons, Starks and Ben Davis. Some think the Baldwin is not among our suc- cesses; others say we can grow excellent Bald- wins. One thing sure, we have had considerable winter-killing of this stock. But a few winters ago, when Nova Scotia suffered severely in its Gravensteins and Baldwins too, if I mistake not, peciJiar weather conditions obtained which may not recur in a lifetime. 'owan, sec.-treas. We have Robertson's "Inkerman," too, which will do well and is a much better keeper and finer apple than it gets credit for being in some quarters. It is a root growth from a standard tree planted by Mr. Robertson when he started out orcharding away back in the fifties; whilst it must have had a place in the extensive nomenclature of the past, it cannot be placed by our present day pomologists, all of whom have been asked in vain to identify it. Now it carries the name of Mr. Robertson's farm and nurseries, "Inkerman." He has propagated great numbers of them and his heart is more completely in it than in any other island apple. We have another species here which Mr. Mc- Rae, of PownaU, has brought before the associa- tion and country, and which was produced much after the way of the Inkerman. It is called "Dodd, " because it was an old English gardener of that name that originated it. It is a pretty apple, and of fairly good quality; it will not keep like the Inkerman, however. These two apples are all that we can call peculiarly "Island apples." We have the old French Pippin — a link binding us to Acadian days. The whole nursery question came up at our late meeting as vital to the fruit industry. As, however, the representative of the Ontario firms could not get over, we did not take any decided action. That something must be done to secure us against nursery frauds, all believe; and even if we admit poor planting and handling in many cases, there is still ground enough to educate offhand many sellers of stock from without who have victimized the people awfully. I will return to this matter in my next. A. IV A Important Meeting of Fruit Grcwers MONG the questions discussed at a meet- ing of the directors of the Ont. Fruit Growers' Assn. held in Toronto, Jan. 8, were the tariff on fruits, substitudon of nursery stock by nurserymen, and the cooperative movement among fruit growers. A resolution was passed appointing a com- mittee to confer with the Michigan Hortl. Soc'y, should they ask for it, regarding the recent resolution of the Michigan Soc'y ad- vocating a reciprocal interchange of fruit products between Canada and the U.S. The personnel of the committee is: Robt. Thompson, St. Catharines; J. L. Hilborn, Leamington; and Elmer Lick, Oshawa. When the resolution was passed, the Board had not received any direct communication from the Michigan Soc'y asking for an ejcpression of opinion regarding the matter. The feeling of the Michigan Soc'y became known to the Ont. Assn. through the press. The committee was instructed, there- fore, not to act until a definite request had been received. The ^resolution and discussion that followed was the result of a motion that had been drafted by W. L. Smith, of Toronto. Not being able to be present, Mr. Smith had asked Alex. McNeill, chief of the fruit division, to present the motion. Mr. McNeill, in the discussion, favored free trade. He said that such was not likely to be for many years yet, but that the idea was good. He pointed out that the U.S. fruit exports amounted to less than 1% of the production. In the near future, he said, the U.S. is going to be an importing country. When that time comes, free trade in fruits will be of value to Canadian growers. Mr. McNeill mentioned in particular the value of free trade to the growers in the counties bordering Lake Erie. Should the tariff be removed on both sides of the line, the future would see steamer loads of fruit leaving Canadian ports every night, and landing their cargoes the following morning at U.S. ports. The geographical features of the U.S. immediately south of Lake Ontario are not conducive to successful fruit culture near large cities that are located on and near the lake shore. The fruit area of that section of the U.S. lies some distance from those markets. For this reason, in the event of free trade, growers in south- western Ont. would have the control of that market. This eventually would transform that portion of Ont. into one large fruit and truck garden. The other side of the question was discussed in a practical manner by A. W. Peart, of Burlington, who contended that free trade would be an in- jury to the industry in this country. The balance of trade between the two countries is against Canada. In the U.S. there are approx- imately 10 acres of fruit to our one. There the cost of production is less. Were the tariff doors open, American growers could, and would, flood our markets. He took the view, also, that the directors of the assn. did not have the right to discuss such a subject. Other views of Mr. Peart's may be found in another column qf this issue. An opposite view was taken by A. A. Wright, M.P. for S. Renfrew, who said that Canada wants cheaper fruit and fruit for a longer period in the year. The market of the west is great and it, in particular, wants cheap fruit. By having cheaper fruit, more people can be educat- ed into the habit of eating fruit; and when they acquire the habit, three times the present quan- tity will be consumed. Geo. A. Robertson, of St. Catharines, said that Canada is big enough to take care of itself, and that Canadians should have the Canadian market. It was finally decided that the resolution should not actually approve of the stand that 44 THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST was taken in Michigan. It simply appointed a committtee to confer with the growers there in regard to the matter. Incidentally, it pointed out that Canadians are anxious to participate in the good feeling suggested by the Michigan resolution, and that such should exist between growers in both countries. SUBSTITUTION OF NURSERvf STOCK An animated discussion took place on the substitution of varieties by nurserymen. It was thought that nursery stock should be guaranteed true to name by law. A committee was appointed to draft a scheme regarding the matter, the personnel being Geo. A. Robertson, Robt. Thompson, and W. H. Bunting, all of St. Catharines. Nurseries should be held respons- iblefor guaranteed stock, and the grower should be protected by a written agreement that would bind the nurseryman and hold him liable for losses through negligence. A committee composed of A. A. Wright, M.P., and Alex. McNeill, was appointed to interview the postmaster-general regarding the establish- ment of a parcel post for fruit and other produce, somewhat similar to that in G. Britain. There, it is satisfactory to the growers of fruit and vegetables. It makes the handling of small consignments convenient. It has the effect of causing railway companies to compete with the government in collecting, carrying and delivering parcels. It enables the producer to deal direct with the consumer. THE COOPERATIVE MOVEMENT Considerable discussion took place regarding the organization throughout the province of additional cooperative fruit growers' assns. The value and progress of the cooperative movement to date was referred to briefly by A. E. Sherrington, of Walkerton, and others. A committee was appointed to wait upon the Minister of Agriculture at Ottawa in the interests of the cooperative assns.: Harold Jones, Mait- land; Elmer Lick, Oshawa; A. A. Wright, M.P., South Renfrew; E. D. Smith, M.P., South Wentworth; J. E. Armstrong, M.P., Lambton; and Peter McKenzie. The general cooperative committee for the year consists of 5 members: A. E. Sherrington, Walkerton; D. Johnson, Forest; Robt. Thompson, St. Catharines; W. H. Dempsey, Trenton; and J. E. Johnson, Simcoe. The Ont, Hort'l Exhibition was the subject for some discussion, as one of the directors felt that the paying of $2,000 for the Black Dike Band had not proven to be a good business proposition. With this one exception, the consensus of opinion was in favor of the band. ( It increased the educational advantages of the show. Through its presence, the exhibition has taken a forward step. Although $2,000 was paid for the engagement, the band actually did not cost the show anything. It practically paid for itself. The deficit last year was not so large as the one the year before. OFFICERS AND COMMITTEES Officers for the ensuing year were elected as follows: Pres., Harold Jones, Maitland; v.-pres, Elmer Lick, Oshawa; sec.-treas., P. W. Hodgetts. Toronto ; executive, the foregoing, W. H. Bunt- ing, St. Catharines, and A. E. Sherrington, Walkerton. Transportation committee: W. H. Bunting and Robt. Thompson, St. Catharines; W. L. Smit'h, Toronto; D, Johnson, Forest; H. W. Dawson, Toronto; R. J. Graham, Belleville. Show committee: W. H. Bunting, Elmer Lick, A. W. Peart, P. W. Hodgetts. Directors on Board of Control of Fruit Expt. Stas. : A. M. Smith and Geo. A. Robertson, St. Catharines; W. T. Macoun, Ottawa. Director on Board of the Hort'l Pub. Co., Elmer Lick. Representa- tives on Fair Boards: London — A. O. Telfer, Ivan, and J. S. Scarfe, Woodstock; Ottawa — R. B. Whyte and A. A. Wright, M.P.; Toronto — W. H, Bunting and P. W. Hodgetts. No changes were made in the other committees. Frviit Gro-wers Divided Emphatic protests against any semblance of a reciprocal tariff in fruits between Canada and the U. S. were made at a meeting of the fruit growers of the Grimsby-Winona district, on Jan. 18. The following resolution was presented and carried : " That this meeting of the fruit growers of the Niagara district desire to express our disapproval of the action of the directors of the Ont. Fruit Grs. Assn. in appointing a com- mittee to confer with a committee of Michigan State fruit growers, with a view to arrange a reciprocal tariff on fruits and fruit products. The present tariff on fruits is too low when we consider the increasing expense in fighting the many insect enemies and diseases, the very high price of labor, the scarcity and high prices of fruit packages and the enormous cost of and loss in transportation. We can produce all the domestic fruits required for home consumption, and the home market should be protected for Canadian growers." A largely attended meeting of the Niagara Peninsula Fruit Grs. Assn., held in St. Cathar- ines on Jan. 19, showed that the fruit growers of the Niagara district are not all so opposed to the action of the Ont. Fruit Grs. Assn. in appointing a committee to confer with the growers of Mich., as are those of the Grimsby district. It was unanimously resolved: "That this association wishes to place itself on record as being in harmony with the Ont. Assn. in regard to meeting the Michigan growers. We, however, feel that this association of fruit grow- ers can hold out no hope of any reciprocity in the matter of fruits between the two countries." Officers were elected as follows: Pres., W. H. Bunting; v.-pres., F. A. Goring and W. C. McCalla; sec.-treas., C. E. Fisher; executive committee: R. Thompson, J. H. Brodrick, W. O. Burgess, Geo. A. Robertson, C. B. Hare, Alex. Muir, C. Lowery, F. Blaikie, Wm. Arm- strong, C. Pettit, D. Pew, Wm. Henderson, S. H. Rittenhouse, George F. Stewart, Major Hiscott, Isaac Wismer, Carl Munro, F. Berriman, Wm. Gallagher, C. M. Honsberger, S. M. Culp, R. W. J. Andrews, R. F. Robinson, Geo. Brown, J. Carpenter and W. A. Emery. Ontario Fruit Stations The following letter was received recently from P. W. Hodgetts, sec, O.F.G.A., a member of the Board of Control of the Fruit Expt. Sta. of Ontario: "The names of the experimenters in New Ontario are S. B. Bisbee, New Liskeard, and R. Chapman, Judge. Neither of these men have been officially appointed experimenters; but some material was sent them last year, and I believe some more will be sent them this year, for them to test. The soil was so much in pock- ets in that country and seemed to be so much influenced by lakes and rivers, that the Board decided it was hardly wise as yet to settle any- thing definitely. "The Minister of Agriculture has started a pioneer farm in Temiscamingue similar to the one started by Mr. Dryden at Dryden, Ont. It is likely that we will set out some hardy fruits there as soon as the place is properly cleared and the man appointed to look after it. "The Board met on Jan. 7 and confirmed the appointment of J. L. Hilborn as fruit experi- menter at Leamington, and of E. E. Adams as vegetable experimenter at the same place, sub- ject to the approval of the Lieut. -Governor in Council. These gentlemen have already been conducting some work along this line, and have sent in reports for our report of 1906. It was decided to have Mr. Hilborn carry on some tests next year as to the protection of roots from winter-killing and the use of hardy plum roots for peach stock; Mr. Adams will be asked for certain suggestions along his special line of work. A special committee was appointed to outHne work for, not only the new stations,' but the older stations that had been testing varieties for the last ten years. The policy of the Board will be not to give very much new work to those stations in the Niagara district, namely those of Messrs. Peart, Woolverton and Pettit, nor to the stations of Sherrington, Jones and Mitchell, until the Niagara District Station of Jordan Harbor is in running order and some idea of the scope of the work to be undertaken theJ-e is definitely settled. The strawberry station, as conducted by Mr. Stevenson, will be closed." TO EXTEND AREA OF PEACH CULTURE The secretary of Ont. Fruit Expt. Sta., Linus Woolverton, kindly furnished the following: "One of the topics discussed at the meeting cf the Board of Control Ont. Fruit Exp. Sta., on Jan. 7, was the best method of withstanding the'loss of peach trees from winter-kilhng of the roots, such as occurred in Essex in 1899 when tens of thousands of trees were destroyed. It was decided to have a quantity of peach trees budded upon hardy plum roots, on purpose for this ex- periment; and then to have these distributed for a thorough test. No doubt these would be much hardier than on peach roots, and also would succeed on clay soils where the peach root proves too tender. The secretary was ordered to make arrangements for the special propagation and distribution of such trees." The Cooperative Associat'ns The directors of the Ont. Cooperative Fruit Grs. Assn. met in Toronto on Jan. 8, and dis- cussed matters that will tend" to promote the interests of the cooperative movement in the province. The directors were unanimous in expressing the opinion that the organization of a provincial association last summer had been a good move. It was pointed out that the fruit trade in Europe can be increased to the advan- tage of the associations by getting into close touch with the retail merchants. The a^ ciations should have a man there to cam the retail trade and all merchants who buy direct. It is probable that such a representa- tive will be appointed before long. Mr. Mc- Neill, Chief, Fruit Division, was present, and intimated that it would be well to induce the English buyers to place representatives in this country. Some members of the board concurred with this view. Among the resolutions passed at the meet was one dealing with the control of the ban Jose scale, as follows: "That the Government be asked to aid in the suppression of the San Jose scale, in Kent county and in the other districts to which the scale is spreading, by holding meetings for the purpose of educating the growers on the nature of the pest and on the best methods of spraying for its control, by having the question of parasites taken up by the authorities at the O.A.C., and, further, to be more vigorous in enforcing the law respect- ing the fumigation of nursery stock; and th~* any work that is to be done this year shouli: done early and thoroughly, and that a copv „i this resolution be forwarded to the Min. of Agri. for Ont." A resolution was carried respecting the sub- stitution of varieties by nurserjTnen, as follows; "That it is the opinion of this association that legislation should be enacted to require nursery firms to produce nursery stock that will be true to name, that the nurseries be held respon- sible for such stock, that a law be made to protect the grower by binding the nurservman to give a written guarantee that will hold him liable for losses to growers, on account of negli- gence on the part of the nursery, and that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to the directors of the Ont. Fniit Grs. Assn. as a means of strengthening the action taken by them on this question at recent meetings." It is just a year since I became a subscriber to The Horticulturist for the first time. In the future, I should not like to do without the magazine. — L. C. Clarke, Morden Man. WKat Ontario Horticultural Societies are Doing THAT the Toronto Hort'l Society is alive and intends to devote more energy and attention to matters pertaining to the interests of the society, was manifest at the annual meeting, held in St. George's Hall, Toronto, Jan. 9. A large attendance was present, and everyone was filled with ambition and enthusiasm to bring the name of the society more prominently before the public this year than ever before. President H. R. Frankland was re-elected; George Muston was elected 1st v.-pres., and W. G. Rook, 2nd v.-pres. As the president expressed a strong desire that half of the board of directors be ladies, the following board was elected by ballot: Col. Delamere, John Chambers, Wm. Jay, R. J. Score and G. H. Mills, and Mrs. Abbott, Miss Blacklock, Miss Morse and Mrs. Kingdon. progress in peterbofo At the annual meeting of the Peterboro Hort'l Socie ty, held in January, 1905, it was decided to discontinue the annual "Horticul- tural Show," which involved much labor and expense. The annual prizes called for an ex- penditure of about $150, besides other consider- able expenses for hall, music, attendance, cart- age, etc. The entrance fees were trifling, and year after year the bulk of the prizes were taken by the same people. To take the place of the show, and to encourage and cultivate a taste for horticulture, we are now giving shrubs and bulbs, also a year's subscription to some good horticultural paper and prizes for the best' kept lawns and gardens. In 1905 we distributed to our members for the spring 600 tuberous begonias and 1,700 gladioli; and in the fall 5,000 tulips and 700 hyacinths, which, with the subscription to the paper, cost us about $135. We also gave $31 for lawn prizes. We found that the members were much better satisfied, and that our mem- bership increased from about 90 to 115. This year we have given to our members 500 peonies, 1,000 hyacinths and 1,300 daffodils, also the subscription to the paper, at a cost of about $210, and lawn prizes amounting to $31. Our membership has increased to 175. Quite a number of the names were sent in without solicitation. Our lawn prizes are divided into three classes: First, for grounds kept wholly by paid labor; second, for grounds kept partly by paid labor and partly by owner; and third, for grounds where owners do all the work themselves. The prizes are the same in all classes, viz., first prize, $5; second prize, $3; third prize, $2. We might say that in the last case we do not give the prizes to the finest places, but to the ones that we consider have accomplished the best results with the means at their disposal; for example, this year the first prize was given for a back yard, which the year before was [nothing but a bed of tan bark. It had been ransformed into a very pretty flower garden. e second prize was given to a lady who had hanged a gravel bank outside her door into a jbeauty spot admired by all who passed her 'lOme. We feel that next year will see quite a lumber of little plots of ground improved and ade attractive. Our society also takes charge of the two all parks in the centre of the city. We iceive a grant from the county council and one ■om the city. We have a park committee hose duty it is to meet in the spring and de- ide on what class of flowers shall be planted in he different beds, and also as to the improve- [tients to be made during the year. The com- |iiittee calls for tenders from the local florists, ht contract being let to the lowest tenderer. "le florist securing the contract has to supply fhe plants and set them out, and thcv remain 's property, he being allowed to take them on or about the first of October. In this way the florist secures many valuable plants for cutting purposes and the society secures much better price. — W. L. Beal, Sec. THE SOCIETY IN BOWMANVIU-E The annual meeting was held on Jan. 9, with President Jarvis in the chair. In the absence of Secretary Barber, Jas. Gale was appointed to act pro tern. The auditor's report showed the total receipts for the year $232.50, and the expenditure $220.24, leaving a balance on hand of $12.32. The report was received and adopted. As according to the new act relating to horti- cultural societies, one-third of the money must be spent in disseminating literature, it was Mr. Jas. Gale An active member of the Ucwmanville Horticultural •Society is Mr. Jas. Gale, editor of the Bowmanville Ne-us. He was secretary for five years and now is one of the directors. Although a man of business with many duties to perform, he takes grcat'interest in horticulture and in the Bowmanville society. decided to procure a copy of The Canadian Horticulturist for each member for 1907. The election of officers resulted as follows: pres., R. Jarvis; 1st v.-pres., L. A. W. Tole; 2nd v.-pres., Jas. McLean; sec, A. Barber; treas., J. H. Jury; directors, F. Couch, Jas. Gale, J. Hellyar, J. Jeffery, S. Jackman, M. A. James, J. S. Moorcraft, A. Tait, A. S. Tilley; auditors, J. S. Moorcraft and J. A. McClellan. British Columbia Letter C. p. Metcalf, Hammond The weather conditions this month are some- what different from other years. The mercury has been down close to zero for 2 or 3 weeks; but, with considerable snow on the ground as at present, trees, plants, etc., will come through with very little injury. With regard to the planting of fruit trees, it would be difficult to recommend many varieties for planting in all parts of the province. The following, however, are being grown successfully in almost all the fruit growing sections' Apples — Yellow Trans- parent, Duchess, Gravenstein, Wealthy, King, Jonathan, Blenheim Orange, Grime's Golden, and Spy. King David and Delicious have been iiitroduced from the American side and are highly recommended, but as yet nothing definite can be said about them. Yellow Newton Pippin and Spitzenburg are likely to be largely planted in some sections of the upper part of the prov- ince. Plums — English Damson, Bradshaw, Green Gage, Grand Duke, Englebert and Yellow Egg. Of the prunes, the Italian, or Fellenberg, is the most popular, because of its productiveness and shipping qualities. Pears — Bartlett, Beurre Clairgeau, Beurre d'Anjou, Howell, Winter NeUis and Seckle. Sweet cherries — Royal Anne, Windsor, Bing, Lambert, Black Tartarian. Sour cherries — English Morello, Early Rich- mond, May Duke, Montmorency, Olivet. Peaches are being grown extensively in the upper part of the province, but the best varieties are not very well known yet. These are a few of the varieties of fruits that can be grown successfully, but legion is the num- ber that are being grown all over the province. This is one of the serious drawbacks to many of the older orchards. The newer orchards are being planted to only 5 or 6 commercial varieties that are known to succeed in their locality. Of the raspberries, Cuthbert, Marlboro and Northumberland Filbasket yield very well; but Cuthbert gives the best satisfaction through the province. The yellow varieties are not planted except as novelties. The varieties of blackber- ries cultivated vary greatly in the different dis- tricts, and almost all succeed well. Snider, Kittatinny, Erie, Eldorado, Taylor, Lawton, and the Evergreen, or trailer, are among the best. In Strawberries, Excelsior for early crop, Magoon, Paxton and Splendid for local market and Wilson and Warfield for shipping have given the best satisfaction; but there are many new varieties being tried, some of which are very promising. Apples for Quebec At the winter meeting of the Que. Pomo- logical Society, held at Knowlton, on Dec. 19 and 20, 1906, the following resolution was passed: "That, in viewoftheannoyance, disappointment, discouragement and great loss which the fruit growers of the province of Que. have experienced through the planting of trees untrue to name and unsuitable to the province, on account of the tenderness of the tree, the Quebec Pomo- logical Society, which has for its object the advancement of the best interests of the fruit growers of this province, shall publish and have distributed to as many persons as possible a circular containing lists of varieties of fruits ap- proved and recommended by this society; and, furthermore, that the provincial government be asked to bear the expense of such a publication and assist in the distribution of the same." Apples recommended by the Que. Pcmolcgical Society for planting in the province of Que. are: For the district bounded on the east by Three Rivers and Sorel, and from these points west and south throughout the province — Summer, Yellow Transparent, Lowland Raspberry, Duch- ess; autumn, Langford Beauty, St. Lawrence, Wealthy, Alexander; winter, Fameuse, Mc- intosh, Wolf River; late winter, Canada Red, Scott Winter, Golden Russet, Baxter and Milwaukee. For the district from Three Rivers and Sorel to L'IsIet east and south — Summer, Yellow Transparent, Lowland Raspberry, Duchess; autumn. Peach of Montreal, St. Lawrence, Wealthy, Alexander; early winter, Fameuse, Mcintosh, Wolf River; late winter, Scott's Winter, Canada Baldwin, Milwaukee, Baxter. For the extreme north and for counties of Rimouski and Charlevoix, north and east — Summer, Yellow Transparent, Duchess, Charla- mofi'; autumn and winter, Wealthy, Patten, Greening, Hibernal and Longfield ; crabapples. — Whitney, Marlton, Transcendent, Hyslop. The large stock of peach trees recently adver- tised in The Canadian Horticulturist by Stone & Wellington, Toronto, is being. disposed of rapidly. Growers should order now. Nurserymen and Fruit Groovers on Fumigation THE question of fumigating nursery slock is one of increasing importance. San Jose scale is spreading in tlie province of Ontario. It will extend the area of its depredations if adequate steps are not taken to control it. The value of fumigation as a means of doing this is a point upon which there is a diversity of opinion. To learn the conclusions of practical men regarding the mat- ter, The Canadian Horticulturist submitted the following list of questions to leading nursery- men and fruit growers: "Do you consider fumi- gation of nursery stock to be a necessity ? Does it kill all the insects and scale that it is claimed to do? Can you cite instances where it has injured the trees? What do you think of dip- ping the trees in a lime-sulphur wash as a sub- stitute for fumigation?" Here are some of the replies: OPINIONS OF NURSERYMEN "Do I consider fumigation of nursery stock a necessity?" writes E. D. Smith, M.P., Winona, Ont. "If it were not for the excessive cost of an absolutely thorough inspection, I should say the inspection, accompanied by the destruction of all trees on which scales were found, would be more satisfactory to the nurserymen. At any rate, it would to me, as our losses under that system would be nothing. The objection to depending upon that system, however, en- tirely, is that no inspection can be thorough, no matter what the cost. Inspectors have told me that no matter how often they may go over a block of trees, whether it is fruit trees or nursery stock, if scale is there at all they are never sure they have found the last one, and I can well believe this, as it is such an infinites- imally small thing it may be so easily hidden. The objection to fumigation lies chiefly in the delay that it causes in the handling of the trees, making it necessary that they shall be out of the ground greater lengths of time than they would be without it. An exhaustive experiment, con- ducted on my grounds by W. N. Hutt, formerly of the Dept. of Agric, Toronto, convinced me that there is no damage done by fumigation. Mr. Hutt was furnished by me with a large quantity of nursery stock of almost every variety of fruit trees and bushes. Some of these were not fumigated at all. Some were fumigated with the ordinary strength, some with double strength, and some with treble strength. Others were fumigated wet, as it was supposed that the damage was caused by fumigating the stock wet. These trees were planted in a row on my grounds, and the growth watched during the season. In the fall a certain synopsis was made of the results, and it showed that there were no greater losses in one lot than in another. The trees that were fumigated even vrith treble strength, and those that were fumigated wet showed no greater percentage of loss than those that were not fumigated at all. Consequently, although I was a firm be- liever up to that time that fumigation was disastrous, I could not but conclude that fumi- gation did no damage to the trees of itself. Nevertheless, we have had very much greater losses since fumigation started than before, and I can only account for it on the assumption that the trees were damaged by the greater length of time they are obliged to be out of the ground." "As to dipping the trees in lime and sulphur •wash," continued Mr. Smith, "it would be out of the question. The quantities that are handled and the disagreeable nature of the operation •would make it impossible. I have often thought that something of that nature might be done, dipping in whale-oil soap, for instance. I am not sure whether this would damage the roots or not. If it would not damage the roots, a whole load of trees might in some mechanical manner be lowered into a large vat, and, after becoming saturated, lifted and allowed to drain. Experiments would first have to be made as to whether these solutions would damage the roots or not. If so, then this method would be impracticable, and every tree would have to be taken by the roots and dipped individually, which would be too expensive and too nasty an operation." C. W. F. Carpenter, Winona, Ont.: "The fumigation of nursery stock is a decided benefit to the trees in the eradication of the San Jose Scale or other scales, I cannot say definitely that it will kill every single scale, as I have not personally made any tests along this line. I do not think it necessary where there is not any scale in a radius of several miles of nursery stock, to have same fumigated, especially when in- spectors have gone over the stock and pro- noimced it free from scale. There is no doubt, however, that fumigation is a thorough insecti- cide. The only stock that fumigation will in- jure are peaches and cherries, which in the last few years, since fumigation has been in force, have been injured from said procedure. It is almost impossible, especially in the case of sweet cherries, to get them fumigated in the spring in a perfectly dormant condition, as the buds of this stock swell very early. This is where the danger lies in fumigation. If trees are in a proper condition and perfectly dormant, there is not the slightest injury done to them, but a decided benefit, as it frees the tree from insects. Dipping trees in sulphur solution is almost out of the question from a nurseryman's standpoint. It would be possible for the planter to do this; but where we handle tens of thousands of trees yearly it would be impossible." Joseph Tweedle, Fruitland, Ont.: "Fumi- gation does pretty thorough work, but the fumigated trees make a very feeble start into growth. I planted fumigated peach trees last spring, and they did not start to bud for 6 weeks to 3 months, although they were in an excellent condition when planted. I pointed this out to the nurseryman who paid me a visit in midsummer and examined my trees. He said he was very dissatisfied, as it was the general complaint; and he thought with myself that dipping with lime and sulphur is much better for the health of the trees, as this treat- ment has been so effectual in the orchard. It would be a wise move if the Government would legislate to make the change, or at least give us an option to use either method we might choose. I much prefer to use the lime and sulphur as a substitute for fumigation, it being just as effectual and much safer for the trees." A. G. Hull & Son, St. Catharines, Ont. : "Fumi- gation of nursery stock is a wise precaution. It is effective when thoroughly done. No injury is done to apple, pear or plum trees, but cherry, peach and ornamentals are more or less injured when so treated. There is a difference of opin- ion, however, regarding the question. Some planters prefer stock that has not been fumi- gated. Dipping the trees in the lime-sulphur wash would be the surest and safest method. It would cover every doubt," Morris & Wellington, Fonthill, Ont. : " Dipping trees in lime and sulphur wash would not be practicable for large nurserymen, as the short season for handling large quantities of stock would not give them time to perform the work thoroughly. Fumigating would, perhaps, injure peaches and other stock with tender roots, if applied full strength. To avoid this, we fumi- gate such stock in our frost-proof cellars during the winter, while the roots of the trees are heeled in the soil In this way we have not noticed any injurious effects from fumigating." Brown Brothers Company, Ltd., Browns' Nurseries, Ont.; "There can be no doubt as to the necessity for fumigation where scale or other pests actually exist; but there is a great amount of work done in this line where there was not even a suspicion of a scale. There is no way of determining absolutely beforehand whether or not the work is necessary. Fumi- gation of stock coming from the States, which has already been fumigated and is so certified by certificate on the package or car, should be prevented. Could not provision be made for the acceptance of authentic foreign certificates of fumigation? "Certain classes of stock are much more sus- ceptible to injury by fumigation than others; but it is difficult to see how the dose can be adjusted to suit certain stocks. Dipping trees in lime-sulphur wash seems to be an entirely impractible process, especially where many thousands of trees are handled. It would be extremely disagreeable and dirty, on account of the nature of the mixture, and it would be difficult to procure men for such work, even if it were practicable. The present process, aside from possible damage to stock, is the most thorough, effective and expeditious." WHAT FRUIT GROWERS SAY A. O. Telfer, Ilderton, Ont.: "Fumigation of nursery stock should be certain death to all insects. The lime-sulphur wash might be safer but not as sure a remedy." W. H. MacNeil, Oakville, Ont.: "I am of the opinion that dipping trees in the lime-sulphur wash to kill insects would also kill the buds." Milton Backus, Chatham, Ont.: "For several years I have imported young stock from New Jersey, and its vitality has been badly injured by fumigation. Coming from there it gets fumigated twice. By the best American author- ities the practice is considered injurious to young stock in particular. Dipping the trees in the lime-sulphur is preferable." C. M. Honsberger, Jordan Station, Ont.: "Fumigation does not do all that is claimed for it, except at the risk of killing the trees or plants so treated. My opinion is that dipping in lime and sulphur before the trees are pre- pared for planting is preferable to fumigation " F. S. Wallbridge, Belleville, Ont.: "The fumi- gation of nursery stock is more a question for chemical experts than for fruit growers. Fumi- gation can be, and sometimes is, overdone, the stock being subjected to a longer fumigation, with probably a greater quantity of fumigating material than should be the case. There would be no bad results from fumigation if it were done carefully and properly, but the danger is that it may not be attended to in that way. Fortunately we are not troubled with the San Jose Scale in this locality, and we do not know what effect fumigation has upon the scale. Dipping the trees in a lime and sulphur mixture is, I believe, far preferable to fumigation. The danger from the lime and sulphur is practically nil, and it certainly has a cleansing effect upon the trees. If the experts at the Experimental Farm consider it ju,st as effective for the scale, it should be adopted without hesitation in lieu of the fumigation." Geo. E. Fisher, Burlington, Ont.: "Fumiga- tion is more reliable for destroying insect life than any other treatment. While it is not an absolute necessity, except with the San Jose Scale, it is always desirable if carefully con- ducted. No animal life can resist an exposure of 40 minutes in a gas-proof compartment containing gas from one-quarter of a gramme of cyanide of potash to each cubic foot enclose (i at which strength it is used in fumigatiii',; nursery stock. It is questionable, however, if the gas has any effect upon eggs. The propor- tions and quality of chemicals recommended by the Dept. of Agric. will give satisfactory T 11 E C A i\ A D 1 A X HORTICULTURIST 47 results if properly used. I have handled and planted trees which appeared to have been injured by fumigation. I have observed plum trees of bearing size in the orchard which were infested and fumigated during the fall, leafing out a w-eek or ten days later than similar trees standing in the same orchard which were not so treated; but there was no permanent injury. All trees resist treatment better in the spring than in the fall, I think, however, that in nursery stock furfiigation much of the injury attributed to the gas belongs to unnecessary delay in getting the roots under cover. No pains are taken to hasten the work, and the tender rootlets are left exposed to the sun and wind until there is little chance for recovery. As the San Jose Scale is frequently found on the base of the trunk and larger roots, it would not be practicable to destroy it by immersion without putting the whole tree, roots and top, into the lime and sulphur mixture. This would be more trying to the fibrous roots than exposure to gas." Cooperative Experiments in Vegetables THE following is a portion of the report of the committee appointed by the Ont. Veg. Grs. Assn., at the request of the Ont. Agric'l and Exp'l Union, to attend the meeting of the union held last Dec. in Guelph. This report will be presented to the bd. of direc- tors of the O.V.G.A, It is published to give members of the assn. an opportunity to consider the suggestions made. The report, in part, is as follows: "At a meeting of the Ont. Veg. Grs. Assn., held in Toronto previous to the convention in Nov., a communication was read from Geo. A. Robertson, pres. of the Ont. Agri'l and Exp'l Union, asking that some of our members attend the annual meeting at Guelph with a view to possible cooperation. At the convention, the directors appointed a committee for the purpose composed of Pres. F. F. Reeves, Humber Bay, W. A. McCalla, St. Catharines, T, Delworth, Weston, and J. Lewis, Hamilton. Messrs. Reeves and Delworth attended the experimental union meeting on Dec. 10 and 11; the other members of the committee were unable to be present. During the sessions of the union, there appeared t to be a misapprehension regarding the position of the delegates from the O.V.G.A. Some mem- bers, apparently, wished to give the impression that the O.V.G.A. had applied to the union to assist the vegetable growers in experimental work. This was not so. The union appointed a committee to meet with Messrs. Reeves and Delworth with a view to considering what could be done. The commit- tee comprised Prof. Hutt, and Messrs Holter- man and McMeans. This committee asked the vegetable men to suggest lines of work that could be carried on. The delegates told them that their visit was only in response to the inivtation of the president of the union and that they had no instructions from the directors of the O.V.G.A. regarding the lines of work that the association would like to have undertaken. The delegates suggested, however, that it would be profitable to take up variety tests with the following vegetables: Carrots, beets and beans. This did not meet with the approval of Prof. Hutt, who claimed that they had no ground work on which to base such experiments. He claimed that it would take 3 or 4 years' experi- mental work at Guelph to gain the necessary information. The vegetable men were of the opinion that if variety tests are of any value, practical growers could easily give the informa- tion regarding standard commercial varieties that could be tested against the novelties that are disseminated by reliable dealers. "The question was raised by Mr. Holterman as to whether or not the vegetable men would be dealt with as an association or as individuals in the event of the union taking up cooperative experiments. Prof. Hutt replied that the only wa}' he could treat with the vegetable growers would be as individuals. He said that when the experiments were decided upon, (which might or might not be those suggested by the growers), they could, if they wished, take part as experi- menters, with the understanding that they should report results to the experimental union. It appeared to the delegates that the experiments would not be conducted with a view to their usefulness to the growers, and that those in charge of theirdirections do not appear to have any pract- tical knowledge of the needs of the commercial vegetable grower.'Theyfelt,also,thatwere experi- ments conducted by the growers on' lines suitable to the union, it would simply place the O.V.G.A. in the position of a feeder for the union. Experi- ments sent out, as intimated by the union com- mittee, would be of no material benefit to pract- ical growers. The delegates, therefore, told the committee that they thought that the commer- cial grower would take very little interest in the experiments," A PL.^N OP WORK The report, in conclusion, suggested that the O.V,G,A, outline and conduct a series of ex- I- Carolina Poplar ^ This tree can be recommended for growing in city or country; it thrives equally well on sandy or heavy soils, and it is a vigorous grower under con- ditions which would kill most trees. For shade, windbreaks, or ornamental uses it is unsurpassed. Send for our illustrated pamphlet, giving full information of this useful tree. if if We are now booking orders for sizes 6 to 8 feet. 1 . .1 J J •'^OjjfiMaBHHIRI^^HHm^ F.. D. SMITH The Helderleigh Nurseries Winona, Ontario WE HAVE A FEW VACANCIES ON OUR STAFF FOR AGENTS OF UNQUESTIONABLE ABILITY AND HONESTY Mention The Canadian Hcirticulturjst when writing 48 1 H E CANADIAN H O R T 1 C L L T IJ R 1 S T periments by itself. Its recommendations are as follows: "That, inasmuch as no way seems to be open to make the work of the experimental union of more value to vegetable growers, that this ass'n. take such steps as may be necessary to conduct a series of exijeriments in vegetable growing among its own members, and that the direction of such shall be under the management and sujiervision of the board of directors." The following resolution is submitted in the report to serve as a basis upon which to outline the work: "That each local branch be requested to appoint from among its members one or more persons — the number to depend upon the mem- ijership — to conduct experiments for that dis- trict. Each experimenter to be supplied by the assn. With the necessary seed or fertilizers, or both as the case may be, and paid a sum, to be decided upon, for conducting the experiments and for sending a written report of same to the sec. of the assn." The report suggests also that about 15 experimenters would cover the field for the 10 local branches of the assn., to be distributed as follows: Ottawa, Kingston, Toronto, Hamilton, St. Catharines, Brantford, Chatham, Sarnia, Tecumseh, and Scotland. It is suggested, also, that, if funds will permit, some competent person should be appointed to visit these experimental plots at some time during the season to inspect them and to send in a written report of their condition." with directions for combatting them. Send for a copy of this interesting book. — Address Manager Book Dept., The Canadian Horticulturist, Toronto. The successful grower is he who is continually looking forward. Are you contemplating pur- chasing new supplies this year? Don't forget to first get the large, liljeral catalogs our ad vertisers are so glad to send you. The differ ence in the price of the articles advertised in this paper, and what you will buy from your local dealers, will save you, often, a tidy little sum. Be sure and mention The Horticultur- ist, as this insures the protection of our Protect- ive Policy, as outlined on the editorial page. An excellent little book entitled "Spraying for Profit," by Howard Evarts Weed, is offered for sale by the Horticultural PubHshing Co., for the small sum of 15 cents. It should be in the hands of all fruit growers and gardeners. Practical information is given regarding fungous diseases and insects. The materials used in spraying, as well as spray pumps and outfits, are dealt with in a manner that will be welcomed by practical men. A large part of the book is devoted to a summary of the leading pests of fruit trees, vegetables and ornamental plants SEND FOR OUR CATAT.OGUE High-Grade Seeds, Plants, ' Tools, Poultry Supplies, Floral Work It contains everything of the new- est and best for the Farmer, the Market Gardener and the Amateur GRAHAM BROTHERS 53 CSb 55 Sparks Street OTTAWA The Latest Novelties in Sweet Peas Mention The Canadian Horticulturist when writing Dominion Line ROYAL MAIL STEAMSHIPS Portland to Liveipool *DOMINION . . . . Feb. 2nd CORNISHMAN ti 9th ♦CANADA . . , , n 16th NORSEMAN . , tt 23rd ♦SOUTHWARK . . . . Mar 2nd ♦These Steamers carry all classes of passengers Portland to Bristol (Avonmouth Dock) ENGLISHMAN .... Feb. 7th TURCOMAN "21st MANXMAN Mar. 7th ENGLISHMAN .... " 2Ist Favorite steamers for all kinds of perishable cargo having fan ventilation, cold storage, and cool air chamber. G. W. TORRANCE M. A. OVEREND 28 Wellington St. E., TORONTO DOMINION LINE -PORTLAND, Maine. Mention The Canadian Horticixlturist when writing. EWING'S RELIABLE SEEDS And Everything for GARDEN, GREENHOUSE, FARM AND LAWN One cannot tell much about seeds' reliability by their appearance. " The Harvest Test is the Only Test." EWING'S SUPERIOR SEEDS Are the result of many years of careful selec- tion, and in the ground they can be relied upon to produce bigger and better crops. Thousands of planters all over Canada can vouch for this fact. COur 1907 Catalogue is more complete than ever and we want to mail you one. Send along your address. WILLIAM EWING & CO SEEDSMEN 142-146 McGill Street, Montreal Mention The Canadian Horticulturist when writing THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST 49 Opinions on tKe Tariff The following letters on the new tariff were received by The Canadian Horticulturist too late for publication in the last issue. A. W. Peart, of Burlington, Ont., wrote as follows: "In 1904, the value of fresh fruits such as are grown in Canada, imported from the U.S., was $446,474. For the same year the value of fresh fruits exported from Canada to the States was $171,368. In other words the balance of trade in fresh fruits was against Canada, .$275,106. The new tariff in fruits is practically the same as the old. Pears, instead of an ad val. duty of 20%, are now J^ct. a lb. Plums are now 20c. a bu. instead of 2.5% ad val. I think that these changes will be to the advantage of the fruit grower here, as they do away with any temptation to undervalue. "So far as competition in our early markets is concerned, we are in no better position. The later grown American strawberries, for example, will meet and displace our early berries in our own markets until the export margin of profit is wiped out by a failing market. "In 1904 w'e also imported 816,000 bunches of bananas, valued at $809,084. This fruit must in a measure displace the consumption of our native fruits, especially our early pears. It is a question whether the time has not come to place a duty, say, of 10c. a bunch, on bananas. " E. D. Smith, M.P., Winona, Ont.: "The 38 Leading Varieties of STRAWBERRY and CANE BERRY PLANTS 7 Varieties SEED POTATOES Illustrated Catalogue Free JOHN DOWNHAM, Strathroy duties are practically the same as before, with 1 or 2 exceptions. Pears, instead of an ad valorem duty of 20%, are now covered by a specific duty of J^ ct. a lb. Plums, which were formerly brought in under an ad valorem duty of 25%, are now changed to 30 cts. a bu. Both of these changes are a serious blow to the fruit growing industry of Ont., and will no doubt stimulate trade with California fruits, particu- larly with plums. The fruit growers ask for a specific duty of Ic. a lb., which is low enough." This letter was received recently from Robt. Thompson, St. Catharines: "In reply to your question as to what the fruit growers in this section thought of the action of the Michigan Hort'l Society, asking for a committee of growers to meet them and talk over reciprocity in fruit, I would say that while the general tariff policy of Canada is as it appears now to be, fixed for some years to come, the fruit growers would be very foolish to go into reciprocity with the U.S., unless they received advantages that do not now appear to be forthcoming, or unless other lines of industry would be included. At present baskets are protected to the extent of 25%, basket fasteners the same, and, in almost every line, their raw material is taxed. At the same time, they believe that the Ont. Fruit Growers' Assn. acted wisely in agreeing to meet their advances in a friendly spirit, and in appointing a committee to meet and discuss the situation. This was the only dignified and courteous course to pursue. The growers around St. Catharines were surprised to see the attitude and action taken by the Grimsby growers in discussing and taking action on a matter on which they only had an incorrect report taken from the newspapers. Had they waited and enquired from the proper official source, they would have found the motion to have been passed unanimously and perfectly justifiable too in the mind of every reasonable grower." The following letter was recently received by W. H. Brand of Jordan Station, Ont., who advertises on another page, Wallace sprayers. "Target Brand" scale destroyer and Keewanee water systems: "I purchased a Wallace Power Sprayer last spring for the Lincoln Co. Indus- trial Home. It works perfectly on trees, grape vines, potatoes and so on. I consider it the best all-round sprayer on the market to-day," — A. N. Zimmerman, Inspector, Industrial Home, Jordan, Ont. THE WILLIAMS STRAWBERRY TKe Great Commercial Stra-wberry of tKe Niagara District It is quite safe to .'say that more Williams Strawberries are grown in the Niagara District than all other varieties combined. It is certainly the kind for best results over a wide range of territory and adapts itself to a variety of soils. Be sure and get plants of strong vitality and true to name. I am now booking orders for Spring ship- ment at $1.00 per 1,000, 50c. per 100. Can also supply limited quantities of other standard sorts at reasonable rates. THE CARLETON FRUIT FARM ■WM. H. BUNTING ST. CATHARINES, ONT. Mention The Canadian Horticulturist when writing EXPERIMENT Get the habit of ordering Trees, Omamentals Skrubs, Roses Small Fruit Plants etc. Direct from the Central Nursery We have been shipping our goods to sat- isfied customers for 26 years, and why? Because they get good thrifty well-grown stock that grows true to name and O.K. Cut out the middle men's profit. Mail your next order, or write for prices direct to us for profit and satisfaction. P.S. — / might say that those 1,450 trees I got from you last spring did EXTRA well. — D. T. White A. G. Hull & Son ST. CATHARINES, ONTARIO Mention The Canadian Horticulturist when writing Bruce's Re^al Seedsand Plants RENOWNED FOR THEIR RELIA- BILITY SINCE THE ESTABLISH- MENT OF THIS BUSINESS IN 1850 ADMIRAL POPPY (Papaver Paeoniflorum) ^This new single paeony-flower- ed Poppy is of surprising beauty. It is characterized by large round cAdmiral Poppy smooth-edged flowers of glisten- ing pure wliite, with a broad band of brilliant scarlet around the top, occupying a full quarter of the corolla. These two colors form an extremely telling contrast, similar to that seen in the variety Danebrog. Planted in groups my new Admiral Poppy, which comes nearly true from seed, produces a magnificent effect. Packet, 15c. ASTER, QUEEN OF SPAIN ^This new variety of Giant Comet Aster is a beautiful primrose, turn- ing to blush color, and quite equal to the Victoria Aster, Miss Roose- velt, which caused such a sensation in the floral world by its unique and delicate color. The Queen of Spain is most valuable on ac- count of its color and for cutting purposes. Packet, 20c. NOW READY, OUR HANDSOME 06 PAGE CATALOGUE OF SEEDS, PLANTS, BULBS, POULTRY SUPPLIES, GARDEN IMPLEMENTS, ETC. SEND FOR IT. FRBE. John A. Bruce & Co., Hamilton, Ont. SEED MERCHANTS ESTABLISHED 1850 Mciiticin Tlie Canadian Horticulturist when writing 60 THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST i POULTRY DEPT. i % Oonducted by T^ J S. SKort, Otta-wa ^ While, perhaps, rather early to begin hatching operations, it is not too soon to think over and plan the methods to be used in breeding in the coming spring. The hatching season is the most important time of the year to all inter- ested in poultry. The veteran fancier has his pens mated up, and is looking forward to hatching and rearing stock that will win the highest honors in the show-room and thereby prove the owner's skill and judgment as a breeder. The beginner also looks around with a view to starting into the poultry business, his main idea being to hatch a large number of chickens. In fact, in a month or two, all of us will want lots of chicks, and the problem is how to get them with the least trouble and expense. The solution of that problem is this: Get an incubator. P'^"^ INCUBATION UpTto last year experts agreed that if over 100 chicks were to be hatched an incubator should be used; if under that number, hens would be the most satisfactory. I have now no hesitation in saying that if 50 chicks are to beJhatched.T thejincubator is the better method for many reasons. Incubators are now made so perfectly that eggs that will hatch under a hen will hatch in the incubator. The machine can be kept in the basement or in an unused attic, or in any room free from draughts and excessive cold. Of course, the colder the room, the more oil will be used to keep the temperature up. With all machines, the fullest and most complete directions are sent; and it is not unusual for beginners to have larger hatches than others, simply from the fact that they follow the printed directions more carefully than those who, by having ex- perience, feel that they fully understand the care of the machine. There is one point that I have heard several experts agree upon: on the last day of hatching the temperature should be 104, or even 105 degrees, rather than 103, which is the tempera- ture recommended by most manufacturers. The chief complaint against the incubator is that too great a percentage of chicks die in the shell the last day. By raising the temperature to 104 better hatches have resulted. The only smell from the machine is from the lamp, which can be almost entirely overcome by trimming frequently and using the best oil. ^ t- F * THE SITTING HEN "^ ' f The most aggravating and sometimes one of the dirtiest of creatures is the sitting hen. When hens are used for hatching they need a pen all to themselves. They have to be coaxed to sit in any place but that to which they are m Let Me Sen You a Chatham Incubator n Time Do you know there is big money in raising poultry? Do you know there is more money in running a good incubator than in almost anything else you can do for the amount of time and trouble it takes? Do you know my incubator will pay you a bigger profit than any other thing you can have on your place? Well, all these things are true, and I can prove it. Thousands of people all over Canada have proved it every year for the last five years. I want to quote you a price on my Chatham Incubator, — sold ON TIME. I want to send you my Chatham book. > This incubator book is free — I'll send it to you for just a postal card. It tells you a lot you ought to know about the Poultry business — it tells you how to make money out of chickens— it tells you how my Chatham Incubator will make .) you more money than you can make with hens — far more, and with less trouble. This book tells you how my Incubators are made— why they are the best ever invented — and why I sell them ON TIME and on a 5-Year Guarantee. My Company has been in business in Canada for over 50 years. We are one of the largest wood-working factories in the country. We also operate a large factory at Detroit, Mich. We have the In- cubator and Brooder business down to a science. Chatham Incubators and Brooders will make you money, for a Chatham Incubator will hatch a live, healthy chicken out of every fertile egg put into it, in 21 days. Will you write for my book today? Do it now while you think of it. Just say on a postal "Please send me your Incubator Book" — that's all. Address me personally. Manson Campbell President The Manson Campbell Co., Ltd. Dept. F59 , Chatham, Onl. NOTE — I carry large stocks and ship promptlyfrom branch houses at Caleary, Alta.. Montreal, Que.; Bran don. Man.; Halifax, N. S, Victoria. B. C, and factory at Chatham. m^.! accustomed. If they do not break an egg or foul their nests, it is the exception, not the rule ; and there is no more disagreeable or dis- gusting work than to have to wash the eggs and prepare a clean nest. After the chicks are hatched, the mother frequently kills from one to three by stepping on them in the nest. If vermin destroyer has not been used freely during the time of sitting, the chicks are in- fested with lice from the mother and have to be carefully treated for that pest or they will not thrive. Some hens sit on their eggs for 10 days or so and then desert them. All this can be avoided by using an incubator. Perhaps a word of advice as to where to buy the machine may not be out of place. Of course there are a great many incubators of different makes on the market, both Canadian and American, and all claiming special merits. There may be poultry keepers in your neigh- borhood who are using incubators, and it might be best to profit by their advice; but I know quite a number that have ordered machines from American firms, direct from the makers, and invariably they (the buyers) have had to wait an unnecessarily long time before getting their machine, especially if ordered during the hatching season. The machine is usually ship- ped by freight, so that time will be saved by buying in Canada and near home, where you can reach the makers by mail in a day and get just as good an article. You also have the satisfaction of patronizing home industry. Just a word to intending purchasers. Breed- ers at this season are glad to dispose of their ,siu-plus stock at fair prices, which means that good birds can be bought now for about half the price of what they will cost next March. BooKs that Interest It is interesting to note the manner in which the readers of The Canadian Horticulturist take advantage of our book department. Sub- scribers who want to establish a small, but prac- tical, library for themselves are securing com- plete sets of books on their particular hobby. Many of our readers, however, already pos- sess comfortable libraries. These are adding complete departments to their library by secur- ing books on horticultural subjects listed in our catalog. If you are a member of a horticultural society it is to your advantage that you have books on your reading table that treat gardening and floral matters in a sound, practical manner. Such books as "Hedges, Windbreaks, Shelters and Live Fences," 50 cents; "Home Flori- culture," $1.00; "Garden Making," $1.00; "Plant Culture," $1.00; "The Window Flower Garden," 50 cents, and similar works should be in the homes of every gardener and flower lover. Fruit growers would find the following books indispensable if once they obtained them: "Fruit Harvesting, Storing, Marketing, etc.," $1.00; "Principles of Fruit Growing," $1,25; "Successful Fruit Culture," $1.00. These are but a few of the valuable books we have listed in our free catalog. Send for it. We will send any of the above books on receipt of price. Crei^hton Poullry Yards High Grade Stock possessinjj utility and exhibition qualities Barred Plymoutli Rocks and White Wyandottes Cockerels of eitlier breed, $2.00 each S. SHORT, Prop. OTTAWA, ONT. M.'iiticiii Tl[.> Caiiiii'tirultiiri«l wln'ii wrilint; THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST 51 John B. Smitli &■ Sons Limited Cor. Strachan and Wellington Aves. TORONTO I I ^— 1 I Manufac JoiBSra^SoNS. LIMITED. TORONTO SASH BAR & ALL WOODWORK. FOR GREENHOUSE CONSTRUCTION/ Manufacturer! . . of . . LUMBER LATH SHINGLES DOORS SASH BLnros SILOS, ETC. Clear Cypress for Greenhouse ^ ork Mention Thg Canadian Horticulturist when writing More Than a Salary To increase our circulation we will allow a commission on all new subscriptions obtained to The Canadian Horticulturist which in the aggregate will average up to a very comfortable sum. The work is pleasant be- cause you are your own employee, have your own hours, and in fact are in business for yourself. To such as become connected with us we have an excep- tionally good offer to make. Write for particulars now. CIRCULATION MANAGER The Canadian Horticulturist 506-7-8 Manning Chambers TORONTO Ne-w Catalogs The new catalog and circulars for 1907 being sent out by Wm. Rennie Co., Ltd., Toronto, give evidence that this enterpris- ing firm still keeps up to its high standard of excellence. This company now has branches in Montreal, Winnipeg, and Vancouver, and so is in a position to fill, quickly and satisfactorily, orders from all over the Dominion. The cata- log contains a complete list, with illustrations, of seeds, plants, bulbs, shrubs, etc., for the farmer, gardener and florist, besides tools and poultry supplies. The safe arrival of all pack- ages ordered is guaranteed. A list of gardeners seeking positions is kept, enabling this firm to fill many vacant situations. This catalog should be secured. Msiry -t^^ ^ The catalog recently published by John A. Bruce & Co., Toronto, should be in the hands of every agriculturist in Canada. It contains nearly everything of value to those engaged in agricultural and horticultural pursuits. New varieties and novelties are treated of conserva- tively. Connection is held with the best growers and the greatest ease is exercised in the selection of stock. This company has been in existence over 50 years, and it has acquired a reputation for honesty and reliability that deserves well of the pubUc. The well-known stock handled by the Steele, Briggs Seed Co., Toronto, is fully described and illustrated in their new catalog. Seeds, plants, bulbs, everything grown from the soil, are enumerated for the benefit of the grower. At the recent Ont. Hort'l Exhibition in 52 classes of vegetables, 143 prizes went to the products of Steele, Briggs' seeds. This is a noteworthy victory in an open competition. The public are cordially invited to visit their establishment and make a personal inspection of the care taken to maintain the highest standard of quality. A special western edition of their catalog has been published giving much information regard- ing garden crops in the prairie west. FOR SALE AND WANT ADVERTISEMENTS Advertisements under this heading inserted at rate of one cent a word for each insertion, each figure, sign or sinele letter to count as one word, minimiim cost, 25 cents, strictly cash in advance. I ANDSCAPE GARDENING —Plans drawn to scale for laying out and planting parks, cemeteries, public or private grounds. Work supervised. C. Ernest Woolverton, landscape architect, Grimsby. DE INDEPENDENT— We have a proposition '-' that will appeal to all men interested in horti- culture and who wish to be their own employees. Write immediately. — The Canadian Horti- cin.TtnusT, 506-7-8 Manning Chambers, Toronto. NO MORE BLIND HORSES £l„«ffi5^..?r/S Sore Eyes, BAKRY CO.. Iowa Cltj, Iow«. hayo a cure. IF YOU HAVE APPLES OR POULTRY TO CONSIGN we can handle them for you to advantage. If apples are in car lots, write) us and we can sell them for you f.o.b. your station THE DAWSON COMMISSION CO. Cor. West Market and Colbome St. TORONTO ONTARIO TXTouldn't You Like to ^ ^ Grow Some of the Old English Flowers in your Canadian Garden IF SO SUTTON & SONS READING - ENGLAND can supply you with varieties that are easily raised from seed, viz. — SUTTON'S Asters $2.50 Collection of 11 varieties Stocks, Ten-week . . 1.00 Collection of 5 varieties Primulas 2.50 Collection of 6 varieties Pansies 75 Collection of 6 varieties Nasturtium, tall or dwarf .50 Collection of 6 varieties Balsams 1.00 Collection of 6 varieties Zinnias 75 Collection of 6 varieties Poppies, annual . . . 1.50 Collection of 12 varieties Sunflowers .... .50 Collection of 6 varieties Marigolds 75 Collection of 6 varieties Godetias 75 Collection of 6 varieties Clarkias ...... .50 Collection of 8 varieties Chrysanthemums, annual .75 Collection of 9 varieties FLOWER SEEDS VALUE tZM MAILED FREE TO CANADA Sutton & Sons Reading, England Menti on The Hcrticuhurist when writing 62 THE CANADIAN H O RT I C U LT O E I ST Windsor'* Salt The Salt-Royal of all Saltdom. Each tiny crystal perfect — all its natural strength retained. For cooking — for the table — for butter and cheese. Pure — dry ■ — delicious — evenly dissolv- ing. At all grocers' — bags or barrels. Gladiolus Bulbs Groff's World's Fair Collection Groff's Pan-Am. Ex. Collection Gron'g New Named Varieties Also America, Princeps and others CAN N AS, a large stock of the best varieties DAHLIAS, many kinds. Write for Catalogue. John A. Campbell, Simcoe, Ont. One of the neatest and best prepared catalogs that reaches our office each year is that of Stone & Wellington, Fonthill Nurseries. The one for 1907 is now being published and will be replete with lists and descriptions of varieties of fruit trees, shrubs and ornamental plants. Of par- ticular interest will be the extensive descriptions of varieties and the directions for planting and cultivation. The Fonthill Nurseries are well known and reliable. Readers of The Canadian Horticulturist should have copies of their catalog. The catalog that is issued by the Helderleigh Nurseries is always well gotten up. It contains descriptive lists of all the varieties of fruits that are worth growing in this country. As a large commercial fruit plantation is operated in connection with the nurseries, an excellent op- portunity is afforded for testing the worth of new varieties before they are offered for general distribution. In the ornamental department of the catalog are listed the leading species and varieties of deciduous trees, evergreens, decidu- ous, climbing and evergreen shrubs, roses and hedge plants. The Central Nurseries of A. G. Hull & Son, St. Catharines, Ont,, have issued their annual catalog, presenting and describing their stock of trees, shrubs, roses, vines, etc. Situated where they are, these nurseries have all natural advantages in the growing of choice stock. Special attention is given to the supplying of hardy trees and plants that grow and do well in the west. Those interested should at once secure a catalog. The catalog of the Buchanan Nursery Co., St, Charles, Man., has arrived at our office. It contains a comprehensive list of fruit, forest and ornamental trees, small fruits, shrubs, roses, perennial flowers and so forth. This company has proven that nursery stock can be grown Wcntworth Pottery Standard Flower l^otR, F'ern Pans, Hanging- Baskets, (J^nt Flower Jar8 and all FloristK' Supplies. Mail orders given prompt attention. JOHN CRANSTON & SON, Hamilton, Can. Mention The Canadian Horticulturist, ^eNT WORTH John'granstom & SON DOMINION NURSERIES k.2^^ * ESTABLISHED 1850 Fruit and Ornamental Trees Shrubs and Vines WE HAVE NO AGENTS ! WE SELL DIRECT ! Catalogue for 1907, just out, mailed on application The Smith & Reed Co., ST. CATHARINES ONTARIO You Want First -Class Peach Trees CANADIAN GROWN AT REASONABLE PRICES WE HAVE THEM -WRITE FOR CATALOGUE AND PRICE LIST ^We grow a general line of fruit and ornamental stock and guarantee delivery in first-class condition. j* J* >i* Pelham Nursery Company Nurseries — Pelham Township Offices — 49 Wellington Street Ea^, Toronto, Ontario iS" Please Address all Correspondence to Our Offices Mention The Canadian Horticulturist when writing SEEDS Producing the most satisfactory results in the harvest ARE WHAT WE SELL Our Vegetable Seeds are grown from selected stocks and are used by the most crit- ical Gardeners and Truckers in this Country. Our Flower Seeds are noted for their striking colors and large bloom. Sutton's Specialties Always on hand. Descriptive Illustrated Cataloeue Mailed Free on t/Application DUPUY & FERGUSON 38 Jacques Cartier Sq., Montreal Mention The Canadian Horticulturist when writing THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST 53 GREGOSYS p SBBDS ' ^B m^ ^B Hi <~>"r catalog is rich with t^J 1 1 inli.rinaiion fur the V W\ ^ p guidance of f armera I m hi ^B ^"esr of the old standard and such new kinds as have proved _ F,OBt. Small Fruit Plants GOOSEBERRY. Red, White— CURRANTS. Red, White. Black— RASPBERRY, Red, Yel- low—BLACKBERRIES— STRAWBERRY- RASPBERRY— GRAPEVINES, Camp- bell's Early, Eaton, Wordeii, Moore's Early. Salem , etc. , all hardy sorts— ST R AWB E R R Y PLANTS— HOUSE PLANTS — ROSES — RHUBARB AND ASPARAGUS ROOTS : ORDER EARLY = WILLIAM FLEMING NURSERYMAN P.O. Box 34- O-viren Sound, Ontario Mention The Canadian Horticulturist when writing Strawberries -'CARDINAL' New— Cardinal, Three Ws, Mead, Minute- man, Chesapeake, Virginia. Older Sorts — Splendid, Parson's Beauty, Ruby, Fountain. And 100 otiiers from }Oung beds at right prices. E. B. Stevenson, Ponsonby, P.O.. Ont, Norway Spruce Kor La-wn Trees* Hedl^es and 'WindbreaKs A large stock of all sizes from 12 inches to 6 feet by dozen, hundred or thousand. Price list upon application. Campbell Bros. Simcoe, Ont. North em irown T rees Apple, Pear. Plum, Cherry, Peach, Nut and Or- namental Trees. Small Fruits, Roses, Shrubs, cheap. Specialties: Wismer's Dessert Apple and Mammoth Prolific Dewberry. Send for free Catalogue — it tells the whole story. NURSERYMAN PORT ELGIN. ONT. J. H. WISMER. Spraying for Profit By HCWARD EVARTS WEED, M.S. A practical hand-book describing the best methods for suppressing the more common injurious insects and fungous diseases. This book should be in the hands of every fruit man and jjardener. It is well worth the price of 15c. a copy. Send for it now, and ask for a copy of our free book catalog. Canadian Horticulturist 506-7-8 Manning Chambers Toronto Grow Them" is the title of a handsome book just received. It is published by the R. M. Kellogg Co., the famous growers of high grade strawberry plants of Three Rivers, Mich. The book tells you just what and how and when to do everything from the time plants are set until the berries are marketed, and how to handle the plants to make them produce larger crops the second year than they did the first. It also teaches you how to improve plants by selection. The book is handsomely printed, and is a veri- table picture book. Everybody interested in strawberry culture, either for market or family use, should have it. vSend for a copy of the 1907 edition, but send neither inonev nor stamps, as the book is free to our readers'. Address R. M. Kellogg Co., and tell them you are a reader of The Canadian Horticulturist. Cannas and Groff's new hybrid gladioli are sold by John A. Campbell, of Simcoe, Ont. A. nicely printed catalog tells all about them. Write for it. By 25 years' selection, cross fertilization and breeding, A. B. Howard & Son, of Belchertown, Mass., have been successful in developing a strain of petunias that possess a richness of color and beauty of marking that is distinctively their own. Howard's new star petunias should be in everybody's collection. Send for his catalog. The finest catalogs in make-up, printing and illustrations that have reached our office are those from the seed firms of England. That of Sutton & Sons of Reading, Eng., is a work of art. One has pleasure in reading it. All the garden seeds worth growing are listed therein. Canadians who desire the best vegetables and flowers that can be grown will do well to consult Sutton's catalog. A catalog that is a credit to its publishers is that of Jas. Carter & Co., of .53A Queen Victoria St., London, Eng. The print is large, the cuts are excellent and the whole arrangement is decidedly above the ordinary. There is a char- acter in this catalog that is found in few or none on this side of the Atlantic. Carter & Co. offer the leading varieties of vegetable, flower and lawn seeds from selected stock. I renew my subscription to The Canadian Horticulturist, as I simply cannot get along without it. It is the best magazine of the kind for the money on this continent ; in fact, I think it better for Canadians than The Garden Maga- zine and the subscription to the latter is double that of your magazine. Wishing you every sue cess. — G. H. de B., Toronto. — = Orchids Now is the time to place your orders for Spring de- livery of freshly imported Orchids. Our prices are very low, quality considered. Also large stock of established Orchids on hand CARILLO & BALDWIN SECAUCnS. N.J., U.S.A. FREE BOOK FOR YOU STRAWBERRIES ^ AND HOW TO ^ GROWTHEM YOU NEED THIS BOOK ASK FOR IT TO-DAY THE BKST BOOK ON STIIA WHKltRY Ct'LTTRE ever written, bwausc It fxphitns everj- detail of the work from the time plantH are m-t out until the berries are picked, and tells how to prepare the plants for a bitr second crop. 135 Pictures of Btrawljerries and strawberry fields. This book Is worth its weieht in gold. If we knew your address, would mail vou one Free. B. M. KELLOGG COMPANY, Boi, S70 Tliree Rivers, llicb. BETTER FRUIT Is what every fruit grower should grow. Is what every fruit dealer wants. Is what we can tell you how to grow. Is the only strictly Horticultural Paper in the United States. Is what you should subscribe for, if you want to know how to realize more money for your fruit. subscription PRICE, $1.00 PER YEAR SEND FOR SAMPLE COPY Better Fruit Publishing Co. HOOD RIVER, OREGOK Mc-iitiuii 'Die fanaflmii Ht,'rticulturist wlieu writing 30 Years' Experience In Fruit Growing— Shall I tell you about it, and how- to make a fruit garden? See free book as offered below. Charles A. Green. Pres. 50 Apple, Peach or Plum Trees for $2. Larger trees of apple, pear, peach and quince at live and let live prices- Bargains in all sizes of apple, peach and plum trees. Grapevines, berry buslies, asparagus roots and orna- mental shrubs and trees our specialty. Charles A. Green Has a national reputation for honest labeling, grading and packing. Send for Green's Free Fruit Guide and Catalog, also for sample of Green's Big Fruit Magazine. When you send for these add the name and address of three fruit growers and we will present you with C. A. Green's book telling of 30 years growing fruit. See cut of cover. 8^ GREEN'S NURSERY CO.. Rochester, N. Y This Book Free For 3 Names ■nsvIMade '% aeOMFsmH^- WoD (o PropojaCa Kuinms3ndPba& The Canadian Horticultun^ Vol. XXX MARCH, 1907 No. 3 Spraying Solutions and Hoav TKey Are Made SPRAYING is a means to an end. In fruit growing, the end in view is to produce in quantity a grade of fruit that approaches as near as pos- sible the ideal looked for in the particu- lar variety or varieties grown. Spray- ing helps the grower to do this. It in- creases the percentage of high-grade fruit by holding within bounds the ravages of insect and fungous enemies. The practical value of spraying be- comes more and more evident as the seasons go by. Insects and fungi are becoming numerous and are constantly changing their habits from one class of plants to another. To combat them successfully, the work of applying spray- ing mixtures must be done thoroughly and at the proper time. Every portion of the leaf and branch must be covered with the spray. The nature of the mixture that should be used depends upon the kind of insect or fungus to be combatted, and upon the season of the year. For the benefit of the readers of The Canadian Horticulturist some practical fruit growers have contributed letters on the preparation and handling of some of these mixtures. MAKING LIME-SULPHUR WASH "We hear so much these days of different methods of makinglime-sulphur wash," writes Mr. M. G. Bruner, of Olinda, Ont., "that it may be of interest to observe my method, which is as fol- lows: I cook the mixture with a steam Tboiler, a small one of six horse-power. The first thing I do is to start a fire in the boiler. While the water is heating I weigh out 15 pounds of sulphur, which I sift so that there will not be any lumps put into the barrel. I also weigh out 25 pounds of Ume and get it ready. I mix the sulphur with boihng water to a thin paste; when adding the sulphur to this water. I stir continually so as not to form any lumps, as they will not break up in the cooking. "In the barrel that is to be used for the cooking, I place 10 or 12 gallons of liot water. There should be at least 60 pounds of steam in the boiler). Then I put the sulphur paste in the barrel and afterwards the lime. The best stone lime must be used. In a minute or less the lime will begin to slake. The mix- ture must then be stirred continually •so as to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the barrel. A little cold water should be poured in occasionally to keep the lime from boiling over the top. When slaking has stopped, turn on the steam from the boiler. Apply as much steam as can be used without causing the mixture to boil over. Con tinue to boil for an hour at least. Do not stop until the sulphur is all melted. "When the cooking is completed, the barrel will be half full or a little more; i.e., if a 45 gallon barrel is used. Fill it up with hot water. Strain the whole through cheese cloth spread over a fine wire strainer. The mixture is strained EacK Number the Best The improvement in The Hor- ticulturist within a year is mark- ed, and each number as issued ap- pears to be better than the pre- ceding ones. This improvement is acknowledged by everyone here qualified to express an opin- ion on it. The column of ques- tions and answers, the experience column, is a valuable one, and will, I hope, increase in length and interest from month to month. — J. Cavers, Sec'y Oakville Hort'l Society, Oakville, Ont. into the spray tank, and is then used on the trees. "The foregoing description applies when a hand pump is used. My boiler will cook enough at one time to fill my power spray tank, which holds 160 gallons, imperial measure. "I have tried caustic soda, kerosene emulsion and various patent or miscible oils, but none of these are as effec- tive as the lime-sulphur wash when properly prepared and appUed. I have not yet tried all the soluble oils. It would he a great boon to fruit growers if thcv could get a mixture that would be as effective as the Hrae sulphur wash and easier to prepare and applv." The following letter on the Ume sulphur wash was received from Mr. J. W. vSmith, of Winona, Ont., the owner of one ofthe largest peach orchards in Canada, and a man who has had much experience with spray mixtures: "Use \7}4 pounds sulphur, 35 pounds lime to 40 gallons of water. Have good, fresh, unslacked lime. Put the sulphur in boihng water and mix to a paste, then put the Ume in the boiUng tub, and cover it with boihng water three or four inches; then, as quickly as possible, throw in the sulphur paste with the slacking lime, and cover it until it begins to stop boiling, then turn on all the steam and stir occasionally; let it boil 45 minutes. We prefer boiling by steam as it is the cheapest and quickest way. The sooner you can get the wash on the trees the better as it goes through the noz/^les much more satisfactorily hot than cold ; always spray with the wind, and be sure you spray everv twig. We have a large vat of boiling water always on hand a Httle elevated so that all we have to do is to turn on the tap and let it run into the boiling tubs. We would not recommend boiling this mixture with its own heat." Interesting information is contained in a letter from Mr. W. A. Hunsberry, Jordan Station, Ont., as follows: "The lime-sulphur wash is one of the best mixtures we have. I have used it for six or seven years and have found it a benefit not only in preventing the scale from attacking fruit trees and as a means of destroying scale, but also in cleaning the bark and making it smooth and fresh. If we strengthen the bark we will have a healthy tree, and will get a larger percentage of first-class fruit. I have noticed also that the smoother we keep the bark the less we are bothered with insects. The rougher the bark the more hiding places for the insects, and the grower cannot get at them so easily ; therefore use the lime-sulphur mixture. It will pay for all trouble and expense. "The mixture should be boiled thor- oughly. It will work better in the spray pump and spread more evenly on the trees. Some growers in this locality have used caustic soda. But I do not think that it gives as good results as when the mixture is boiled. The more soluble you get the two ingredients mixed the better it will spread (jn the trees and work in the sprayer. It should be boiled for one hour and a half." Regarding the question of treating the San Jose scale, Mr. Robert Thomp- son, of St. Catharines, Ont., wrote: ' ' First, get rid of all useless and un- profitable trees and varieties, then 52 THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST prune carefully and shorten-in the other trees. If the fight to control the scale forces us to grow low-headed orchards, to shorten-in all of our trees so that we will have a new growth of wood every season, and to keep our trees so that the fruit may be gathered from not higher than a six-foot ladder, it will not be an unmixed evil but possibly a blessing in disguise. Second, thorough- ness in application of the remedy or spraying material. No matter what mate- rial is used or what variety of pump is handled,- cover the tree and branches thoroughly. Do not accept statements of agents who tell you that their material will go farther as it spreads on the branches after being applied. They do this so as to induce you to purchase some of the more costly remedies. If these remedies are diluted too much or scale. A better plan is to arrange for a number of growers to have an engine or boiler and cook by steam. Where this is not available, an agricultural boiler can be rigged up. Where the steam is used, the cooking can usually be done in about one hour. When the agricul- tural boiler is used it will take longer. When boiled with steam or agricultural boiler bring 12 to 14 gallons of water to the boil, then throw in 20 pounds of good lime and quickly add 1 8 pounds of finely pulverized sulphur. Stir occas- ionally. Dilute by adding enough water to make 45 to 50 gals. "Commence spraying early in the season Spray the sides of the trees from the windward side, then watch until the wind blows from the other way, and do the other side; a good, stiff breeze is preferable. This helps to «W«A- II --'i f< jU^^I mm tm l^MR %t^ -r-^, Hi •^ ,, W- i'- ^7'^,^^^ "i'X' 'Xy.^ fe. 1^-^ ^m % A ^7 ' ■w .f' ■■'■ ''■^'\ ■ "" .> 'f.- , .\'^ ■■■•= •« -.-,,^-, An "Auto-Spray" at Work in a Vineyard all of the twigs are not covered at the end of the season, you will invariably find the scale very prevalent. "Many mixtures are being placed on the market. Every season some of these are discarded owing to failure, others stay with us a little longer, or may be used because of fancied ease in application. For the commercial orchard, nothing equals the Ume-sulphur remedy properly boiled, because of its cheapness as compared with all the others, and because of the good work that it does, as it remains on the trees throughout the season ; it can be seen on the trees now at date of writing 10 months after the application. "The lime-sulphur wash can be pre- pared by boiling with the heat of the lime, but this is not safe to depend on as some of the barrels may not get sufficient cooking, owing to some defect in the lime, or something else may result, where this is applied, in not killing all the carry the spray to points on the opposite side of the tree and not only ensures better and more thorough work, but also obviates the disagreeable features of the mixture falling back on the clothes and person when spra5dng is done in calm weather. "For the encouragement of new be- ginners, I may say that those who have sprayed three and four years with the lime-sulphur mixture are nearly all planting out larger acreages. They feel con\'inced from past experience that the scale can be kept in check and the trees healthy. This is a strong point in favor of lime-sulphur. The wash prevents leaf curl in the peach, is a good fungicide and can be used on apples instead of copper sulphate before buds open. Trees sprayed with it show darker and glossier foliage during the summer and the bark is made clean. The grower who takes care of his orchards now will be well repaid for years to come, and the careless grower will be driven from the business." ARSENITE OF LIME A comparison between arsenite of lime and arsenate of lead as regards their value as insecticides for mixing with Bordeaux mixture is made by Mr. Jos. Tweddle, of Fruitland, Ont., in the following letter: "For fruits, arsenite of lime when carefully handled in the early summer gives almost as good results as arsenate of lead, and is much cheaper. White arsenic must be boiled with fresh lime as follows: Take one pound of arsenic, two pounds of fresh lime and one gallon of water, boil briskly for 45 minutes, then use one and one-half pounds of the mixture to one barrel of Bordeaux. Apple foliage is much less resistant to damage by this insecticide after July than before. My experience shows that three times the above- mentioned strength may be used in June without burning the foliage, and that one-half that strength will bum it in July and after. Inexperienced per- sons, however, should use the arsenate of lead, as it is safe to use full strength and is easy to prepare. Use three and one-half pounds per 50 gallons of Bordeaux mixture." ONE GROWER USES ORDINARY LYE Spraying with old-fashioned lye, to clean the bark of trees and to destroy scale, is practised by Mr. E. Hippie, of Beamsville, Ont., who has faith in its effectiveness. Tlie process of making the lye is, in 'the words of Mr. Hippie, as follows: "I take a barrel (two or more if required) and bore three holes in the bottom near the rim. The barrel is placed on a raised plank. The holes in the bottom are covered so that the ashes to be used will not clog. The barrel is then filled with ashes, firmly stamped in. On this is poured about 12 quarts of water a day until the lye commences to leach out, then three or four times this quantity of water is added. This is continued until the lye becomes weak. The lye so made is used for spraying diluted with an equal quantity of water." Hardy Late CKerries What are the best hardy cherries as late as or later than Montmorency? Richmond is too early. Robins and cherry birds take them. — C. W. B., Prescott, Ont. One of the best hardy cherries which comes in just after the Montmorency is the Ostheim. The English Morello is also later than the Montmorency but it is not as hardy as the Ostheim. Another very late kind is Brusseler Braun. — Answered by W. T. Macoun, Horticulturist, C.E.F., Ottawa. No tree requires regular pruning so much as the peach. Low-headed peach trees are best. Notes on Spraying Mixt\ires Prof. "W. LocHhead, Macdonald CoUeg'e, St. Anne de Dellevue, Quebec. I THE value of spraying in orchard practice is seldom questioned now- adays in spite of occasional un- favorable results. It must be acknowl- edged that while we have learned much about the use of insecticides and fungi- ■ X S ^ _■ J*s^i:3 n f^mXli!' -4 ■ '-itfA i ■■-■ QP\>a^^*^.'^^ 6^ " :' ' < Spraying in Niagara District cides, much remains to be known. The occasional lapses must somehow be examined and explained. Fruit grow- ers sometimes show a little impatience (naturally perhaps) while waiting for accurate information from those whose duties are to secure by careful experi- ments that accurate information. They sometimes take as proven the statements of some "glib" speaker, who, while pretending to be a self-sacrificing hero, is perhaps serving his own ends in ad- vocating some new insect or fungus destroyer. Experiment shows that it is always hazardous to apply on a large scale any remedy which has not been endorsed by the authorities, and its limitations noted. For example, soda Bordeaux, or the "Burgundy mixture," was announced two or three years ago as a better mixture than the JBordeaux mixture. Many fruit growers began using it on a large scale, and they added Paris green. The results were of course disastrous for the reason that the soda unites with the Paris green to form an injurious soluble arsenic compound; on the other hand, the Hme of the Bor- deaux forms a harmless insoluble ar- senic compound. Moreover, recent ex- periments go to show that common Bordeaux gives on the whole better results than soda Bordeaux, and is therefore to be preferred by the fruit grower. Again, crude petroleum was heralded as a very efficient destroyer of the San Jose .scale, for good results were ob- tained when applied to apple and pear trees. But it was soon discovered that peach and plum trees were often killed by an application of crude petroleum, and even aonle and pear trees after a few applications showed symptoms of injury. Recently also it has been ob- served that strong, healthy shade trees are injured when sprayed too copiously with kerosene emulsion solution. It is now known that kerosene or crude petroleum falling on the ground dur- ing the spraying operations is retained for several years in the soil, gradually finds its way to the tender rootlets, and kills them. It is very probable, there- fore, that the continued applications of crude petroleum year after year to apple and pear trees will result in injury, and orchardists should guard against this by giving up the use of this dangerous substance. More information also is given us every year regarding the lime-sulphur mixture. Recent reliable experiments carried out for several years both in the orchard and in the chemical lab- oratory tell us that vigorous cooking need not be continued longer than 40 minutes to get all the sulphur into the solution; and that the presence of more than five per cent, of magnesia in the lime causes a considerable loss of sul- phur. In view of the fact that much of the lime made in Ontario contains considerable magnesia, more attention should be given to the purchase of good stone hme, free as possible from magnesia. Some experiments were also made as to the effect of dipping dormant fruit trees before planting. Apple trees were not injured; but peach trees were frequently injured. These results may have some bearing on the present agita- tion among some nurserymen to have nursery stock dipped instead of fumi- gated. TKe Oyster-sKell Scale y\ Prof. W. Lochhead, Macdonald College ' THE Oyster-shell Scale, often also called the Oyster-shell Bark-louse, is the most abundant and wide- spread insect of the apple orchards of eastern Canada. It is everywhere in evidence, from the far-famed Annapolis Val- ley in Nova Sco- tia to the Great Lakes. Its dim- inutive size and its grey, bark- like color seem to suggest that there is "nothin' a-doin'" where it exists; but there is no enemy of the apple tree more insidious and that re- quires more at- tention than this little oyster- shaped scale. I have seen many large apple trees rendered practically worthless and almost lifeless by these insects. Allowed to breed without hindrance for a few years, the scales had practically encrusted the bark of these trees, and had sucked and used the sap that should have contributed to the growth of the new parts, the new wood and the new buds. The trees became "barkbound," and were unable to expand. I saw the same trees a year later, after they had bene scraped and sprayed carefully during the late winter with whale oil soap solution, 53 (two pounds to six gallons of hot water). Great rifts had formed in the bark, rendered soft by^the soap solution, and in the rifts new cork was forming. The A Wallace Sprayer at Work in Field of Potatoes diameter of the stem had increased at least an inch; the oyster shell scales were gone; and the trees were enjoying a vigorous renewal of life. Where trees are not suffering to the extent just described, the best treat- ment to get rid of the oyster shell scales is to give two applications of whitewash during the winter. The whitewash is made by slacking about 60 pounds of good fresh lime in 40 gallons of water. Such a wash can be sprayed readily if it is strained before it is poured into the spray pump barrel. The two spray- 54 THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST ings should be made either in December and February or in January and March. Under the action of the weather, the flakes of lime will peel off, bringing the scales with them. In San Jose scale-infected districts, where the lime-sulphur application is The Oyster-shell Scale This cut illustrates a male scale (upper right corner) and a female scale — both greatly enlarged. The various molts in the development of the scale are. shown. Cut loaned by the Department of Agriculture, Toronto, used, there is no need of using the lime- wash. The former treatment is quite effective. The oyster-shell scale is single brooded. It passes the winter in the egg state beneath the scale. If a scale be turned over carefully with a pen knife, from 40 to 60 minute, cream-colored eggs will be found with the aid of a magnify- ing glass. The eggs hatch about tlae first of June, and yellowish, crawling lice make their appearance. These may be seen crawling about the limbs for a few days; but they soon settle on the bark, insert their tiny sucking beaks into the tissues, and begin feeding and making a scale to cover themselves. They grow slowly; but in late Sep- tember and early October they become fully grown, when the females lay their eggs. Kerosene emulsion solution, or some good soap solution, (consult O.A.C. Bulle- tin 144, pages 30 and 36, for preparation of kerosene emulsions or soap solution) is effective if applied when the lice have just hatched from the eggs in early June and are moving about in the limbs ; but most orchardists prefer the winter treatment with lime wash. It is likely that these insects are car- ried on the feet of birds from tree to tree, and from orchard to orchard. It should also be borne in mind that the lilac, raspberry, rose, currant, spirsea, cherry, pear, plum, hawthorn, ash, maple, birch, poplar and other plants may harbor this insect, and from these it may spread to the apple. In any plan of treatment of an infested apple orchard, therefore, it is advisable to take into account the probable in- festation of shrubs in the immediate vicinity. On the other hand, there is comfort in the thought that the orchard - ist in his fight against this scale has three or four able insect assistants; namely, minute parasites, which usually destroy a large percentage, but not all, of the eggs that are lying under the scale. We cannot, however, leave the work of extermination entirely to the parasites; we must do our share of the work if we desire thrifty trees. Ten. Pointers on Pruning Prof. F. A. Waugh, Amherst, Mass. Pruning has various objects and is practised on many diverse sorts of plants ; therefore, the same rules cannot apply in all cases. Pruning during the dormant season tends to promote wood growth rather than fruit bearing. Pruning during the growing season — March, June and July — tends to check wood growth and to promote fruitfulness. The vegetative and the reproductive functions, within certain limits, are reciprocal. Root pruning (which is seldom prac- tised) tends very strongly to promote fruit bearing and conversely to check wood growth. Pruning may be done during any month of the year, but March and June bee if the principal pruning should be given in June instead of March. Pruning should be methodical and regular. A certain amount of work should be done each year instead of once in five years. This rule is very important. The objects of pruning are (a) to repair injuries,- (b) to correct faulty growth, (c) to influence the bearing habit of the tree. Pruning is not an object in itself. Therefore unless there Apple Tree Before Pruning are the best months. It would prob- ably be a distinct improvement in most orchards in the province of Que- Same Tree After Pruning is some clear reason for it, do not prune. Each shoot or branch removed should be cut off smoothly and as close to the parent branch as possible. Large wounds should be painted with white lead. The best implements for pruning are pruning shears. A sharp saw will some- times be needed, but not often, except 1 on trees which have been neglected. ^ An axe should never be used. Pruning will not give satisfactory results by itself. It must be accom- panied by good spraying, good feed- ing and good management in other respects. Repairing Girdled Trees Orchard trees are often girdled in winter by mice and rabbits. When the part girdled is small, cover with grafting wax before the exposed wood dries out. This usually will save the tree. In cases where the girdle is entire and the cambium or green layer beneath the bark completely severed, the latter will have to be connected by bridge-grafting. Cut a number of scions, long enough to bridge the girdled space and bevel the ends. Insert them around the tree spanning the injury, with the cut ends in contact with the cambium above and below. Cover with wax all cut surfaces that are exposed. Badly girdled trees usually die. It is well, therefore, to use judgment before attempting a remedy. Head back the peach trees each year. Hardy Fruits for tKe NortK "W. T. Macovin, Horticvilturist, Central Experimental Farm, Otta-wa FRUIT culture is gradually extend- ing northward in Canada; and, while the culture of some kinds of fruit may not keep pace with the settlement of the country, there is no doubt that in due time hardier kinds will be originated, from those already being grown near their northern limit, which can be grown much further north. Some of the kinds already known would succeed further north if proper care were taken of them. If a tree ripens its wood thoroughly, it will stand very low temperatures; hence, in the north, everything possible should be done to bring this about. Low ground should be avoided, as where there is so much moisture the growth is likely to be later. Rich soil should be avoided as, if the soil is rich, the trees will make strong growth and not ripen so well. High ground, providing there is protection from wind, should be chosen, as there is less danger of spring frost there than in the hollows, and spring frosts do much damage to fruit buds or blossoms in the spring in the north. This high ground will not be so rich nor as moist as the low lying land, hence growth will not con- tinue late. Northern exposures should be chosen for most fruits in the north, to avoid, as far as possible, the bad effects from trees starting to grow early and then being injured by frost. Trees on a northern exposure are not so liable to sunscald, which occurs in late winter and early spring when the sun thaws out the sap on the south side of the trees, and a severe frost coming at night and freezing it again organizes the tissue and causes the bark on the south and south-east side of the trees to die. As the hard maple gets near its northern limit, it is only found on or near tops of hills; as, like fruit trees, it gets there conditions as near as possible like those further south. Good natural drainage of the soil is much more necessary in the north than in the south ; if possible, a soil with a gravelly subsoil should be obtained. APPLES There are a few varieties of apples, mostly of Russian origin, which can be grown successfully in thenorth, if given as near as possible the conditions just outlined. These are, in order of rip- ening, Blushed Calville, Lowland Rasp- berry, Charlamoff, Duchess, Anis, Oka- bena, Antonovka, Patten Greening, Hi- bernal. In addition to these there are the Whitney, Martha, Transcendent, and Hyslop crabs, which will grow where the climate is very cold, provid- ing they get conditions that will cause an early ripening of the wood. The hybrids originated by Dr. Wm. Saund- ers are very hardy and, where no ap- ples can be grown, will be found quite useful. PLUMS Only the earliest plums are useful in the north, as frost comes in the autumn before the later kinds are ripened. These early plums are mostly improved varieties of the native spe- cies. They are Odegard, Aitkin, Bix- by, Mankato and Cheney. The ear- liest and best varieties of the wild plums found growing wild should be cultivated. PEARS AND CHERRIES Pears and cherries are not a success in the north, and it is a waste of money depth of snow. Some of the hardiest varieties are Herbert, Loudon, Clarke and Marlboro, the first being the best of these. A good plan in the north is to bend the canes down in the autumn and cover the tips with soil to hold them there; the canes will then be sooner covered with snow. Black Cap raspberries are not satisfactory. GOOSEBERRIES Gooseberries succeed well in the north, the best varieties being Downing and Pearl. The Houghton, though smaller than either of these two, is apparently even hardier. Red Jacket is the best red variety for the north. Strawberries will do well in many American Plum Trees at Central Experimental Farm, Ottawa The photograph was taken by Mr. Frank T. Shutt when the trees were in bloom last year. It shows the type of plum trees that can be grown in the north. to try them. The Sand Cherry and the Compass Cherry, which are really more plum than cherry, are very use- ful in the north, the latter especially, where it has been tried. CURRANTS The wild species from which the cul- tivated black and white currants are derived, are natives of the north; hence, currants are among the hardi- est fruits and are of great value in the north. Some of the best sorts are: black, Saunders, Collin's Prolific, Black Victoria; red, Victoria, Pomona, Red Cross, Wilder, Cherry, the two last being apparently not quite so hardy in fruit bud as the others; white, the White Grape is one of the best. Red raspberries succeed well in the north, especially where there is good places. They need protection in win- ter, the best being a good covering of snow; but where a good covering of snow is not very certain, a covering of marsh hay will be found very good. Strawberries often suff'er from spring frosts in the north, and for this reason a site should be chosen where the snow will lie longest. The varieties which have suffered least are Beder Wood, Warfield, Lovett, Sample, WilHams, Buster and Crescent ; hence, these should be among the best to plant. The grape vine is one of the easiest of all fruit-bearing plants to control when pruned systematically and regu- larly. Thin out the fine growth twigs on outside of vSpy trees. 56 THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST Future of TVpple in Ontario A. McNeill, Chief, Fruit Division, Otta-wa {Concluded from last issue) I HAVE referred to the height of land running through the central portion of Ontario, beginning at Queenston and constituting the bluff from Queenston to Hamilton. This height of land, con- tinuing, as it does, north to the Georgian Bay, slopes much more rapidly towards the east than it does towards the west as it approaches the Georgian Bay, and it begins near Collingwood to once more take the high cliff form similar to that between Queenston and Hamilton. It is upon the eastern slope of this height of land, near the Georgian Bay, that we find some of the finest orchards in the world. It is a happy blending of soil, situation and climate that makes it an ideal country in which to grow winter apples. Here new orchards are being paying one for the farmer. The draw- back is that he has to wait 10 years for his dividends, and in this glorious age, when fortunes are being exchanged every few hours, 10 years looks to be such a hopelessly long period that even the patient farmer sometimes dismisses the scheme in disgust. The counties north of Lake Ontario, styled district No. 3, owe their high reputation as an apple region, partly to the cHmate, partly to the geological formation, and partly to the shrewdness of the orchardists in learning lessons from the experience of the older orchard- ists in the west. Geologically, the best apple orchards in this district are in what is known as the Iroquois Basin, extending to the high land at varying Province of Ontario Divided into Four Districts for Apple Culture planted very rapidly, and as a general thing the bearing orchards are com- posed of comparatively few varieties. The fruit growers of this district had learned the lesson taught by the ex- perience of the older orchardists in southern Ontario and gave their orders so as to have, say, three, four or a half- dozen varieties in their whole plantation. They also had sufficient confidence to plant in large blocks of 10, 20 or 30 acres, and are now reaping the reward of their forethought. It is not an uncommon thing at all in this district to find large orchards that are pajdng dividends on a capitalization of $500 to $800 an acre. When you consider that the land without trees is valued at from 50 to 75 dollars an acre, and that the cost of putting in an orchard and caring for it until it comes into bearing is probably not more than a hundred dollars per acre, it can readily be seen that the whole operation is a distances from the present shore of Lake Ontario. This land is extremely fertile and has the climatic advantages of the lower situation protected by the high ground to the north. Many very ex- cellent orchards, however, are grown on the high land just beyond this basin till it merges into district 4, where only the hardiest trees will grow. Large orchards are the rule in district 3. The varieties have been well selected to meet the requirements of a winter trade. Orcharding is a specialty with many growers, and the enterprise is considered extremely profitable. This district is well adapted to the usual methods of the apple operators. Owing to the larger orchards, and the fewer varieties, the cost of picking and pack- ing is much smaller than in district No. 2. The recommendation here is, of course, to continue along similar lines, planting the hardy winter varieties. Cold storage is quite unnecessary for winter fruit in district No. 2 and 3. They are, consequently, 25 cents a bar- rel, at least, ahead of winter varieties grown anywhere else to the south. The business, therefore, of growing apples might possibly, though it is exceedingly improbable, become unprofitable in New York state, while the growers in districts 2 and 3 could continue with a marg[in of 25 cents a barrel, at least. District No. 4 contains probably much less than 1,000,000 apple trees, many of these of unsuitable varieties. The area covered is extremely large, so that, with the exception of a few small sec- tions in this district, it cannot be regard- ed seriously in the light of a business. Nevertheless, there is no part of Can- ada where a larger return might be made than in this district. They grow to perfection here the Fameuse, the Mc- intosh Red and the Wealthy. In addi- tion to these the Alexander and the Wolf River can be grown quite profit- ably; they are much better apples and better keepers than when grown further south. Nevertheless, they are not of extraordinary quality. The Fameuse and the Mcintosh Red stand at the head as dessert apples. If the excellence of these apples as a dessert fruit were recognized, and if the growers would but pack in boxes after the style of the Pacific slope fruit, the business would be extremely profitable. There is a splendid opening for any packers who will take up the packing of these apples in this district, and cater to the very high class of customers — those who are will- ing and able to pay a large price for a most excellent article. SUMMARY To sum up the situation generally, I should recommend that district 1, or the counties along Lake Erie, should devote themselves very largely to early fruit. The pressing need in district No. 2, or the counties along Lake Huron, is better organization for harvesting and selling. Cooperative associations are an absolute necessity in this district of small orchards, with many varieties. What has been said with reference to the Ottawa and St. Lawrence valleys is equally applicable to many parts of the central high counties of South Grey, Wellington, Waterloo and Perth. The Georgian Bay and Lake Ontario counties, district No. 3, will undoubt- edly devote themselves to the winter varieties, and we can look for a large increase in the acreage of orchards on these lines. " I have less hope that many new or- chards will be planted in district No. 4. Nevertheless, if cooperative associations were formed, that would induce a some- what better culture, and introduce box packing, fruit growing would become one of the leading industries. Results in Groi?ving' Gladioli PERSISTENT and continuous ac- tivity, with the use of the best material obtainable from all out- side sources is the price of the success that I am able to claim in the interest of civiHzation and horticultural science Some Types For an unknown man in an obscure town, in a country of slandered climate, to bring a semi-tropical plant to Canada, as the foundation for a strain of world- wide recognition, seemed the height of folly and a deliberate courting of failure and loss; and it did not take me long to discover that to secure more than partial success meant a severe and persistent fight. I found the conditions of soil and climate admirable, and the absence of long-continued periods of atmospheric humidity most congenial to the work of successful crossing. Although the season for maturing late crosses is un- favorable, I overcame this difficulty in securing the admixture of mid-season and late-flowering types by cutting the immature seed spikes on the first threat- ened frost, and maturing in water a month later — a process requiring much time and trouble — but as pollen from young, early flowering types (which bloom till frost) was used, I soon had the valued characteristics of the later flowering sections available for normal use at a more favorable season, a vic- tory over adverse conditions of in- calculable value. Again, I found that our clear, dry atmosphere, so favorable to success in crossing, also frequently wilted the flowers— an effect not only making rapid work impossible, but most prejudicial ♦Extracts from an address presented to the American Breeders' Association at Columbus, Ohio, January 18, 1907. H. H. Groff, Simcoe, Ontario to the "taking" of crosses so made. This difficulty I overcame by daily carrying the pollen over until the follow- ing dawn, when I found that the work could not only be accomplished in far less time, but that the percentage of successful crosses was most materially increased. The two foregoing original practices are the result of a struggle for control and, as I have never heard of them being advised, I may include them in this record of results. When I be- gan this work over 1 5 years ago, although Europe had been engaged on it for 100 years, the ground was only broken — varieties lack- ed vitality, re- productive powers and adaptability to changed con- ditions. My first work cov- ered a complete series of violent out-crosses in which every section was made use of to bring the de- sirable features possessed b y each under control for transmission in cross-breeding. From the foun- dation work of those first years, by the aid of selected types as sires, according to the practice of animal breed- ers, has this control been handed down with continu- ous yearly progression until the past season. In America, the flower was discredited, and the demand so influenced by its lack of quality, value and beauty, that growers thought of allowing large blocks to freeze in the fields with the view of stiffening the market; certainly not a very progressive idea. The advent of my new hybrids changed all this, and the exhibits made at the Pan-American Exposition where they were awarded a 57 gold medal, and at the St. Louis World's Fair, where they secured the grand prize, not only re-popularized the flower, but exercised a favorable reflex influence on existing low-grade stocks. Thus, no existing acreage has been displaced, but the values have been improved, with over 100 acres of the highest qual- ity in the world added to this country, of such excellence as to enforce commercial recognition throughout the civilized world. Surely this may be included in A Field of Bloom the record of results in growing gladioli. My practice has proven that not only can the scientific worker do all that he may sanely plan to do, but he will find that from year to year mutations will appear beyond the range of the area of his expectations, of such progressive value, that he will be led onward by an ever lengthening and broadening horizon — beyond the conception of the human mind. The past season afforded an in- 58 THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST creased number of proofs as to the cor- rectness of the system of breeding advocated by me. I repeatedly collected in the field new varieties of special merit, supposing them to be the same, until compared in detail, when the trans- mitted parental characteristics of each collection was distinctly traceable, but with sufficient variation as to make each variety valuable, each bearing distinctive qualities of jl value under the diverse cultural conditions to which they inevitably must be subjected. Specimen Spikes It is not easy for me to illustrate by comparative description the highest points of results claimed by me. If all were gladiolus experts, it would be much easier to secure appreciation. One effective illustration will assist however. During the earlier years of my ex- perience in securing commercial effici- ency, the invariable cry was, "Send no red shades," In 1905, Mr. Cowee was offered $5 for a single corm, and I was offered $10 for one of the same variety, a brilliant red, both offers being from amateurs of moderate means, and I may say that no such offer was ever made to me for a variety of any other color. A single spike of six flowers measures one foot wide by two in length, and is so effective as to centre attraction in a field of thousands of other varieties. This variety is being rapidly multiplied for earlv introduction, but you will be interested in learning that I have types of later origin that will supersede it in due time. You will of course, expect this ad- ditional result. The commercial demand for high- class lights has now been filled by the thousands of new varieties originated by me during the first 10 years of my work. Selections bred from this material have given me thousands of newer and more advanced types which have been crossed and multipUed during the past five years for future introduction, and will constitute as marked and distinct an advance as did those shown at the expositions referred to. The value of some of these is beyond estimate. The present commercial yellow is deficient in color, quality and multiply- ing qualities. This need will shortly be filled by thousands of new varieties developed by me under the same prac- tice that produced the new light section, all varieties of equal and greater quaUty than the few novelties issuing from European sources under name. All other desirable colors are receiving the same attention and improvement by the same system of selected breeding. Among all of these are re- markable types of promise be- yond my ex- pectations, in- dividual vari- eties of such special quali ties as to be beyond de- scription, for want of ade- quate com- parison. I have refer- red to our geographic ad- vantages, but these are by no means suffi- cient for my personal re- alization of the best commer- cial results. Although m y season isnearly a month longer than even the northern part of our penin- sula, it is fully a month too short for the full maturing of the cormei^ of many valu- able and useful varieties devel- oped from late maturing ma- terial. The variety named "America," erroneously classified as Childsi by the purchaser and intro- ducer under that name, has been grown and sold by me in collections for the past 10 years. Its annual cormel production is from 2,000 to 5,000 per cent., but with me a comparatively small percentage mature annually. Of course such experiences are to be ex- pected in work on a semi-tropical plant. and afford proof of my public contention on this point, many years ago, before this experience proved the correctness of my then expresesd theory. While I have knowledge of many similar ex- periences, the naming of this one of my hybrids, "America," has made that variety useful as an illustration of a scientific fact. As I have referred to the fact of scien- tific results I beg to record : That cross- ing from varieties tending to double has induced the production of twin corms from single seeds; that bud variation, partial the first season and complete the second, has produced a fixed new type, sporting from one apparent equal fixity; that atavism of aesthetic and commer- Floral Fan of Gladioli cial value results from the intercrossing of advanced types of diverse parental extraction, the flower form of the iris, a plant of the same natural order, having been brought from the ages long past and replacing the normal form of that of the original species; that racial qualities are as potent and capable of direction in breeding for specific results in plant, as in animal life; that no THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST 59 simple or limited crossing can produce the value, quality and satisfaction equal to those resulting from unlimited re- movals from the wild species on the lines of scientific selection, guided by learned human intelligence; that the attainment of the highest success in results is easily secured by cultivation of the perception, some learning, an open mind, use of the best material and unlimited work. Timely Topics for Amatevir Gardeners A. Currant Hedge Albert D. Verrault, Village des Aulnais, Que. The currant hedge illustrated by the accompanying cut was planted several years ago in a single row, the plants being set 18 inches apart. At the time of the first pruning, which was five years ago, the bushes measured from three to four feet high, but were disgraceful in appearance. The branches straggled in all directions and occupied a large space. It was decided to trim the row as a hedge. About one-third of the growth was removed in May when the leaves were out and the operation was repeated early in July. Since then, they have been pruned at the same height and width each year. They are pruned back to the old wood, as white and red currants bear on wood that is at least two years old. When pruned thus, the fruit is formed and becomes visible on the top and sides of the hedge. Currant bushes trained in this manner retain their fruits until killed by the frost. The fruits are not picked for consumption, but such may be done should the planter desire. The White Grape and Fay's Prolific planted in two rows, five inches apart, and one foot between the plants in the row, make a fine hedge. A Durable "WKite-wasH Will you kindly give directions for making a whitewash that will not rub or wash off? — H. R., Georgetown, P.E.I. > The following formula is said to furnish a whitewash of this character: Dissolve two pounds of ordinary glue in seven pints of water; when dissolved, add six ounces bichromate of potassium dissolved in pint of hot water. Stir mixture well, then add sufiicient whiting to make of usual consistency, and apply in ordinary manner as quickly as possible. This dries in a very short time, and by the action of light is converted into a perfectly insoluble waterproof substance, which does not wash off even with hot water, and, at the same time, does not give rise to mold growth, as whitewash made up with size often does. It may be colored to any desired shade by the use of a trace of any aniline dye or pow- dered coloring matter and, once applied, will last for years, while by the addition of a small proportion of calcic sulphite, I its antiseptic power is much increased. IF you have not ordered your seeds, trees, plants, tools, fertiUzers and spraying supplies, do so now, so as to avoid the spring rush and get better goods for the same money. There are various important reasons why it is to the advantage of the purchaser to order now, rather than later in the season. You have more time to plan a better garden and to make the selections that you desire. You run no danger of sub- stitution on the part of the seedsman and nurseryman. When planting time comes, you will have a better chance to see that the right things are planted in the right way and at the right time. You will get 30ur trees and plants as soon as it is safe to ship them. The best gardens are those that have been planned beforehand. Amateurs with are somewhat liable to disease. A clump of lily of the valley should be included in the plan for next spring's garden. Plant them wherever they will not be disturbed and in a position that is shaded. Some of the best low-growing flower- ing shrubs should be planted in the mixed border if there is room for them. Among the best of these are IVeigela rosea and W. alba, Kerria Japonica, Deutzia gracilis, D. parviflora, Spirma bumalda, the double flowering Spircea prunifolia, and the herbaceous hibiscus. In a border of large dimensions some of the larger-growing deutzias, forsythias, lilacs and spiraeas may be used. Unless the border is large, however, these are better placed in clumps or as individual specimens on the lawn. A rose bush or The Common Currant Makes an Excellent Hedge sufficient foresight to order their supplies early, have gardens in which imagina- tion has been used. They have the newest and earliest vegetables and fruits of summer and some that will last all winter. In the February number of The Canadian Horticulturist, a Hst was given of standard varieties of herbaceous perennials and a short list of annuals. No mixed border, however, would be complete without a few hardy garden lilies. One of the best of these is the grand old tiger lily, Lilium tigrinum, at one time so common, but now seldom seen in our gardens. Lilium Candidum, L. superbum and L. Canadense are also among the best kinds for flower gardens. The Japanese lilies such as L. rubrum, L. speciosum and others are not so hardy as those before mentioned but are grown with success by many amateurs. They require careful protection in winter and two of the Rosa rugosa type should also be included. THE WINDOW GARDEN Plants in the window garden will require to be watered thoroughly at this season so that all the soil in the pot is moistened. Late in March is the best time to re-pot the hardiest kinds of window plants such as geraniums, cyperus, ferns, and plants required for summer decoration. If plants get frozen keep them from the light and somewhat cool. Syringe them well and gradually bring them to the light and heat. Cut away all the black and frozen stems so as to force them to shoot out new growth. Cineraria plants are subject to green fly or aphids, especiaHv on the underside of the foliage. These insects are hard to combat on this ])Iant. Tobacco water is a fairly good remedy. Start early in the season, and apply the solu- 60 THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST tion regularly about once a week. When the plants are out of bloom, throw them on the rubbish pile as they are of no further use. Cinerarias are not gener- ally successful as window plants; they are better suited to the greenhouse. Pots of flowering bulbs such as nar- cissi, tulips and hyacinths should have a plentiful supply of water when in flower. When the flowers are faded, the soil should not be allowed to dry out. Stand the pots in a place where they can still have some light and only a little sunshine, and dry the soil gradually. Wheii the foliage shows signs of decay give the plant less and less. water until the foliage has become quite yellow. In spring, as soon as the ground is in proper condition, the bulbs may be planted outside in the border. Place a stake to mark the spot where they are planted. Do not disturb them when digging. If left undisturbed for a year or two, they will make a useful and permanent addition to the border. Bulbs forced into flower early in the season in pots, are of little or no use for pot culture in the second year. Freesias should not be dried off hastily. After they are out of flower, give them water less frequently until the foliage is quite yellow, when water should be with- held altogether. Keep them dry in the pots until next season. Cannas for planting outside at the end of May or early in June may be potted late in March or early in April. Hydrangeas, oleanders and similar plants can be brought to the light and started into growth. Put them into larger tubs if necessary. Old tuberous begonias can be started into growth now. If the tubers have been kept in the pots during the winter, shake out the old soil and re-pot in good, rich, loamy potting soil, mixed with a small quantity of sand. Use plenty of drainage, and water thoroughly after potting. Water then should be given sparingly until the plants have well started into growth. Some flowering and foliage begonias, including Rex varieties, can be potted. Give good drainage, and water as advised for tuberous begonias. The soil, especially for the Rex variety, should have about one-quarter leaf soil added to that recommended for the tuberous variety. Among the best varieties for the window are Begonia Thurston, B. Haageana and B. nivea, B. fuchsioides, B. rubra and others. Cuttings of fuchsias, geraniums and verbena will strike readily in sand if vigorous young growth can be secured. Begonia cuttings had better be left until late in April before attempting to strike them. Seeds of nasturtium for window boxes / may be sown. Do not sow thickly, as ; they do not transplant as easily as manv other varieties. Place two or three seeds in a three-inch pot. To secure early flowers of mignonette, sow 8 or 10 seeds in same sized pots as men- tioned for nasturtiums. A few pots of petunias, verbenas, cosmos and lobelia also should be sown, as they require to be early to give good flowering results. Antirrhinum and scabiosa seeds may be sown in pots the end of the month. AMONG THB FRUIT TREES This is the best time of year for graft- ing fruit trees. If you have an apple tree that is not producing fruit that you desire, it can be grafted with scions of good varieties and they will bear in three years. Grafting is interesting work, and can be performed by an ama- teur who will give the necessary atten- tion to details. Have you ever seen a fruit tree bearing a half-dozen varieties or more ? If not, why not try the ex- periment for the fun of the thing? Pro- fessional orchardists cannot afford the time for this work, but the amateur who is gardening for much pleasure and little profit can indulge in experimenting with novelties of this kind. The best way to graft scions into the tops of fruit trees is by means of what is called the "cleft graft." If the tree is large, it is advisable to top-work each year only a portion of the limbs so as not to be too severe. Cut the branches off squarely at a point where the diam- eter is about one inch, and make the cut clean, with no ragged edges. Split these in the centre and insert the scions, usually two, one on either side, so that the cam- bium, or green layer just below the bark, comes in contact with the cambium of the limb being grafted. The limb, or tree, being grafted is called the stock. The scion is a portion or twig of the variety that is being inserted upon this stock. Coat the wounds with grafting wax or waxed bandages so as to exclude the air and the spores of disease and to allow of rapid healing. / Do not forget to prune your fruit ,' trees, bushes and grape vines before too I late. Apple trees should be well thinned ' out so that the sun can gain access to i the centre. Do not allow any limbs to rub or cross. Pear and plum trees should be shortened in at least about one-third of last season's growth. Cherry trees require very little pruning when once well established. Peach trees should be well pruned and headed back. ^^y Grape vines require systematic prun- ing each year. The method to follow will depend upon the system of pruning given the vine during the first two or three years of its growth. One of the main points to observe is to keep the bearing wood as near the trunk as possible. Thin out well, leaving only about six or eight limbs to a vine, well placed, each limb with no more than six or seven buds. Most varieties of currants and goose- berries produce fruit on wood that is at least two years old. For this reason, it is advisable to practise a renewal system of pruning. Each year remove two or three of the oldest branches and allow a similar number of new ones to take their places. If these bushes have not been pruned, do so as soon as possible, as they burst into leaf very early in spring. PRUNING SHRUBS Most ornamental shrubs require very little pruning. If overgrown, they may be thinned out. If growing unshapely the growth should be corrected. The time to prune shrubs depends largely upon the season of blooming. Early flowering shrubs should be pruned only after they have bloomed, as they pro- duce their flowers on twigs that were formed the previous season. Should they be pruned now these twigs would be removed and, as a result, few flowers would appear. Prune when dormant late flowering shrubs such as cornus, mock orange, some spiraeas and honey- suckle. Clematis Jacktnanni and so forth. Hydrangea paniculata grandiflora should be pruned in early spring to about six inches of the old wood. IN THE VEGETABLE GARDEN The material for a hotbed should be in course of preparation. If the manure is fresh from the stable throw it in a heap for a week or 10 days. Turn it over once during that time. A hotbed, even if small, is useful in the home garden. On another page is published directions for making and operating. The informa- tion given may be applied, with modifi- cations, to the work of making a hotbed at home. Do you want some early, home-grown rhubarb? If so, place a barrel or box, from which the top and bottom have .; been removed, over a clump of the earliest kind of rhubarb that you have in the garden. Cover the top of the barrel or box at night, and during cold days. This will give you rhubarb a week or more earlier than unprotected roots will. Force asparagus similarly. THE OUTDOOR FLOWER GARDEN The trying time for plant life out of -doors is spring. If you did not give your border plants a mulching last fall, there is still time to afford them some protection against the disastrous effects of alternate thawing and freezing. A few fine boughs or tree trimmings with a sprinkling of straw or long, strawy manure amongst them, will make an ideal spring protection. A heavy, close covering is neither desirable nor neces- sary. The covering should be over the plants before the snow has thawed away from them. Bulbs should not be uncovered until danger of severe frosts is over. Re- move the cover by degrees, as sudden exposure to light and air, and perhaps light frosts will likely injure the flower- ing heads. Insect Pests in tKe Home GreenKouse GREEN and black aphids are the first insects that appear in the amateur's greenhouse. They make eat headway unless checked in their fancy. A few tobacco stems laid on he benches or, better still, on the hot- ater pipes if you have them, will keep A Prize-Winning Rex Begonia Grown in greenhouses of Sir H. M. Pellatt, Toronto. these pests in check. Replace the stems with fresh ones about every three weeks. A first-class insecticide is Nicoteen. It may seem expensive at first, but it is the cheapest in the end. It can be used for syringing or spraying almost every- thing in the greenhouse without the danger of spoiling the plants. If diluted to about the color of tea, a teaspoonful in a gallon of water will be strong enough. The red spider often becomes a pest during the winter months, if the house should become very dry during the night while hard firing. It can be killed E. r. Collins, Toronto The well-known mealy bug must be watched for, and when seen picked or sponged off by hand. Any spraying mixture strong enough to kill it, will also destroy any plant. Constant watch- ing and killing on their first appearance is the only remedy. The last few years a little pest in the form of a white fly, a moth-shaped in- sect, has become a nuisance in many greenhouses where a mixed lot "of plants are grown. No amount of spraying or fumigating will kill it. The writer has had some experience with it and finds that the only remedy to keep it in check is hydro-cyanic acid gas. Its use can only be learned by actual ex- perience. Begin with a small quantity and note the effect, increasing each time until you find the flies dead, and the plants not injured. It is not so much the strength used as the length of time you allow the gas to remain in the greenhouse that does the harm. I have found that a fairly strong dose in the house ten minutes is more effective than a weaker one in all night. The following directions will serve for a small house, say, 12 feet long, eight feet wide and about seven feet high at the ridge, either a span or lean-to roof : Close the house tight all but the door. Place an earthenware jar or basin in the centre of the floor, with a pint of water in it. Pour in the jar a quarter of a pint of sulphuric acid. Next, place one ounce of cyanide of potassium in a piece of tissue paper, and, when all is read}', drop it into the acid. Get out quickly and lock the house. Stuff The A.inate\ir*s GreenKovise If Easter hlies are pot-bound and in healthy condition, let them have 60 de- grees of heat. This may be increased five degrees or so as the time goes by. They will stand considerable forcing Begonia Velvetina Grown by Mr. A. Alexander, Hamilton, Ont., and was in bloom three months. now. Be careful to fumigate and water carefully. Geraniums should be pinched at the joint next to the one that produces a flower. Pinching at the same joint sel- dom results in good growth. Putting plants into too large pots is a mistake often made by flower lovers when potting or re-potting plants in winter time. Re-pot plants at this season only when absolutely necessary. The spring is the best time. If potted now, use about an inch in depth of broken Drawing of Proposed New Horticultuial Building or Canadian National Exhibition A cut illustrating the ground-floor plan of this building probably will be published in the next issue of The Canadian Horticulturist with the Nic(jteen ; or, in the case of fohage plants becoming infested, by constant spraying with cold water, especially on the under side of the leaves. White and black thrips also can be got rid of by spraying with Nicoteen. When these pests appear on plants in flower, the Nicoteen can be sprayed on the hot pipes after the house is closed for the night. paper around the crevices of the door. Let the gas remain about 15 minutes, then open the door. Allow it to remain open for about half an hour before you go in. By that time all danger will be over. Hydro-cyanic acid gas is poison- ous and must be handled with care. These directions can be followed without danger to person and with effect in controlling the insect. 61 flower pots or cinders in the bottom of the pot for drainage. Good drainage often obviates and prevents damage from over-watering plants in winter. A few gloxinia tubers should be started for midsummer blooming. Place them in a mixture of leaf mould and satid, and just a httle well-rotted manure. Glox inias like a rather warm temperature when growing, and a temperature of 60 62 THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST degrees at night. Be careful not to have the leaves wet over night. Varieties of Rex begonias may be propagated from mature leaves; or the thick, fleshy stems, or rhizomes, can be cut into lengths of about two inches and struck in sand. Sow a packet of Primula obconica grandifloia seed, and grow the plants in the house all summer. They are easy to grow and one of the best of the primula family. Centaurea gymnocarpa will be found a useful plant for window boxes, lawn vases and in beds when a plant of light foliage is desirable to bring out con- trasts. Seeds of these should be started now. Double petunia, verbena, lo- belia, and other seeds that are slow in germinating may be sown. A few seeds of Cobea scandens, a quick-growing climber, also should be started. Much time is saved and the plants cover a trellis more rapidly if they are of good size when planted. Pruning Privet Hedges I ^Privet hedges sometimes become bare at the base. To remedy them, it is well to cut down the plants to within a foot or so of the ground. Many old hedges have been renewed in this manner. There is no use in trying to make them bushy in any other way. Cut the bushes down, and at the end of the next grow- ing season there will be the foundation of a handsome hedge. This spring, when the new growth has made the length of a foot, clip off the tops at their points. This will cause side shoots to form and make a bushy base. About midsummer or a little later, another clipping of shoots should take place. If the old hedge was strong when cut down there should be, by fall, a fine bushy growth of leaf-clad shoots of two feet or more in height. Treated in like manner the following year, the close of that season will see a hedge four feet high. In situations where the hedge is hiding some unsightly object that renders its cutting undesirable, there is nothing to do but set some young plants where the bare places are. Give them good soil to start on. To increase your stock of privet, use the cut-down branches of the hedge for the purpose, taking preferably the growth of the last season. If these shoots are cut into foot lengths and set out in early spring, every one should root. It is better, however, to take such shoots now and after making proper lengths, to place them in sand in a cellar until time for planting. S"weet Pea Culture James 'W. Nairn, Truro, Nova Scotia Liberal feeding is the best antidote for weeds. Abundant moisture and plant food furnish conditions for luxuriant growth of grass, which will crowd out almost all kinds of weeds. SWEET peas have attained wonderful popularity during the past 15 years owing to the great improvement in size and form of flower, and wide range of coloring. The greatest factor in advancing the sweet pea to its present great popularity, has been the wonder- ful work of that famous Englishman, Henry Eckford, who, by selection and cross-breeding, so greatly improved this lovely flower. While others are doing fine nozzle early in the mornings of bright, hot days. Sweet peas succeed best in cool, moist, well-drained soil, and we must not lose sight of the fact that they will not do well planted in the same soil two years in succession. The rows should be so situated that they will receive full sun- light, and an abundance of fresh air at all times. No faded blooms or seed pods should be tolerated on the vines Countess Seedling Sweet Pea good work on the sweet pea, it was he alone who blazed the way for others to follow. To secure the best results in growing this lovely flower, it will be found de- sirable to prepare the ground the pre- vious autumn by digging the manure deep into the soil before the ground freezes; then, as soon as the ground thaws out in the spring and becomes dry enough to work, open a drill with a sharp hoe, and sow the carefully selected seeds one and a half inches deep, and at least three inches apart in the row if you wish to have strong, good blooming plants. As soon as the young plants are well above the surface, say two inches high, cultivation should begin and should be continued regularly throughout the season. Frequent loosen- ing of the soil, and the application of a little manure water to the roots, will ensure a good season's bloom. It will be found of great advantage to spray the vines thoroughly with water from a and if we wish to have our bouquets of this lovely flower look and keep well, we cut the blooms early in the morning The finest white sweet pea I have grown is "Dorothy Eckford," and the best pink is from the seeds of that won- derful orchid-flowered "Countess Spen- cer." Both of these varieties produce numberless giant blossoms on stems 18 inches long. The names of beautiful sweet peas are legion, and it is useless to give a list. Wash the sides of flower pots once a month or oftener and they will look like In Victoria and elsewhere in British Columbia Enghsh Ivy grows in all its glory, covering walls, stumps, trees, houses and so on. It came into bloom on my grounds about the middle of Decem- ber last. English and Portuguese laurel and sweet bay all thrive in this climate. Camelias are used as decorative plants on our lawns. — M. J. Henry, Vancouver. -A. Garden of Old-FasHioned Perennial Flo^wers' A CLASS of plants that is familiarly known as old-fashioned, hardy garden flowers is herbaceous per- ennials— plants that once estabUshed, continue to grow and thrive year after year with but little care and attention. Perennials are the pioneers of the floral kingdom ; for who is there that does not remember seeing in the front yard or garden of his mother or grandmother ,; some stately subject, such as an old- ' fashioned peony or hollyhock, planted ; and cared for by hands long since laid to rest ? Is it not true that there are to-day I in the rural districts of our country imany cheerless abodes that could be made cheerful and attractive by the judicious planting of these good, old- il fashioned perennial flowers? Then let i' us plant liberally of these old friends of our forbears, which are fast becoming I favorites with most flower-loving people ; plant them not only for our own pleasure but for the good of the community in which we live, so that others seeing our example may go and do likewise. As the'poet says: Make thy garden as fair as thou canst, Thou workest never alone; Perchance he whose garden is next to thine May see it and mend his own. The proper place for a perennial border or a place where it shows to the best advantage, is at the edge of a lawn, with a background of shrubbery. A border alongside a fence, a wall, or around a garden, also shows to good advantage, though if planted at the side or sides of a ■garden, posts should be driven into the ground and a treUis of wire should be erected behind the border, where the different varieties of vines could be grown as a background. A good deal depends upon the soil and the preparation of the same as to the results obtained in this class of plants, from the fact that they are to remain in place indefinitely. The soil should be a good general garden soil; one that will grow a good crop of vegetables will give good results. In its preparation it should be worked to a jood depth, say 1 8 inches or more, and ,;hen a liberal quantity of good rotten nanure should be mixed into the soil with 'ork or rake. The proper time for planting in this :limate, and for most all species, is spring, rem the fact that the plants then have I year's growth, and consequently are )etter prepared to withstand the rigors i)f our Canadian winters than those that re planted in fall. Kven then most dnds are benefited by a mulch of leaves I'f light strawy manure, to be raked off S soon as spring opens. Good cultiva- *A paper read at the last meeting of the Que- i«c Pomological Society. J. IV.a^'mond Ball, tlLno^vlton, Quebec tion of the soil, and an annual dressing of manure and bone meal, with a thin- ning out and a dividing of some sorts, is about all the after treatment they require. Most perennial flowers can be easily grown from seed. If sown early, say in February or March, many kinds will bloom the first year; but it is in the second or third years that the best results may be looked for. Another method of increasing stock is b}^ division of old plants, which operation can be successfully performed either in the fall or early spring. Many varieties can also be propagated by cuttings. Perennial Larkspur Grown in Border at 0..\.C.. Guelph The following list of varieties includes some of the best. It is by no means a lengthy Hst, as there are thousands of species and varieties, and there may be others as desirable or more so. There is the achillea; the Pearl is perhaps the best known and most desirable, as its double white flowers are borne in great profusion all summer, and are valuable for cutting. Then there are aquilegias, or columbines, of which there are several varieties, all good. In anemones, Jap- onica, of which Queen Charlotte and Prince Henry are perhaps the best. Coreopsis, one of the most popular, with flowers of a rich golden yellow, is good 63 for cutting ; it commences to bloom about the end of June, and continues to bios som, more or less, the entire summer and autumn. Delphiniums, or larkspurs, are amongst the most showy and stately of all perennials, and range in color through all the shades of blue. There are also white and yellow. They are easily grown from seed. The "gold medal" hybrids are undoubtedly the finest mixture ever offered. I grew them last year, and obtained some beautiful colors. They are all good bloomers. Dielytra spectabilis, bleeding heart, is another old-fashioned flower well worthy of a place in the perennial border. In gaillardias, grandiflora is one of the hardiest, most showy and prolific bloomers. It keeps in flower from June until cut down by frost. Of gypsophilas, or "baby's breath" as it is commonly called, paniculata is the one most com- monly grown. It is the most useful. In combination with high-colored flowers, most beautiful effects can be produced. It blooms in August and September. The helianthus, or hardy sunflowers, are most effective, hardy plants, and look well not only in the border, but they can be placed among shrubbery, or as clumps on the lawn. Among the best varieties are Soliel d'or, Meteor and Multiflorus maximus. Dianthus bar- batus, Sweet William, is a fine old favor ite that needs no description. Besides the foregoing, there are peonies, some magnificent varieties of which were unknown a few years ago; and various species of iris, all of which are pretty and useful. The rudbeckia, or golden glow, is not only useful but indispensable in bouquet work. Last, but not least, I will mention the hardy phlox ; varieties have been wonder- fully improved in the past few years, and 'are among the most showy and important of all hardy perennials. They are in bloom in all imaginable shades and colors from early summer until late in fall. Plants for SHady Places Will you please give a list of plants that will do well in a shady bed? I have a place that is too shady for most annuals, but looks rather bare when unplanted? — P. W., Hamilton. Among the plants suited for shady beds are pansies, lobelia, coleus, ferns, caladiums, nemophilas, forget-me-nots, sweet alyssum, fuchsias, morning-glorys, hardy phlox and lily of the valley. If the shade is dense, few of these will do well, except ferns and lily of the valley. It is important, in establishing a lawn, to choose soil originally deep, fertile and in good physical condition. MaKing and Operating a Hotbed IN making hotbeds for forcing early vegetables or raising seedlings, great care should be taken in handling the manure. Good strawv manure with not too large a propor- tion of droppings is best. Before the bed is made up, the manure should be turned two or three times, at short in- tervals, as the weather will permit. The reason for the turning is to take the rank heat out, and prevent it fire- fanging. Care should be taken that every portion is well shaken. If leaves can be added it will tend to steady the heat and make it more lasting. The manure should be left in pile long enough to sweeten. This can readily be ascertained by pulling a handful from the middle of the pile and smelling it ; all impure smell should be gone. The ideal location for hotbeds is facing south or south-east, exposed to the full sun. The boards to be used in making a frame should be 12-inch for the back and 10-inch for the front; this on level land will give sufficient fall to enable the rain to run off. Build on sandy ground with a slight slope. There are two reasons for this, the first is drainage and the second is to enable the sash to have fall enough to run off rain; this can then be secured without having the manure thicker at one end than the other. Enough manure should be used to have the bed about one foot deep when thoroughly tramped. By thorough tramping you prevent the soil from sinking in spots, which would be a source of trouble. The beds should be well sheltered by a fence or wind-break on north and west sides. The more it is sheltered sideways the better, as starving winds operate too suddenly in lowering the temperature. The soil for the beds should have been well covered with manure. This will mean a great saving in labor and time. For lettuce, radish or beet, about six inches of soil should be used. Care should be taken to let the steam get off before planting, to prevent mildew. When lettuce is to be planted, plants that have been pricked out in flats give the best and quickest results. My experience in radish leads me to think that the following is the best way to sow them: Make a marker the length of the sash with points three inches apart on it. With this make shallow holes and sow three or four seeds in a hole. When sown this way, practically all the radishes are ready to pull at one time. To do this suc- cessfully the seed should be sorted by ♦An address delivered before the Hamilton branch of the Ont, Vegetable Growers' Association. r. K. R.eeves, Hutnber Day, Ontario sifting or otherwise, using none but plump, bright seed. The matter of ventilation needs care- ful attention. If possible, the air should be changed at least once every 24 hours. The question of watering will, of course, depend largely on the weather, making sure when watering has to be done to give a good soaking. I have frequently grown the first crop of lettuce without being watered from the time of planting till ready for the market. Sufficient covering should be kept handy for use in case of frost. Where canvas is used, it is a good plan to go over it on a frosty night with the watering can and give it a light sprinkle ; this will prevent frost getting through. The following has been found a good way to hasten the germination of tomato, egg plant, peppers, cabbage seed, and so forth : Mix with about three times their bulk of clean sand, soak in tepid water one hour, then place in shallow boxes, keeping the different varieties labelled. Keep in a warm place until they show signs of germination, then sow in bed. Seed thus treated will usually show a gn ■ n line in 30 to 48 hours after sowing. Lettuce and radish are generally the first crops grown in hotbeds. These can be taken off and the ground used for the transplanting of toma- toes and so forth. Crops that may be started in hotbeds are beets, cabbages, cauliflowers, celer\', cucumbers, egg-'^ plants, peppers, onions, tomatoes, mel- ons and squash. Prize-Taker Onions that were Prize-Winners This cut illustrates some of the Prize-taker Onions at the Canadian National E.xhibition last fall. In the ccntn is the lot that won first prize. They were grown by Brown Bros., of Humber Bay, Ont. Regarding thd;, system of producing onions of this kind. Mr. J. G. Brown writes as follows: "The most successful way to grOT onions is to sow the seed in the greenhouse or hotbed about the middle of March. Then plant outside as soon a> possible, in good rich soil in rows about 18 inches apart. Keep the ground well worked during growth. Whei the tops drop over the onion is ready to pull, but do not allow them to lie on the ground too long, as it spoil their appearance." Tomato Culture Inside and Out* JoHn N. "Watts, PortsmoutK, Ontario SUCCESSFUL tomato culture under glass depends as much on the man in charge as on conditions. Eter- nal vigilance and the exercise of good judgment on the part of the grower are more essential than strict adherence to set rules. Strong bottom heat, plenty of light and a large volume of pure air are im- portant conditions. They are best secured in a large, well-ventilated house. Tomatoes often are successfully grown without bottom heat, but the period of maturity is much delayed. * This essay won first prize for best article on "Tomato Growing" in the competition con- ducted by The Ontario Vegetable Growers' Association. 64 To make the best use of the house two crops should be grown during th( season. This will bring each crop on a: a season when the expense of htating during a part of the time, will be light Plants for the first crop should be startec as early as August, that is if the buB of the crop is desired for the holidays For the second crop seed should b sown about November 1. The plant will then be ready to replace the frs lot when the fruit is off in January. Many growers have been well pleasa with the practice of laying down th vines and allowing them to take root afte the first crop is picked and thereb forming a succession of fruits on the ol< plants. The plants are treated in ever THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST 65 e mi way as for outdoor culture till handled the last time. GROWING TOMATOES OUTSIDE Among the many varieties of toma- toeo that are grown in the field, it is diffi- cult to say which is the best marketable variety. Much time has been spent experimenting for the discovery of some early variety. I find that no variety gives more satisfactory results in this district, for earliness and yield, than the EarHana. The best late varieties for ome use and market are Plentiful, which gives general satisfaction but not as early as some others. Success, Perfec- tion, Purple Dwarf, Favorite, and a number of others. The preparation of land for tomatoes is much the same as preparing for many other crops. Many people claim that tomatoes do not need high cultivation. To my mind tomatoes require one of the highest grades of cultivation of any vegetable that is grown for market pur- poses. The soil must be well fertilized with rotted manure, which should be put on in the fall. Avoid stiff, hard, clay land, as it has a tendency to spoil the crop in a wet season. Soft loam, or sandy loam, well enriched, or black land, gives the best results. My reason for advocating the use of well enriched soil for tomatoes is that the majority of the crop is forced into a marketable size while the moisture is in the land. Should dry weather set in before the crop has had a chance to develop, the fruit and crop will be small. Often a first -class strain of tomatoes is condemned more for want of proper culti- vation than the qualifications of variety. Sow the seed about the end of March or the first week in April. When the plants are three and four inches high, transplant into quart strawberry boxes. These are placed in a hot bed with a nice,, steady growing temperature, with about three inches of soil in the bed. When the plants are all in, cover the boxes so as to prevent drying out by the sun. They are left there until the danger of frost is over. When planting in the field run a deep furrow with the plow, in which set the plants four feet apart each way, allowing room for sun and cultivation. Break the comers of the boxes as they are put in the furrows and thus prevent the dis- turbing of the roots. Draw the soil around the plants with a trowel to keep them in position until all are planted. Then use the horse and cultivator and complete the work. The crop will be ready for summer cultivation in a few days. By planting in squares it gives one a chance to work both ways with the cultivator. It thus lessens labor, re- duces expenses and increases the profit. For harvesting, the bushel crate is the ,' most satisfactory package. I Veg'etables in New Ontario AN interesting letter was received by The Canadian Horticulturist from Benjamin Hammond, of Fish- kill-on-Hudson, N.Y., a gentleman who has travelled in Canada several times and is interested in horticulture in all its branches. Mr. Hammond is sec- retary of the American Rose Society. The following is his communication: "Wabigoon is in the wild country of western New Ontario. It is a sta- tion on the C.P.R., 204 miles west of Port Arthur, and is located at the head of Lake Wabigoon. At this station last October, I saw a cabbage and cauliflower patch, that for perfect speci- mens attracted much attention. Since boyhood, I have always been fond of cauliflower, but for real flavor, it has not been my privilege to eat as good vegetables as the ones that I ate there. In that rigorous, wintry chniate, on sandy clay soil, they are doing wonders in garden products. "In the spring of 1905, before the ice was broken, I left Wabi- goon in a primitive sled to go through the bush and over the lakes a distance of 30 miles. About a mile on the journey, I came to a clearing where two log buildings were built ; one a bam and the other a settler's cabin. An acre or two of the light timber around the build- ings was down. It was being gathered by a boy with a cow and a sled; the settler had no horse. This industrious man, Herbert Wright by name, had taken up the land and settled with his young family to clear up and make a homestead. They were intelHgent workers. Last fall at the agricultural exhibition of the Rainy River district, held at Fort William', Mr. Wright placed his products on ex- hibition. He was successful in secur- ing first prize for parsnips, early Egyp- tian beets, early round cabbage, white celery, intermediate stump carrots, earlv red onions, globe Danvers and winter set onions; second prize for early point- ed cabbage, and third prize for pota- toes, 'Carman, No. 1.' How is this for new land in the so-called wilder- ness west of Lake Superior? Two years ago I saw a celery patch that ex- "V^^'vjJOO-VV^ ■5' fM\-\/i(y /* A New Ontario Home and Garden ceeded in strength, crispness, and flavor anything of the kind that I ever saw in New Jersey or Kalamazoo." PotasK for Potatoes For growing potatoes, which gives the best results, muriate of potash or sulphate ?— -T. H. P., Appleby, Ont. I do not know as there is any great difference in the effect of the two differ- ent fertilizers upon the growth of the crop, but the muriate of potash does not give as nice a potato as the sulphate. The former substance is inchned to make the potato waxy and the flavor is not so satisfactory as where the sul- phate is used. — Answered by Prof. R. Harcourt, O.A.C., Guelph. Hard or Soft "Wood AsKes Which is the best, hard wood ashes or soft wood? — W. B., Ayr, Ont. The ashes of hard and soft wood are very much alike, except that the former are heavier. Soft wood ashes are bulky. A great deal depends upon the position of the wood in the tree. The hmbs and branches contain more ash and conse- quently more potash than that from the tmnk of the tree, and the limbs more than the twigs. As you pass upward and outward you find more potash than you do in the trunk of the tree. The first blossom on the tomato plant usually is double, and always should be picked off.— -J. Gibbard, Doncaster. Manure for hotbeds should be uniform in composition and texture. m THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST Vegetable Varieties TKat Pay THE following varieties are recom- mended by Mr. W. G. Home for the district about Clarkson, Ont. : ' ' Pota- toes are grown extensively and for the last four years have been a paying crop. We introduced about four years ago an early variety called Early Envoy, which has proved to be very early and productive. It grows to a good size, is oblong and pink in color. For an early potato it is very smooth, with small eyes, and splendid for cooking. Some of our growers tried the Delaware potato; "which is so much sought after in Toronto," for a late kind, with good results. American Wonder is still a favorite with a great many. In cucum- bers for the early market for slicing, I find the Improved Arlington, White Spine and the Evergreen White Spine the best. Have also tried several varie- ties of tomatoes and find Spark's Ear- liana Tomato, No. 10, the best. The best early muskmelon known in Canada to-day is the Unsworth. Landreth's Extra Early Citron Muskmelon is fully as early but not quite so showy a melon. These two varieties of melon need to be started in a hotbed to be profitable for market. For late varie- ties, the Rocky Ford and Paul Rose cannot be excelled." TORONTO DISTRIC. For the district around Toronto Mr. J. W. Rush, of Humber Bay, Ont., submits the following: "The time of the year has come again when we must think about what crops will be best for us to grow and where we shall get our seeds. After nearly 40 years' ex- perience, I find it better to buy seed from our local seedsmen, and always to get well-known varieties. Let new varieties and novelties alone. Leave them for the college students to try; we have no time for such work. Al- ways buy the best seed and get it in time to test its germinating power. "Radish seed to be sown in hotbeds or greenhouses should be large and plump, and sown rather thin, an inch apart each way; in hotbeds, not more than six inches from the glass ; in green- houses, as near the glass as possible. When sowing spinach in early spring, set the drill one inch deep, sow mod- erately thick and tramp with foot; then every seed will grow. I sow Early Round Summer and Savoy Leaf, as they do best. Beets and carrots may be sown as early as land can be got ready. Be sure and firm soil on the seed. The best varieties of beets are, for early, Crosby, Egyptian and Eclipse Turnip; for late winter, Long Blood Smooth. Two well-known varie- ties of carrots are Chantenay, Stump Rooted and Half Long Danvers. Cab- bage can be sown the first of March in bed or greenhouse; when in rough leaf, prick out in flats about two inches each way. For early cabbage, sow Jessey Wakefield and Henderson's Early Summer. Plant out April 20 if land is ready. If they get covered with snow a few times it will do them no harm. Give cauliflower the same treatment as cabbage. Snowball and Erfurt are the best varieties; no man can tell one from the other. "For early corn, sow Early Market; for medium. Parry's Hybrid; for late, Country Gentleman and Stovell's Ever- green. The best onions are Yellow Danvers, and Southport Yellow; red onions are not wanted in Toronto market. Some Toronto growers make big money growing the silver skinned pickling onions, as there is always a ready sale for them at $2.50 to $3.00 a bushel; if 200 bushels or more are taken from an acre, they pay well. We sow New Intermediate and Hollow Crown parsnips. Put plenty of seed in the drill if you want a good catch. Sow the Moss Curled parsley; sow some onion seed with it and pull the onions early and bunch for market." MONTREAL AND VICINITY For the Montreal district, Mr. Chas. A. Smith, of Lachine, recommends the following: "Beans, butter, Currie's Must Proof, one of the best, Wardwell's Kid- ney Wax, and Yosemite Mammoth, round, padded ; green. Early Red Val- entine and Refugee ; kale, Dwarf Green Scotch, curled ; beets, round, Egyptian Turnip; long, Improved Long Blood; half long, Bonsecours Market; Brussels sprouts, Edinburgh Prizer; cauliflower, selected Dwarf Early Erfurt; cabbage, early. Early Express, Early Etarnpes; midsummer, Henderson's Early Sum- mer and Cannon Ball; late or winter, Autumn King, Flat Dutch, Marble Head, Improved Brunswick; carrots, early. Early French Horn; general purpose, Chantenay, Half Long Improved, Van- nery Half Long; long. Scarlet Inter- mediate, Long Red Stump-rooted; cel- ery, White Plume; yellow, Paris Gol- den Yellow; red, Dobbie's Selected Red. "The best varieties of early corn are Sugar Cory, New Champion ; late. Mam- moth, Stowell's Evergreen; midsum- mer, Kindal's Giant, None-such, Cros- by, Country Gentleman; cucumber, White Spine; egg plants, New York Purple, Early Round White, Luke's Musselburgh; onions. Red Wethersfield, White Globe, Red Globe, Prizetaker, Yellow Globe Danvers; parsnip, Hol- low Crown, Student; peppers. Cardinal, Giant Large Red; peas, Gradus, Early Star, American Wonder, Heroine, Strata- gem, Market Garden; salsify. Mam- moth Sandwich Island ; vegetable mar- row, Long White Bush, Boston Mar- row; tomatoes, Earliana, Freedom, Per- fection, Dwarf Champion and Trophy." Producing Early Beets The best variety of beets for the early market is the flat Egyptian. The seed should be sown in the greenhouse from the last of February to March 20. It is best to plant them in rows, because when they are being transplanted they can be taken in bunches and odd ones left on the bench to get stronger. If sown broadcast, all will have to be trans- planted at once. Sowing in rows also results in less trouble from the "damp- ing-off" fungus, which becomes very common if the young plants do not receive plenty of air. Moist air aids the development of the disease. A liberal watering should be given when the seeds are sown, and then no more for some time. No damage will result if the plants are allowed to wilt down before more water is given. It is difficult to grow beets successfully in hotbeds ; but they can be handled if all the steam is allowed to escape from the bed before the seed is planted. Once the plants are "pricked out" the trouble in handling them is over. They should be set out as early in the spring as the ground can be worked. In preparing the soil, it should be made as rich as possible with manure and then top-dressed with some high-grade fertil- izer. This should be followed with thorough harrowing, and then be smoothed off with a plank drag. Best results are obtained from setting the plants three to four inches apart in rows 14 or 15 inches apart. Cultivation then has to be done with a wheel hoe by hand. Too much cultivation can- not be given. The earlier a hotbed is made the larger should be the quantity of manure used. Value of Carbonate of I^ime Is carbonate of lime a good fertilizer for market garden soils, particularly for the growing of table roots?— L. M. A., Waverley, N.S. Carbonate of lime may be looked upon as an indirect fertilizer. Its chief func- tions in the soil seem to be to improve the physical condition, to neutralize acidity, and to liberate plant food, particularly potash, in the soil. If the soil has been under cultivation for some time and is rich in organic matter, it is quite possible that a dressing of one to one and a half tons an acre of fresh burnt lime would be beneficial to the soil. If the soil is a clay, it is probable that lime will improve the physical conditions and will liberate potash and thus aid in the growth of whatever crops may be grown upon it. Roots of all kinds require large amounts of potash. Lime will liberate this constituent from insoluble forms of combination, and to that extent will aid in the growth of roots. — Answer- ed by Prof. R. Harcourt, O.A.C., Guelph. ^'<%:^t^ '<%jt^ '<%[^ *>^^M>%>^n%r^^ n^:ifil^ r>t:fi§->> n*J%.>^ rt^^f^^ ntJf^§^ n^f^§i>^ ^iM%>s /ia%>i^ Grafting W^ax I desire to top-graft some apple trees. What are the ingredients and directions for making a good grafting wax? — M. T. S., Falmouth, N.S. The following formula has been used lor many years with satisfaction, as it does not melt and run down the tree by the heat of summer or crack by the cold in winter: Resin, four parts; beeswax, two parts, and tallow, one part. Melt the ingredients in an iron vessel over a slow fire, mixing thoroughly and taking care not to burn. When well incorpor- ated, in half an hour or so, pour con- venient portions from time to time in cold water, and when sufficiently cooled in a minute or less, take out and pull like taffy until it becomes Ught colored, when it may be made into rolls three or four inches long and an inch in diameter, for convenience in use. A little tallow, as little as possible, will be necessary on the hands to prevent sticking. As the sticks are made they should be placed in another vessel containing cold water to harden, after which they should be put away in a cool place until they are wanted for use. XKomas Slag for PeacHes When commercial fertilizers are used on or- chard soils, is it necessary to plow them down? How much Thomas slag per acre should be used for peach trees growing on light, sandy soils? — J. S., Beamsville, Ont. I do not think that it is good practice ever to plow down commercial fertilizers. They should be sown on the surface and then harrowed or worked into the sur- face soil. They will find their way down quickly enough. For peach trees grow- ing on Hght sandy soil, Thomas phosphate may be used at the rate of 300 to 400 pounds an acre, and on such soil it might be well to use some potash fertihzer in addition to the Thomas slag. — Answered by Prof. R. Harcourt, O.A.C., Guelph. Pruning Small Fruits When should I prune grapes and small fruits? — J.P., Toronto. Grapes and small fruits may be pruned in spring before growth starts. March is a good month for the work. Nitrate of Soda for L^a-wns Will nitrate of soda improve a lawn that is bare in spots and moss-grown in others? When should it be applied, and how much per square rod?— B. McN., St. vStephen, N.B. It is hard to give a definite answer from the conditions given, but I fear that, if the lawn were moss-grown in spots, the soil is somewhat sour or acid, and, therefore, I would recommend the application of some manure, which would neutralize the acid. This the nitrate of soda will not do. It is quite probable that the use of some Thomas phosphate, which contains a considerable quantity of lime besides phosphoric acid, would correct the sourness. This might be all that the soil needs. If from known conditions it is considered that the ground is fairly rich, it may be that the addition of hme would correct the acidity and would be sufficient. If it would not, I would be inclined to apply Thomas phosphate, some nitrate of soda, and some form of potash fertilizer. The different constituents may be ap- plied in the early spring. If nitrate of soda is used, this should be applied in the growing season, and then in very small quantities or it will bum the leaf. — Answered by Prof. R. Harcourt, O.A.C., Guelph. Poppy, Limnocharis Hutnboldti, is pretty and takes up very little space.— An- swered by A. H. Ewing, Woodstock, Ont. / Mild e-w on Plants Treating Primroses What shall I do with my primroses after blooming during the winter? — Mrs. A. J., Knowl- ton. Que. The uncertainty of next season's blooming, and the care required during the summer make it unprofitable to carry the plants over. Start new plants from seed or purchase new ones from your florist at the proper season. Plants for "Water Garden Will you name the best plants to make a small water garden, six by nine feet, and the number that would be likely to grow in such a small space? — M.M., Toronto. Plant two tubers of Nelumhium speci- osuni at one end in a space separated from rest of pond by a 10 or 12 inch board on edge. If hardy lilies are planted prob- ably one of the stronger growing vari- eties would fill the rest of the pond — Nymphcea maiiiacea rosea (pink). A'', m. chroniatella (yellow), or N. m. albida (white) are vigorous growers, free and continuous bloomers. Two less vigor- ous but otherwise as good varieties might be tried, say Nymphcea tvberosa rosea (pink), and A'', t. maxima (white). If tender Hlies are planted, one of either of the following would do, viz., Nymphaa Devoniensis (pink, night blooming), A'', rlentala (white, night blooming), or A'^. Zanziharensis (blue, day blooming). Two or three plants of Umbrella Grass, Cyperns alteinifolius, or Papyrus anti- quorum in pots might be stood in the pond, not submerged. The little Water 67 What causes mildew on plants, and what is the remedy? — ^W. M. C, Newcastle, N.B. Mildew is a fungus that develops rapidly in damp weather. Flowers of sulphur dusted on the leaves when they are damp will prove an effective remedy. Gro-w or Buy — "WHicH ? Should the gardener grow or buy his vege- table seeds? — D. B., Renfrew, Ont. The latter is much the wiser and safer plan. It is better to purchase seeds from those who make a specialty of growing them. Such men can afford the time, labor and expense required to secure seeds of the best pedigree or strain. The ordinary grower's method of seed selection at home is to save the seed only from plants remaining in the garden after the best specimens have been gathered for market; while the best seed is that which has been gathered from the best plants of the best strain. Occasionally the gardener may raise his own seeds with advantage, as in the case of one who is making a specialty of growing a particular class or variety of vegetable. / Diseased Lettuce Am bothered with rust on lettuce in green- houses. Free from disease last winter, but had considerable the winter before. The seedlings were line and healthy this season, so cannot account for rust. Kindly state the cause of, and remedy for this disease. — A. B., Stamford, Ont. We are not certain what the disease referred to is, as there are several dis- eases that affect lettuce, none of which is known by the name of "Rust." Names of these diseases are the Grey Mould, Sclerotium disease, the Drop or Rot disease and Downy Mildew. As it is difficult or practically impossible . to treat these diseases by spraying, some other means must be found. The plan usually adopted is to sterilize the soil. If it is not found practicable to sterilize all the soil, it is wise to treat as much of it as possible, even an inch on the surface very often will check the spread of the disease to a large extent. The use of fresh manure should be avoided and old soil should not be used unless sterilized. The lettuce house should be kept as well ventilated as possible. — Answered by W. T. Macoun, Dominion Horticulturist, C.E.F., Ottawa. 68 THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST The Canadian Horlicullurisl Published by The Horticultural Publishins Company", Limited The Only Horticultural Magazine in the Dominion OMcial Orean of British Columbia, Ontario, Quebec and Prince Edward Island Fruit Gro^vers' Associations and of the Ontario Vec- etable Gro\vers' Association H. Bronson Cowan, Manaeing Editor A. B. COTTINO, B.S.A., Horticultural Editor W. G. Rook, Advertising Manager Garrett Wall, Circulation Manager GREAT BRITAIN Pran^ Fletcher, 135 Henrietta Street, Old Trafford Manchester, Eng., Advertising and Circulation Manager 1. The Canadian Horticulturist is published on the 25th day of the month preceding date of issue, 2. Subscription Price 50 cents a year, three years Jl. 20, strictly in advance. For all countries except Canada, United States and Great Britain add 50c. for postage for each one year subscription. 3. Remittances should be made by Post Office or Money Express Order, or Registered Letter. Postage Stamps accepted for amounts less than $1.00. 4. Discontinuances — Responsible subscribers will con- tinue to receive The Horticdlthrist until the publishers are notified by letter to discontinue, when all arrearages ■lUst be paid. 5. Change of Address — When a change of address is ordered, both the old and the new addresses must be ■iTen. 6. cAdvertising Rates quoted on application. Circu- lation 6.000. Copy received up to the 18th. Responsible representatives wanted in towns and cities. 7. cArticles and Illustrations for publication will be tKankfully received by the editor. Our Protective Policy We want the readers of The Canadian Horticul- turist to feel that they can deal with our advertisers with our assurance of the advertisers' reliability. We try to admit to our columns only the most reliable ad- vertisers. Should any subscriber, therefore, have good cause to be dissatisfied with tlie treatment he receives from any of our advertisers, we will look into the matter and investigate the circumstances fully. Should we find reason to believe that any of our advertisers are im- reliable, even in the slightest degree, we will discontinue immediately the publication of their advertisements in The Horticulturist. Should the circumstances war- rant we will expose them through the columns of the paper. Thus, we will not only protect our readers, but our reputable advertisers as well. All that is necessary to entitle you to the benefits of this Protective Policy is that you include in all your letters to advertisers the words "I saw your ad. in The Canadian Horticultur- ist." Complaints should be sent to us as soon as possi- ble after reason for dissatisfaction has been foimd. Commimications should be addressed: THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST, 506-7-8 Manning Chambers, TORONTO, CANADA BECOME ONE OF OUR PARTNERS Few business enterprises pay as well as suc- cessful publications. It is seldom that papers or magazines that have recognized fields, fail. It is for this reason that investments in reliable papers are generally sought after and seldom prove disappointing. As announced some months ago, the share- holders of the Horticultural Publishing Com- pany, Limited, have decided to increase the subscribed stock of the company from $12,000 to $22,000, and the paid-up stock from $6,000 to $10,000. The $10,000 in new stock is now being offered for subscription. Already about half of it has been subscribed by the directors and shareholders of the company. It is desired that the balance shall be placed among the readers of the two papers. The Canadian Horticulturist and The Canadian Florist, owned by the company. In offering this stock to our readers, we do so with every confidence that, should they decide to invest, they will not regret their action and that in a few years the stock of the company will prove very valuable. During the past four years the receipts from the advertising carried in The Canadian Horti- culturist have doubled each year. During the past five months the paid subscription list of The Horticulturist has increased by over fifty per cent. By the end of this year it is ex- pected that the number of paid subscribers will be almost, if not quite, double what it was last year. This is going to make possible, in the near future, a decided advance in our ad- vertising rates which will result in increased receipts from advertisements without its being necessary to further enlarge the paper. As re- gards The Canadian Florist, the receipts from that paper already exceed the expenditures. The shares of the company are $50 each, on which it is intended to make four calls this year of ten per cent. each. In other words, on each $50 share only $20 will be called. Do you not think it would be nice to be a part owner of The Canadian Horticulturist? Those of our readers who are interested in this announcement are invited to write for a prospectus giving de- tailed information. A DOMINION FRUIT ASSOCIATION Why should there not be a Dominion Fruit Growers' Association? There are six provincial fruit growers' associations, all of which meet yearly, all of which receive regular provincial grants, and all of which are accomplishing much valuable work. It seems as though the time has come when the present organizations should be crowned by the formation of an association that will be representative of the fruit growers of the Dominion. The Dominion Conference of Fruit Growers, that was held in Ottawa last April, was produc- tive of much good. It demonstrated that there are many matters relating to fruit growing that can be discussed to the best advantage only at a meeting representative of the fruit growers of all the provinces. Although three busy days were spent at the conference, much of the work had to be hurried through without suflBcient con- sideration, while a number of important mat- ters that were down on the program for discus- sion were not reached. This serves to show the necessity that exists for the holding of regular meetings of the same nature. This need was expressed at the conference by a resolution that was submitted and which fav- ored the formation of a Dominion Associatioh. This was one of the matters that lack of time prevented being considered. The resolution in question was withdrawn when Hon. Sydney Fisher promised to arrange for the holding of another conference within two or three years. This announcement on the part of Hon. vSydney Fisher was received with such enthusiasm by the assembled delegates, that it leads us to ask Hon. Mr. Fisher why he shoidd not carry the matter further and arrange for similar confer- ences at stated periods. One objection, expressed by Hon. Mr. Fisher, to the formation of a Dominion organization, representative of the fruit interests, and which would meet regularly, was that his Department, already, is so busy he would find it impossible to give such meetings his personal attention. With all due respect to Hon. Mr. Fisher, we fail to see the strength of this reason. The provincial fruit growers' associations manage to hold very successful conventions even when they are not attended by the provincial ministers of agricul- ture. In fact, they sometimes hold even more successful conventions in the absence of the ministers of agriculture from some of the ses- sions than they otherwise would, inasmuch as the growers present feel more free to talk-out on the matters relating to government work. Later, when decisions have been reached on subjects in regard to which it is felt that the assistance of the government is needed, deputa- tions are appointed to wait on the Minister of Agriculture and discuss them with him. Why could not this be done in the case of a Dominion organization of fruit growers? While Hon. Sydney Fisher might not be able to attend each meeting, he surely could find time to meet with deputations to consider the results of their con- ferences. This, in the absence of a better ar- rangement, would be sufficient. The matter of expense should not be a serious difficulty. A couple of provinces give an annual grant to their local fruit growers' associations of $1,800. We understand that the last Dominion conference cost the Dominion Government about only $2,000. The Dominion Government can afford to be as liberal as the provincial govern- ments in a matter of this kind, and, therefore, should be able to make a regular grant of $3,000, or $4,000 if necessary, to assist the holding of such conferences regiilarly. While it, probably, is not necessary that rejiresentative fruit grow- ers from all the provinces should meet together each year, they should meet not less often than once every two years. At present, the calling of these conferences is left to the discretion of the Dominion Minister of Agriculture. While fruit growers generally have every confidence in Hon. Sydney Fisher, they would feel better satisfied were there an arrangement by which they would be able to meet as regularly in a Dominion conference as they now meet at their various provincial conventions NOT YET SATISFACTORY During the discussion in the House of Com- mons of the new Cold Storage Act, introduced by Hon. Sydney Fisher, it was pointed out that the basis of distribution of the proposed govern- ment grant was not satisfactory, owing to the period of payment being extended over too long an interval. The first proposal was that the Government, on the completion of a cold stor- age warehouse, should make a grant equal to one-tenth of the cost of construction, and that during the succeeding four years, four more pay- ments should be made, each equal to five per cent, of the cost of construction. The Minister of Agriculture has expressed a willingness to increase the amount of the first payment to make it equal fifteen per cent, of the cost of construction and to increase the amount of the second payment to seven per cent. This change is in the right direction, but we feel that it still does not go far enough to offer sufficient inducement to fruit growers to co- operate in the erection of warehouses for the handling of their fruit. When the Cold Storage Act was introduced in the House of Commons, it was explained that one of the chief objects in view was to prevent the enormous waste that takes place each year in the marketing of the apple crop. This object will not be accom- plished unless the growers are encouraged to erect their own warehouses. This will not re- sult, to any considerable extent, unless the first payment by the Government is equal to at least twenty per cent, of the cost of construction. We hope that the bill will be amended accord- ingly. In any event we desire to congratulate Hon. Sydney Fisher on having introduced this measure, which, in the end, should prove of great benefit to the fruit growers of the Dominion. Announcement was made some time ago that the Provincial Secretary for Ontario proposed to introduce a new Companies' Act. This Act is now before the Legislature. The scope of this Act is so wide as to take in and provide for the incorporation of all kinds of companies, whether joint stock companies or cooperative. Hitherto many clieese-making and butter-making com- panies have been incorporated under the Act respecting cheese and butter manufacturing associations and companies; and many fruit companies have been incorporated under a similar Act, entitled, "An Act to Provide for the Incorporation of Cooperative Cold Storage Associations." Incorporation under these two Acts was very simple: Five or more persons could sign an agreement which was filed in a local registry office and the company was then allowed to carry on business with certain re- stricted powers. The new Act will continue the incorporation of all companies organized under these two Acts and will place these companies on a par with joint stock companies, having powers to carry on business just as joint stock companies have at the present time. These companies will hereafter be required to make THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST annual reports to the Provincial Secretary, The general effect, therefore, will be that tlieir status will be improved. The only objection that might arise would be the fear that high fees would be exacted, but the Provincial Secretary's department has given the assurance that in the , case of such companies the annual fee will be merely a nominal one and that tliere will be no cause for objection along that line. The Act will provide that in future all such companies must be organized under this new Act, so that it will no longer be possible to organize a com- pany by simply signing an agreement and filing the same with a local registrar. The Provincial Secretary's department will provide very simple forms for incorporation and will exact minimum fees, so that encouragement will be given to the organization of companies in connection with agricultural operations. The assurance is given that nothing will be done to discourage the organization of such companies, but that every- thing will be made plain and simple, and be done at a minimum cost. The advantages of this Act are that all companies doing business will be on record at Government headquarters, with the powers and privileges fully set forth, and that it will be possible to find out at any time on application to the Provincial Secretary's oiBce what companies are doing business along any lines. A live new branch of the Ontario Vegetable Growers' Association has been formed at Ojibwa, and more are in process of formation. An ex- tensive program of work is being prepared for the provincial association this year, and by the end of the year it is expected that the total membership will be over 700. When this asso- ciation was formed, just two years ago, it was feared by some that its constitution which was radically different from those of the other pro- vincial associations, and a good deal in the nature of an experiment, would not work out successfully when put to the test of time and practice. After a two years' trial the association is in a very satisfactory position and looking for- ward to a bright future, It would seem as though the Ontario Fruit Growers' Association need hesitate no longer about adopting a similar constitution. The step in that direction taken by its members at their last convention was not quite big enough. There is room for still further improvement. 69 THE following is a copy of the Act to en- courage the establishment of cold storage warehouses for the preservation of perish- able food products. Readers of The Can- adian Horticulturist are invited to discuss it through these columns: 1. This Act may be cited as The Cold Storage 2. The Governor in Council may enter into contracts with any persons for the construction equipment and maintenance in good and efficient working order, by themselves, their successors and assigns, of cold storage warehouses in Canada, suitable for the preservation of the food products specified in such contracts. 3. The location plans and specification of every such warehouse, its equipment, and the amount to be expended thereon, shall be subject to the approval of the Governor in Council. 4. The Governor in Council may, out of any moneys appropriated by Parliament for the pur- pose, grant towards the construction and equip- ment of any such warehouse a subsidy not exceeding in the whole 30% of the amount ex- pended or approved of in such construction and equipment, and payable in instalments as follows: Upon the warehouse being completed and cold storage at suitable temperatures being provided tlierein, all to the satisfaction of the Minister of The Cold Storag'e Act Agriculture, a sum not exceeding 15% of the amount so expended, and at the end of the first year thereafter, 7% of the said amount, at the end of the second year thereafter 4% of the said amount and at the end of the two succeed.^ years A% of the said amount, provided the ware- house is maintained and operated to the satisfac- tion of the Minister of Agriculture. 5. The Minister of Agriculture may refuse to pay any part of the said subsidy if, in his opinion the operation of the warehouse has not been of such a character as to provide for the proper Preservation of such products as may be stored 6. The Minister of Agriculture may order, and cause to be maintained, an inspection and super- vision of the sanitary conditions, maintenance and operation of such warehouses. 7. The rates and tolls to be charged for storage m such warehouses shall be subject to the ap- proval of the Governor in Council. 8. For the effective carrying out of the provis- ions of this Act, the Minister of Agriculture may appoint inspectors, who shall have access to aU parts of such warehouses at all times 9. Chapter 7 of the statutes of 1897, intituled An Act respecting Cold Storage on Steamships from Canada to the United Kingdom and in certain cities in Canada, is repealed. Spraying' in Prince Edward Island Rev. Father DurKe, Alberton In Denver, Col., an annual cleaning day is appointed every spring for the purpose of clean- ing up the streets, parks, boulevards, and other public places. A new feature of the cleaning day last year was the campaign against the dandelion, which feature was introduced by the mayor of the city. Householders were urged to dig them up by the roots from their back yards, lawns and gardens, and thereby lessen the spread of this ever-present nuisance. The Ontario Horticultural societies, and all cities in Canada interested in civic improve- ment, would do well were they to institute a ' similar onslaught on the dandelion, which is a civic nuisance. I Those fruit growers in Ontario who have re- I fused hitherto to admit the presence of the San Jose Scale in their sections and to support the local inspectors in their efforts to stamp out the pest are now regretting their short-sightedness. i The time is ripe for an aggressive campaign to wipe out the pest. We are in receipt of a liandsome catalog from Brown Bros. Co., Limited, Brown's Nur- series, Ont. It contains a large number of I beautiful lithographs that portray the leading j varieties of specialties that are handled by this well-known firm. The illustrations are beautifully done, and the descriptions of varie- ties are excellent. Fruit growers and garden- ers should have a copy of this catalog. A FEW of our most successful growers are not absolutely satisfied as to the value of spraying; some said openly at the late meeting of our Provincial Fruit Growers' Association that they did not beUeve in it at all. Personally, I am convinced that spraying with Bordeaux mixture for clean and sound fruit is a necessity, that its use has gone altogether beyond the experimental stage, and that, in ordinary years, it is impossible to grow good fruit of most varieties without it. If science has demonstrated anything, it has this. ^In his paper last December before the asso- ciation, Mr. Registrar White reflected on spray- ing, and Mr. John Newson, a very successful grower and specially intelligent man, was put on record as saying that the unsprayed por- tion of his plantation was richer in fruit returns of a superior class than the sprayed portion He said that he had been enabled to form this opinion from the fact that, for fear of killing his bees, he had desisted, in the main, spray- ing operations, leaving such apples as the Wealthy, then in bloom, unsprayed. From the chair we told him that in order to prove his case he would need to convince us that the mixture was rightly made of good materials rightly applied, and that the weather was not such after as to remove the wash from the trees. He thought all those conditions were main- tained properly, and was inclined to hold his ground, although the fact that it was a ques- tion of only one spraying, predicted a want of system and adherence to instruction in the matter. Mr. Bovyer, of Georgetown, our new inspector-instructor, argued strongly in favor of spraying; so did Messrs. Moore and Dewar, both experienced growers. The concensus of the meeting was strongly on the side of sprays. Mr. White, in closing, said that Bordeaux had been blamed for leaf bhght in the States and some parts of Canada. As a matter of fact, Bordeaux mixture is now being pretty generally used on the potato crop as well as on fruit trees here. It is more gen- erally than ever used on the latter, and fruit cannot long be grown profitably without it. We all recognize, however, the hardship spray- ing imposes on the ordinary individual. It is a dirty job at best for amateurs. If a public sprayer could be had to do the work reasonably in price and well as to methods, there would be few people bother with it themselves Say what they will, half the mixtures made by tyros are imperfect— a loss of time, money and whatever old clothes are valued at I hate to have to go at it myself, but there is no help tor It until spraying is done by travelling pro- fessionals licensed by the board, as are many other much less important matters in our everyday life. Cooperation for Fruit Growers In the province of Ontario there are some 27 cooperative fruit associations, and the result of the operation in connection therewith during the past season have been most satisfactory to the fruit growers concerned. The prices received by the individual grower have been in the majority of cases, much beyond that realized before cooperation was introduced. The De- partment of Farmers' Institutes and the Pro- vincial Fruit Growers' Assn. are cooperating in the holding of special meetings to further the interests of cooperation. Letters have been addressed to a number of points at which it is thought cooperation could be introduced to advantage. Some likely places have, no doubt been overlooked in this. ' Fruit men are asked to make application either to P. W. Hodgetts, secretary of the Ont. Fruit Grs.' Assn , or to G. A. Putnam, Supt. of Farm- ers' In.stitutes, if a meeting is desired with a view to placing before the fruit men the possibilities and advantages of this Hne of work. Cooper- ative companies can be organized at a nominal fee, and fruit men have nothing to lose and much to gain in forming an organization. IP You Want a Book we will get it for you Send for our catalog, which is free to all sub- scribers. You may see some book listed therein which should be- in your library. — Address, Thb Canadiaw Horticulturist, 'Toronto. We Want New Subscribers and are willing to pay generously for them. Canvassers make from $2 to $10 a day canvassing subscriptions to The Canadian Horticulturist. Write for particulars now. WorK of ErXperiment Stations with Insects and Fungi A BULLETIN, No. 150, entitled: "The Com- mon Fungous and Insect Pests of Grow- ing Vegetable Crops," was prepared by Prof. Wm. Lochhead and Mr. T. D. Jarvis, and issued by the O.A.C., Guelph. Growers may obtain a copy on application to the college or to the Dept. of Agri., Toronto. In the bulletin an attempt is made to de- scribe concisely the common fungous and in- sect enemies of vegetable crops, and to state briefly the best methods of controlling these pests. "It is believed that the publication of such information in bulletin form will fill a long-felt want. While criticism may, perhaps, be made of some of the treatments recom- mended, to the eiTect that they are too expen- sive, too burdensome, or but partially effective, it can at least be said that they are the best that up to the present have been devised. It is true that with some vegetable crops the re- turns are so small that every means must be taken to reduce the cost of growing and mar- keting the crop. As a consequence, some growers will, perhaps, prefer to replant rather than practise the treatments recommended in the bulletin." SPRAYING FOR SAN JOSE SCALE We are just in receipt of a bulletin, No. 107, issued by the W. Va. Exp. Sta. on the results obtained from commercial insecticides for the San Jose scale. Tests were made of various concentrated materials that are on the market. Of the spray materials used in the experiment Target Brand Scale Destroyer and Kil-o- Scale gave the best results, being practically identical. The bulletin says in part: "Concentrated soluble oil preparations are the most convenient to use of any material yet devised for the destruction of scale insects. They mix readily with cold water and are not injurious to spray pumps, harness, horses, nor the face and hands of the user. None of them, however, seem to possess the fungicidal prop- erties of the lime and sulphur sprays, but as scale killers some, at least, are entirely satis- factory and greatly simplify the matter of combatting scale insects on fruit trees. The pasp. with which these materials may be pre- iwred for use in small orchards and fruit gar- rt'ns, as well as larger plantations, offer good reason for the hope that in the future more interest will be taken in the matter of spray- ing by those who own scale-infested trees." PETROLEUM EMULSIONS In bull. No. 75, of the Agr. Exp. Sta. at New- ark.. Del., an attempt is made to describe meth- ods of making petroleum emulsions without guaranty of their efficiency as insecticides. "These emulsions depend on soap for their exist- ence, and sometimes on other auxiliary agents. Different formulas call for different proportions of emulsiiier, and are, accordingly, differently adapted to summer and winter applications. Soluble oils sometimes require a preliminary ' manipulation ' with a little water before they will emulsify. It is cheaper to prepare the emulsi- fier, or 'concentrated oil,' alone and to add the necessary amount of petroleum oils at the place where the material is to be used. High ratio '.soluble oils' are usually turbid, separate in 2 parts and need to be mixed before using. Prob- ably a small fraction of the oil emulsified is visible when magnified. Some emulsions separ- ate within a short time, others last for months. "Most of the various insecticides, except Paris green, decompose soap, and therefore destroy the emulsions that they are mixed with. Hence, there is urgent need of clean vessels and utensils. Kaolin, or even good clay, may be used as a 'marker' to indicate the completeness of the spraying. Crude oil emulsions are some- what more difficult to make than those with kerosene, but they are practicable. The cost of materials needed to emulsify a gal. of kerosene or of petroleum oils ranges from IJ^ cts. to 15 cts. 'Soluble oils' may easily be made, with but a few appliances and with but little skill." INSECTS AND INSECTICIDES The Agr. Exp. Sta. of Fort Collins, Col., has ssued a bulletin. No. 114, containing informa- tion in regard to the common insect pests and the remedies that are commonly used for their destruction or prevention. The 1st part deals with the most important insects attacking both large and small fruits, detailing, in particular, those that attack the different parts of the tree, bush or plant. The description, life history, habits and remedies for each are included. The 2nd part takes up the preparation and use of the more common insecticides, giving in detail those substances that kill by being eaten by external contact, by being inhaled, and those that repel. Insect traps are also dealt with. The best methods of applying insecticides, wet and dry, are described. Spraying is taken up as follows: "The first requisite for a good job of spraying is a pump that will give plenty of pressure in the hose. Then, if one has a good spraying nozzle and a liquid that is free from solid particles of a size to clog the sprayer, there will be no difficulty in getting a good spray. Barrels and tanks should always be filled through a strainer to avoid loss of time and annoyance through the clogging of nozzles. "A very fine spray is most economical of material and, for an even and thorough distribu- tion, is best, and is especially useful for the de- struction of caterpillars, slugs and other insects that devour the foliage of plants. In case of the first spraying for the codling moth, however, I am still constrained to recommend, as I have done for years, that the spray be a medium coarse one. By this I do not mean that the spray should be composed largely of large drops produced by the breaking up of a solid stream thrown forcibly into the air, and it should not be a fine mist or fog. A rather coarse Vermorel, or a good Bordeaux nozzle with a pressure of 100 or 125 lbs., will ftUTiish such a spray. When spraying is being done to destroy leaf-eating insects, care should be taken not to spray too long in one place, as this will result in the little drops that collect upon the leaves uniting and running off, carrying the poison with them. Here again this rule does not apply to the first treatment for the codUng moth. In that appli- cation there should be but one end in view, and that to fill every blossom or calyx cup with the spray. '"There are two types of nozzles that are used almost exclusively for the distribution of liquids. Perhaps the most popular among these are the Bordeaux and Seneca nozzles which throw a flat spray or a solid stream, and the Vermorel nozzles which throw a cone-shaped spray, which may be graded from medium coarse to extremely fine, depending upon the pressure and the tip that is used upon the nozzle. It is a big advan- tage in nozzles of this class to have them joined to the connecting rod so they may be turned at any angle to the rod that is desired. Any of these nozzles may be used singly or in batteries of 2 to 4." FUNGICIDES AND INSECTICIDES. A brief treatise on the subject of spraying was issued during the past summer by the Agr. Exp. Sta. at Columbia, Mo. It is bull. No. 23. It contains formuhe for combatting insects and fungi and a spray calendar. Among other in- teresting points mentioned are the following: "Plant diseases are caused by some or all of 3 causes — fungi, bacteria, and insects. Many fruit growers attribute the failure of their plants to bad weather; too wet, too dry, too hot, or too cold. These causes are only secondary and their influence is of minor importance. By far the greater amount of damage done to fruit and vegetables is due to fungi, which are minute plants closely related to the moulds, and live entirely on the bodies of the higher plants. These fungi are very numerous, occurring everywhere on the bodies of both dead and living plants and sometimes on animals. When occurring on dead tissues, they cause the tissues to rot or decay, while on the hving plants cause various effects which we know as diseases. These diseases are often attributed to bad weather, but as said above, the weather exerts only a secondary influence. For instance, in the early spring, just after the apple has dropped the petals from its flowers, many of the young fruits are found to have turned yellow and dropped off. Close inspection of these yellow fruits discloses a black mould growing on the body of the apple and also on the stem. Many persons consider this black- ening to be directly caused by the cool, wet weather in which it always occurs. It is, how- ever, caused entirely by the apple scab fungus, which develops most rapidly in the cool, wet weather. "The curling of peach leaves in spring will take place in the same sort of weather, and like the apple scab, is caused directly by a fungus attack- ing and living on the tissue of the peach leaves. It may be seen as a white mould covering the curled parts of the leaves or twigs. The mould which attacks the fruit of the peach at the time it begins to ripen, causing the fruit to become covered with a grayish mould and quickly rot, is another of the many fungi which attack and destroy tlie fruit cro " No plant is exempt from the ravages of fungi. Nearly all of them develop more rapidly in ,wet than in dry weather, and the cool, wet weather of spring will usually be followed by a great loss of the fruit through the ravages of fungi. In such cases, it behooves the fruit grower to spray and spray thoroughly. "For all forms of fungous diseases certain measures may be adopted to control their development. When once a fungus is will established in the plant, however, there is no way by which the disease may be eradicated. Plants differ from animals in being unable to take into their bodies remedial agents, and on this account all material intended for the control of diseases must be put on the outside of the plant. Boring holes in the trees and injecting materials of unknown composition is to be con- demned, since it does more damage to the trees than good " STRAWBERRY CROWN GIRDLER. The Maine Agri. Exp. Sta. has sent out Bulletin 123 on insects. The strawberry crown girdler is discussed with reference to its tendency to enter houses, and data concerning its food plants and suggestions as to remedial measures are given. Notes on other insects which have been conspicuous during 1905 are recorded. Among these are the tussock moth, red-humped . caterpillar, stalk borer, mourning cloak butter- fly, chain dotted geometer, rosechafer, carpet beetle, wire worms, and a grey snout beetle. A list of insects sent to the station in 190.5 for identification is appended. It is pointed out that the strawberry crown girdler in the larvae or grub stage feeds on the roots of grasses and other plants. Strawberries are especially susceptible to attack and should not be set in or very near soil infested by these grubs. The only known practical remedy is clean cultivation. The adult beetles feed upoti the leaves of the strawberry and many other plants. When they are numerous enough to cause much injury, arsenate of lead should be used as a spray. Send us two new subscriptions to The Cana- dian Horticulturist, and we will extend your own subscription one year. Send us one, and we will extend it six months. The more subscriptions, the greater influence behind the editorial chair The Horticultural Societies of Ontario are Active THE Windsor, Walkerville and Sandwich Hort'l Society held its annual meeting on Jan. 9, elected officers and transacted other important business. The treasurer's report showed that there was $383.44 cash on hand. It was decided that the premium mag- azine which is given for a year to each mem- Mr. Archibald McNee PrcsideutWindsor Horticultural Society ber be changed from The Garden Magazine to the home paper, The Canadian HoRTictiL- TURIST. Plans were discussed to make the city of Windsor one of the beauty spots of Essex. Two or three public meetings will be called dur- ing the winter when lectures will be given and matters discussed whereby the society can accomplish the most good in this direction. The following officers were elected: Hon.-pres., S. Lusted; pres., Archibald McNee; 1st v.-pres., C. J. Stodgell, Walkerville; 2nd v.-pres., Geo. Lanspeary; sec, John O. Cheyene; treas., J. T. J. Reynolds; auditors, Messrs. Holton and Tem- pleton; directors, Messrs. Shepherd, Sweeney, Diesburg, Nairn, Bushell, Purcell, Lusted, Pow- ell and Smith. THE WOODSTOCK SOCIETY At the annual meeting the reports demonstrat- ed that the society has done good work during the past year. The president for last year, R. W. Woodroofe, read an address, in which he outlined the work of the society for the year. The sec.-treas.'s report showed that the receipts were $308.81, and the expenditure, $213.06, leaving a balance of $95.75 on hand. The paid-up membership was 92. The election of oflRcers resulted as follows- Hon.-pres., R. W. Woodroofe; pres., J. W. Arm- strong; 1st v.-pres., T. L. Clarkson; 2nd v.-pres., Wm. R. Vroman; directors: Mrs. Hoare, Mrs. Armstrong, Messrs. Tindale, Whaley, John Whitehead, D. C. Richmond, Ewing, Close, Bingham; auditors, Messrs. Hoare and T. L. Clarkson. A by-law submitting the bringing into force of the Parks Act, was passed by a large major- ity at the last municipal elections in the city, and a park commissioner is now assured. This result has been brought about entirely by the efforts of the Woodstock Hort'l Society, the members of which are to be congratulated on the outcome of their work. The people appear to have been thoroughly disgusted with the manner in which this department had been managed by a committee of the council in the past, and to realize that well-kept parks and boulevards have something to do with the progress of a city. The chairman of the parks committee two years ago boasted that he had saved $70 out of a $200 or $300 appropriation made by the council for his department for the year. With continuity of purpose, Woodstock can be made as attractive a little city as can be found in the Dominion THE SOCIETY AT OAKVILL^ At a meeting of the Oakville Hort'l Society, held on Jan. 9, a resolution was passed, dealing with the substitution of varieties by nurserymen. Much loss and injury has resulted to the fruit growing interests of that district, through the careless manner in which nurserymen have in past years filled orders for nursery trees, especi- ally in the matter of substitution without the consent of the buyer. This practice entails much hardship on fruit growers, because of the length of time that must elapse before the grower can become aware of his loss through such substitution. The society decided to ask the Ont. Hort'l Assn. to petition, on behalf of the district societies, the Hon. Sydney Fisher, Min. of Agri., at Ottawa, to cause to be enacted a measure that would compel nurserymen to guarantee that all fruit trees, bushes and plants sold by them shall be true to name. THE ELORA SOCIETY Our annual meeting for election of officers was held in the town hall, Elora, on the evening of Jan. 9. The new act or law relating to societies was discussed, as a great many members did not fully understand it. We hope that societies will fall into line with the new act, and also that all societies will roll up a large subscription list to The Canadian HoRTictiLTURisT, as we con- sider it worthy of support and a place in every home. Our society during the past year has been successful, and we hope for more success in 1907.— Jas. W. Love, Elora annual meeting in BELLEVILLE There was a fair attendance at the recent annual meeting of the Belleville Hort'l Society. Considerable interest was taken in the election of officers for the ensuing year. It resulted as follows: Pres., W. C. Reid; 1st v.-pres., H. J. Clarke; 2nd v.-pres., S. J. Wedden; sec.-treas., W. J. Diamond; directors: Messrs. W. Rod- bourne, D. Barrager, S. A. Gardner, J. Harris, E. T. Cherry, Mayor Siilman, W. J. Diamond, F. D. Diamond and W. Kemp. The treasurer's report for the past year shows a balance of $347.94. Plans were laid for this year's work. It is expected that the society will flourish and prosper even more than it has in the past. LINDSAY HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY Our annual meeting was held on Wednesday, Jan. 9, with R. Chambers, president, in the ehair. The minutes of the last meeting were read and signed; also the annual report, showing ceceipts of $183.99, expenditure $153.30, balance on hand, $30.69. Our officers for 1907 are: R. Chambers, re-elected president; Alex. Cathro, 1st v.-pres.; R. Morgan, 2nd v.-pres.; F. J. Frampton, sec.-treas, ; James Keith and J. B. Knowlson, auditors. Our directors are: T. Con- nolly, Alex. Skinner, G. Irwin, C. Hughan, B. A. Woods, S. Nevison, F. T. Frampton, Mrs. G. A. Milne and Mrs. H. G. Whiteside. During the past year we have distributed over 50 numbers of The Canadian Horticul- turist, beside other literature, have held one lecture on lawn making, and have distributed 600 bulbs, consisting of hyacinths and lilies, and a number of dahlia roots besides. Our opinion of The Canadian HoRTicuLTtrR- IST is that it is taking a first place as an educator along the lines of fruit, flow-er and vegetable 71 growing. It fills the long-felt need in Canada for a good publication of the kind. Keep it up. — F. J. Frampton, sec.-treas. NEW WORK FOR TORONTO SOCIETY Suggestions for work for the coming year were mentioned in a printed statement presented by the secretary, as follows: "That the directors for next year take into consideration the naming of 6 streets (in different parts of the city) and offering prizes for the best kept lawn, flower beds or other floral attrac- tions, which will add beauty and cleanliness, etc., to the surroundings. "That three prizes be given each street, vii. $15, $10 and $5, and that the streets be named not later than April 1, 1907. "That it be advertised, and that those who wish to compete notify the secretary not later than June 15. "That not less than 5 residents on each street compete or 3 prizes will not be given "That 3 competent judges be appointed; and, if in their judgment prizes have not been earned, their ruling will be final. All com- petitors must be members of the s6ciety, and all be amateurs." Also: "Endeavor to obtain some permanent im- provement in the condition of the boulevards and lawns of the city by the planting of trees and shrubs, and hedges at street corners, etc., and seek to establish combined efl'ort on the part of residents of different neighborhoods. "Appoint some qualified person to make sug- gestions for the beautification of a street or neighborhood, and interest the residents by aa- vising them of the recommended and possible improvement. Invite them to meet and discuss these improvements, and so obtain the com- bined effort sought. "Apply for financial assistance from the city towards the purchase of necessary shrubs, hedges, etc., and have free distribution to those who undertake to carry out suggested improvements. Mr. J. O. Cheyene Secretary Windsor HorticuUur.il Society "Conduct meetings with addresses on civic improvement on above lines, and so stimulate and arouse interest in the matter "As an adjunct to the above scheme, offer prizes to members of the society having the best kept lawns, boulevards, etc., dividing com- petition into whatever classes may be necessary." 72 THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST Nova Scotia Letter G. H. Vroom, Dominion Fruit Inspector Up to the present writing there has been shipped from the port of Halifax a little over 200,000 bbls. of apples. Of this number, nearly all went to England; 10,000 went to Newfound- land, and equal to 4,000 went to South Africa. Part of the South African shipment was made in half barrels, part in whole barrels and the remainder in bushel boxes. There are about 75,000 bbls. to go forward yet. These are mostly Baldwin, Stark, Ben Davis, Spy, Golden Russet and Nonpariel. The packing has greatly improved this season.- The No. 3 grade is still being shipped abroad. This is a great mistake, as it certainly has a depressing effect on the market. Prices have been disappointing, and dealers in some instances are losing money. In many cases, the apples were bought as they came from the trees, and when they were packed according to the law the shrinkage was more than the price paid would stand and leave any chance to make profit. About 3,000 bbls. of cranberries have been sold in the Canadian markets as the result of last year's N.S. crop. The net price would be an average of $6 a bbl. Montreal Notes E. H. Wartman, Dominion Fruit Inspector. During the export season at Montreal, August to November 28, 1906, 8,006 inspections were made on apples from an aggregate 394,399 bbls. and 55,475 bxs. Violations of various clauses of the Fruit Marks Act were many, yet a com- plete summary reveals to us a better tone than last year. Section 4 (c) shows the most viola- tions, which clause demands a designation of quality. We found 4,648 bbls. without a desig- nation. This demand is a very reasonable and necessary one, and it must be complied with or serious fines vrill follow. STATE OF TRADE IN MONTREAL The wholesale fruit men have about 28,000 bbls. of apples in store, of which the largest portion are No. 2 quality. This supply is not large for our local demand. We have had 60,000 bbls. of apples in store at this date in years gone by, and to-day we have a greater population to consume them. Some whole- sale men complain of too many No. 2 apples in stock. I suppose apples were never so bad with sooty fungus as this season, causing them to be put in No. 2 grade. Of course. No. 1 grade should be free from fungus and of good color for their kind. When the sooty fungus is seen, it disqualifies them for this grade; and when badly marked, they are not allowed in No. 2, as it will materially waste fruit. It pays a packer to always be on the alert for defective specimens and see that they are placed under a proper designation. Apples that have been handled carefully in packing are keeping well; but, alas, how few have the careful touch that fruit demands! The fruit rotting to-day, when closely exam- ined from bbls. or bxs., is quite evidently caused by a puncture or bad bruise, which is readily seen that starts decay. In California, where oranges are clipped off vrith clippers and individually wrapped, they keep for an indefinite time; so would our tender apples if handled in like manner. Horticulture in tHe West A. P. Ketchen, Deputy Commissioner of Agri- culture, Regina, Sask. The horticulture of the west has been grossly neglected. I am satisfied that %vestem Canada could produce the major part of its requirements in the way of fruit if the matter were gone about in a systematic and determined way. Another crying need in the west is more attention to tree planting. What a transformation it would make on these wind-swept, sun-soaked prairies if every farmstead was surrounded by a windbreak and shelter belt, sv.cli as Angus McKay has planted around the cxiK-rimental farm at Indian Head I If even the roadsides were planted with trees, it would improve the general appearance of this country 100%; and the pity of it is that it might be done so easily, but is neglected because of the sheer indifference of the people whose chief interest in life, in too many cases, may be summed up in land, wheat and money. Beautiful and effective windbreaks and shelter belts can be produced in this country in from 8 to 10 or 12 years. Elms, willows and a number of other varieties of trees grow with sur- prising rapidity here if only planted and given a fighting chance for their lives. Fruit Gro^wing' in Alberta Geo. Harcourt, Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Edmonton, Alta. It is well known that apples have been grown at various points in Alberta. In the spring of last year, the provincial department of agriculture sent out circulars to everybody in the province known to have tried large fruits, asking them to give a list of the trees they had tried and an account of the success they had met with. From these reports and other sources, the department has selected a list of what ap- pear to be the hardiest trees for the province, and has decided to carry on a number of experi- ments in order to be able to give settlers authen- tic information on this important matter. The orchards are to be of an acre in extent and will be distributed at seven points, possibly eight. The places selected are those which are considered to be the most representative of the various elevations and climatic conditions prevailing in the province; they are: Medicine Hat, Magrath, Leavings, Okotoks, Didsbury, Wetaskiwin, Edmonton and, possibly in another year, one in the Vegreville or Vermihon country. About 80 trees will be experimented with at each station, the planting operations to extend over two years. A consignment of the planting material was ordered last fall and the trees buried over winter. These will be duplicated next spring and planted directly, when the two methods will be compared. Six varieties of standard apples, two of crabs and two of plums will be experimented vrith. An agreement has been entered into with reliable farmers at these different points, who have already met with some success in tree growing and, as far as possible, locations have been chosen which are sheltered by the planta- tions set out under the auspices of the forestry branch of the Dominion Department of the Interior. By selecting such places the depart- ment at Edmonton hopes, besides making the actual fruit experiments, to draw the attention of the farmers to the benefits to be derived from these shelter belts on the prairies. Winnipeg' Letter J. Albert Hand, B.S.A. That many citizens in Winnipeg do not know one variety of apples from another, is very ap- parent. That the dealers take advantage of the consumers' ignorance regarding this some- what minor detail is even more apparent. The wholesale fruit houses, and through them the retail dealers, allow large quantities of fruit to reach the consuming public altogether out of season. What does a lover of fruit want with Golden Russet apples at this season? What demand is there for pears in Dec? What does a trained taste for Snow apples think when Ben Davis are put up instead? These and kindred games are played on the consumers of this city every day. Golden Russets appear in every fruit collection. A wholesale house has several hundred barrels of Kieffer pears. Any apple that resembles the kind required is given and the purchaser is so disgusted in many cases that he wants no more fruit for some time. The other night, as I was going home, I saw some nice apples in a window. As they looked like good Snows, I decided to buy some. A lady waited on me and as she began to bag them I noticed they were not Snows. I called her attention to the fact, but she insisted they were "real Snow apples." When I laughed she was haughtily indignant, because I doubted her veracity, or perhaps her knowledge of varie- ties. The apples were small Ben Davis. I called at the next^ store to see if they had any- thing to suit. There were some large dark red apples. On enquiry I learned these were "Alexanders." I do not know what they really were. The retailer innocently plays these tricks. Names of varieties most generally asked for are attached to any apple that has the color. Golden Russets and Roxbury Russets are all the same. It is known by most of them that a Snow apple is red and that it sells well; so, any red apple must be sold as a Snow until it's season is far past. The wholesaler is the man to be blamed for a part of this deception. He should be thoroughly acquainted with almost every variety. In the interests of the apple trade, he should see that no variety is put in retail stores out of season. Every time a consumer gets an inferior, tasteless apple the trade is hurt. Every time a consumer gets a superior, tasty apple the trade is given a boost. A Snow or a Spy or a Russet, in season, makes the consumer want more. It is safe guessing that if wholesale houses and retailers knew the varieties and put only the best up for sale and in proper season, that the demand would be doubled. Kieffer pears are a drug on the market when fall or winter comes. They will keep, but they are fit for preserves only. What housewife wants to start preserving at this season? She has done her preserving in summer and nothing but a profitless low price will induce a purchase for that purpose later. The wholesale houses report a heavy business for the past 2 weeks. This will continue imtil Xmas. R. A. Rogers has worked night and day for several days. This firm sends carloads to points west. 'Their own representatives ac- company the car to make delivery and prevent freezing Everybody wants Spys. Greenings and Russets are also asked for. Any Snows that have been kept in good condition are read- ily picked up at high prices. A great improvement has been noted in the stock sent here from Ont. There is not i as much inferior fruit as came last year A great part of the improvement is credited to the eagle eye and careful work of Dom. Fruit Insp. Philp. Good honest packing by the producer and ship- per, and attention to varieties by the salesmen, will increase the sales wonderfully throughout the west. [Note.— This letter was written in December. — Ed.] Superior Quality Tells "Dealers will pay extra prices for high grade fruit," said Mr. H. L. Roberts, of Grimsby, to The Horticulturist. "Last year I visited a large number of retail dealers in Ont. and Que., and I was told, in every instance, that they will pay extra money for fruit that can be depended upon in the matter of quality and of packing. Good fruit often brings less than it is worth, owing to carelessness in the manner, of preparing it for market. High grade fruit, properly selected and packed and put up in attractive packages, always commands a good price, in those markets that are overstock- ■ ed with ordinary fruits-even good fruit in inferior packages." A branch of the Ont. Veg. Grs. Assn. was organized in Ojibway, on Jan. 12, with 18 paid members. Much enthusiasm was shown. The branch is confident of increasing its membership to 100 within a short period. The branch has been named "The Sandwich West Veg. Grs. Assn. of Ont." The secretary is Wm. Henry. O'SuUivan. THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST 73 CHoice Seeds — Free If you are planting a garden or flower-bed.- be sure and read this offer. Every lover of flowers will want to receive some of the seeds and plants listed below. These are offered free except for a few minutes' work among your friends and neighbors. We will send any or all of these seeds or plants to every person who will get us new subscriptions. For every new subscription you get at 50 cts. a year we will allow you the equivalent of 40 cts. worth of seeds. The prices marked are the lowest re- tail prices. We are able to make this offer only because we have been able to secure these goods at specially low rates. Be sure and or- der by number: No. 1 — Pansies. — Giant Trimardeau, mixed, the largest of all pansies, flowers are very large, and of all colors and shades 10c No. 2 — Pansies. — Giant Black This pansy is another of the large size varieties with beau- tiful blue-black flowers 10c [ No. 3 — ^Pansies. — Giant Madam Perret. Plants I of this variety are full and spreading, with very j broad and extremely dark leaves. The color I of the blossoms ranges through all shades of I red, from pink to a fine deep purple, with an I intermediate red edged with white 20c No. 4 — -Asters. — Crown Prince. This is the j most perfect type of Giant Comet or Ostrich ' Feather Asters in existence. The flowers are ' much larger than those usually borne by the I Giant Comet, and the petals are longer and imore beautifully curled and twisted, and pro- duced in much greater abimdance. It is the latest achievement in mammoth Asters. Not so tall as the branching .\sters. Flowers 5 to 6 ins. across are common. Mixed colors. . . 15c No. 5 — Rose Crown Comet. — Striking nov- elty; flowers of the true Giant Comet type, composed of long, wavy, twisted petals, grace- fully formed; densely double flowers, centre pure white surrounded by rose pink; an unique and beautiful combination 10c No. 6 — D.WBREAK. — Simply unsurpassed. The flowers are perfectly rounded, very large and full, on long stems; the color is a charming sea-shell pink; the plant flowers very early and is a continuous free bloomer; compact, strong grower, and in all respects a desirable acquisi- tion 10c No. 7 — Sweet Peas, Our Speciai, Mixture. — This mixture is made up from all the finest new sorts, and will give the most satisfactory results. We particularly recommend this selec- tion 10c No. 8 — Grows in perfect bush form from 24 inches high and 18 inches wide. It requires no trellis, like the tall Sweet Pea, neither does it hug the ground Verbena-like, as does the Cupid race. The flowers, of good size, are of beauti- ful and varied colors. Mixed colors 5c No. 9 — Double Sweet Peas. — Not so beau- tiful as large expanded single flowers. As good a strain as any, but not more than about 30 per cent, of the flowers, as yet, come double from the most carefully selected seed. Newest sorts, mixed 5c FOR SALE AND WANT ADVERTISEMENTS Advertisements under this heading inserted at rate of one cent a word for each insertion, each figure, sign or sinele letter to count as one word, minimum cost, 25 cents, strictly cash in advance. I ANDSCAPE GARDENING —Plans drawn to scale for laying out and planting parks, cemeteries, public or private groimds. Work supervised C. Ernest Woolverton, landscape architect, Grimsbv. DE INDEPENDENT— We have a proposition ^ that will appeal to all men interested in horti- culture and who wish to be their own employees. Write immediately. — The Canadian Horti- culturist, 506-7-8 Manning Chambers, Toronto. NO MORE BLIND HORSES Si°^„^Sa5^,£''Siro& Sore EyeB. BARRY CO., Iowa City, Iowa, have a cure. THE WILLIAMS STRAWBERRY TKe Great Commercial Stra-wberry of the Niagara District It is quite safe to say that more Williams Strawberries arc grown in the Niagara District than all other varieties combioed. It i.s certainly the kind for best results over a wide range of territory and adapts itself to a variety of soils Be sure and ^et plants of strong vitality and true to name. I am now booking orders for Spring ship- ment at f4.0() per 1,000, 50c. per 100. Can also supply limited quantities of other standard sorts at reasonable rates. THE CARLETON FRUIT FARM ■WM. H. BUNTING ST. CATHARINES, ONT. Mention The Canadian Horticulturist when writing Decorative Shade and Weeping Trees ^^^gg^ CUT LEAF WEEPING BIRCH Beyond question one of the most beautiful and popular of all weeping or pendulous trees. Its tall, slender, yet vigorous growth, and graceful drooping branches and silvery white bark, present a combination of attractive characteristics rarely met with in any other tree. I have an unlimited quantity of all sizes from 4 to 6 feet, 6 to 8 feet and 8 to 10 feet. Special prices on application. WEIR'S CUT LEAF MAPLE A silver maple with temarkaLle dissected foliage. A most rapid grower with long, slender drooping shoots which give it a most graceful appearance. I have several hundred fine specimens in two sizes, 6 to 8 feet and 8 to 10 feet. UAINDSCAPE QARDElNllNa. The character of this work obviously sug- gests tlie desirability of employing none but persons capable of exercising correct judgment and good taste in their execution. I have on my permanent staff a thoroughly qualified Landscape Architect and Draughtsman who will cheerfully furnish plans, specifications and estimates where required. E. D. SMITH HELDERLEIGH NURSERIES WINONA, ONTARIO Mention The Canadian Horticulturist when writing 74 THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST DOMINION NURSERIES ESTABLISHED 1860 Fruit and Ornamental Trees Shrubs and Vines WE HAVE NO AGENTS ! WE SELL DIRECT ! Catalogue for 1907, just out, mailed on application The Smith & Reed Co., ST. CATHARINES ONTARIO BETTER FRUIT Is what every fruit grower should grow. Is what every fruit dealer wants. Is what we can tell you how to grow. Is the only strictly Horticultural Paper in the United States. Is what you should subscribe for, if you want to know how fn rpalize more money for your fruit. SUBSCRIPTION PRICE, $1.00 PER YEAR SEND FOR SAMPLE COPY Better Fruit Publishing Co. HOOD RIVER, OREGON Mcntiuii The (.'iiniiilian Horticvtltuvlst wluii writing iSpeaKers for Horticultviral ] Societies The sccrelary of the Ont Hort. Assn. is en- deavoring to secure some well-known speakers from the U.S. to address meetings of horticul- tural societies in Ontario. A letter has been received from J. Horace McFartand, president of the American Civic Assn., and one of the best known speakers on civic improvement and horticultural matters on the continent, in which he' ofters to address meetings of horti- cultural societies at a charge of $25 and his expenses, the lantern for the stereoscopticon lec- ture to be supplied by the local society. Usually Mr. McFarland charges S50 a lecture and his expenses, but he is willing to accept the lower rate provided the societies will arrange to hold their meetings successively. Any horticultural societies in the province that would like to engage Mr. McFarland to address a meeting during March or April should 'write to the secretary of the association, H. B. Cowan, The Canadian Horticulturist, 507 Manning Chambers, Toronto. Mr, McFarland has a new lecture this year, entitled "A Cni Against UgUness," which is said to be : entertaining and attractive. KIL=@=SCALE The oristn«I, most popnlaraiKl most enecll%«WAl,t,l»t,SlH()fER oil the market. KIKt-JMJ.il.E c«iiiMiie» the two lrif*)liWo reme^ /1M%^ OMf^^ In the February issue reference was made to the two methods of hatching chicks — by hen and by machine. We shall discuss in this issue some of the different chick foods that are equally good for the chicks, whether reared in a brooder or by the mother hen. Some breed- ers use broody hens to rear the chicks hatched by an incubator. This is a good method if the season is advanced, say, May and June, b'ut in March and early in April broody hens are not obtainable in sufficient numbers, and it is then that a brooder becomes a necessity. As with the incubator, so with the brooder, each manufacturer sends the fullest and most complete directions. The operator cannot do better than follow those instructions to the letter, and only change when experience has taught him that better results will follow any changes made. jNo machine will rear all the chicks put into it, or very rarely. It is true also that 90% of the hen mothers trample one or more of her brood to death in the 4 or 5 weeks they are with her. It would be unfair to the machine, too, to blame il for the chicken mortality which may result from earlier causes The hens that laid the eggs may have been laying hard all win- ter and are slightly run down, and while the egg hatches the chick may be constitutionally weak, and no care, whether by hen or brooder, will save it. Buy your eggs from vigorous stock, preferably from fowl that have been kept in cold houses; that is, where no artificial heat is used, and again from fowl that have been fed chiefly grain and very little soft food or mash, for experiments have proved that fertility of egg is higher where hens have been fed dry food. This is important early in the season. Having removed the chicks from the incu- bator to the brooder, which has been prepared for their reception according to received direc- tions, the next care is to feed them carefully. Some experts do not recommend feeding for the first 36 hours because the yolk of the egg (on which the chick lives immediately after hatching) takes that timd to be absorbed or assimilated. I think that 36 hours is rather long. They will eat readily at 24 hours after hatching. Then let them have very light feed. Fine grit should be in the litter or chaff on the floor of the brooder, and will be picked up by the chicks to their advantage. Early in the season it is much harder to feed successfully than in the warmer weather when the brooder can be placed outside. When obtainable, it saves a good deal of time to feed the prepared foods such as the Cyphers Chick Food, which 1^ Let Me Sell You a Chatham Incubator r. On Time ^ s Do you know there is big money in raising poultry? Do you know there is more money in running a good incubator than in almost anything else you can do for the amount of time and trouble it takes? Do you know my incubator will pay you a bigger profit than any other thing you can have on your place? Well, all these things are true, and I can prove it. Thousands of people all over Canada have proved it every year for the last five years. I want to quote you a price on my Chatham Incubator, — sold ON TIME. I want to send you my Chatham book. This incubator book is free — I'll send it to you for just a postal card. It tells you a lot you ought to know about the Poultry busmess — it tells you how to make money out of chickens— it tells you how my Chatham Incubator will make you more money than you can make with hens — far more, and with less trouble. This book tells you how my Incubators are made— why they are the best ever invented — and why I sell them ON TIME and on a 5-Year Guarantee. My Company has been in business in Canada for over 50 years. We are one of the largest wood-working factories in the country. We also operate a large factory at Detroit, Mich. We have the In- cubator and Brooder business down to a science. Chatham Incubators and Brooders will make you money, for a Chatham Incubator will hatch a live, healthy chicken out of every fertile egg put into it, in 21 days. Will you write for my book today? Do it now while you think of it. Just say on a postal "Please send me your Incubator Book" — that's all. Address me personally. Manson Campbell President The Manion Campbell Co., Lt J.J.H.GrffroryJkSonl ■•rblebead, Han. FREE BOOK FOR YOU MkjJ STRAWBtRRIES ^ AND HOW TO J GROW. THEM YOU NEED THIS BOOK ASK FOR IT TO-DAY THE BKST liOUK ON STBAWnERRY CULTURE over written, because it explains every detail of the work from the time plants are set out untu the berries are picked, and tells bow to prepare the plants for a big second crop. 135 Pictures of strawberries and strawberry fields. This book is worth it« weieht in gold. If we knew your address, would mail you one Free. B. M. KELLOGG COMPANr, Box, 570 Three Rivers, Mlclu All we require is that the applicant give the number of tlie desired experiment, and agrees to follow till' directions furnished; to properly care for the- crop; and to report the result at the end of the season when requested. The seeds will be sent by mail, free of charge, in due time for spring planting. Applications will be filed in the order in which they are received until the supply becomes exhausted. Those who apply promptly will be most likely to get what is wanted. "A circular giving full instructions for con- ducting the experiment, and blank forms upon which to report the results of the test, will be provided with each lot of seed. We trust your interest in this work may lead you to become a successful experimenter." Send for our free book '-atalog. It will inter- est you. Send now At a meeting of the Ottawa branch of the O.V.G.A., held in February, it was decided to do away with the habit of giving 13 for a dozen when selling vegetables. The . move was an important one, and met with the approval of the members. St. Catharines horticulturists are planning for a great horticultural show next year. Re- cently a representative delegation from the St. Catharines Hort'l Society waited on the local county council and asked for a grant of $175, which they were promised. Already plans have been made by the society that will make the show next year even better than the excellent one held last year. ^^ff^lllflQ ^°^ '^ ^^^ ^''"^ ^° place \J» 1*111 Wo your orders for Spring de- livery of freshly imported Orchids. Our prices are very low, quality considered. Also large stock of established Orchids on hand CARILLO & BALDWIN SECAUCUS, N.J., U.S.A. Size, in ExHibition Apples Ed., Canadian Horticulturist,— The point raised by Mr. McNeill in the Jan. issue of The Canadian HoRTicin,TURisT, in reference to how much value shall be given to the size of speci- mens in apple exhibits, is a very important one. It is one, as he says, on which judges do not by any means agree. Yet, the tendency of late years has been strongly away from the idea that size was the all-important point, and in favor of giving color, uniformity, freedom from blemishes and quality more ne rly their due consideration. I agree most emphatically with Mr. McNeill that, when it is a choice between normal-sized specimens which are smooth and well colored, against over-large ones which are rough and lacking in color, there should not be the slightest hesitation in giving the former the preference. I find, however, in my personal experience as judge, that it is often extremely difficult to draw the line as to just where desirability in size ends and undesirability begins. Still, if we could once establish the principle, and have it generally accepted that it is quite possible to overdo the matter of size, it would certainly be a point gained ; and we should then have judges endeavoring to decide on the line I have just mentioned, instead of, as it is too often the case now, assuming "the bigger, the better." On the other hand, it should be borne in mind that the commercial, value of the different points considered in judging is really the basis on which our scheme of judging rests, and that with some apples in some markets size is, if not the all-important point, at least the winning point, other things being equal. I have been told by some of our growers here in Nova Scotia that their "extras" (which have been merely No. I's of extra size) always bring them the most money. With such apples as Wolf River and the like, which are used for decora- tion, large size would certainly add to their vaiue.^[ J*" nr~ Feed Your Land WITH GOOD MANURE AND GET GOOD RETURNS MARCHMENTS SURE GROWTH COMPOST IS THE BEST Supplied to the Largest Nurserymen and Fruit Growers in Ontario S. W. MARCHMENT 19 QUEEN ST. EAST, TORONTO Telephones Main 284 1 Residence Park 95 1 THE APRIL NUMBER OF THE Canadian Horticultun^ WILL BE THE LARGEST AND BEST ISSUE OF THE YEAR Over 7,000 of our readers will be planning to purchase seeds, plants, bulbs, trees, etc. Place an adver- tisement in that number and tell our readers the good things you have in stock for them. Send in your copy by the 10th of March. The Canadian Horticulturi^ 506-7-8 Manning Chambers TORONTO THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST 81 Another point which we should bear in mind carefully, and which might very easily be lost sight of, is that there is a great difference be- tween considering large size an actual defect, as Mr. McNeill suggests, on the one hand, and giving it undue weight in judging, as it is often done now, on the other. Ml things considered, I should favor Mr. .Mc.Veill's suggestion that abnormal size be con- sidered as a defect with strictly dessert varieties of apples. I would add, that even with the ordinary "commercial" sorts, size should not be considered as outweighing color, uniformity and freedom from blemishes; but tl^at two plates, one of which is normal size and the other above, should compete on equal terms so far as size is concerned. If we could have these two accepted as general principles, the exceptions that I have alluded to above could be, I think, easily man- aged. For it would only be with a very few varieties that abnormal size would be, or should be, considered an actual asset. This whole discussion, however, only em- phasizes the fact that we ought to have a dif- ferent score-card — or, if we do not use a score- card, a different ideal — in judging each par- ticular variety; so that, while size would be far more important with Wolf River than with Pomme Grise, and color far more important with Spy than with Rhode Island Greening, <|uality would be given much more weight with Mcintosh Red than with Ben Davis. — F. C. Sears, Agricultural College, Truro, N.S. Holes in trees caused by decay may be remedied by filling with cement. Scrape away every bit of decayed wood in the hole, wash .with Bordeaux mixture and fill with cement until the surface of the new bark is met. ' The Jxine PinK Tomato James A. Fraser, Prescott, Ont. We grow from 15,000 to 20,000 tomato plants for our retail trade. We generally grow about 10 kinds. Each year we try one or two new ones, and test them ourselves before offering to our customers. Last year we tried June Pink and found it satisfactory in every re- siiect. Our land is heavy sand bordering on clay, and grew nice plants of this variety with nice large smooth tomatoes of good texture, and the best flavor of any tomato that we grow. Several gentlemen sampled them, and said that they were excellent. They gave or- ders for tomatoes of that kind. The plants were not planted as early as the other varieties. We considered, however, that if planted at same time as other early varieties, they would be just as early. This year we are sowing plentifully, and intend putting them on the market as one of our earliest and best to- matoes. We do not hesitate to recommend the June Pink to growers. At tlie annual meeting of the shareholders of the Hamilton, Grimsby and Beamsville Electric Railway, it was decided to extend the line to St. Catharines. Should this be done, it will make communication with the new fruit experiment station in the Niagara district a comparatively easy matter. "I congratulate you on achieving in The Canadian Horticitlturist an unusual and rare combination, that of giving to the public high quality at a low price." — W. M. Robson, Lindsay. At the annual meeting of the Thornbury Hort'l Society, the following officers were /elected: Hon. pres., Jas. Lewis; pres., H. Red- well; 1st v.-pres., Mrs. W. L. Lyson; 2nd v.- pres.. Dr. Hurlburt; sec.-treas., Geo. Wright; directors, J. G. Mitchell, C. W. Hartman, R. Cook, J. B. Ferguson, Dr. Moore, R. Crews, Mrs. T. Loucks, Mrs. M. Snetsinger, and Mrs. J. M. vSteel. It was decided to take The Cana- dian Horticulturist for 1907. The total receipts for the past year were S97.22, and the expenditure $75.21, leaving a balance of $22.01. WindsoTi Salt is ideal for salting butter. Pure, clean, dry, well- savoured — it dissolves quickly — works ii^^ It should cost even-^^^m ^ore — but is sold ^y* ^^^m zt the same price as other salts. In bags and barrels. All dealers'. in prize- butter throughout Canada. Wentworth Pottery standard Flower Pots, Fern Pans, Hanging Baskets, Cut Flower Jars and all Florists' Supplies. ^S^^^l^ ^lifwORTH i POtTEPV i IJOHn CHANSTON 1 Mail orders given ^H||{ lili^^V prompt attention. ^^l||||||j|||||||^^^ JOHN CRANSTON & SON, Hamilton, Can. Mention The Canadian Florist. POTASH for FIELD, GARDEN, ORCHARD POTASH promotes maturity and counteracts the effect of an e.-^cess of nitro- gen in the soil produced by a too heavy application of farmyard manure or from other causes, POTASH is a direct plant food and is indispensable. Fertilizer Experiment on Radlebes by Otto Herold, 'Waterloo, Ont., 1906 Treatment: Unfertilized Remit: Non-saleable Without Potash $20.00 per acre realized POTASH in the highly concentrated forms of Muriate of Potash and Sulphate of Potash is (tbtainable of all leading Fertilizer Dealers. Pamphlets treating of the cultivation and fertilization of all farm crops will be sent free on application. Tne Dominion Agricultural Offices of the Potash Syndicate 1102, 1105 TEMPLE BUILDING, TORONTO Mention The Catiadian Horticulturist when writing UNDERWOOD Ten years ago the Underuood introduced visible-writing'. It was termed by other type- writer manufacturers a fad. Since that time 15 new makes of typewriters have appeared. 1 3 of them have imitated as closely as possible the Underwood, and have sought recognition on the score of visible-writing. The Underwood is not an experimental im- itation. It has proved its worth to over 200,000 satisfied users. 90% of the typewriters sold in Canada are Underwoods. United Typewriter Co. Limited ADELAIDE STREET EAST, TORONTO AND IN ALL THE PRINCIPAL CITIES Mention Tin- Cuiuuiiaii H.'rlicultiiri^t wlu-n writinc. THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST ABUNDANT CROPS OF HIGH QUALITY FOLLOW THE USE OF Tobique Plaster OR GYPSUM o/lLL KINDS OF LAND REQUIRE THIS FERTILIZER] Fruit Growers — Flower Growers and Vegetable Growers SHOULD USE TOBIQUE PLASTERj SPREAD IT ON YOUR LAWN OR GARDEN THOUSANDS OF TESTIMONIALS FROM USERS R. C. Mosher, Manager, Plaster Rock, N.B. ■WESTERN AGENT THE F. G. TERRY CO., 31-41 GEORGE ST. TORONTO. ONTARIO Mention The Canadian Horticulturist when writing |TiOTO-rNG RAVERS LIMITED. DESIGNERS ILLUSTRATORS ENGRAVERS AND ETCHERS 10 JOHNSTON LANE TORONTO p"""' "*"- '"' ONTARIO Mention The Canadian Horticulturisl when writing ONER. OIN LADDER enables you to hand-pick all the apples on the tree, 'ts extension feat- ure permits it to run through the tree— not only to rest on the outside Good for every purpose about a farm that a ladder is used for. Very light and absolutely safe. Waggoner Ladder Co., Limited I*ondon Ont Order at Once WE ARE BUSY— SEND FOR CIRCULARS Mention The Canadian Horticulturist when writing; BASKETS We are Headquarters for all kinds of Splint Baskets Veneer supplied for the protection of trees from mice during winter FRUIT PACKAGES A SPECIALTY SEND FOR OUR PRICES The Oakville Basket Co. - Oakville, Ont. Mention The Canadian Horticulturist when writing A Nice Premium will be given Free to all Readers who Buy Goods from Advertisers. The Canadian Horticulturi^ ^ ol. XXX APRIL, 1907 No. 4 I Selecting and Planting Fruit Trees G. R.eynaud, La Trappe, Quebec GREAT care and attention are re- quired in the choice of varieties of the fruit we wish to grow. Avoid, I first, varieties which cannot become acclimated; second, varieties that are unprofitable; and third, any inferior variety. Regarding the first it is clear that the trees must be able to stand the cold of our winters. Buy the plants from re- liable nurseries situated in Canada that sell only what they have grown them- selves. One is then sure of having acclimated plants. Regarding the sec- ond, there are some varieties which enjoy a striking fertility; others, while giving fine fruits, are of little or late bearing These are less advantageous. Regarding the last, by inferior qualities we must understand fruits poorly adapted to the intended trade, which sometimes is the only practicable trade. For in- stance, far from trade centres, the summer varieties are of no benefit be- cause they do not keep, and the time for selling is very short. In this case, plant winter fruit, and especially those most in demand in the market. If a large business centre is near by, the earliest bearing varieties pay the best. The sale of early fruits, of primeurs, even if they are not quite ripe, always brings forth a sure profit. When there is danger of making a costly mistake ask advice from some expert in the matter. The provincial and federal governments have establish- ed in several places experimental fruit stations precisely with the view of studying the values of the different varieties. There, may be found, at any time, exactd disinterested information. Short trunk trees stand the wind better and facilitate the accumulation of snow, so necessary to protect the roots against late colds; but they present the serious inconvenience of rendering cultivation excessively difficult. It is better to buy medium-sized trees. Young plants with five or five and a half foot trunks are high enough to possess all the advantages of any other kind, without the inconveniences. PLANTING If everything is not ready for planting when the plants come from the nursery, they must be placed slightly inclined, one by one, in a trench with the roots covered with earth. When ready to plant the plants can be distributed one by one in the holes, but the roots must not be left uncovered, because they suffer from exposure. Place with the roots at the bottom of the hole and cover with two or three shovelfuls of earth. When trees are sent from the nurseries during periods of extreme cold, the box or package should be wrapped and placed in a cool cellar for a few days, where the trees will slowly regain their normal temperature. Advanced "Wonderfully The Canadian Horticulturist has advanced wonderfully in the last two years, I believe that it is the uniform opinion of the fruit growers of the province that the paper is the best fruit growers' paper now published, and that there is no longer any necessity for going to the United States for such a publication. — P. W. Hod- getts, secretary Ontario Fruit Growers' Association, Toronto. Planting must be done in dry weather so that the soil will fill in all the space between the roots. Before putting the trees in the ground they must be pruned, which consists in cutting sharply all the wilted extremities of the roots, and shortening at least by half the branches at the head. This is necessary to give the tree a systematic shape and robust growth. Throw enough earth, mixed with matured and good fertilizer into the hole so that the tree will stand in the ground at about the same height as in the nursery. Place the tree and arrange the roots in their natural position, then cover with more good soil and slightly pack it down. When the roots are completely covered, fill with the surface soil. CARE FOLLOWING PLANTING The wind in shaking the young trees sometimes prevents them from taking root. The remedy for this is props. These are placed at the time of planting before the holes are filled up, on account of the danger of breaking the roots if put in later. The trees are bound to these by means of strips of cloth or some linden bark fibre. The bark of a young tree changes a part of the sap into a wood-making sub- stance, called ' 'cambium, ' ' which becomes an integral part of the fibrous body of the trunk and adds to the growth of the roots. It is, then, important to keep the bark in good shape to prevent it from drying and to stop any foreign growth on its surface. To obtain this it is useful during August to wash the bark of the young trees with water in which are dissolved a little soap and some phenic or carbolic acid . This saves the trees from the ravages of insects. If the planting season is drj', water the trees often, but only a little at a time. In rapidly drying ground, loose soil on the surface will retain moisture. In the fall, do something to protect the young trees from late spring frosts, on account of the extreme sensitiveness caused by the small extent of their radiculary system. One way of doing this is to pile up earth around each tree to about one and a half feet in height; another, to throw in the same place and after the first permanent snow, some strong manure. This manure will pre- vent the snow from melting rapidly; it creates in the soil at the foot of the tree a constant and regular coolness . which keeps back vegetation and saves the young plant from the dangerous results of frost and thaw. Remove the earth or manure as soon as danger is passed. One must abstain from pruning young trees during their first year in their new place. It would stop the growth of fresh roots and result in the death of the tree; or, if it lived, through it would cause in the tree an excessive sensitiveness to the inclemency of the weather. Notwithstanding, all branches grown on parts of the tree where they are useless ought to be cut off in the fall. In cases where it is feared that snow might break the branches, they should be bound to the aforementioned props. TKe Gro^ng of E^uropean Plvims FOR the last few years, the growing of plums at a profit to the grower has been a rather difficult prob- lem. It has been an even chance that, if everything were taken into consider- ation and all expenses reckoned up, the grower would have been out of pocket. Of course, there has been an exceptional year now and then but, on the whole, the plum business of the last few years has been a financial failure. Those who were fortunate enough to have a crop in the season of 1906 made good money. Plums were in demand and brought good prices. Some orchards paid at the rate of $500 an acre. The outlook for the future seems to be brighter. I am inclined to believe that the growing of plums will be a paying business. There are several reasons that have led to these conclusions. The West is rapidly filling up and that market must be supplied. Other markets also are opening. We are getting better transportation facilities. The canning industry is developing year by year, and this furnishes a market for large quan- tities of plums. Another reason that can be given is that the area for plum growing seems to be getting more limited. The time was when plums could be grown success- fully in almost any part of the country, but a few cold winters played havoc with thousands of trees in a great many dis- tricts and growers have neglected to replant for fear that the same thing might occur again. The great damage and destruction caused by the San Jose scale has played quite a part in reducing the acreage that has in former years been devoted to plum growing. Thus the area has been largely reduced. These and other reasons that might be given lead us to the conclusion that the growing of plums, for some time to come, will be far more profitable than it has been in recent years. In passing, let me say that, for profit, there is no comparison to be made between Euro- pean and Japanese plums. Most grow- ers would be far better off had they never seen a Japanese plum tree. SELECTING SOIL AND TREES Plums can be grown on almost any kind of soil that is properly drained, but the heavier soils are preferable. I would advise any one contemplating the planting of a plum orchard to plant it on their heavy soil, and save their lighter soils for something else. Good, thrifty, two-year-old trees should be selected, and, in no case, plant a tree over two years old. Rather than take them over two years old, take good, strong, one-year-old trees. Plum growers have been seriously Cecil C. Pottit, Trviitland, Ontario handicapped by getting trees from the nursery that have not been true to name, oftcHtimes growing them for five or six years and then finding out that they have got a lot of trees that are fit only for firewood. It makes pretty expen- sive firewood. If nurserymen would be careful only to bud their young stock with buds taken from bearing trees, then they would know that their stock would prove true to name. The planters would be sure of getting what they order- ed and paid for. Nearly all nurserymen take the buds from their nursery rows, from trees that never have fruited, and, consequently, in sending out young trees very often the varieties get mixed. PLANTING The ground should be thoroughly work- ed. The trees should be planted not less than 16 feet apart each way; in fact, some varieties would be better if they were planted 18 feet. Planters in the past have made the serious mistake of planting their trees too closely together. When we work around and spray among them we see our mistake. Do not plant too many varieties. I would name the following kinds to select from : Bradshaw, Washington, Imperial, Gage, Yellow Egg, Lombard, Moore's Arctic, Monarch, Canada Orleans, Quack- enboss. Pond's Seedling, Reine Claude, Grand Duke, and Shropshire Damson. After the young orchard is planted, thorough cultivation should be given. It stimulates good hardy growth. In late summer sow a cover crop for pro- tection to hold the snow and to improve the texture of the soil. This should be plowed down in the following spring. Some growers grow some kind of a hoe crop between their young trees. That is a matter of opinion and, of course, depends somewhat on the fertility of the soil. I, personally, prefer the former plan. SPRAYING AND PRUNING] Spraying should be done from the first. Nothing helps trees to retain their foli- age like Bordeaux, and it also keeps the trees clean and free from disease. When the trees get older and begin tobearfruit, spraying should be done more thoroughly and systematically. How often it should be done in a season depends on local conditions, and the amount of rot to be combatted. Judicious pruning should not be neg- lected in a plum orchard, but we fear it very often is. Good, thorough pruning has a great deal to do with the quality of fruit grown. Something might be said about the picking, packing and marketing of the fruit; but, we feel that this article is already too long. I will leave that feature of our subject for another paper, especially that part of it that relates to the putting of fruit that is too green on the market. TKe Gooseberry Stanley Spellette, Nantyr, Ont For some years previous to last year gooseberries, when mature, commenced dropping off the bush till not a berry was left. It was proved here and at Guelph that this falling is caused by the presence of a little maggot in the berry. The eggs which produce the grubs are deposited in the berry when young by a small moth. Last year, the first for years, about 50 per cent, came to maturity and ripened. So I am in hopes that the scourge is pass- ing. One season I thought that I could prevent the moth laying her eggs by keeping the bush sprayed with liver of sulphur, but it did no good. The gooseberry will thrive and yield large crops upon almost any soil that is enriched with plenty of manure. A heavy clay loam well manured would be perfection, especially for the Am- erican varieties. Before a plot is set to plants it should be fallowed and made rich. Set native varieties six feet apart each way. Mulching gives grand results in a dry year; but for a wet season I prefer cultivation. Care must be taken for a few weeks, just as the fruit is form- ing, not to go too deep under and about the bush, especially if the weather is dry. I lost three crops in this way before I detected the cause. Native varieties do not need much pruning for three years. Keep the top open, and if a branch is to be cut, cut it close to the stem. Allow six or eight stems to grow. As soon as a branch grows dark-colored and hide- bound, and the fruit commences to run small, cut it away and allow a sucker to take its place. Fall is the best time to prune, but the young suckers, except those needed for re- newal, should be cut away as soon as they are a few inches high. After testing 60 foreign varieties, I am convinced that none of them is an improvement upon our own Red Jacket, Pearl or Downing. Foreign varieties have nothing to recommend them but size. Their thick skin is disagreeable if they are allowed to ripen or nearly ripen before being cooked. Red Jacket and Pearl are large enough for all practical purposes; in fact, they are as large as many of the English varieties tested. The presence of large numbers of robins on a lawn is an indication of the presence of white grubs in the sod. The Importance of Careful and Thorough Spraying' As the time for spraying is near at hand, perhaps it may not be out of the way to urge on orchardists the importance of early and careful R. "W. Starr. "Wolfville, Nova Scotia No matter what the nature of the season, from the commencement of growth until midsummer, we must be prepared to "watch and work," not Spraying in a Hova Scotia Orchard This'cut and the one on the front cover of this issue illustrate a power sprayer at work in the orchard of Mr. W, M. Black, Wolfville, N.S. Note the low trucks. work in this department. It is well ihat every man should study his own especial wants in this matter. He should know by the past year's observation what variety of insect pest will be most likely to trouble him during the coming reason, and be prepared to attack them at the most vulnerable time in their life cycle, not allowing them to get so far ahead as to damage either foliage or fruit, or get so strong as to be difficult I destroy. It will be time well spent the orchardist will devote some care- lul study to the life-history of the insects that are troubling him, so that he may take the best means and the proper season to attack and destroy them. Then we must combat those fungous 'iseases which have been so destructive most varieties of fruits during the past two years. These can only be kept under control bv careful and continuous iiaying with the Bordeaux mixture, I some other preparation of copper rbonatc, and at the same time by ')sely watching the climatic conditions is well known that warm, cloudy or loggy weather is a strong incentive to the propagation and growth of fungous spores, and that under such conditions, our precautions should be'redoubled. only to control the insect pests that we can see, but the far more insidious and dangerous ftmgous diseases of both fruit and foliage, the commencement of which we cannot see, but with results plainly evident. If it were possible to have every fruit tree, in every orchard, carefully and thoroughly sprayed from the ground upward, and all diseased leaves and fruit lying on the ground destroyed, or covered with earth, before or just as the growth of the spores had commenced, we might have some hope of stamping out several of the worst of those pests. This is hopeless, however, unless we get perfect cooperation over a large section of country. There is an old, frequently quoted adage that will apply to this operation of spraying very forcibly: "That which is worth doing is worth doing well." There is no work on the farm or orchard that requires more care, skill, and closer attention to details than the preparation, straining, and final mixing of spraying solutions in the cask or tank, ready for application, also keeping pump, agitator, hose, extension rods, nozzles, and so forth, in perfect condition all the time, so that the work may be well and eco- nomically done without loss of time or waste of material. It matters not whether the hand pump or the power sprayer is used, the same care and close supervision of the work and the same attention to detail is necessary. MANNER OF SPRAYING We must have force enough behind the pump to drive the liquid through the nozzles in the finest possible spray. A spray that will float in the air like a A Sprayer at Work in the Orchard of R. S. Eaton, Kentville 82 THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST April, 1907 thick fog is the ideal. With such a spray and careful manipulation of ex- tension rods, we may cover every twig and leaf of a tree with the minimum amount of material and find our work more effective than if done with a coarse nozzle, sprinkling raindrops on the trees, leaving them dripping, but only half covered, and using twice the material. In this way much of the work is only half done, and material is wasted by carelessness and want of skill, not only by common laborers who have not been taught to put "brains into their work," but by men who ought to know better, and who rush through what they con- sider a dirty, disagreeable job to get rid of it as soon as possible. Then they will tell you that they sprayed their trees once or twice, as the case may be, but did not receive much benefit from it and don't think that it is worth the time, trouble and expense. Under those cir- cumstances they may be correct. Had they been more thorough in their work they might arrive at different conclusions. For further information regarding the details necessary to successful spraying, I refer persons who desire same to the bulletins on spraying issued at Ottawa, Truro, Guelph, Cornell, Geneva and other stations. Insects of all sorts are increasing year by year. If you have not observed any damage from them, on close examination you will find many kinds and species that you had no idea were infesting your trees. It is a simple matter of precau- tion, for insurance, therefore, to use arsenical poisons with the Bordeaux, in the proper proportions at the proper season. Spray early, spray often, and above all, sprav thoroughly and care- fully. ^ The R.ed June Plvim Tree Ralph S. Eaton, Kentville, Nova Scotia Red June plum trees have fruited satisfactorily in Nova Scotia and the quality of the plums for dessert is good. In some seasons the leaves of the variety have been particularly subject to shot- hole fungus or a disease having similar effect. The leaves, after perforation at midsummer, would turn brown and drop and the fruit would soon follow. The tree is a rapid grower. The long, slender, brittle wood, if allowed to grow all the season, should be cut back one- half. Nipping off the end of the grow- ing wood in July would be preferable in order to save wood production and to induce fruit bud formation. The writer aims to do this with all fillers. After the third year, a little judicious thinning is desirable. The tree naturally forms a fine, round, spreading head. The fruit is handsome but must be severely thin- ned to secure good dessert size. If the foliage could be kept on during the sum- mer, it would be a very profitable variety. "Varieties for tKe NortK G. C Caston, Craig'hurst, Ontario FOR a commercial apple orchard plant Duchess. With the demand in the west for early apples, the im- proved facilities' for shipping in the way of refrigerator cars well iced, and icing stations on the way, these apples can be laid down in first-class condition in that market; they are such proUfic bearers and such excellent cookers, they are not likely to go to waste for want of a market in future. They grow to a high state of perfection here. The climate conditions seerfa to be just right. In fall apples next in rotation after Duchess, the Peerless and Alexander. The former is little known as yet, but it is a good variety. I would not discard the old Calvert; it will always be a good shipping fall apple. My chief favorite is the Wolf River. It is one of the very best cooking apples. Its early and abundant bearing qualities, fine size and rich coloring places it in the front rank as a commercial fall apple. . In the late fall varieties, or what we might call Christmas apples, Snow and Mc- intosh do fairly well here; but, unless people will spray them properly, they are not profitable, as a large percentage are unmarketable. The best substitute for these is the Shiawasee. It does famously here and is just about as good as either of the others in quality. The Baxter does very well here, except that, like the Snow, it is very subject to scab. Of the late winter varieties, the Spy leads. We cannot have too many of them; if three-fourths of the orchard were Spys, it would be all the better. Spy, Baldwin, R.I. Greening, and King must be top-grafted on hardy stock. I don't think as much of Ontario now as I did a few years ago ; it has not ful- filled expectations. The Seek-no-further Stark, Pewaukee, Gano, Salome, and Boiken are all good winter sorts here. That makes the list long enough. Do not plant too many varieties. Intend- ing planters should bear this in mind. A commercial orchard should be con- fined to a few of only the best varieties. We are out of the plum belt here, and it won't pay anyone to try to grow them. They succeed best near large bodies of water, and a few miles away from the Great Lakes they will not succeed. Practically the same may be said of cherries. The hardiest plum of the European varieties, of about 40 tested here, is the Staunton. It is still thriving while all the rest are dead. The best of the Japans is the Burbank. The American varieties are not worth growing. The best cherries are Orel 24, Osthiem, Richmond and Montmorency. In pears, Flemish Beauty, Clapp's and Anjou seem to be quite hardy, and Bart- lett does well top-grafted on Flemish Beauty. The best blackberries are Agawam and Eldorado, although both of these have suffered damage in very severe winters. In raspberries, Marlboro and Cuthbert have been the main varieties. There is not much to commend the Marl boro except its earliness. The Cuthbert, while of best quality, is not quite hardy enough here. If we can get one of as good quality and perfectly hardy, it would fill the bill. I have a new variety, called the Eaton, from Michi- gan, It is a magnificent berry; if it proves hardy it will be an acquisition. I have tried a great many varieties of strawberries, and my experience is that the old varieties I first started with, the old Wilson and Crescent, are the best I ever grew. But they are run out now. The Wilson rusted so badly it had to be discarded; although in its best days it did not show much signs of rust, the last few years I had it, the rust developed greatly. Crescent is doing fairly well yet in some localities. Among new varieties one that has a strain of Crescent in it is most likely to excel in public favor. I have tested a number of seedlings of my own, and I have one which I believe to be a cross between Crescent and Williams. I have fruited it for two years, and have decided to propagate it for my own use, but will reserve opinion until it has had a few vears further trial. Stra-wberry Varieties W. F. W. Fisher, Burlington, Ont. The choice of varieties depends largely on local conditions, and on the object for which the fruit is to be grown, whether for home market or for long distance shipping. Many growers fall into the error of needlessly multipl5dng the number of varieties. It is best to choose judiciously and keep the number for a commercial plantation down to two or three. A new and profitable demand will be created as soon as large plantations of single varieties of the right sort are offered to buyers. The plants should be taken from well- wintered young beds. All weak ones should be discarded. Trim off the run- ners and dead leaves, lay the plants straight in a carrying basket, sprinkle well with water and cover to exclude air. They are then ready for the field. Plant as soon as possible after digging. The Canadian'ITHorticulturist is a credit to the publishers. The cuts are well done and the matter of great interest to all lovers of fruits and flowers. — The Toronto World. TKe Best NeAV Varieties of Stra'wberries LAST season was one of large ber- ries and good prices. The straw- berry flourished. Some varieties are especially responsive to conditions, Sample and Dunlap particularly so. On narrow rows and on Ught soil, they ripen almost as early as Success or Clyde; while on heavier soil and in wide matted rows, their season is al- most as late as Gaudy. For fancy berries for the market, Kitty Rice, Minute Man, Mead, Auto Auto and President seem to be almost per- fect; good growers; good yielders; per- fect in form, regular; good color, with a shine on them; firm and fair quality. Among the best late varieties is Commonwealth, which ripens about with Gaudy. It is as large and fine as any, and very firm. Cardinal is without doubt one of the best late sorts. The plant is all that could be desired; fruit stalk is large and strong, Cardinal holding the fruit up well; berry, large, glossy, easy to pick, one of the firmest and will carry well. Among the very new ones the best are as follows: Three Ws was a wonder for pro- El. B. Stevenson, Ponsonby, Ontario ductiveness last year, ahead of every- thing. The blossom is perfect. At one of the pickings, I picked three boxes of berries without moving; at a later picking, I picked a box for every two feet of row. The plant is large, healthy, a vigorous grower. The berry is large, conical, blunt at the end, fine bright dark scarlet ; seeds, yellow; good mild flavor; medium in firmness, but the skin seems to be tough, would rather dry up than Three W's rot when kept after picking. I judge from this that it would carry any distance. The size of the berries is uniform, few or no small ones. Mead is another new one that made a great showing of large, handsome berries. The blossom is perfect. It is a fine grower. The plant is strong and healthy, not a trace of rust, and is quite productive. The berry is large, roundish, coloring evenly, firm and good quality. This is a fine variety, and well worth a trial by all growers. Uncle Sam, perfect blossom, was one of the best in last season's test. The plant is large, strong, healthy, a good runner and productive. The berry is large to very large, if not the largest, fully as large as the largest Clyde or Bubach, roundish in form, scarlet in color with yellow seeds; flesh pink, good quality and flavor, medium in firmness. This variety is worth a trial as a fancy berry for a fancy market. Reynolds, perfect blossom, origin- ated in Delaware. The plant is large, with thick, leathery dark green foliage, free from rust, a good grower, making plants freely and productive. The berry is large, dark scarlet with yellow seeds; flesh, red to centre, fair quality; a good one. Minute Man, imperfect blossom, proved itself to be one of the best market varie- ties. The plant is healthy, a strong grower, and quite productive. The berry is large, roundish-conical, crim- son, with yellow seeds; flesh, reddish pink all through, medium in firmness, good quality. Kitty Rice or Downing's Bride, im- perfect blossom, is a healthy grower, making plants freely; it is productive. The berry is large, roundish, good color, with a gloss. For a fancy market berry, Kitty Rice seems to be about the thing. It is of fair quality, and looks well in the crate. 83 Latest, imperfect blossom, is healthy and strong, stools out, makes few runners, but sufiicient for narrow row. The berry is large, conical, good crim- son color, flesh red, plant quite pro- ductive, good quality and firm. One of the latest and a good one. Elma, imperfect blossom, is a strong and healthy grower; plant, productive; berry, large to very large, round in shape, bright red, medium in firmness; flesh, pink; nice spicy flavor and good quality, very late ; first picking, July 1 . Early Hathaway is one of the best early varieties, perfect blossom. The plant is healthy, a gdod runner and productive; the berry is roundish-coni- cal; flesh, red all through, acid, fair quality, medium to large in size, scar- let with yellow seeds. Mellie Hubach, imperfect blossom, will prove a good market sort on ac- Mellie Hubach count of its productiveness and bright glossy berries of good size. The plant is healthy, a good grower, making plants freely. The berry is a bright scarlet with yellow seeds, conical, blunt at end, with a slight neck; flesh, pink and white in centre, acid but good flavor. It is an early variety and a good one. Remedy for Peach Curl. — My remedy for peach curl is to spray the trees thor- oughly before April 10, with blue vitriol solution, made of two pounds vitriol to 40 gallons water. This has always given excellent results with me. — J. L. Hilborn, Leamington, Ont. Do Not Let Trees Go Dry Before Set- ting.— If not ready to plant when the stock arrives, see that it is immediately taken care of. The best way is to heel it in by packing the roots in a trench and covering them thoroughly with mellow earth well packed about them. 84 THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST April, 1907 Varieties for Manitoba r. "W. BrodricK, Horticuiturisi, M.A.C., "Winnipeg UP to the present comparatively little has been done in apple growing in the west. The varieties grown are confined almost exclusively to the hardier Russian sorts. Of summer and early fall, the following varieties are recommended : Duchess of Oldenburg, well known; Charlamoff, a variety highly recommend- ed by the Minnesota Hort'l Society for western planting, resembling Duchess, but a little later; Barovinka, another variety resembling Duchess; Blushed Calville, a variety resembling in appear- ance Yellow Transparent ; and Teof esky is grown to some extent in the west. Of late fall and winter varieties, Hibernal is recommended as being the best on account of its great hardiness. The trees are productive and the fruits of fair quality. Wealthy may be grown in some parts of the province, but is scarcely hardy enough for western planting. Patten's Greening, a variety recently introduced and highly recom- mended by Minnesota hort'l societies, is frequently mentioned. Anism and Simbriske, Nos. 1 and 9, are also recom- mended. Crabapples seem to be standing west- em climate very well, and a number of varieties are grown. Transcendent, Hyslop, Martha, Whitney, Virginia, and Tonka grow well and give fairly good returns. Tree planting on the plains is quite a different proposition from planting in Ontario or the east. Little can be done without first providing suitable wind- breaks for protection of the trees against the cold, searching winds which sweep over the west. The form of the tree also must be greatly modified to enable it to withstand the rigorous winds which prevail in the west. The trees are headed back in order to develop a low, bushy form which seems to enable them to winter much better than where the trees are allowed to develop a wide open top. Plum culture is attended with but a moderate amount of success. A few of the heady sorts can be grown and ripened under western conditions. The following varieties are recommended for western planting: Cheney, Aitken, Wy- ant, Forest Garden, Surprise, and Bicksley. The best results are obtained by growing in protected locations and by keeping the trees well headed back. Bush fruits, such as currants, rasp- berries and gooseberries, may be grown with good success with ordinary cultiva- tion and moderate winter protection. The following is a good commercial list: Red raspberries; Shipper's Pride, Loudon, Ironclad, Cuthbert, Phila- delphia, Kenyon, Turner, Marlboro; black raspberries, Gregg, Older, Ohio; yellow, Golden Queen; red currants. Stewart, Cherrv, Versailles, Victoria, Raby Castle, Red Dutch, Fay's Prolific ; black currants. Black Beauty, Black Champion, Crandall, Black Naples; white currants, White Grape, White Dutch; gooseberries, Gothland, Hough- ton, Downing, Smith's Improved, Cham- pion. Strawberries, when given proper cul- tivation and careful mulching, give good returns and are one of the most profit- able fruit crops that western farmers can grow. The old and well-tried varieties seem to be most in favor. The following list will give a good idea of the kinds grown : Strawberries, Sharp- less, Bederwood, Crescent, Wilson, Brandy- wine. Senator Dunlop, Glen Mary, Warfield, and Haverland. Renovating' an Old OrcKard I am trying to work over and fix up an orchard. It is a comparatively young orchard, but has been neglected, neither pruned nor sprayed; hence, there are quite a number of pests infest- ing it. A number of trees have patches on them resembling dry whitewash. It may be a scale of some kind. These s]X3ts vary from one and a half inches to three inches long, and one and a half inches to two inches wide, mostly on the trunks. Would it be advisable to apply whale oil soap or Bordeaux mixture? 1 never saw an orchard where so many of the trees had spurs from one and a half inches to three inches long all along the main branches. These should be cut off should they not ? They are very thick and have numerous annual rings on them. The orchard is 10 or 12 years old. — K. W. S., Lan- caster, Ont. With regard to the neglected orchard at Lancaster, I might say that one of the best ways of invigorating the trees is by pruning, so that I should advise the thorough pruning of the trees, not by the removal of many large branches — as in the colder parts of the country this is not a wise practice, as disease may set in — but thinning out the smaller branches from the outside of the tree. If possible, the sod should be broken up and the orchard put imder a good state of cultivation. I fancy that the patches which are said to resemble whitewash must be due to lichens or fungous growth on the trees. I would advise giving the trees a thorough spraying early in April with a lime wash, made in the propor- tion of one pound of lime to a gallon of water, and sprayed on the trees from top to bottom, making two applications, the second as soon as the first becomes dr}'. This will have a very beneficial effect on the trees, cleaning them tip in good shape. In addition to the lime- wash, the trees should be thoroughly sprayed with Bordeaux mixture and Paris green, beginning just before the flower buds open, but if the lime-wash is not used, Bordeaux mixture should be applied just as the leaf buds are breaking. Whale-oil soap need not be used unless there are aphis on the trees- Long spurs on the main branches should not be removed, as these are the ones which bear the fruit. The ring-like appearance on the spurs is quite natural on old spurs. If possible, manure should be plowed imder when breaking up the sod. — Answered by W. T. Macoun, Horticulturist, C.E.F., Ottawa. XKe Apple ApHis Last year the apple aphis did much damage in my orchard. Both fruit and foliage were in- jured by them. I sprayed several times with Bordeaux mixture, which was not intended to affect the aphis but to keep diseases in check. Please tell me how best to combat this pest? — H. B. S., Shediac, N.B. This pest has been very abundant in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia or- chards for the past two years, and is capable of doing much injury by sucking the juices from the young buds and the leaves. There are three effective rem- edies: (1) Tobacco and soap wash, made by dissolving two pounds whale- oil soap, or four pounds ordinary soap, in two or three gallons of a strong decoc- tion of tobacco stems or leaves, and adding water to make 50 or 60 gallons. (2) Whale-oil soap soltttion, one pound to six gallons of water. (.3) Kerosene emulsion solution, prepared by dissolv- ing half a pound soap in a gallon of hot water, then adding two gallons coal oil and churning violently until a thorough creamy emulsion is obtained. In the application use one part of this emul- sion to 12 parts of water. It is advis- able that the first application, by spray- ing, should be made just as the buds are opening, and the second and third ap- plications at intervals of two or three weeks. — Answered by Prof. W. Loch- head, Macdonald College. Transplanting Currants Is it advisable to transplant cunant bushes? — S. H. M., Montreal. Currant bushes are hardy and bear transplanting well. It is not profitable or advisable, howeve , to transplant old bushes or those that are overgrown. If your bushes are comparatively small or have been kept regularly pruned, they may be transplanted easily and without danger. When doing so, have the holes that are to receive them prepared in advance and see that the roots on re- n'oval are covered with wet sacking or other material to keep them moist and not exposed to the wind. Should the bushes be beyond their prime, it would be better to take cuttings of the young growth and propagate new bushes. Pruning in early spring, before growth begins, induces wood growth. Shrivelled trees may be made plump before planting by burying tops and all in earth for several da vs. TKe First Flo-wers of Spring ^y^^NE of the first plants that bloom in I I spring is the Christmas Rose, t ^"'^ Heliborus Niger, probably named t^ Christmas Rose from the fact that it (blooms in the south of England about RodericK Cameron, Niagara Falls, Ont. drops are well known to all lovers of flowers. They are among the first plants to bloom, starting early in April. Among the first to bloom in the open is the English Daisy, Bellis perennis. It is as common as the dandelion in the grass in the park. The next plant to bloom with us is the sweet purple Eng- lish violet. The foregoing are all the plants that bloom here during April, but May pro- duces new-born flowers every day. I go around my beds and borders every evening to see and admire the new bom faces that seem to smile at me. It is needless to say that I smile in return I am so glad to see them, and to know that they have pulled through the winter so well. But it is a very difficult task to remember their proper names. Cowslip, Primula officinalis, is a I)lant seldom seen in gardens; yet, its beauty and associations naturally make it valuable. It seems to stand our cold White Rock Cress Christmas. In Queen Victoria Park, Niagara Falls, last year, the plant was in bloom from November to April. Another plant that blooms here in the month of April is Daphne Mezereum. This is a shrub that grows to five feet high and flowers before the leaves ap- pear. It bears many violet-purple flowers, on brown, erect stems. The fragrance of these flowers is exquisite during the morning and evening. Many passers-by enquire where the fragrance comes from. Daphne Mezereum is a rare wildling in Ontario and even in America, but on the DufFerin Islands, in the Niagara river, it grows as under- brush. During the fall, it is covered with showy scarlet fruit about the size of peas. There is a variety of the same that produces white flowers and fruit; otherwise, they are similar. Both of these shrubs should be hardy in many parts of Ontario, particularly if grown from the seed. Another of this type is Daphne Cneorum, a dwarf, spreading, evergreen shrub, called by some "The Garland Flower." This is a choice subject growing by itself, or as a border to a bed of shrubbery. It produces flowers in abundance of a light lilac color during spring and fall, and fills the air with a most delicious fragrance. Hepatica Irihola and Hepatica acuti- loba are native plants, better known by the name "Liver Leaf." They bear beautiful, deep blue flowers. They well deserve employment, particularly in well-shaded spots in the rock work. Their leaves are evergreen. These plants are the first to bloom in the open. The common crocuses and the snow- Purple Rock Cress winters and hot summers well. It is supposed to be the parent of the majority of our varieties of Polyanthus. Farther north, where it would not be safe to plant greenhouse plants in beds before the middle of June, primrose, polyanthus and cowslip are grand sub- jects to plant in the beds in the fall to bloom in the spring, as they would be done blooming before the beds are re- quired for the greenhouse stock. The primula is none the worse of being divided and transplanted. It is excel- lent for growing in out-of-the-way places during sumrjier, and again planted into beds in the fall to bloom again the fol- lowing spring. Such beds are much more beautiful and valuable than gaudy tulip beds, the bulbs for which have to be bought every fall. The plants should be hardy in many parts of Ontario. The flowers might require a little protec- tion sometimes, when there was a like- lihood of frost. The primula is to Eng- land and Scotland what the gentian is to 85 the Alps, the sweetest and most-sought- after flower. During May and the fore part of June,. White Rock Cress, Arabis albida, and its- double form play a very prominent part. They are the brightest gems in the gar- den. If a border or edging is made of them, it will be found that the season of bloom is very much lengthened by planting the single and double turn, about in a row, as the one is done when the other begins to bloom. After both; are done blooming, they may be trimmed back short, and sweet alyssum may be planted between the plants of Arabis to keep up the display of white for the rest of the season. Arabis makes a grand rock plant ; the accompanying photograph will show how well it is suited for this purpose. Purple Rock Cress, Aubretia Hender- soni, is in bloom at the same time as the white, and makes a grand show of purple. With the exception of the color, the plants are very similar. This is also a grand rock plant. Adonis davourica flore plena is a rare and beautiful low-growing plant, very hardy, producing double flowers three inches across, green and yellow in color. The plant has finely cut leaves. It grows 1 5 inches high and is a gem for the rock work. -1. Barrenwort, Epimedium alpinum, is- a dainty plant, growing 18 inches high. The foHage is neat and almost evergreen. It produces airy clusters of purplish and yellow flowers of quaint shape. A good place for it is among the rocks or in a clump by itself, where it could be seen to better advantage and its charms protected. '■'■■ ■ .■7% ^1 m ,-^s Leopard's Bane A plant that is not often seen is Noble Tumitory, Corydalis noblis. This is one of the finest ornamental herbaceous plants. The flowers appear in large heads on large, strong stems, and are of a rich, yellow color. The plant dies down to the ground soon after flowering. It is a native of Siberia, consequently 86 THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST April, 1907 very hardy everywhere. It grows to a height of two feet. Virginia CowsUp, Mertensia Virginica, is one of the best perennial plants in the garden. It is like the corydalis, dis- appearing soon after blooming. Such plants should be kept staked to mark the place where they will appear the following season. This plant grows two feet high, producing beautiful sky- blue flowers that are always admired by everv' passer-by. Leopard's Bane, Doronicium excelsum, grows to a height of two feet and pro- duces yellow, sunflower-like blooms on long stems which are very good for cut- ting. It is a very free-blooming plant and makes a grand display in the border. SKade Trees for Our Cities^ Prof. D. P. Penhallo-w, McGill University, Montreal THE question of shade trees for our cities and towns, is a many-sided one, which has engaged the most careful consideration from a very early period in our history. Shade trees, as well as properly kept shrubs and flower beds, exert a powerful reflex influence upon those who are habitually asso- ciated with them in their daily lives. From this point of view it is therefore not difficult to determine that the ex- tent to which trees are cultivated, and the intelligence expended in properly caring for them, may be safely adopted as an index of the relative progressive- ness, culture and civiUzation of a town. In discussing the relation of shade trees to purposes of street ornamenta- tion, there are three factors of leading importance which should be taken into consideration: Their productive value; their esthetic value; and their educa- tional value. The popular notion that trees have a tendency to reduce the actual temperature of the surrounding air, has a slight basis of fact in a dense forest, but in the case of individual trees, their influence in this respect is so small as to ibe wholly unrecogniz- able; nor is it more conceivable that the thousands of trees which might be scattered throughout a large city, would exercise any more appreciable effect. Having thus eliminated what at first sight might reasonably be expected from the growth of trees, it is pertin- ent to ask in what respects they are protective? Trees constitute an ac- tive medium for the transfer of water from the soil to the atmosphere through their foliage, and the amount of water which may be translocated in this way, is very large during the period of ac- tive growth. There is therefore a con- stant tendency to maintain the atmos- phere in a condition of desirable hu- midity, and though this effect is rapidly offset by the distributing influence of air currents, it is nevertheless sensible, and in this respect the presence of large masses of foliage is a desirable factor which tends to the amelioration of otherwise severe conditions. Active foliage demands large sup- plies of carbon-dioxide gas which it draws from the surrounding air and rapidly converts into organic bodies, ♦Extracts from an article published in the Canadian Municipal Journal. these latter being subsequently util- ized in building up the fabric of the plant body. In return, the plant yields up a corresponding volume of free oxygen, and the surrounding air is purified to that extent. In large cities, especially where there are extensive manufacturing interests as in Mon- treal, there is a tendency towards the local accumulation of the noxious pro- ducts of combustion of which carbon- dioxide is the most important, and there can be no doubt that the pres- ence of trees in large numbers exerts a most salutary effect by virtue of their absorption of this gas and the substitution of pure oxygen. It may reasonably be contended from these statements, that a city which is abund- antly suppHed with shade trees will, in general, be distinguished by the greater purity and more bracing qual- ity of its atmosphere, and it would seem to me that the relations thus de- veloped, are too often overlooked or even ignored in considering the part which trees play in urban Hfe. There is another respect in which trees manifest their protective influ- ence, as found in the extent to which they minimize the effects of excessive heat. Any one passing from a narrow and crowded business street devoid of trees, to a residential street provided with shade trees, becomes sensible of a gratifying difference in temperature. This difference is not altogether de- pendent upon the relative height and the crowded character of the build- ings, though it is a large factor; but it is due, in the main, to the influence of the trees themselves. The trees not only give the pedestrian direct protec- tion from the rays of the sun, but they so shield the pavements and buildings as to prevent the absorption and reflection of heat, affording to the buildings in particular, such a degree of protection as to give to the inhabi- tants a sense of refreshing comfort. Of the esthetic and educational value of trees, much might be said, but it may be sufficient to point out that to bring up children habituated to asso- ciation with those forms of vegetation which typify great beautv and grace Shade Trees Such as These Increase the Value of the Residences April, 1907 THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST 87 of form; which represent the embodi- ment of plastic strength and great viriUt)', is to insensibly shape their moral natures in such ways as to de- velop character and self-reliance, as well as an appreciation of those more gentle graces which contribute so largely to the characteristic quaUties of the cultured and refined. Nor can we doubt that an abundance of well-cared- for shade trees operate as an attrac- tion to visitors and as an actual incen- tive to settlement. The naturally fine shade trees of Montreal constitute one of the features most commented upon by strangers, and it is the same fea- ture which lends such charm to Toron- to, New Haven, Washington, Buffalo, Detroit, and many other cities. Turning -our attention briefly to more practical considerations, it is obvious that it is the part of a wise civic policy to see to it that a form of property which possesses so many potentiali- ties for good ; which possesses so large a measure of intrinsic value; which constantly enhances in value with in- creasing age through a long period of time; and which also involves a con- siderable initial expenditure, should be most carefully protected, not only against the far too numerous enemies which Nature herself has provided, but against man himself as the very worst of all the foes with which shade trees must contend. The fact that Massachusetts has expended vast sums of money in its efforts to protect its shade trees against the ravages of in- sect pests; and that in spite of repeated failures, they still persist in the fight and continue to spend large sums of money annually, with a feeling of confidence in ultimate victory, is at once a tribute to the enlightenment of a community which finds it desir- able to put forth such heroic efforts, and a practical proof of the wisdom of such a policy of protection, even though it involve the expenditure of millions of dollars of public money. Abundant experience has shown that it is not alone a policy which shall deal with the pests when they arrive, that is wanted, but quite as much a policy of prevention which, ever alert, antic- ipates the coming evil and adopts such measures as will render its further operations ineffective. If all this mav be said with respect to remedial and protective measures where natural ene- mies are concerned, it is certainly a penny-wise and pound-foolish policy which will expend thousands of dollars upon the destruction of insects and other natural foes, and at the same time permit man to operate in such ways as to be quite as, if not far more speedily and far more certainly, de- structive. Since the introduction of telegraph, telephone and electric light- ing wires throughout all the thorough- Look! and Ask if we Should Not Protect our Trees fares of our cities, shade trees have ceased to have any recognized status. A tree which has developed a fine form through the growth of half a century is suddenly deprived of its top or other essential parts and left a maimed and shattered wreck whose mutilated stumps of former members reach up their ragged ends as if in mute appeal for vengeance upon the vandals who have been guilty of such an outrage. The case is somewhat aggravated when an enterprising citizen plants a fine tree, perhaps at considerable expense, and watches with fondest care its gradual development into an object of beauty and utility. Some day he arrives home from his office to find only a wreck of that in which he has taken so much justifiable pride and pleasure. Trees which have been dealt with in such a manner, should be removed at once, for they can never become what Na- ture designed them to be, and their presence cannot fail to exert precisely the opposite effect to that for which they were intended, because of the false standards which they illustrate. In justice to the linemen, however, it should be pointed out that while their operations are serious enough, they are by no means the only trans- gressors, since these are found even in the ranks of those who by profession, or at least by occupation, might be supposed to exercise the most intel- ligent and thoughtful oversight and care. The operations of the profes- sional («c) forester, or at least of the man who is paid to fill that r61e, are very often far from what they should be. To cut off a limb with a hatchet instead of with a good saw; to cut from above and allow the falling limb to drag a long splinter with it; to leave a projecting stump with a ragged end; or to leave hmbs on the tree long after they have commenced to decay— all these things not only present a most unsightly and unprofessional piece of work, but they one and all invite the entrance of decay and ensure the cer- tain destruction of the tree. The time has certainly arrived when every town and city should regard it as a paying investment to plant good trees. This should be done not alone by the city itself, but by property holders as well, who should be encour- aged, in every way, to undertake such work independently. It should then be the further duty of the town or city to guarantee a suitable measure of protection to such trees against the attacks of animals, the lawlessness of street boys who have no higher ideals than delight in the destruction of everything which contributes to the grace and beauty of our streets, the attacks of insect pests and the opera- tion of parasitic fungi. Furthermore, there should be a systematic inspection of all thfe trees each spring. Sporadic efforts in this respect are of very little value, but there should be a well- ordered service which will bring every tree under an intelligent inspection. If accomplished regularly and system- atically, such service need not be cost- ly, and it could be accomplished be- fore the more pressing work of decor- ating the squares with flowers begins. 88 THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST April, 1907 Under such a system, the actual amount of work to be accoinpHshed in a given season would be reduced to a mini- mum; but where the work is carried out at irregular and often long intervals, the trees not only suffer severely, but the amount of work to be accompHshed may become costly. There is a fine opportunity for pub- lic sentiment to express itself forcibly with respect to this very important question; and in cases where the auth- orities are lukewarm or actually in- different, it should be taken up and vigorously dealt with by a special as- sociation formed for that purpose. The work of such an association — and there are many towns where they are now in successful operation — should be governed by a broad poHcy which should comprise the encouragement of liberal planting; the selection of those types of trees which are best suited to the cUmate and to the locality, as also to the street to be treated; careful supervision of and directions for prun- ing; and lastly, the most careful pro- tection against one and all of the many enemies which prey upon them. The Amateur's GreenKouse Hydrangeas should be showing color. When nearing their finish, they should have plenty of water at the roots. Keep pinching and rubbing out the early growths of azaleas. Lilacs, Azalea mol- lis, flowering cherries and other decidu- ous shrubs should be allowed' to' flbwer in a comparatively cool house. ^. Pot gloxinias, that were started some weeks ago, in light, fairly rich compost, before they get crowded. Unless the tubers are above ordinary size, five or six inch pots will be sufficiently large. Keep on the dry side until well rooted. Keep them in the fight, but not in direct sunshine. Do not forget about keeping the water off the leaves. Cyclamen sown last fall should be ready for pots. Do not plant deeper than up to the middle of the little bulbs. Thickly-sown seedlings, such as lobeKas, petunias and so on, should be trans- planted into other boxes before they be- come too spindly. Cannas and dahfias may be started. If you have not sown seeds of mignonette, candytuft and stocks, sow now. Keep geraniums clean of dry and dead leaves, and pinch back the lanky growth. My plan of planting roses is in long open hedges, cultivating deeply the ground to a width of four feet and setting the plants in the centre four feet apart. In the spaces can be grown tuUps or other spring bulbs and asters or showy annuals. Enrich the ground in the fall with cow manure and in the spring with bone meal. — A. K. Goodman, Cayuga, Ont. THe Leopard Plant S. Armstrong, Jermyn, Ont. The leopard plant, Farfugium grande, shown in the illustration, is about 10 years old and gets no particular care. In summer, it is placed on a south verandah, In autumn it is re-potted to one of larger size, the space between the roots and the pot being filled with rich garden soil. The plant is then taken inside and placed in a south bay window, where it remains until spring. The house is heated by a wood furnace. A favorable temperature and an abund- ance of water constitute about all the attention that the plant gets. proper cleaning and storing of all tools when not in use. For gardens of con- siderable dimensions, a tool-house should be provided with arrangements for con- venient and safe storing. Brackets and hooks against walls for sieves, ropes, scythes, rakes, spades, and so on; shelves, drawers or cupboards for small tools, and boxes for labels, twine and pegs, should be furnished in everj^ order- ly tool-house. Make a point always to return every article to its proper place when not in use. Wet days may be turned to account by oiling, sharpening and repairing tools that require it. Even in small gardens a place for the storing of tools ought to A Leopard Plant Grown Successfully in Ontario THe Care of Garden Tools Many and varied are the kinds of tools used in the work of gardening about the home. Most of them are familiar to the amateur gardener. More import- ant than a mere enuineration of them is the difference between a good and a bad implement. One of the most common- ly used garden tools is the spade. With one of the modern improved kinds, a person can do, with the same exertion, 10 per cent, more work than he could with the heavy, easily-clogged kinds formerly in use. It is also the case that, with well-adapted tools of a superior description, the work also is better done. The care of tools and implements is a matter that is frequently neglected by gardeners. Economy not only in out- lay, but in labor, is secured by the be found. With good, clean tools, more and better work is accomplished than is possible when they are rusty, or blunt, or rickety. La^wn and Garden Jots Fertilizers rich in nitrogen and poor in potash give the most grass and the least clover; they are, therefore, ex- cellent for tennis courts, greens and similar situations. On a lawn sour and mossy, with fail- ing herbage, use lime and potash (there is no better potastic fertilizer than un- leached wood ashes). This will bring in a liberal growth of clover, which can afterwards be largely supplanted with grasses, by withholding the mineral fertiUzers and using one or two hun- dred weight per acre of nitrate soda. Timely Pointers for Amateur Flcwer Gro^wers Now is the time for making hotbeds for raising petunias, phlox, asters, cockscombs (celosia christata), and other annuals. If the bed has been com- pleted about a week it should be in fit condition to place seed boxes in. Always allow a little air to come in at the back of the frame so as to the hot steam, which alwa}^s arises from a newly made hotbed, to run off. A few finely-sifted coal ashes, placed on top of manure, are very bene- ficial as they help to keep in the heat. Seeds of annuals should be sown in a light, sandy soil in shallow boxes. Very fine seeds do not need to be cov- ered. Sow them on top of the soil. Asters, balsams and zinnias require to be covered in the soil at about a depth the size of the seed. In sowing all kinds of spring seeds, the depth they should be sown can be judged by the size of the seed, that is, have just the same depth of earth on the top of the seed as the seed is high. Seed should not be sown in seed boxes until after the soil in the boxes has been well watered. After sowing, the seed should be pressed with some flat object to force them in evenly. It is a good plan to darken the surface with news- papers or other object to cause the seeds to germinate quickly. The seeds when germinating should be watched carefully. When the shoots begin to show the covering must be removed. At this period of growth, ventilation should be watched closely. Now is the time to strike cuttings of coleus, ageratum, geraniums, lobelias, These will root in about 10 days or two weeks. As soon as rooted they should be removed and potted in small pots in hglit, sandy soil, and placed back in the hotbed again. Give them a good watering and keep them shaded from the sun for two or three ■days to allow the roots to start in the new soil. As soon as they are rooted, they should be again placed in the sun and light. All pruning should be done now as danger from severe frosts is about over. Hardy roses should have all weak wood cut out, and the stout growths short- ened to within six inches of the ground. They will be much benefited by a lib- eral coating of cow manure placed around the roots. Do this as soon as possible, so that the spring rains mav wash the stimulant into the soil. Now is the lime to sow balsams and ferns. Put in boxes, or pots, if boxes are not convenient. .-Ml canna roots should be divided, cleaned and put nto boxes, upon the bottom of which should be placed a couple of inches of soil. Water slightlv and expos to the light After thev have started growth they may be re- potted if so desired. Dahlias should be divided now for summer growth. Tulip i in beds should be uncovered immediately to get all the sun and light possible. When all frost i; out of the ground and the weather is fairly dry, the lawn should be rolled If lawns are in poor condition, use a standard chemical fer- tilizer to put them in good order. Grass edgings should be cut off evenly. Plants that are broken down rom winter frosts should be headed back, and grape vines that have not been pruned should be treated immediately to prevent bleeding. If the roots of phlox or other peren- nials tre large, divide them, using a sp de or large knife. A Fine OrcHid A FINE old orchid that is free flower- ing and easily grown when once its requirements are understood, is Coelogyne cristata. The plant requires a good porous soil, and not too much of it. It is better to use moss altogether than peat of a low grade. Although when once well potted, they will sometimes grow and flower well for 10 or 12 years, that does not mean that, after ing yellow. Plants that have become too large may be pulled to pieces, the dead roots and some of the old bulbs cut away, and as many pieces having leads placed in the new pots as can be done without crowding. They will shrivel considerably after this operation, but no attempt should be made to keep them plump by soaking them with water. If the plants are kept shaded and the soil Coelogyne cristata in a Ten-inch Pan once being done, they should forever after be neglected. A top dressing should be given yearly after the flowers are past ; and, to assist in this work when the plants become crowded, some of the old bulbs should be cut out and the spaces filled with new material. Water should only be given when the plants are seen to be dying out, and then a good soaking should be given. A dose of weak, liquid cow manure everv second watering, when in full growth, will make them produce larger bulbs and finer flowers. They should be grown in a house with a minimum temperature of 50 degrees, and only be shaded sufii- cientlv to keep the leaves from turn- 89 just moist by syringing, they will take hold more freely, and will soon swell up again, when they can be more freely watered. Japanese Iris Wlien should the bulbs of Japanese iris be planted? How long will flowers of this plant last when cut? — A. F., Woodstock, N.B. Spring is the best season to plant Japanese iris. These plants grow well in rich, moist land. They should be planted in full sun. Shade has a tend- ency to make the stems weak and blooms flimsy. The latter last fairly well as cut flowers if cut a few hours before the buds are ready to unfold. The sterns should at once be put in water and kept in a cool place. TKe Best Way to Gro^w S'weet Peas THE sweet pea, Lathyrus Odoratus, is the most valuable annual flower of the present day. Its delicious perfume, its diversity of lovely colors, its lengthened period of bloom, and its value for cutting entitle it to a prominent place in every garden. By sowing the seed at once it may be had in bloom continuously from the first week in July until cut down by severe frost (generally late in October) . Care must be taken to pick every flower as soon as it is fully developed and not to let any seed pods form. If seed pods are allowed to form, the plant will expend all its energy upon them and rapidly cease flowering. By August the seeds will be ripe and there will not be any more flowers. The best way to grow sweet peas is by the trench system, because it makes one practically independent of the soil the trench is in. The garden may be heavy clay or pure sand, but by digging a trench and filling it with a good com- post, one can be almost certain of satis- factory results. If the garden is a good loam all you need is some old manure. If it is light sand you will need some good loam and some old manure. I have tried many ways of growing these beautiful flowers, but the following has always proved the most successful. Dig a trench 12 inches wide and from 12 to 15 inches deep, put a layer of old, well-rotted manure two or three inches deep in the bottom, then a layer of loam three inches, then old manure two inches. Mix the last two layers well with a garden fork and level with a rake. Fill the trench to within two or three inches of the top with soil, ■without any manure. Level nicely and sow your seeds. Cover to the top of the trench with loam ; press down by walk- ing back and forth on it two or three times. Your seeds will then be about three inches below the surface of the trench, and the surface slightly below the rest of the ground. I have sown sweet pea seed in the same trench three years following, just adding a small quantity of old manure each year, and forking it in, and the flowers the third year were better than those of the first. Secure the best seeds that you can obtain. It is false economy buying cheap seeds. Sow the seeds in rows or broadcast in the trench an inch or two between each seed and when they grow above the surface (which they will do in about two weeks) pull enough to leave the vines not less than three inches apart. Each plant, if properly grown, will fill up a foot of space. As soon as they commence to grow put up some- thing for them to cling to. There are Eld-win Utley, Toronto, Ontario many ways to do this. Brush is the most natural and effective, but in a city it is not easily procured. Poultry net- ting is probably the simplest support, and it answers the purpose well. Let it come within two inches of the soil, be- cause if the stems have not support early they become bent and the flower stalks will then also be crooked. Do not adopt the fooHsh fashion of putting strings vertically for the peas to chng to. They do not twine like a morning glory but send their tendrils in all direc- tions, feeling for something to cHng to. If you have plenty of room let your sweet peas be sown away from the fences in a sunny position, the row running north and south, so that they can get all the sun and air possible. Before the weather gets very hot spread two or three inches of old manure or the cHppings from your lawn over the roots of the vines. This is called mulching, and not only helps to retain the moisture but keeps the roots cool, an important thing with sweet peas. If you cannot do this keep the soil open by an occa- sional raking not more than an inch deep or scatter seed of the sweet alyssum along the trench. This plant does not send its roots down fa'r enough to interfere with the sweet peas, and will help to keep the ground cool, at the same time giving you some nice sweet-scented flowers. If the plants lose their bright green color, it is either because the manure is too strong or you have not enough of it. If the former there is no cure for it, but drenching the ground thoroughly with water will help. If the latter, an application of nitrate of soda will do much good. Dissolve a dessertspoonful in a pail of water and pour into the trench once a week. If the household washing is done at home, there is no better application for sweet peas than the suds which are thrown away; run them into the trench when cold and not too strong. Be sure that any manure you use is old and thoroughly well rotted. Cabbages, cannas, and so on, will stand strong manure, but sweet peas will be destroyed by it. The manure I used last year was four vears old. Sweet peas need plenty of water but the ground must not be kept sodden. They are liable in hot weather, unless the vines are kept moist, to be attacked by the red spider and then good-bye to your flowers. Keep the vine sprinkled with water (not drenched) once or twice a day in hot weather. If the ground is kept too damp the buds will turn yellow and drop off without opening. Avoid lime in any form. 90 There is not a plant grown in Canada that will give more flowers or for such a long period as the sweet pea. I have seen a record of one vine giving 1,200 flowers in a season. One year, I made my first cutting on July 1, and my last on November 7. I have a note in my diary under date of October 24, 1874: "Cut 20 dozen very fine sweet peas to-day." What flower can beat this? Perennial LarKspur Wm. Hunt Some of the newer hybrids of these lovely, showy, hardy, border plants are a great improvement on the older types. Their long, erect spikes of flowers in all shades of blue, from the palest lavender to the deepest violet blue, make them a conspicuous object in the mixed border about the end of June and early in July. The dwarf types promise to become popular, as one of the objections to the older types has been to keep them erect during the heavy rainstorms of summer. Seed sown in spring or early summer will produce good flowering plants the following summer. They can be sown in the border or in boxes and trans- planted. Fertilizing' Kitchen Garden My kitchen garden, 20 x 48 feet, was well manured for three years until last fall, when I neglected the application. It was well spaded, however, and left rough. A\'in it do to use chemical feriilizers this spring instead of barn- yard manure; if so, what kind? Each year two or three succession crops have been grown by the liberal use of bone ash and nitrate of soda — J. M., Toronto. It is quite possible to grow the crops this coming season without the applica- tion of any more farmyard manure. As you have applied bone ash, which is rich in phosphoric acid, and as the farm- yard manure is comparatively rich in nitrogen, I would particularly advise the use of a considerable quantity of potash in the muriate or sulphate of potash form; or, if you can procure them, in the form of wood ashes. I think that along with that it would be well to use a little nitrate of soda for such crops as lettuce or radish to force rapid growth. — Answered by R. Har- court, O.A.C., Guelph. Gro-win^ Cos Lettuce How should Cos lettuce be grown? — Mrs. P. C, Kentville, N.S. Sow the seed and grow as you would other kinds of lettuce. When the leaves are 'arge enough, they should be blanched by gathering them up and tying at the top. In a week or 10 days they will be fit for use. Grooving Potatoes for Profit' J UDGING from 30 years' experience, the best soil for potatoes is a rich, sandy loam, with six to nine inches of surface soil, that is well drained either naturally or by tile. Drainage is important. Potatoes do not thrive on land that is not well drained. Drained swamp or muck lands grow good crops. As many as 400 bushels an acre have been grown on this kind of land. Sandy lands require more manure than any other kind. Stiff or heavy clay soils do not grow good potatoes. A clay loam will grow a good crop if properly handled. PREPARATION OF THE LAND The land should be plowed and disc- harrowed in August. It should be har- rowed after each rain to keep down the A\'^. yV. DrovigHton, Sarnia, Ontario harrowed lightly. It is then ready to plant. PLANTING It is best to plant potatoes, both early and late varieties, as early as possible. Some growers plant the later varieties late. This is a mistake. I have found that late varieties will do better when planted early. The best early potatoes are Early Ohio, Early Burpee, Bovee and Early Michigan. The best late ones are Am- erican Wonder, Rural New-Yorker, Em- pire State, Elephants and Clark's No. 1. A change of seed is always desirable; that is, from one kind of soil to another. Seed potatoes should be of medium size and cut to one or two eyes. They should be planted as soon after cutting The Potato Planter at Work in Mr. Brougaton's Market Garden weeds and to clean the land. Just be- fore it freezes, the land should be plowed again seven or eight inches deep, if the surface soil will permit. Land prepared in this way the fall before, stands the dry weather better than it otherwise would. As soon as it is dry in the spring, the land should be harrowed enough to level it and then 25 or 30 loads of rotten manure an acre should be put on with a manure spreader. If the land were a clover sod or second crop of clover plowed under the fall before, less manure is required. The land should be plowed, harrowed, rolled and again *The first prize essay on "Potato Growing" in the competition conducted by the Ontario Vegetable Growers' Association. as possible. Plant them in drills from 30 to 32 inches apart and 12 to 14 inches apart in the drills, and about four inches deep. I use an Improved Robbin's Planter, which, in one operation, marks the row, opens the furrow, drops the seed and covers them. The machine requires a man, a boy and a team of horses. Planting done by the machine is better than the old way of planting by hand, for the following reasons : The depth is uniform; 2, the seed is put in moist earth, covered at once and, therefore, not so apt to dry rot on account of lack of moisture; 3, the rows can be made straight ; and 4, time is saved in plant- ing, as the machine will plant four or five acres a day. The machine has a 91 fertilizer attachment that can be used when desired. With it 400 to 800 pounds of good fertilizer can be put in the rows. This gives the potatoes a better start and insures a better crop. CULTIVATION A week or 10 days after planting, the potatoes should be gone over with a weeder, the same direction as planted, to level the ridge that is left by the planter and to kill small weeds. This operation should be repeated every few days until potatoes are a couple of inches high. They should now be cul- tivated with a cultivator every week until tops are too large to permit culti- vation. For the first few times they should be cultivated deep and close to plant, but shallower and farther from plants as they grow. Hoe. them before the tops get too large. At the last cultivation, hill them sUghtly, just enough to protect the potatoes from the sun after the vines are dead. The vines should be kept free from "bugs" by spraying with the following mixture: Two pounds of good Paris green to 50 gallons of water. For blight they should be sprayed with Bordeaux mixture five or six times during the growing season. Apply the Paris green and Bordeaux mixture at one applica- tion. Melons and Melon Gro-win^f W. G. Home, Clarkson, Ontario Muskmelons and watermelons require warm, sandy land and considerable manure. The latter should be spread broadcast. It is too concentrated in hills,- and has a tendency to dry them out. All the roots that need feeding are not only in the hills. They extend as far under ground as the vine reaches above ground. I have turned them up with the cultivator much farther away than I expected. Melons need good cultivation. While the vines are small, the land cannot be worked too much. The land should be kept as free from weeds as possible. Hot seasons suit melons best. They are of better flavor when the season is warm. They can stand dry weather for a long time if we have heavy dew at night. Much rain is not required, and too wet weather causes musk- melons to crack open. This renders them unfit for market, and not much good for home use. WORK IN THE HOTBED There is much to contend with in growing melons for the early market. It is necessary to start them in hotbeds, tExtract from an address delivered at the last annual convention of the Ontario Vegetable Growers' Association. :92 THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST April, 1907 which means a great deal of extra work, and work that needs the closest atten- tion. If they are neglected at certain critical times, much labor and plants are lost. The most critical period in raising melon plants in a hotbed is at the time of germination, and just after they have made their appearance. The iiest temperature for growing melons at this particular time is from 75 to 80 degrees; in fact, this temperature is the best for them at any time. After being planted in the open, however, they have to stand sometimes a tem- perature not much above freezing. Hence, it is well to get them used to as low a temperature as possible a week or so before moving them into the -open field. This will make them hardy and strong. In starting the melon in the hotbed, it has to be done so that when it is moved into the open, the roots will not be disturbed. Melon plants will not "transplant," in the true sense -of the word. It is necessary to plant them either in pieces of sod or in pots. These can be moved to the field with- out interfering with the roots. Some growers use pots instead of sod, claiming that the plant takes root quicker in pots because the sod is full of grass fibres. I have tried both, and have not noticed any differ- •ence in this respect. For other reas- ons, I prefer the use of sods. There are distinct advantages in using sod. Pots have to be filled with the choicest of soil, and this has to be found every time you plant; they cannot be handled so easily as the sod when drawing out to the field, and they have to be cared for and stored from one year to the other. With the sod, you simply have to cut, place closely in the frame and plant. When drawing to the field have them well soaked with water. Make your hole deep enough so that the sod will be two inches below the level. Where the land is in good condition, watermelons should be planted at least seven feet apart each way, as although a large fruit, it grows a long, slender vine with small foliage. Musk- melons can be planted much closer. Five feet each way is the usual dis- tance. Three plants in a hill are plenty. Both kinds are prolific. An acre of muskmelons is capable of producing 800 dozen, and watermelons from 400 to 500 dozen, weighing possibly some 50 tons. These figures estimate an excellent crop and a possible one. Celery a Profitable Crop* J. Friendship, Kingston, Ontario Celery is one of the most profitable crops that the market gardener grows, providing he has land suitable for its culture. It can be grown on al- most any good soil, but on some the crop will not pay for the labor. The soil I prefer is one that is always mellow and does not. get too wet or too dry. Such land is found in a hollow where in former years may have been a small lake whose bed is now covered with rich humus, 12 to 20 inches deep, with a blue clay bottom. Such soil will retain moisture and, if properly drained, seldom gets too wet. On such soil celery can be grown at one-quarter the cost of that grown on stiff or harsh soil. On proper soil the work from start to finish is easih' done. Where such soil is not available, the land must be made as near it as possible by plowing and the working in of several dressings of good, rich, well- rotted stable manure. The harsher the soil, the more humus is required to make it mellow. When the soil is in this condition, it should be well ridged in the fall so that no surface water can remain. In the spring, it should not be worked until dry. It then should be well worked and kept mellow until plant- ed. It is a hard job to set out from 25,000 to 50,000 celery in stiff, dry soil. GROWING THE PLANTS In growing the plants the best soil that can be secured is necessary. Celery seed is slow to germinate and should be kept shaded until it appears above ground. Cover the seed very lightly and keep the soil moist, but not wet. The plants are hardy, but grow slowly. Weeds grow much quicker and should be re- moved as soon as seen. As soon as the plants form the second leaf they can be set in another bed, if you prefer trans- planted plants. If not, they should be thinned out so as to get strong, rooty plants. The majority of gardeners do not use transplanted plants. They pre- fer setting direct from the seed bed, unless they intend growing celery for summer use. For that purpose, the seed should be sown in March in a well- prepared hotbed and, when large enough, removed to, another bed, setting them three inches by two inches, so as to form good plants. There is great danger of celery plants running to seed if they receive a severe check in growth. Great care is required in the setting and growing. I have seen nearly the whole setting of early celery lost by it running to seed. Late sowing should be done about the first of May or later. Late sown seed needs the same care as early. The soil requires to be kept moist. It dries out much quicker in May than in April. ♦Extract from the first prize essay on Celery Ciiltuie, in the competition conducted by the Ontario Vegetable Growers' Association. The Old Way The New Way Near cities, where market gardeners apply large quantities of manure to iheirland, the use of manure spreaders is becoming more general. Near Toronto, Mr. Joseph Rush, of Humber Bay. who uses one of these machines, writes us that with it he spreads 12 tons of manure to the acre. The machine is handled easily by two horses When loaded evenly, from front to back, it spreads long, green manure as well as any other kind, Mr. Rush applies his manure at the rate of 50 loads an acre, and reports that he con- siders the manure spreader one of the best labor-saving devices on his place OUR QUESTION AND ANSWER DEPARTMENT Readers of TKe Horticultvirist are Invited to Submit Questions on any Phase of Horticultural "WorK ^^ OO^^ nO^^ ^lMf|^ /^a|^ /^Mf|^ OkVJ^ ««^^;tW^ nO^^ Pollinating Lindley Grape Can the Lindley grape be pollinated arti- ficially and profitably to obtain a more perfect bunch? — S L., Prince Edward County. This question was sent to the Central Experimental Farm, Ottawa, from Win- ona, Ont., but as the writer did not sign his name to the letter, the columns of The Canadian Horticulturist have been used, knowing that the reply will come under his eye. The Lindley grape is one of the varie- ties known to be self-sterile or partially so; consequently, if planted by itself, the bunches will be very imperfect. To get good btmches one should have one or more varieties, that bloom at the same time, planted near, to pollinate it. At the Central Experimental Farm, where we have a large number of varie- ties in our vineyard, and only a few vines of each of these scattered in different parts, the bunches of the I/indley are, most of them, well filled and quite satisfactory. We should ad- vise, in planting a vineyard, to plant alternate rows of another variety. Niag- ara and Word n should make two good sorts for this purpose. Experiments in artificially pollinat- ing the Lindley have given very satis- factory results, although the experiment was not carried on with the idea of making it pay; but, it is quite probable that it could be profitably done. In the case referred to, bunches of another variety were simply attached to bunches of Lindley when they were in bloom, and nature did the rest. It is possible that a more economical method of using pollen could be devised, such as apply- in?; it direct to the flowers. This will be a good line of experiment for the Niagara Fruit Experiment vStation to take up. — W. T. Macoun, Horticulturist, C.E.F., Ottawa. Pruning for Fruit Buds If a lateral shoot of an apple tree be pruned back one-third, to or near a promising fruit bud, or two-thirds, with fruit buds on two year wood, has it a tendency to make or turn these said buds into wood growth? Is it a mistake to cut back every lateral, in spring pruning, on a tree, for are not a great number of the terminal buds fruit buds? Can you name the varieties whose fruit buds are frequently and invariably terminal? — L. B. P., Salmon Arm, B.C. The pruning back of lateral shoots of apple trees will not change the fruit buds that have alreadv been made into leaf buds. The fruit buds were formed early last summer and will expand when the time comes. Severe heading back of laterals in the spring will, however. have its effect on the number of fruit buds which will form this season, as the tree will be re-invigorated by the heading back and the tendency will be for it to make leaf buds rather than fruit buds, although there may be as many of the latter form as is needed for a good crop. It would be a mistake to cut back every lateral very severely, as it would mean the sacrifice of too many fruit buds. The ones to prune back will be learned by practice. We have not made a study of the varieties which are most inclined to bear fruit on terminal buds, so cannot say which do it most. — Answered by W. T. Macoun, Horticulturist, C.E.F., Ottawa. Hardy Roses for NortK Kindly recommend a few varieties of roses for continuous bloom throughout the season in Peterboro county? — S. A., Jermyn, Ont. The following half-dozen varieties of hybrid perpetual roses are among the best and hardiest : General Jacqueminot, Mrs. J. Sharman Crawford, Mad. Plant- ier, Ulrich Brunner, Magna Charta, and Alfred Colomb. While these will not bloom freely throughout the summer, most of them will continue to give a few blooms until autumn. By planting a few of the hybrid tea roses, more bloom will be obtained late in the season. Two of the best of these are: Kaiserin Augusta Victoria and Caroline Testout. The former is a white rose and the latter a pink. These are not quite so hardy as the hybri 1 perpetuals but, with a little protection, they come through the winter very well at Ottawa. — Answered by W. T. Macoun, C.E.F., Ottawa. Transplanting Dog-wood Some fine specimens of Flowering Dogwood, Cornus Florida, are growing in the woods not far from my home. Kindly advise me as to the best time of year to take up and transplant dogwoods that are growing in a wild state? — B. P., Grimsby, Ont. The only season in which dogwoods may be transplanted is spring. These wild trees have few roots, and you will not succeed with the transplanting unless you prune back the branches severely. Should you desire to secure the trees without its being necessary to prune back one-half or more of the growth, it will be necessary to root-prune the trees this spring and allow them to remain a year before transplanting. The cutting off of the roots causes many 9J more smaller ones to form, and this almost assures transplanting with safety. Dig a trench around the trees, 18 inches or two feet from the trunk; dig to a depth of two feet, then dig under the trees, cutting off all roots met with from first to last. Fill back the soil and let the trees alone for a year. But if the trees are out of shape prune back the branches a little, to shapen the outline. In fact it is a good thing to prune the branches at the same time that the roots are pruned. Such root pruned trees rarely fail to live, and the practice is often adopted by those who wish to transplant wild trees. W^aterin^ Trees at Planting I intend to plant some shade trees this spring. Is it best to water them at the time of planting? — R. T., St. Hyacinthe, Que. Tree planting succeeds best when water is applied. The water carries the soil in close contact with the roots. Pour the water in when the hole is about half filled with soil. When it has soaked away, the rest of the hole should be filled in with soil compara- tively loose. Watering in this way saves ramming or firming the soil with the feet or a pounder. Cost of Forcing' House What would be the cost to build a forcing house of about 400 square feet? What would be the proper size to build for a beginner? Which is best, steel or wooden frames? Would a forcing house of size mentioned pay? — N. C, Riviere du Loup, Que. The cost of a forcing house of 400 square fee' can best be determined in the vicinity where it is to be built, as prices of material vary greatly, and also the plans and construction. In Leam- ington, it would cost about $100. It is difficult to state the proper size for a beginner without having some knowl- edge of the man and his capital. It is best to start on a small scale and increase as experience warrants. A house of 400 square feet, or even twice that size, is of little vahie except for starting plants in spring for moving to the open ground when the weather becomes warm. I have one house 42 x 100 feet, exclu- sive of boiler room, and I find it too small for growing vegetables in winter. It would pay "N. C." to erect a house for the purpose of producing plants for transplanting later and rowing outside. For so small a house, it is best to use a wooden frame. — Answered by J. L. Hilbom, Leamington, Ont. 94 THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST April, 1907 The Canadian Horlicullurisl Published by The Horticultural Publishinff Company, Limited The Only" Horticultural Magazine in the Dominion Official Orffan of British Columbia, Ontario, Quebec and Prince Edward Island Fruit Growers' Associations and of the Ontario Vee- etable Growers' Association H. Bronson Cowan. Managing Editor and Business Manager A. B. CtTTTiNO, B.S.A., Horticultural Editor W. G. Rook, Advertising Manager Garrett Wall, Circulation Manager GREAT BRITAIN Pkank Fletcher, 135 Henrietta Street, Old TraCford Manchester, Eng., Advertising and Circulation Manager 1. The Canadian Horticulturist is published on the 25th day of the month preceding date of issue. Z. Subscription Price 50 cents a year, three years $1 .20, •trictly in advance. For all countries except Canada, United States and Great Britain add 50c. for postage for each one year subscription. 3. Remittances should be made by Post OflBce or Money Express Order, or Registered Letter. Postage Stamps accepted for amounts less than {1.00. 4. Discontinuances— Responsible subscribers will con- tinue to receive The Horticulturist until the publishers are notified by letter to discontinue, when all arrearages ^tist be paid. 5. Change of Address — When a change of address is ordered, both the old and the new addresses must be cSren. 6. cAdvertising Rates quoted on application. Circu- lation 6,000. Copy received up to the 18th. Responsible representatives wanted in towns and cities. 7. e>4rticles and Illustrations for publication will be thankfully received by the editor. Our Protective Policy We want the readers of The Canadian Horticul- TUKXST to feel that they can deal with our advertisers with otir assurance of the advertisers' reliability. We try to admit to our columns only the most reliable ad- vertisers. Should any subscriber, therefore, have good cause to be dissatisfied with the treatment he receives from any of our advertisers, we will look into the matter and investigate the circumstances fully. Should wi? find reason to believe that any of our advertisers are un-' reliable, even in the slightest degree, we will discontinue immediately the publication of their advertisements in Thb Horticulturist. Should the circumstances war- rant we will expose them through the columns of the paper. Thus, we will not only protect our readers, but our reputable advertisers as well. All that is necessary to entitle ^you to the benefits of this Protective Policy is that you 'include in all your letters to advertisers the words "I saw your ad. in The Canadian Horticultur- ist." Complaints should be sent to us as soon as possi- ble after reason for dissatisfaction has been foimd. Communications should be addressed: THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST, 506-7-8 Manning Chambers, TORONTO. CANADA ACTION IS NEEDED The presence of the San Jose Scale in locali- ties in Ontario where, until recently, it was not known to exist, shows that the pest is spreading. A few growers deny this, but the truth is that the San Jose scale is to be found in districts a considerable distance from its first breeding ground in Canada, and where its presence is denied. Only recently an investi- gation in some forty orchards in a section of the Niagara district where the scale was not known to exist, revealed the fact that there was more or less scale in all but three of the orchards. Instead of trying to hide the truth growers should let the presence of the scale be known, that steps for its eradication may be taken. When it first appears in a locality, its presence should be reported to the provin- cial dei>artment of agriculture without delay. The San Jose Scale has gone past the stamp- ing-out stage. It is here to stay, and it must be fought persistently each year. Its control is not a difficult matter when treated annually and in the right way. The trouble is that most growers, except those in old-infested dis- tricts, do not know it when they see it, and do not realize what a devastating pest it is, and therefore neglect to combat it until it has secured a firm grip on their trees. Then there is a danger that after a few attempts to save their orchards they will give up the fight in de- spair. It would be well, therefore, for the Government to make a thorough investigation to ascertain just how far the scale has spread, and to send a man into the midst of such grow- ers to teach them what to do. Such a step is necessary if growers, who do not know the scale nor its remedies, are to meet and cope with the advances of the pest. Our growers have played the part of the ostrich, and re- fused to recognize the seriousness of the situa- tion too long already. The time for action on the part of both the growers and of the pro- vincial department of agriculture has arrived. It should not be delayed. BE ON THE WATCH Oftentimes and usually foreign insect and fungous pests are imported into Canada, and do much damage before their presence is noted. Many of our injurious pests have introduced themselves in this way. Others will follow. It behooves all persons interested in horticul- ture, in any or all of its branches, to be con- tinually on the watch for new diseases and insects. The Gipsy and Brown Tail moths that have done so nmch damage in the New- England states, and upon which thousands of dollars have been spent in an eJTort to exter- minate them, already have been found in New Brunswick. Maritime horticulturists should report the presence of all suspicious caterpillars or moths that they may find. The dreaded "railroad worm" of the apple orchards in New York state, known more properly as the apple maggot, is becoming nimierous in certain orchards in Quebec. It should be watched for by fruit growers in that province, and in the eastern counties of Ontario. A disease prevalent in Pennsylvania and other states, and one that is working north- wards, is the "frog-eye" of the apple. It works on the leaves and produces an effect from which it derives its name.- It is a difficult sub- ject to contend with. Growers in Ontario and eastward to the Atlantic provinces should for- ward to their provincial agricultural colleges, departments of agricultures, or to The Cana- DiAN Horticulturist, any specimens of dis- eased leaves that show characteristics of this nature. Only by observing and locating these troubles at the outset can they inteUigently be warred against. A SAFE INVESTMENT A few shares of the Horticultural PubUshing Company, Limited, are still offered for sub- scription. This company owns The Canadian Horticulturist and The Canadian! Florist, two publications that are growing rapidly and that are the only ones in their respective fields in Canada. The Canadian Florut last year produced a handsome surplus over the cost of pubUcation. The management expects that The Canadi\n Horticulturist also will be self-sustaining after this year, and that the company soon will be able to declare profits. Here are some facts, taken in part from a notice sent recently to the shareholders of the company: For four years in succession the receipts of the company from advertising have mote than doubled each year. Advertising rates in The Canadian Horti- culturist average four cents a line. As the circulation of the paj^er increases, these rates can be advanced to eight and ten cents a line and higher, and the receipts from advertising be increased in proportion. This can be done without enlarging the paper. One fruit paper in the United .States charges twenty-five cents a line for its advertising. On September 1, 1906, the paid circulation of The Canadian Horticulturist was ••!,100. To-day, it is over 6,500 and growing rapidly. This means that the advertising rates will be advanced soon. Last year The Canadian Floritt netted a profit of over $800. This year it will do still better. In one issue recently it carried over half a thousand dt)llars' worth of advertising. Every director of the company has increased his stock holdings. .Some of the directcrs have more than doubled the number of their shares __^"" " ' r~ This is not a get-rich-quick~perhaps scheme like some of the Cobalt and other mining en- terprises that are flooding the market with their stocks. Instead, it is an opportunity for you to make an investment in a company that is managed by well-known and reliable men, and that is conducting a line of business that is noted for the safeness of investments made there- in. If you are interested in fruit or flowers and would like an opportunity to secure a few shares of this stock we will take pleasure in sending you a prospectus giving full particu- lars. Write to The Horticultural Publish- ing Company, Limited, Rooms -506-7-8 Man- ning Chambers, Toronto, Ont. \ It is surprising to learn that the Minister of Agriculture at Ottawa has seen fit to dispense with, temporarily, the services of two of our fruit inspectors. The attempt to evade the Fruit Marks Act by shipping via a foreign port and remarking there, the fact that only a small percentage of the apples exported from Can- ada come tmder the eyes of the inspectors, and the general need for a more strict enforce- ment of the Act would indicate the advisability of adding to the force of inspectors rather than substracting from it. The minister would serve the industry better were he to re-employ the suspended inspectors and then [ double the whole force. The manufacturers of baskets for shipping fruits are making such in the expectation that the law regulating the size of baskets will be changed during the present session of the Do- minion Parliament. A year ago all sizes were definitely defined by the growers, and resolu- tions pointing out the desired changes were laid before the Minister of Agriculture at Ot- tawa. As yet, nothing has been done by parliament to meet the requirements. Grow- ers are anxiously awaiting the annoimcement that the Weights and Measures Act has been amended along the lines desired. I Such splendid work has been'^done byTso many of the horticultural societies in Ontario to improve the civic beauty of the centres in which they are organized, that the Ontario Horticultural Association deserves credit for having arranged to have Mr. J. HoracefMc- Farland, the president of the American Civic Association, address a scries of meetings in Ontario. Mr. McFarland has done more than any other one man on the continent to awaken general interest in civic improvement .^^As he is a fluent and pleasing speaker, and possesses many interesting stereopticon views, his meet- ings in Ontario should be well attended and productive of nmch good. Fruit growers have been imposed upon by unreliable nurser)Ttien so frequently that it is strange that vigorous and united protests have not been more numerous. Suggestions to lessen the difficulty ha\e been embodied in resolutions passed by the Ontario Fruit Growers' Association, the Ontario Cooperative Fruit Growers' Association, the Niagara Penin- sula Fruit Growers' Association, and other organizations, and sent to Hon. Nelson Mon- teith. Minister of Agriculture for Ontario. It April, 1907 THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST 95 is hoped that the minister will take immediate action in the matter. Such will not injure nursery firms that are reliable. It may be a means of ridding the country of those that are not. There are sufficient of the former to supply the demand. The latter are not needed. This year, as a result of the new act govern- ing horticultural societies, a number of Ontario horticultural societies that, in the past, have been of little value, having been merged with their local agricultural societies, are starting out for themselves. One of these, Goderich, is planning to offer prizes for garden competi- tions, to distribute seeds among the school children, and to conduct an energetic campaign along horticultural lines. May the efforts of these societies meet with the success that they deserve. What are you doing to help us increase the circulation of The Canadi.\.n- Horticulturist? If you will merely draw the attention of a few of your friends, who are interested in fruit and flowers, to its merits and low subscription price, it probably will be sufficient to lead them to join the ranks of our regular readers. Any help of this kind that you may give us will be much appreciated. Work for tKe Station The discussion at one session of the recent convention of the Niag. Pen. Fruit Grs.' Assn. centered in a subject of much importance to the fruit interests of the Niagara district; namely, the work and piu-pose of the new ex- perimental station at Jordan Harbor. S. W. Fletcher, professor of horticulture and land- scape gardening. Agricultural College, Lan- sing, Mich., said that one of the chief problems that will require attention is the improvement of varieties. While many of our varieties have good qualities, they usually are found wanting in one or more respects. A variety, for instance, which is of good color and flavor, might be of little value for shipping purposes. At the new station, varieties and classes of fruit should be bred for keeping qualities, flavor, hardiness, freedom from rot; in fact, they should be bred to eliminate all undesir- able qualifications. To be successful in plant breeding, one must first recognize the fact that there is a great variation in plants. The foundation for the work lies in the fact that no two plants are alike, and that even the least deviation in vari- etal type might, by crossing and selection, de- velop into a new variety of superior excellence. The professor described in detail the mode in which a plant breeder performs the operation of crossing and pollenating the blossoms. The value of propagating nursery stock from trees of known worth also was mentioned by Prof. Fletcher. In selecting scions for the multiplication of stock in nurseries, the nur- seryman should know the history of the trees from which the scions are taken. It is not always possible to secure large quantities of scions from bearing trees; in such cases, it would be well for nurserymen to propagate primarily from bearing and productive trees and for the next few years renew their stock from scions taken from young trees thus prop- agated. Every 4 years, however, it would be necessary to go back to the bearing trees for a renewal of the stock. The professor said that the new experimental station would do well to make out a list of varietal names and synonyms for the use of our fruit growers. This is necessary because there are so many varieties that are nearly alike in character and even in standard sorts there are distinct varieties or strains. An interesting feature of Prof. Fletcher's address were some comments on the Spencer Seedless apple. Recently the professor visited the home of this fruit, and foimd it to be noth- ing more than a fake. The apple, according to the professor, is below medium, in size, poor in color, and not pleasing in shape, coarse in texture and in quality, below that of Ben Davis; in fact, its only value is its keeping quality. It is not seedless, as at least two- thirds of the apples have seeds of more or less development. The worst feature of this nov- elty, however, is the fact that it has a core, and a tough one. It is the core of the apple, and not the seeds, that bother the housewife and the canner. "The Spencer Seedless ap- ple," said the professor, "is a horticultural gold brick — there is nothing in it." Markets of the "West During one of the sessions of the convention of the O.F.G.A. held in Nov. last, Robt. Thomp- son, of St. Catharines, discussed the markets of the west. He spoke particularly of the progress that has been made in the trade be- tween the St. Catharines district and the west. Until 3 years ago, shipments to the west were made at only irregular intervals, except in the case, perhaps, of grapes and apples. On the whole they did not turn out satisfactorily. Buyers said that they would pay only the price that the fruit would bring at the point of shipping. Three years ago there was a change. Under the direction of Professor Reynolds of the O.A.C., the government sent some experimental shipments to the west that proved that fruit could be carried through successfully. To take full advantage of the western mark- ets, cooperation is necessary. It is not wise to send shipments of less than a carload, and it usually takes a number of growers in com- bination to fill a car each day. It should be packed at the right time, and cooled before shipping. A number of growers working to- gether can get assistance from the departments at Ottawa and Toronto. They can load the cars quickly and have better railway facilities and fewer losses. They are in a position to better know the requirements of the market and distribute their fruit to better advantage. Tomatoes for the west must not be sent green. The best stage is learned by experi- ence. They should be firm and nearly all red. A lot depends on the package. Put part of a shipment in the 4-tray boxes. In a car, place, say, 100 trays, and 300 bskts. An as- sortment of sizes gives best returns. Peaches should be packed in boxes, and a large part of the shipment should be wrapped. It only costs from 5 to 8 cts. a box to wrap them. There is a good market in the west for pears, not in carloads, but in reasonable lots. Ont. pears are of better flavor than those imported from the western states. There is a market also for early apples if handled properly and packed right. The grape outlook is good; there is no competition, as B.C. cannot grow grapes. In other respects, competition with B.C. is not to be feared for 20 years to come; then the most serious competition will be in apples. Apples for the west should be packed in boxes, Boxes vs. Barrels in England The Extension of Markets Division, Ottawa, has received a letter from the department's cargo inspector at Glasgow, dated Dec. 14, 1906. of which the following is a copy: "Enclose, please find catalog of Messrs. Simons, Jacob & Co.'s apple sales. You will observe that some very high prices were paid for boxed apples from British Columbia, and also a note at the foot re sales of boxed apples from Oregon. These boxes are about the same size as Ont. boxes, and the fruit in each case was papered. There is an in- creasing quantity of apples in boxes being im- ported to Glasgow from B.C., all of excellent quality. Apples in boxes are becoming more popular, I believe, in Glasgow and district, and I think there is a market for a larger quantity of 'fancy grade' Ontario apples than are at pres- ent shipped. In the recent arrivals of boxed fruit there has been so much No. 2 grade, some of indiff'erent quality, that it compares very unfavorably with boxes from Ore. and B.C., whose imports are rapidly establishing a reputa- tion for excellence. !H '^ "I had a conversation with an importer of Ont. apples in boxes, who is also a retailer of Ore. and B.C., and he is of the opinion that it would be well for Ont. shippers to utilize this style of package for fancier quality of fruit than they are packing. The prices realized at the sale in question were: British Columbia Apples — Prize Medal Fruit. Boxes. Price Canyon Brand, Spitz 0 14/ Cold Stream Brand, Spys 5 14/ Jas. Gattreal, Kings 10 17/3 Nonsuch 5 12/6 Summerland Brand, Nonsuch. 5 16/6 Salome 10 16/6 Spitz 5 16/6 Stirling &Pitcairn, Newton.. . 5 18/3 "At the same time Oregon Newton Pippins in boxes were selling for 14 shillings a box, and the same variety in barrels was realizing on an average 16 shillings a bbl., thus showing that the package had a great deal to do with the enhanced price received for the boxed fruit " '^1 San Jose Scale in Cities Ed. Canaw'\n Horticulturist, — The San Jose Scale is spreading to an alarming extent. During the season of 1906, it spread faster than in previous years, partly owing to the continued hot, dry weather, and partly on accotmt of the apathy or indifference of people who fail to Hve up to the law, and neglect to spray or cut out infested freer We have, in St. Catharines, a number of vacant lots, the owners of which live out of the prov- ince. These lots contain many seedling fruit trees, covered with scale and black knot. As there is no provision in the act to meet such cases, these places become uncontrollable breed- ing places for all kinds of insects as well as black knot. I do not suppose that St. Catharines is any worse in this respect than other municipal- ities, but I thought that by calling attention to this matter, you might be in a position to help us to find the remedy. The season has arrived when all persons own- ing or occupying properties on which trees or shrubs are growing that are susceptible to scale or black knot, must be up and doing. They must get to work with a will and severely prune their trees and, where they find a tree that is badly affected, cut them ont. Pruning makes spraying less costly and more effective. There are several spraying formulas on the market, but only two have proved effective. One of them, the lime and sulphur formula, owing to the difficulty of preparation and hand- ling in the small places of the city, as well as the trouble of getting men to apply it, is un- j satisfactory. We are obliged, therefore, to use the Carlson formula. We have used this with I good results for the past two years. It is easy of application and one barrel will cover about 3{ times the number of trees that sulphur and limel will cover. 1 have had it used with good results j in the latter part of the month of Jime, without ' seriously injuring the foliage or fruit. The following is a list of trees, bushes and shrubs that are susceptible to scale: Apple trees of all varieties, Greening most susceptible; crab apples, badly; fieaches of all varieties; plums of all varieties. Japans badly; pears of all varieties, Kieffer seldom attacked; apricots, not badly; sweet cherries; currants; quince; also rose bushes, Ulacs, privet hedges, Japan quince, all kinds of thorn, willow, mountain ash and poplar. — Thomas Beattie, San Jose Scale In- spector for St. Catharines. Get your friends to subscribe for The Cana- dian Horticulturist. Practical Pointers on Small Fruit Culture AMONG the many points of interest to strawberry growers mentioned in Bull. No. 276, N.Y. Exp. Sta., Geneva, is the variation in the tendency to produce runners, or to make new plants, to be observed in the char- acteristics of varieties. This is a point that ■deserves more attention than it usually receives. Most varieties produce a moderate number of new plants; some make very few, while others are such prolific plant makers that, unless planted far apart, the plants are badly crowded. When selecting and planting varieties, these differences should be borne in mind. Among the varieties at Geneva that produce very many plants are Mark Hanna, Ridgeway and Senator Dunlop; very few plants, Challenge, Joe Mead, etc. Among the vigorous plant producers at Guelph, are Sadie (no use otherwise), Ruby, Standard, •etc.; medium to light, Warfield, Wm. Belt, Clyde, Glen Mary, Van Deman, Irene and Jo- cunda. CULTURAL NOTES ON BUSH FRUITS During the past summer a bulletin. No. 278, ■on raspberries and blackberries, was issued by the N.Y. Agr. Exp. Sta., Geneva. Besides men- tioning the best varieties and classifying them according to their characteristics, such as hardi- ness, earliness and so on, the bulletin contains many interesting cultural directions which, in part, are as follows- Raspberries and blackberries are nearly as cosmopolitan as strawberries in regard to adaptation to soils. Deep, moderately sandy loams, or clay loams containing an abundance of humus, usually give best results with raspber- ries, while blackberries are often at their best on a slightly heavier soil. It is important that the soil be not too wet as this condition often increases the amount of winter injury. There is no onr brand of fertilizers best suited to raspberries and blackberries under all conditions. The kind of plant food to use depends on the amount and kinds already in the soil, and on the physical condition of the soil. Some soils lack nitrogen, others potash or phosphoric acid, and many are deficient in humus which not only supplies plant food, but also aids greatly in the retention of moisture. Stable manure and cover crops are available for supplying humus. Care must be used in making applications of nitrogenous fertilizers or the resuldng growth will not mature, a condition which may cause severe winter injury. If the soil is already rich in humus, it would appear desirable in some cases to avoid the use of stable manure, using commercial fertilizers in its place. Wood ashes, muriate of potash, acid phosphate, etc., are valuable where needed. The best way to deter- mine the kind and amount to use is by trial, leaving check rows for comparison. Raspberries and blackberries, unlike straw- berries, occupy the soil for a number of years, and for this reason the preparation should be very thorough. If too wet the land should be tinderdrained. If for 1 or 2 years preceding, hoed crops have been used, there will be fewer weeds to fight. The land should be well plowed and thoroughly fitted to receive the plants. Plant mainly only those kinds that appear to succeed in the immediate locality, testing newer ones in a small way. The varieties best suited for one set of conditions may be failures else- where. Red raspberries are usually propagated by transplanting the numerous suckers which come up freely around the original hills. Black rasp- berries are increased by rooting the tips of the nearly mature canes in late Aug. or early Sept. The ends of the canes are covered lightly with earth, and by late fall a large mass of fibrous roots ■will be formed with a well-developed crown. Varieties of purple rasplierries are hybrids, produced by crossing red and black raspberries and some of them may be propagated either by using suckers or by rooting the tips of the canes. Blackberries do not sucker as freely as the red raspberries. These suckers have but few fibrous roots and as a rule do not make such good plants as those started from cuttings of the blackberry roots. The roots may be dug in the fall, cut into two or three inch lengths, stratified over winter and sown in nursery rows in the spring, and most excellent plants are usually obtained after one season's growth. Only strong, healthy plants should be selected, and it is often an advantage to choose these from a younger plantation rather than from an old bed, the plants of which may have deteriorated in vigor and may be infested with various insects and diseases. Blackberries and red raspberries may be set either in the fall or in the early spring. If set in late Oct. or early Nov., the rows should be plowed up to, making a back furrow along each row of plants. This will be a great protection against winter injury. The earth should be taken away from the hills as soon as the ground is in working order in early spring. Such plants, as a rule, start into growth earlier than those set in the snring. These plants should be set as deep, or slightly deeper, than they were in the original beds. Black raspberry plants and the purple kinds rooted from the cane tips should be set in the spring instead of the fall, not covering the crown too deeply, and spreading the roots in a circle about the centre of the crown. It is an advantage to set the plants in the bottom of a shallow furrow, filling in as the plants develop. Under these conditions they withstand drought better and the canes are not so easily blown over by the wind. The distance apart of rows and of plants de- pends on the system of cultivation, the varieties, the natural richness of the ground and the loca- tion. In general the plants should not be crowded. Red raspberries may be set closer than black raspberries, and blackberries should be set the farthest apart. These distances may vary from 3x6 ft. to 4x8 ft., depending on conditions. The ground should be kept well cultivated and the plants hoed as occasion requires. In young plantations, if the plants-have been set properly, cultivation may be given both ways thus reducing the expense of keeping down the weeds. The cultivation should be shallow as the roots lie near the surface. On heavy clay soils it may sometimes be desirable in some seasons to plow early in spring, following with the cultivator till fruiting time. During the picking of the fruit there is little opportunity to cultivate, but the ground should be thoroughly stirred as soon as the harvest is over. If desirable a cover crop may be sown in late Aug. or early Sept. During the first 2 years it is not always neces- sary to give the land solely to the berry plants. Potatoes, cabbages, strawberries, etc., are often grown with advantage between the rows, so that a considerable income from this source may be • obtained before the berry plants fully occupy the ground. Summer pruning is not generally practised with red raspberries, but may often be done with advantage to black raspberries and blackberries. It consists in pinching or cutting off the tender ends or tips of the new shoots at a height that may vary from 18 inches to 24 or even 30, the blackberries usually being pinched somewhat lower than the black raspberries. The result of this pruning is the formation of rather low stocky plants with numerous lateral branches which will not require a trellis. As the young plants do not all develop at the same time it is necessary to go over the plantation several times in order to pinch the growth at the proper height. The canes growing one summer, bear fruit the next season and then die, while new canes develop each year for the succeeding year's crop. Frequently the canes which have fruited are allowed to remain until the following spring 96 before removal, but better results are usually seciu-ed by cutting them out and burning as soon as the berry crop is harvested. By this method the insects and fungous diseases frequent- ly infesting those canes may be destroyed, and the young canes have more room to develop. Each spring the plants should be gone over, cutting off the weak ends of the canes and thinning out some of the smaller ones where the growth is too dense. From 3 to 5 canes a hill are usually preferable to a larger number. The winter protection of the plants is largely confined to the colder climates. Blackberries are usually much more tender than raspberries. Winter protection consists in laying down the canes and covering them with a thin mulch of straw and earth. General Finait Notes W. B. Rittenhouse, Beamsville, Ont. Last season many peach orchards, from over- bearing and not thinning, and owing to the dry season, produced an abundance of small, in- ferior fruit that netted the growers little or no returns. Orchards, properly pruned, sprayed, fertilized, cultivated, and where thinning the fruit was practised, well rewarded the owner for the care and expense spent upon them. Prices for peaches ruled about 20c. a bskt. more than last year. High-grade peaches, properly and honestly packed, always can be sold. Trash is not wanted in any market. When on a trip to the west, my attention fre- quently was drawn to the fact that Ont. is in- juring her reputation and soon will lose her hold upon the fruit market unless she adopts other tactics. We must grow only those varieties that are adapted to long distance shipping. The Ontario grower must be honest and correct in the way he puts the fruit in the package. APPLES For some years, the apples in my orchard were of inferior quality, being infested with worms and scab. The bulk of the crop was No. 2. The orchard had been fairly well cared for. An attempt was made at spraying, but a poor one. Only one application a year was made and with a pump that -was not of much use. Last season we used a pump with which we sprayed the orchard 3 times. At harvest time, a cleaner and better lot of apples was hard to find. A few years ago I visited the largest and oldest-bearing apple orchard in B.C., the Cold- stream Ranch. I was much interested in the fine, clean, firm apples that grew and the care ■with which they were put up in boxes. They were sold f.o.b., at prices that would astonish Ont. growers, to dealers in Calgary, Winnipeg and other western points. That fruit entered the same market as the inferior stuff from Ont. Not only the dealers, but the consumers, had just cause to say unpleasant things of Ont. fruit. Last season, at least, 1 grower in B.C. contract- ed his entire crop at $1.50 a box, f.o.b. shipping point. Ont. apples are superior in flavor. If they are put up properly in boxes, they should command as good, and even better prices than B.C. apples. For the western trade, they must be strictly No. 1 or Fancy. In B.C., the acreage adapted for fruit growing is limited. That province cannot supply both home demands and the west. Ont. growers have a grand chance to secure and hold the western market. There is no fear of over- production in this province. Our advertisers spend large sums exploiting their goods. If, when you reply to an adver- tisement in this paper you get an article that is not as represented, notify us and we will investi- gate the advisability of allowing the advertiser the use of our advertising columns. See our Protecti\e Policy on editorial page. April, 1907 THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST 97 Evidence of CHief of tHe Fruit Division SPEAKING on the Early Apple Trade, be- fore the select committee on Agri. and Col- onization of the House of Commons, Mr. Alexander McNeill, chief of the fruit divi- sion, pointed out that the percentage of the early apples to the whole Canadian trade with Britain in this commodity fell last year to less than 2%. This was a great drop from nearly 4}^% in the years 1904-05. Asked as to the reason of this, the speaker said that it was because the growers and dealers thought that they could not compete with the British growers, particu- larly when there was a good crop on the other side. It was also due to a peculiarity of human nature that made men averse to adopting changes. Then too there was a lack of con- fidence in the British market. Mr. McNeill was questioned as to what accom- modation had been afforded for shipping frtiit at low temperatures, and answered that iced cars had been provided and also arrangements made for cool compartments on the ocean-going steamers. "What guarantee has the shipper of the temperature at which these compartments are kept?" asked Mr. Armstrong of Lambton. "There are the reports of the commercial inspectors on the other side of the water as to the condition of the fruit upon arrival and the thermograph records," answered Mr. McNeill. Mr. E. D. Smith, of Winona, asked if these r BISSELL'S Extension Inlhrow ORCHARD Extension Outtlirow HARROWS Reversible • Built in sizes for I or 2 horses. Immense capac- ity for hard work and thorough cultivation. ADDRESS T. E. BISSELL, Dept. N, ELORA, ONT. Mention Thr ranadlao MortUiultniiBt wlifrn wrltini,' cars and compartments were kept at as low a temperature as they should be, to which Mr. McNeill replied that some apples were shipped to Montreal in ordinary cars and tests had shown the centre of some of the bbls. to go as high as 70 to 8o deg. These were placed in the cool compartnients on the steamer alongside the bbls. that had come in the cool cars, to the great detriment of the latter. "Do none of the shippers send their apples in boxes?'' asked Mr. Smith. "I am sorry to say that the fruit growers have not got into the way of shipping in boxes to any large extent," was the reply. Further discussion on the cold storage ques- tion brought out the statement from the speaker that .shippers should learn to cool their fruit before putting it on the cars. It should be delivered at the steamer at as low a tempera- ture as possible. Mr. McNeill expressed him- self positively in favor of boxes for the early apple trade. "Some tests made at Washing- ton," he said, "showed that it takes nearly a week to cool the centre of a barrel of apples from 75 degrees to 33 degrees. To do the same with boxes requires only two days." Mr. Smith suggested that steamers should be provided with machinery for cooling fruit, and was informed that that would be possible if the shippers were willing to pay double freight rates. "But they pay 60% more than ordinary rates as it is," replied Mr. Smith. Mr. McNeill pointed out that it would be cheaper to cool the fruit at home before starting it on its journey. He emphasized this as a very important point. This, a member pointed out, would involve the necessity of the farmer having cold storage right at hand. Mr. McNeill in reply pointed to the system that is in use at St. Catharines. He thought that there are several points in Southern Ont. where similar cooHng stations might be established. He added that the (juestion of cold storage buildings was a technical one, coming under the personal super- vision of Mr. Ruddick, and said he believed that Mr. Ruddick will develop a cheap form of cold storage that can be used by groups of fruit growers. Two important points were then touched on: 1st, that the condition of the fruit at the time it was picked determined in a great degree its keeping qualities, especially in the early varieties of apples, and 2nd, that the secret of success in shipping fruit was to cool it at the start and follow it up with cool transportation facilities all the way to the market. Mr. McNeill called attention to the fact that early fruit needs more care in picking than the later varieties. Unlike them it cannot be picked all at once. The fruit that is ready for shipping has to be selected first and the rest allowed to get into the right condition. Attention was called to the fact that in regard to a steady supply of early apples, Canada is very fortunately situated. Early in Aug. apples can be shipped from Essex Co. In the latter part of Aug. they are ready along the north shore of Lake Ontario. In the beginning of Sept. they can l)e shipped from the lower part of the St. Lawrence valley, and from the valley of the St. John River late in Sept. This gave a steady supply and if the trade were properly handled would bring the apples into favor with the importers. Turning to another matter Dr. Sinclair asked if the Gravenstein family of apples were failing in Ontario. Mr. McNeill replied in the affirma- tive, stating that he thought that the difficulty might be overcome if the growers learned to top-graft the variety on a hardy .stock. A GREAT WASTE I Mr. McNeill quoted figures to show that the total production of apples last year was iti the neighborhood of 12,000,000 bbls., and that the exports from the whole of the Dominion- during the same period were but 1,500,000 bbls. Supposing that 1,000,000 bbls. were evaporated- and two or three million bbls. rhore used at home there would be still a large quantity to be accounted for. "They are fed to domestic auimals," said one of the committee. "I should consider that wasted," said Mr, McNeill. The most natural and profitable outlet for this fruit, he averred, was the manufacture of it into jams and jelHes, and evaporated fruit. Irs this, Canada might take a lesson from the U.S. Canada's exports of evaporated apples last year, he stated, were 3,500,000 lbs., equal in value to $212,000. Apples in bbls. exported amounted to 4,000,000 bbls. The U.S. ex- ported a Uttle over 4,000,000 bbls. of green fruit and 27,852,830 lbs. of evaporated apples; "Where do they find a market for it?" was asked. "In Europe; a large proportion of it going to Germany," replied Mr. McNeill. "But the German market is closed to us, is it not?" questioned one M.P. "Yes." Mr. McNeill then told his audience that in the best commercial opinion a good market could be found for Canadian cider in Gt. Britain. The expert cider manufacturers of that country could find a valuable use for it for blending with the home variety Before the fruit now going to waste can be utilized he claimed that there will have to be a greater diffusion of knowledge among the growers.^ Ne'W Druns'wicK Fruit Growers* Association THE annual meeting of the N.B. Fruit Grow- ers' Assn. was held at Fredericton. There was an exhibition of apples grown by the members which was fairly representative of the principal varieties grown in the district. The task of judging these was entrusted to Prof. Sears, the horticulturist of the Agri. Col- lege at Truro, N.S., and Mr. A. McNeill, of the Fruit Dept. at Ottawa. Pres. J. C. Oilman, of Kingsclear, N.B., said that, as a whole, the N.B. growers had fared as well last year as those of other provinces. Small fruit growers had found strawberries to be their most reliable crop, and with the good prices obtainable, much encouragement was afforded them to increase their output. Other small fruits had been variable, and the apple crop turned out somewhat uneven. Insects were numerous and active, giving much trouble. The conference of fruit growers at Ottawa had brought together representatives of the fruit growing interests in the various provinces. Amongst the mo,st important work accomp- lished was the establishment of 4 grades of apples, the law to define the different grades. This would give one system of grading, one sys- tem of marking, and with a standard barrel and bo.x make it possible for a buyer to know what to expect both in quality and quantity. Under these circumstances Canadian fruit should soon get the reputation its merits war- rant in the markets of the world. It was for the growers of N.B. to ask themselves what they could do towards supplying the ever- increasing demand for good fruit. How were they situated with regard to production, cost of' package, facilities for handling and trans- portation? There were within less than lOO miles of St. John thousands of acres of land well adapted to fruit growing, and the Gov- ernment was giving valuable aid in various directions. The Federal Government pro- poses to aid cold storage. Local markets were not fully supplied, and even if they were. 98 THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST April, 1907 St. John gives regular communication with foreign markets. The question of over-pro- duction was a receding one ; discriminating buyers were to be found everywhere, buy- ers who wanted the best and were willing to pay for it, and such conditions were most en- couraging. One of their most pressing needs was a more practical knowledge of grading and packing fruit by the most modern and ex- peditious methods. Practical lessons given by capable men at exhibitions and association meetings would do much towards educating the fruit grower in that most important part of his work. He suggested that the Minister ■of Agri. should be requested to include fruit •amongst the crops of which statistics were re- out Kil.-0-SCALli. Our i907 Seed I ud Inii'lement CataloKue free. Write for it. GKIFriTII t TLIl.\EK fO, JBI X. P«e« Street, Baltimore, UH. committee were instructed to have a deputation wait on the Dom Govt, to urge the appointment of an appraiser for Ontario. It was decided to engage crop correspondents during 1907, as had been done during 1906. The executive com- mittee was authorized to again purchase bulle- tins from the various U.S. Expt. Stations that might be of interest to the members of the Assn. Mr. Delworth presented a report of the com- mittee that had attended the meeting of the Expt. Union at Guelph. The report stated that the committee had decided that the experiments conducted by the Expt. Union would be of prac- tically no value to market gardeners, as they were not conducted by experienced vegetable growers. The committee recommended that the Assn. should endeavor to conduct a few- experiments on its own account in connection with the different branches. The executive committee was requested to find what work for the benefit of the vegetable growers is to be conducted at the Agricultural College and Experimental Farm this year. It was decided to offer prizes for competition among the secretaries of the branch assns., to see which of them could present the best reports at the end of the year upon the work done by their branches, including the holding of the THE 'FRIEND' SPRAY NOZZLE SENT POSTPAID FOR L55 $1. It has no horns, no hooks, nothing to catch on limbs, no dripping, no clogging, yet makes the finest mist spray. Remember, only one does the work. Our latest improvement makes the finest spray with 30 to 40 pounds pressure. You cannot afford to bother away your time with awkward, leaky, annoying, hose- breaking shut-offs, when you can get the thing you really need and want. Out pretty catalog free for the asking, showing spraying outfits, hand and power, that are real "Friends." "Friend" Mfg. Co., Gasport, N.Y. Mention The Canadian Horticulturist when writing NO MORE BLIND HORSES J,'L,^£"dier,',K.'r Sf»re Eyes, BAKRY CO.. Iowa City, Iowa, have a cure. THE WILLIAMS STRAWBERRY THe Great Commercial Stra-wberry of tHe Niagara District It is quite safe to say that more Williams Strawberries are grown in the Niagara District than all other varieties combined. It is certainly the kind for be.-t results over a wide range of territory and adapts itself to a variety of soils Be sure and get plants of strong vitality and true to name. I am now booking orders for Spring ship- ment at ?4.(I0 per 1.000, 50c. per 100. Can also supply limited quantities of other standard sorts at reasonable rates. Special quotations on large quantities. A limited quantity of (Jold Coin and Ncrolin Beauty potatoes for Spring planting. the: carleton fruit farm ■WM. H. BUNTING ST. CATHARINES, Mention The Canadian Horticulturist when writing ONT. No. 11— "IRON AGE" COMBINED HILL AND DRILL SEEDER .MODEL SEED DRILL U ?? IRON AGE GARDEN IMPLEMENTS The No. 4 ' Iron Age " Combined Double Wheel Hoe and Drill Seeder. Price - - - - $10.50 No. 5 "iron Age" Drill Seeder. The foregoing im- plement as a seed drill only. Price - - - $8.00 No. 6 "Iron Age" Combined Double Wheel Hoe, Hill and Drill Seeder. Price - - - - $12.00 No. 7 " Iron Age " Hill and Drill Seeder. The fore- going as a hill and drill seeder only. Price - $9.00 No. 1 " Iron Age " Double Wheel Hoe, cultivator, rake and plow combined. Price - - - - $7.50 No. 3 "Iron Age" Plain Double Wheel Hoe, with side hoes only. Price ------- $5.00 The New Model Seed Drill. Price - - - $8.00 COMPLETE CATALOGUE " IRON AGE " GOODS ON APPLICATION J. A. SIMMERS TORONTO, ONTARIO >f(ntifm Tlic Canadian Horiicuhurist when writing 102 THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST April, 1907 ^GRBGORYS^ f SEBDS ^ H ^m W^ ■■ ^ ^"'' catalog Is rich with ■ L^^#k^H liiformailon for the ■ r ^« r^ r^ gnldance of farmers H ■ IB^B^B and gardeners. It haa H been a great help to H thonsands— has been the means of turning ■ many a failure into snccess. H^ The great variety of ve^'etable and flower H^^seeds include the t>e8t of the old standard ^|HBpi!^^^ and sueli new kinds as have proved ■nr^ ^q^^llk of value by actual test. H^^l^^ i. J. H. GREGORY & SON, 1^^^^^ Marblehead, Mus. North em »rown 1 rees Ti Apple, Pear, Plum. Cherry. Peach. Nut and Or- namental Trees. Small Fruits, Roses. Shrubs, cheap. Specialties: Wismer's Dessert Apple and Mammoth Prolific Dewberry. Send for free Catalogue — it tells the whole story. NURSERYMAN PORT ELGIN, ONT. J. H. WISMER, Small Fruit Plants GOOSEBERRY, Red, White — CURRANTS, Red, White, Black— RASPBERRY, Red, Yel- low—BLACKBERRIES— STRAWBERRY- RASPBERRY— GRAPEVINES. Camp- bell's Early. Eaton, Worden. Moore's Early. Salem, etc., all hardy sorts — STRAWBERRY PLANTS— HOUSE PLANTS — ROSES — RHUBARB AND ASPARAGUS ROOTS : ORDER EARLY = WILLIAM FLEMING NURSERYMAN P.O. Box 3-4- O-wen Sound. Ontario largest number of and the most successful meet- ings, the purchase of supplies on the co-opera- tive principle, and of other work of a similar nature. Messrs. Shuter, Rush, Malcolm and Reeves were appointed to act as the representatives of the Assn. on the board of management of the Ont. Horticultural Exhibition. IMPORTANT WORK jA meeting of the executive committee of the Assn. was held in Toronto, March 15. Those present were: Messrs. F. F. Reeves, of Humber Bay; R. H. I^ewis, of Hamilton; T. Dehvorth, of 'Toronto, and the sec, H. B. Cowan. Mr. R. H. Lewis was elected chairman. The president of the Assn., R. J. Bushell, of Kingston, and T. Delworth, of Toronto, were appointed to act with the members of the Ottawa branch in lay- ing the matter of the appointment of an appraiser to set a value on the vegetables imported into Ontario, before the Dom. Govt. It was decided to ask the branch assns. to write and request their members in the House of Commons to act on this deputation when it waits on the Minister of Customs. As a means of securing capable speakers for the meetings of the branch assns., it was decided to invite the branch assns. to arrange for some of their members to address their meetings on any of the following subjects : onions, potatoes, tomatoes, celery, cabbage and cauliflower, and greenhouse and hotbed work. Later the branches will be expected to furnish the names of their best speakers on these subjects to the provincial executive in order that the executive may arrange to have these men address the meetings of the other branches. It was decided that no siJeaker should be sent out until he had first addressed meetings of his own branch, and that the names of the speakers must be furnished to the provincial executive by Dec. 1.5, 1907, in order that arrangements may be made to have the speakers from the branches attend the meetings of the other branch assns. during Jan. and Feb., 1908. Later the speakers will be re- quested to furnish a letter outlining their ad- dresses, together with the questions most fre- quently asked them and their replies thereto, that the same may be printed in the annual re- port of the Assn. A MEMBERSHIP COMPETITION It was decided to conduct a membership com- petition and to offer three prizes to the secretar- ies of branches sending in the largest number of Hor«e- ^pr^motor FOR ORCHARDS. VINEYARDS AND ROW CROPS OurPfttentAulomfttio Regulator stops the machine at 125 lbs. pressure starting again atlOOIbs. pressure. Automatic Nozzle Adjuster, insuring correct direction of spray. Automatic Nozzle Protector, guarail' t««ing nozzles against clogging. Everything under control of driver vrithont Htoping. Is used and recommended oy the Department of AgriculturaL Send for 86 page booklet O. Agents wanted. SPRAMOTOR CO., BUFFALO, N. V. LONDON, CAN, FLORAL WORK A SPECIALTY High Grade Seeds Graham's Royal Exhibition Asters Graham's Royal Exhibition Dwarf Nasturtiums Graham's Royal Exhibition Pansies Graham's Royal Exhibition Sweet Peas Anyone interested in real Exhibition strains of above should grow them. One large packet of each 30c. postpaid. Illustrated Catalogue on application. GRAHAM BROTHERS SEEDSMEN AND FLORISTS 53 and 55 SPARKS ST. OTTAWA Mention The Canadian Horticulturist when writing Feed Your Land WITH GOOD MANURE AND GET GOOD RETURNS MARCHMENTS SURE GROWTH COMPOST IS THE BEST Supplied to the Largest Nurserymen and Fruit Growers in Ontario S. W. MARCHMENT 19 QUEEN ST. EAST, TORONTO Telephones Main 2841 Residence Park 951 Mention The Canadian Horticulturist when writing April, 1907 THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST 108 new members on or before Nov. 1, 1907. It was further decided to offer three more prizes for competition among the members of the branch assns. for new members. The idea of the assns. undertaking experi- mental work in vegetables in connection with the branch assns. was abandoned, owing to the great expense that would be involved and to the lateness of the season, as well as Ijecause it was felt that such work was somewhat out of the province of the work of the Assn. CAN-NINO .'•■ACTORIES It was pointed out that a large number of vegetable growers in Ont. grow vegetables for the canning factories and that but little is known of the extent of this industry, and where these factories are located. In order that more in- formation might be secured, it was decided to make a special effort to secure as complete in- formation as possible in regard to this matter. Mr. C. C. James, Deputy Minister of Agriculture, was consulted, and stated that the dept. of agric. has Ijeen endeavoring to secure information of this nature for some time, and has found it very difficult to do so owing to the fact that the man- agement of many factories has refused to allow the representatives of the dept. to visit the fac- tories. The dept., however, has secured con- siderable information which is valuable and has a complete list of the factories. Mr. T. Del- worth and the sec. were authorized to see Mr. James and ascertain just what information the dept. has on hand and to report at the next meeting of the executive committee, as to the best steps to be taken to secure a complete re- port of the vegetable canning industry of the province. It was felt that it will be a good move on the part of the Assn. to secure some reliable correspondents in every section where there is a canning factory, to give a full report at the close of the season as to the amount of the vegetables grown, and prices paid for them, as well as to give other information of a similar nature, this information to be published early in Dec. and later to be embodied in full in the annual report of the Assn. THE NIAGARA EXPERIMENT STATION In compliance with the request of Hon. Nel- son Monteith, that the Assn. should prepare an outline of the work that would be of benefit to the vegetable growers, that it would like to have undertaken at the new fruit and vegetable ex- periment station, to be established in the Niagara District, it was decided to make the following recommendations to the Minister of Agriculture: (1) That the work should include seed selec- tion, hybridizing, the testing of standard against new varieties of vegetables, fertilization tests, and tlie testing of seeds to ascertain their germ- inating powers. (2) Tliat bulletins shoiild be (Improved Robbing) Potato Planter The only potato planter that does abso-] lutely perfect work — no misses or doubles. Write for the Book describing new 1907 Iron Agel Potato Sprayers, Cul-I tivators, Diggers, andl pother FarmI and| Garden Tools VBafeman fAU. Co.! Box 516 . I |QreDlocb,N.J.| 38 Leading Varieties of STRAWBERRY and CANE BERRY PLANTS 7 Varieties SEED POTATOES Illustrated Catalogue Free JOHN DOWNHAM, Strathroy USED IN CANADA 23 YEARS SLUG SHOT USED FROM OCEAN TO OCEAN TRADE Registered in U.S. Post OflBce I A light, composite, fine powder, easily distributed either by duster, bellows, or in water by spraying. Thoroughly reliable in killing Currant Worms, Potato Bugs, Cabbage Worms, Lice, Slugs, Sow Bugs, etc., and it is also strongly impregnated with fungicides. 8&- Put up in Popular Packages at Popular Prices. Sold by Seed Dealers and Merchants in Ontario, Quebec and Manitoba. For Pamphlets worth having on Bugs and Blights, send to BENJAMIN HAMMOND FISHKILL-ON-HUDSON, N.Y. Mention the Canadian Horticulturist when writing Manure Spreaders for Vegetable Growers "SUCCESS" The only Machine that Pulver- izes and Distributes Manure Evenly. A^ THE PARIS PLOW COMPANY PARIS, ONT. Wolern Branch WINNIPEG, MAN. Limited LL the manure you load on the "Success" will be thoroug-hly pulverized and distributed evenly. By our method of placing- the ADJUSTABLE SPRING PUL- . VERIZING RAKE, which makes manure fine or coarse as desired, directly over the axle of the beater, all the manure is thrown against the rake and thoroughly torn to shreds and pulverized. And the TENSION SPRINGS allow all sticks, stones and other hard substances to pass through without injuring machine in slightest. Because the teeth of the raves of the beater are arranged spirally — not in a straight line — the manure is thrown towards the sides — away from the centre — distributed evenly. You know, the centre of the load is always the highest, and man- ure would come out more thickly towards centre of beater, forming a ridge, unless teeth were arranged in this manner. Note the HARPOON TEETH which protect the ends of the beater. These teeth cut the long pieces of straw and grass up — do not allow them to wind around the beater, choke it up and cause it to run hard as is the case with com- mon manure spreaders. They keep the beater of " Success " always clean — make it the easiest-working beater in existence. No manure spreader is in the same class as the "Success." Drop us a card to-day for our Free Illustrated Catalogue, which describes the "Success" in detail. Mention The Canadian Horticulturist when writing. 104 THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST April, 1907 published at regular intervals, giving particulars of the tests conducted, how they were conducted, and the results to date. (3) That the vege- table growers' assn. should be represented on the board of control of the station. In regard to the work of seed selection, it was decided to recom- mend that when any varieties of vegetables are brought into a stage of advanced merit, that steps should be taken to have seed distributed to members of the Assn. desiring same. It was felt that the germination tests should be made in Jan., that the results might be published in Feb., so that the growers would be enabled to ORDER NOW Apple Trees Cherry Trees Pear Trees Peach Trees Plum Trees Small Fruits Shade and Ornamental Trees Shrubs and Vines PRICES REASONABLE NO AGENTS THE DOMINION NURSERIES Established I860 THE SMITH & REED CO. ST. CATHARINES ONTARIO Let me sell you a CHATHAM Incubator On Time ^-^ true, over Do you know there is big money in raising poultry? Do you know my incu- bator will pay you a big- ger profit than any other thing you can have on your place? Well these things are Thousands of people all Canada have proved it every year forthelast five years. I want to quote you a price on my Chatham Incubator, — sold ON TIME and onaS-year guarantee. I want to send you my Chatham book. This incu- bator book is free — I'll send it to you for just a postal card. It tells you how to make money out of chickens. Chatham Incubators and Brooders will make you money, for a Chatham Incubator will hatch a live, healthy chicken out of every fertile egg put into it, in 21 days. Will you write for my book to-day? Just say on a postal "Please send me your Incubator Book"— that's all. Address me personally. u Manson Campbell President The M— -con Campbell Co.. ltd. Depl. F69, Chaltaam. Ont, NOTE— 1 carry iargestocksand sliip promptly from branch houses at Cal- gary, Alta.; Mon- treal, Que. ; Bran- don,Man,; Hali- fax, N.S.; vic- toria, B. C and I factory at Cliat- i ham. use them when ordering their seeds for the year. In conclusion, it was decided to recommend that the supt. appointed to have charge of the station should have a knowledge of commercial ^vege- table growing. "^ jfleeping' Hens for Profit Alfred Andrews, Burlington, Ont. Ed. The Canadian Horticulturi.st, — The question is often asked: "Is there money in poultry?" It seems to me that Mr. Short, in the January issue of The Canadian Horticul- turist gives one of the best answers I have seen. For the past 30 years I have kept some fowls for the supply of our own family and occasion- ally have sold some of their products. Having kept a strict account of all expenses and sales for year ending Jan. 1, 1907, I give the results: I had an average of about 50 hens. White Rocks, Barred Rocks and half-a-dozen Brown Leghorns. I kept no male bird as I was only aiming at egg production. We made no attempt at procuring eggs for sitting hens. The total ex- penditure including food, wire for runs, purchase of 20 pullets for the present season, lumber, etc., was $135.66. The receipts were $179.63, show- ing balance of profit to be $43.97 — not reckoning anything for care and attention or rent. None of our eggs were sold below 18 cts. a doz., and a certain proportion have sold from 30 to 40 cts. The first two months of this year I sold none for less than 35 cts. and most of them for 40 cts. This includes 2J^ cts. a doz. express charge to Toronto. I kept a daily record of eggs laid last year, the entire flock running together. This year, also, I am doing the same — only the record tor each flock is kept separately. The average per hen for last year was 105. Last year the daily avera,ge number of eggs was 10.55 for the month of January. This year for same month we had an average of 14 daily. Keeping poultry is not for an average man a get-rich-quick business; but, when understood and judiciously carried on there are fair probabilities for a moderate return. "I am greatly pleased with the get-up and contents of The Canadian Horticulturist. Every issue contains a lot of extremely inter- esting matter. Especially valuable are the news notes from the various provinces." — Prof F. C. Sears, Truro, N.S. BritisH Columbia Notes C. p. Metcalfe, Hammond, B.C. Among successful and progressive fruit growers all over this western country there is a general concensus of opinion that some form of protection of fruit trees against the ravages of fungous diseases and the depredations of insect pests is necessary, in fact, almost indis- pensable, and yet there is no detail of orchard work which is more neglected, in B.C. at least. Unfortunately fruit growing in B.C. in the past, to a very great extent, has been carried on by ordinary farmers, who are so busy with their general farm work in the spring and early summer that the orchard has been neglected. Still another reason why the application of insecticides and fungicides is neglected and has become unpopular amongst many who grow fruits is the inferior character of the ap- pliances used. Until quite recently the prov- ince has been flooded with frail, badly con- structed and inadequately equipped spray pumps, incapable of generating sufficient pres- sure to send the spray into the crevices of the bark, or high enough to reach the top branches of an ordinary apple tree. -A. fruit grower, to be successful in spraying, should use only the best of materials, and prepare them with the greatest care, as much of the trouble as the clogging of the noZisles and the burning of the foliage, is due to bad materials and careless preparation. In B.C. we are not troubled with Codling moth or San Jose Scale as yet, stia- THE MODEL INCUBATOR CO., LTD. 190 RIVER STREET TORONTO, ONTARIO Mentien The Canadian Horticulturist when writing. April, 1907 THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST 105 Bordeaux mixture is'used to combat the bark canker (Gloesporium Malicortis) of the apple, the pear and the apple scab (Fusicladium Den- driticum), and the plum and cherry rot (Mon- ilia Fructigena). To overcome the foregoing fungous diseases, trees should be sprayed at least 5 times a year; once in the fall, once in the winter, twice in the spring, and once in Lthe summer. _JThe winter spray should be the 4:4 formula, t doubled, and the summer spray for plums and j cherries the ammoniacal copper carbonate. In spraying for insect pests, the insecticides are divided into 2 classes: (1) Internal poisons, such as Paris green, London purple, and arsen- kate of lead, which take effect by being eaten (Mrith the ordinary food of the insect; and (2) [external irritants, or those which act from the ': outside, closing the breathing pores, or causisg death by irritation of the skin, as kerosene emulsion, quassia chips and whale-oil soap, and resin and sal soda. It is to be hoped that fruit growers and farmers will provide them- selves with good reliable spraying outfits and use them diligently, or else abandon fruit growing. Send us two new subscriptions for The Canadl-vn Horticulturist and one dollar, and we will extend your subscription for a year. For one new subscription, will extend it six months. Prince Ed-ward Letter Rev. Father Burke, Alberton, P.E.I. After a long delay, the government nom- inated F. G. Bovyer, of Georgetown, to the Island inspectorate. The Island inspector is rather an important official, as his duties constitute both instruction on fruit matters and inspection of fruits in the fall and winter seasons. We, therefore, require a good man, one conversant with the Marks Act, and also able to instruct in the various phases of horti- culture. Complaints have come to me, as president of the P.E.I. F.G.A., that much bad fruit has been imposed upon the community, and that the buyers have no redress because no inspector was available. In January, in company with our secretary, Mr. Dewar, I visited the fruit cellars of Charlottetown dealers. In many cases we found things to complain of, but in others we were glad to notice the honesty and fairness of packing. Some of Sherrington's cooj^rative packing delighted the eye. The deejjer we delved towards the bottom of the barrel, the better we were pleased. Since the appointment of Mr. Bovyer as inspector, we expect to hear less complaints. Commissioner Ruddick informed us that he will do all he can to make inspection thorough. Any com- ASPARAGUS WANTED If you will have any Asparagus to sell this Spring write to me at once with particulars. It will be more profitable to sell to me than to any one else. Let me hear from you. «** A* E. C KIDDER ST. CATHARINES, ONTARIO Mention The Canadian Hortinulturist when writing. a PAGE FENCES^i^WEAR BEST" Made of Hiph Carbon Wire— we'll prove it to you. COILED, not crimped. This makes it still stronger in service. It stays taut. Painted WHITE over heavy THE PA.GE WIR.E FENCK COMPA.NY, LIMITED. galvanizing— rust proof. Experienced dealers to erect it. Leads all in sales —as In merit. Get illustrated booklet and 1907 prices before buying. 209 Walkerville, Toronto. Montreal. St. John. Winnipeg BUY EWING'S SEEDS A Nice Premium will be given Free to all Readers who Buy Goods from AdvertiserB. 106 THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST April, 1907 Knapsack Spramotor destroys all insects or fungi on potatoes, berry bushes* trees '"^ plants or vegetables. ■^fl^ Copper tanlt$l5. galvanized "r Sl2. Agents wanted. Ask for 86-page treatise K. ■ SPRAMOTOR CO., BUFFALO. N. V. LONDON, OUT. THE "3W" STRAWBERRY was awarded a silver medal at the St. Louis World's Fair. An unbroken record showing "3W" Straw- berry" to be the most valuable discovery in the strawberry kingdom during the present century. Free circular and prices For sale by E. B. STEVENSON, PONSONBY, ONT. Gladiolus Bulbs Groff's World's Fair Colledlion Groff's Pan-Am. Ex. Colle. special Glass or Ureenhouses See tliat each Box exKibtts tKis Trade Mark GOOD QUALITY. FLAT, EVEN THICKNESS, AND WELL CUT Pilkmgton Bros. Limited Toronto, Montreal, Winnipeg, Vancouver Mention Tlie Canadian Horticulturist when writing. vious meeting of the branch, it was decided to charge for all bushel f)Oxes that are deliv- ered, the amount of the charge to be refunded on tlie return of the boxes. Notes From an Inspector Ed. The Canaijian Hor.iculturist; Since my departure from Montreal on January 1 last, my inspection work has been confined mostly to Northumberland County and Co- bourg, Grafton, Colborne and Brighton. About Feb. 15 there were 3.5,000 bbls. of apples at these points to repack. The kinds in store were Golden Russets, Ben Davis, Baldwin and Spy. The latter have been selling well at home. The apple houses in this county are of mod- ern style, and although the winter has been very severe, yet very little fruit has been dam- aged by frost. The model packing house has generally model packers, but not always. When nearing some of these houses I have heard profane language, whistling and dancing, and the fruit was usually of the same grade, lacking uniformity When fruit is irregular in size and quality and hard to grade, one has continually to keep his mind on his business or something will happen. We read of one Ont. man getting 28 shillings a bbl. for No. 1 Golden Russets, and 20 shillings for No. 3 quality. We con- gratulatcXsuch^a man, as he has made for him- self a name that other men may well covet. Men ask me how such a man gets such a big price and others so much less. I tell them that he packs better, that an even grade can be depended upon always, and wherever his name is found on a package of fruit it is reli- able. This is the secret^of his success. So go and do ye'^likewise.'^ .7H. Wartman, Dom. Fruit Inspector, Custom Rouse, Montreal. The Market Gardeners' Assn. of London, Ont., of which T. Wistow is the sec, and which has been in existence for several years, has affiliated with the Ont. Vegetable Growers' Assn., and in future will be recognized as a branch of the Ontario Assn. Mr. Wistow has been elected as the director to represent the London branch, which promises to become one of the strongest branches in the Province. All the leading cities of Ont., including Ottawa, Toronto, Ham- ilton, and Kingston, now have branches of the Ont. Assn. A catalog that contains^ some of the most complete descriptions of varieties that we have noticed is that of Stark Bros. Nurseries and gg^liSPRAMOTOR Kills Bugs, prevents Blight, Rot and Scab. Will improve crop on average 115 bushels per acre. 3J^ acres at 40c. a bu. will pay for Spra- motor each year. Adjustable and com- pensating, and all under control of driver. Pres- sure from 60 to 150 lbs. at will. All brass. Guar- anteed for 1 year in every particular. Ask (or 84-page booklet L, SPRAMOTOR CO. Buffalo, N.Y. London, Canada. Orchards Co., Louisiana, Mo. All the varie" ties of fruits worth growing are mentioned therein. This catalog should be in the hands of all Canadian fruit growers. SPRING, SUMMER AND AUTUMN ALL THE YEAR ROUND A GOOD LADDER IS A NECESSITY ONER. ON LADI>ER en able s you to hand-pick all the apples on the tree. Its extension feat- ure permits it to run through the tree— not only to rest on the outside Good for every purpose about a farm that a ladder is used for. Very light and absolutely safe. Waggoner Ladder Co., Limited I,ondon ont Your early order will enable us to ship immediately. Don't wait until you want to use the ladder before placing your order Mention The Canadian Horticulttirist when writing BETTER FRUIT Is what every fruit grower should grow. Is what every fruit dealer wants. Is what we can tell you how to grow. Is the only strictly Horticultural Paper in the United States. Is what you should subscribe for, if you want to know how *n realize more money for your fruit. SUBSCRIPTION PRICE, $1.00 PER YEAR SEND FOR SAMPLE COPY Better Fruit Publishing Co. HOOD RIVER, OREGON Mention The Canadian llorticulturist when writiBg April, 1907 THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST IX Needs of tRe Fruit Growers Early in March a meeting of the leading members of the Ont. Fruit Grs.' Assn. was held in Toronto, at which important matters re- lating to cooperation and transportation were discussed. The cooperative committee dis- cussed the best means of bringing about the organization of new assns. Rules and by- laws of all assns. in Canada and the U.S. will be studied, so that such may be had for dis- tricts of varying conditions and requirements. A resolution was passed dealing with the ques- tion of substitution in nursery stock, and sug- gesting legislation to govern same. The transportation committee will endeavor to obtain from the railway companies better accommodation, better equipment and recip- rocal demiurage. Through the efforts of Mr. R. J. Graham during the last year, stop-over privileges of 48 hom-s have been granted at the rate of 2 cts. a cwt., or about $5 on ship- ments for export. The committee purposes asking for a similar concession in respect to cars loaded with fruit for the international trade. A resolution was passed instructing the sec'y of the assn. to communicate with the sees, of the Montreal Bd. of Trade, of the Manufacturers' Assn., of the Man. and Sask. Fruit Grs.' Assns., and of the Alta. Farmers' Assn., with a view to securing combined ac- tion before the railway commission regarding the question of reciprocal demurrage. Lack of Space prevents our giving a report in this issue of the discussions- at the meeting of fruit growers held in St. Catharines, Ont., in March. The subject of the San Jose Scale and the best methods of combatting it, were discussed by Dr. Jas. Fletcher, of Ottawa, and Prof. H. A. Surface, of Harrisburg, Pa. The importance of spraying, to hold the pest in check.was emphasized, and the lime-sulphur wash was recommended as the best spray mixture. Advertising Notes We have just received a copy of this spring's descriptive catalog of the well-known firm, Stone & Wellington, which is, practically, an encyclopaedia of all varieties of merit in the fruit and horticultural world. The pubUca- tion is well printed, with handsome embossed cover, and profusely illustrated with half-tone engravings, showing scenes in their extensive nurseries at Fonthill. Attention has been given to certain lines, such as new and choice varieties of perennials and border plants, new Hybrid roses, rare Coniferree, deciduous trees and shrubs, while their fruit list contains many new varieties of commercial merit. The Deming Co. of Salem, Ohio, advertise their spray pumps in this issue of The Cana- dian Horticulturist for the first time. This Co. is one of the best known and most reliable in the U.S. Its machines have merits that Canadian growers should acquaint themselves with. The Co. furnishes interesting illustrated printed material free on request. Their little booklets are worth writing for. Bugs and Blights is the title of a booklet being distributed by Hammond's Slug Shot Works, Fishkill-on-Hudson, N.Y., which fruit, flower and vegetable growers should be in- terested in. A postcard to the Co. will secure you one free of cost. For the past 5 yrs. or more, we have pub- lished the up-to-date SPRAMOTOR ads. ap- pearing in this horticultural medium, and we note with pleasure the rapid strides towards the building of a mammoth manufacturing concern, which could be accomplished in no other way than by modern excellency of prod- duct and honest, straightforward dealing with the consumer. Enterprise such as the SPRA- MOTOR CO. is showing is to be commended. Windsor Salt is the favourite among butter-makers. ^^ It readily dissolves, saldng the ^^^ butter uniformly — giving a ^^^ delicious tastiness. ^^^^Less of Windsor Salt goes ^^^^k farther — and does you're a ^^^better work than stranger to^^^^^^^^ „f ^^y this pure, dry^^^k ^j^^^ ,jj^ perfect Salt, asl^^^^^^ your grocer for a bag^^^^^^^ That bag vtrill make you^^^^^^^^ want Windsor Salt all the^^^^^^B time. Get to-day. ^^^^^| : 'WE BEST MAOti ' fOSTElR'S STANDARD POT FLOWER POTS Send us your Spring order for pots, etc.; which will re- ceive our prompt attention. Try our pots for growing early tomato plants in. SEND FOR PRICE LIST AND CATALOGUE THE FOSTER POTTERY CO., LIMITED Main St. West, Hamilton, Ont. Mention The Canadi.in Horticulturist when writing ANOTHER BIG LIST OF PIANO BARGAINS Money in your pocket if you study this list of Pianos carefully, and like the wise man or woman, act. The bargains are too good to last long. Do it now. FOISEY & CO., UPKIGHT GKAXD— Rose- wood case, panelled case, 7 1-3 octaves. This is a very nice piano, and will give ex- cellent satisfaction for years to come, and is Al value at 8179.00 rOISET & CO., TJPKIGHT GRAND— Rose- wood case, panelled case, 7 1-3 octaves. This is a very nice piano, in good condi- tion, and will give excellent satisfaction for years to come, and is Al value at 8185.00 HOWARD, CINCINNATI — Beautiful Oak Case Cabinet Grand, with nicely decorated top door, full length music rack, Boston fall, 7 1-3 octaves, 3 pedals, including orchestral attachment. This Piano is in the best of condition, thoroughly guaran- teed, and an instrument that will give good satisfaction, and we consider it Al value at 8345.00 UXBKIDGE CABINET GRAND — Mahogany case, 7 1-3 octaves, 3 pedals, including practice stop, Boston fall, continuous music rack. This is an excellent instrument. and, while it has been in use 5 months, cannot be told from brand new, and is thoroughly guaranteed in every way. Special at 8249.00 HAINES BROS., NEW YORK— Beautiful Cabinet Grand, rosewood case, 7 1-3 oc- taves, nicely panelled case, full size Cabinet Grand, an elegant instrument throughout, made by one of the best makers in the United States, and an instrument that will give every satisfaction. We consider it exceptional value at 8253.00 PALMER, TORONTO — Beautiful Mahogany Case Cabinet Grand Upright Piano, Boston fall, continuous music rack, nicely decor- ated top door, 7 1-3 octaves, 3 pedals. This piano is practically new, having only been used three months, and is an excellent in- strument in every way. Five-year guar- antee accompanies this piano. Regular price $375.00. Special at [8255.00 WORMWITH & CO., KINGSTON — ^This is a verv handsome walnut case Cabinet Grand Piano, with full iron plate, acoustic rim 7 1-3 octaves, continuous music rack, Bos- ton fall, double trusses and an excellent instrument in every way, used less than 3 months. Five-year guarantee. Regular value $350.00. Special at 8275.00 HEINTZMAN & CO., UPRIGHT CABINET GRAND — Ebonized case, 3 carved panels in top door, 7 1-3 octaves. This is an ex- cellent instrument, and sold originally for J450.00, and we consider it exceptional value at 8375.00 It bears with it our five-year guarantee, and will give satisfaction for years to come. HEINTZMAN & CO., CABINET GRAND— Beautiful walnut case, 3 carved panels in top door, swing music rack, 7 1-3 octaves, an elegant instrument, and one of our well-known make. This piano sold orig- inally at $500.00, and is exceptionally good value at 8295.00 Our five-year guarantee accompanies this Piano. EASY TERMS OF PAYMENT Upright Pianos under $250.00- $10.00 Cash and $6.00 per Month. Upright Pianos over $250.00— $15.00 Cash and $7.00 per Month Discount of 10 per cent, for all Cash with Order Should these terms be not agreeable, wire your selection at our expense, and it will be set aside until terms can be arranged satisfactorily. Handsome stool'and drape with each instrument, and freight paid to any point in Ontario andjproportionate amount to other Provmces :ye olde firme of HEINTZMAN & CO., LTD., 113-117 KING ST. W., TORONTO Mniiion The Canadian Hnrtirulliirisf wlicn writing. THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST April, 1907 UNDERWOOD The Underwood is not in the trust. For mutual protection against the instant success of the Underwood, half a dozen of the other leading typewriter companies combined, but their united efforts had no effect in impeding the marvelous development of the Underwood business — the largest typewriter business in the Dominion. The Underwood is a good typewriter. It is the best typewriter. United Typewriter Co. Limited ADELAIDE STREET EAST, TORONTO Mention The Canadian Horticulturist when writing. theI ) JHC HOTO-NG RAVERS LIMITED. DESIGNERS ILLUSTRATORS ENGRAVERS AND ETCHERS 10 JOHNSTON LANE TORONTO '•"o- MAIN 3251 ONTARIO Mention The Canadian Horticulturist when writins €«'!>«S^^jfe«^ VIck^OlS ^> c M{^S^ THE ARTISTIC PIANO OF CANADA IS THE "GERHARD HEINTZMAN" New Catalogue mailed free on application QERHAKD HEINTZMAN, Limited 97 Yonge Street. Toronto 127 King St. East, Hamilton Mention The Canadian Horticulturist when writing. A Nice Premium will be given Free to all Readers who Buy Goods from Advertisers. The Canadian Horticulturi^ Vol. XXX MAY, 1907 No. 5 Improving' and Originating Varieties of A.pples B. S. FicKett, Plant Breeder, CKampai^n, Illinois SO much has been written of late regarding the need for improved varieties of almost every sort of cultivated plant that it will be unneces- sary to devote any space at this time to a discussion of this phase of the subject. The Canadian Horticul- turist has itself frequently urged the need for better sorts of orchard and garden fruits, and growers everywhere are constantly on the lookout for kinds better adapted to their particular con- ditions. I shall, therefore, proceed at once to a discussion of the control of the factors which make for improvement in varieties of apples. The control of the varied agencies employed by the originator of improved races and varieties requires, first, an intimate knowledge of their nature, and, second, ability and method in their application. The first of these is by no means fully understood. The most learned men in botanical science are still struggling with the problems of variation and hereditary transmission of acquired characteristics, and so forth ; and, until these secrets of plant life are actually laid bare, an absolutely definite system of breeding is not possible. But with regard to improved methods of applying such truths as we do know to the problems of breeding, much may be said of an exceedingly practical nature. Method implies definiteness of pur- pose. Modem plant breeding is very largely characterized by definiteness of purpose, idealism in effect, for in no branch of art or science are ideals and unswerving adherence to them of greater importance in the attainment of success than in the improvement of plants. Methods depend upon purposes. The ideal in mind will decide the varieties to be used, the line of experiment and the standard by which the new produc- tions will be tested. The purpose of improving varieties of apples, summed up as briefly as pos- sible, is to produce plants that are more efficient for specific uses and specific localities. Efficiency ideals may be thought of under the following headings : (1) yield ideals, (2) quality ideals, (3) seasonal ideals, (4) physical con- formation ideals, (5) regional adapta- tion ideals (as to climate, soil, altitude, etc.), and (6) resistent ideals (as to insects and diseases). (Bailey, Proc. American Philosophical Society, Vol. 43, (1903), pp. 62-68.) The attainment of each of these ideals may require differ- ent methods of procedure. Each may under certain circumstances, assume paramount importance, or several of them may need to be considered in the course of one experiment. Moreover the breeder should endeavor to see, that his ideals lie within the possible vari- ability of the race, a matter which may Meets tHe Needs I have observed with pleasure the many improvements in The Canadian Horticulturist dur- ing the past two years. It comes nearer to meeting the needs of the fruit grower and gardener than any other publication in America. May it continue to prosper. — C. D. Jarvis, B.S.A., Storrs Agricultural Experiment Station, Storrs, Con- necticut. of course, be difficult to judge accurately without definite experimental evidence. A very complete acquaintance with his varieties and species will, however, help the worker to mold his ideals correctly and save efforts which otherwise might be wasted in attempts to accomplish the impossible. The writer knows of no new or magical principles in the improvement and origination of varieties of apples. Selec- tion of natural variations, whether they be small or great (fluctuating variations or mutations), crossing and individu- ality of the plants themselves are the bases of the art. Orchardists generally have shrunk from attempts to develop tree fruits because of the time and room required to test seedlings. But a mo- ment's consideration will show that the testing of seedlings on a large scale is an infinitely smaller problem than the solving of transit refrigeration for fruits, the control of insects and plant diseases 107; or the development, even, of power spray- ing, all of which are matters that the apple grower has attacked fearlessly and confidently. Success depended simply on the perfection of the methods applied in each particular instance. So, too, will the production of improved varieties of apples be made successful through the perfection of the methods applied. It is manifestly impossible in an article of this kind to give detailed sug- gestions or directions for the conduction of experiments designed to originate new varieties to meet , any considerable number of ideals. Hence, I shall take one example and supplement it with suggestions of a general nature for other lines of experiment. The apple breeder is presumed to have supplied himself with the necessary collection of varieties, either on the premises where the experiments are to be conducted or within easy reach, and to have at his disposal a large number of orchards from which scions can be selected. In accordance with the prin- ciples already laid down, he outlines the ideal variety which he wishes to produce. To take an actual case, perhaps the most frequently expressed ideal of the Ameri- can commercial apple orchardist is this, an apple of the size, color, hardiness, productiveness, keeping and shipping qualities of Ben Davis or Baldwin, to- gether with the flavor and dessert quality of Northern Spy, Spitzenburg or Fameuse. The tabulation on next page shows the breeder's outline. Each point referred to is given a certain valuation which represents the breeder's ideal in that regard ; and by this standard, actually a score card in practice, his selections and crosses will be judged as they come into bearing. It will, be noted that this score card takes into account a great many of the characters desirable in apples. I have endeavored to have it cover all the points of functional importance, that is the points representing the performance of tree and the value of its fruit, and those only. This is immediately ap- parent in every instance under the heading, "Tree," except possibly the one defined as "Habit of growth." 108 THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST May, 1907 Straightness of trunk is desirable for convenience in cultivation, and clean- ness of trunk because it affords no shelter for insects. A dense branching habit prevents the free entrance of sunlight, is inconvenient in harvesting and adds to the expense of pruning. cause orchard trees are planted at regular distances apart. In scoring the fruit, stress is laid on form, size and color because these are very important in packing, grading and marketing, representing, as they do, true money value; but it will be noted that the Plant Breeder's Score Card APPLE (Ideal, No. 1) |- Purpose — Winter, dessert, market. (ft! Points Score of 1 — Plant Perfection Seedling Rootage — Vigorous, resistant to rot ■^ — and aphis, deep 25 Habit of growth — (a) Trunk, 1^ straight, strong, clean 8 (b) Branches, moderately nu- merous only, not willowy. ... 8 f (c)Form, low rather than high, — but not drooping, head ojjen, I*- symmetrical 9 Foliage — Plentiful, large, free from '=^*- disease, dark green. 25 Blossoms — Self-fertile ; blooming <^ih- late 25 Hardiness of tree as to climate 15 Earliness of bearing 25 Productiveness — (Taking Ben Davis or Baldwin as standard) 60 Total. 200 =I^FIR5 Fruit Upper Part of a Tree Bearing Many Grafts This illustrates hcnv the fruiting of seedlings is hastened Low trees are desirable in picking the fruit and in spraying, and an up- right branching habit because droop- ing branches interfere with cultivation. Svmmetrical heads are convenient be- highest values of all are attached in one case to productiveness of tree and in the other to quality of fruit, the two chief factors to be taken into account in the development of this particular ideal. Form — Regular, round or roundish- oblate, with regular cavity and "^ basin, calyx closed 20 Size — Should average 2% inches hor- *- izontally and 2}4 vertically. . 20 Color — Handsome, almost covered with rich red on golden yellow ground 30 Freedom from disease or blemishes. 20 Uniformitv in size (not over 10% below'2J^ inches) 20 Quality — (a) Dessert, say equal to Spy or Spitzenburg 40 (6) Shipping, carrying well with- out bruising or slacking, skin not tender 25 (c) Keeping, natural season Jan- uary to 1st April, cold storage tilljune 25 Total 200 Total for tree and fruit 400 iTo be Coittitiued.) )<. Poisoned Bordeaux Mixture tKe Summer Spray T. D. Revett, Department of Agricultvire, Toronto IF the fruit grower means to make any profit from his apples, and to pro- duce a clean crop, he must spray. He must use poisoned Bordeaux mix- ture and it must be applied at the proper time. As soon as ground is dry enough, and before the buds are out, go through the orchard and spray it thoroughly with copper sulphate — the proportion of which should be four pounds of copper sulphate to 40 gallons of water. This mixture is the most important in the treatment of the apple scab, and should, in no case, be omitted. The poisoned Bordeaux mixture is so called because poison is added to the Bordeaux to kill the biting insects. The Bordeaux itself affects the scab. The formula of this mixture is four pounds of copper sulphate, five pounds of good, unslaked lime and five ounces of Paris green to 40 gallons of water. MAKING BORDEAUX MIXTURE To prepare the mixture, dissolve the sulphate with boiHng water and dilute to about 20 gallons. Then slake the lime gradually. Be careful not to drown the lime by adding too much water while slaking. If hot water is used, slaking will be done more easily and thoroughly. When Hme is slaked, dilute to about 15 gallons and pour it into the copper sulphate solution and mix properly. Measure five ounces of Paris green, mix to a paste with a little water, and when the paste is properly made, dilute with water enough to en- able it to pour. Fill the spraying tank with the copper and lime solution, agi- tate well, then pour in the Patris green. ,^— Test the mixture by taking A little of •it in a cup and dropping one or two drops of potassium ferrocyanide into it. If the mixture does not change color it ; is all right; but, should a reddish color appear, the copper sulphate has not been neutralized, not enough lime has been used, and the mixture, if applied in that state, will injure the foHage by burning. To avert this, more lime must be put in until the test is satisfied. The average grower cannot afford to use anything but Paris green to poison his mixture. The only objection to it is Ihat it is very insoluble and settles rapidly. Therefore, continuous agita- tion is necessary. A poison that gives good results is lead arsenate. It is harder to mix, but is more soluble than Paris green and stays in suspension longer. It has to be used in larger quantities, four pounds in a 40 gallon mixture, and it is more ex- pensive. One application is sufficient. ' -Spray just when buds are opening, to kill bud moths and cigar case borers. The second application should be given as soon as the petals fall and while the young apple is upright. This spraying is of special value in combatting the cod- ling moths. The third spraying should be appHed when the apples are the size of a five cent piece. This spraying is chiefly for scab and leaf-eating insects. New Forms of Kerosene Hmulsion FranK T. Shutt, M.A., CHemist, Dominion Experimental Farms IN an investigation carried on about a year and half ago, to ascertain the emulsifying effect of certain materials (more particularly lime, as ad- vocated by Professor Close) in the prep- aration of kerosene emulsion, it occurred to the writer that flour might answer for this purpose of holding coal oil in sus- pension. Experiments proved this to be the case, a very satisfactory emulsion for immediate use resulting. Eight ounces of flour were found sutBcient to hold in perfect suspension one quart of coal oil. The emulsion is simply and easily made as follows: The requisite amount of coal oil (kero- sene) is poured into the pail or barrel, and flour added in the proportion of eight ounces to one quart of coal oil, the mass thoroughly stirred and the water added — two gallons for every quart of coal oil. The whole is then vigorously churned, say, for five minutes, by means of a pump and coarse nozzle or a wooden paddle or dasher, as used in upright churns, and the emulsion is ready for use. The spray is smooth, easily atom- ized and does not clog the nozzle. During the last few weeks, this in- vestigation, at the suggestion and with ithe assistance of Mr. Macoun, has been lextended to the preparation, with flour, of certain sprays that might prove use- ful both as insecticides and fungicides — winter washes to be employed on dor- mant wood only and sprays that would combine the properties of Bordeaux mix- ture and kerosene emulsion for summer us.e. The following notes give, briefly, linformation regarding the emulsions ■"which it has been thought might be ser- viceable to the fruit grower: Bluestone. Flour Kerosene Water Winter Washes a" bluestone, 1% 4 pounds 8 " . 4 gallons .36 " Mix the flour with the kerosene, as 3efore described, the bluestone being dissolved in the water. Pour about one- half of the solution (the exact quantity is a matter of no moment) on to the kero- sene flour mixture and chum for five minutes. Pour in the remainder of the bluestone solution, stir, and the emulsion is ready for use. On standing, this spray separates into two layers, which, however, are readily re-mixed by stir- ring. Free oil does not appear, if the churning has been efficient, for at least 20 hours. "b" CAUSTIC SODA 2%, KEROSENE 10%' Caustic soda . 8 pounds Flour 8 " Kerosene 4 gallons Water. M "d" C.\USTIC S0D.\ 2%, KEROSENE 5% Caustic soda 8 pounds Flour 8 Kerosene 2 gallons Water 38 "E" CAUSTIC SODA 1%, KEROSENE 5% Caustic soda 4 pounds Flour 4 Kerosene 2 gallons Water 38 It will be noticed that these three emulsions contain the same ingredients, but differ in strength; that is, in pro- portion to caustic soda and kerosene. The preparation is alike in all. The flour and the kerosene being mixed in the desired proportion, the solution of a viscous fluid which is eminently adapt- ed for holding the coal oil in suspension. Summer Sprays "h" BORDEAUX AND KEROSENE Bluestone 4 potmds Lime 4 " Kerosene 4 gallons Water 36 " This is the usual Bordeaux mixture, plus 10% kerosene. It is best made as follows : To the freshly slaked lime add one-half the total volume of water and pour in the requisite amount of coal oil, emulsify for five minutes, then pour in the remainder of the water, in which the bluestone has been dissolved, and stir Do not Spray when Trees are in Bloom— it is against Nature and the Law the caustic soda (lye) is poured on and the whole churned for five minutes. They are all remarkably stable, no free oil appearing after standing for four days, save traces in the case of "E," which contained but four pounds flour for 40 gallons in this emulsion. The stability or permanence of these emul- sions is undoubtedly due to the action of the caustic soda on the flour, making 1C9 well for one minute. Though on stand- ing a thick, creamy layer forms, there is no separation of oil for at least 24 hours, and simple stirring is all that is neces- sary within a few days of making to bring about a perfect ,piixt,uxe. "k" BORDEAUX, FWJUR AND KEROSENE Bluestone 4 ]K>unds Lime 4 Flour 4 110 THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST May, 1907 jslerosene 4 gallonis Water 36 " This, it will be observed, is the Bor- deaux-kerosene emulsion just described, plus flour. To the diluted slaked lime, the kerosene containing the flour is added and the whole emulsified for five minutes; the solution of bluestone (ap- proximately one-half of the total volume) is then poured in and the whole well stirred. This is a particularly stable emulsion, no free oil showing after five weeks. The thick layer that had separ- ated at the end of this period, and which contained the oil, readily mixed again, forming a perfect emulsion. As a spray fumishing^at once Bordeaux mixture and coal oil — a combined fungi- cide and insecticide — one simply made and of excellent keeping quality, this formula gives great promise. From the standpoint of preparation and the labor- atory tests it leaves nothing to be de- sired. Destroying ApKis -witK Flour- Herosene E.inulsion "W. T. Macovin, Horticulturist, Central Experimental Farm, Otta-wa IT having been discovered and demon- strated at the Central Experimental Farm that kerosene emulsion could be made with flour instead of soap for holding the kerosene in suspension, this form of emulsion was used successfully in a practical way in 1905 and 1906. As the emulsion made in this way is much easier to make than with soap, it was desirable to learn what percentage of oil was necessary to kill the aphis, as soap, in addition to its value in holding the kerosene in emulsion, is an insecticide itself and without it more kerosene might be required. The following percentages of kerosene were, therefore, used on July With 11% kerosene : Practically all aphis destroyed. In the kerosene emulsion made with soap scarcely seven per cent, kerosene is recommended. There was no injury to the foliage of the trees in any case. Apple trees in nursery were sprayed on July 12, with very good results, the in- sects being nearly all killed. Plum trees were sprayed July 12, with 11 per cent, kerosene emulsion. Many aphis were killed without apparent injury to the trees. Experiments had been conducted in the chemical laboratories with Mr. Frank T. Shutt, chemist, who discovered the Spraying Large Trees with a Deming Spray Pump 16, 1906, in spraying apple trees badly infested with aphis. Percentages used — approximately : six per cent. ; seven and a half per cent. ; nine per cent. ; 1 1 per cent. The follow- ing notes were made : KEROSENE EMULSION With 6% kerosene: Aphis not aS'ected. With 73^% kerosene : Aphis not affected. With 9 % kerosene : Not so effective as 11%, but most of the aphis destroyed. value of flour in making kerosene emul- sion, to determine the weight of flour necessary to hold in suspension certain quantities of kerosene. Experiments had also been tried in different methods of preparing the emulsion and the amount of churning necessary. This work being done with small quantities, it remained to determine the best method when made by the barrel. A dasher was made by nailing two pieces of wood crosswise to one end of a pole, the other end being used as a handle. A piece of sacking with a hole in the centre for the pole to go through, held in place on the barrel by a hoop, prevented the emulsion from splashing out of the barrel. To make an emulsion having approx- imately 1 1 per cent, of kerosene (or to be exact 11 1-9 per cent.), it was necessary to have five gallons of oil to 40 gallons of water. From these experiments it was clearly demonstrated that a satisfactory emul- sion containing approximately 11 per cent, of kerosene could be made by using only five pounds of flour to the barrel, in other words only five pounds of flour are necessary, when an emulsion is formed, to hold in suspension five gallons of kerosene for two hours. A poor grade of flour answers the purpose well. The cost of one barrel of emulsion would thus be five pounds flour at $1.75 per 100 pounds, 8|^ cents; five gallons kerosene at 16 cents, 80 cents; total, 88?^ cents. When the emulsion is not to be used at once or within two hours, twice the quantity of flour should be used with which quantitv the oil will not separate in 12 hours and more. r: FORMULA FOR APHIS The formula recommended for kero- sene emulsion made with flour for de- stroying aphis on apple and plum trees is five pounds of flour (or 10 pounds, if emulsion is not used within two hours), fiye gallons of kerosene, and 40 gallons of water. Pour the kerosene in the bar- rel, put in the flour and stir thoroughly, then pour in 20 gallons of water and chum violently for from four to five minutes; now add remainder of water and the emulsion is ready for use. Experiments were tried recently in conjunction with Mr. Frank T. Shutt, chemist, to determine if a satisfactory Bordeaux mixture and kerosene emul- sion could be made which could be mixed together and sprayed on the trees at the same time. The results of these experi- ments are given by Mr. Shutt in an article written by him. One of the mixtures appears so satisfactory that it will be given a trial in the orchards at the Central Experimental Farm this year. The mixture is made by churning May, 1907 THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST 111 the kerosene with Bordeaux mixture, flour being added before churning at the rate of four ounces to each quart of kerosene which has been used. It will be necessary in preparing by the barrel to do the churning with about half the necessary amount of water in order that the mixture will not splash over, adding the requisite amount of water afterwards This kerosene emulsion and Bordeaux mixture made in small quantities has A Patriarchal Apple Tree This splendid apple tree, shown as photographed whe'' in bloom, stands on the property of Mr. George Head- of Oakville. Ont. . and is retxjrted to be 70 years old. The trunk tWO feei from the ground, measures nine feet four inches around. The branches spread fifty-nine feet six inches. It appears to be of the Blenheim Orange variety. According to Mr. D. Robertson, of Oakville, who has known the tree for many years, it has never had any proper care, not even the suckers having been cut. Fifty years ago it yielded 26 barrels of apples, in- cluding 19 barrels of XXX fruit, and more might have been picked. remained for five weeks without any appreciable separation of kerosene. The mixture is a smooth one and after stand- ing mixes readily again. While this has not been tested sufficiently to recom- mend unreservedly it gives promise of being a very desirable combination. Handy Devices A simple but effective method of , cleaning a vineyard of the trimmings and other rubbish which they contain in the spring of the year has been adopted by Mr. Murray Pettit, of Winona, as well as by several other leading fruit growers in that section. A pole about 16 feet long and three to three and a half inches in diameter is used. About six feet from one end of the pole is a device, to which a chain is attached. The chain is about 12 feet long and connects with a whiffletree so that a horse may be used to pull the pole. The end of the pole near the horse is so cut on one side that it will run along the ground readily. When the orchard is being cleaned, the driver holds one end of the pole up from the ground, while the end near the horse i runs along the ground picking up the canes and rubbish as it goes along. In this way, the rubbish is carried to the ends of the vineyards where it is dumped in piles, and later burned or carted away, as the case may be. FOR THE FRUIT ORCHARD For cleaning the orchard, after the trees have been pruned, two poles are used instead of one. The poles are fastened together by a heavy piece of iron about two and a half feet long. The man operating these poles, holds the ends in the same way he would the handle of a plow. The two ends of the pole on the ground sweep up the branches and rubbish like a broom. An editorial representative of The Horti- culturist, who visited Mr. Pettit's vineyard and orchard shortly after this work had been completed last year, was astonished to find how clean the ground had been swept. With a device of this kind, which costs almost nothing, it is possible to clean the vineyard or orchard as quickly as a horse can walk up and down the various paths. Mr. Pettit states that two men and a team will take out as much rubbish in less time than it would take 10 men and five teams to pick up the same rub- bish and draw it out on sleds. OrcKard Implements That the value of good tillage in fruit orchards is appreciated, is evidenced bv the efforts and achievements of in- ance of heading their trees low, particu- larly peaches, the manufacturer has had to produce an implement that will meet the need required by the change. To trace the history of orchard imple- ments is practically to record the begin- ning and development of the culture of fruits. Various and interesting have been the changes in the plow from that of earlier times to the modem types. The old-fashioned drag became a har- row and it has assumed various forms. The introduction of the spring-tooth- harrow marked another advance in con- struction. Following this came a series of harrows and cultivators that have proven great helps in the cultivation of the orchard. For cultivating under low- headed trees, extension and reversible disc harrows have been invented. Some fruit growers object to low- headed fruit trees on the ground of ex- pense and labor at the time of cultivat- ing. This trouble can be overcome by the use of the modem extension harrow. With it, the soil under the trees can be stirred without injuring the branches. The horse, or horses, walk in the space between the limbs and one arm of the harrow extends under the hmbs of the trees. Not only is the extension disc harrow of value in this particular, but, also, it pulverizes the soil much better than other kinds of harrows. It leaves the soil in the best possible condition for W^'^-a ^^-: J L ■m I -'a -* - *t, BM. ^^n yull 1 ^^K>: ' i^Q I^H 1 H Fv^ *'?^^^^^^^^^^| PMi /. HB ''^^S^^ll ■t -]cf .^. J*l^^| - B ' ■ V a 7 ^''~ '& , - * ^-^5i. v.- . . • «— .^^ r ^1 A Friend Spraying Outfit at Work in an Orchard ventors and manufacturers in produc- ing implements and machines that will render the work less exacting and tedi- ous for the grower and that will perform it more thoroughly, expeditiously and economically. When fruit trees were grown with trunks five or si.x feet high, most of the ordinary implements for tilling the soil in the field could be used in the orchard. Now that up-to-date orchardists are recognizing the import- the conservation of soil moisture and for the benefit of the trees. Experiments conducted in 1905-06, at the lUinois Expt. Sia., with various mixtures for treating vSan Jose scale, show that the simple lime and sulphur washes prepared by boiling are superior to all others. Applications made in spring arc twice as efficient as those made in January, Planning and Planting' the Strawberry Patch J. C. BlacK. Truro, Novo Scotia MOST any soil, if properly manured and cultivated, suits the straw- berry ; but most varieties prefer either a sandy or clay loam. Low land is very good, but there is always the danger of late spring frosts killing the blossoms on locations of that nature. Since frost is like water and runs down hill, it is wise to plant only late flowering varieties on relatively low ground, and leave the early flowering kinds for the higher land. The chief factors in strawberry culture are manure and tillage. In manure, four things are essential : humus, nitro- gen, potash and phosphoric acid. Humus, or decayed vegetable matter, makes the soil mellow, so that air will readily circulate through it, and spongy, so that it will hold moisture. All four is found in good stable manure, which, in my experience, has proved to be the best fertilizer for strawberry soils. It may be applied in large quantities by itself, or in small quantities and supple- mented with bone meal, wood ashes or poultry droppings. Ashes should not be mixed with manure until appHed to the land, as it sets free the ammonia of the manure and causes it to be lost in the air. Stable manure is best applied in the fall and plowed in at once. When necessarj- to apply it in the spring, par- ticularly if raw or green, see that it is thoroughly mixed and incorporated with the soil, so that no green manure will come in contact with the roots of the plants. My experience with commercial fer- tilizers is Hmited, except with ground bones. A complete commercial fertil- izer for strawberries should contain, it is said, 3 to 4 per cent, nitrogen, 10 to 12 per cent, pure potash, and 12 to 14 per cent, available phosphoric acid. Com- mercial fertilizers are better used in con- nection with stable manure, or with leguminous cover crops for turning under. I have found it a good plan, however, to sow a little fertiUzer along both sides of the row just before the vines begin to run, and work it into the soil. PLANTS AND PLANTING Plants should be selected from a plot that has not fruited, so as to get them strong and vigorous. It is best to dig up the whole row with a fork, shake out the dirt and select only the best plants, rejecting tip plants and all that are not well rooted or well matured. For planting, use a tool something like a cooper's adze or a grub hoe. It can be made by any blacksmith. The blade should be about eight inches long and four inches wide with a shank turned on the end of it, bearing a handle about 1 5 or 1 8 inches long. Strike this into the ground and draw back, then place the plant in the hole with roots as near fan- shaped as possible, withdraw the tool and firm the soil around the plant. The crown of the plant should be on a level with the surface of the ground. Do not expose plants to sun and wind. A boy should drop the plants only as they are wanted by the planters. By this method a large area can be planted in a day. The number of plants required to plant an acre depends, of course, upon the distance apart. When 30 by 24 inches apart, approximately 9,000 plants are required ; when 30 by 30 inches apart 7,000 plants; when farther apart a smaller number, etc. INTERPOLLINATION In strawberr^^ varieties, there are two kinds of flowers, perfect and imperfect, or male and female. The perfect or bisexual flower is the only one that pro- duces pollen ; the imperfect or pistillate flower is barren unless fertilized by pollen from a perfect flowering variety. When planted alone, imperfect varieties produce no fruit, nothing but deform- ities in the shape of nubbins. To insure a crop from an imperfect variety, it is- necessary to plant second or third rows with plants of a perfect variety for cross fertilization. This must be borne mind when selecting varieties. SYSTEMS OF CULTURE There are three methods of growing strawberries, viz., hill culture, hedge rows and the matted row system. Hill culture is probably the best for small gardens. It consists of setting the plants about 15 inches apart and of cut- ting off the vines as fast as they appear. The ground should be kept stirred around the plants so the}- will stool out and develop many fruit crowns. Keep the blossoms off the first season, and the plants will produce fruit of superior quality and size the second season. The hedge row system is compara- tively new, and is suitable for either garden or field culture. For the garden the rows may be made about 18 inches apart ; for the field, about 30 inches apart or more, with plants about 24 inches apart in the row. On both sides of the mother plant, one vine is trained in a straight line and two or three plants are allowed to set on a vine, all others being pinched or cut off. This keeps the rows narrow so that a cultivator may be run close to the rows, leaving little work to be done by hand. The matted row system is the old reliable for commercial plantations. Have the ground level and smooth, then mark out rows 36 to 42 inches apart and set the plants 18 to 24 inches in the rows. The rows should be perfectly straight for ease in cultivating without disturb- ing the plants. When the vines begin to run train them into the spaces between the plants and keep narrowing up the cultivator, always going the same way so as not to disturb the new plants that have rooted. By this system a larger yield per acre can be secured than from the other systems described, but the fruit may not be as fine in quality. One objection I have to the matted row system is that the rows are liable to get too thick in places and thus prevent a proper development of the fruit. Herbaceous Borders tbat Bloom for Seven MontKs PLANT lovers, people who know, and feel, and appreciate the beautiful in home surroundings, realize that the ordinary floral effect, even in our best gardens, is inordinately dull, commonplace, and whollv un- satisfactory. A few beds cut in the lawn, and hbpelessly destroying the repose and restfulness that an un- broken stretch of green grass produces, these beds laid out in stiff, formal rows E.. By field, Toronto of cannas, geraniums, coleus and a few other greenhouse productions, such are the ordinary, orthodox gardens of On- tario, one exactly like another, monot- onous in arrangement, monotonous in ever recurring uniformity, and monotonous in never varying colors for the few short months between early summer and early fall that our short, free-from-frost season will permit. With the first light frost in fall the plants are changed in a night to pulp, and the beds become unsightly mounds .: of bare earth to still further disfigure [ the lawns until the next June, then j another stock of greenhouse plants to I be bought to stand in unchanging < stiffness for three or four months in the t broken and disfigured lawn, then as . before to disappear with the first frost, and thus on with unvarying annual recurrence. May, 1907 THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST 113 Why do Canadians go on, year after year, putting in this expensive and un- satisfactory stock when a similar ex- pense would provide a greater num- ber of the choicest hardy peren- nial plants and shrubs, plants that would furnish a continual but ever changing display of color, of form, and of grace from the passing of the snow in spring till its return late in the fall! And even then there is the assurance that your plants are not dead and done with, as in the other case, but are simply taking a well-eanied rest in order to make a showing next year far in advance of what they have done this year. England has long ago discarded, and our neighbors to the south are fast dis- carding, the formal beds and bedding plants thai still obtain here. The old- lashioiied plants of their grandmother's gardens are taking again their rightful place, or rather the descendants of those plants, descendants so improved, how- ever, through the hybridist's skill and the collector's zeal, that the common liowers of their grandmother's time are scarcely recognizable in the magnificent aristocrats of to day that bear the names of the old favorites, changed in all but name. Imagine a well-laid out garden comprising hardy phlox, KngUsh del- phiniums, oriental poppies, irises, col- umbines, paeonies, pyrethrums, bleeding hearts, Canterbury bells, foxglove, core- opsis, gaillardias, lychnis, heucheras, hollyhocks, bocconias, anemones, Ice land poppies, campanulas, lilies of various kinds, helianthus, rudbeckias, all of medium height or stately, while the [space beneath might be filled with low [growing plants stich as Sweet WilHam, [cinquefoil, vinca, coronilla, creeping |j)hlox, Uly of the valley, linaria, Scotch jinks, armerias, veronicas, alyssums, pcowslips, narcissi, arabis, and so forth. The range of suitable and appropriate [plants is so large that one scarcely knows [where to stop. Such a garden gives [everything desirable, an inexhaustible ; wealth of color from earliest spring till [the coming snow of latest fall, constant rariety and change, gracefulness and ease in the growing plants, a natural [backgnjund to the unbroken lawn flank- led by such flowering shrubs as spirjeas, iviburnums, weigelias, mock orange, frhododendrons, lilacs and the lower jrowiiig berberis, deutzias and hardy izaleas. The constant interest and lever present joy and delight fell by the lOwner of such a border can only be dimly understood except by those who have had the pleasure of growing these kinds of plants. To obtain these results, there must be no haphazard arrangement of plants. The owner should have a dellnite plan for the season's bloom, and plants should be arranged in the border so as to carry out this plan. A few general rules might here be apphcable in the laying out of the border: 1. As a rule, if the border runs along a fence or path so as to be viewed from one side, the taller plants should be in the rear; if seen from both sides, the taller should be in the middle of the border. 2. Plants should be so arranged that colors in close proximity may harmonize. 3. Plants should be selected and placed in such a position that no part of the border is at any time withotlt bloom. As one kind of plant is through blooniing another kind beside it should be coming into bloom, thus keeping up a succession of bloom the season through. 4. The most striking effects are pro- border. After the frost has cut down the tops, the roots should be taken up and stored in a cool, frost-proof cellar to be replanted the following spring. Showy annuals, such as asters, pansies, Phlox drummondi, dianthus and nas- turtiums are also effective, and tender bedding plants find .here congenial sur- roundings, while their objectionable features when planted in beds by them- selves are entirely absent. Of course, the above rules should be carefully fol- lowed in placing these latter plants in the border, and especial care must be taken to place plants beside hardy ones of similar colored bloom. To assist the amateur, a scheme is appended giving a list of hardy plants ^ A "4i r^^?^ j,m:i=AVig. '•■-a-.. B^ £u**Ss6»'^;-» «*<•>- ., T 1 Bk^^CTrmj ^g^^S ^^^ ^'^f^ H H ^M ^M ■ "^Br ^K^ r Wm^i shhhk ^^h ^^1 1 "■■ ■ ■' i -•. '— ^^T^^^^^B^^^^E*'--- JB^B ^^^^1 MBC ■' ■! afiflV^K^^^^MHHSS!:,' sUHl ■ m 1 ^^^^^^L^^^C I»r39^.>4>^.. "^^^^i ^^1 IB i Tjgi , 2||MMI^Hg|j|, »■ ^M ^ft L^^^^^^^H^vj'^ '<'' a^l ^Kk ^m ^'v^^^^H ^^^^K ^H ■1 Hi ^^^■hI ^^^^^^^^^^^^Hbt' ' . ' ^^^H Corner of a Home Where Flowers Abound In the garden nf Mr. P. G. Keyes of Ottawa. In the foreground is the dimbing rose. Prairie Queen. duced by large masses of color. For this reason, it is better to plant together several of one variety than one each of a number of different varieties. Tender bulbous plants such as dahlias, caiiuas, gladioli, tritomas, and Hya- cinthus candicans lend themselves ad- mirably to effective display in the hardy that will withstand our ordinary Ontario winters, the month in which they usually begin to bloom here, the predominant color of their bloom, and their average height. Most of them carry their bloom into the next month, and many of them throughout the remainder of the season. See table on next page. I& 114 THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST May, 1907 Perennials Recommended for Canadian Gardens— Tabulated in Order of Blooming and According to Color — WBITB YELLOW ORANOB KBD PINK FUKPLB BLTTB Crocus, 4 in. Crocus, 4 in. Crocus, 4 in. d Grape Hyacinth, 6 in. Grape Hyacinth. 6 in. K Stoowdrop. 3 in. Scilla Sibrica, 3 in. < Hepatica, 5 in. Hepatica, 5 in. Glory of the Snow. 6 in. Arabis alpina, 7 in. Hepatica, S in. Blue Belb, 16 in. Early Tulip. 6 in. to Early Tulip, 6 in. to Early Tulip, 6 in. to Early Tulip, 6 in. to Early TuHp, 6 in. to Wild Sweet William, 10 in. loin. 10 in 10 in. 10 in. 18 in. Mertensia Virginica Trumpet Narcissus, Trumpet Narcissus, Narcissus Orange Phiox divarxcata Spiderwort, 2 ft. 12 in. 12 in. Ph(rnix, 12 in. Tradeseantia Virgint- Narcissus Poeticus, Golden Tuft, 12 in. ana IS in. A lyssum saxalile Hyacinth, 8 in. Hyacinth, 8 in. Leopard's Bane, 2 ft. Moss Pink, 6 in. Hyacinth, 8 in. Moss Pink, 6 in. to 3 ft. Phlox subulata Moss Pink, 6 in. Phlox subvlata Doronicum Lady's Slipper, 12 in. Phlox subulata t. Lily of the Valley, Lemon Day Lily. 20 in. Early Paeony, 2 ft. < 6 in. Hemerocalis flaia Double Daisy, 6 in. S Early Paeony, 2 ft. Lady's .Slipper. 12 in. Early Pseony, 2 ft. Bellis perennis Double Daisy, 6 in. Cowslip, 6 in. Double Daisy, 6 in. Pyrethrum, 20 in. Eariy Pieonv, 2 ft. Bellis perennis Bellis perennis Trillium, 12 in. Pyrethrum, 20 in. Pyrethrum, 20 in. Cowslip, 6 in. . , Trillium, 12 in. Cowslip, 6 in. , Coronilla Varia, 12 in. Candytuft, 10 in. Bleeding Heart, 2 ft. Sea Pink, 9 in. Iberis sempervirens Armeria tnaritima German Iris, 2 ft. German Iris, 2 ft. German Iris, 2 ft. German Iris, 2 ft. German Iris, 2 ft. German Iris, 2 ft. German Iris, 2 ft. Wind Flower, 18 in. Canadian Wild Lily Flame or Wood Lily, Oriental Poppy, 2 ft. Oriental Poppy, 2 ft. Forget-me-not, 4 in. Anemone Pennsylvan- 2 ft. to ^ ft. 2 ft. to 3 ft. to 3 ft. to 3 ft. Scabiosa Caucasia. 2 ft. tea Lilium Canadeuse Lilium. Pkiladelphicum Coral Lily of Siberia, False Indigo. 3 ft. Sweet Rocket, 2 ft. Orange Lily, 18 in. 18 in. .Scotch Pink, 10 in. Sweet Rocket, 2 ft. Babtista Australis to 3 ft. Lilium Elegans Lilium tenvifolium Dianthus plumarius to 3 ft. Canterbury Bells, 30in. Canterbury Bells, Butterfly Flower, 2 ft. Canterbury Bells, Meadow Rue, 2 ft. Campanula media 30 in. Aclepia ^tuberosa 30 in. Thalictrum aguilegifo- Columbine, 20 in. Campanula media Orange Day Lily, 4 ft. Campanula media tium Aquilegxa Columbine, 20 in. Columbine, 20 in. Hemerocalis fulva Columbine, 20 in. Columbine, 20 in. Columbine, 20 in. Jacob's Ladder, 1 fl. Aquileoia Aoutleoia Aquileoia Aquilegia Aouilegia Polemonium cairuleum Iceland Poppy, 12 in. Iceland Poppy, 12 in. Iceland Poppy, 12 in. Maltese Cross, 2 ft. Scotch Pink, 10 in. Gaillardia, 20 in. Lychnis Chalcedonica Dianthus plumarius Coreopsis, 20 in Gaillardia, 20 in: German Catchfly, 9 in. Late PsEony, 2 ft. Downy Yarrow. 12 in. Lychnis viscaria Achillea, The Pearl, Achillea tomentosa Late: Pseony, 2 ft. Late Pa-ony, 2 ft. 20 in. Asphodel, 3 ft. Fire Pink, 18 in. Tall English Larkspur, Peach-leaved Cam- Asphodelus luteus Silene Virffinica 4 ft. to 6 ft. Peach-leaved Cam panula, 2 ft. Coral Bells, 18 in. Delphiniums panula, 2 ft. g ^ Campanula persicifolia Heuchera sanguinea Foxglove, 2 ft. to 3 ft. Campanula persicifolia Lupine, 2 ft. Flowering Spurge, 1 ft. Digitalis Lupine. 2 fl. Lupinus polyph\llus Euphorbia corollata Lupinus polyphUlus »-> Bell Flower, 18 in. Platycodon Iris tectorum, 20 in. White Day Lily, 2 ft. Funkia subcordota Jacob's Ladder, 1 ft. Polemonium Tall Phlox, Miss Lin- gard. 3 ft. Black-eyed Susan, 3 ft. to 4 ft. Rudbeckia hirta Bell Flower, 18 in. Plttycodcn Iris Sibrica, 20 in. Branching Larkspur, \ Delphinium Chinensis, 2 ft. 2 ft. Delphinium Chinensis Tall English Larkspur, Tall English Larkspur, Tall English Larkspur. 4 ft. to 6 ft. 4 ft. to 6 ft. 4 ft. to 6 ft. Delphinium Delphinium Delphinium Foxglove, 2 ft. to 3 ft. Foxglove, 2 ft. to 3 ft. Blue I.arkspur, 3 ft. Digitalis Digiialt.^ Delphinium formosum Sweet William. 12 in. Sweet William, 12 in. Sweet William, 12 in. to 20 in. to 20 in. to 20 in. Dianthus barbatus Dianthus barbatus Dianthus barbatus False Chamomile, 3 ft. Yellow Chamoile, 1 8 in. Helenium autumnate Bergamot, 3 ft. Monkshood, 28 in. to 4 ft. Anthemi^ Kelv.-ai-i superbura, 3 ft. Monarda didyma Aconitum napellus Boltonia asteroides Helenium, Grandiflor- Beard tongue, 2 ft. Rose Campion. 2 ft. Pentstemon Ovatus Baby's Breath, 1 ft. um, 2 ft. to 3 ft. Pentstemon varbatus Agrostemma fiosadonis 3 ft. 'Gypsophilla pantculata Double Hardy Sun- Torreyt Red Valerian, 2 ft. > jHoUyhock, 5 ft. to7ft. tz Japanese Iris, 4 ft. ^ , Phlox, 2 ft. to 4 ft. fiower, 4 ft. Turk's Cap Lily, 5 ft Centranthus ruber Helianthus mulliflorus to 8 ft. Gas Plant, 2 ft. Japanese Iris, 4 ft. Lilium superbum Dictamnus fraxinella Japanese Iris. 4 ft. Japanese Iris, 4 ft. Japanese Iris, 3 ft. Shasta Daisy, 18 in. Japanese Iris, 4 ft. "riger Lily, a ft. HoUyhock; 5 ft. to 7 ft. Hollyhock, 5 ft. to ; Spanish Bayonet, 4 Phlox, 2 ft. to 4 ft 7 ft. ft. to 6 ft. Lilium tiorida Phlox, 2 ft, to 4 ft. Phlox, 2 ft. to 4 ft. i Yucca filamentosa ' Lilium Lougiflorum, 2 ft. to 3 ft. 1 Plujne Poppy, 5 ft. Hardy Sunflower, Helenium Hoopsei, Cardinal Flower, 3 ft. Stone Crop, l.S in. Joe Pye Weed, 6 ft. Sea Holly, 3 ft. to 4 ft. 1 to 7 ft. 7 ft. to 8 ft. 2 ft. to 3 ft. Lobelia cardinalis Sedum spectabilis to 8 ft. Eryngium Bocconia cordota Helianthus mollis Blackberry Lily, 3 ft. Eupatorium purpu Stokes' Aster, 18 in. Flowering Spurge, Ift Helianthus Orgyallis Pardanihus Chinensis reum Shokesia cyanea Euphorbia corollata ,S ft. to 6 ft. Kansas Gay Feather, Ironweed, 1 ft. to 3 ft. Crimson Eye Marsh Heliopsis Pitchenana, 4 ft. Veronica MaUow, 3 ft. 3 ft. to 6 ft. Mallow, 3 ft. Liatris pycnostachya Blue Day Lily. 2 ft. fH Hibiscus Golden Glow, 8 ft. Hibiscus moschentos Funkia carulea g iG^lden-banded Lily, ^ Lilium ^ to I inch . . . l[to 2 inches . . :»EEDS OK PLANTS KOK 100 FEET OF ROW H ounce 2 quarts tubers 60 to 80 plants . . . 1 pint M pint 2 ounces J^ ounce. K ounce K ounce I ounce X ounce K oimce 1 oimce K pint K ounce X ounce 1 ounce 70 roots X otmce X ounce H ounce K oimce X ounce 1 ounce 1 quart ^ oimce K ounce 1 to 2 pints. H ounce. 3 to 9 bushels per acre. yi ounce I oimce 33 plants 1 ounce 1 ounce H ounce }4 ounce }4 ounce X ounce TIME lO MA'IlJKU 15 ntunilis. 6 to H nionthb. I to 2 years 40 lo 65 dayb 50 to 8t) days 60 to SO days. ^ 90 to 1 20 days. 90 to 130 days 5 to 6 months. 75 to 1 10 days. 120 to 150 days. 5 to 6 months. 100 to 130 days. 60 to 100 days. 60 to 80 days. 100 to 140 days. 90 to 180 days. 1 to 2 years. 90 to 1 20 days. 60 to 80 d Ays. 120 to 180 days. 60 to 90 days. 120 to 150 days. 130 to 150 days. 90 to 1 20 days. 90 to 1 20 days. 125 to 160 days. 40 to 80 days. 100 to 140 days. 80 to 140 days. 100 to 140 days* 20 to 40 days S 1 to 3 years. 120 to ISO days.' 30 to 60 days, "f 60 to 80 days. ^ 120 to 160 days. 100 to 140 days. 110 to 140 days. Pointers for MarKet Gardeners A. McMeana, Ontario Agricultural College, GuelpK. Ont. THE best early varieties of beans are Keeney's Rustless and Wardwell's Kidney Wax. For medium, noth- ing is better than the Davis White Wax. The green beans are not appreciated as they should be by the people of Ontario ; a good variety is Valentine. BEETS I used to grow Egyptian for trans- planting and Eclipse for early; but, having tested 55 varieties at the college this season, I would add to these, Model. Its shape is globular; size and season, medium; color and quality, good. CABBAGE Early Jersey Wakefield is best for early, to be followed by Early Summer or All-Head. For winter, Danish Ball- Head is an improvement. Half Head, Hollander and Diamond Winter are all good. For an extremely late one, the Houser is good, but inclined to be a little coarse. BRUSSELS SPROUTS This is a vegetable that will bear boom- ing. Cultivate your market for it. Boom it. Get people to try it, till it is appreciated as it should be. On the other side of the line they are growing it extensively. The wholesale price in New York city is from 6 to 10 cents a quart. CARROTS It is hard to beat the Chantenay ; but in our variety tests, Rubicon outyielded it. It seems to be an improved Chant- enay. In size, it is larger. CORN Early Cory, Crosby's, Kendell's Early Giant, Early Evergreen, Stowell's Ever- green and Country Gentleman will give a succession for the private or amateur gar dener. Grow, also, Golden Bartam and Black Mexican. They are both good in flavor. Be careful not to plant them near your other sweet corn or they may pollenize some of it, causing some grains to be of yellow or black color. LETTUCE For under glass, Grand Rapids; out doors, Hanson. This latter variety is also sold under the following names: Gardener's Favorite, Nonpareil, and Hamilton Market. Toronto Gem and Excelsior are too well known to need description. Unrivalled is about the same as Big Boston, slightly lighter green and without that brownish tinge on the borders. For quality, Deacon is good ; it is sold also under the names of Big Head, Golden Heart, Summer Gem, St. Louis Butter, Triumph and White Russian. It is a buttery cabbage, mid- season, slow to shoot to seed; head, globular, or slightly flattened; color. light grayish green; quality, excellent. Black Seeded Simpson should not be forgotten if you prefer the loose-leaf or cutting lettuce. PARSNIP Hollow Crown is preferred by most people; personally, I prefer the Guern- sey. It is about the same circumference as Hollow Crown, but is shorter and holds its size ; that is, it does not taper off as much as the Hollow Crown. It shape and, in olive shape, Scarlet Coni- cal; out doors, Scarlet Turnip White Tipped, French Breakfast, Chartier, Long Scarlet Short Tip in the reds; White Box, Long White Vienna and Icicle in the white; and Delicious, in golden. China Rose and Black Spanish for winter. "To prevent onion smut, I soak the seed, previous to planting in coal oil. A Outremont Beauty Muskmelon It is a matlcr of pride to Canadians to see their products received with favor and preference in the markets of the United States. One of the largest and Bnest of all niuskmclons. the Outrement Beauty, grown largely in the viomty of Montreal, is being offered to the trade, in competition with Rocky Ford and other standard varieties, by seed firms in the United States. Montreal growers get high prices for the fruit in the New York markets. Indications point to a big market in the future for Canadian melons in the United States. The illustration shows a specimen of this melon with an ordinary Rocky Ford melon placed on top for contrast, also a two-foot rule on bottom and side . will crop equally as well and, when you take into consideration how much easier it is to harvest, it is an extra induce- ment to grow the shorter variety. RADISH For forcing. Rosy Gem, Ruby Pearl, Scarlet Turnip Forcing, in the turnip teaspoonful of oil is sufficient for one pound of seed. I pour it on the seed, stir well, and allow to dry before plant- ing."—J. W. Rush, Humber Bay, Ont. Surprise, Nott's Excelsior, Gradus and Stratagem will give a nice succession of peas in the market garden. 119 Ho-w to Start a Plantation of Onions To grow onions successfully, it is necessary to have a good loam or sandy loam soil. It should be made rich by the application of well- rotted stable manure, at the rate of 40 to 50 tons an acre. I do not use any of the onion fertilizers, but use a large amount of wood ashes and salt, from 400 to 600 pounds to the acre, applied after plowing and sometimes just before sowing. Plow as early as possible in the spring to preserve moisture. Prepare the seed- bed by rolling with a heavy roller (unless it is clayey, when rolling should not be done). Then put on your planker, as it gives a nice, mellow seed-bed. Last year a few growers plowed early in the fall and worked the ground well, and in the spring top-dressed with man- ure, but of course it was well-rotted and fine, so that it would not interfere with cultivation. Out of four experi- ments, three appeared to produce a bet- ter crop than by plowing in the spring. The one had the appearance of being an exceptional good crop early in the £. C. Malcolm, Scotland, Ontario season; but, from some cause, the onions did not "bottom up" well. They were small in size and contained a great amount of picklers. The previous year, this piece of ground produced the best onions in the vicinity. So great a change I am unable to account for. The choice of the variety or kind of onion to grow has to be determined by yourself, as some markets seek one kind and some another. In our section we grow mostly the yellow varieties. Some Southport, but a greater amount of Globe Danvers. There is a growing de- mand for Red Globes. For our market, I would recommend the Yellow Globe Danvers and Red Globes. After choosing the variety comes the buying of seed. In that, a person should be very careful ; for, upon the seed, de- pends the crop to a great extent. The very best seed that can be procured is the cheapest in the long run if it does cost more. Poor seed is dear at any price. Get seed that is sure to germinate. Do not be in too great a hurry to get the seed in the ground. The soil should be thoroughly warmed up before sowing, or the weeds will get started before the onions. We use hand-drills. Little Giant Iron Age, and sow in rows 14 inches apart. When the onions make their appearance through the ground, start harrowing. By that means, you will loosen up the ground and kill weeds. The more you work the harrow the less weeding you will have to do by hand. The harrow that is used is made from light material, pine or elm strips, three-quarters of an inch by two inches. It is three feet by four feet in size and has common spike nails for teeth. A strap or rope is at- tached to pull it with. One man will go over a couple of acres in a half or three quarters of a day. For horse-power, have the harrow 12 to 15 feet long and 3 feet wide. One would think that this way would be injurious to the crop. A few onions would be destroyed by the horse, but the amount of time saved far ex- ceeds the loss. When the crop is ready to harvest, you would not know that a horse had been on the ground. TKe Culture of Late Cabbage HAVING been gardening in the vicinity of Toronto for a number of years on soil varying from Hght sand to the stififest clay, I beg to offer a few suggestions on growing late cabbage from my experience and observations. I usually select a high, comparatively poor piece of land for my seed bed, and sow the seed rather thickly about May 10,' in rows about 12 inches apart. I keep the soil clean until ready. The first week in July should find them in good shape for planting. Should any part of the bed show too much growth, I insert a fork imder them, give it a sharp lift, and let it fall back. This will check them. My idea of a good plant is one rather slim, drawn up six inches in the leg and of a dry, hard appearance. My reason for this is that, when planted out with the crown well out of the ground, the ease of working, especially with a cul- tivator, is a very great consideration. My observations for over 25 years has convinced me that such plants will make equally as good heads as the short ones. Preparing the ground is a matter that dependsalmost entirelvon circumstances. It does not matter when or how as long as the ground is in the condition required. My own plan generally is to set apart the piece wanted, give it a good coat of S. B. Courtis, Toronto, Ont. manure and plow twice. The method of treating land that has been cropped to something else, by just turning it over once for late cabbage, is accountable for such a large amount of rubbish brought in by our gardeners. Occasion- ally, I have raised a good second crop, but every condition must be favorable, and for the average gardener, it cannot be depended upon. The time to plant is, say, from July 10 to 15. Prepare the land and mark it 30 inches from row to row (in the case of a large patch, mark it both ways). At this date, the weather is usually hot and dry. I never wait for showers, but plant right ahead until finished. In case the plants need water, I put three or four barrels in a wagon, drive in the patch 50 or 60 feet , and water before put- ting in the plants. Plant about two feet apart in rows. As to varieties, the following are best : St. Denis, German Brunswick, Danish Bald Head, and Chester vSavoy. These can be bought at any seed store. The St. Denis is a fine all-round cabbage. It requires land in good condition to de- velop it properlv. The German Brims- wick will form the largest and most even heads on poor soil of anv variety that I know. The Danish Bald Head is one of the best for rich, sandy soil. It grows rather long in stem, but the solid- ity and good qualities are perfect. The Chester Savoy is good in every respect. The object of the grower should be (at least it has been mine) to have, by the middle of November, a healthy, clean, medium-sized, compact cabbage. That is what the trade requires. I think these are the most profitable to the grower as they are usually sold by the dozen and not by weight I would sav to a farmer who intends to plant a patch for the first time that ground that will grow a good crop of potatoes will produce a fair crop of cabbage. Gardeners are aware of the fact that Canada is made a dumping ground for the whole continent, and the way matters stand to-day they cannot help themselves in many lines. I see no reason, however, why every winter cabbage that is used in Toronto cannot be raised in the vicinity. There are hundreds of acres of land in easy dis- tance of the market that is second to none for the market gardener. With the abundance of manure that can be obtained for nothing, the good roads, and the splendid prices prevailing I think it is a pity that so much money should be sent out of the city and in some cases, out of Canada, that could be easily kept here if an effort were made. OUR QUESTION AND ANSWER DEPARTMENT Readers of TKe Horticulturist are Invited to Submit Questions on any Phase of Horticultural 'Worh ^^ nk4%> /lMf%»> OMT^^ nM^j^ ^^M>|^ ^lO^^ ^«%:«C^ 0%4%>t /^^ Site for Apple OrcHard I have a piece of land that is low and flat, yet rich and fertile. It has never been culti- vated On one side is a spring pond, and on the other runs a river. In the event of ice jams in spring, the land is submerged for a few days only. It is well protected by hills on all sides. Would such be suitable for growing apples? — W.A.W., Brampton, Ont. From the description given we should not consider the site a very suitable one for an orchard. Standing water, even for a few days, in an orchard may cause serious loss from root killing, as when the soil becomes saturated with water and freezes, the roots of the trees are very liable to be destroyed. Such low- lying ground would probably also not drain well in summer, and apple trees will not grow well where there is a wet subsoil.— Answered by W. T. Macoun, C.E.F., Ottawa. Apply Ashes in Spring How heavily should wood ashes be sown in orchards, and will they hurt a growing cover crop such as vetch or crimson clover; or should they be applied just before turning under, and if so would they not be too late to benefit the existing crop? — R.R., St. Catharines, Ont. W. T. Macoun, Horticulturist, Ex- perimental Farm, Ottawa. — Wood ashes arc usually applied at the rate of 75 to 80 bushels to the acre. AppHed at this strength they would not hurt a growing cover crop. In some spots where the ashes might be applied too thick, slight injury might be done, but on the whole it would not cause injury. We should prefer applying ashes the following spring, after the cover crop has been turned under, as while the ashes might increase the crop of vetch or crimson clover, it would probably do more good if applied in the spring. H. L. Hutt, O.A.C., Guelph.— I would not hesitate to apply 100 bushels an acre if they could be obtained for not more than five or six cents a bushel. Fiftv bushels an acre is considered a good application. There is not much danger of applying too large quantities, as the potash and phosphoric acid is mostly retained in the soil and not lost in the drainage water, as is often the case with soluble nitrogenous fertilizers. The best time to apply ashes is just before turn- ing imder the cover crop in the spring. The trees would then get the full benefit of the application for their season's growfh, and cover crops following would also be benefited by the potash and phosphoric acid still held in the soil. L. R. Taft, Michigan Agricultural College. — Wood ashes can be used with good results at the rate of 50 to 100 bushels an acre, according to the con- dition of the soil and age of the trees. In old orchards they should be spread broadcast, and with young trees they should be applied over a circle some- what larger than the head of the tree. If scattered evenly, they will do no in- jury to cover crops, but if a shovelful is thrown in a place, the plants with which it comes in contact will be destroyed. To get the best results the application should be made quite early in the spring. A Border of Roses I have a flower border, 30 x 3 feet, on the south side of a lattice fence. Would it serve for a rose bed ? If so, what kinds should I plant and how many bushes? — M. M., Toronto The flower border mentioned should be quite suitable for a rose bed, provid- ing it is not overshadowed by trees or buildings. Roses like an open, airy, sunny position, and a rich, clay-loam, well -drained soil. Hardy hybrid per- petual roses on their own roots would be the best kind of bush roses to plant. Ten bushes planted about 32 inches apart in a row in the centre of the bed would be suflficient, the first bush to be planted 20 inches from end of bed. The following are good, hardy, well-tested varieties: Baron de fonstetten. Prince Camille de Rohan, Gen. Jacqueminot, Mme. Charies Wood, Marshal P. Wilder, all dark red or crimson; Mrs. John Laing, Mme Gabriel Luizet, Anna de Diesbach, pink: and Margaret Dickson, white. A moss rose or two could be substituted for any of these; Blanche Moreau or Henry Martin are good varie- ties. Climbing roses could be trained on the lattice fence. Crimson Rambler, Baltimore Belle, Yellow Rambler and Caroline Goderich are good climbing roses, the two first named being the best. — Answered bv Wm. Hunt, O.A.C., Guelph. Rex Begonias I have a fine rex begonia. It has ten large leaves and about a dozen small ones. Do they need any special kind of fertilizer? Do the plants need much sunlight?— B.T., Mount Ver- non, Ont. Any of the ordinary commercial plant foods or fertilizers can be used for rex begonias. Use the fertilizer at about one-half the strength usually recom- mended. Rex begonias do not like direct sunshine. Partial shade suits them best. — Answered by Wm. Hunt, O.A.C., Guelph. 121 Planting Svi^ar Maples I intend setting out a number of sugar maples this spring. Kindly advise when to trans- plant, what size of tree is most likely to grow, and how they should be trimmed. — R.T., Prince Albert, Ont. Sugar maples trees should be planted as soon after the ground is dry in the spring as possible, although they may be planted successfully any time before the leaves expand. Trees from two to three inches in diameter are the most satisfactory to plant, as they are thick enough to withstand the wind and are not too old. Much larger trees than these can be planted with success, but the larger the tree the more difficult it is to transplant. Instead of pruning to a bare pole, as is so often done, we prefer pruning back the branches of the top very severely, but not removing them, and leaving some small twigs to enable the tree to make leaf growth as soon as possible. — Answered by W. T. Macoun, Horticulturist, C.E.F., Ottawa." Mite on Roses .\ nice rose tree I have is not doing well. What is good to put on rose trees? — Mrs. J.A.G., Durham, Ont. It is probably the red spider or mite that is attacking the under side of the rose leaves and that is causing the trouble. Sprinkle the plant, especially on the under side of the leaves, with water every day. A little finely powd- ered sulphur or flowers of sulphur sprinkled underneath the leaves before the leaves are dry will also help to keep down this pest. The plant mentioned may perhaps require some fertilizer. Roses require liberal treatment in the matter of fertilizers to secure the best results possible. — Answered by Wm. Hunt, O.A.C., Guelph. Sorting Seeds I have some flower and vegetable seeds that I wish to sort so as to sow seeds that are even in size. How is it best done? — H.L., Peterboro, Ont. Use sieves having meshes of a size to suit the diflFerent varieties of seeds to be sorted. These sieves can be made very easily bv tacking a piece of muslin, cheese cloth, wire mosquito netting, or wire having a larger mesh, to the bottom of a light wooden frame about 10 or 12 inches square and two inches deep. The sides and ends of any small light box of about the size mentioned will answer very well. — Answered bv Wni. Hunt O.A.C., Guelph. 122 THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST May, 1907 The Canadian norticuliurist Published by The Horticultural Publishing Company^, Limited The Only" Horticultural Magazine in the Dominion QMcial Orean of British Columbia, Ontario, Quebec and Prince Edward Island Fruit Growers* Associations and of the Ontario VeE- etable Growers* Association H. Bronson Cowan, Managing Editor and Business Manager A. B. Cutting, B.S.A., Horticultural Editor W. G. Rook, Advertising Manager Garrett Wall, Circulation Manager GREAT BRITAIN Frank Fletcher, 135 Henrietta Street, Old Trafford, Manchester, Eng., Advertising and Circulation Manager 1. The Canadian Horticulturist is published on the 25th day of the month preceding date of issue. 2. Subscription Price in Canada and Great Britain 50 cents a year, three years $1.20. For United States and local subscriptions in Toronto. 25c. extra a year is charged for postage. Foreign subscriptions, $1 .00 a year, in- cluding postage. 3. Remittances should be made by Post Oflfice or Money Express Order, or Registered Letter. Postage Stamps accepted for amounts less than $1 .00. 4. Discontinuances — Responsible subscribers will con- tinue to receive The Horticulturist imtil the publishers are notified by letter to discontinue, when all arrearages must be paid. 5. Change of Address — ^When a change of address is ordered, both the old and the new addresses must be given. 6. Advertising Rates quoted on application. Sworn circulation 6,500. Copy received up to the 18th. Re- sponsible representatives wanted in towns and cities, 7. Articles and Illustrations for publication will be thankfully received by the editor. Our Protective Policy We want the readers of The Canadian Horticul- turist to feel that they can deal with our advertisers with our assurance of the advertisers* reliability. We try to admit to our columns only the most reliable ad- vertisers. Should any subscriber, therefore, have good cause to be dissatisfied with the treatment he receives from any of our advertisers, we will look into the matter and investigate the circumstances fully. Should we find reason to believe that any of our advertisers are un- reliable, even in the slightest degree, we will discontinue immediately the publication of their advertisements in The Horticulturist. Should the circumstances war- rant we will expose them through the columns of tlie paper. Thus, we will not only protect our readers, but our reputable advertisers as well. All that is necessary to entitle you to the benefits of this Protective Policy is that you include in all your letters to advertisers the words "T saw your ad. in The Canadian Horticultur 1ST.'* Complaints should be sent to us as soon as possi- ble after reason for dissatisfaction has been found. Communications should be addressed: THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST, S06-7-8 Manning Chambers, TORONTO, CANADA FRUIT mSPECTION In a letter to The Canadian Horticulturist recently, Mr. J. A. Ruddick, Commissioner of Dairying and Cold Storage, including fruit, takes exception to an editorial that appeared in oui April issue in which we stated that the Minister of Agriculture at Ottawa had seen fit to dispense with, temporarily, the services of two of the fruit inspectors. Mr. Ruddick writes: "A number of inspectors have always beet, employed temporarily dtuing the apple season. These men are laid off during the period of the ' year when there is absolutely nothing for them to do. The staff of fruit inspectors is not being reduced, but, on the contrary, has been increased dining the past year." In reply we beg leave to say: First, that the number of inspectors is not nearly large enough to watch the fruit interests of the Dominion; second, that when the men were laid off this winter, there was something for them to do ; and third, that the increase in the staff during the past year to the extent of one man is commend- able, but not nearly sufficient. The percentage of export apples seen by the fruit inspectors is infinitesimal. 'fHundreds of thousands of bar- rels leave the coimtry unseen and iminspected. During the past winter, practically all the in- spectors in Ontario were employed within a radius of fifteen miles. 'Tis true, that the larger percentage of stored apples in the prov- ince was there, but in other districts there were stored apples also. During the winter, some 30,000 barrels were stored west of Toronto, not including the city. When the inspector em- ployed in that district was laid off, there were at least 10,000 barrels west of Toronto still to be inspected. Does this not indicate that there was something for him to do? Had all the lots of export apples stored in Ontario last winter been only partially inspected, a staff of at least twenty inspectors should have been employed. Instead of that, the present small number was decreased by two. Now that this question has been referred to, we desire to state that while the inspection of fruit has accomplished splendid results, and while the provisions of the Fruit Marks Act have been enforced in a most commendable man- ner by the Dominion Department of Agriculture, yet there has been a feeling for some time that a decided extension of the work is required. The inspectors are doing good work, but they cannot begin to cope with the situation. The perma- nent staff should be greatly enlarged. Additional inspectors are needed in the west. Requests' have been made frequently for a special inspector for the Niagara District. The cooperative movement in Ontario has reached the stage where one inspector might be detailed with ad- vantage to oversee the packing done by these associations, and to assist them in securing a uniform pack. They have requested that this should be done More assistance is needed at Montreal and in the Maritime Provinces. In slack times these inspectors, or many of them, might be utilized to attend meetings and assist otherwise in encouraging the cooperative hand- ling of fruit. Some of this work has been done this year with most beneficial results. It would be better that some of these rnen should be com- paratively idle for a few months of the year, than that the inspection of fruit should not be performed thoroughly when shipping is in progress. The salaries paid the inspectors, in most cases, are inadequate. It is a wonder that the depart- ment has been able to retain sucli an excellent staff of inspectors. Unless a decided increase is given soon, some of the best men will leave the service and it will be a most difficult matter, if not impossible, to refill their places at the pre- vailing rate of remuneration. Mr. Ruddick concludes his letter to us, by saying: "Your mention of the attempt to evade the Fruit Marks Act by re-marking the apples in a foreign country, outside the jurisdiction of the Fruit Marks Act, is not a very good argu- ment in favor of increasing the staff of in- spectors. It seems to me that the fact that the exporters were obliged to attempt this * sort of thing is very good proof of the close ' inspection which prevented improper marking ^of the packages in Canada." We admit that the incident referred to is proof that the inspection, where the exporter impli- cated was in the habit of doing most of his pack- ing, was thorough, but that does not prove that it is equally thorough elsewhere. The fact is, that the exporter referred to has broken the law time after time, and in such a flagrant manner that the department of late has made his work the object of unusually close supervision. There are other exporters, however, who are breaking the law constantly. Were these men watched as carefully, they too might find it necessary to attempt to conduct their fraudulent practices elsewhere. We know of exporters who have instructed their packers to pack dishonestly because they have known that for eveiy barrel on which they might be detected and fined there would be hundreds of barrels that would leave the country without being inspected. A.s long as this continues to be the case, reason will re- main for the belief that our system of fruit in- spectionfis not as thorough as it should be, and that the staff of inspectors instead of being re- duced temporarily should be increased perma- nently. It is probable that were the work of in- spection under the control of a fruit commis- sioner, it would be conducted more thoroughly. ATTORNEY- GENERAL SHOULD ACT Definite charges have been made, by the Toronto News, against the Canadian Canners, Limited, of Hamilton, to the effect that it oper- ates in restraint of trade and that it should be proceeded against as a combine by the Attorney- General for Ontario. The News has stated repeatedly that this company, through its control of the majority of the fruit and vegetable canning factories in Ontario, shuts out the inde- pendent canner from doing business with the wholesale houses; that it gives the wholesaler a discount or rebate of five per cent, as a reward for refusing to handle goods made by the inde- pendents, and that it arbitrarily lowers or raises the price, to suit its desires — whether to crush its competitors or to make half a million dollars by its mere fiat on prices. This means, if these charges are true, that the thousands of fruit and vegetable growers in On- tario, who grow for canning factories, are at the mercy of this company, and that they are not receiving fair prices for their products. This condition has been suspected often bv the grow- ers, who have complained bitterly of the manner in which they have been treated in the matter of prices. The matter is so serious, we feel that the Ontario fruit and vegetable growers' associa- tions should deal with it immediately bv re- questing Hon. Mr. Foy to conduct an investiga- tion of the charges that have been made. THE BONUS FOR SPRAYING The bonus offered by the government of On- tario to fruit growers for the purchase of power sprayers will do much to benefit the industry in that province. Not only will it lessen the cost of orchard operations and help control the spread of orchard pests, but indirectly it will teach the growers the value of cooperation, which is just as important. In Ontario the necessity for thorough spraying is becoming recognized generally. This is due in no small measure to the excellent educational work that has been accomplished by the Ontario Department of Agriculture. The department for some vears has borne part of the cost of furnishing spraying material, and in some sec- tions has operated spraving machines of its own. This latest move, therefore, is only the culmina- tion of its previous pioneer work. Through the action of the department the growers are to be helped to helo themselves, and that is the liest forin of as.sistance. Hon. Nelson Montcith, Minister of Agriculture for Ontario, deserves credit for the action he has tal?en. A similar move might be made with advantage by the Departments of Agriculture in one or two of the other provinces, notably Nova Scotia. THE SAN JOSE SCALE SITUATION The fact that fruit growers in Ontario are will- ing now to admit the presence of San Jose scale in their orchards and throughout their vicinity, is the best proof of how serious is the situation. As long as the growers would blind themselves to the fact and refuse to admit it for fear that they would injure the value of their property, it was impossible for the government or any person else to do anything to bring about an improvement, as none are so blind as those who will not see. Now, however, the situation is changed. The growers in a number of sections are awake to the fact that if their orchards are to be saved, im- mediate action must be taken and the work be followed up persistently. The San Jose Scale Act should be revised. The government should have greater power to act and it should not hesitate to use that power As in many other matters of a similar nature, it has been proven that it is useless to leave such a law to be en- May, 1907 THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST 123 forced by local inspectors, subject, as they are, to local influences. One of the excellent features of the grant that has been made recently, through Hon. Nelson Monteith, to assist growers in the purchase of power sprayers, is that it will assist the growers to fight the scale. It has been announced that the Department of Agriculture intends to do what it can to further combat this pest. We would suggest that it might make a further grant to assist in the building and equipping of plants for boiUng the lime-sulphur wash. Many growers, in San Jose scale-infested districts, feel that the cost of installing a well-equipped boil- ing plant is beyond their means. Were the government to grant a bonus of, say, iifty per cent, of the cost to organizations of iive or more growers who desire to build it would aid greatly in the suppression of scale. It would be neces- sary to fix the minimum capacity of such plants and to regulate the cost per barrel of the mixture to growers. Assistance of this nature should receive favorable consideration by the Minister. SAN JOSE SCALE ON SHRUBS It is not generally known that San Jose Scale, the dreaded pest of the fruit orchard, is foimd on many ornamental trees and shrubs as well, but such is the fact. As the time for spraying is at hand, all who have trees or shrubs in their charge should look them over at once to find out their condition, and then, if necessary, have them sprayed. For the large fruit plantation, probably the lime-sul- phur wash is the most effective remedy, but for city lots, parks, school grounds and so forth, there are other compounds that are more or less effective in checking the scale, so there is no difficulty on that score. The best of these is advertised in this issue of The Cana- dian HoRTicui drop in Sept., and the buyers began to pick and pack this fruit in bbls., all of which should have gone to our canning factory instead of being shipped and branded as prime Cana- dian apples. A SUMMARY In Ontario I should strongly advise growers to form assns. and to prune, spray, cultivate and fertilize their orchards and ship only good fruit. We have never produced too many good apples any year, but if inferior fruit is shipped early in the season, it blocks the way and forces down the prices of our good fruit. When the consumer, early in the season, gets a few poor lots of apples, he is discouraged and will not buy apples, but buys oranges and bananas instead. In Norfolk county the climate is exception- ally favorable for the growing of late fall and winter apples where orchardists have given their orchards proper care, which, in the.se years, is necessary to produce a good ([uality of fruit. I should recommend the planting of Mcintosh Red, Baldwins, Spys, Russets and Greenings. This list should be large enough to choose from for the commercial orchard. Many of us careful growers had Snow apples March 1 this year in nice condi- tion, and our Kings, Spys, Baldwins and Rus- sets are keeping nicely. I^t it be known it was not the climate nor the varieties of trees planted, but it was the careless grower and lump apple buyers that have been tearing down the reputation won in former years by this county as a producer of excellent quality of winter apples. Our Norfolk Fruit Growers' Assn. has a member- ship now of 43, who have pledged themselves to prune, also spray and make Norfolk apples a high standard of quality, and who are an- xious to get into communication with buyers who are looking for a desirable lot of apples for shipment next fall. — James E. Johnson, Norfolk County. A Po-wer Sprayer Device Camby Wismer, Jordan, Ont That spraying by power is productive of best results and is by far the most economical method of applying spray mixtures, needs no confirmation at this age of advancement in fruit growing. I am an advocate of doing it by what is termed "traction power," because that gives one an ever present supply in abund- ance without a cent of cost other than the purchase of the right kind of machine. On our farm there are a number of hillsides and slopes, upon some of which we grow grapes and other fruits. We cannot spray these suc- cessfully with the ordinary "traction power" sprayer that takes its power from the left hind wheel on account of the driver sometimes be- ing on the upper side and constantly sHpping; accordingly, I decided to apply the principle of a counter shaft with ratchets on either end similar to those of a mcjwer, and arranged to take the power from both hind wheels, which would overcome the diflficultv, and also do away with the necessity of midclaws, because of the resistance of the pump being equally divided between the two wheels. It also would make the machine run more smoothly over hard roads. The principle was applied in the following manner: I already had an old dump cart on which were 56 inch wheels. These I used for the rear, and put a rim sprocket on each of them. 1 also had a pair of good wheels out of a threshing machine truck; these I used for fronts. I made a frame of two by eight inch stuff set on edge and, in this, I hung a half-round tank with the flat side up. I reserved enough room below this to permit of the coiinter shaft being boxed in the lower edges of the frame. I then took the deferential gearing off a Brantford No. 3 mower and reinforced its castings and got a pair of new ones made, and machine fitted on a one and a quarter inch bar of steel. I bought an unmounted Wallace power sprayer, took the sprocket off the crank shaft and used it for a pattern to get another one for the counter shaft. When I got this all ready and set up, it was a success. The two rear wheels with a driving chain from each one worked to my entire satisfaction. Scale is Spreading Ed. The Canadian Horticulturist- The time has come when every person in the fruit business must spray and spray properly. There is lots of scale in the township of North Grims- by. I know of places where scale was very bad last year, and where spraying was done : properly, it is hard to find a live scale now On the other hand, I know of a place tliat was only half sprayed, and now the orchard is about ruined. If fruit growers who find scale in their orch- ards would spray regularly and properly, the^ can keep the pest in check. If spraving is not done, the township of North Grimsby will be as bad as that of old Niagara. The major- ity of our growers have awakened to this fact, and spraying is now being carried on exten- sively.— W. H. Book, San Jose Scale Inspector for North Grimsby, Ont. Have you a copy of the Steele, Briggs Seed Co.'s handsome catalog for the spring of 1907? Mr. W. T. Macoun, Canada's Leading' Horticulturist RECOGNITION of the services and ability of Mr. W. T. Macoiui, Horti- culturist, Central Experimental Farm, Ottawa, recently has been made in a material way, by his having received within the past year at least two offers invit- ing him to sever his connection with the de- |iartment at Ottawa, and to assume similar iluties elsewhere. Fortunately for the Central l',,xperimenlal Farm and for the practical hor- iculturists of Canada, Mr. Macoun has dc- .lincd these tempting offers. As his work lid achievements are of great value to all .ranches of horticultural interest. The Cana- iJiAN Horticulturist thinks it only proper iiid of general interest to publish a few words II further recognition of Mr. Macoun's services i> the country. As a horticultural investi- gator, Mr. Macoun stands jacile princeps in vanada to-day. Mr. Macoun's reputation has not been gained through cheap notoriety, by riginaling curious things in the world of jruit and flowers, but by successfully solving many of the problems of the practical com- mercial fruit and vegetable grower. He is recognized by all who know him as a persistent, never-tiring, painstaking worker, a close ob- server, and one who makes his deductions after much thought and with great caution. He has become an exjiert or specialist in several phases of what we might term " northern hor- ticulture," but more particularly on the apple and potato and their culture. He has paid si^ecial attention to the develop- ment of a hardy winter apple of fine appear- ance and good dessert quality, believing that such an apple would be of inestimable value to the colder parts of Canada. Many instructive and valuable experiments have been carried on with a large number of old and new varieties, to find how far these different sorts can be grown with profit in the different chmates of the Dominion and the localities where they can be produced to the greatest advantage. Over 600 named varie- ties of apples and crabapples have been under test. Experiments have been conducted in shipping apples to Great Britain, in storing apples, in recording the individuality of apple trees, and in determining various other import- ant features in the apple tree and its fruit. In cultural exjK-riments with apples, Mr. Macoun has ct)nducted investigations in fall vs. spring planting, in root killing of apple trees, in cover crops, in mulcliing the soil with green clover, in top-grafting, in the close planting of apple trees, in preventing injury from sun scald and by mice. Excellent experiments have been conducted to determine the value of whitewash as a means of retarding bud growth in spring and for destroying oyster-shell bark-louse and other insects. Valuable experiments also have been carried on with other tree fruits. With grajies, Mr. Macoun has tested the various old and new systems of training, the best means of protecting the vines during the winter and spring, and he has originated many new seed- lings by cross fertilization and selection, in small fruits, much excellent work has lieen ae- compHshed in the testing of \'arieties and in trying the best methods of culture, pruning, protection for winter, and in originating new varieties. The experiments carried on by Mr. Macoun in the cultivation of vegetables to find out what varieties are Ijest suited to the various climates of the country also have proved of much value. The results of these tests and lists of varieties suitable for cultivation on the farm and on the market garden have been published from time to time. For 17 years, Mr. Macoun has been carrying on experimental work with potatoes and he published an ex- haustive bulletin on the subject in 1905. It might not be going too far to say that Mr. Macoun is the best posted man on potato cul- ture in this country — certainly we know of no one here who has, to such an extent, studied and mastered the growing of this indispensable vegetable. Innumerable varieties, both stand- ard and new, have been tested. Work has been conducted to determine to what extent varie- ties change or can be improved by selection. Others have been worked out in treating vari- ous potato diseases, in learning the resistance of the various varieties to blight and rot, in recording how far varieties are affected by change of seed In potato cultural methods, work has been carried on to gain information in regard to the best time to plant, the best fertilizers, the kind of sets to plant, best depth to plant and other points of value. Valuable conclusions have also been arrived at by Mr. Macoun in various lines of work con- nected with the growing of ornamental plants, Mr. W. T. Macoun .iich as herbaceous perennials, woody climbers, llowering shrubs, deciduous and evergreen trees, and so on. Work in forestry has not Ijeen neglected as Mr. Macoun has under his care some 21 acres of forest belts. Mr. Macoun's writings show that he keeps himself in close touch with horticultural ex- jx-rts in the United States and elsewhere, and that he uses the information thus obtained for the furtherance of fruit growing in Can- ada, so far as it is applicable or adaptable to our conditions, and this leads us to say that Mr. Macoun is one who firmly believes in the press as an excellent channel tlirough which to disseminate knowledge. In this matter, as also in that of answering the questions of his fruit gnjwing correspondents, Mr. Macoun is doing a most important and valuable work - one which is highly appreciated throughout the lengtli and breadth of our land. Besides tlie particular work in which Mr. Macoun is engaged at the Central Experimental Farm in Ottawa, he lends the value of his ex- perience to horticultural matters of various kinds in all parts of Canada. He has taken a very active part in the administration of the Ottawa Horticultural Society, probably the most successful horticultural society in Can- ada. In both the Lady Minto and the Lady Grey garden competitions in Ottawa, Mr. Macoun acted in the capacity of judge by special re- quest. He is a member of the board of con- trol of the fruit experiment stations of Ontario, 12S and of the new fruits committee of the Ontario Fruit Growers' Association, and of the exeSu- tive committee of the American Pomologies 1 Society Natural Species H. H. Groff, Simcoe, Ont. The popular theory that species breed true has no longer a place in advanced thought. There is nothing rigid in nature, all forms are in a state of flux or evolution, more or less apparent. i5;Species are sections of natural orders. If by breeding between species the earlier influence is made apparent by atavism, why should we ex- pect the species, a later development, to be inflexible ? The point of difference seems to be between what are called elementary species and taxon- omic species. This would class the former and more flexible sub-section as varieties during the long natural process, producing more complete isolation with increased powers of individual resistance to crossing as well as more certain forces in reproduction whencrossingisattempted. When this process evolves the most complete isolation, the form is entitled to rank in the latter class. The brief span of individual human investiga- tion is far too short to secure the needed com- prehensive knowledge and definite facts desired. In nature there is no absolute uniformity of type, and all types, no matter of what apparent fixity, are constantly, though imperceptibly, undergoing change These constitute the ele- mentary species. When the evolutionary process is complete and the forin stands in the last stage of its isolation as a distinct and individual concentra- tion of vital force, it is entitled to classification as a taxonomic species. In this stage it will hold its place only so long as it may withstand the encroachments of another and more virile member of some other natural order. This is the course of nature in plant, animal and human life. The work of the scientific plant breeder is now sufficiently progressive to supply the needed illustrations for practical use and educative pur- poses. The modern investigator does not ex- pect his product to pos.sess a rigidity not sup- pUed by ages of natural influence, and it is well, as such inflexibility would t)e an insuperable barrier to our progress, on lines of xsthetic, useful and commercial value. More and Better Apples. — -It is estimated that apple orchards sprayed with Swift's Arsenate of Lead will yield a 25 to 50% larger crop and pro- duce apples with a much higher market value per barrel. Potato crops have been found to be doubled through the protection afforded by Swift's Arsenate of Lead against the potato bug. No lime is needed, but it can be successfully mixed with Bordeaux mixture for a combined insecticide and fungicide. Any one interested in this subject may receive a very interesting and valuable book l^y sending a postal card re- quest to the Merrimac Chemical Co., Broad St., Boston, Mass. A cooperative fruit shipping association has been organized at Georgetown, Ont. At a recent meeting of Georgetown fruit growers, it was decided to form a joint stock company with a capital of 81,000. The use of a large freight shed on the G.T.R. track has been secured where the fruit will be packed. The name of the association is "The Georgetown Fruit Growers, Limited," and the following officers were elected: Pres., Wm. Bowman; vice-pres., W. A. Wilson; sec. and manager, Frank J. Barber; treas., Wm. Bradley; di- rectors, Jas. Harrison, Wm. Thompson, and H. A. Reed. 126 T^HE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST May, 1907 fNOTBS FROM THE PROVINCES Sy our Regular Correspondenta and Others British Columbia C. p. iiet£a\i, Hamn^ondj Spri'^^has come again, and^withj_it^spring work. Grafting, fertilizing, spraying, cultivat- ing, and other details of orcharding, so likely to be neglected in the rush to get the^crops in, should not be forgotten. Too often this is the one season of the year when the orchard suffers from lack of attention. Spraying is being more extensively carried on this spring than has heretofore been the case, due, no doubt, to the stricter enforcement of the provincial laws respecting the spraying and pruning of orchards. It is to be hoped that the year will be a favorable one, so that fruit growers may be encouraged to do it more thoroughly, not merely to comply with the law, but for the benefits to be derived. ^ Canes and bushes have come through the winter fairly well. Trees, particularly apples and cherries, suffered some from splitting of the bark of the trimks caused by the thawing and freezing of the sap content. The B.C. Fruit Growers' Association has been holding a series of meetings throughout the interior and lower mainland, with a view to encourage local associations and individual growers to cooperate in the maintenance of prices, and in a more even distribution of the output in the markets of the west. The local association at Revelstoke resolved to endorse the resolution of the Kamloops Frint Growers' Association asking the Provincial Government to establish a fumigation station at Revelstoke for the fumigation of all imported trees for distribution in the interior. At present the only one is at Vancouver, an imf ortunate arrangement, as nearly all the nursery stock coming from the east and south-east has to be taken through Revelstoke to Vancouver, and then back again to its destination, frequently involving a delay of a fortnight. All the interior fruit growers are agreed that such a station should be established at some interior point. TKe l^abor Question in B.C. H. L. Gordon, Vernon The severe winter in British Columbia has been followed by a burst of beautiful spring weather, causing the fruit farmer to look aroimd for necessary labor. The farmer, who must Umit the amount of wages he offers, is at a disadvantage in the search for labor in competition with lumbermen and those able to make tempting offers and recoup themselves by adding to the prices of their commodities. There is a serious lack of immigrant laborers at present. It is said that many who start from Europe with British Columbia as their destination, are captured en route chiefly at Winnipeg. However this may be, the fruit farmers whose trees are as yet improductive, and their name is legion, are unable to find the labor for their orchards, whilst the intention of the provincial government to inspect orchards rigidly for the presence of pests, threatens to place the farmer between the devil and the deep sea; he cannot keep his orchard as it should be without hired labor. It is to the provincial government that the farmer looks for the solu- tion of the labor problem. There has been much talk and many newspaper interviews with officials, but no practical result. The farmer has imtil recently depended largely upon the Chinaman; but there is a con- census of opinion among those who consider I he question dispassionately, that the Oriental aborer cannot meet the requirements of the situation, and^^the agitation of a year ago in favor of the removal of the import tax upon Chinamen has subsided. The permanent good of the country demands white labor, but until the fruit farmer finds work for his laborer throughout the winter as well as in the other seasons, or until industrial expansion in other directions provides winter opportimities for the laborer, it is hard to see .how the farmer's difficulty and the solid welfare of the province are to be met simultaneously A suggestion has been made that 5 acre lots might be sold or rented moderately in the frviit districts to men who would act as farm laborers in the season; but it has not taken root, although it is held that a desirable class of immigrant would be attracted. After all, British Columbia is but going through a difficulty that is successfully, if gradually, met in older districts less favorably situated, and with much less important finan- cial interests behind them; but the farmer is growing somewhat aweary of the prolonged talk on the subject and the lack of action in high places. The prospects of the fruit indus- try in British Columbia are probably imrival- led. It falls to those in authority to see to it that these prospects are not blighted by lack of suitable labor. Nova Scotia ^G. H. Vroom, Dominion Fnut Inspector Another Nova Scotia winter is a thing of the past, for which we are truly grateful. The apple crop has nearly all been marketed at only medium prices. The total export from Nova Scotia for the year 1906-7 will amount to some- thing near 325,000 barrels. I have been looking quite carefully over the orchards in several localities in the Annap- olis Valley during the last week or two, and I find the trees well stocked with fruit buds, which ensures a big bloom, without which we cannot get fruit. I find very little winter killing, and the trees look well. The buds have not yet begun to swell as the weather has been cold and backward. The fact that the buds are kept back by the cold weather is a good thing for the fruit, as the bloom will escape the spring frosts. Caterpillars will very likely be troublesome this season, as the nests are plentiful on the apple trees. Present indica- tions argue in favor of a good apple crop in Nova Scotia this present year. Prince Ed-wrard Island Rev. Father Burke, Alberton The spring is late in Prince Edward Island. It has seldom been later; but, no doubt, the Giver of all Good will not, on this account withhold, any more than other years, the miracle of the multipUcation of seeds, by which the world Uves. In badly broken orchards our experience teaches us that usually it is useless to go to much trouble with repairs. Every broken limb of any size is better off, if not needed for the moment, for purposes of respiration, imtil new sprouts come, etc. All this bolting and wiring ultimately goes to pieces, in most cases. Set out some good new trees, is oiu" advice. And do not be discoiuraged; you are learning all the time and this is all the pleasure of life. What will you put out this spring? This cor- respondence with Chief McNeill will answer as well as anything else: "Rbv. Father Burke: It is difficult, indeed, to say what is the best variety, in fact there is no best variety. A variety is a thing not only of .climate and soil, but of individuals, and con- sequently we need never hope to get at abso- lutely the best variety. Nevertheless, there is x working hst of six that it is undoubtedly ex- pedient to recommend. You give your own personal hst as: 'Duchess, Alexander or Wolt River, Fameuse or Mcintosh Red, Gravenstein (top-grafted). Spy (top-grafted), Stark.' "This is a most excellent hst if you happen to be a Duchess man. Like you, I have the conceit to think that I am a Duchess man, and am putting in 500 trees more of them next spring. Your problem with the Duchess is com- paratively easy because, as grown in Prince Ed- ward Island, they may with a reasonable hope of success be packed in barrels, and will carry to an extent that we in the southern part of Ontario could not think of coimting upon. I expect to have to harvest mine all in boxes and with the assistance of cold storage. Indeed, I should never think for a moment of planting the Duchess if I did not intend to box every Duchess that 1 sold, and ship it with the help of cold storage from the orchard to the market. "Of your second choice, Alexander or Wolf River, I think I would prefer the Wolf River, all things considered, but you would make no mistake in the Alexander. It is a paying apple. So, also, in your third choice, I would prefer the Mcintosh Red to the Fameuse. It is hardier, I think, of better quality, but certainly either of them is good enough in quaUty, but it is a some- what better keeper and shipper. "I must confess that I have always had great hopes of the Gravenstein in Prince Edward Island. Top-grafted on hardy stock such as the Tolman Sweet, McMahon White, Hibernal or Gideon or Haas, it would be hardy almost any- where that other apples grow, and could be har- vested just with the last of the Nova Scotian fruit and for some weeks after. The better keeping quahty of the Prince Edward Island Gravensteins would, I beUeve, so soon give them a place in the market that they would occupy practically the same position as the Georgian Bay Spys do in Ontario fruit, and would call for a top price. I must confess that I never thought highly of the Spy for Prince Edward Island; and nothing but the success of Senator F'erguson keeps me from severely criticizing the Ben Davis and the Stark. — A. McNeill, Chief, Fruit Division, Ottawa." Implements that Save Labor The scarcity of good farm help is a serious problem that confronts fruit growers and gar- deners. The result is that many of them are compelled to allow a large part of their land to lie idle and allow it to run to grass and weeds. The fruit grower \ \. or gardener who depends \ VSv upon Iron Age garden f^^jSjg^^^ tools, has the best help f^\vf!f^^SBfl i'l tl^e world. These l^oAEjI^^jyj / tools do the work easier, mjLmJaJBtOlr^^X quicker, and better than \ ^fflL/V WJw/^^ it can be done by any -A,XAr»^^K^ other methods. Some of them combine several tools in one implement. The illustration shows the No. 60 Iron Age riding cultivator. It is a great time and labor saver. It is quickly adjusted to cultivate any crop in rows from 28 to 48 inches in width. It is successfully operated on both level and hilly land, and on all kinds of soil. It is easy to guide and easy to turn in the smallest space. A little booklet tells about this and many other implements. Write for it to the Bateman Manfg. Co., Box 516, Grenloch, N.J. Men- tion The Canadian HoRTictn,TURisT British Columbia apple growers should make a strenuous effort to command the apple mar- ket of Australasia. Reports from the Cana- dian Commercial Agent at Sydnej;, N.S.W., indicate that a larger trade in this product should be carried on between Canada, particu- larly B.C., and that coimtry. May, 1907 THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST 127 OrcKard Management At the last P.E.I. F.G.A. convention an address on "Orchard Management " was de- livered by Mr. W. T. Macoun, C.E.F., Ottawa. He spoke especially on that part of the work relating to varieties, cultivation, cover crops, fertilizers and pnining. In referring to varie- ties, he mentioned those which appeared to him particularly suitable for the Annapolis and ComwalUs valleys as judged from obser- vations recently made by him on a trip through the Annapolis valley. He said that in the future the Blenheim was going to be to the val- ky what the Gravenstein had been in the past, as this sort did particularly well, and was sought for in Great Britain. Other suitable varieties were Ribston, King, Baldwin, Wagener, and Stark. Others which did well, though not quite so satisfactory, are Greening, Northern Spy, Golden Russet, Roxbury Russet or Nonpariel. The Ben Davis does well, but ii not recommended. He thought orchards were cultivated more thoroughly in N.S. than in most places in Canada, but cautioned the fruit growers against cultivating too late, as he believed tl^t the so-called "collar rot" of the Gravenstein and other varieties was caused by the trees growing too late in the autumn, and that the bark at the ground was burst when severe frost came, the wood not being thoroughly ripened at this point. He recom- mended stopping cultivation earlier and seed- ing down with cover crops to check growth. Referring to fertilizers, he said that young trees do not require much fertilizer, good cultivation early in the season being more important. Ex- pensive fertilizers may be applied to bearing trees. Cover crops were recommended for young and old orchards to furnish humus and nitrogen, and to bring the soil into a better mechanical condition, thus lessening the leach- ing of plant food and favoring a thorough aeration of the soil, which Mr. Macoun con- tended was as important a factor in cultiva- tion as the retention of moisture. In pruning bearing or old trees they should be treated back at the top and sides from the outside, rather than pruning off the large lower limbs and cutting out the centre of the tree. This forces the tree to more upward growth, mak- ing picking harder, while heading in encour- aged the development of bearing wood lower down. Considerable discussion followed this paper, esiJecially on the subject of "collar rot," some favoring Mr. Macotm's views and some not sure that this late growth was the cause. Toronto Hort'l Society The Toronto Horticultural Society held its regular meeting on April 2. Arrangements were made for the distribution of seeds to school children and other routine business transacted. Mr. Wm. Hunt, of the O.A.C., Guelph, was the lecturer of the evening, his subject being "The Mixed Flower Border." His address was, as usual, full of good, sound, practical information. The speaker stated that he had selected "The Mixed Flower Border" as his subject for several reasons one being that very few flower lovers in towns or cities had sufficient ground to allow of their having a border of what are usually considered as strictly border perennials alone. For this reason, and the fact that in having a more varied selection of plants such as spring and summer flowering bulbs and plants as well as a few annuals, or even greenhouse and house and window plants mixed in judiciously, a more continuous and lengthened period of flowering results could be obtained. Numerous questions were asked the speaker during and after the address, the audience evi- dently being deeply interested in the subject. A hearty vote of thanks was tendered the speaker at the close of his remarks. Extracts from Mr. Hunt's address will be published in another issue. Notes from Societies The Thornbury Horticultural Society will miss the well-known and genial face of its late secretary, A. W. Walker, who has gone to join the great majority. He settled in that locality some 40 years ago. The St. Catharines Horticultural Society is booming. Indications point to a banner year. Three shows will be held, as last year, Jime, July and September. The September show will surpass in every way the one of last season. At a meeting of the Hamilton Horticultural Society, held April 11, Prof. H. L. Hutt of the O.A.C., Guelph, gave an address on "How to Beautify Homes." The lecture was illus- trated by means of lantern slide views, and was much enjoyed. A most enjoyable meeting of the members and friends of the Grimsby Horticultural Society was held at the beautiful residence of Mr. Linus Woolverton, on April 12. The speaker of the evening was Mr. Wm. Hunt, of the O.A.C., Guelph, his subject being by request, "Our Grandmother's Garden." Much information of a practical and interesting nature was impart- ed to those present. At a recent meeting of the Woodstock Horti- cultural Society, Mr. Wm. Hunt, of the O.A.C., Guelph, spoke on two subjects, "The Mixed Flower Border," and "Seasonable Topics." The speaker in his introductory remarks con- gratulated the citizens on the securing of a parks, shade tree and boulevard commissioner. The subjects of the evening were matters on which the speaker seemed quite at home. A number of questions were asked Mr. Hunt, who replied in his usual ready and well-informed manner. In the afternoon, Mr. Hunt addressed about 200 scholars at the Central School, among whom the Woodstock society is distributing about 300 packets of aster seeds. Reliable Plants for Spring Planting ROSES SNOW^QUEENI(Frau Karl Druschki or White American Beauty). The new German Rose which has made such a sensation. Flowers exceptionally large and .snow white. Strong grower and free bloomer. BABY RAMBLER. This new Rose is of dwarf habit and con- tinually blooms from Spring until frost. At the approach of cold weather the plants can be potted and brought in the house, where they will bloom throughout the winter. Also Baron Prevost, Crimson Rambler, Dorothy Perkins, Madame Plantier, Marshall P. Wilder, Margaret Dickson, Paul Neyron, Ulrich Brunner, White Ramblers, Yellow Ramblers, and a general assortment of extra hardy field-grown Roses which cannot fail to give satisfaction. WRITE FOR USTS AND PRICES EVERGREENS 250,000 NORWAY SPRUCE (fPicea excelsa) in all sizes from 9 inches to 3 feet All transplanted, healthy and bushy stock, just in the condition for forming thick Evergreen hedges an4 shelters. Also Thuja NervEeneana, Thuja Pyramidalis, Thuja Semper- auresceus (a most beautiful bronze and golden coloured dwarf growing arbor-vitje), Austrian, Scotch and White Pines, all sizes. Retinosporse in variety, and the leading varieties of Thuyop.sis, Abies, Taxus, etc.. WRITE FOR LISTS AND PARTICULARS Stock packed carefully and shipped by Freight or Express. Shipments made daily by G.T.R., C.P.R., M.C.R., T. H. & B. Ry. and Canadian and Dominion Express ESTABLISHED U CENTURY HELDERLEIGH NURSERIES E. D. SMITH Mention The Csnsdian Horticulturist when writing. NURSERIES 750 ACRES WINONA, ONTARIO 128 THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST May, 1907 Items of Interest ^-" At a meeting of the Ottawa branch of the Ontario Vegetable Growers' Association, held recently, the question of using baskets in- stead of boxes for tomatoes was discussed. No definite action was taken. Lovers of flowers should read the offer of The Canadian Horticulturist to give 10 gladiolus corms free to all readers who will send in one new subscription for the paper. The offer is good only until May 15 Take advantage of it now. Several severe freezes have destroyed the peach crop in this vicinity, and have damaged the apples and plums, and the cold, dull weather has been most unfavorable for the fertilization of all the early blooming fruits.— B. S. Pickett, Champaign, lU. All the leading varieties of strawberries, raspberries and potatoes are grown and sold by John Downham, Strathroy, Ont. Send for lus catalog. All nursery stock should be fumigated with the roots covered with earth so as to protect the roots against danger from the gas. Some nurserymen are a trifle careless and get in too much of a hurry and the grower suffers. The latter loses not only cash but time and labor. — ^W. A. Hunsberry, Jordan Station, Ont. Do you want to try a new strawberry, and one that has proved of superior merit by actual test? If so, send one new subscription to The Canadian Horticulturist, and receive 20 plants free. Read the offer in our advertising columns. From Far-ofl' China. — The following letter was directed to Mr. M. J. Henry, of Vancouver, B.C., who sent it to us: "1 am directed by His Honor the Commissioner to write and ask you if there is a good fruit journal published in Canada. If there is, I am to ask you to be kind enough to order it sent here for one year, addressed to me. J. Gibbons, Port Edward, Wei Hai Wei, China," Worth Ten Times Its Cost. — Mr. W. H. Gibson and I have repeatedly compared the cost of our spraying outfit and the results, and we are prac- tically certain that a Wallace Sprayer would pay us supposing it cost $2,000 instead of $210 Our orchards as yet have not reached maturity, the majority of trees being about 10 years old. We consider, therefore, that the machine will pay us still better in the future. We are seriously considering buying another, so that each will have a machine. I am planting out 1,000 trees on another farm that I have, and expect to have to get a sprayer for there in a few years. Need- less to say it will be a Wallace — H. C. Bowen, Newcastle, Ont. Practical Books For All. — Any books on horti- culture may be obtained through us at a reason- able price. Every fruit grower, gardener and amateur florist should write for our brief catalog of 16 pages, which will be mailed free of charge to all who are interested. The following are a few of the books we handle and their prices: "Fruit Harvesting, Storing, Marketing," F. A. Waugh, $1; "Practical Fruit Grower," Maynard. 50cts.; "Vegetable Gardening," S. B. Green, $1; "Garden Making," L. H. Bailey, $1; "Gardening for Young and Old," Jos. Harris, $1; "Home Floriculture," E. E. Rex- ford, $1; "Practical Floriculture," Peter Hen- derson, $1.50. Write to The Horticultural Publishing Co., 506-7-8 Manning Chambers, Toronto. One of the three most important elements of plant food in the soil is potash. In fruit trees, it produces fruitfulness rather than ex- cessive wood growth. It has an influence on the flavor and it causes the fruit to color up better. Fruit growers and gardeners should use a certain amount of potash each year ■ their soils. Write for further information regarding it to the Dominion Agricultural Offices of the Potash Syndicate, 1102-1103 Temple Building, Toronto, Ont. The Canadian Horticulturist for March is a beautiful number, a positive credit to this Dominion. Every orchardist and gardener should subscribe for this 50 cent magazine. It is equal to many dollar publications.^Bow man- viUe Statesman. ASPARAGUS WANTED If you will have any Asparagus to sell this Spring write to me at once with particulars. It will be more profitable to sell to me than to any one else. Let me hear from you. Jj" ^ E. C. KIDDER ST. CATHARINES, ONTARIO Meiitimi The (■;iii,i4Uaii ll.nti. iilturist wh.'ii wiitlrtg. Dominion Line ROYAL MAIL STEAMSHIPS MONTREAL TO LIVERPOOL OTTAWA May 4th VANCOUVER . . . . -, " 6th DOMINION ' " nth KENSINGTON .... "18th SOUTHWARK " 25th CANADA June 1st Above steamers all carry passen£ers MONTREAL TO BRISTOL (Avonmouth Dock) TURCOMAN May 4th ENGLISHMAN .... "18th MANXMAN " 25th Favorite Steamers for all kinds of perishable cargo having fan ventilation, cold storage, and cool air chamber. GEORGE W. TORRANCE, Freight Agent . 28 WeUington St E., TORONTO M. A. OVEREND I J. W. WILKINSON j • • • • DOIUHION LINE— PORTLAND, Maine. Mention The Canadian Horticulturist when writing. Travelling Freight Agents BRITISH AMERICAN WAR SPECIAL eORRESPONDENCE Gasport, N.Y., April 15th, 1907 Both American and British Horticulturists have declared war against the San Jose scale, and in order to make effective the fight, they have placed an order with the leading manufacturers of spray- ing apparatus for ninety-nine of their gasoline power machines, hundreds of their new ball shut-offs, thousands of their nozzles and a great many more of their hand pumps than ever before. These orders are a direct result of the good work which the "Friend" outfits have been doing in the past years. The Company report that they have made shipment of eighty of the ninety-nine liJOT machines sold this season and are filling orders promptly on other lines. Every mail brings orders from as far west as Oregon and as far east as Nova Scotia, and they have shipped many of their machines into Australia, Egypt, etc. Every mail brings to the Company words of praise and com- mendation from the most prominent Fruit Growers in the world, regarding the machines and especially the spray nozzle which is constructed that it takes the place of the usual cluster of nozzles and the one is all that is necessary. They have carefully protected their own ideas and warn all people to be careful what they buy, as users as well as manufacturers of the infringed articles are liable. In this issue is pictured one of their complete machines at work in one of Niagara County's orchards in the earh' spring. The "Friend" nozzles and shut-offs attract considerable attention, espe- cially on a cold day when dripping, clogging nozzles and leaky shut-offs are the pest of the job. If you want to get in touch with a concern devoted exclusively to the manufacture of spraying apparatus, who originate all of their own ideas, write your wants to the "Friend" Manufacturing Company GASPORT, N.Y. Mention The Canadian Horticulturist when writing May, 1907 THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST 129 A PoAver Sprayer Bonus In the production of high-grade fruit, spray- ing has become the most important operation of the year, and while widely practised in certain sections, has not yet been given the attention that it reciuire^ in the apple sections. The ad- vent of the power sprayer is of such recent date that the advantages it gives, especially in the spraying of apple orchards, is not yet appre- ciated. For many years the Ontario Department of Agriculture has been advocating more and bet- ter spraying. Demonstrations in the use of hand and power outfits, and the preparation and application of the most effective mixtures, have lieen given throughout the province with satis- factory results. It is now felt that such informa- tion has l5een sufficiently diffused and another step forward is proposed. The Ontario Fruit Growers' Association has within the past 3 years assisted in organizing a large number of fruit growing associations. One of the aims of these associations has been the cooperative spraying of orchards of their mem- bers, and it is now proposed to assist these and kindred organizations in such spraying work. With this aim in view, the Minister of Agricul- ture has asked the Legislature for a grant of $6,000 to be devoted to the assistance of fruit growers in the purchase and operation of ]30wer spraying outfits. Many associations already own and are operating such machines and these will receive the same aid as those organizing during 1907. The conditions under which the grants are available have been made as simple as pos- sible with the hope that a decided stimulus will he given to the proper spraying of orchards during this and coming seasons. F'ollowing are the regulations covering the payment of the grants ; A grant of $.50 will be made to any 5 or more farmers who unite to form a fruit growers' as- •sociation for the purchase and operation of a power spraying outfit during the season of 1907. These associations need not be incorporated to qualify for this grant, though incorporation of cooperative associations should be obtained if the full benefits of cooperation are desired. Cooperative fruit-growing associations own- ing and operating two or more power sprayers will be eligible to draw a grant for each machine operated . The number of such associations receiving assistance during the present year shall not exceed 100, At least 25 acres of fruit trees must be thor- oughly sprayed during the proper season with each outfit. A reasonable portion of such spraying must be done on the farms or orchards of each of the parlies forming the association. Such associations before receiving any por- tion of the grant shall satisfy an inspectrir of the department of agriculture that the above conditions have been complied with, and shall make such reports as shall satisfy the minister of agriculture. Associations desirous of participating in this grant must apply to the department not later than the first day of May. Forms for making applications will be furnished on request. HigK-class Perennials Mr. E. Byfield, who contributes the article in this issue on "The Hardy Herbaceous Border," has for the past 10 years been an ardent enthusi- ast in the growing and testing of this class of plants He has succeeded in getting together a collection probably second only in Ontario to that of the provincial collection in Queen \'ic- toria Park, at Niagara Falls. His aim has been to thoroughly test the adaptability of plants of this description to withstand the rigors of our Canadian w^inters, and to select the very choicest varieties of these plants that are procurable. His efforts have been so successful and appli- cations for plants from his grounds so numerous, that he has been practically compelled to place his spare stock on the market. A limited quan- tity of such plants as delphiniums, oriental pop- pies, pyrethrums, Canterbury bells, columbines, coreopsis, foxglove gaillardias, hollyhocks, Ger- man and other iris, perennial phlox, helianthus, rudbeckias and many other kinds of hardy plants, thoroughly tested on his grounds are offered, as far as they go, at reasonable rates. All communications sent to his address. Lock Box 96, Balmy Beach P.O., E. Toronto, will receive his prompt attention. I have been in communication with The Dem- ing Company, and have inspected their power outfit in actual field work with lime-sulphur, at Lockport, N.Y. I can safely say that this com- pany have a splendid power outfit and one that should commend itself to practical growers, as well adapted for the purpose. — \V. H. Bunting, St. Catharines, Ont. The Largest Aster in the World KATE LOCK This aster has won hig'hest awards at the leading exhibitions in Canada Colors are in Separate TacUages White or Enchantress Pink Shade Large Size Trade Packages, $1.00 J. H. LOCK, ORIGINATOR 41 Manchester Ave. TORONTO ,Vo/ guaranteed unless bearing tny signature KEWANEE WATER SYSTEMS (air PRE.SSURE) Are now in use in over 7,000 Private Homes, Stock-farms, Greenhouses, Ranches, Hospi- tal s, Charity Homes, Apart- ment Houses, Factories, Gov- ernment Build- ings, etc. Built in sizes to suit the smallest fam- ily or the larg- est town. Throw streams 100 feet high. Every- thing out of sight and reach of frost. .\o failures. They are NOT expensive luxuries hut ARE ECONOMICAL NECESSITIES, and give to the country or village resident the FULL SERVICE AND FIRE PROTECTION afforded in the cities. No elevated tank nuisances. A $50.00 BONUS IS OFFERED TO PURCHASERS OF WALLACE POWER SPRAYERS BY THE ONTARIO GOVERNMENT Send to tho Department of Agriculture, Toronto, for full p:u-titubirs. anrl " get busy " about it at once— ttie grants are limited. (»et the machine which has never proved a failure; which hae never been returned on the guarantee thereof; which gives the best of satisfaction; which is GlARANTEEO ABSOLUTKLY; the kind for which as high as .'i-2 repeat orders have necn given by ditferent orchard companies — THK WALLACE. It is now replacing other njakcs. ''The experience at the Experimental Farm, Ottawa, goes to show that it is possible, with careful spraying, to practically banish the Codling Moth from Canadian orcliarde. Last year it was impossible to tind a spc( inien of the Codling Moth in tho orchards of the Experimental Farm, and what was done there can be duplicated in any good orchard in Canada."— (See April issue Canadian Horticulturist, page vii.) The above spraying was done with a Wallace " Duplex" Sprayer. Investing in a Wallace Power Sprayer has returned as high as 14 times its cost in ONE SEASON on the Codling Moth alone; it boats the mining slocks to a finish. Try it. Do it NOW. We have all sizes and styles in bot.h Automatic and Gasoline outfitF, The Automatics furnish ABUNDANCE OF POWER WITHOUT ONE CENT OF CO-iT. Will spray anything, and no trees too largo for them. Full in- formation free for the asking -write for it. Reearding any of these incr«a«- insly popular goods, enquire of W. H. BRAND CANADIAN REPRBSBNTATIVE AND SALESMAN Jordan Station, Ont. Mention The Canadian Horticulturist when writinji ISO THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST May, 1907 i POULTRY DEPT. | *J Conducted by ^* Q S. SKort, Otta-wa if Intended improvements in the flocks should be made in May. This is the best season to take out the mongrels and replace them with pure-breds. In the first place, for the sake of economy it is cheaper to get one or more settings of eggs from a reliable source than to buy a pen of pure-bred birds. At this time of year pens of fowls are very hard to purchase, for breeders have disposed of all their surplus stock and do not care to break up their breeding pen unless a good cash offer is made. It should not be hard to get good hatches this month; that is, 10 chicks out of every setting of eggs. It is better to purchase from a well-known breeder, as you are surer of better results. When a breeder has been years establishing his reputation, he is not going to throw it away by selling poor eggs for hatching, but on the other hand is going to sell eggs from good stock and IF YOU HAVE APPLES OR POULTRY TO CONSIGN we can handle them for you to advantage. If apples are in car lots, write us and we can sell them for you f.o.b. your station THE DAWSON COMMISSION CO. Cor. West Market and Colborne St. TORONTO ONTARIO from fowls mated together by an expert. He. wants to sell eggs that will hatch strong chicks, that will not only be a pleasure and satisfaction to the owner, but will also be a credit, and add to the reputation of the breeds from which the eggs were obtained. In past years, poultry raisers have borne rather doubtful reputations more or less deserved. Nowadays, the fanciers are men of different character, more intelligent and with better plants and facilities. No one but the experi- enced poultry raiser knows what possibilities there are in skilful breeding, especially to pro- duce a winner in the popular breeds. Owing to the prevailing high prices of poultry and eggs, brainy men of good repute have been attracted to the field of thoroughbred poultry raising, and no one need refrain from investing in eggs from high-class stock through fear of being duped. As a rule, eggs hatch an equal number of both sexes. It will be necessary, therefore, to hatch twice the number of chicks as females required for the laying pens next winter. Fruit growing and poultry keeping should go together. With little additional labor, 2 crops can be raised from the same land, one of fruit, and another of fowls There is no better place for young chicks than in the orchard or berry patch. The following facts, though, have to be considered: Young and old fowl will pick at strawberries as soon as they begin to color. They will eat green grapes and green goose- berries if they get the opportunity. They will eat ripe raspberries and red currants. They will not eat black currants until the currants are so ripe that they fall from the bushes. They will eat windfalls from the fruit trees, also all moths and bugs that abound in the orchard. The following plan is followed by the writer without the slightest inconvenience. The poultry rims are planted with black currant bushes and apple trees. About the middle of August, when the currants and early apples are ripe, the fowls are removed to the raspberry and red currant plantations, the crop being over and the patch being enclosed with poultry netting and provided with temporary roosting quarters. K.eepin^ Hens for Profit Alfred Andrews, Burlington, Ont In the April number of The Canadian Horti- culturist I contributed a brief article on "Keeping Hens for Profit." From what was said, one might ask: Why do I remain in the business? My answer is that I want to be sure of having first quality of eggs for our own use, without the torment of looking after a supply outside, and often utterly failing in oiu" efforts. Then, a number of friends who cannot keep fowls get their supply from us They volun- teer the statement that they "get no stock such as we supply them." Eggs may be fresh and yet not of good quality otherwise. The quality and particularly a rich, agreeable flavor, cannot be assured without care- fully providing for it. This depends on clean, pure, rich food, fed at proper times and in proper quantity; on clean water, fresh at least every morning and in good supply; and on clean, wholesome apartments. Our dropping boards are scraped clean every morning and then sprinkled with dry, clean sand, making it easy to keep the hens from carrying into their nests any filth to soil the eggs. This could be washed off, but the beauti- ful bloom on a first-class egg should never be washed off. At least once a week all the litter on the floors must be removed. Next in importance, is to see that the eggs are gathered frequently, especially when the fowls are broody. When gathered, they should not be allowed to stand in a warm, close, or damp room, before they are marketed The runs should never contain pools of filthy water, or other decaying matter. FLORAL WORK A SPECIALTY High Grade Seeds Graham's Royal Exhibition Asters Graham's Royal Exhibition Dwarf Nasturtiums Graham's Royal Exhibition Pansies Graham's Royal Exhibition Sweet Peas Anyone interested in real Exhibition strains of above should grow them. One large packet of each 30c. postpaid. Illustrated Catalogue on application. GRAHAM BROTHERS SEEDSMEN AND FLORISTS 53 and 55 SPARKS ST. OTTAWA Mention The Canadian Horticulturist when writing Feed Your Land WITH GOOD MANURE AND GET GOOD RETURNS MARCHMENTS SURE GROWTH COMPOST IS THE BEST Supplied to the Largest Nurserymen and Fruit Growers in Ontario S. W. MARCHMENT 133 VICTORIA ST. TORONTO Telephones Main 2841 Residence Park 951 Mention The Canadian Horticulturist when writing May, 1907 THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST 131 I like the kind of exercise that must be taken to have best results. Caring for the fowls is a source of health, without being at all severe labor. In many concerns the bye-products are con- sidered of importance. So with us. The drop- pings from the fowls, mixed with dry sand and own into an enclosed pile, makes the finest ilizer for the gardens and berry bushes. These are some of the reasons why I keep Is. When the business is fairly well under- d and judiciously carried on, there are fair babilities for a moderate return, if one is patient enough to wait. Beyond that, look out, or you'll be sorry. Novelties in Veg'etables Ed. The C.'iNADiAN Horticulturist: I read with interest the article from Mr. J. W. Rush, of Humber Bay, Ont., in the March issue of The Canadian Horticulturist. While I agree with the greater part of it, there are one or two sentences to which I desire to take ob- jection, viz., "Let new varieties and novelties alone Leave them for the college students to try; we have no time for such work." If we had followed that rule in the past, what varieties of vegetables would we be growing to-day? The Marrowfat pea, Peachblow po- tato, or would it be Fluke's or Carter's, Demi- dur and Le Normand cauliflower, and so on? Seedsmen will give us new varieties just as soon as there is a demand for them, not before. With regard to Mr. Rush's proposal to leave the testing to college students, I may say that if Ontario Agricultural College students were meant, the work probably would be both pleasant and profitable to them, and was at- tempted to some extent last year; but of what value would their experiments be to the com- mercial vegetable growers of the province? Can the name of one leading variety of vege- tables be stated that was introduced to the pub- lic in that way? It certainly would be foolish to plant un- tested varieties, but a little time spent in con- sulting the catalogs of leading seedsmen in Canada and elsewhere, and a small expenditure made every year in securing and testing new varieties, would be one of the most profitable investments a vegetable grower can make. — Thos. Delworth, Weston, Ont. FOR SALE AND WANT ADVERTISEMENTS Advertisements under this heading inserted at rate of one cent a word for each insertion, each figure, sign or sinele letter to count as one word, minimum cost, 25 cents, strictly cash in advance. I ANDSCAPE GARDENING —Plans drawn '-' to scale for laying out and planting parks, cemeteries, public or private grounds. Work supervised. C. Ernest Woolverton, landscape architect. Grimsby. (^ ARDENER seeks situation in private place. Fifteen years' experience under glass and outside. Age thirty. Good references. Box B, Canadian Horticulturist. rOR SALE. — Niagara Power Sprayer, hun- dred gallons, with tower cart, five-row crop sprayer, tank pump, complete outfit. Used one season. F. Fairbrother, Oakville, Ont. IF YOU ARE in need of nursery stock for planting this spring, write at once to the Smith & Reed Co., St. Catharines, for their catalog. USED IN CANADA 23 YEARS SLUG SHOT USED FROM OCEAN TO OCEAN Kegistered in U.S. Post Offloe A light, composite, fine powder, easily distributed either by duster, bellows, or in water by spraying. Thoroughly reliable in killing Currant Worms, Potato Bugs, Cabbage Worms, Lice, Slugs, Sow Bugs, etc., and it is also strongly impregnated with fungicides, sar Put up in Popular Packages at Popular Prices. Sold by Seed Dealers and Merchants in Ontario, Quebec and Manitoba. For Pamphlets worth having on Bugs and Blights, send to BENJAMIN HAMMOND FISHKILL-ON-HUDSON, N.Y. Mention the Canadian Horticulturist when writing YE OLD PIRME OF? HEIINTZIVIAIN «Sfc COiViPAINY ESTABLISHED F^'IPTY YEARS CLEARING SALE OF SPECIAL PIANOS SI.IGHTI.Y USED AT A FEW CONCERTS JUST EIGHT OF THEM, BUT EACH ONE A DEAD BARGAIN. BE WISE AND CALL OR WRITE WITHOUT DELAY i* ii* ' R. S. WILLIAMS— Upright Cabinet Grand, ebonized case, panelled top door. 7 l-H octaves, in first class condition, thoroughly over- tfO-l C AA hauled ; regular price, J450.00. Special q>*'l J.UU R. S. WILLIAMS — Upright Cabinet Grand, golden oak case, beautiful carved panels in to]) door, 7 1-3 octaves, practically like new, ca.se revarnished, new haniineis, etc.; fully guaranteed. C l\t\ .Special, at ^CCJ.W STANBURY & SON— Upright CJabinet Grand, beautiful walnut case, full leiigi h music rack, Boston fall, 7 1-3 octaves, 3 pedals; prac- CO^CI OO tically as Kood as new. Special, at ^£f^~J*\J\J WORMWITH & CO. — Cabinet Grand, walnut case, full length music rack, Hosion fall, 7 1-3 octaves. 3 pedals, sustaining bass, full metal plate, in elegant condition, fully guaranteed; used less than three «t'9*irt ftrt months. Special, at ^£>J\f,\J\J ENNI3 & CO.— Full-size Cabinet Grand, 3 pedals, beautifully decorated, full length music rack. Boston fall. 7 1-3 octaves, full metal plate. This piano is in elegant condition, has been used for concert work, C^fiJCJ A A and is practically new. Special, at ip£f^Dm\J\J LISZT, TORONTO-Beautiful Colonial design Cabinet Grand Piano, in ma- hogany, full length music rack, 3 pedals, full metal plate, fully guaranteed, has only been out a couple of times to concerts. C5ACI A A Al value at .^^OJ.UU UXBRIDGE UPRIGHT — Cabinet Grand, mahogany exhibition case, 4 ft. 10 in. high, 7 1-3 octaves. 3 pedals. This is a particularly fine-looking piano, and has a good tone, fully guaranteed; regular price, $500.00. t27''» 00 HEINTZMAN & CO. — Upright Cabinet Grand, in beautiful burl walnut case, with three hand-carved panels in top door, swing music rack, 7 1-3 octaves, in elegant condition, case revarnished, new hammers, etc.; t07Q AA five-year guarantee; regular price, $475.00. Special, at •P*' « J. W This is one of our vfell-known make, and will give satisfaction to any musician. .Several slightly used Piano Players, including Pianolas, Harmonist, etc.; at prices ranging from JKM.OO. $125.00, 8150.00 and $176.00. All in excellent condition, and a quantity of music given with each machine. -SEE THESE. EASY TERMS OF PAYMENT- $1.50 per week or $6.00 per month, quarterly or half-yearly payments if desired. A nice stool accom- panies each piano. Piano-players at very reasonable terms. Freight paid to any point in Ontario, and reasonable arrangements to any other Province. YE OLD FIRME OF HEINTZMAN & CO., Limited 115-117 KING STREET WEST TORONTO, CANADA Mention The Canadian Horticulturist when writing 132 THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST May, 190'; Trees Indicate a Good Fruit Season Arsenate of Lead and save your potatoes. Destroys also the Coddlins-Moih, the Elm Beelle and all uilier leaf-eating insects. Swill's Arsenate of Lead sticks to the foliage, saving respray- ing after rains, and never burns or scorches, no matier how strong the solution. Swift's Arsenate of Lead is endorsed by leading fruit growers, truck farmers and horticultural ex- perts. Our booklet, sent free, tells more about Swift's Arsenate of Lead, and gives testimonials from your own locality. Write for it. M'=RRIMAC CHEMICAI CO. 61 Broad St., Boston, Mass. ^ 2^^ Wcntworth Pottery standard Flower Pots, Fern Pans, Hanging BaRkets, Cut Flower Jars and all Florists' Supplies. Wf if WORTH POl^PTEB"*' j I & SON Mail orders given prompt attention. JOHN CRANSTON & SON, Hamilton, Can. Mention The Canadian Horticulturist ass uses Sec that eacli Box exhibits tnis Trade Mark GOOD QUALITY, FLAT, EVEN THICKNESS. AND WELL CUT Pilkington Bros. Limited Toronto, Montreal, Winnipeg, Vancouver Mention The Canadian Horticulturist when writing. FROM advices received from crop correspond- ents of The Canadian Horticluturist it is evident that fruit trees and bushes have passed tlie winter in good shajx?. Peach buds have been slightly injured, but, as yet, not enough to decrease the prosjjecl for a good crop. Small fruits have suffered to a limited extent, especially strawberry plants that were unpro- tected. While early to say anything definite about crop prospects, it is with confidence that growers are anticipating a profitable season. MONTREAL DISTRICT Westmount. — The winter has been a good one for fruit. The prospects promise fairly well for apples. Trees heavily loaded last year did not produce much growth of new wood, so crops may be small. — R. Brodie. STANSTEAD COUNTY, QUE. Beebe Plain. — Tip buds of sweet cherries are injured. European plums have come through all right ; Japans, except Satsuma, killed back to last spring's wood. No damage is noticeable on apple trees. — D. L. House. GRENVILLE COUNTY Maitland. — Weather conditions on the upi^er St. Lawrence during the winter were everything that could be desired. Trees are in healthy condition. Fruit buds on apples are plentiful ; appearances point to a large bloom. Small fruits and strawberries are looking bright and healthy, although some sharp frosts injured un- ])rotected strawberries. Last year only 20% of a crop of apples were harvested, so a heavy crop may be expected this year. — Harold Jones. DURHAM COUNTY Newcastle. — Buds do not seem to have been injured but it is too early to estimate prospects for a crop. Oyster-shell bark-louse is very prevalent but growers are fighting it persistent- ly—H. C, Bowen. HASTINGS COUNTY Belleville. — Trees have come through in good condition; buds do not seem to have suffered. Present indications point to a good crop the coming season. — F. S. Wallbridge. PEEL COUNTY Clarkson. — Small fruits appear to have pulled through the winter in good shape. The outlook for a good strawberry crop is good. Large fruit trees look well and give promise of good crops. — W. G. Home. WENTVl^ORTH COUNTY Hamilton. — Unprotected strawberry patches have suffered. Protected ones have wintered fairly well. Canning factories are contracting for strawberries at ,5 to 5}/^ cts. a box, but the growers consider this price too low. Peach trees have come through in fairly good condition, although in some sections the buds have lieen slightly damaged. Raspberry canes have suf- fered; the snowy tree cricket has done much damage to them. — J. A. Stevens. Bartonville. — Most trees came through well. Peach buds are quite badly hurt, although plenty are left for a good crop! The San Jose scale has been found in a few places here. The New York scale also is prevalent. Raspberry bushes were (|uite badly frozen, particularly Marlboro. — H. F. Burkholder. LINCOLN COUNTY Grimsby. — Peach, pear and cherry buds appear to be uninjured. The prospects for a crop are good. Raspberries have been slightly winter killed. Strawberries look well. — W. H. Book. Jordan Harbor. — Fruit trees and bushes came through in first-class shape. Prospects for a good crop are very promising. — John Woods. Jordan Station. — Strawberries suffered con- siderably, but probably there will be an average crop. Raspberries and blackberries look well. Pears, cherries, plums and peaches appear to be in good shape for a full crop. The writer's orchard promises to produce its 8th good crop of peaches in 8 successive years. — C. M. Hons- bergcr. St. Catharines. — Fruit buds look well Tlie cherry crop is quite promising. Peaches are wi 11 laden with buds on young trees. Plums, Ix-ii scarce last year, should produce well this seas' Apples and pears are fair. Raspljerries winterc;-! well. Protected straw^ljerries came through all right; unprotected, heaved somewhat. — G. A. Robertson. Homer. — Peach buds have Iieen damaged, but plenty are left to give promise of a good crop. Pears and cherries look well. Bush fruits ap- pear to have come through all right. — F. G. Stewart. OXFORD COUNTY IngersoU. — Fruit trees and bushes seem to have come through in good shape. Prospects point to a medium crop of apples. — J. C. Harris. KENT COUNTY Chatham. — Pros])ects for a good apple crop are promising; also for pears. Peach trees are badly injured; not only are the fruit buds killed, but even young trees from one to four years planted are dead to the ground. Young pear trees also are killed. — Milton Backus. Chatham. — Nearly all the peach trees are dead and the San Jose scale is fixing the rest of them. The pear crop will not I^e as good as last year. — W. G. Lister. LAMBTON COUNTY Sarnia. — Uncovered strawberry patches have lieen damaged by heaving; they will lie a failure. Protected plantations have come through fairly well. — W. A. Broughton. Arkona. — Fruit trees and bushes seem to have come through all right, except [leach trees, which have been injured slightly. Prosjjects for an apple crop this coming season seem good. — W. J. Seymour. GREY COUNTY I Thornbury. — Generally speaking, fruit buds appear to be in good condition, but the promise of a crop will depend, upon weather conditions between now and fruit setting. — J. G. Mitchell. Lo-w-Keaded PeacK Trees At the Ont. F.G.A. convention held last Nov., an interesting address on "Low-headed Peach Trees" was delivered by Chas. F. Hale, of Shelby, Midi. In the course of his remarks, he pointed out that peach trees should be headed back when young to not more than 18 inches from the ground. By so forming the head, it costs less to prune, spray, pick, and take care of the tree. By making this work less expen- sive, profits are increased. The head should be formed witli not more than 4 branches, the top one 18 inches from the ground, and each one starting from a different point on the trunk. Never have the centre of the tree higher than the outside limbs. High trees are apt to be broken down by storms. F^ruit on low-headed trees is better in quality. Plant peach trees 20 feet apart. Prune and cut back each year. Give clean cultivation in summer until Aug. 1, then sow a cover crop. After planting, the orchard may be inter -cropped for 2 or 3 years, using for the purpose a crop that can be hoed and cultivated. For working under low-headed trees, use both plow and drag. Plow' as close to the trees as possible, then use the drag, by going zigzag around the trees. When trees are in full bearing, prune them by cutting back }/2 to H of the growth each year. Thin the wood out well. The fruit on the limbs should be thinned, leaving them 6 or 8 inches apart. A good average croj) for a 6-year-old tree is 2 to 2}^ bushels. Among the leading varieties mentioned by Mr. Hale were St. John, Conklin, Engle Mammoth, Klberta, New Prolific, Smock, and for can- ning, Gold Drop. A good characteristic of low-headed peach trees is the fact that they are not attacked by borers as readily as those that are headed high May, 1907 THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST 133 Opening' of the Veg'etable Season THE crop correspondents of the Ontario Vegetable Growers' Association report that market gardeners are planning for a good season this year. Weather conditions so far this spring, however, have not been con- ducive to active work. For work with hotbeds, the weather has been particularly bad. The season as a whole has been late. Not much plowing has been done. Even greenhouse crops have not done as well as usual, but there is a good demand, especially for radishes, lettuce and rhubarb. It is probable that onions will be planted extensively this spring; the acreage will be increased on account of seed prices. A large acreage of potatoes also will be planted. Other classes of vegetable will be planted as usual, but it is rather early to estimate the extent of the crops. OTT.\WA DISTRICT Billings Bridge. — For hotbeds the weather IS spring is bad. Radishes are scarce ; lettuce plentiful Lots of rhubarb on the market. Turnips, beets, carrots, onions and potatoes are plentiful. Cabbage is a glut on account of im- ported goods. Local celery is pretty well cleaned up. — T. R. Mockett. LENNOX AND ADDINGTON Napanee. — Potatoes will be planted largely; seed is not plentiful and selling at 90 cents a bag. Table potatoes are selling at SI a bag. Onions likely will be grown quite extensively. Other vegetables will be planted on a limited scale. — E. M. Sherman. TORONTO DISTRICT Humber Bay. — The season is very late. Not much plowing has been done. Some peas and nacli have been sown. The greenhouse and I bed crops have not done as well as usual owing to the cold and cloudy weather. In To- ronto, there is a good demand for all roots and vegetables at good prices. — J. W. Rush. Bracondale. — Outside rhubarb is not showing yet. Fall spinach will be very scarce. All kinds of greenhouse goods arc in great demand, especially radishes and rhubarb. — A. W. Shuter! PEEL COUNTY Clarkson.— A large acreage of potatoes will be planted this spring. The tubers have paid well the last three years and constitute one of Clark son's main vegetable crops. — W. G. Home. WELLAND COUNTY Niagara Falls South. — Spring onions and rhubarb have made very little growth. Aspara- gus is scarcely showing above th? ground. Spin- ach, parsley and salsify are winter killed. Onions, on account of seed prices, will be planted on ari increased acreage. Potatoes are bringinj; 7o cts a bu. Canners are contracting for produ-e a'i last se.".so:i's pii'cs; beets, $7 a ten, beans, wix and green, $30; corn, $8; tomatoes, 25 cts a bu.— Thos. R. Stokes. HAMILTON DISTRICT Hot house growers have been very successful with lettuce this spring, getting from 50 to !)0 cts. a doz. Green onions are not over-plentiful at 20 to 25 cts. a doz. bunches. Rhubarb is not plentiful yet, but the demand is good at <.)0 cts. to $1 a doz. Inichs. Radishes are bringing 35 to 50 cents a doz bnchs. Dry onions are scarce and are worth .^1.25 a bu. Potatoes are selling at about .$1 a bag; the price is exiJected to rise soon. — Jas. A. Stevens. WELLINC.TON COUNTY Guclph. Early tomatoes, cabbage and cauli- llowcr are now in the .seed Ijeds. No great in- crease in acreage will l)e planted, as the growers mostly do their own work, and will not be able .0 handle nitire than already undertaken. One {rower is doing a very good business growing .ucuml)ers, toniat(K"s, cauliflower and onions or pickhng puriK)ses and intends to increase us acreage of cucuml)ers and onions as he finds a great demand for good pickles. Very few vegetables will be grown for shipment, as the local demand is quite brisk for a good product. Early potatoes, onions, cabbages, cauliflowers, celery and corn are the crops most commonly grown in this district. — H. S. Peart. KENT COUNTY Chatham. — The weather has been unfavorable for hotbeds; many have been completely de- stroyed. Potato planting has commenced. The acreage in vegetables probably will be about the same as last year. Hotbed lettuce has made its appearance. Winter vegetables are about gone. Potatoes are selling at 90 cts. a bag bv the load.— Fred. Colhns. ESSEX COUNTY Leamington. — Tomato growers are all busy with their plants and hot houses and the pros- I^ects for the coming crop are promising. Many new meii are going into the growing tomatoes for canning on account of the prospective poor market for tobacco. At 25 cts. a bu. some men are led to believe that they pay well. All the leading growers, however, do not grow them any more. — E. E. Adams. LAMBTON COUNTY Sarnia — Not much work has been done as yet. Plants in greenhouses and hotbeds are doing well. Also cabbage in cold frames. — W. A. Broughlon. Vegetable Notes E. E. Adams, Leamington, Ont. If vegetable products in this district are not handled in some manner different than they have been in the i)ast, very little money will be made by many who are going into the line of early vegetable growing. Far too much stufT is sent into some markets while others are short. The better plan is to sell f.o.b. at point of ship- ment in place of indiscriminate shipments to commission men. Probably the evil will cure itself in time. Meetings were held recently by Mr. A. E. Sherrington, of Walkerton, in the interest of the cooperative movement. Just what will come out of it is hardly in view yet. The larger growers are unanimous for it, while some are undecided, and others prefer to handle their own business, and let the other fellow do as he likes Whatever is done in the line mentioned, will require careful handling, as it will be no child's play to handle the large quantity of truck grown here. A neat little booklet entitled "Potato Cul- ture" is published by the Aspinwall Mfg. Co., Jackson, Mich. It tells the story of potato culture from the selection and cutting of the seed to the harvesting and storing of the crop in the fall. Many other items of interest also are contained in this book. A copy may be had on addressing the firm. Bulletin 105, Maryland Agricultural Experi- ment Station, states that there is no danger of injuring young trees by fumigation if reason- able care is exercised in the operation. Care- less fumigation, however, early in the fall be- fore the wood has become thoroughly ripened, the exposure to the wash while wet, or the use of the chemical in too great (piantities, will re- sult in injury. The exposure of the nursery stock for 30 or 40 minutes in a gas made from one ounce of potassium cyanide, two fluid ounces of sulphuric acid and four fluid ounces of water for every 100 cubic feet of air space has been found to give good results. It was noted that peach nui.sery stock was less injured than apple stock with the same conditions and that some varieties of apples show less re- sistance than others. ' BISSELL'S 1 Extension Inthrow ORCHARD Extension Outthrow HARROWS Reversible Built in sizes for 1 or 2 horses. Immense capac- ity for hard work and thorough cultivation. ADDRESS T. E. BISSELL, Dept. N, ELORA, ONT. ^ Mention The (.'anadian Hortiriiltnrial wIumi writing. HOME GARDENING FOR BEGINNERS BURNET LANDRETH Over 30 full page, beautiful photographic illustrations, expressly taken for this pur- pose, add much to its value. The wide scope of this work may be judg:ed from the following condensed table of contents: Iiitro(luth, etc. There is no charge made for this work except the travelling exjienses of one man, consisting of railway fare, meals and cartage of instruments. These expenses arc very light, as arrangements have been made with the railway companies whereby the surveyor can travel at one cent a mile each way, i.e., a man living 50 miles from Guelph would have an outlay of $1 for railway fare and 25 or 50 cents for cartage ; one living 100 miles away, an outlay of S2 for railway fare and 25 or 50 cents for cartage, and so on. On- tario farmers should lake advantage of this opportunity to secure such valuable service at so litile cost. Address reciuests for assistance or information to W. H. Day, Depl. of Physics, O.A.C., Guelph. Mr. T B. Revett, Ontario Department of Agriculture, says that most peach trees in the Essex peninsula have been killed during the past winter. Not only have the buds been destroyed, but, in many orchards, whole trees have been killed to the ground. Mr. Revett also said that nursery stock in the vicinity of Strathroy and at some other points has tjeen badly injured. POTASH for FIELD, GARDEN, ORCHARD POTASH promotes maturity and counteracts the effect of an excess of nitro- gen in the soil produced by a too heavy application of farmyard tnaniu-e or from other causes. I'OTASH is a direct plant food and is indispensable. Fertilizer Experiment on R&dlsbes by Otto Herold, Waterloo, Ont., 1906 Treatment : Unrertlllzed Result : Non-saleable With Potoeh $200.00 Wlthou' Potash $20. 00 per acre realize POTASH in the highly concentrated forms" of Muriate of Potash and Sulphate of Potash is obtainable of all leading Fertilizer Dealers. Pamphlets treating of the cultivation and fertilization of all farm crops will be sent free on application. The Dominion Agricultural Offices of the Potash Syndicate 1102, 1105 TEMPLE BUILDING, TORONTO Mention The Canadian TTorticuHurist vvl'en writing ^^^^^ Cleveland La-wn Weeder The "Buco Hand Cultivator" Every time an OIL TKM PEKKIJ SPRING. adju3tal.l.j to,,wi(Uli.I liaiulle 4i friit long. Tke Buco Hand Cultivator KILLS WEEDS— GROWS VEGETABLES It gets DOWN DEEP after the weed roots, cleans them all out and loosens soil thoroughly. Saves time, muscle and temper, and produces the cleanest, nicest rows of vegetables you have ever seen. Great around trees and shrubs.;* Each $L50 Cleveland Lawn Weeder NO MORE BROKEN BACKS Thi^ little dcice gets at] the root of the evil and removes it bodily. The curved edge of the blade enters and loosens the soil, pressure on the lever then causes the toothed jaw to grasp the plant, and a slight pull suffices to dislodge it with orv out disturbingjthe surrounding sod. Each OUC. DUPUY df FERGUSON 38 Jacques Cartier Square - Montreal, P.Q. Mention The'Caiiadian Honiculiurist when writing \ May, 1907 THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST IX r Imperial Bank OF CANADA Established 1875 Head Office, Toronto ^ Capital Paid-up, $4,700,000.00 Rest, - - $4,700,000.00 Savings Department at all Branches Interest allowed on deposits ol One Dollar and upwards and credited lour times a year. SPRING, SUMMER AND AUTUMN ALL THE YEAR ROUND A GOOD LADDER IS A NECESSITY ONER. OIN LADDER enables you to hand-pick all the apples on the tree, 'ts extension feat- ure permits it to run through the tree— not only to rest on the outside Good for every purpose about a farm that a ladder is used for. Very light and absolutely safe. Waggoner Ladder Co., Limited Your early order will enable us to ship immediately. Don't wait until you want to use the ladder before placing your order Mention The Canadian Horticulturist when writing .An Appraiser of Vegetables May Be Appointed During April a deputation of leading vege- table growers waited upon Hon. Wm. Pater- son, Minister of Customs at Ottawa, and on behalf of the Ontario Vegetable Growers' As- sociation requested that the Dominion Govern- ment should appoint an official whose duty it would be to set a fair value on the vegetables imported into Canada, so that they could not pass the customs at a ridiculously low valua tion. While there is a duty on vegetables imported into Canada, it has been Httle pro- tection to the vegetable growers, because of the fact that the people in the United States, who ship vegetables into Canada, value them at such a low figure that the duty on such valuation is sc 'ow it does not serve as any protection to the Canadian vegetable growers. The Governmeni' listened attentively to the representations of the committee, and gave reason to believe that the requests made would be granted. The deputation was composed of Messrs. R. J. Bushell, of Kingston, the president of the Ontario Vegetable Growers' Association; Thos Delworth, of the Toronto Branch, and some nine members of the Ottawa branch, for whom Mr. Williams and Mr. Farquarson acted as spokesmen. The deputation was introduced by Mr. Archie Campbell, M.P., of Centre York, who was assisted by Mr. Avery, M.P. for Fron- tenac, and Mr. M. Devlin, M.P. for W'right County. In introducing the deputation, Mr. Campbell pointed out that the Dominion Government was being defrauded in the mat- ter of customs receipts by the vegetables be- ing brought into Canada at a price below their true value. He pointed out that the vegetable growers are men who invest a large amount of money in their business, and that having to meet the competition of vegetables froin the United States is a serious hardship to them. Mr. Bushell referred to the importance of the vegetable industry, showing that in On- tario alone it represented an investment of SI 0,000,000. In the remarks of Mr. Delworth, attention was drawn to the fact that many of the vegetables imported into Canada have a damaged appearance, and are passed at a very low value, but after the boxes are opened and carefully inspected, it is found that the per- ccntage^ of damaged vegetables is much smaller than first appearances indicated. The Do- minion Government excludes Chinese labor because it believes that Canadians should not have to compete with the Chinese. By allow- ing United States vegetables to be imported into Canada at prices below their true value, the Government is not protecting Canadian vegetable growers against the products of the Chinese growers in California who send a large quantity of celery into Canada, Mr. Delworth further pointed out that much of the vegetables imported into Canada are the tail end of the crops of United States growers the United States growers sell 80% of their crops in their own markets, and rather than flood their own markets with the remnants of their crops, they ship such vegetables to Cana- dian markets, and make Canadian markets a dumping ground for such products. Mr. Wilhams assured the Government that Canadian growers do not desire to be protected except during a few months in the year when their own vegetables arc ready to be marketed -Vt present the Canadian growers when they offer their fresh vegetables have to meet the competition and the low prices caused by the importation of large quantities of cheap United States vegetables. Hon. Mr. Paterson stated that he believed that the dumping clause can be utilized to prevent vegetables being brought into Canada as they have l>cen in the past. He promised to take steps to see that vegetables when crossing the border have a fair valuation placed on them. Every year each one of us consumes 15 lbs. of salt — Science says. — More than a pound a- month. Just as well to have it pure. Your grocer will tell you there's nothing purer than '"t BEST MADE ■ FOSTER'S STANDARD POT FLOWER POTS Send us your Spring order for pots, etc.; which will re- ceive our prompt attention. Try our pots for growing early tomato plants in. SEND FOR PRICE LI.ST AND CATALOGUE THE FOSTER POTTERY CO., LIMITED Main St. West, HamUton, Oni. Mention The Canadian Horticulturist when writing Profit Producing Fertilizers DO YOU KNOW ,j f THAT WORN-OUT \ LANDS MAY BE MADE PRODUCTIVE AND PROFITABLE i BY THE JUDICIOUS USE OF ^ THE RIGHT KIND OF i \ FERTILIZER ? : Mow IF YOU HAVE * A pie:ce of land that i WONT GROW ANYTHING .;! BUT WEED5,TALK WITH > US ABOUT IT AND LET US | SUGGEST ! THE RIGHT FERTILIZER: We FEEL VERY SURE THAT WE CAN 'show YOU HOW TO USE FERTILIZERS WITHOUT GREAT EXPENSE SO YOUR LAND WILL PAY Consult us freely it is our business to know •; enquiries freely answered agents wanjteo fob territory not taken up "' ^"^W.A.FREEMAN CO. LIMITED HAMILTON ONTARIO THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST May, 1907 R*!? UNDERWOOD If you use a typewriter, use the best. It is economy — economy of time, of money, of labor The Underwood is the Best Typewriter That is a claim made for every typewriter, but the Underwood has the advantage of being able to "deliver the goods." It has won the Championship of the World in eight successive contests. Here is the list : Chicago, March, 1906, 3 Events New York, Nov., 1906, 2 Events Chicago, March, 1907, 2 Events Boston, March, 1907, 1 Event IF YOU USE A TYPEWRITER, USE THE BEST United Typewriter Co. Limited - ADELAIDE STREET EAST, TORONTO and in all the principal cities Mention The Canadian Horticuliurist when writing. theI ^ |Tic HOTO- NGRAVERS LIMITED. DESIGNERS ILLUSTRATORS ENGRAVERS AND ETCHERS 10 JOHNSTON LANE TORONTO p""-" "*'" ="' ONTARIO Mention The Canadian Horticulturisl when writing :^ Kin The Canadian Horticulturist when writing. The Canadian Horticulturi^ \ ol. XXX JUNE, 1907 No. 6 Thinning Fruit on Trees Increases Profit PRUNING the wood and thinning the fruit are allied processes in fruit cul- ture. Any system of pruning materi- ally affects the productiveness of the tree in the following and succeeding seasons. The practice of heading-in peach, pear and plum trees is virtually a thinning process as it removes a por- tion of the bearing wood. To supple- ment the work of pruning and to affect the productiveness of the current season it is necessary to remove by hand the superfluous fruits. By doing this, some important things are accomplished. The trees will be stronger and more shapely; they will not break or be in- jured from an over-burden of fruit; the crops of fruit will be more regular; the labor in culling will be reduced ; and the fruits will be greatly improved in size, quality and appearance, and consequent- ly will bring a much better price. Thin- ning is a means of insurance against insect and fungous enemies, as it not only destroys infected specimens, but by stimulating the growth of foliage and twig, it enables the tree to better with- stand such depredations. Many growers think that the opera- tion of thinning is expensive. As^ it is performed when the orchard is giving no returns, it may seem expensive at the time, but after-profits and increase in profits fully compensate for the earlv expenditure. A carefully recorded trial for one season will convince the most sceptical that it pays to thin. When apple trees are thinned, the larvae of the codling moth are killed when the removed fruits dry up or decav on the ground. The same thing occurs in the case of pears and quinces. When plums and cherries are thinned, it destroys also large numbers of curculio. Peaches should be thinned as soon as the fruit is nicely formed, and before the seeds commence to harden. The usual custom is to thin soon after the so-called "June drop." which takes place when the peaches are about the size of marbles. All diseased, stung, distorted and injured specimens should be picked off, regardless of position. A sufficient number of others should be removed so as to leave on the trees the best specimens, not less than five or six inches apart. The best grade of fruit is obtained when no more than three or four peaches are left on a fruiting branch, the previous year's growth. In the fol- lowing letter to The Canadian Horti- culturist, Mr. E. D. Smith, M.P., of Winona, Ont., states his experience: " My experience in thinning fruit on trees has been eminently satisfac- tory. Some four or five years ago was my first trial, and it was in the nature of an experiment. I had ninety Triumph peach trees, four years old y\ MarKed Improvement I congratulate The Canadian Horticulturist on the very mate- rial improvement that has taken place in its make-up and in the character of its articles during the past two years. May it have the greatest measure of success. — Wil- liam Stuart, Horticulturist, Ver- mont Agricultural Experiment Station. This is a variety that loads very heavily. These trees were in the pink of condition and, in June, I made an estimate of the number of peaches on an average tree, which was about 1,000. I estimated that these trees could not sustain more than 400 peaches to bring them up to the size of No. 1 peaches, or eighty to the eleven-quart basket, making five baskets from a tree. I therefore, thin- ned off an average of 600 peaches from every tree, leaving the peaches on an average four inches apart. I harvested just about five baskets to the tree, seventy-five per cent, of them being No. 1, which I sold at sixty cents a basket. The remainder were good, strong No. 2, which I sold at forty cents a basket. I left five trees as a check. These five trees were so hcavilv laden that the peaches were too small for even No. 2, though the land was exceedinglv rich. They were not suitable to send to mv customers; I sent them to a com- mission market, where they could be sold for what they were worth. I got I3i for them just enough to pay for the baskets and the express and cost of picking, no more. Besides that, two of the trees were split to pieces and took three years to recover. "After this experience I did not require to make further experiments. The only fault in this one was that I did not thin quite close enough. If I had thinned a little closer I would have had all No. 1 peaches. This should be the aim of every grower. There is no necessity for any No. 2 peaches being grown, barring accidents or extraordinary dry seasons. The price of No. 2 peaches ought to be set very low by buyers. "The knowledge of the immense bene- fits of thinning peaches is beginning to produce a revolution in regard to the vari- eties of peaches to plant. All varieties which bear extremely heavy are neces- sarily bound to produce small peaches. On the other hand, most of the varieties which bear heavily are naturally hardy and produce almost annual crops. Take, for instance, Crosby and Longhurst. These tw-o varieties scarcely ever fail of a crop and can be planted over a much wider area of territory than such varie- ties as Early Crawford, Late Crawford, Fitzgerald, Elberta, etc. These and many others are large, fine sorts. Of late, people have stopped planting in the frint belt all white peaches and all varieties that do not naturally grow to be large in size, realizing the absolute necessitv of having large, vellow peaches, but now^ they are beginning to discover that there is another way of getting large peaches and a much surer way because, with the varieties named and most others of the large sorts, there is a great uncertainty as regards the crop. One year there is a good crop, the next year, perhaps, there is a failure owing to the buds being comparatively tender. Not so, however, with these hardy sorts; thev bear almost annually, and if the peaches are thinned down to about five or six inches apart, they will be of a size to go for strictly No. 1 peaches. On good eround they are perfectlv satisfac- torv for No. 1 fruit, and the Longhurst is of a specially good Quality for canning. The Crosby is also of excellent quality. 136 THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST June, 1907 "In consequence of finding this out from the very considerable amount of experimenting that has been done dur- ing the past few years in this Hne, many growers are now contemplating plant- ing these hardy, regular bearing sorts, which produce fruit of choice quality. Thinning is an inexpensive matter. I kept an accurate account of the cost on many occasions, and it only amounts to about one cent a basket on the fruit on moderate-sized trees. On large trees a step-ladder had to be used and it would cost more, probably two cents a basket. "Just about as many baskets can be got from a tree, however, by thinning to five or six inches apart, as if left un- thinned, and the peaches are worth two or three times as much money per basket. The maturing of the seed of the peach seems to be the heaviest drain upon the tree; consequently, when from one-half to three-quarters of the peaches are pulled off, the drain upon the tree is immensely reduced and this unused strength goes to develop the size of the peaches remaining." Ripe Stra'wberries and Ho^w to Handle TKem BEFORE picking time, the straw- berry patch should be mulched between the rows with straw or cut grass. This may have been done earlier in the spring by the use of ma- The Right and Wrong Way to Pick Strawberries The strawberry in the left hand shows how it should be picked, with just enough stalk to catch hold of. The berry in the right hand is wrongly and carelessly picked terial that was employed as protection for the winter. Unprotected patches and those on which the covering was light, or from which the material was removed in the spring, should be mulched a few days previous to the time for har- vesting. The main purpose of this mulching is to prevent the berries being sanded by rain and wind near picking time. It will make the work of picking easier and it will help to conserve soil moisture and thereby increase the size of the fruit. Every fruit farmer who grows straw- berries for market should erect a shed to be used to shade the fresh fruit from the sun, and to be used in packing crates and preparing for market. The shed can be built in the field or made portable. There are two distinct classes of straw- berry growers, the few who cater to a fancy trade and the great majority who aim to sell in the general market. The former cannot succeed unless he has private customers or has the intelligent cooperation of his commission merchant. These growers are particular in their methods of picking and marketing, more so than are those who sell to the general buyer. For the best market, choice fruit should be picked by pinching off the stem, touching the berry as little as possible. vSee the illustration. For the general market, the fruit may be picked by running the fingers beneath the fruit and hull and removing without any of the stem adhering. In either case, the picker should not take direct hold of the fruit. Fresh picked berries should not be left in the sun. Each box should be placed 'neath the shady side of the foliage, and when four or five are picked, the number depending upon the size of the carrier used, they should be re- moved at once to the shed. For rapid work, small boys or girls should be em- ployed to carry the picked fruit from the picker to the shed and to supply the former with fresh boxes. Boys and girls are not satisfactory as pickers, but when labor is scarce they must be employed. Women make the best pickers because they have better judgment in sorting and caring for the fruit, are much less inchned to idleness and play and know better the value of their wages. In a field of considerable size, a superintendent constantly on the ground is essential. He must keep a close watch on the work of the pickers, see that the berries are picked clean and at the proper stage of ripeness, that none are destroyed by lounging or tramping upon, that assorting is properly done and the boxes or baskets well filled, and that the boxes are properly crated for the delivery wagon. The boxes should be as clean and bright as they can be secured. Nothing will detract more from the price of a quart of strawberries than a soiled box. The crates also should be clean and well built and should bear the grower's name. In crating the boxes, they should be alike from top to bottom, both the ber- ries in each box and the boxes in each crate. As far as possible, a crate should be made up of one variety. In an exact- ing market, there is much importance in this assorting and care of the fruit. Packing Shed on Fruit Farm Where Big Strawberries Are Grown Plantation of Mr. Newton Cossitt. Jr.. Grimsby, Ontario. TKe Relation of Tillage to Soil Moisture PROPER and timely tillage is one of the great secrets of success in orcharding. Tillage improves the texture of the soil; it brings the plant foods of the soil into that condition most easily absorbed and r used by the plant ; it saves soil moisture ; , it destroys many insect pests ; it bene- i fits the soil in many ways. In this ■; article we shall discuss one phase of the W question only: The relation of tillage i to soil moisture. ' GRASS IX THE ORCHARD : In many parts of our country, orch- ; ards in grass or weeds are very com- i| mon, so much so that one would judge acre of land by cultivation would be equal to, at least, one-fourth of an inch of rainfall, or about 7,000 gallons. These investigations, and countless others that could be cited, show that cultiva- tion of the soil is productive of good results, that tillage is most important in the conservation of soil moisture. Cultivation, or stirring of the surface soil, saves the moisture in the depths below by producing a top layer of loose soil and thereby preventing evaporation of moisture from the surface. In other words, it covers the soil with a surface mulch of earth. It is a common observatian that ground beneath a tillage alone depends largely upon the quantity of water that has been stor- ed in the soil by the snows and rains of winter and spring. Tillage also increases the water-hold- ing capacity of the soil. If the surtace soil is light and loose, the rains that fall during the summer months will readily soak into it. But if the surface is allowed to become hard and baked, much of this rain is lost by surface drainage. Seldom, however, sufficient rain falls in summer to meet the demand of orchard trees. Hence, the conserva- tion of that which does fall is an import- ant factor in orchard management. We Rye Cover Crop in Dwarf Pear Orchard A part of the fruit orchards of W. M, Orr & Son, Fruithind, Ontario, taken about five years ago. See illustration on next page. this method of treating the orchard the correct one. In exceptional and isolated cases, it may be advisable to have the orchard in sod. Usually, however, the fact is, as the writer once heard it qilly put, grass in an orchard has the ime effect as a number of pumps in ihe land, pumping the water out of it, and robbing the sf)il of the moisture needed bv the fruit trees. Investigations have proven that the loss of moisture from a soil covered with growing grass is nearly 214 times greater than that lost from naked soil; also, that evaporation from a soil that is kept constantlv stirred by cultivation i^ only four-fifths that from a hard iirface. Definite experiments under natural field conditions have shown also that water saved during a week on an light covering of straw, sawdust or even boards, is always mf)ist even in time of severe drought. This covering has merely prevented the escape of the moisture that was already in the soil. A mulch of finely pulverized soil acts in precisely the same manner. WATKR MORK IMPORTANT THAN FOOD Orchard trees suffer more from a lack of moisture than they do from a lack of plant food. This is particularly true in seasons of long droughts. A drought seems a great calamity but, oftentimes, it is not quite so formidable as one might suppose. In some of the western parts of the Ignited States, fruit trees are carried through a season of no rains, lasting five months, merclv bv thorough cultivation. The length of the season that can be bridged by 137 should husband this rain by tillage and gi\e our trees the moisture needed for best results. Deep working of the land and fall plowing also plav an important part in controlling soil moisture. The for- mer, by encouraging the roots to go deep, rather than run along just below the surface; and the latter, lay leaving the surface of the soil uneven and therebv permitting the soil to absorb and retain large quantities of the winter rain and snow. WHKX AND HOW TO CULTIVATr In the preceding remarks, the atten- tion of the reader has been directed to the principles of the operation. The de- tail of the actual work rests with the grow- er and his particular conditions. If he has clearly in mind the objects to be 138 THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST June, 1907 obtained, the practical application of the principles should be a comparatively easy matter. As a general statement, however, that tillage is best that begins as early in spring as the land can be worked and continues at intervals of 10 days or two weeks until midsummer. Cultivate also after every rain, so as Clean Culture in Quebec Orchard of R. \V. Shepherd. Como. to keep the surface mulch in good con- dition. Cultivate every particle of soil to a depth of three inches. On heavy clay soils, deeper cultivation in early spring will sometimes give good results; but clayey soils should not be worked when too moist. About midsummer, when the wood of the tree is nearing maturity for tljf season, cultivation should cease altogether. At the last cultivation, a cover crop should be sown. THe Currant Wm. Fleming, Owen Sound, Ont. Currants will grow in any soil, but will not bear sufficient crops to make them profitable except in rich, cool soil w-ith a clay subsoil. Do not plant too close. Currants do not bear much until the third year. By that time the plant should be quite large, five or six feet across, and there should be plenty of room for sunshine and scuffling, hoeing and gathering the fruit ; therefore, seven to eight feet apart each way is what gives the best returns. Two-year plants should be set and, to ensure a perfect catch and a large bush, set the plants double in well-cultivated, clean, rich ground, the same distance apart each way, so as to allow cultivating by horse two ways. There are many varieties of black currants that deserve notice, and which give good satisfaction, such as Black Naples. Lee's Prolific and Champion. Lee's Prohfic is equal in quality to the others and is the best bearer. The best of the red currants are : Fay. Ruby, Cherry, Victoria, Versailles, Star, Red Cross and Perfection. Victoria and Versailles are the most abundant bearers, but small in size of fruit. Ruby bears larger fruit and commands a higher price. Fay is the largest fruit, but a shy bearer. Perfection, a new variety, be- ing a cross between F'ay and White Grape, promises to be the best red cur- rant so far. It is large in size and an abundant bearer. In the white currants, the leading varieties are White Grape and White Dutch. The former is by far the better. It is large in size, of fine quality and an enormous bearer. Currant Bush Pests W. E. A. Peer, Freeman, Ont. The currant worm is, perhaps, the most serious pest of the red and white currants. These, if left alone, in a very few days will strip a bush of its leaves, and the fruit for that season becomes of little or no use. These worms make their appearance in the middle or latter part of May. • If treated at once to a dose of Paris green they will give little or no further trouble. It sometimes happens, however, that a second brood makes its appearance about the time the fruit is ripening. As the fruit is about ready for market, many neglect their bushes at this time, thinking that the loss of leaves then is of little conse- quence. Here they make a mistake, as the leaves have yet to develop the fruit buds for the next season and prepare the plant for the coming winter. When branches of a currant bush show loss of vitality, and the currants wither, there is in all probabiHty a cur- rant borer at work in the pith of the branch, sapping its energy. When this occurs, cut out the branch at once and burn it, thus destroying the pest it con- tains. In localities where the San Jose scale exists currant bushes should be carefully watched. This insect seems to thrive and do exceedingly well on this particular plant, upon which it is fre- quently overlooked. Orchardists fre- quently have had their spraying opera- tions partly nullified by neglecting old currant bushes that were badly infested with scale in close proximity to their orchards. Planting Fruit Trees. — When fruit trees are to be planted the soil should be dry and in good condition, thorough- ly plowed, and so prepared as to be fit for the production of a good crop of com or wheat. If naturally moist, it should be thoroughly drained, and if exhausted by cropping, carefully dressed, as trees will not thrive on weak soils, or on such as are saturated with stagnant moisture. Care of Peach Trees. — I try to keep my peach trees healthy by fertilizing them and cultivating frequently. In June I hoe around the trees and cut out all borers. In the early spring the trees are pruned slightly, especially the varieties that are in the habit of over- bearing. In June those that overbear are thinned by picking off the surplus, leaving the peaches three to six inches apart. In pruning I aim to keep the trees headed back to force new wood and prevent them getting too high. — J. M. Metcalf, Grimsby, Ont. Improving and Originating Varieties of Apples WITH his ideal definitely in mind, the breeder studies the varieties most nearlyapproaching it, either in one particular or in a number for with oodo Oooo oooo Types of Seedlings AU from one variety, showing about the normal varia- tions of apple seedlings. these he will work. Certain varieties will present highly productive qualities, and possibly poor dessert quality. Other vari- eties will present theopposite alternative ; while still others will exhibit intermedi- ate characters. A very much diversi- fied classification might be made, but for the sake of simplicity let us place the available sorts into three classes : number 1 to contain the most produc- tive sorts, regardless of quality ; number 2, the standard commercial sorts; and number 3, the varieties of high quality, regardless of productiveness. If the following apples are available, Baldwin, Ben Davis, Duchess, Fameuse, Tolman Sweet, Jonathan, Mcintosh, Northern Spy, Oesopus Spitzenburg, Gravenstein, Stark, Tompkins, King and Wallbridge, the classification is about as follows : Class I. Class II. Class III. Baldwin Baldwin Fameuse Ben Davis Ben Davis Jonathan Duchess Mcintosh Mcintosh Fameuse Northern Spy Northern Spy Stark Spitzenburg Spitzenburg Wallbridge Tompkins King Tompkins King Tolman Sweet Fameuse Gravenstein From this list should be discarded ■those varieties whose season, color, or size seems unfavorable for use in his experiment. Duchess, Fameuse, Wall- bridge and Tolman Sweet would be eliminated from class I ; Mcintosh and Fameuse possibly from 2; though their high color and flavors might suggest a trial in spite of their early season ; and for the same reason, Mcintosh, Fameuse, and Gravenstein might be retained or discarded from class 3. With a com- paratively few varieties before him, the B. S. FicKett, Champaign, Illinois (Continued from last issue) breeder studies the apple race or group to which each belongs. Baldwins and Ben Davis appear in both classes 1 and 2. Both are varieties of wide distribu- tion and adaptation. Each is weak principally in point of dessert quality; and, therefore, these two varieties would immediately suggest themselves for use in the experiment. Flavor and quality represent physiological units not to be obtained readily by selection (though, once obtained, they may be intensified by selection); hence, the breeder must rely on crossing or upon the appearance of a "mutation" to obtain the desired combination of flavor and other attri- butes. With what varieties shall the crosses be made upon Ben Davis and Baldwin ? Ben Davis impresses its char- acter very strongly upon its seedlings, as seen in Gano and Black Ben Davis (Ragan's Red), so that if favorable results are to follow its use, wide crosses, i.e., with distinctly unrelated varieties, should be made. Baldwin, on the con- trar}', belongs to a group of highly flavored sorts, the Spitzenburg group, including both Jonathan and Spitzen- burg; hence, crosses with its near rela- tives would be advisable. Of course, it would be advisable to make other Spy, another variety with which work would certainly be done, considerable scope for improvement is offered by means of bud-selection, since Northern Spy is quite variable and since selection would be in the direction of precocious- ness in bearing, uniformity in size, and better keeping quality, all of which characters are much more easily augmented by selection than would be such a character as flavor. Northern Spy is, moreover, prepotent, having impressed its character on various crosses, Ontario, Pewaukee, and so on and is recognized as a valuable parent for crossing. Thus through the list the breeder goes, studying each variety and planning his crosses; and some such plan as the following would be decided upon, the crosses being made recipro- cally : Ben Davis x Northern Spy Ben Davis x Jonathan* (using imported pollen) Ben Davis x Spitzenburg Baldwin x Northern Spy Baldwin x Jonathan* (using imported pollen) Baldwin x Spitzenburg Jonathan* x Spitzenburg Spitzenburg x Mcintosh Baldwin x Mcintosh ♦Jonathan is recommended in spite of the fact that it is not an Ontario apple, because of its close relation to Baldwin and .Spitzenburg. Plowing-in Mammoth Clover with a Sulky Gang Plow Illustration from Hillcrest Orchards. Kentville, N.S. crosses as well, but the practice of both Having secured his crosses and propa- animal and plant breeders points to the gated his seedlings, the process of elim- advisabiUty of such crosses as those ination begins. In accordance with mentioned. In the case of Northern the score card, the seedlings are examin- 140 THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST June, 1907 ed from time to time, and the weaker ones are thrown out; and, finally, on fruiting, those which stand the tests of growth and health are compared as to performance. The production of an improved new variety may be far from complete at the end of the first cross. In studies of the behavior of crosses, it has been observed that the offspring of the crosses frequently show a wider range of varia- tion than do the crosses. The breeder must, therefore, make provision for testing the offspring of his crosses, as well as the original crosses themselves. To hasten the fruiting of his crosses, he will resort to grafting on older trees, using scions from each of his seedling crosses, and planting seed from this generation, fertilized by pollen from the same cross, as soon as blossoms can be obtained. Moreover, it may be necessary to intensify the characters of a cross by further crosses. For example, a variant appears among the Ben Davis x Spitz- enburg crosses essentially Ben Davis in everything save a faint suggestion of Spitzenburg flavor. Such a variant should be crossed again with Spitzen- burg; for, according to the laws of hybrids (which apply with equal cer- tainty to all pure characters in all crosses) somewhere among the offspring must appear some individuals possessing the desired flavor character in a marked degree. Indeed, were the crosses them- selves fertilized among themselves, the intensified flavor "character" would appear somewhere, providing numbers sufficiently large were used; but the probability is greatly increased by using pure Spitzenburg blood in the second cross. It is impossible to state the number of seedlings that should be grown from each cross. The breeder will be limited by his facilities for testing, rather than by the number of pollinations that can be made. The more seedlings that can be grown, the greater the chances for success. In the instance just given, I believe that 1,000 first generation seed- lings should be grown from each cross, and twice as many second generation seedlings, in case the desired variations fail to appear in the initial trial. This makes a total of 9,000 first generation seedlings, and 18,000 second generation seedlings, of which at least one-half should be eliminated within three years of age, and probably two-thirds before bearing age. Planted 10x12 feet apart, these would require 12 acres for the testing of the first generation and 24 acres for the testing of the second gener- ation ; or. planted 12x15 feet, would require ISJ^^ acres for the first genera- tion and 37 acres for the second. The writer believes, however, that the former distance is sufficient for testing purposes. The example given is typical of the methods employed in originating new varieties of orchard fruits. Each case will, however, require its own particular treatment, as regards choice of founda- tion stock and method of procedure; that is, whether by bud selection, im- portation of foreign varieties and species, change in environment of the plant, crossing and so forth. "Weeds in La-wns In many lawns, weeds are persistent nuisances. No matter how careful has been the selection of seed or fertilizers, weeds will make their appearance. Fre- quent mowings will destroy many young disturbing the surrounding sod. It is an inexpensive device and should be in everyone's collection of garden tools. Weeds are more prevalent in thin lawns than in those that are thick and velvety. By improving the turf, thick- ening it, most weeds will disappear. Dendrobium "Wardianum The illustration on this page repre- sents a beautiful specimen of Dendro- bium Wardianum Lowii as grown in the greenhouse of Mr. R. B. Angus, of Mon- treal. The photograph was taken in the third year of flowering. While this variety of orchid is a free bloomer, as may be seen from the illus- A Free Blooming Orchid -in a Montreal Greenhouse weeds, but too frequent cuttings in dry weather often weakens the grass and sometimes weeds get the upper hand. In a newly-made lawn, it is necessary to keep a careful watch on the weeds. They should not be allowed to get a start sufficient to make them trouble- some. Dandelions, narrow-leaved plan- tains, docks and that class of weeds can scarcely be gotten rid of except by spud- ding. These tools can be secured from any seedsman. There also are other ex- cellent tools for ridding lawns of weeds. Among these is the Cleveland Lawn Weeder. With it, one can get at the root of the evil and remove it without tration, it has not proved to be a durable one with private gardeners. This may be owing to the flowers being allowed to re- main on the plant too long or to the neces- sity of having to place them, when in flower, in the cool and often draughty conservatories. That they may be grown' with much satisfaction when given par-- ticular care and attention is evidenced by the success that has been attained^ by Mr. Wm. J. Wilshire, gardener fori Mr. Angus, in the production of the.; specimen illustrated. It should be an incentive to greater efforts on the part of others who are growing this valuable varietv. Lawn and Garden Hints for June THE only way to secure satisfactory results in the flower garden is by giving the details careful study. Many pleasing effects may be had by the exercise of forethought. Even tropical ting. Among other common annuals that should be in every garden are marigold, petunias, eschscholtzia, por- tulaca, calHopsis, salpiglossis, balsam, zinnias and poppies. One of the best general purpose hardy border plants is the perennial phlox. It gives an almost solid mass of color for many weeks. Give it a good, rich soil, keep the grass and weeds away from it, and that is all the atten- tion that it needs. Have plenty of hollyhocks but do not plant them singly. They are more effective when grouped. It is a good plan to sow a packet of hollyhock seed each summer. By doing this, you will have a fresh lot of young plants for each season's flowering. It is from young plants that you must expect your finest flowers. During the summer, the size of pansy flowers can be kept up by water- ing two or three times a week with water in which cow manure has been soaked. You can hardly give them too much. If it gets on the leaves, rinse them with clean water. Pick off the faded blossoms. If vou want to get extra large flow- ers of sweet peas for exhibition or otherwise, disbud and only let the number of buds that you require come to mattiritv. Box of Plants on Lawn A cheap and effective means of adornment- an ordinary wooden box, painted and filled with plants -a central draccana surrounded by coleus. geraniums, vin- cas. iietunias and nasturtiums. effects may be had by the judicious selection of plants that are appro- priate. One of the best of these is the ricinus or castor oil plant. It can be grown from seed. It has immense palmate foliage of a rich green, shaded with red with a metallic lustre. It grows to be eight or ten feet high, and branches freely. It is excellent for the centre of a circular bed. ■The canna is a sub-tropical plant, and may be combined with others to excellent effect. Some varieties are tall growers, while others are dwarf. In addition to its fine foliage, it bears brilliant flowers that give color to the arrangement. For beds of this kind, there are other plants such as palms, screw pines, ficus, caladiums and aspidistras, that can be put out of doors in summer with advantage. AMONG THE FLOWERS The best of all the summer flowering bulbs is the gladiolus. It is a flower anybody can grow, and it is lovely enough to suit the most exacting. You can have it in the most delicate colors if your taste runs in that direc- tion, and you can have it in colors of much brilliancy if such are your pref- erence. I'or cultural directions, read the article by Mr. Groff that appears in another column. In the annual flower beds, be sure to have plenty of mignonette. It is one of the most useful flowers for cut- Fairies in Flowerland Twin granddaughters of Mr. Amos Hill. Great ViUaKe, Nova Scotia, taken in a garden of sweet peas. Ph..to- Kraph furnished by Mr. J. W. Nairn. Truro. Ul 142 T HE CANADIAN H O R 1' 1 C U L T U R 1 S T June, 1907 Do not plant dahlias or cannas un- til all danger of frost is past. Manv amateurs plant dahlias too earl}-. Those whose growth has been retarded will produce the finest flowers. DahUas do not bloom so well during the heat of summer as they do in fall when the nights are cool. ■ Thinning, weeding, cultivating and watering are the most important chores THE VEGETABLE GARDEN' Commence to cultivate and hoe as soon as the young plants appear. Do not wait until the weeds get a start. By stirring the soil early, many weed seeds that have sprouted and not yet appeared above the surface, will be killed. The best time to water the vegetable garden is in the evening, but water it Large Mammoth Squash Growing Abundantly in an Out-of-the-way Place this month. Do not neglect them if you desire the best results. Prune all the flowering shrubs that bloom before the leaves appear, as these will produce their flowers next spring on this season's growth. WITH THE FRUITS If you want to grow larger and bet- ter fruit on your trees than you have done in the past, thin the fruit on the limbs this month. Read the article on this subject that appears on an- other page of this issue. When picking strawberries, keep the newly-picked berries out of the sun. The best way to pick the berries is to grasp the stem and remove about one- half an inch of it with the fruit. Do not separate the berry from the hull until about to be used on the table. The new strawberry bed should be cultivated continually. Remove all the blossoms and allow the strength of the plant to go towards producing a strong crown in the old plant and an abundance of runners. These pointers are for the matted row system. Lar- ger berries, but not so many of them, may be produced by growing' the straw- berries on the hill system. In this case, all runners should be removed. If a strawberry plant collapses, dig a hill and kill the white grubs. Fruit trees and bushes should be sprayed if clean fruit is the object. If the home orchard is large enough, the purchase of a knapsack sprayer or even a barrel pump will be a profitable investment. Gum or sawdust near the base of peach or plum trees indicates the pres- ence of borers. Dig them out or they will kill the tree. any time rather than allow it to suffer from drought. Sweet com can be sown at any time during the month. Late cabbage and When danger of frost is about past, sow seed of such tender vegetables a cucumber, pumpkin, squash and melon To secure early tomatoes, train them to a trellis or to stakes. Pinch off all the side .shoots and allow the strength to go to one stalk. Hand weeding is necessary in the onion patch. The young plants ari easily choked by weeds. Thin the beets, but do not destro\ all the superfluous little plants. Thc\ may be used on the table as greens, o> they may be transplanted after cut ting off most of the leafage. Watei them until they become established. The squash bug is troublesome. It^ depredations may be lessened bv mean- of a decoy. Lay small pieces of board- near the squash plants and kill thr bugs under them every morning. Squasli and melon plants mav also be protectee] from bugs by covering with cheese cloth Besides common vegetables there art many that are unusual but wortli growing. Why not try something new - Swiss chard, a type of beet, is excel- lent as a boiled green. Sow the seeds as early as possible. When the plants are up, they may be thinned from time to time, and the thinnings boiled for table use, or they may be transplanted . Twin Backyards that Betray Respectively Crude and Refined Ideals These home gardens, side by side, are object lessons. One, unkempt and uncared for is a horrible sxamnl,. of situaTed"toTonow'^W";e °,""=^i, "l!''"u """l, "?,1^^ «'«'/ ^"^ A"-"' »»d vegetables, is a mSlel fo^o hers sZ arly situatea to toUow. Note also the backyards illustrated on pages 143 and 145. cauhflower oftentimes can be planted between the rows of early potatoes before the latter are done. ' Try some Savoy cabbage ; they are excellent and delicious for table use. There is no lleshy root as in the case of common beets. Other vegetables that are worth trying are, kale, Brus- sells sprouts, globe artichoke, cardoon and Chinese cabbage. Color Schemes for Formal Gardens THE old-time formal garden with its terraces, vases and statues, severe- ly trimmed hedges and trees, and its walks, borders and flower beds, bord- ered with narrow strips of grass, tiles A Corner Garden Planted for beauty and a practical purpose. It pre- vents short cuts that mar so many lawns near busy city streets.* Besides the type illustrated — a hedge bordered with flowers — rockeries are as efficient and as ornamental. or box-edging, is practically unknown in Canada. The "formal garden," as we know it, is usually a lawn or garden containing a number of flower beds and borders. Sometimes it is laid out in the form of a more or less pleasing de- sign, but often no attempt at artistic arrangement is made, the garden or lawn being crowded with flower beds of every size and description, lack of space alone being the limit to the variety of designs displayed. This is an all too- common practice and one that cannot be too severely condemned. If the ar- rangement is bad, the design poor, or imsuitable, or the beds are out of pro- portion either in size or number, the most skilful planting will never entirely hide the defect. Color schemes for separate beds, es- pecially if they are some distance from each other, are easier to carry out than when they are grouped together in the form of a design. In the former case, no account has to be taken of the effect the colors used will have on those in ad- joining beds. In either case, harmony of color should be made the first considera- tion. This may be produced by form- ing sharp but pleasing contrasts, or by a combination of different shades of one color. To give an extended list of com- binations suitable for single beds would only lead to confusion ; therefore, a few examples only will be given. Those which follow have all been seen in dif- ferent plans in this locality, some being particularly effective: 1. Iresine Herbstii, purple red and Abutilon Savitzii, planted alternate- ly; border, alyssum, "Little Gem." "Wm. J. A^'^ilshire, Montreal 2. Geranium, "Flower of Spring," sil- ver leaf, coleus, "Glory of Autumn," and dwarf silver leaf geranium; border, Altemanthera amoena. 3. Abutilon Savitzii, white and heHo- trope "Montreal Bedder," purple; border, alyssum, "Little Gem." 4. Geranium, "J ^'ind," rose-pink, jf^ Centaurea gymnocarpa, white, and Begonia Erfordii, carmine; border, Dactylis variegata, white striped. 5. Acalypha Macafuena, bronze-green and red, and Abutilon Savitzii. 6. Canna, "Alphonse Bouvier," crim- son, planted sparingly on a ground- work of Abutilon "Souvenir de Bonn," green and white; border, Coleus Verschaffeltii, maroon. 7. Dark blue ageratum, Centaurea candidissima, white and light blue lobelia; border, alvssum, "Little Gem." 8. Canna "J. Vaughan," yellow, plant- ed with Eulalia zebrina; border, Pennisetum Ruppellii, ornamental grass. 9. Canna ' ' Black Beauty," dark bronze, Coleus Verschaffeltii and bronze- leaf geranium ; border, yellow al- temanthera. 10. Heliotrope, "Montreal Bedder," purple and celosia, "Sutton's Yel- low Gem " ; border, alyssum, ' ' Little Gem." adjoining beds. White can be used with any color, and is often valuable for separating colors which would do \i.o- lence to each other if planted side by side. For smaller designs, different shades of pink, yellow to bronze, Hght to dark red or maroon, can be made to give a fine effect; or, if desired, white may be used in combination with either. Most of the plants mentioned in this article having either white flowers or foliage, would be found suitable. It is impos- sible to say exactly what varieties should be used, or how the different shades should be combined ; no particular form of design being under consideration. For pink, geraniums present a num- ber of fine shades, and can be used with Begonia Erfordii, the pale and bright pink varieties of B. Semperflorens and the carmine-tipped Altemanthera versi- color. For yellow and bronze, bronze- leaf Cannas, yellow-flowered cannas, Acalypha macrophylla, coleus, bronze and yellow-leaved geraniums, Antheri- cum picturatum, and altemanthera in two or three shades. For red and ma- roon, cannas, coleus, geraniums, achy- ranthus, begonias "Vernon" and "Duke Zephlin," and altemanthera. Narrow borders will of necessity have to be planted in the "ribbon" line style; but, for wide borders, a pleasant change from that method may be made by Much Pleasure and Enjoyment can be had in a Backyard like this V'inca major variegata makes a fine ground-work for a bed in any position. It is very effective when planted among upright growing subjects. Mass planting, that is, each bed in a separate color, is probably the best for large designs. Almost all the ordinary bedding plants possessing one dominant shade of color can be used, care being taken to avoid harsh contrasts between planting the different varieties in groups, irregular in size and shape, merging the colors one into the other, or arranging them to form agreeable contrasts. For borders in shady positions, nothing can beat fuchsias and tuberous begonias, planted on a ground-work of Anthericum variegatum bordered with Dactylis variegata. Carpet bedding, once the rage, is rapidly going the way of all fads. 144 THE CANADlAiN H O R T 1 C U LT U li 1 S T June, 190'; Probably few regret it ; for it is, without doubt, the most troublesome and un- natural style of planting. For this style of bedding, a combination of delicate shades of color would be unsuitable. The lines of color have to be somewhat sharply contrasted; otherwise, any de- signs the beds might contain would be too indistinct to be effective. Almost any low-growing plants that will stand being pinched or sheared can be used for this class of work, among which are the following: Coleus, achyranthus, santol- ina, alternanthera, pyrethrum, eche- veria, lobelia, mesembryanthemum, alyssum and others. It is not necessary to confine oneself to the above Hst, many other plants and many other ways can be found to make summer bedding effective. No arbitrary rule exists as to what should, or should not, be planted, or how the arranging should be done. Much depends upon the taste and skill of the operator. Common plants, in the hands of the skilful planter, are often made to pro- duce finer effects than the choicest ma- terial in the hands of the unskilful. Mowing tHe La-wn It is not well to mow a newly-made lawn until the grass is three or four inches in height. Give the grass a chance. Do not cut too closely at first. When mowing is commenced, however, it is necessary to repeat it about twice a week. Frequent mowings increase the body of the sward. In dry seasons, it may not be necessary to mow so often. Do not mow a well-established lawn too closely. There must be enough grass blade left at the root of the plant to make a good showing of green if one expects the turf to look well. Cutting close gives the lawn a brown look be- cause the dead leaves usually found at crown of plant have a chance to show through the green leaves that are left. To maintain an even surface of turf, the grass must be cut with an up-to-date lawn mower. There are many of these on the market. It is well to select one that will do the work easily and well. Every person that has a lawn should have a hand lawn mower. They are inexpensive and will last for many years. For parks, pubUc squares, large estates and other places where the lawn is of large area, it is necessary to use a horse or power lawn mower. These do the work much more rapidly than the hand mower and are cheap in the end. There is a difference of opinion as to whether or not the trimmings or clip- pings of the grass should be removed when cut. Some gardeners advise leav- ing them to decay and, as they say, to enrich the surface of the soil. It would seem, however, that actual ex- perience discredits this theorv and shows that soon such a thick mat of decayed leaves is left on the roots of the grass that it molds, smothers the grass and ev-en kills it. It is said that many dead patches seen on lawns are the result of leaving the clippings thereon. We would suggest that amateurs whose lawns are small, rake off most of the clippings. It is easier, of course, to leave them where they lie, but it is not in the best interests of the turf to allow the clippings of all summer to remain there. This is a point of general interest. Letters telling the experience of our readers are solicited and will be published for the benefit of fellow-gardeners. Gro-wing Covircls Gourds are excellent annual climbers. They produce blossoms profusely and the curious fruits hanging in clusters add novelty and attractiveness to the garden. They are grown somewhat in the same manner as squashes and cu- cumbers. As they are tender, they should not be planted until all danger of frost is passed. A better way is to start the seed in the house in early spring, usually March, and transfer the plants to the open when the right time comes. Good results may be obtained, however, by planting the seed outside. Give them a location that is fully exposed to sun. Gourds must be trained on some support, such as fences, trellises, arbors, and summer houses. A rustic effect may be produced by allowing the gourds to run over a dead tree. Go to the woods or fields and find a small tree or old top. Nail on this in irregular fash- ion any old sticks or limbs that are available. Unless you intend to give the larger varieties particular attention in the way of support when they attain their size, it is advisable to use the smaller sorts so that they will not be damaged in case of a windstorm. Try some gourds this year, and, to make the experiment doubly interesting, engrave a name or motto on the fruit when young. This may be done with a knife or any instrument. When a gourd is once scratcTied, the blemish will always remain, no matter how small it may be. On the other hand, if the puncture is large, the fruit will rot. Care should be taken to see that the, markings are not made too deeply. Statice — Sea Lavender. — The statices are great favorites of mine. They are among the most beautiful of our peren- nials, very hardy, and are not known as well as they ought to be. They grow from two to three feet high. There is nothing better for cutting, and they keep long after being dried. They are very attractive in the border, flowering during August, September and October, laven- der blue in color. A'ariety latifolia is the best for general culture. — Roderick Cameron, Niagara Falls South. THe Mixed Flo-wer Border Wm. Hunt, Ontario Agricultural College, Guelph. For practical purposes, the plants fo; a mixed flower border could be divided into two classes, permanent and tem- porary. The former could consist of perennial climbers for covering the fence, if any, and all kinds of hardy per- ennial border plants such as delphiniums, paeony, iris, and other similar plants. Hardy border lilies, lily of the vallev, as well as tulips and narcissi, and other spring flowering bulbs, could fje planted for permanent occupation in different positions, best suited to their height, habit and color effect. A few carefully selected shrubs or a few of the com- moner hardy roses could be made very effective in large borders. Annual climbers and border plants could be sown in May to fill in the spaces between ' the more permanent plants just men- tioned. Plant for effectiveness, so as to avoid a too monotonous or set appearance of the general contour of the border. Planting for color effect may be done by grouping varieties of plants that har- monize. Avoid any stiffness or formal- ity in the general effect. It is not ad- visable always to copy the plan often- times followed of planting only the tall- growing plants at the back of the border, medium height plants in the centre, and the quite dwarf plants only at the front edge of the border. This method gives the border the appearance of being stiff, formal and artificial. It is just as neces- sary to have reUef in form and outline as it is to have relief and variety in color effect. In planting the mixed border, try and avoid anything approaching formality or too much regularity from any point of view. To make the mixed border effective from early spring until late autumn, select plants that will cover the season with successive bloom. Seeds of per- ennials can be sown in a nursery bed out of doors, from May to August, for next season and future flowering. These could be planted in the border the fol- lowing spring. Spring flowering bulbs should be planted in October. Pseony roots and dielj-tra (bleeding heart), iris and a few other herbaceous perennials could be planted or divided and trans- planted in September, or early in Octo- ber. Most of the border perennials, however, such as gaillardia, phlox and so forth, are best transplanted about the end of April or early in May. Dormant roots of dahlias can be planted the end of Mav, Canna roots early in June. Gladioli corms can be planted any time during May. Seeds of annuals can be sown as soon as the ground is in good condition in spring, about the first week in May. A border was published last month. GroAV Salad Crops at Home E\'ERV person who has a garden should plan to grow a succession of salad plants. They are easily grown and will succeed under most adverse circumstances. Much of the crispness and tenderness of salad plants bought from the grocer are lost by the necessary handUng from the producer lettuce in quaUty, having a crispness, tenderness and flavor particularly its own. The long and narrow leaves require to be tied, when they soon form solid heads and quickly bleach to snowy whiteness. They become as stiff, crisp and as sweet as celery stocks, and are delicious when eaten in the same manner A Simple and Effective Summci to the consumer. To have them fresh every day and in variety throughout the season, the amateur should set apart a place for them in the home garden. LETTUCE The salad plant that is grown the most extensively in the home garden or for market is' lettuce. It has one serious drawback, however, and that is it cannot stand the hot summer sun. This does not prevent its culture during the sum- mer, but necessitates a Uttle extra trouble to afford it a screen to ward off the sun's rays. These screens may be made of laths or cheese cloth, tacked on frames and placed a foot or so above the plants. Edrlv spring lettuce may be grown in hotbeds and cold frames. Not much bottom heating is required. The seed is sown in March. Some of the plants may be allowed to mature in the frame and others are transplanted to the open. As soon as the soil is fit to work in the garden in spring, the seed may be sown out of doors. vSced thinly in rows 10 or 12 inches apart, and, for head lettuce, thin the plants to stand 10 inches in the rows. The thinnings may be trans- planted into new beds. For a succession , however, it is better to sow seed every two weeks. There are many good varieties, among which are Big Boston and Hanson. For a loose leaf or cutting lettuce, probably Black Seeded vSimpson is the best. Cos or celerv lettuce exceeds all other Playground for Old and Young or prepared for salad. Plant cos let- tuce in rows 10 or 12 inches apart, and thin to six inches in the row. already done so. It is a tender and dehcious salad. Sow in June and have a succession until late fall by sowing a new row every two weeks. The leaves will have to be blanched before used, either bv tying together with some soft material' or by standing boards on each side of the row, allowing the tops of the boards to meet over the centre. The rows should be one and one-half feet apart, and the plants should stand about 10 inches apart in the rows. CORN SALAD Com salad, or fetticus, is one of the earUest spring salad vegetables coming into condition to use with spinach. Sown in fall and protected during the winter, it starts into rapid growth when the cover is removed in March or April. The seed mav be sown also in spring and the plants will be fit to use in six or eight weeks. One packet of seed will suffice for a small family. Sow in rows a foot apart. CRESS The curled garden cress is a useful plant, as its leaves may be used for garn- ishing as well as for salads. It will grow in anv good soil. Sow early in spring and a crop may be cut in four or live weeks. A succession of sowings must be made as it runs quickly to seed. Sow thicklv in drills about a foot apart. The Beautiful Home of a Horticultural Enthusiast The residence of Dr. Dryden, Guelph, Ontario. Note particularly the effect produced by window boxes and read the short article on page 147. A salad plant that is at its best during the summer, when good lettuce is scarce, is endive. For this reason, you should cultivate a taste for it, if you have not Water cress grows rapidly on the edges of springs, brooks, open drains or ponds. A few plants for private use mav be grown in a frame, provided a 145 146 THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST June, 1907 retentive soil is used and attention given to watering the bed often. Water cress is propagated by seed or from pieces of the stem used as cuttings. When once estabUshed, it will take care of itself year by year. CULTIVATED DANDELION The cultivated dandelion also may be used for salads. It is quite different in quality and appearance from the ordinary weed. The plants attain a larger size, and the leaves are much more tender. Seed may be selected from the best field growing plants, but it is better to buy the French seed of the seedsmen. Sow in springin well-manured soil, either in hills or in drills one foot apart. The first cutting of leaves will be had in the fall. The leaves should be blanched to improve their deHcacy. Rose Pests With the increasing heat of summer, insect pests are sure to make their ap- \ pearance on the rose bushes. It is wise to adopt preventive measures rather than to rely on an attempt to cure when the insect appears. Too often the ap- plication of remedies and preventive measures for the extermination of insect and fungous pests is left until the plants have become too badly infested that they are hopelessly spoiled for floral or decorative purposes for the rest of the season. It is a wise course to give rose bushes a sprinkling of hellebore powder as soon as the foliage is partly developed and before the flower buds have shown them- selves prominently. By doing this and repeating the operation about ©nee a week, until the flowers commence to open, the foliage as well as the flowering buds can be saved from disfiguration and partial ruin, particularly from the rose slug. The best time to apply the helle- bore is early in the morning, whilst the foliage is damp with dew. Another insect that is troublesome throughout the whole season is the rose thrip. It secretes itself on the under side of the leaves, and oftentimes is not detected until the foliage has become bleached and whitened by its destructive attacks. A close inspection of the foliage will detect them. The bushes should be treated early in the season. An application of tobacco in some form is the best and most effective preventive. Another enemy to the successful cul- ture of the rose is the red spider. Climb- ing roses are more hable to attacks than are bush roses. The red spider delights in a dry atmosphere. Roses that are trained close to a wall or fence offer splendid inducements for its ravages. One of the first indications of the pres- ence of this pest is an unhealthv, whitish appearance of the leaves and finallv the constant falling of the dried, half-de- voured leaves, unless they are stopped before they have reached this stage. As the red spider cannot exist in a damp atmosphere, constant syringing and sprinkling with cold water is the best preventive. The aphis or small green fly is also troublesome. Constant syringing or an application of tobacco water usually rids the bushes fairly efficiently of this insect. Remedies for all insect pests should be appHed early in the season and before the pests have become uncon- trollable. Cultur.e of Gladioli H. H. Groff, Simcoe, Ont. The gladiolus is not exacting in its demands upon the soil. I have grown it on one block of land yearly for over fifteen years, the only fertihzer used being well-rotted stable manure and hard wood ashes applied before plowing in the autumn. No fertilizers are need- ed on strong new soils as a rule. Profuse watering at intervals is de- sirable where local peculiarities of soil and hmited rainfall prevail during the season of active plant growth and bloom- ing. A brief period of ripening before the latter season is beneficial, if not too severe, as this hardens the plant tissues and assures flowers and spikes of in- creased durability and quality. Ex- cessively succulent growth is not bene- ficial to plant, flower or corm. For best results, plant in full exposure to the sun. in locations having a free circulation of air, avoid crowding by- other plants or overshading by trees, buildings or hedges. Plant from two to four inches deep according to the size of the corms — matured corms never less than four inches — two to four inches apart in double rows, which may be made as close as twelve inches in beds or borders. The greatest satisfaction is secured by growing several thousand in the vegetable garden for daily cutting as the first flowers open. In the next issue of The Canadian Horticulturist will appear an article on how to cut and care for the flowers. • Bedding Plants When striking and pecuhar effects are desired in the flower garden or on the lawn, it is customary to make use of what florists term "bedding plants." This term is used to designate such kind of plants that bloom well when planted out in beds or have striking foliage whose colors take the place of flowers. The most important bedding plant is the geranium. No other gives such a brilliant show of color throughout the season To keep a geranium blooming from June until frost, it is necessary only to remove the flowers as thev fade, and thereby prevent the formation of seeds The double varieties are the most popu lar for bedding, as the flowers last longii and give more soHd color effect. Tuberous begonias are excellent bed- ders. They are rich in color and produce a fine effect. The verbena is one of the best, being a very free and constant bloomer, and having intensely rich and beautiful colors. Other flowering plants that are popular for the purpose are salvias, petunias, fuchsias, asters, cannas, gladioli and Phlox Drummondii. Among the fohage plants, the most popular is the coleus. By planting it closely together and keeping th^ plants well cut back, soUd effects of color can be obtained. The colors being: so varied and distinct, the coleus is much used in carpet bedding, in which a set pattern is worked out. Other plants that bear cutting well, and that are used in the production of pattern effects, are achyranthes and alternanthera. Cen- turia gymnocarpa has a soft, gra^' leaf that contrasts well with coleus. Sweet alyssum also may be used for the border. For most bedding plants, a medium heavy loam is best, as it retains the moisture for a longer time. Before planting, the soil should be dug deeply. It will not need fertilizing if the bed was left in good shape last fall. If tulips or hyacinths were planted, however, the bed will require a heavy coat of well- rotted manure. For putting out the plants, choose a cloudy day if possible. Water them well and shade for a day or two. Stake those that require it. The plants should be tied to the stakes fre- quently as growth develops. I To Gro-w Oood Poppies R. B. Whyte, Ottawa The best soil for poppies is a sandy loam ; if good garden soil, it will not re- quire any manuring, but if very poor, spread about two inches of well-rotted stable manure over the surface before digging, and turn it well under, so that none of it will touch the seed. After digging, rake the earth with a sharp rake till it is as smooth and fine as you can make it. Make your bed where it will get the sun all day if possible. A convenient shape for the seed bed is about two and a half feet wide and 15 feet long. The seed may be planted in rows one foot apart and about four to six inches apart in the row ; or it may be scattered over the whole surface, thinning the plants out after they come up, to eight or nine inches apart. As the seed is very small you must be care- ful not to cover it too deep. A good wav is to plant it on the surface, and then draw the rake very lightly over the top so as to stir the soil a little, then pat it firmly with a hoe or piece of board, June, 1907 THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST 147 so as to bring the earth into close con- tact with the seed. If planted in rows, your bed will be more easily kept free from weeds, as you can do the work with a hoe, but scattering the seed over the whole surface makes a much more at- tractive show bed in the garden. Keep all weeds pulled and stir the earth frequently between the plants to keep it from getting hard. It is not necessarv to water, as poppies grow best in hot, dry weather. Do not allow any seed to ripen. Cut off the seed pods every day, as soon as the petals fall off. "Windo-w Boxes Every home should have one or more window boxes of foliage or flowers. No form of gardening is more appro- priate to redeem the barrenness of countless homes in our cities, where there is scarcely a spot of green grass or workable soil on the premises. For such homes, the effectiveness of a simple display of flowers outside the windows cannot be estimated. Not onlv is it for homes of this kind that window boxes are useful, however, but also for houses everywhere, even those that are surrounded with flowers, plants and trees in great variety. It is not a difficult or expensive matter to make boxes suitable for growing plants at the window. The simpler and less obstrusive the box, the better. A plain wooden box paint- ed green or a rustic box finished in natural bark is far superior to one made of expensive material with fancy frills, and decorated in all colors of the rainbow. The box should be strongly made, as it is required to sup- port a heavy weight of soil. Supply drainage by holes bored in the bottom, six inches apart, and covered with pieces of broken flower pots. Secure good soil for the plants to be grown in. A good mixture is one- third ordinary garden soil, one-third well-rotted manure and one-third sand. If ferns and begonias are to be used, omit the manure and use instead well- rotted leaf mould. Among the plants best for window boxes are geraniums, ageratum, snap- dragons, verbenas, vincas, tradescen- tias, petunias. Phlox Drummondii, As- paragus sprengeri, and for trailing or climbing, nasturtiums, morning glorys and Cobea scandens. Window boxes must be given plenty of water every day, or they will dry out quickly from exposure to the sun and wind. A little care will be rewarded. Vines that are bare at the base may be improved by training the new shoots downwards. Lawns require liberal fertilizing. Many Canadian lawns are underfed. Cultivating the MarKet Garden BY the proper cultivation of the market garden soil, many import- ant things are accomplished. The surface soil is brought into the best con- dition to resist drought and to conserve moisture in the soil. Plant foods are made more valuable for the use of the growing crop. Weeds are kept out so that they do not rob the crop of mois- ture and food. Various methods of working the soil are practised. The fol- lowing are some of them : CULTIVATING ONIONS "When onions are about two inches high," wrote Mr. Herbert Hachborn of Echo Place, Ont., "they should be weeded and thinned ; that is, if the seed was sown rather thickly. It is my custom to weed onions about twice dur- ing the season. I cultivate them with a wheel hoe once a week until they commence to form bulbs. After that, I cultivate with an ordinary hand hoe until time for harvesting." The planting and cultivating of late cauhflowers as practised by Mr. John N. Watts, of Portsmouth, Ont., is as follows : "I make three sowings of seed, the first about May 15, the second about the 24th, and the third before June 10. I make also three plantings ; the first about May 25, the second in June, and the third about the first week of July. The last planting gives the best results. It often happens that a fair crop may be obtained from any one of the three plantings, but in case the first or second should fail the third is almost certain to succeed. Good cultivation and care must be given. When setting out the plants, care should be exercised not to have them too old or woody. Have a fine bed for them to root in. After they have started, a deep hoeing should fol- low. The soil between the rows should be well cultivated to prevent injury from drought. When the young plants have - attained the height of one foot the cab- bage worm will put in his appearance. It can be destroyed by the use of one quart of flour in which a teaspoonful of Paris green has been mixed. Dust this on the plants once a week with a box havinga perforated lid." GROWING POTATOES "The first step in the cultivation of the potato," wrote Mr. H. A. Blunden, of Sarnia, Ont., "is made at. the time of planting when a ridge of earth is left over each row. Just as the young plants are making their appearance, the grower must go crossways of the rows with a horse weeder or hght harrow and partly knock down the ridge. This operation kills countless numbers of newly-sprout- ed weeds. In the course of a week afterwards the soil should be cultivated with a horse cultivator. Between the rows, hoeing should be done to make the ridge level with the soil between the rows. Continue to cultivate once a week during the growing season. The first cultivation should be about four inches deep. Cultivate gradually shallower and narrower. At the last cultivation the rows should be moulded." Caxiliflow^er Growing FranK F. Reeves. Humber Day. Ontario IN sowing cauliflower seed I prefer to use a seed drill, for two reasons: I can get the plants more even, and the seed goes in at a more regular depth. One ounce of seed should sow from 350 to 400 feet of row, and should produce at least 1,500 plants. In growing cauH- flower as a second crop sow about May 17 to 24. This gives lots of time to produce stout stocky plants by the time the ground is ready for planting. It is advisable to make two or three sowings so as to have plants the right size when wanted. A great enemy to young plants is the small fly. The best way to check this pest is to take wood ashes, or air-slaked lime, and dust along the row when the dew is on the plants. Tobacco dust sprinkled on the ground also is a good preventive. No workable plan has been found to combat the root maggot. One of the most important factors in the cultivation of cauHflower as in ^11 other crops is to find land that is most suitable for them, and then stay with it. A good sandy loam inclined to clay is the ideal spot in which to grow this crop. Being a rank feeder it is necessary that the land be well manured. It is best to grow them after a crop of early radish or spinach. To do this, manure the land well in the fall. About the middle of June, plow in another good coat of manure, let the land he for a few days, till the weeds begin to show themselves, then start the disc or harrows going. By doing this, weeds do not attain any size, and moisture is conserved. I plant from July 1 to 15. The ground should be harrowed and boarded as often as possible to get it solid. This causes the plants to take hold far quicker and be able to withstand dry weather and hot winds. Make the rows three feet apart and place the plants two feet apart in the row. If the land is marked both ways, it can all be scuffled. This saves a lot of hand hoeing. If possible 148 THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST June, 1907 plant on a cloudy day or immediately after a rain. Make the roots firm. Use the scuffler every week or ten days. After the plants begin to grow nicely, it is wise to use the potato moulders, as it will prevent the plants being blown around by the wind. When the heads show about two or three inches across, they should be tied to prevent discoloring. Many use bunching string for this. A hoop made of bale wire with a hook at each end is very handy for the purpose. There is always a lot of pMnts that will not head-in during the season. These should be stripped of their bottom leaves and planted closely in a roothouse or cool cellar. A large majority will then produce nice cauliflowers. Transplanting Tomatoes A.n^us Mclnnis, London. Ont WHIJN tomato seedlings are four or five weeks old from the time of sowing the seed, I transplant them about three inches apart each way. Then, when they begin to crowd, I trans- plant a second time, giving them as much space as I can, from five to eight inches. This is done with early plants but appUes equally as well to the later crop, in which case one transplanting is sufficient. Have the bed to which they are transplanted just rich enough to support the plant, as soil that is overly rich induces too fast a growth, making the plants soft and retarding their growth when they are again put into poorer soil. When planting in the field put lots of manure on the land, especially if it is poor, and spread it as evenly as possible. A good way to accomplish this is to go over it with a disc harrow two or three times, which cuts the manure very fine, then plow the ground. This must be done as early as possible. Then work the land every week with disc or culti- vator; no more plowing is needed after the first one. The last cultivating should be done a few days or a week before planting. It is a great benefit to the crop to use 40 or 100 pounds of potash an acre. Give the plant bed a good watering the day before planting and also on the day you take up the plants. In the field we take a Une that reaches from one end to the other. We use a light marker about three feet long with a tooth at each end, marking along the line, while on the opposite side a man digs a hole at the point indicated. We would rather set out the plants before blooming, as we think the digging injures them more then. At the plant bed there is a man to take up the plants with a good strong trowel. A nice lump of earth is left on each one, and they are placed in flats or boxes that hold about 15 or 20 plants. They are loaded into a waggon, and taken to the field. We drive along the line and a man or boy hands the plants out. We always give a light watering when planting. The rows are eight feet apart, and three feet from plant to plant. We Hke this method much better than the square planting, as the same number of plants an acre gives us more room than the latter way. When plants do their best they soon cover the ground, and when it is thickly covered with vines the sun does not shine on it and thus keeps the earth cool in square planting. In plant- ing three by eight feet we can cultivate much longer, keep our ground cleaner, and the sunshine heating the earth causes the tomatoes to ripen much better. We can also do better work in picking the fruit as we do not need to tramp the vines ; we have plenty of room to set our baskets or crates between the rows, and if necessary, we can use a stone boat for carrying off the fruit. Gro-win^ Celery J. Friendship, Kingston, Ont. The quickest and easiest method for setting is the best. Open trenches with a plow, four feet apart and about 10 inches deep, so that when plants are set they are only a few inches below the level. The celery does much better this way than in deep trenches, and requires less labor. I set the plants close, not more than six inches apart, so that a 30-rod row will hold 1,000 plants. Bv having everything in readiness a man with two smart boys can set out 25,000 in a short time. CUl,TlV.\TION Celery must be kept growing steadily to get crisp, tender stalks. It requires more cultivation than other vegetables. The ground must be kept loose and mel- low so as to keep up the growth and make it easy hilling up. This should not be done too soon. The plants should be allowed to grow to a fair size before the banking or bleaching is done. At this time the gardener appreciates the value of the fine loose soil on the surface. With it he can do his work well and with pleasure. My plan is to bank as much as I can with the horse. I use a shovel plow, which pushes the loose soil up under the leaves almost as well as a man can do it by hand. Then two men, one on either side, with hoes 20 inches long, or scrapers as they are generally called, shove the soil still more firmly against the plants. They work together so as to keep the plants in place. It is Ught work and the field can be gone over quickly. Then leave the celery to bleach until danger of frost. As soon as ground becomes cold, bank up the plants until covered, taking care to keep stalks straight. Before heavy frost, cover with coarse horse manure In this manner the celery will continue growing and when used' will be verj- crisp and tender, but will not keep long. For digging the crop, which should be done before a heavy frost, use the horse and plow a heavy furrow from each side of the row. Have the plow so arranged that it will cut close to plants without injuring the stalks. This leaves them loose enough to pull by hand. When storing leave the roots on, but remove all old or useless leaves. For long keeping, celery needs close trimming and requires a dry, cool storehouse. Place the plants in an upright position, as close as possible, so that Ihev will con- tinue bleaching without wilting. For immediate use, keep the roots damp, so that the growth will continue, making that nice, crisp celery so much called for during the holiday season. The most profitable kinds to grow are White Plume and Golden Paris, for early ; Giant Pascal for medium or early winter; and Rennie's Winter for late keeping. )e :.■ 4 Vegetable Notes Cabbage for money must be set out in the field by May 24," said Mr. J. L. Wood, of Toronto. "Before the last transplanting the young plants must be hardened off. Too long in the hotbed makes the plants spindly. Transplant to a cold frame. Harden off gradually or they will blacken and die." The green fly on lettuce can be kept in check by dusting with tobacco. It should not be put on after the plants begin to close.— H. E. Reid, Toronto. The earlier the tomato plants are set out the less liable is the fruit to rot, and the more can be harvested before the ■rot comes. — A. Courtice, Toronto. To avoid black rot in tomatoes, the plants should be set on poorer soil. Too much manure in the land frequently causes destruction by rot. — Jas. Gib- bard, Doncaster, Ont. If frost nips the tomato plants after I set them out, I get up early in the morning and use the water-can freely to prevent them from being damaged. — H. E. Reid, Toronto. A western man who has had consider- able experience in raising potatoes, says that by planting two or three flax seeds in each hill not a bug appeared in the patch. The flax acted as a repellant. He claims to have tried it several years in succession with always the same re- sults. This is a simple and inexpensive experiment, and is worth trying. ^ "^^^i^t^ HT^^cf Hr%^ **%t^Lf «<%'^<> '^^lir^i/ >*^|*^t^ »*15^ OUR QUESTION AND ANSWER DEPARTMENT Readers of TKo Horticulturist are Invited to Submit Questions on any Phase of Horticultural "Worh 1^ na^>> /x4f^>> ^^a^>< ^lO^^ /x¥|^ o%.rj^ t^v^li^K/ /^^^^^ Cost of 'Wood AsKes Are wood ashes at 15 cents a bushel, deliv- ered in orchard, expensive? — S.W.C, Swea- burg, Ont. Woo'd ashes at 15 cents a bushel, de- livered in the orchard, may be very cheap, and, again, may be very expen- sive. All will depend upon the amount of potash that there is in the ashes. If we were to value what is taken as the average composition, say five per cent, of potash and one and a half per cent, of phosphoric acid, the wood ashes would be worth $6.50 a ton, without allowing anything for the Ume. It is, however, impossible to say what amount of potash there is in the ashes. We have analyzed samples containing five per cent., and have also analyzed sam- ples containing one per cent., said to be unleached hardwood ashes. If you know the history of the ashes, whether they have been mixed with earth or hard coal ashes, and that they have not been leached, I think you are safe in paying 15 cents a bushel for them. — Answered by Prof. R. Harcourt, O.A.C., Guelph. CHarcoal as a Fertilizer What is the value of charcoal as a fertilizer? Is it worth using in large quantities on a small fruit plantation?— Mrs. C. S., Nelson, B.C. Charcoal acts as an absorbent of gases and is used to sweeten the soil. It is of little value on a fruit plantation tmless obtainable at little or no cost and then not unless the soil is acid. Analysis of A.sKes Please publish the analysis of hard and soft wood ashes and of coal ashes. — E.G.F., Shed- iac, N.B. It is impossible to publish an average analysis of soft and hard wood ashes that will truly represent the composition of ashes under all conditions. Different kinds of soft and different kinds of hard wood will differ in their percentage amounts of the constituents. The com- position of the wood from which these are t aken will vary greatly and will have a marked effect on the composition of the ashes. In general, it may be stated that soft wood ashes are light and, weight for weight, will not contain as much potash as hard wood ashes. On the other hand, it is claimed by many that, bulk for bulk, one will contain about as much potash as the other. We have made a number of analyses of the ash from different kinds of woods, and do not find any very wide percent- age difference, except in the case of elm and black ash, in which the percentage of potash was very high. It would, therefore, be impossible to give any figures that would represent the com- position of the two samples. It is also impossible to give the composition of any kind of ashes, because they vary so much that one can never buy ashes that will contain the amount that might be given as average. For instance, in our analysis we found wood of the hard maple to contain 9.3 per cent, of potash. We have also analyzed what have been said to be unleached hardwood ashes, which contained a little over one per cent, of potash. Hard coal ashes contain very little of anything that is of value. Several sam- ples were analyzed in our laboratory, and these we found to contain little or no potash, but they did contain a small amount, less than two-tenths of a per cent, of phosphoric acid, and a trace of lime and magnesia.— Answered by Prof. R. Harcourt, O.A.C., Guelph. Pruning Spruce Hedges When is the best time to prune a Norway spruce hedge that has been allowed to grow in a wild condition? How should it be treated? — J.S., Cayuga, Ont. The hedge should be pruned this spring, before growth begins. The top may be pruned back severely, but great care should be taken in pruning the sides, as if the trees are cut back to W'Ood without foliage they will not throw- out new leaves as deciduous trees do. Prune to bring the hedge into shape, but leave sufficient green foliage all over the sides and top so that there will be enough buds left to furnish new- growth all over. — Answered by W. T. Macoun, C.E.F., Ottawa. PHospKates for "Vegetables Which is the cheapest source of phosphoric acid for growing vegetables, ground bone or superphosphate? How should each of these be applied, at what time, and in what quantities? — R. S., Picton, Ont. The phosphoric acid in ground bone is in the tri-calcic phosphate form, and is, therefore, insoluble in water; while a large part of that in the superphosphate is soluble in water and consequently immediately available to the plant. The tri-calcic phosphate of the ground bone is, however, quite readily brought into solution through the action of the carbonic acid in the soil, but it is not so available as the superphosphate. The ground bone contains about 14 per cent. of total phosphoric acid, with 12 to 13 per cent, of available phosphoric acid. The ground bone will sell at about $30 a ton and the superphosphate at $16 to $17 a ton. The cost will depend largely upon the nearness to some source of supply. Potash substances should be applied on the surface of the ground and har- rowed or worked into the top soil. The application had best be made during the time when preparing the ground for seed. The ground bone may be applied at the rate of 100 to 200 pounds an acre, larger quantities would do no harm, and the phosphoric acid would not be leached from the soil. The superphosphate may beapphed at the rateof 200 to300 pounds an acre. Too large quantities of this substance, especially on soils that are rich in organic matter, may be detri- mental in that it will tend to make the soil acid. Soils that have been heavily manured, and are therefore rich in organ- ic matter, tend to become sour unless there is abundance of lime. Superphos- phate is naturally somewhat acid, and will, therefore, make conditions worse. On soils that have been heavily manured, I would prefer to recommend the use of ground bone rather than superphosphate. The decaying organic matter will furnish sufficient carbonic acid to bring the phosphoric acid in the ground bone into an available condition. The results may not be quite so promi- nent immediately after sowing, but I think the best all-round results would be got from the use of the ground bone. — Answ-ered by Prof. R. Harcourt, O.A.C., Guelph. Pruning Moss Roses When is the proper time to prune mosSi roses and how should it lie done? — J. R., Ham- ilton, Ont. Moss roses maj- be pruned either in autumn or spring. The w-eak canes should be removed and those that are left pruned back from one-fourth to one-half. — Answered by W. T. Macoun, C.E.F., Ottawa. "The Keiflfer pear is not in as good demand as it used to be," said Murray Pettit, of Winona, to The Horticul- turist, recently, "and I am therefore grafting Duchess on my Keififer trees. During the past two years I have graft- ed 2,000 trees in this way. The Duchess is more free from blight than almost any variety of pear, and it bears regularly and ships'well to the old country." 150 THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST June, 1907 The Canadian Horticullurisl Published by The Horticultural PublishitiK Companj^, Limited The Only Horticultural Magazine in the Dominion OMcial Orsan of British Columbia, Ontario, Quebec and Prince Edward Island Fruit Growers' Associations and of the Ontario Veg- etable Growers' Association H.Bronson Cowan, Managing Editor and Business Manager A. B, CuTTiNO, B.S.A.. Horticultural Editor W. G. Rook, Advertising Manager • Garrett Walu, Circulation Manager GREAT BRITAIN Frank Fletcher, 135 Henrietta Street, Old Trafford. Manchester, Eng., Advertising and Circulation Manager 1. The Canadian Horticxjlturist is published on the 25th day of the month preceding date of issue. 2. Subscription Price in Canada and Great Britain 50 cents a year, three years $1.20. For United States and Ucal subscriptions in Toronto, 25c. extra a year is charged for postage. Foreign subscriptions, $1.00 a year, in- cluding postage. 3. Remittances should be made by Post OiBce or Money Express Order, or Registered Letter. Postage Stamps accepted for amounts less than $1.00. 4. Discontinuances — Responsible subscribers will con- tinue to receive The Horticulturist until the publishers are notified by letter to discontinue, when all arrearages must be paid, 5. Change of Address — When a change of address is ordered, both the old and the new addresses must be given, 6. Advertising Rates quoted on application. Sworn circulation 6,800. Copy received up to the 18th. Re- sponsible representatives wanted in towns and cities. 7. Articles and Illustrations for publication will be thankfully received by the editor. Our Protective Policy We want the readers of The Canadian Horticul- rtjpiST to feel that they can deal with our advertisers with our assurance of the advertisers' reliability. We try to admit to our columns only the most reliable ad- vertisers. Should any subscriber, therefore, have good cause to be dissatisfied with the treatment he receives from any of our advertisers, we will look into the matter and investigate the circumstances fully. Should we find reason to believe that any of our advertisers are un- reliable, even in the slightest degree, we will discontinue immediately the publication of their advertisements in The Horticulturist. Should the circumstances war- rant we will expose them through the columns of the paper. Thus, we will not only protect our readers, but our reputable advertisers as well. All that is necessary to entitle you to the benefits of this Protective Policy is that you include in all your letters to advertisers the words "I saw your ad. in The Canadian Horticultur- ist." Complaints should be sent to us as soon as possi- ble after reason for dissatisfaction has been fotmd. Communications should be addressed: THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST, 506-7-8 Manning Chambers, TORONTO, CANADA UNEQUAL COMPETITION In an address delivered recently before the Canadian Club of Toronto, Prof. W. F. Os- borne, of Wesley College, Winnipeg, made some pertinent remarks in regard to the ad- visability of Canadians supporting their own Canadian papers. Prof. Osborne regretted the tremendous circulation in Canada of United States publications, and said that if the policy of protection has a leg to stand on, there is no better field for its exemplification than this. He claimed that the Government would be upheld in every step it took to discourage the flooding of this country with cheap United States publications, and to encoiu-age the cir- culation of periodicals animated by the British and Canadian spirit, devoted to the fostering of the British and Canadian consciousness, and offering a fit field for the development of Cana- dian talent. We have felt, often, that we would like to draw this matter to the attention of our read- ers, but being an interested party, we have hesitated to mention it. The ice now having been broken by Professor Osborne, we feel more free to refer to some points that we con- sider important. At the time the address in question was delivered the Dominion Postal Department had not announced its intention to make the change in the postal arrangements with the United States by which a large number of United States publications, including the Gar- den Magazine, the Western Fruit Grower, Green's Fruit Grower, the Florists' Exchange, and others, hereafter will have to increase their subscription rates in Canada from twenty- five to one hundred per cent. While we did not raise a finger to induce the Dominion Gov- ernment to take the stand it has, we recognize that The Canadian Horticulturist vpill benefit by it greatly, and would like to point out the reason to our readers. Few of our readers have any conception of how difficult it has been to publish a paper like The Canadian Horticulturist. In Can- ada the number of people who are interested in fruit and flower growing is so limited, and the advertising field is so small, that it has been impossible to make a success of a paper that was devoted to either fruit or flowers ex- clusively. It has been for this reason that in The Canadian Horticulturist we have had to cater to both fruit and flower growers. The result has been that we have been unable to give as much space to either fruit or flowers in each issue as we would like. Most of our read- ers have not understood this. This being the case, we frequently received letters from fruit growers who complained that we should not give so much attention to flowers. Lovers of flow- ers, on the other hand, contended that their interests were being neglected and that too much prominence was given to matters relating to fruit. Both classes of readers compared The Canadian Horticulturist to such United States publications as The Garden Magazine or The Western Fruit Grower, and wanted to know why we did not publish as good a paper, or nearly as good, for their purposes, as the papers mentioned. These readers had no conception of the difficulties we were and are laboring under. In the United States, papers relating to fruit and flowers have an almost unlimited field for both subscriptions and advertisements. Their revenue, therefore, is so great that they are able to expend large sums of money in turning out excellent publications. With these large, well-illustrated papers they have invaded the Canadian field. In Canada the situation is the very reverse. The number of people interested in fruit grow- ing is small. The three chief -fruit centres are in the Annapolis Valley of Nova Scotia, the Niagara District of Ontario, and in British Columbia. They could not well be more widely scattered. None of them are large. Outside the few cities and towns in Ontario there is little opening for a paper relating to flowers. The field for advertisements is equally limited, being confined, largely, to the com- paratively few Canadian firms. United States firms, as a rule, refuse to advertise in Cana- dian papers, claiming that they are unable to do business in Canada on account of the Cana- dian tariff. These conditions mean that a Canadian paper like The Canadian Horticulturist, with its circumscribed field, has had to fight for exist- ence against United States publications with their unlimited field. Sometimes the fight has been a trying one. This was the case, partic- ularly, when we found Canadian horticultural societies, that were in receipt of government grants, subscribing for United States papers that in the main gave little or no attention to Canadian conditions, and when we were told by the officers of these societies that our own Canadian paper was no good, or words to that effect. Fortunately, there have been some thirty to thirty-five horticultural societies and fruit growers' associations in Canada that have stood by The Canadian HoRTicuLTimisT loyal- ly, year after year. We desire to thank these societies heartily for their support. Had it not been for their assistance The Canadian Hor- Tictn.TtnusT would have given up the ghost long ago, and Canada would have been with- out a horticultural publication of any kind. Fortunately, we are beginning to get firmly on our feet. The new postal regulations will benefit us greatly. Soon we hope to be able to give more attention in The Canadian Horticul- turist to all branches of horticulture, includ- ing fruit, flowers and vegetables. Before very long we purpose issuing special fruit and floral editions. In the meantime we are painfully aware of our shortcomings. We can only hope that our readers will overlook them as far as possible and help us to do better. In conclu- sion, however, we would like to say that, con- sidering our subscription price and the handi- cap under which we have been working, we feel that we have been issuing a publication of which Canadians have had, at least, no reason to be ashamed. We intend to do still better in the future. The Canadian Horticulturist is pub- lished by Canadians for Canadians. We look for the support of Canadians. BEAUTIFY THE LANES Among the most unattractive sights in some of our cities and towns are the lanes. Most of them are private property and, therefore, are not under the control of the civic authori- ties. They usually present a sorry sight. Some owners who care not about going to the expense of a good garbage container, dump their garbage broadcast as well as their ashes, empty cans, garden refuse, waste paper and so forth. One can imagine the effect of such a lane on the passer-by. It is impossible not to feel sorry for the imforttmate householder who, from the opposite side of the street where the lane ends, has to view it day in and day out. While this state of affairs exists in the lane, the front part of the property, where seen from the house and street, sometimes is kept in apple pie order. This is poor citizenship and does not reflect well. When in Hamilton recently, it was the for- tune of an editorial representative of The Cana- dian Horticulturist to run across a lane between McNab and Park Streets, south, which was in better condition than any street in the city, so much so that it is used as a short cut by residents of the locality. Upon enquiry, he foimd that the residents on either side of the lane, some fourteen in number, con- tribute a small sum each and every year to- wards having the lane properly looked after and cleaned every week. Besides this general means of improvement, they have had some hard material put on the surface of the ground, which makes it look almost like a sidewalk. If this scheme were carried out in all our cities, as it easily could be, what an education it would be for our young folks and also for the city authorities! THE LAST CHANCE A short time ago we informed our readers that we had decided to increase the subscribed stock of The Horticultural Publishing Company, Limited, from $10,000 to $20,000, by issuing 200 shares of new stock, worth $10,000. Our readers were invited to subscribe for this new stock. Since then most of this stock has been subscribed. There remains about only $3,000 of this stock still untaken. W'e intend to dis- pose of this stock within the next few weeks. The new postal regulations, by which most of the United States publications, such as The Garden Magazine, Green's Fruit Grower, and The Western Fruit Grower, which have been our most serious competitors in the past, have been forced already to advance their subscription rates in Canada, will prove of great benefit to The Canadian Horticulturist. The competi- tion of these papers having been eliminated, it means that The Canadian Horticulturist is going to have the Canadian field, for some time June, 1907 THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST 151 at least, practically all to itself. This will result to the great financial benefit of the publication. The prospects of the Horticultural Publishing Company, Limited, were bright before the new postal regulations took effect. They are doubly bright now. During the past eight months the circulation of The C.^nadian Horticulturist has increased from 4,000 to 7,000 an issue, or practically doubled. If any of our readers ' would like to subscribe for some of the $3,000 in stock still unsold, they are invited to write ; us immediately for a prospectus giving full J particulars. This will be the last opportunity our readers will have of obtaining stock in this company. The Canadian HoRTictJLTURisT was inform- ed just previous to going to press that Mr. H. S. Peart. B.S.A., of the Ontario Agricultural College, Guelph, has been appointed to the direc- torship of the new experimental fruit station at Jordan Harbor, Ont. While we are unable to have the information confirmed, we have reason to believe that it is authentic. Hig'H Prices for Apples The largest organization of fruit growers in Ontario for commercial purposes is the Georgian Bay Fruit Growers', Limited. There are about 400 members and this is expected to be increased to 1,000 in the near future. The orchards of the members range in size from two to 40 acres. The association has established a brand that is unquestioned. The organization is on the stock company plan. During the past winter, prices received for the apples of the association have been excellent. The following is the returns of one shipment made at a time when some shippers were getting returns scarcely sufficient to pay freight and other expenses: Thomson st Mathieson, Glasgow. (A. S. Chapin, Toronto Representative) April 27. 1907 — Sold by auction 337 barrels Georgian Bav ajjples e.x S.S. Cassandra. No. 1. Ben Davis, . . 135 26 at 20/ 107 " 19/ slack^ 2 " 14/ 135 No. 2. Ren Davis. . . 123 41 at 17/ 15 " 16/6 65 " 16/3 slack^ 2 " 11/ 123 No. 1. .M. Spys 37 2 at 32/ 14 " 30/ SS. . 4 " 29/ SS.. 15 " 28/ slack. . 1 " 25/ slack. . 1 " 15/6 37_ No. 2. N. Spvs 36 28 at 20/ SS. . 5 " 19/6 slack. ^ 3 " 18/ 36 No. 1. Baldwin 1 1 at 25/ No. 2 Baldwin 1 ^ 1 " 18/ No. 1. Mann I ^ l_ " 26/ No.2. G. Russet 1 1 " 20/ No. 2 .Mixed 2. . . .slack. ." 1 " 16/ slack. . I " 13/ 337 2 Information Needed Lid. The Canadian Horticulturist: The Canadian Horticulturist is strongly advocat- ing the spraying of trees and bushes and rightly so. Permit me to suggest that our government might well afford to spend some money in advising the practice through the daily and serai-weekly newspapers. There are hundreds of farmers and others interested who do not take any'horticultural paper and are not awake to the necessity of fighting the pests of the orchard. I would suggest also that the San Jose Scale and other [lests be described more often so that they may be recognized on appearance. While the experimental farm issues bulletins on this subject that are all right, inquiry will show that there is still a great amount of ignorance on this matter. It might be largely overcome by educating the fruit growing public by means of a generous and intelligent use of the press. — F. Williams. Ottawa. One of Our Friends An old and valued subscriber to The Cana- dian Horticulturist is Mr. Chris Firth, of Durham, Ont. He came to Canada in 1872, and settled in Hagersville, Ont. For five years he remained there, and during that time was a member of the Ontario Fruit Growers' Association. Then he moved to Durham and Mr. Chris. Firth for a few years did not keep in touch with the association. In about 1883, Mr. Firth again ioined the association, and subscribed to The Canadian Horticulturist. Since then, he has been a constant reader and friend of the publication After a quarter of a century's connection with the Ontario Fruit Growers' Association and The Canadian Horticultur- ist. Mr. Firth writes: "Only those of us who have been connected with the association and subscribers to The Canadian Horticulturist for a number of years, can understand and appreciate the great improvement that has been made in the publica- tion during the past couple of years. It has advanced rapidly and now may be ranked as one of the leading, if not the leading, horticul- tural journal on the continent." Commendable Enterprise. — A Canadian firm that is making much progress is that of Pilking- ton Bros. They have imported large quantities of glass for the trade and are now making delivery. Since the first of this year, they have taken orders for some 150,000 sq. ft. of glass for florists in Canada. For vegetable men orders to the extent of about 20,000 square feet have been received. This year Pilkington Bros.' sales of glass will easily total over 200,000 sq. ft. for greenhouses. This is evidence of enterprise on the part of the firm and of high quality in the commodity that they handle. Selling Stra-wberries H. W. Dawson, Toronto, Ont. The strawberry grower who puts up his berries with honesty and care always does better by shipping on commission to some good commis- sion house than by selling at home or delivering at any particular point. We have several large shippers who have given us their entire output for three years past, and in talking to two of them this week about selling their output this year at a stated price, they refused. "Our results the last two years have been so good," they said, "that we will not sell, but will take our chances on the market by sending them on commission." The principal thing is to get the goods to market fresh and in an attractive package, something that is neat and clean, and to have the baskets well filled. Many shippers have the faculty of only filling their baskets about two- thirds full and then they complain if they get a much less price than their neighbors, when in reality they are getting full value. I know of shippers who are neighbors getting varying prices for their berries. One in particular has for the last three years averaged one c-ent a quart more than any of his neighbors. This man gives attention to small things. Others should follow his example. Pointers on Spraying The Nebraska Agricultural Experiment Sta- tion has just issued Bulletin No. 98, entitled "Spraying Demonstrations in Nebraska Apple Orchards." The bulletin gives the results .secured from the spraying demonstrations car- ried on last year in six counties of southeastern Nebraska by the Nebraska Experiment Sta- tion and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The cost of spraying and the value of sprayed and unsprayed fruit are reported in detail. The bulletin gives the following recommen- dations for this year's spraying based on the results secured last year: (1) Spray with Bordeaux mixture after the cluster buds open, but before the individual flower buds open. (2) Spray with Bordeaux and some poison, such as arsenate of lead, Paris green, etc., as soon as possible after the blossoms fall, and at any rate before the calyx lobes of the apple close. (3) Spray with Bordeaux and poison three or four wteks after the flowers fall. (4) Spray with arsenate of lead about July 20. (5) Spray with arsenate of lead about August 10. Use Paris green at the rate of one-fourth to one-third pound per barrel of Bordeaux. Use arsenate of lead at the rate of two pounds per barrel of Bordeaux or water. * Make Bordeaux as follows: Bluestone 4 pounds Quicklime 6 pounds Water 40 gallons Slake the lime, dissolve the bluestone, dilute each with half the required quantity of water, and mix thoroughly. Use good nozzles and maintain a high pres- sure as uniformly as possible in order to dis- tribute the liquid in a mist-like spray. Take care to reach all parts of the trees and to avoid drenching any part. Careless spraying should not be tolerated. — R. A Emerson, Nebraska Experiment Station. In the horticultural kingdom the Ben Davif apple stands only for the baldest commercialism. TThe sole claim that can rightfully be made for it is that it is a good seller. It flaunts its ruddy inferiority to attract the eye of the injudicious and ignorant. Almost as well might basswood be used for pies as the Ben Davis apple. — The New York Sun 152 THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST June, 1907 Hardy Trees and SKrxibs C. S. Harrison, York, Nebraska THERE is often a misconception regarding trees, shrubs and plants. It is thought that even a hardy tree grown 1,000 miles south of its habitat becomes tender and cannot stand up with the same tree as grown at its own home. This is a mistake. According to Professor Hansen, it takes a tree over 1,000 years to materially change its structure and nature. Take the cherry for instance. In the main its northern limit seems to be near St. Paul; but I found over 30 years ago that cherry trees raised in Alabama were much better than those raised in Iowa. And why? Because those raised in the south were absolutely hardy, because well ripened in bud and limb, while those grown in the north, on account of severe weather, were often injured, having the black heart. These results were obtained by actual test of trees grow- ing side by side. I showed our nurserymen the difference, and now most of the cherry trees used in Nebraska are grown in Alabama for the reason that they are absolutely sound in every bud and twig when planted. It is just so with apples. A tree with a hardy constitution, like the Duchess, is just as hardy grown in the gulf states as in the Dakotas, and perhaps more so, for by no possibility could the southern tree be injured by cold weather, and it might be in the north. WHERE THE TROUBLE COMES IN A man in Manitoba reads about the hardiness of red cedar He gets a lot of price lists. He finds that he can get cheaper ones in southern Illinois. He thinks that red cedar is red cedar anyway. Now those grown in southern Illinois are worthless in Nebraska and would be worse than useless in Manitoba. Even the famous platte cedar of Nebraska could not thrive in Manitoba, for it is not hardy in North Dakota. And if red cedar is wanted for Winnipeg they must be taken from the farthest north where they grow. Now, if trees were grown in southern Illinois from North Dakota seed, and shipped back there again they would be just as hardy as if grown at home. People hear that the box elder is hardy (this is called the Manitoba maple). A man sends to a Nebraska nursery for a lot of seedlings be- cause he can get them cheap, and they are tender. He loses the whole lot. Had those Nebraska seedlings been grown from Manitoba seed they would have been as hardy as the home- grown. The cut-leaved weeping birch is hardy in itself, no matter where grown, whether north or south. Take the Russian olive, one of the very best trees for the semi-arid regions. No matter where grown, whether in Manitoba or Alabama, it is all the same and perfectly hardy. So with the Siberian pea tree. There are now 150 kinds of lilacs in cultiva- tion. Take out 10 of them and you will have 140 that will be hardy in Manitoba, no matter where grown. Too little attention is paid to these glorious ornamentals. A strange thing about it is that two of the Japan varieties (the Syringa Japonica, or tree lilac, and S. Villosa) are hardy at Brandon. There are many kinds of tamarisk, Tamarix. A planter wishes to try some, but only one kind out of the 10 will succeed, and that is the silver, also called the Russian, the Amour, and T. odessana — four names to one plant and that not perfectly hardy. The question that comes up for the northern planter is not so much where a tree or shrub is grown as whether it is of a hardy nature. Un- fortunately many things offered by southern growers are not hardy in themselves In Nebraska we find it is useless to try to grow any of the Dentzias, and of course they would be worthless further north. Most of the different kinds of philadelphus are too tender for Mani- toba, while rhododendrons, kalmias, and azaleas we have entirely discarded and they would be useless further north. Of course southern agents will swarm a rich country like western Canada, and they will have alluring pictures. Well, you may buy the pictures, for they will be hardy; but you had better examine the lists recommend- ed by your own horticultural societies before you buy the trees and shrubs. Another thing is that many things which do well in the moister air of the Atlantic states cannot endure the drier air of the west. The white spruce of Maine is worthless in Minnesota, while Manitoba or Black Hills white spruce is all right. White pine from Massachusetts would not be hardy by the side of white pine of northern Minnesota. The eastern oaks do not succeed in the west, while the native oaks are all right. — The Nor'-West Farmer. Valvie of NortKern Trees W. T. Macoun, C.E.F., Ottawa The information contained in the article on "Hardy Trees and Shrubs," by C. S. Harri- son, "York, Neb., is in most particulars cor- rect, judging by our own experience, but we differ from the writer in regard to the value of northern and southern grown trees of the same variety of fruit. A trunk of a nursery tree developed in the north and going through two or three winters there, is more likely to withstand the winter in the north after planting than one grown in the south. If the tree from the south is not injured the first winter or the following spring and becomes well established it will probably do as well as the northern grown tree. If I were planting a tree at Ottawa I should prefer a well-grown, well-ripened tree from the Niagara peninsula than one with black heart grown at Ottawa. But by growing the trees carefully the hardy varieties can be grown without black heart in northern nurseries, and I should prefer such trees to those grown in the Niagara peninsula. It is a fact that it takes many years for a tender tree to become any hardier in the north. Our experience, covering 19 years, has not shown any increase in hardiness of species or varieties of fruits and ornamental trees that killed back or proved tender 19 years ago. We do not know that it would take 1,000 years to make a change, but we believe it would take a great many. It is important to note, however that red maple, black walnut, red cedar, or any other species having a great range from north to south in the wild condition may vary noticeably in hardiness, as has been observed at Ottawa and elsewhere ; hence, it is preferable to get trees from stock, the parent tree of which was a native as near the northern limit of the species as possible, or as near the point where it is desired to grow them as possible. It may be said, however, that the large majority of the ornamental trees and shrubs hardy at Ottawa have been obtained from nurseries in a warmer climate, so that with most trees and shrubs which are grown in Canada, exclusive of the tree fruits where tenderness of trunk is an important consideration, it is not a matter of great importance where the stock is obtained, providing it is well grown and the wood thoroughly ripened. No doubt the nurserymen get their stock from as near the northern limit as possible. vegetables are grown. If a family of three can save $.50 on one-tenth of an acre, how much ' more would a vegetable garden be worth to those farmers with large families, and with a number of farm hands to board. The vegetable garden pays. .Most farmers think they have not time for small things like this; they don't stop to think that they can save money by growing vegetables instead of buying them." Plants Must Bear Grief W^ell Ed. The Horticulturist, — About 18.54, one Stephen B. Ainsworth, of Mendon, Ontario Co., N.Y., a professor of phrenology, became a fruit grower. He was a quaint, but intelligent, man, and a close observer of men and things. He was a member of the Fruit Growers' Assn. of western X.Y., and always attended its conven- tions. Upon one occasion he rose in the con- vention and said' "Fellow fruit growers, when you decide to plant a fruit tree select one that will bear grief well." That was his entire speech, and it was a good one. If you wish to make a friend that you can "tie to," as they say in the west, "select one that will bear grief well." If you wish to buy a horse that will be of service, "select one that will bear grief well." To "bear grief well," is a good trait in a man, a horse or a fruit tree. When a beginner in horticulture asks your advice as to the selection of a summer pear on quince or pear stock, do not advise him to purchase a Buerre Giffard just because it is of the best quality as a summer pear. The Buerre Giffard will not, as a young tree, "bear grief well," and when it gives up the ghost the novice in horticulture is not encouraged to trv, try again. Tell him to purchase a Brandvwine. He will eat the fruit thereof and be encouraged to try other varieties ripening at other seasons. When he has passed into the amateur stage as a fruit grower and lover, he will give a young Buerre Giffard, Buerre Bosc, or Winter Xilis, the care they demand to ensure success. When a man or woman has tasted of a new fruit, or seen and smelled of a new flower, he or she wishes to know where to purchase one like it. This they should learn from the adver- tising columns of The Ca'sadias Horticultur- ist. Therefore, I, as one of the founders of the Ont. Fruit Growers' Assn., am pleased to see a marked increase in the advertising pages of The Horticulturist. The men who have, and the men who desire to have and have not, meet in the advertising columns of your journal and become friends and co-workers in a most benef- icent occupation. The advertising columns are in one sense, and a most important one, "news columns" to those who seek to find. The advertising columns, also, enable you to make a better journal for the same money, or the same journal for less money. You should have at least .50 pages of advertisements that pertain to the production and distribution of trees, fruits, flowers and vegetables. As the only journal of its kind in British North .America, and as one of the best of its kind in the Western Hemisphere, you should have liberal support from those who have trees and plants, and all things that appertain to their successful produc- tion and distribution. May the advertising pages of The Canadian Horticulturist in- crease, is the wish of a life member of the Ont. Fruit Growers' Assn. — Frances A^'ayland Glen, Brooklyn, N.Y. Farmers' Vegetable Gardens " Every farmer should have a small vegetable garden near the house," said Mr. Linus Wool- verton, Grimsby, "to grow a succession of greens and vegetables for the home table. One-half of the farms of this country have nothing of the sort. On my farm I have a small plot of 100 by 40 feet, c>n which each season $50 worth of A little booklet entitled "Home Life of Wo- men in Western Canada," has been received at this ofiice. It is published by the Canadian- Pacific Railway Co., and is a story of what women are accomplishing in the west. Should any reader of The Canadian Horticulturist desire a copy, it will be mailed to them upon receipt of a two-cent stamp sent with address to Advertising Manager, Canadian Pacific Railway Co., Montreal, Que TKe Fruit Blossoms and WKat TKey Tell FRUIT blossoms were from two to three weeks late in making their appearance this spring. Cold weather retarded the swell- ing of the buds. Everything is behind time. Nevertheless, the show of bloom on most kinds of trees indicates a fair to good crop. There is reason to be cenfident in the prospects for an abundant harvest. The conditions in various districts is mentioned in reports from the crop correspondents of The Canadian Horticulturist, as follows: MONTREAL DISTRICT Westmount. — The season is three weeks late but the prospect is good for apples, pears, plums, cherries, strawberries and raspberries. — R. Brodie. TWO MOUNTAINS, QUE. La Trapjie. — Season is late. Fruit buds are just developing; notwithstanding, we believe apples will be abundant, and the pear, plum, cherry and small fruit crop fair, even good. The buds do not seem to have been affected by the severe winter or late frosts. — Prof. G. Reynaud. ROUVILLE COUNTY, QUE. Abbotsford. — All varieties of fruit trees and small fruits came through the winter with very little injury. Present indications are for a full crop, but late frosts may change the situ- ation.— J. M. Fisk. PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY, ONT. Rednersville. — Prospects for apples are fav- orable. Trees came through in good condition. Plums, pears and cherries also promise a crop. The cold weather made fruit trees backward in blooming. — Harry Dempsey. DURHAM COUNTY Newcastle. — Blossom buds are abundant, and apparently uninjured by the late frosts. Prospects for fruit crop are good. Ben Davis and Baldwins, which bore heavily last year, will have a lighter crop this season, but Russets, Spys and Stark are promising a full crop. Pears, cherries and plums have plenty of blossoms. A large acreage of young apple trees was plant- ed this spring, and more spraying will be done than ever t)efore. There are four power spray- ers in this locality within a mile and many hand pumps. — W. H. Gibson. DUNDAS COUNTY Irena. — Fruit trees and bushes came through in good condition. Apples promise a good crop. Cherries, plums and jjcars are not grown commercially here, but the few grown show- indications of yielding well. Currants, goose- berries and respberries are looking fine. — A. D. Harkness. ONTARIO COUNTY Oshawa. — Prospects are favorable for a good crop of apples; the blossoms promise well. Pears are blooming heavily. — Elmer Lick. PEEL COUNTY Clarkson. — The outlook is favorable for a good crop of strawberries. Old raspberry patches are more or less winter killed and in- jured considerably by the snowy tree cricket ; younger patches are looking fine. Tree fruits give indications of a good crop. — W. G. Home. HALTON COUNTY Oakville. — The prospects for apples, cher- ries and plums are good ; pears fairly good. Rasptierries were badly winter killed. Black- Iierries will be fair; currants, good; strawber- ries, fair.— W. H. McNeill. WENTW'ORTH COUNTY Hamilton. — Present indications jKiint to a good fruit crop. Peaches promise only a light yield, while plums, pears and gra[)es will be heavy. Strawberries may be about two weeks late ewing to the backward weather, and the crop will not be heavy. The raspberry crop will be rather light. Growers expect high prices for all fruit. During the last few years, strawberry plants have been scarce, and the acreage has not increased, while the demand for the fruit has; the result is that buyers are compelled to pay higher prices. Raspberries are being contracted for by canners at $2 a crate of 24 boxes. There is a noticeable in- crease in the acreage of grapes. — Jas. H. Stephens. Fruitland. — Fruit trees in general appear to have pasAd the winter exceedingly well and promise a good crop. Present indications are encouraging, but there is still time for damage by late frosts. Currant and berry bushes are looking well. It is too early to say much about grapes. — C. C. Pettit. LINCOLN COUNTY Grimsby. — Judging from the showing of fruit buds, this will be a favorable year for fruit growers. Cherry blossoms are abundant on both sweet and sour varieties; on the latter kinds, black knot is more abundant than for many years, and unless cut out at once will soon spread and destroy many orchards. Peaches came through the winter in good condition; there is promise of a fairly good crop. Much spraying with lime and sulphur was done this spring, although we are still free from scale; we hope in this way not to have it. Pears promise well, especially Bartletts, where the trees survived the blight of last year. Not for years has this disease shown itself so badly as in 190(i. Old trees did not suffer much, losing only the young wood, but trees from 5 to 10 years planted are largely ruined, and are being cut out. This should make the price of Bart- letts unusually high this year. Apples show well, even Roxbury Russett being full, and these have not borne a crop for several years in some orchards It is too early to say much about small fruits and grapes, but in some plantations, raspberry canes were badly win- ter killed. — Linus Woolverton. Beamsville. — Raspberries and blackberries promise a fine crop. Strawberries suffered severely from the open winter and the want of being protected by snow. Plants for set- ting are scarce and high, selling at $4 a hundred. The crop will fall short of last year. Early cherries are now in bloom and prospects for a full crop of all varieties are good. Peaches came through the winter all right, but in some quarters, not far distant from here, they are reported badly frozen. Plums promise a full crop. Pears and apples are also in good con- dition for an abundant yield. Fruit growers gradually are awakening to the all-important matter of spraying and spraying thoroughly. — W. B. Rittenhouse. Jordan Station. — Strawberries that were pro- tected will yield a good crop. Black and red raspberries and l^lackberries will give a good crop on young bushes, but old bushes were frozen back. Nearly all varieties of peaches promise a good crop; also jjears, plums, espe- cially Japanese cherries, grapes and currants. Apple prospects are fair. — W. A. Hunsberry. Port Dalhousie — Fruit prospects are good except for strawberries. Fruit trees appear to have passed the winter very well notwith- standing the want of snow protection. The fruit buds and blossoms promise a luscious crop of fruit of all kinds. The dry season last year was not favorable to the growth of straw- berries, and the open winter and hard frosts of spring make a short crop probable, especially from tmprotected patches. Raspberries came through fairly well, but as there is not as good a growth of cane as last year, the crop will be rather light. — A. M. Smith. St. Catharines. — The long, cold si)ell seems to be broken. Trees are bursting into leaf and bloom with great rapidity. The country is a mass of blossoms. Nearly all kinds of trees apparently came through the winter in good shape. Raspberry canes are not looking so well. From present prospects, it would seem that we can expect a fair crop of fruit in general. Cherries and plums promise full crops; pears, medium. Prices will rule high as canning factories are paying good prices for the berry crops yet to be gathered. Looking at the largely increased acreage that is being planted this season of pears, plums, and especially of peaches and grapes, one cannot help wonder- ing how many of the new growers will have the backbone and the stick-to-itiveness to prune, cultivate and spray the trees they are planting. If they do not, their labor will be for little or nothing. A large percentage of the planting, however, is being done by the growers who have already learned that only by taking care of their trees can they be made to pay, and the better cared for, the better will they pay. — Robt. Thompson. KENT COUNTY Chatham. — The prospects for apples are good, except for fall varieties, which will be light. Pears will be fair. Peach bloom is all killed, and many of the trees ' Small fruits promise well. Japan plums seem to have suf- fered with peaches; other plums show consid- erable bloom; cherries also. Among apples, Baldwin, Spy and King are the most promis- ing. Kieffer pears will be light. — W; D. A. Ross. ESSEX COUNTY Leamington. — Fruit growers were much sur- prised this spring to find that a large number of peach and other trees were dead. As the winter had been mild, no one had expected injury. The general opinion is that the harm was not done during the winter, but that it was the result of the severe frosts that came when the trees were in full leaf last October. Trees that were old enough to bear and voung trees that were well ripened in wood, did not sustain much injury. Uninjured peach trees promise a good crop. Spraying has been prac- tised generally and thoroughly. It is to be hoped that the dreaded scale will not spread so rapidly this season as last. — 1. L. Hilborn. Leamington. — Fruit prospects are not any too favorable. A large quantity of peach buds have been killed; many trees appear to be dead, still there is prospect for some jjeaches, perhaps a fair average crop. Cherries, both sweet and sour, show well. Apples promise to give a crop; later on, conditions may show otherwise. Strawberries are badly quite killed put; also, some raspterries. Plums differ in fjloom; Abundance, full; Burbank, almost none; Lombard and some others, full. Pears show well. — E. E. Adams. LAMBTON COUNTY Forest. — The prospect is good for an abun- dant crop of fall and winter apples. Early plums and peaches are damaged to some ex- tent by late frosts, but later varieties have come through all right. — A. Lawrie. BRUCE COUNTY Walkerton. — All varieties of tree fruits ap- pear to have wintered well. Bush fruits look fairly well except raspberries, which seem to have been damaged by late frosts. The apple bloom gives promise of a fair crop; pears, good; plums, medium; cherries, good.— A. E. Sher- rington. GREY COUNTY Meaford. — Raspl)erries and strawberries are in condition for a good crop, except those on wet ground. Cherries, plums, and pears prom- ise lots of bloom. Most varieties of apples will bloom well. Spys will be shy as they gave a full crop last year. — A. Gifford. I53| 154 THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST June, 1907 b /ia|^ nM%>> /~M^^ na|^ /^%4%>> /^M%>> /)a%>t ^1M%>> n%4%>< (^' NOTES FROM THE: PROVINCES | By our Reg'ular Correspondents and Others y Ji'^^lTK/ *elow zero about one-half of the month. The trees came through unusually well, however, as there was a good covering of snow on the roots. The weather is still cold and wet. Small fruits are showing fairly well. The hardy varieties of blackberries came through in good condition, but the tender kinds were killed back considerably. Gooseberries, especially Downing, give promise of an abundant crop. Strawberries look well and suffered little loss from winter killing. Cranberries did not suffer much from the usual heaving by frost and probably will yield a good crop. CooKin^ RKxibarb and Stra"wberries Miss I^. SKvittle'worth, Toronto SasKatcHe-wan W. S. Woodruff, Lashburn In this coimtry there has not been much fruit tried except a few currants and gooseberries. Last year some farmers put out a few raspberries and blackberries, but they killed back consider- ably. It is probable that the roots are all right and that new canes will spring up this summer. The past winter was the most severe one ever known in the province. Wild berries grow and thrive in abundance. I Ijelieve that good, hardy varieties of fruit, proper- ly cared for. can be grown successfully. The climate is no more severe than that of Minnesota, and in that state much fruit is grown. A numl)cr of Hil)ernal, Russian Transparent and other varieties of that tyfx? have lieen tried here and are cxfK-cted to do well. We hope to see a creditable development of horticulture in all its branches. IN cooking rhubarb, we should aim to keep the pieces whole and attractive in appear- ance. To accomplish this, it is much lietter to bake it in the oven than to cook it on top of the stove, which is the usual custom. After washing the rhubarb, cut the stalks in pieces about two inches long. Place in a granite or earthen dish. Add one cup of sugar to about one pound of rhubarb. Cook slowly in a covered dish until sugar is all dissolved and the fruit is tender but not broken. More water may be added before serving if desired. A sprinkle of salt will help to overcome the acid of rhubarb when cooking it, but do not add too much. When making rhubarb pie, did you ever use a tablespoonful of sago sprinkled into it to jelly the juice and to keep the pie from boiling over? It is very much better than the sprinkle of flour. Just try it. It is always well to have a few jars of rhubarb stored away for use between seasons, and here is a very easy but sure method of canning it. CANNING RHUBARB Cut the rhubarb when it is young and tender. Wash it thoroughly; cut into pieces about two inches long. Pack in sterilized jars. Fill the jars to overflowing with cold water and let them stand five minutes. Drain off the water and fill again to overflowing with fresh cold water. Seal with sterilized covers. WTien required for use treat the same as fresh rhubarb. Green gooseberries may be preserved the same way. TO PRESERVE STRAWBERRIES Cover four pounds of fine ripe strawberries with three pounds of granulated sugar, and allow them to stand in a cool place overnight. Strain off the juice, pour it into a preserving kettle, and let boil gently 15 minutes, removing all scum. Add the berries, boil two or three minutes, then pour into hot jars and seal immediately. STRAWBERRY WHIP One cupful of ripe strawberries, one cupful of sugar and the white of one egg. This beaten al- together in a bowl with a fork, for 10 or 12 minutes, will give nearly a quart of delicious strawberry whip, suitable as filling for straw- berry short cake and an excellent substitute for whipped cream. SOME POINTERS In cooking fruit, never boil it hard; by so doing, you lose much of the delicious fruit flavor. It is better to simmer it gently. Fruit that is cooked in the skin, such as plums, cherries, etc., should never be plunged into boiling hot syrup, as this will toughen and crinkle the skin. Better cool the syrup before adding the fruit. Experiment Station Bulletins FROM every state east of the Mississippi on any tree during the dormant period in River, and from Missouri, Arkansas, Louis- winter or early spring before the buds open — iana, Texas. Minnesota, and the Province of at a strength of 20 to 25 per cent. A nozzle Ontario, Canada, the terrapin scale, Eu/fcon- throwing a fine spray should be used. Care ium nigra ^asciatum, has been reported, says should always be exercised to prevent the liquid circular 88, United States Department of Agri- from running down the trunk of the tree and culture. It is noteworthv that this species of collecting about the roots, as the oil, which will scale, more conspicuously marked than any lie retained by the soil around the roots for an otherof the genus, is the most generally injurious indefinite period, might seriously injure or one. In consequence of its wide range of food kill the tree. Make kerosene emulsion as plants, including both wild and cultivated trees, follows: it must be considered a dangerous pest, which Stock solution (66 per cent. oil). may be controlled but never eradicated. Kerosene (coal-oil) 2 gallons This scale insect can Ije recognized and identi- Whale-oil or laundry soap (or 1 quart soft fled especially well in the hibernating winter soap) J^ pound stage, when it appears as a reddish hemispherical Water 1 gallon scale 2mm. in length, mottled with radiating Dissolve the soap in boiling water, then remove streaks of black which are esiiecially conspicuous irom the fire, add the kerosene immediately and about the margin. Sometimes these radiating thoroughly agitate the mixture until a creamy streaks coalesce, forming a subdorsal dark band solution is obtained. This can be done by surrounding the central reddish boss. Occasion- pouring the mixture into the tank of a spray- ally individuals are found which are entirely pump and pumjjing the liquid through the red or black. nozzle back into the tank. This is a stock For many years the terrapin scale has lieen solution which nmst be diluted liefore using. In considered a sjjecific enemy of the peach, and has order to make a 20 per cent, emulsion, add to twen confounded by many entomologists and each gallon of the stock solution about 2J others with Eulecanium persicce, the pre-eminent gallons of water and agitate thoroughly before peach soft scale of Europe. At present we know using. For a 25 per cent, solution add to each it as infesting a large number of host plants, gallon of the stock solution 1 J gallons of water including many varieties of jxjach and cultivated and agitate thoroughly. This strength will plum ; various sjxjcies of wild plums and cherries ; kjn a large percentage of the hibernating females, Prunus simonii; apple; pear; quince; several without injury to the trees, species of Crataegus; three species of maple, if a good naphtha soap can be obtained the particularly Acer saccharinum; oriental and preparation of the emulsion will be simplified, western sycamores; Carolina poplar; olive; n ^jn i,e unnecessary to heat the solution, Vjlueberry {Vaccinium sp.); Bumelia, and spice since the kerosene will combine readily with the bush (Benzoin benzoin). naphtha and soaj) and form a perfect, cold. Unfortunately tlie lime-sulphur wash, which milky-white emulsion when the mixture is is such an excellent remedy for the San Jose scale, thoroughly agitated. If naphtha soap is used, and which at the same time controls the peach double the amount called for by the formula, and leaf-curl, is worthless for treating the terrapin emulsify in soft (rain) water, scale. Numerous exjjeriments in the use of the lime-sulphur wash against this scale on various pEach mildew host plants have produced only negative The Agric. Exp. Sta., Fort Collins, Col., results. Bull. No. 107, deals with peach mildew. This Kerosene emulsion has proved to be the most disease, as yet not prevalent in Ontario, is due effective remedy for the control of this pest, to a fungus that attacks leaves, twigs and fruit. This emulsion when properly made according to On leaves, the attack is confined largely to the the formula lielow can lie sprayed with safety under surface, as sunHght is its worst enemy. 156 THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST June, imr, It is very conspicuous as white blotches along the twigs, the underlying bark becoming dry and brown. It appears on the fruit while it is yet small and immature, causing them to fall prematurely. In some cases, it ruins the crop for market. While the disease is not trouble- some in Canada, it deserves watching. Troubles of this nature sometimes come unexpectedly. Among the preventative measures suggested are pruning the trees to an open head. Plant and ])rune to favor a free circulation of air about and plenty of sun about and on the inside of the tree. Sulphur dusted on the trees and Bordeaux mixture are recommended as remedies. I'RUIT STORAGE EXPERIMENTS The fruit growers of Canada will be inter- ested in watching the results of fruit storage experiments that are being taken up in Iowa, The character of tlie work that is proixised has an ira|X5rtant bearing on the fruit industry not only of that state, but also of others and of Canada. Iowa orchards are producing a superabundance of fall apples and a propor- tionate scarcity of late winter fruit. This is particularly the case in the northern half of the state, where there is a great scarcity of hardy varieties of good winter apples. This condition presents two problems of economic importance. The cold storage of fall varieties, thereby lengthening their season, and making it pos- sible to distribute the crop to more distant markets and also at better prices to the grower. The storage of fall sorts for local market and home consurnption in winter -as a substitute for late varieties. The aggregate amount of fall apples which annually goes to waste in Iowa is enormous. With ample storage facili- ties and proper methods of handling the fruit, both before and after it is stored, there can be no doubt that much of this loss might be pre- vented and thousands of dollars which are sent out of the state would remain in the hands of the Iowa fruit grower. It has been clearly demonstrated by care- fully conducted cold storage experiments, that many of the fall vaiieties'of apples can be kept 2 and ,3 months beyond their normal period in first -class condition. A variety varies nmch in its storage quality under different soil and climatic conditions, and while the leading commercial varieties grown in Iowa have al- ready been tried in storage in older fruit grow- ing sections, yet these tests do not apply to Iowa conditions, and the value of Iowa fruit for storage has not yet been determined. The Hort'l section of the Iowa Exp, Sta. in cooperation with the Division of Pomology of tlie U,S. Dept, of Agri, is taking up the in- vestigation of a numlier of imjxjrtant problems connected with the cold storage of apples grown in that state. Observations are to be made on. the keeping quality of different varieties of apples as related to the age of the tree, the type of soil uix)n which it is grown, whether it is grown under sod or under clean tillage, the degree of maturity of the fruit, the question of immediate vs. delayed storage, of wrapped vs. unwrapped fruit, and of a small package vs. barrels. The work will be conducted by Mr. H. J. Eustace, expert in fruit storage in- vestigations of the Division of Pomology in cooperation with Prof. S. A. Beach, of 'the Iowa Exp. Sta The Horticulturist and the fruit growers of Canada will watch the work with interest, CURCULIO ON APPLE TREES Experiments to contribute to the knowledge of the value of insecticide sprays as a preventive of injury to the apple by the plum-curculio, have been conducted by the Illinois Exp, Sta In a word. Bull, No, 108 says that it was found that four times spraying with arsenate of lead at a cost of 17 cents a tree increased the yield of the tested orchard, about one-half, the aver- age size of the fruit by about one-fifth, and so improved the quality of the apples that they were worth from two and a half to three time's as much as if the orchard had not been sprayed. Analysis of apple peelings made the day after the trees had been sprayed once with arsenate of lead at 4 times the usual strength, equivalent, consec|uently, to 4 successive sprayings, yielded 36.6 parts per million of arsenious acid, equal to ,256 of a grain of arsenic to an avoir, lb, of the peelings. This would mean that one wc)uld have to eat approximately 4 lbs. of apple peel- ings to get a grain of arsenic if the fruit were taken the day after spraying with arsenate of lead at 4 times the usual strength. By a comparison of apples taken from differ- ent parts of the check and experimental plots it was shown that curculios passed from tree to tree to .such an extent that rows of sprayed apples adjoining the check plot, and rows of unsprayed apples adjoining the experimental plot, may not be used for comparison if exact results are expected, but that check and ex- perimental trees must be taken from rows some distance within their respective plots. NOXIOUS WEEDS The Ont. Dept. of Agri. has published a svn- opsis of the act to prevent the spread of noxious weeds. In brief, it is as follows: It is compul- sory for the owner or occupier of land to cut down and destroy on that land Canada thistle, ox-eye daisy, wild oats, burdock, as often as is necessary to prevent their seeding, provided that this does injure growing grain crops. By- laws may extend the operation of the act to any other weeds and to any disease of grain or fruit trees, excepting only yellows and black knot in fruit trees. The owner or occupier of land is furthermore rec|uired to destroy, be- fore the ripening of their seed, all noxious weeds growing on any highway (not being a toll road) adjoining his land from the boundary of such land to the centre of the road. In this event of neglect, upon written notice, to carry out these instructions, it is incumbent upon the authorities to enter ujxot the land and cut down all such noxious weeds, charging the cost against the land with the other taxes, ."^s offences against the act are pimishable bv fine or imprisonment, 5,000 Facts About Canada.— A remarkable little booklet has l^een compiled under the above self-explanatory title by Frank Yeigh of Toronto, the well-known writer and lecturer on themes Canadian, Perhaps no one in the Dominion is better qualified to make such a compilation. Its value is, as claimed, "worth its weight in Yukon gold or Cobalt silver," The idea is a clever one, viz,: a fact in a sentence, giving a wonderful mass of information in the smallest compass on every jjhase of our commercial and industrial life, and our natural resources. The booklet is sold for 'Joe, and may be had from tiewsdealers or from the Canadian Facts Pub- lishing Co,, 667 Spadina Avenue, Toronto, A patent weed exterminator has .been in- vented by Mr, Herman Thceni, of Spokane, Wash, Its essential feature is a tube provided with a suitable penetrator, which is tapered to a point, and adapted to being filled with liquid. The point of the penetrator is pressed into the heart of the plant or weed, and, by means of valves and other apparatus, a desired quantity of the liquid is allowed to pass out, A few- drops of a suitable liquid is sufficient to kill an ordinary weed. The implement is claimed to be particularly useful for killing weeds on lawns and other places where hoeing cannot be done, "I have used a Wallace Power Sprayer (Stand- ard) on 1,100 apple trees, about 35 years planted 30 ft apart, tops touching in places, and could always spray a tree with plenty of pressure left Sometimes I have sprayed as many as three trees without putting the pump in gear, I have not lost either time or cash through any failure of machine, I have had it up to 200 lbs, pres- sure, but generally run at 80 to 125, I use 8 nozzles,"— J, B. Tweedle, Kilbride, Ont, Items of Interest The Missouri State Horticultural Society will hold its semi-annual meeting on June 4, 5, and 6. The prize list for the Canada National Exhibi- tion has tieen issued. Copies may lie had by applying to J, O. Orr, manager, Toronto I congratulate The Canadian Horticul- turist in regard to the fine quality of its \yd\>eT, clean ty|5e and general make-up, and on the excellent and timely articles that it publishes. — E. Preston, Port Dover, Ont. That market gardening is a healthy and useful - occupation is evidenced by the recent decision of the prison commission of Georgia, to teach the work to the youthful inmates. Some ten acres have been set aside for the pur[Xise. The objects are to maintain the health of the youths and to place them in a position to earn good wages when their terms expire. Notwithstanding the loss of the Government grant of $.t()0, the .Niagara District Horticul- tural Exhibition, to be held in St. Catharines in Septeml)er, will be lietter and larger than the one of last year. The city council has granted $350 to the horticultural stjciety, $300 of which w-ill be devoted to the exhibition. The Lincoln county council has granted $175 for the same ])urpose. The prize list will be revised at an early date. The death is announced of Mr. Robert Hamil- ton of Grenville, Que. Mr. Hamilton was well known among the fruit men of Canada, having been identified for many years with the Quebec Fruit Grocers' .Association. Of late years, Mr. Hamilton has l)een connected with the exhibition branch of the Dominion Department of Agriculture and took a prominent part in the arrangements of the fruit exhibits from Canada, at the leading international exhibitions in recent years. Owing to his physicians having ordered him to undergo a very critical operation, Mr. J. Horace McFarland, the president of the .\merican Civic Association, was prevented from addressing the meetings of the Hamilton, Toronto, Guelph, Cobourg and Perth horticultural societies dur- ing the latter part of .\pril and first of May. It " is probable that Mr, .McFarland will be able to address these societies and any others who may wish to secure his services the coming fall. Several of the societies have expressed a desire to have Mr, McFarland at that time. Simcoe, — On the whole, the apple crop promises to be medium, with Spys and Kings a full crop. — Jas. E. Johnson. TKe *'Buco*' Hand Cxiltivator =■ U Tines are OIL TEMPERED STEEL SPRINGS. adjustable to width. Handle 4!^ feet longf. It gets DOWN DEEP, loosens the soil thorough- ly. and cleans the weeds out BY ROO T. One man with a "BUCO* is worth two with a hoe. Less labor, more vegetables. Great around trees and shrubs. Sent by Expre«« on receipt of price, $1.50 each. Return after trial at our expense, and money hack if not satisfactory, BAILEY-UNDERWOOD CO., Limited Tool Dept. NEW GLASGOW. N,S. Mention Canadian Horticulturist when writing June, 1907 THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST 157 Vegetable Crop Conditions THE cold, wet weather this spring has not l)een favorable to the growth of early vege- tables. Everything is late. The situation in the various districts is outlined in reports from crop correspondents of the Ontario \'ege- table Growers' Association, as follows: OTTAWA DISTRICT Billings Bridge. — Hot -bed stuff is in good con- dition. Lettuce is very cheap and plentiful; there is a large local supply and a quantity of imported. There is plenty of rhubarb for the demand. Radishes are scarce ; green onions very plentiful. Fall roots are getting scarce. Imported cabbage is plentiful. About the average acreage of crops will be grown as last year. — T. Mockett. TORONTO DISTRICT Humtjer Bay. — Although the weather has Ijeen cold, the lan^ has worked nicely, and many crops are in. Spring crops are about two weeks later than usual. Dutch set onions are doing well. Carrots, beets, turnips and onions promise to be a fair crop. There is a slight increase in the acreage of early cabbage. Not many peas are sown yet. Large patches of celery have l)een planted, and large quantities of early jxptatoes. It is to be hoped that gardeners will ieep up the price of rhubarb to. 20 cents, and onions 3 doz. for 25 cts. — J. W. Rush. PEEL COUNTY Clarkson. — With a favorable season, a heavy crop of |X)tatoes should Ije harvested, as nearly all the land planted has been heavily manured. Sweet corn is l)eing planted rather extensively, but will be late on account of the continued cold weather. A numlier of gardeners have lost their tomato plants. Growers who depend on trans- planting to cold frames have had a trying time growing their plants. Those with plenty of hot manure will be all right. All vegetables will l^e late this year. — W. G. Home. HAMILTON DISTRICT Early out -door vegetables will be about two weeks late. Until the last few days there has been but little growth. Asparagus has been scarce and is worth from about $1 to $1.25 a doz. bunches; spinach, $1 a bu. ; green onions, 2 doz. for 25 cts.; rhubarb, 30 cts. a doz. bunches; lettuce, 40 to .50 cts. a doz. heads; radish, 30 to 40 cts. a doz. bunches. Potatoes are still high and selling at 81.25 a bag. New potatoes will be about three weeks later than usual. Tomatoes promise a light crop owing to difficulty in raising the plants. The acreage of tomatoes has decreased greatly the last year or two and this year the decrease is more noticeable than usual. — Jas. A. Stevens. WELLAND COUNTY Niagara Falls South. — Everything is about two weeks late. Seeding is only partly done. Spring sown lettuce and spinach is making slow growth. Hot-house lettuce is scarce and in good demand. Early plantings of sweet corn are reported to have rotted. Early seed po- tatoes are selling at $1 a bu. ; late, 80 cts. Several growers have lost tomato plants by frost. — Thos. R. Stokes. , ESSEX COUNTY I.^amington. — Vegetable growers are busy planting melon seed; there promises to be the largest acreage that has ever l)een grown here. The change in the duty has had a great influence in this line. Tomatoes are now being planted in the field. A much larger quantity will be on the market this year. The tobacco business is apparently overdone with the promise of low prices, and many new men are trying their hand at early tomatoes. Sweet corn is being planted largely; also, wax beans. Cabbage is all in the field, and is looking well. Onions have been planted quite extensively; also, potatoes. As a usual thing, potatoes are up and growing well at this season of the year, but are only now coming through the ground even though sprouted under glass. Asparagus is on the market, as also hot-house cucumbers at $1.60 a 11 qt. basket. A few hot -house tomatoes are in. — E. E. Adams. KE.VT COUNTY Chatham. — Vegetation has made very little growth. Onions, beets and carrots are not much above ground. Transplanted beets have dam[3ed off considerably and will not be as plenti- ful as usual. Lettuce continues to be scarce, and the price keeps at 15 cts. wholesale. A small quantity of asparagus is being offered at about 30 cts. 'a lb. Tomato plants are looking fairly well but have required careful nursing. — Fred. Collins. WELLINGTO.N- COUNTY Guelph. — Owing to the cold, backward weather during the first 10 days of May, the crops are somewhat later than usual. Early seeds planted the latter part of April are not much above ground. Heavy frosts have occurred on the nights of May 10 and 11, and, as a result, several growers have lost some of their tomato plants, which means a serious loss to them, and will also largely decrease the supply of plants for the general trade. Green onions and lettuce are the only vegetables being marketed to any extent at present. The warm weather ushered in on May 13 will greatly increase the amount of work, as more and more land is becoming dry enough to work. — H. S. Peart. The Picton Horticultural Society held an interesting meeting recently at which Prof. H. L. Hutt of the O.A.C., Guelph, delivered a lecture. Reliable Plants for Spring Planting ROSES SNOW QUEEN (Frau Karl Druschki or White American Beauty). The new German Rose which has made such a sensation. Flowers exceptionally larg;e and snow white. Strong grower and free bloomer. BABY RAMBLER. This new Rose is of dwarf habit and con- tinually blooms from Spring until frost. At the approach of cold weather the plants can be potted and brought in the house, where they will bloom throughout the winter. Also Baron Prevost, Crimson Rambler, Dorothy Perkins, Madame Plantier, Marshall P. Wilder, Margaret Dickson, Paul N'eyron, Ulrich Brunner, White Ramblers, Yellow Ramblers, and a general assortment of extra hardy field-grown Roses which cannot fail to give satisfaction. WRITE FOR USTS AND PRICES EVERGREENS 250,000 NORWAY SPRUCE , i'Picea excelsa) in all sizes from 9 inches to 3 feet All transplanted, healthy and bushy stock, just in the condition for forming thick Evergreen hedges and shelters. Also Thuja Nervasneana, Thuja Pyramidalls, Thuja Semper- auresceus (a most beautiful bronze and golden coloured dwarf growing arbor-vita;), Austrian, Scotch and White Pines, all sizes. Retinospora; in variety, and the leading varieties of Thuyopsis, Abies, Taxus, etc. WRITE FOR LISTS AND PARTICULARS Stock packed carefully and (hipped by Freight or Expre«s. Shipments made daily by G.T.R., C.P.R., M.C.R., T. H. & B. Ry. and Canadian and Dominion Express ESTABLISHED H CENTURY HELDERLEIGH NURSERIES E. D. SMITH Mention The Csnadian Horticulturist when writing. NURSERIES 750 ACRES WINONA, ONTARIO 158 THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST June, 190^ i POULTRY DEPT. | Tf Conducted by W^ ^ S. Short, Ottawa \f Hatching for the season should be completed by June 20. Chicks hatched after that date may be classed as late. Many failures in the poultry fraternity may be traced to the late chickens. They do not make sufficient growth, either of frame or feathers, to stand the cold nights oi early September, especially chicks of the large breeds. The consequence is, if they, escape disease, that they mature prematurely, and one has a flock of birds half to three-quart- ers the size they should be, and in most cases fowl that are never profitable and certainly not fit for breeding. It is the late chick that is first to take dis- ease which, if not noticed at once, is speedily communicated to the rest of the fowls, and disaster and fatalities take the place of eggs and profit for that season. Again, July chicks IF YOU HAVE APPLES OR POULTRY TO CONSIGN we can handle them for you to advantage. If apples are in car lots, write us and we can sell them for you f.o.b. your station THE DAWSON COMMISSION CO. Ljnutra Cor. West Market and Colbome St. TORONTO ONTARIO do very well as long as they are in tlie brooders or with the hen; after that, the tendency is for them to huddle together at night for warmth .in the corners of the room or wherever they may l:>e quartered. This results in serious and permanent injury to the weaker birds. The outside chicks of the bunch are continually scrambling over the backs of the inner and under ones, much in the manner of the scrim- mage men in a game of Rugby, and with the same effect The half -grown feathers are rublied or scratched off, and the skin on their backs is torn and bleeding; I have frequently seen 50% of a late hatch in this condition, the chicks without a feather on them when two months old and over, and their owner won- dering why the feathers did not grow. The only excusable reasons for hatching later than the time given in the beginning of this article is, when there are no other fowl on the premises, a small number may be hatched and Ije successfully reared, having the benefit of the whole accommodation and receiving special attention, or by the professional poultry men who hatch every month of the year, hav- ing special plants for this purpose. If at all feasible, chickens of all ages should be separated from the laying hens. Chickens require feeding oftener than the old birds. There are several grain mixtures sold by deal- ers made up especially for growing chickens that are excellent. They consist of cracked corn, rice, millet seed, peas and a little fine mica grit, making a splendid food for the chick- ens, but too expensive to feed to old birds. The chicks eat so little for the first six weeks that the cost is trifling; after that time, they may safely be put on the cheap ordinary grains. president; H. B. Cowan, secretary; J. H. Dunlop, treasurer; and an executive committee composed of the foregoing and J. Chambers and P. W Hodgetts. Arsenate of Lead Ed. The Canadian Horticulturist: We note in your May issue, in an article on spray- ing by T. B. Revett, that one application of arsenate of lead would be sufficient. Being manufacturers of Swift's arsenate of lead, we are interested in what he states We think, however, that one application, except in special cases, is not enough, as new surfaces due to the growth of the tree are being exposed as the season advances. \\'e do claim, however, that two or three sprayings may he omitted if Swift's arsenate of lead is used. — -Merrimac Chemical Co., Boston, Mass. [Note. — .\n error occurred in the publication of the article referred to. It was intended to state that the manufacturers of arsenate of lead claim that an application of the material will remain on the trees throughout the season, but that two or more applications will give better results. — Editor.! A meeting of the directors of the Ontario Horticultural Exhibition was held on May 9. The following are the officers for the ensuing year: R. J. Score, president; W. H. Bunting, 1st vice-president; H. R. Frankland, 2nd vice- GATHER YOUR CHERRIES WITH THE eiY SOCCESSFOL CHERRY PICKER Tilt* rherry is not t:oi-8 into the cup ajid Is swiured. Tlie picker hasbeen thoroughly tested and g:tve good satisfaction. Sent postpaid on receipt of 75(r. Two for $l.2-'>. Money refundi-d if not satisfactory. Elwood Tatum, Box C, West Branch, Iowa Dominion Line ROYAL MAIL STEAMSHIPS MONTREAL TO LIVERPOOL OTTAWA June 8th DOMINION " 15th KENSINGTON .... "22nd VANCOUVER . . . . , " 26th SOUTHWARK ....'. " 29th Above steamers all carry passengers. MONTREAL TO BRISTOL (Avonmouth Dock) TURCOMAN -June 8th ENGLISHMAN .... " 22nd MANXMAN July 6th Favorite Steamers for all kinds of perishable cargo having fan ventilation, cold storage, and cool air chamber. GEORGE W. TORRAHCE, Freight Agent M. A. OVEREHD \ J. W. WILKINSON / ■ ■ ■ DOMINION LINE— PORTLAND, Maine. Mention The Canadian Horticulturist when writinc 28 Wellington St E., TORONTO . . Travelling Freight Agents THE INGERSOLL VENEER BOnOM FRUIT BASKET The lightest and strongest Fruit Basket made. Made of two pieces of veneer, with double bottom, and bent apon a special patented ma- chine. Not scored at bend, but bent without weakening the fibre of the wood. Stronger and more durable than any nailed package. Correspon- dence from fruit growers solicited. The Ontario Fruit Package Company Limited INGERSOLL, ONTARIO Mention The Canadian Horticulturist when writing June, 1907 THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST Vll Cranberry Supply A few cranberries are gathered in the Mari- time Provinces, but they never get west of Montreal. The principal sources of supply for America are Cape Cod, in the east, and Mich., Wis., Minn, and Iowa in the west. Ontario draws its supplies exclusively from Cape Cod. i The garnishing of the Thanksgivmg turkey is said to have created a demand which aided the upward tendency of prices. The American crop averages about 1,000,000 bus., and of those, 400,000 bus. are said to be required for Thanksgiving. It was at Cape Cod that the cranberry was first cultivated, and soon came the discovery that in flavor the cultivated cranberry was far superior to its wild brother. Sand and peaty ground form the best soil for the cranberry, and instead of fertilizing, the grower is obUged to give the vines or bushes liberal coatings of sand. The place where the cranberry grows is variously known as the marsh or the bog, from the fact that it must be low land arranged with a system of sluices similar to those used for the irrigation of arid land in the west. It costs not less than $300, and as high as $500 an acre, to get the lx>g ready Then 5 years must elapse before there is any crop sufficient to give a return. But after this, it is all profit, for the shrubs live and bear endlessly, getting better all the time. Nothing could be simpler than planting cranberry liushes. A small handful of twigs is twisted together, and thrust deeply into the sand. They need no tending, but take root at once, and within a year send out runners. The planting is done in rows 8 or 10 inches apart. Graduallv the space between the rows fills up, and soon the whole bog is one field of growing cranberries. Flooding the bog an- swers the dual purixjse of giving the cran- berries the moisture which is an essential part of its life and protecting it from the frosts of early autumn. The old method of packing by hand is being superseded by the rocker scoops, with which 1 man can do the work of 25. The berries are cleaned and graded by machinery. At the end of their course there is a drop, and the sound, hard berries rebound into their bins, while the soft and wormy ones, lacking the necessary resilience, go to the waste box. With careful weeding and watering, an acre will yield more than 100 bbls. of cranberries, and it has been calculated that in 8 years an acre ought to pay back in full the entire cost, leaving all that follows as clear profit. — Cana- dian Grocer. Loyal Supporters The success of The Can.\dian Horticul- turist to date and the fact that we have been able to improve it so much lately has been due to the fact that each year, for a number of years, the officers of some 30 of the horticultural socie- ties in Ontario have subscribed for The Cana- dian Horticulturist for all their members. To these men largely the credit for the fact that Canadians have been able to publish a horticul- tural magazine of their own has been due. Had they done like the officers of some of the other Ontario societies, and sent their money away for United States publications, we could not have continued to publish The Canadian Horticulturist. Now that the tide has turned and tht ,. our circulation is increasing by leaps and bounds, it now being about 7,000 we feel that we should draw attention and give due recognition to those societies whose support has been so valuable to us, and who ^hrougli The Canadian Horticul- turist have been a benefit to the horticultural interests of Canada. All the following horticul- tural societies have co-operated with us in our efforts to improve The Canadian Horticul- turist, and we heartily thank them for their support' Belleville, Brampton, Brantford, Cardinal, Cayuga, Clarksburg, Clinton, Cobourg, Cornwall, Elmira, Grimsby, Guelph, Hamil- ton, Hespeler, Kincardine, Lindsay, Midland, Mitchell, Napanee. Oakville, Orangeville, Owen Sound, Niagara Falls, Perth, Picton, Port Dover, Port Hope, Toronto, Seaforth, Sim- coe, Stiriing, St. Thomas, Smith's Falls, Till- sonburg, \'ankleek Hill, Walkerton, Windsor, Waterloo, and Woodstock. The British Columbia, Quebec, Prince Edward Island, and Ontario Fruit Grower's Associations, and the Ontario Vegetable Growers' Association, also have helped greatly. This year a number of societies who had never before taken The Canadian Horticulturist decided to distribute it to their members, and consequently, through their efforts, we are adding many new subscriptions to our rapidly growing mailing list. These societies, who are new with us this year, include the societies at Ottawa, St. Catharines, Bowmanville, Flora, Durham, Goderich, Peterboro, Gait, and Collingwood. We try to make each issue of The Canadian Horticulturist better than the previous number. How far we have succeeded in this attempt will be easily recognized, if the last five issues are carefully compared. We want to continue bettering The Canadian Horti- culturist, and already, with the hearty support tendered us by our subscriber friends, we feel that The Canadian Horticulturist is rapidly attaining a position well up in the world's horticultural journals. Our steady growth depends on the support of our friends, and we feel confident that every subscriber will help us to make Canada's only horticultural publication, The Canadian Horticulturist, the best and largest horticultural publication in the world. These Spoil Your Crops. Arsenate of Lead Destroys all Leaf-Eating Insects It is estimated that insects destroy ^ to 'fy the entire yield of farm and orchard produce. Swift's Arsenate of Lead is the best insecticide for the use of the farmer and orchardist, because it destroys all leaf-eating insects, stick? to the foliage in spite of rain and wind, and because it cannot burn or scorch the foliage no matter how strong a solution is used. Swift's Arsenate of Lead is used and recommended by leading fruit growers, truck farmers, horti- culturists and shade tree owners. Write for booklet giving ■valuable information for combat- ing the Codling Moth. Potato Bug and- other insect pests. MERRIMAC CHEMICAL CO., 61 Broad St., Boston, Mass. Canadian Agents — Spramotor Co., London, Ont. A. M. Bell & Co., Halifax, N.S. ECONOMICAL and RELIABLE Hot-House Heating Systems ' ' Sovereign ' ' Hot Water Boilers and Steam Heaters may be relied upon to provide a continuous even tem- perature for heating hot-houses and conservatories. The system works just as satisfactorily with water supplied from a tank on the premises as it does when connected with a city or town water service. Catalogue and full particulars sent to any address. Taylor-Forbes Company, Limited Head Office and Works— GUELPH, ONT. SKI.LIKG AGKNTS The Vulcan Iron 'Worlcs, Winnipeg, Man. Boyd, Burns CSi Company, Vancouver, B.C. H. G. Rogers, St. John, N.B. 122 CRAIG STREET WEST, MONTREAL 1088 KING STREET WEST, TORONTO Mention The Canadian Horticulturist when writinR Vlll THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST June, 1907 /^SOR BINE Kemoves Bursal Knlarjcemefits. Thickened Tissues, I nil It rated rjirts, and any Vuit or Sweilinc:. Cures ]l.ameness. Allays I'ain •without laying the horse up. PoeH not blister, stain or remove the hair. jif'2.w » bottle, delivered. Pamphlet 1-C free. ABSORBINK, JR.. for mankind, pl.OO I bottle. Cures SyDOvUit, Weeinni? Sinew, Strains^ Gouty or Rheumatic Deposits, reduces Varicose Veins, Varicocele, Hydrocele. Allays pain. Book free. Genuine mfd. only by W. F. YOUNG, P.D.F., 194 Monmouth Street ePRINQFIELD, MA88. Canadian Agents, Lymao, Sons Ac Co., Montreal r" Imperial Bank OF CANADA EstabliskeJ 1875 Head Office, Toronto (. Capital Paid-up, $4,700,000.00 Rest, - - $4,700,000.00 Savings Department at all Branches Interest allowed on deposits of One Dollar and upwards and credited four times a year. l.OOO a Month Since January, 1907, the number of new and renewal subscriptions received for The Can.\- DIAN Horticulturist has averaged considerably over 1,000 a month. This is a remarkable growth, and shows that, with the help of our friends, The Canadian Horticulturist is rapid- ly assuming a position in the front ranks of the world's horticultural publications. Our circula- tion has increased over 50 per cent, since the first of last September, \aturally we are much pleased because as our circulation increases our editorial columns wield greater power and because the larger number of subscribers we obtain, the better paper we can give you. If you have a friend who is interested in amateur gardening, or fruit or vegetable grow ing, show them this copy of The Canadian Horti- culturist, and ask them to subscribe. We allow our subscribers a generous commission on all new subscriptions they send us. If you desire we will send you any premium described in this issue. We want to have 10,000 sub- scriptions before January, 190S. With your help we can succeed. If every subscriber will do his and her part, we will soon be able to give you an even better paper than The Canadian Horticulturist is now. Will you not do your part by sending in at least one new subscription, and the names of such friends as you think would be interested in The Canadian Horticulturist? The Canadian Horticulturist now repre- sents the horticultural interests of the Dominion. It devotes its space to fruit and vegetable grow- ing, and to amateur flower growing, and is the official organ of several provincial fruit growers' associations, and of the Ontario Vegetable Grow- ers' Association, It is read by the members of over 40 horticultural societies, who take it for its valuable amateur flower and gardening features. With the steady growth of our circulation, and advertising, we are trying to give our readers a better paper each issue. Flower Exhibit at Grimsby On the evening of Mav .'5, a novel c.xliilji- tion was held by the Grimsbv Horticultural So- ciety. It was the time of tlie annual distribu- tion to its members of shrubs and perennial plants. In order to increase the interest in the evening, the secretary, .Mr. Linus Woolver- ton, visited the high and public schook the day previous, and stated that four prizes would be given each form, for the Ijest and most taste- fully arranged dish of wild flowers shown b\ the scholars. The idea was taken up with great enthusiasm, and between four and six o'clock of the day of the e-xhibition, the children came pouring in with their collections, which were placed in proper sections on the tables. The flowers were chiefly hepaticas, dicentras, adder's tongues, trilliums and ferns. Some were arranged in baskets, and one was beautifully arranged as a cross. In all, over 20 prizes were given the children, consisting of pot plants of various values in bloom. After a half-hour program bv the children, they were dismissed and allowed to take home their flowers. Then came the annual distribution to the memliers of the society. Each member re- ceived the following collection complete, no choice of articles being allowed, as this is found to be too troublesome and too expensive: 1 Exochorda grandiflora, 1 rose, Margaret Dick- son, 1 helianthus, 1 Japanese iris, 1 shasta daisy, 1 delphinium, and 2 varieties anemone. Two years ago, Hiram A\'alker & Sons of, Walkerville, went into the culture of mint. There was no duty at that time to protect the firm against importations from the U.S. The new tariff, however, places it on the dutiable list, and practically gives this firm control of the Canadian market. USED IN CANADA 23 YEARS SLUG SHOT USED FROM OCEAN TO OCEAN Registered in U.S. Post Office A light, composite, fine powder, easily distributed either by duster, bellows, or in water by spraying. Thoroughly reliable in killing Currant Worms, Potato Bugs, Cabbage Worms, Lice, Slugs, Sow Bugs, etc., and it is also strongly impregnated with fungicides, e®'- Put up in Popular Packages at Popular Prices. Sold by Seed Dealers and Merchants in Ontario, Quebec and Manitoba. For Pamphlets worth having on Bugs and Blights, send to BENJAMIN HAMMOND FISHKILL-ON-HUDSON, N.Y. Mention the Canadian Horticulturist when writing Paper for Fruit Wrappers C Are you doing an export fruit business? We supply paper — thin— cheap. Good for fruit wrap- pers. Tell us your wants and let us send you samples free. WHITE TISSUE MANILLA TISSUE specialties Canada Paper Co. TORONTO LIMITED Mention The Canadian Hoiticulturift when writing HOW TO PLAN THE HOME GROUNDS By S. Parsons For three new subscriptions to Thb Canadian Horticulturist, we will send the above book free, to any of our readers. The purpose of this book is to teach land owners and home builders how to beautify their grounds. The laying out and construction of road<^ and paths, lawns and flower gardens are fully treated upon, while the lists of the best trees, shrubs, hardy herbaceous plants, etc. serve as a valuable guide to the amateur landscape gardener. The Canadian Horticulturist, Toronto, Ont. REPRESENTATIVES WANTED Now that the price of The Ca.n-adian Horti- culturist has been reduced to 50 cents a year, it offers a great opportunity to canvassers. We will give a generous commission to all who will canvass for us. Write for particulars. Circula- ■ lation Manager. THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST 505-7-8 Manning Chambers Toronto June, 1907 THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST IX A Library Free Look over the list of books given below and check those you would like. Then look at our special offer that follows and start a little li- brary for yourself. We will send any book immediately on receipt of price marked. FOR THE FRUIT GROWER "Fruit Harvesting, Storing, Marketing, etc.," F. A. Waugh, $1.00. "The Grape Culturist," A. S. Fuller, $1.50. "The Grape Grower's Guide," William Chorlton, 75 cents. "Peach Culture," James A. Fulton, $1.00. "Practical Fruit Grower," S. T. Maynard, 50 cents. FLOWERS AND ORNAMENTAL PLANTS "The Beautiful Flower Garden," F. Schuyler Mathews, 40 cents. "The Chrysanthemum," Arthur Herrington, 50 cents. "Garden Mak- ing" L. H. Bailev, $1.00. "Home Floricul- ture," E. E. Rexfo'rd, $1.00. "Pictorial Prac- tical' Gardening," Walter P. Wright, 75 cents. "The Window Flower Garden," Julius Heinrich, 50 cents. "Your Plants," James Sheehan, 40 cents. MARKET GARDENING "Asparagus," F'. H. Hexamer, .50 cents- "Cabbage, Cauliflower and Allied Vegetables," C. L. Allen, 50 cents. "Gardening for Profit," Peter Henderson, $1.50. "Market Gardening and Farm Notes," Burnet Landreth, $1.00. "Vegetables Under Glass," Henry A. Dreer, 25 cents OUR SPECIAL OFFER We will give any of the above books to any of our subscribers who will send us one new subscrijjtion for each 25 cents on the price of the hook. F'or example: "Garden Making," by L. H. Bailey, is sold for $1.00 a copy. We will give a copy of the book free for jour new subscriptions. If the price of the book were $1.50, as in the case of "Gardening for Profit," by Peter Henderson, then we would send it free on recei|)t of six new s;jbscriptions. F'or each STENCIL . '"" BRANDS ^ \M^^- ^O- RUBBER »[ MAKE Ail UIIOS FOI III PURPOSES 124-YONGEST. TORONTO. A CHANCE FOR PUSHERS We have a propositicm lu make to a few good workers who are willing to get out and hustle. The Canadian Horticulturist 506-7-8 Manning Chambers, Toronto THE HORTICULTURIST'S RULE BOOK By L. H. Bailey A compendium o{ useful information for fruit growers, truck gardeners, florists and others. The chapters on insecticides and fungicides, plant diseases, seed tables and planting tables, cements, glues, etc., will all be found exceedingly valuable to every intelli- gent horticulturist. The regular price ot the above book is 75cents, but we will send it free to any of our readers who will send us three new subtAN IIoKTICUI-TURIST. Address The Canadian Horticulturist, Toronto, Ont. 25 cents or fraction thereof, in the value of the book, send one new subscription. This is a good way in which to secure a library on any horticultural subject. Besides the books we have named above, we have a large number of others. Our catalog will be mailed free to all who are interested. Articles on Dairying Tho.se readers of The Canadian' Horticul- turist who are interested in dairying would do well to secure the four issues of The Cana- dian Dairyman for June. Rach of these issues will be special and timely in their nature. The subjects that will be given prominence in them will be respectively: fertihzers for dairy farmers; transportation and cold storage; har- vesting hay and barn construction. In con- nection with these subjects, articles and let- ters of a seasonable nature will appear in each issue. These will treat on all phases of dairy farming, and should prove of great value to dairy farmers. The regular departments of the paper, in- cluding the cheese and creamery sections, will be particularly strong, and will include many articles and discussions on live topics, ihe Canadian Dairyman is the only dairy paper published in Canada. It is a weekly paijer devoted to the interests of dairy farmers, creamerymen and cheese makers. The sub- scription price is one dollar a year. Sample copies can be secured by writing to The Dairy- man Publishing Co., Toronto, mentioning that you saw this notice in The Canadian Hor- ticulturist. The Cobourg Horticultural Society is flourish- ing. It deserves the encouragement of all persons living in its vicinity, as it has done much to improve and beautify the town. FOR SALE AND WANT ADVERTISEMENTS Advertisements under this heading inserted at rate of one cent a word for each insertion, each figure, sign or single letter to count as one word, minimum cost, 25 cents, strictly cash in advance. I ANDSCAPE GARDENING —Plans drawn *-■ to scale for laying out and planting parks, cemeteries, public or private grounds. Work supervised C. Ernest Woolverton, landscape architect. Grimsby. r^ARDENER seeks situation in private place. ^-* Fifteen years' experience imder glass and outside. Age thirty. Good references. Box B, Canadian Horticulturist. Orchids Now is the time to place your orders for Spring de- livery of freshly imported Orchids. Our prices are very low, quality considered. Also large stock of estabUshed Orchids on hand CARILLO & BALDWIN SECAUCUS, N.J., U.S.A. Home Gardening for Beginners Send us three new one year subsn-iptions to The Canadian Hokticultcrisi-, and we will forward yoa thii* valuable guide and |iiac- tical adviser for novices in garib n ninkintr. It is nicely bound in <^lotli. fully illiistraled, and contains about 300 pages. The regular price is $L00, but we will send it to any readi r of The Canadian Hortkultukist who will send us three new subscriptions. The Canadian Horticulturist, Toronto, Ont. Save Your Eyes By Using a Beck-Iden Acetylene Lamp Over ninety per cent of all eje troubles are due to the use of un- natural artificial lights,— And any light which contains yellow or red rays is unnatural. The only natural light is a pure white light, absolutely free from yellow or red rays. This is the kind of light that the Beck-lden l^anip gives. Beck-Iden Acetylene Lamp Co., The light produced by the Beck- Iden Lamp is the only artificial illuminaiit that resembles sunlight. It's absolutely impossible for the Beck-Iden Lamp to explode. Makes an ideal light for country homes. For full descriptions, cost of light per hour, etc., write for booklet. 86 Notre Dame St. West, Montreal. a PAGE FEHCES^ii^WEAR BEST" Made 0) liluh Carbun Wire— xe'll prove it lx> you. COILKU, not critnped. This makes It still stronger in service. It stays taut, Painicdf WHITE over heavy THE PACE WIRE rENCK COMPANY. LIMI1ED, KalvanizinK— rust proof. Experienced dealers to erect it. Leads all in sales —as In merit. Get illustrated booklet and 1907 prices before buying. 209 Walkerville, Toronto. Montreal, SI. John, WinnipcE THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST June, 1907 Windsor Dairy Salt — the Butter- makers' favour- ite. No lumps or grittiness r~ FOSTER'S STANDARD POT FLOWER POTS Send us your Spring order for potB, etc; which will re- ceive our prompt attention. Try our pots for growing early tomato plants in. SEND FOR PRICE LIST AND CATALOGUE THE FOSTER POTTERY CO., LIMITED Main St. West, Hamilton, Ont. Mention The Canadian Horticulturist when writing "WatcH Us Gro-w For years the circulation of The Canadi.vn Horticulturist was either below or hovered around the 4,000 mark. But now, with the hearty co-operation of our friends, it is experienc- ing a steady upward growth. For this issue, we will distribute over 8,000 copies. Of this num- ber nearly 7,000 will be mailed to paid sub- scribers. The balance are specimen copies we are sending to our agents and to prospective subscribers whose names have been supplied us by our friends. If you have not already sent us a list of your friends who would be interested in such a pub- lication as The Canadi.\n Horticulturist, we trust you will forget your bashfulness and send it in. We want to reach the 10,000 mark by the first of next year, and, with your help, we will do this. Kindly send me The Horticulturist for one year. It is a fine paper. All fruit and vege- table growers should take it. It is cheap, and extra good. You would not get a paper like it in England for the money. — John Spencer, Toronto, Ont. r BOOKS FREE For TWO new subscriptions to The Canadian Horticulturist, we will send free. Book Asparagus Practical Fruit Grower A. B. C. of Straw- berry Culture Spraying: Crops The Beautiful Flower Garden Window Flower Garden Your Plants Regular Price 50c. Author F. M. Heximer S. T. Maynard Terry & Root C. M. Weed F. Schuyler Mathews Julius Heinrich James Sheehan — ADDRKS.S— The Canadian llorticulturist, Toronto, Canada 50c. 45c. 50c. 40c. 50c. 40c. Profit Producing Fertilizers ^^__ DO YOU KNOW ' THAT WORN-OUT \ LANDS MAY BE MADE PRODUCTIVEand PROFITABLE BY THE JUDICIOUS USE OF THE RIGHT KIND OF, FERTILIZER ? \ NOW IF YOU HAVE A PIE.CE OF LAND THAT WONT GROW ANYTHING ; [ PUT WEEDS, TALK WITH US ABOUT rr and let us • SUGGEST „ ' THE RIGHT FERTILIZER; WE FEEL VERY SURE THAT i WE CAN SHOW YOU HOW TO USE FERTILIZER 5 WITHOUT GREAT EXPENSE SO YOUR LAND WILL PAY Consult us freely it is . OUR BUSINESS to KNOW ENQUIRIES FREELY ANSWERED AGENTS WANTED FOR TERRITORY NOT TAKEN UP ^ "^»^W.A. FREEMAN co. limited, HAMILTON ONTARIO . Every Canadian Horticulturist and successful fruit grower knows that he must spray to get the best results. The question often is, "Which outfit will give me better satis- faction after I have bought it— this, or that ?" We have been making Spray Pumps for many years — outfits ranging in size from the power machine, operated by gasoline engine, down to little affairs that can be put into a bucket and carried about in the hand— about twenty differ- ent types in all. We make no sacrifice to qual- ity in the construction of DEMING SPRAYERS Brass working parts, brass ball valves, durable packing and substantial, wearable construction throughout commend them to every grower who appreciates true economy. If you are troubled to know just what to select, perhaps we can help you. It's always been a part of our business to study the work of the grower and build our machines to suit his needs. Write us and we'll do all we can to help you out. Mention The Canadian Horticulturist when writing Our literature includes a cata- logue of Spray Pumps and Sup- plies, " Words of Wisdom," "Spray- ing(orProflt,"and a number of small circulars that you will be glad to read. A postal will bring them to you. Tiie Denting Company 460 DEPOT ST. SALEM, OHIO The Canadian Horticultun^ Vol. XXX JULY, 1907 No. 7 TKe Fruit Industry of BritisK Columbia Max-well SmitH, Dominion Fruit Inspector, Vancouver FRUIT growing in British Columbia, like the chniatic and soil conditions in its various districts, is so diver- sified in character and of such import- ance that it is hardly possible to do the industry anything like justice in the space at our command, and when the reader has perused this article t(^the end, he must bear in mind that there still remains much to be said on the sub- ject. A historical sketch would be of interest to many, but the wants of in- ' ending settlers or investors may be bet- r served by a general outline of the I ) resent conditions and prospects of the industry. Although it is only sixteen years since the first full carload of fruit was shipped out of British Columbia, progress has been fairly rapid and people are now beginning to realize something of its possibilities as a fruit-growing province In the season of 1904, the fruit crop of British Columbia was valued at $600,000 and the area under cultivation estimated at 14,000 acres. In 190,5 the area under fruit had been increased to 20,000 acres, and the total revenue derived therefrom was nearly one milHon dollars. In the same year some- thing like $500,000 was expended in the purchase and improvement of fruit lands and the average price received for grade No. 1 apples from October 1, 1905, to March 31, 1906, was $1.27 per 40-lb. box, f.o.b. shipping point. The early varieties started out at $1 net, and dur- ^g the latter part of February and irch as high as $2 per box was being lid for strictly No. 1 in carload lots. The average prices of other fruits for the season of 1905 were: Pears, $1.38 per 40-lb. box; prunes and plums, 75 cents per 20-lb. box; peaches, $1.15 per 20-lb. box; strawberries, $2.30 per 24 basket crate; raspberries, $2.19 per 24 basket crate; blackberries, $2.40 per 24 basket crate; gooseberries, 5}^ cents per lb.; crab apples, 2i^ cents per lb. ; tomatoes, 5}/^ cents per lb. ; currants, 7 cents per lb. ; cherries, 9 cents per lb. Outside of the quantities consumed in our own cities the chief market for British Columbia fruit is the prairie provinces; a market which will always demand the best that the fruit-grower can produce and in ever-increasing quan- tities, so that British Columbia need have no fear, no matter how rapidly the industry develops, of an over-production of good, clean commercial varieties. The province is most favorably situated, in being contiguous to the great plains of the middle west, where fruit-growing on a commercial basis is not likely ever to be a success. That territory is sure to increase rapidly in population and the consumption of fruit will be enormous. It is a curious fact that the average family on the prairies consumes more For BritisK Columbians Allow me to congratulate you on the very marked improvement in The Canadian Horticulturist. Each number is better than the preceding one. The reduction in price should have the effect of placing it in the home of every lover of fruit and flowers. — W. J. Brandrith, Secretary-Treasurer — British Columbia Fruit Growers' Association. fruit than do those of British Columbia and it is quite natural, also, to expect that as the farmers of Alberta, JSaskatch- ewan and Manitoba succeed, within a comparatively few years, in laying bv sufficient to keep them in comfort for the rest of their lives, they should look to British Columbia, with its congenial climate, magnificent scenery and tre- mendous, unexplored and undeveloped natural resources, as a place in which to spend their declining years. There is little need for this province to spend money in trying to induce immi- grants from other countries to come here and settle. The best immigration work that British Columbia can do is to de- velop the fruit-growing industry and to send large quantities of first-class fruit properly grown, harvested, packed and shipped into the great grain country east of the Rocky Moimtains. This will judiciously advertise the province and bring our own people here as soon as 159 they become tired of the mcfre rigorous climate of the prairies. The topography of the country from the standpoint of the fruit-grower may be better understood by a reference to the map which accompanies this article. The geological formations and climatic conditions render it necessary to divide the fruit-growing area of the province into nine general divisions. No. 1 might be called the southwest- em coast district, which includes the southern half of Vancouver Island, ad- jacent islands, and what is usually called the lower mainland. Here the produc- tion of small fruits may be said to be more successful, and consequently more profitable, than that of the tree fruits. Nevertheless, there are a number of very excellent varieties of apples, pears, plums, prunes and cherries which grow to perfection in this district, besides many different varieties of nuts, and, in especially favored spots, peaches, grapes, nectarines, apricots and other tender fruits. In most parts of this district the mild character of the climate and the exces- sive moisture during the winter season are very favorable to the development of fungous diseases, and it is therefore necessary to practice persistent and systematic spraying of the orchards, clean cultivation of the soil, and a thorough system of under-drainage in order to get the most profitable results. District No. 2 includes the valleys of the Upper Fraser, as far north as the fifty-second parallel, the main Thomp- son, the North Thompson, the Nicola and Bonaparte Rivers. Here there are practically none of the above-named difficulties to contend with, but the ques- tion of water to irrigate the lands is one requiring serious consideration, as with- out an abundant supply of water in the "dry belt" it is impossible to be sure of a crop every year. The prospective fruit-grower, however, does not have to contend with the heavy forests along these rivers that have to be encountered on the coast. The fruits grown are of the very highest quality and include all the varieties mentioned in connection with district No. 1 . One of the largest 160 THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST July, 1907 r vineyards in the province is locate 1 near junction of Fraser and Thompson Rivers. District No. 3 may be briefly described as the valleys of the Similkameen and its tributaries, portions of which are perhaps the most tropical of any part of British Columbia, and most favorable locations for the cultivation of grapes, peaches and other delicate fruits, wherever sufHcient water for irrigation purposes is available. No. 4 includes the districts surround- ing Adams, Shuswap and Mabel Lakes and the valley of the Spallumcheen River. Here the natural rainfall is sufficient and splendid apples, pears, plums and cherries are successfully grown. The cHmatic conditions in this district resemble verj' much those of southern Ontario, and a fruit-grower with fixed ideas from the latter pn^vince might be more successful in this district than he would on irrigated lands. The timber is, generally speaking, light and the land rich. No. 5 is the great Okanagan valley, stretching from Larkin southward to the international boundary. The vicinity of Kelowna in this valley contains the largest area of fruit lands of any one place in the province. Peaches are now being shipped in large quantities from the 'Okanagan, and all other northern fruits are successfully grown by the irrigation system. Improved modern methods are in general use by the fruit- growers in this district and the industry is perhaps more advanced than in any other part of British Columbia. No. 6 is usually called the Boundary or Kettle River country, and although the smallest of all the districts named, the quality of the land is excellent and the climatic conditions all that could be desired. Where a sufficient water supply- is obtainable, there is no trouble in producing fruit of the highest quality. No. 7 is West Kootenay, an enormous fruit-growing district, where only a little progress has been made on the southern portion, but sufficient to indicate the possibilities and the superior qualitv of the fruit which may be raised along those lakes and streams. The neighborhood of Nelson and Kaslo has accomplished wonders in the past few years, but the shores of the Arrow lakes are practically untouched by the hand of the fruit- grower, and the valley of the Columbia, from the Big Bend south to Arrowhead, affords opportunities little dreamed of by many of those in search of fruit lands. In the greater part of this district, irriga- tion is only necessary in the very dry seasons. District No. 8 is the country known as East Kootenay and is separated from No. 7 by a range of mountains. It traversed by the Upper Kootenay Rivei from the fifty-first degree of north lati- tude southward to the intemationa boundary, and from Columbia and Wind ermere Lakes northward by the Uppe; Columbia River, to the Big Bend. Ir the southern portion of this district then are immense stretches of thinly-woodec lands suitable for fruit-growing purposes and the valley of the Upper Columbis has many choice locations for the enter prising fruit-grower. The lack of trans portation facilities is a great hindranc* to the development of the fruit lands o the Upper Columbia. District No. 9 comprises the vas coast region including the Queen Char lotte Islands and the northern half o Vancouver Island, from Jervds Inlet t< Portland Canal. There is little knowi of its cajmbilities, but undoubtedly has a few surprises in store for the future Though in small quantities as yet, apples peaches and grapes have been success fully grown on the Skeena River. Tb first apple trees were planted at Hazle ton in the spring of 1901 and fruited it the fall of 1904. For a considerable distance inlanc from the west coast, there are numerou; valleys and plateaus, which are wel adapted to growing many of the hardie July, 1907 THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST 161 varieties, though fewer in number than those suitable for the first-named district. Notwithstanding the conditions and adaptabilities which may be in a gen- eral way characteristic of the large dis- tricts above mentioned, there are always pecuUarities of soil and cUmate, soil moisture, atmospheric currents, etc., Iiiich must be taken into consideration, id intelUgently utilized by the in- vidual settler when choosing varieties plant or deciding on methods of iltivation. That the supply of water from moun- tain streams for irrigation purposes is limited, should always be borne in mind and in those portions of the province where irrigation is necessary, the pros- pective settler or investor should be ex- ceedingly careful that a proper supply of water is obtainable, and that he secures a legal right to use it, when pur- chasing fruit lands. There are many of the so-called dry districts where the soil moisture, with proper cultivation, is quite sufficient to produce a full crop in an ordinary year, but there comes peri- odically, the extraordinary year when, without an artificial supply of water at the critical time, the whole crop may be lost. In the arid districts, it should be ,een to that the right to a sufficient sup- Peach Plums that Weighed Six to a Pound These were thinned at end of third week of growth Photograph by B. T. Boies. Arrow and Kootenay Lakes, which can not be irrigated from the available mountain streams, but it may safely be predicted that some day in the not dis- tant future, a genius will arise who will invent a comparatively cheap method of pumping the W-ater from these large reservoirs up to the higher levels, and who then wul venture to estimate the quantity of rare and luscious fruits which this province may be capable of producing, or the gratitude that future generations will lavish on the memory of the man who shall make the cultiva- tion of these beautiful plateaus possible? Then will the gUttering Okanagan Lake become a magnificent water highway, through the midst of densely populated stretches of orchard lands. On either shore will be one continuous line of superb villa homes, and all up and down those scenic galleries of luxurious gardens will dwell the kings and queens of hus- bandry in the happy performance of the first duties allotted to mankind. By establishing high standards^and the practice of high ideals, both in the quality of their products and business methods the fruit-growers of British Columbia should have a large share?in building up the commercial character'of the province which, like the golden Section of British Columbia Prize Fruit Exhibit, London, England, 1907 Photograph furnished by courtesy of R. M. Palmer. Victoria. ily of irrigation water is obtained, along the Thompson, Columbia, Koot- beams of the summer twilight, shall shed whether it is needed every year or not. cnay and Similkameen Rivers and the its benign influence eastward over the There are immense fertile tablelands Kamloops, Okanagan, Upper and Lower great Dominion of Canada. Fruit Gro^ng in tKe OKanagan Valley H. Gordon, Vernon, British Columbia THE success achieved within it by a number of old-established grow- ers of fruit has gained a reputation for the Okanagan valley which attracts increasing numbers of land-seekers. The Okanagan valley is reached from Sic- amous Junction on the main line of the Canadian Pacific Railway by a branch railroad which runs for 40 miles through the Spalluracheen valley and the northern end of the Okanagan val- ley to the head of Okanagan Lake. The valley averages three miles in width. The lake lies north and south, and is about eighty miles long. Parallel to this lake at its northern extremity lies the pic- turesque Long Lake twelve miles in ex- tent, the valley of which runs north for thirty miles, and merges in the Okanagan valley at Kelowna. The Colsdtream (or White) valley joins the Okanagan valley from the east close to Vernon, which is situated a few miles from Okanagan Lake and two and a half miles from Long Lake.f ^ DISTRICTS FOR FRUIT CULTURE ' After leaving Sicamous the thriving little towns and fertile districts of En- derby and Armstrong deserve mention first. Here the rainfall appears to be sufficient in some parts to allow growth without irrigation. Vernon is the rail- way and agricultural centre of the valley. It lies 1,260 feet above sea level, and is surrounded by beautiful country and many orchards, as well as by much land adapted to fruit growing. The most striking feature is the uniform adaptabihty to fruit culture of large contiguous tracts of land. This is the is being planttd largely in the Cold- stream district ; this apple is somewhat fastidious in regard to soil and climate, but the growers have confidence that the local conditions are suitable. Kelowna lies close to Okanagan Lake upon its eastern shore, and is the im- portant centre of a growing district Harvesting Spys on Coldstream Estate Twenty five acres netted in 1905, ?12, 000. Photo by Boie containing at present about 3,000 acres of orchard. The same varieties of apple are grown as in the Vernon dis- trict, but Yellow Newton Pippin is now popular. The orchard of Mr. T. W. Stirling is the chief of manv good orch- ards in Kelowna, just as that of the Sutton Beauty Apple Trees in Mr. J. L. Webster's Orchard, Vernon Photoeraph furnished hy Mr. .Maxwell Smith favorite apple district, and seems to have an assured future. The chief varieties grown are Spitzenberg, Jona- than, Wagner, Wealthy, Northern Spy, Mcintosh Red and a few others. Cox's Orange Pippin, acknowledged throughout the markets of Europe as the best flavored apple in cultivation, Coldstream Estate holds the premier position in Vernon. South of Kelowna, the black loam of the north is replaced generally by a more sandy soil. Several of the few old-established small orchards here have made a success of peach growing, and stimulated others to follow. It is esti- mated that about 100,000 peach trees have been planted in one settlement alone, that of Summerland, during the last two years; whilst its twin neighbor, Peachland, follows closely upon its ex- ample. Triumph, Alexander, Hale's Early and Yellow St. John, are amongst the leading varieties. The growers wisely supplement the growing of peaches with the less hazardous culture of the apple, and produce excellent fruit; but as yet have, of course, placed only a very small fraction on the market of the possible future annual output. The prospects before these ener- getic and enterprising settlements are excellent, and they are making sturdy progress under the enthusiastic guid- ance of Mr. J. M. Robinson. Both places depend for communication only upon the lake stearner, and the settle- ment named Pentictcn, situated at the southern extremity of the lake, is at a similar disadvantage. The soil at Pen- ticton resembles generally that of Sum- merland, and apples and peaches are planted in a similar manner. Thirty thousand acres are here in the hands of the Southern Okanagan Land Co., under the management of Mr. W. T. Stratford. In the old orchard of the original homestead of the property stands a cherry tree which produces fruit in a manner to rival the prolific- ness of a Kentish orchard. The poetic imagination of the Winnipeg estate agent has calculated on the basis of the doings of this tree the amount of profit derivable from an acre of cherry trees, humorously forgetting that it has taken thirty summers to bring this cherry to its present productive state. Cherries are being planted here as else- where throughout the valley, Bing, Lambert and Royal Anne being the most popular varieties. It is probable that Penticton will ultimately prove an important fruit section. The last twelve months has seen the birth of several new centres designed to attract the fruit grower. Okanagan Centre and East Summerland are amongst the most promising of these, and offer attractions to those who desire to share in the development of a district from its beginning. SUCCESSES From this brief survey it is evident that the Okanagan valley promises to be an enormous fruit producer. The northern part is proved to be well adapted for apple culture; the southern half is probably a good peach country; throughout- the whole valley, cherries, plums, prunes, and pears succeed in properly selected parts. The fruit pro- July, 1907 THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST 163 duced hitherto, notably the Coldstream apples and the Summerland peaches, has attained a high standard. The apples from this valley obtained the highest awards at the Royal Horticul- tural Society's Show in 1906, the awards being for the attainment of a certain fixed standard; not as is erroneously supposed, in competition with exhibits from other parts of the world. This is encouraging, but the high price secured by the fruit in open market is even more satisfactory. The price of the best irrigible land' at present is from $150 to S200 per acre. An article on the climate and irrigation will be published in another issue. SETTLERS TO THE PROVIXCE The Vernon district is popular with, settlers from England and eastern Canada, and the same may be said of Kelowna. The newer settlements lay themselves out to attract the ever increasing number of farmers in the prairie provinces and Manitoba who are turning further west in search of less rigorous conditions. Summerland and Peachland find great favor amongst settlers from the prairie provinces. Summerland attracts a particular class in virtue of the absence of a liquor license, and the establishment of a Baptist College in the newly-formed municipality. EXPENSES OF LIVING The cost of living is high to eastern ly speaking, about $5,000 are required for everv ten acres of land to cover all the expenses of culture, planting, fenc- ing, modest buildings, living, and so forth, until the orchard produces some income at the end of five or six years. The net profit to be expected from an orchard in full bearing has been esti- mated variously, but always without consideration of the important and in- constant personal factor, which rend- ers all such estimates unreliable. It . The Fruit House, Coldstream Estate Photograph by H. Gordon is, however, beyond question, that skill and industry' may receive hand- some reward in this pursuit. Experi- enced growers of vegetables and small fruits may utilize the spaces between the trees to obtain a return during the earlv years; a careful study of market and labor conditions is necessarv be- The necessary common labor is scarce and dear. The question is becoming serious, and already orchards are show- ing evidence of neglect forced upon the owners by the difiiculty of obtain- ing labor and by the high rate of wages. MARKETS The chief market for the produce of the valley lies in the northwest prov- inces and Manitoba. The favorable geographical situation of the province indicates the wide possibilities for the opening up of other markets. There can be little doubt that markets will be found for all fruit of good carrying and keeping quality. TRANSPORTATION The means of communication through- out the valley — railways, lake steam- ers and roads — are scarcely adequate to the needs of a rapidly growing and important agricultural and horticul- tural district. It is a truism that en- terprise in these directions . brings its own reward. There seems an excel- lent opening for the establishment of a system of light electric railways connecting the chief centres and giv- ing them outlet north and south. PESTS AND INJURIES The provincial authorities exert them- selves to prevent the incursion of pests and have so far succeeded in prevent- ing the arrival of the San Jose Scale and other foreign scourges. But the A British Columbia Home and Young Orchard near Victoria , Photograph furnished by R. M. Palmer inadian and English eyes, but is no fore embarking on this branch of hor- boast that pests are entirely unknown iore than in the west generally. The ticulture. The districts of Armstrong can no longer be made ; ' the usual DSt of caring for the orchard cannot and Enderby excel in the production troublesome and injurious ones are aris- estimated with accuracy, but rough- of some vegetables and strawberries. ing from within. Ho\v BritisK Columbia Fruit is PacKed B. T. Boies, Vernon, BritisK Columbia PRACTlvSIXG and demonstrating with the natural fruit is practically the only way fruit growers can learn to pack prv>perly. The packing of a box of apples by a novice is some- thing he will never forget. He soon sees that the placing of a few small speci- mens in the holes to fill the case is a great mistake. Do not use small stuff to fill jn with. Call it a cull in the start, and save trouble and poor returns on a shipment of good fruit. The California and Oregon method of the body again place -1-1- ; this place- ment must be in the "holes" between the first three placed in the box. This is the start of the second tier. By plac- ing one orange in each space in this tier, we get in twelve ; tier number three has 13; tier number four has 12; tier num- ber five has 13 ; thus, one-half the side is fdled, making 13-12-13-12-13 = 63. Re- verse ends, lay out as before, we should again have 63, completing the box of 126. Follow this same rule with the pack- ing of apples of certain sizes, laying comes accustomed to the "sizing," he soon sees where, if he has used too small an apple, or too large, it can be changed and one to fit the hole will ratifv mat- ters. Thus, with packing pears with paper, by the placing of the first three in the end of case, or the first four, then three, the fruit locks itself in verv readily. I have packed the Fameuse and the Alexander in the Canadian standard box while demonstrating near Montreal, and turned the box upside-down, and back First Tier of Apples in Box Second Tier in Same Box Next or Third Tier Top or Fourth Tier packing apples was adopted at the Coldstream Ranch, in the Okanagan dis- trict of British Columbia, in 1900. The rip-rap pack, that any one can see by looking at a case of oranges or lemons as packed in California and on sale by merchants all over Canada, has been the most useful method. The solid pack, also, as used at Hood River, Oregon, is of. great advantage for some sizes of fruit. The former method is one that is easily learned, as the fruit, as packed, is sorted by the packer, who must have a quick eye at picking sizes, for when once a box of fruit has been started with a certain size, be it large, medium or small, that one particular size of apples, plums, pears, peaches or tomatoes will have to be followed up in each row or tier throughout the whole package. In a case of 126 size oranges (known thus because that number is always packed in a box), the oranges are sorted by machinery. The size is determined and placed, one at a time, starting at the end of the case next to the body, with one in each corner of the box and one in the space half way between. Next place two, one in each space. Now we have five. In the three spaces place, 1-1-1; next, -1-1-; next, 1-1-1. In the said orange box, we now have 13 oranges; this represents the first laver or tier. Beginning at the end next to three, then two, and so forth, beginning the second tier with two-three, two- three; thus, the fruit does not lay on direct top of specimen below it, but in the hollow between. See the diagrams. These show a four-tier, rip-rap, 110- size of apple. The last three or two apples placed in the row will alwavs again, with not an apple falling out of the box. Other kinds can be done like- wise. Some growers say that the apples should be packed "solid "• — one en direct top of another. In reply, I would say there are too many sizes of apples to allow the packer to follow this rule. British Columbia Fruit in Boxes for Export bind the whole tier firmlv. Perhaps, a slightly larger apple will be necessary to make it more secure with no "rattle," "slack," or rolHng. After a packer be- Apples can be packed in boxes either flat on the side or diagonal, if when so packed they completely fill the box, and have a half to three-quarters of an 164 July, 1907 THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST 165 A Variety of Fruits Grown and Packed in British Columbia Photograph furnished by Mr. James Grant, Victoria apple above the box. The top or bot- tom (when properly packed, either can be opened for display), pressed and then nailed, gives the "belly" or flare. This should never appear on the side of the box, as a box of apples should always be laid on the side for handling and 'lipping. Care in this matter pays. In packing peaches, the rip-rap- packed box is the only proper way. All British Columbia peaches are packed the same as those in California ; likewise, pears, plums and cherries (ten-pound flat box, or with cartons). Some hurry- up shippers at times use the four-basket (tin top) twenty-pound crate for cher- ries, plums, prunes and tomatoes, put- ting the fruit in roughly and jolting well down ; but the greatest proportion of this delicate fruit is handled on the green side and quite firm, using paper between all fruit, and thereby insuring the best prices and no chance of loss. The better the packing the greaterthe rew-ard. Care of Gladiolus FloAvers 'As our whole interest in the gladiolus entres in the beautiful flowers — which for beauty and diversity in the whole range of color have no equals in horticul- ture, and their durability when cut for table and other decorative purposes is unexcelled in their season — it is well to be fully informed as to the treatment that will ensure the best results. Cut the spike when the first flower _opens and place in water without over- jwding. Remove the terminal buds an, as this checks stalk development id throws the strength into the larger id earlier maturing flowers The end ■ the stalk should be shortened and the Iter renewed daily with frequt-nt eansing of the vases. In shortening ic stalk, cut diagonally, to insure free absorption of water by the spike with- out the contamination and obstruction, caused by sediment, if cut at a right angle. The fact that blooming the spikes in the shade of a room or piazza modifies the field colors, from bright shades and tints to delicate flushes and shadings. H. H. Groff, Simcoe, Ontario and also reduces the latter types to the faintest tinge of color or white, is well known to experienced growers. The advent of my new hybrids producing the most intense and deep shades of violet, purple, crimson and scarlet, hitherto un- known, as well as new yellows and other bright colors, makes it desirable that these brilliant combinations be preserved when the spikes are cut for decorative purposes. To ensure this most desirable result, place the vases of these highly colored types in the early morning sun for an hour or two daily, preferably after renovation and renewal of the water. This practice will also enable the reten- tion and normal presentation of the original delicate tints and shadings re- ferred to in the preceding paragraph, if so desired. As it takes about three days after cutting to bring the spikes into strong blooming condition, this should be al- lowed for in advance of the date of intended use. The spikes can be shipped a thousand miles by standing them on end in suitable baskets or boxes. On arrival, cut off the end of the stalk, and remove the terminal buds before placing in water: they will then revive quickly and with proper care give pleasure for a week or more. One of the causes of the popularity of the gladiolus as a decorative flower, is the fact that it has no perfume, as there are few flowers used for this purpose that are not distasteful to some one — par- ticularly in closed rooms — either from personal preference or painful associa- tion. Where the pollen proves irritat- ing to the tissues of the respiratory organs, as in the case of hay fever sub- jects, the anthers may be easily pinched out during the daily renovation, when the faded florets are also removed. This removal of the anthers is desirable in the highly colored types referred to, w^here the shed pollen dulls the brilliancy of the petals on which it may fall. The pink-flowered dogwood is a gem among small trees. It is one of the most beautiful shrubs of spring. Late Spring and Early Sxammer Border Plants "Wm. Hunt, Ontario Agricultural College, CuelpK THIS class of plants has not received the attention from many of our flower lovers that their beauty and usefulness most deservedly entitle them to. The long spell of triple-season ate -"^ ■■■' • / '.! ../^ The Garden Primrose weather — sometimes winter, sometimes spring, intermingled with a few days of quite summer weather — that we have experienced during the last two months, has brought out more prominently than usual the usefulness of manv varieties of late spring and early summer flower- ing plants. After the gay galaxy of beauty in the border that the spring flowering bulbs, such as tuHps, hyacinths, narcissi and so forth, give us, there is too often in many flower borders a period of compara- tive dullness before the better known and later summer flowering occupants of the border, such as iris, peonies, del- phiniums, campanulas, and other varie- ties, help to brighten it up. vSpring bedding, as it is termed in England, where the cool spring season, often extends from the end of January until early June, gives ample scope for the exercise of the use of this class of early decorative plants. With our usu- ally short, uncertain spring weather, this system of spring bedding cannot, as a rule, be successfully carried out. Al- though we may not be able to have whole beds or borders entirely of these plants, such as pansy, violas, primulas. Phlox subulata, forget-me-nots, Alyssum saxatile, and others of a like nature, many of them can be used verv success- fully in an ordinary perennial or mixed flower border with marked success and effectiveness. CORYDALIS NOBIIJS This perfectly hardy and showy border plant, a native of the frozen north of Siberia, should be in every collection. Its long, drooping racemes of pale yellow flowers, together with its'attractis'e and graceful fernlike foliage, make it a pleas- ing and showy object in the border in April or early in May. Very early spring or early in autumn is the best time to transplant this Corydalis. Corydalis hnlbosa is another variety very useful as an early flowering plant. This, as its name implies, is a bulbous- rooted variety, very useful as a border or for rockeries. The bulbs should be planted early in autumn. PHLOX SUBUtATA (MOSS PINK) The several varieties of these beauti- ful dwarf little plants, with their showv, compact masses of pink, reddish purple, and Hlac flowers, make them indispens- able amongst our low-growing border and rockery plants. The varieties rosea, atro-purpurea, and lilacina are the most effective and hardy for border work, the different shades of color being PRIMULA POLYANTHA (GARDEN PRIMROSE) Primroses delight in a rather moist, partially shaded position. A hot, sunny position does not suit them. They grow readily from seeds or division. The best time to divide the plants is as soon as they are out of flower. Water and shade them carefully for a week or so after planting. Seed sown in spring or early summer will produce flowering plants the following season. There are a great variety of colors to be had in garden primroses, white, yellow, lilac, and brown being the prevailing colors and shades. Garden primulas should be seen in every flower garden-. PRIMULA OFFICINALIS (ENGLISH COWSLIP) , It is quite hardy as a rule, and whei treated as described for other primulas,! makes a pretty border plant. In very exposed borders or in the northern sec- tions of the province a light winter pro- « >• .^ #-■. Jfc- ^«^ » ^ UN^' IB^ -» l-^SSs^. Iceland Poppies in Border at Ontario Agricultural College Photograi* by E. J. Zavitz indicated in the specific varieties men- tioned. A mass of these showy little plants makes a very conspicuous spot in a border. The best time to plant or divide the clumps of this plant is as soon as they are out of flower. Avoid plant- ing them on low ground where water lies during winter. Shade and water after planting for a while. FORGET-ME-NOT Myosotis grandiflora (M. sylvatica) is the forget-me-not that succeeds best in gardens. The forget-me-not succeeds best in light soil and in partial shade, although they will give good results in the open border. Seed sown in spring or early summer will give flowering results the following year. When once estab- lished it seeds and renews itself everv year, if the situation suits it. The blue type is the showiest, although the pink and white varieties are very pretty. No border should be without a clump of these appealingly pretty, sentimental, spring and early summer flowers. 166 tection may be required. Some light rubbish, such as old raspberry canes, or a few small .pieces of brushwood with a few leaves or some strawy manure lightly placed over the plants about middle of November, or a few pine boughs placed Forget-Me-Nots over the plants until spring, makes a good winter protection for primulas. Primula Cashmeriana is a very beauti- ful early flowering variety, its pale lavender blue flowers being very beauti- ful in early spring. Unfortunately, Julv, 1907 THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST 167 this variety is more tender than the ordinary garden primula or primrose of the polyantha type. Primula vulgaris, the well-known EngHsh hedge primrose, is also tender [! and requires protection in winter. Some Iew and strong growing types of the olyantha primrose have been introduced icently that are very effective as border lants, and are quite hardy in most ictions of Ontario. PAPAVER NUDICAULE (ICELAND POPPY) Plants of this pretty little hardy poppy that have wintered over will also give a fine display of its pretty shell-like flowers. This is one of the best of the poppy familv as a cut flower, and is very effec- tive for that purpose. Seed sown in spring and at different times during the summer will give successive batches of bloom the following summer. The Ice- land poppy is one of our best border plants, especially in light soils. The plants mentioned are only a few of the easily grown border plants that the flower-lover can have to brighten up the border after the gay, spring flower- ing bulbs have dropped their showy petals or have become dulled and dim- med by the approaching heat and drought of summer. The pretty little bunch of tufted pansy, Viola cornuta, A lyssum saxatile, and some of the dwarf early flowering veronicas or speedwells, not forgetting the garden daisies, Bellis pcrennis, are quite hardy in most parts of Ontario. These and others could be mentioned, but more about them, if all is well, in a future number. In the meantime prepare now so as' to have some of these early flowering beauties in the border for the next and successive spring and early summer seasons. Lawn and Garden Hints for July CONSTANT stirring of the surface soil in the flower garden will not only destroy weeds, but also will lielp the growth of all kinds of plants. Deep working of the soil is not necessary. A strong rake or a light scuffle hoe will do the work easily and well. Do not forget to stake and tie all plants that require support. Many fine plants have come to grief because a stake could not be found handily just regularly. They are not only unsightly, but also exhaust the vitality of the plant. Late in July or early in August is usually the best time for planting new clumps of garden hlie.s or for transplant- ing and dividing the old clumps. Al- most all kinds of lihes, however, dislike transplanting or moving very often. It should be done only when necessary from overcrowding. Lilies do not like A mulching of strawy manure, or of lawn grass clippings spread thinly around aster plants, will help them to develop their flowers in. the hot weather. The plants do not require as frequent or copious supplies of water when the soil around them is well shaded. This mulching process is also beneficial to newlv planted fruit or shade trees dur- ing the hot months of July and August. See that the pansy bed receives plenty A oiiiiimci Odiucii yjii iorouto Islauil This illustrates the summer home of Dr. Sheard, Medical Health Officer for Toronto. The garden was made on barren sand manure placed near their roots when of water. Keep the transplanting. .Y mulching of strawy manure on the surface of the ground around them is much more beneficial than if placed around the roots underground. Fwhen the plant needed tying. Tie with [soft twine so as to prevent damage from [friction. Use neat stakes. Unless you are desirous of saving seed, Keep all decayed flowers picked off of water. Keep the blossoms well picked, so that no seed can form and to insure a constant supply of bloom until the cold weather. One of the most attractive features 168 THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST July, 1907 of summer decoration is the verandah box. They do not cost much. Any amateur can make, or have made cheap- ly, a box of the desired length with plenty of depth and width. Place them on the verandah and plant with nasturtiums and single petunias. .'Vdd a few geraniums and two or three Ger- man ivys. The plants need plenty of water when they are growing vigorously. For shaded verandahs, use begonias and coleus. Two or three prunings of privet hedge make the best hedges. The first should be given when the new growth is six to eight inches in length, in June; the second, when shoots are again of same length, and the last just before growth finally ceases. THE KITCHEN GARDEN Keep down the weeds in the vegetable garden. A loose earth mulching on top of the soil around all growing crops is a necessity in hot weather. It prevents evaporation of moisture from the soil. It is best to water all newly-planted plants as soon as the work is done. It settles the earth around the roots and gives them a fair start. If you have a constant water supply available, con- tinue the watering. It is better to give plenty of water every few days than a little each day. The best time for amateurs to apply the water is at night. Plenty of manure water for young celery plants will amply repay for the trouble in maintaining a supplv con- stantly on hand. It is hard to over- feed or over-water celery plants. Celery should be planted early in July if wanted for fall use, although fairly good celery sometimes can be had by planting as late as the first week in August. In the amateur garden it is advisable during the hot days of July and .August to place a twelve-inch board over the celery plants for a few hours in the mid- dle of the dav. There is time yet to put in a row or two of dwarf beans and some corn for late use. Sow the early varieties of corn, such as Early Cory and Country Gentleman, as these mature quickly. The best kind of beans to plant now are Early Six Weeks and Early Valentine. Late cabbage and cauliflower should be planted at once, if not already at- tended to. If you have a vacant spot in the garden, utihze it by setting out these plants. Potatoes should be sprayed once or twice during the season, when in full growth, with Bordeaux mixture and Paris green. This will not only keep down the beetles or "potato bugs," but also will destroy the fungi that produce rot and blight. For this purpose, tise the ingredients in the following propor- tions: Lime, four pounds; blue vitriol, four pounds; and water, forty gallons. When this mixture is prepared, add to it eight ounces of Paris green. Apply when the vines are dry. Should ynu not care to make the Bordeaux mixture, use Paris green alone. If really good leeks are wanted, they must be planted in a trench so that the earth may be drav/n around them con- veniently for the purpose of blanching. Leeks grown in this way are considered by many to be far superior to onions when boiled. The best kinds of lettuce for hot weather are the black seeded varieties. Shade the lettuce with an inexpensive home-made screen. Sow some early variety of peas in a cool, partially shaded spot for Septem- ber use. Sow on July 1 and 15. Cucumbers for pickles may be sown this month. Sow Eclipse beet for fall use; it should mature in 50 days. Do you know the pleasure of having winter radishes? Sow the Half-long Black vSpanish winter radish once be fore July 15. The roots become seven Cattleya Maxima to ten inches long and, after being stored in a dry cellar, require two or three months to mature. The flesh is white, mild and crisp. AMONG THE FRUITS The highest quality in raspberries and blackberries is secured by not picking the fruit too early. Growers who produce these fruits for market are compelled to pick them rather early to insure their safe arrival. The amateur gardener can afford to allow the fruits to remain on the canes until well matured. Black- berries particularly are delicious when left on the bush until they are thorough- ly ripened. During the first season in the new patch of brambles the essential thing to do is to provide moisture and to promote a vigorous growth. This is best done by means of tillage. Bushes planted around the borders of a garden may be mulched with straw or strawy manure often with excellent results, but, whenever prac- ticable, tillage is generally advisable. Cultivate shallow for all brambles are shallow rooted ; deep cultivation in- creases suckering. It is best to stop tillage after the first of August to ripen the canes. When the blackberry and black rasp- berry shoots are about eighteen inches high, pinch off the tips so as to branch them. These bear more fruit than long, unbranched canes; are easier to handle and winter-kill less. In the home garden, strawberries may be fruited twice or three times, but on rich soil, with extra good care, the first crop may be very heavy. In that case, it is generally best to plow down the patch as soon as fruited. A new lot of plants should now be coming on to take the place of the old bed. If your new strawberry plants are still blooming, remove the blossoms at once so as to allow the plant energy to go towards the production of runners and new plants instead of fruit. Cattleya Maxima Fred. J. Goode, Toronto The subject of the accomp)anying illustration is an excellent example of the free-flowering type of orchidaceous plants. Although introduced years ago, it does not seem to have attracted the attention of commercial and private growers to whom it should appeal through its extraordinary free-flowering qualities, and easy culture. The bulbs of this variety often exceed eighteen inches in length, slightly fur- rowed and club-shaped, surmounted by one and sometimes two oblong sub- marginate leaves. These bulbs often produce spikes of from five to eight flowers. The sepals and petals are blush- rose. . The lip is variegated with dark crimson veins. Individual flowers often measure five inches across and last in perfection from two to three weeks. The flowers are thrown well above the plant on good long stems, the stem of each flower being long enough from the main stem to give the plant a most graceful appearance and make it a valuable plant for exhibition and cut flower purposes. This variety of Cattleya succeeds better in a Httle higher temperature than most Cattleyas, but, in all other respects, the treatment should be the same. Overhead-syringing twice daily is far more beneficial than too much root watering. These plants often throw two strong growths from the same lead in one season. The pink-flowered dogwood is a gem among small trees. It is one of the most beautiful shrubs of spiing. The Chrysanthemum Flowered Sun- flower deserves a prominent place in the garden. The magnificent flowers ' are six to eight inches in diameter, densely double and show no centre. — N. S. Dunlop, Floral Dept. C.P.R. July, 1907 THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST 169 TKe Peony of Valxie for West C. D. Harrison, Feony Specialist, YorK, NebrasKa IN recent years great strides have been made in the development of the peony. All through eastern and western Canada it is a brilliant success. At the Brandon Experiment Station, Manitoba, one clump had sixty fine blooms, and the plants never were mulched or manured. Most cheering reports come also from Saskatchewan and Alberta. It is encouraging to know that one of the most glorious, transcend- ently beautiful and fragrant of flowers will grow anywhere that it is planted or horse radish can thrive. In fact, peony blooms are much finer in Canada than in Kansas or Nebraska, because the air is cooler. After years of careful testing, however, the writer finds a great differ- ence in the hardiness of the different varieties. The new manual has thus classified them: The Indolent, the Sensi- tive, and the Free-blooming. [Note — Mention will be made of this manual in the August issue. — Editor]. Those of you that have peonies, just watch them. Some kinds never seem to bloom. They give all their vigor to foliage. Others are nipped in the bud, and you will find a little black ball where there should be a flower. These are the sensitive ones. There will be others that "glory in tribulation"; they care nothing for the sudden changes and severity of the weather or the untimely frosts. Most of the kinds sent out by James Kelway & Son, of England, are very sensitive. I have had several kinds i from them which have not given a bloom in five years. Now, as we raise peonies for flowers, we cannot give them a place if they cannot bloom in several years. Some sorts bloom on the least provo- cation . We had a bad spring, some days ninety-five degrees above, and in a dav or two the ground would be frozen, and yet some kinds of peonies have not paid the least attention to such trying ordeals. One of the best and hardiest is Golden Harvest, which originated in Nebraska. The new manual gives a fair description ^^of it. I never knew it to fail, and ^^■||ports from Manitoba speak in the ^^■ghest praise of it. The resplendent ^^Bironess Schroder blooms abundantly. ^^^■Esperence is a glorious fragrant pink, ^^Hpe of the very earliest ; this never fails. ^^Fhere are many others that can be relied on. There are, however, 2,000 named sorts, many of rare beauty, but only about one-fourth of them can be depended on for annual blooming. There are no more satisfactory plants raised than peonies. At present there are many people engaged in raising new varieties. This is a most fascinating work. The writer one can engage in the business and reap much profit and pleasure. Millions are needed for the north and the vast north- west. When it is known that the finest of all the flowers finds a paradise in all that region it will give a zest to the business. Men, women and children, with but little experience, can engage in the work. Care of Dahlias The later that dahlias are planted, the greater the chance of freedom from injury by the dahlia "bug." Late planted dahlias produce the best blos- soms. They do best in cool, moist seasons. In dry seasons the striped The lateral branches thereby will be made to start near the ground. When flowering time arrives, a little disbudding must be done. The buds usually are produced in threes. As the centre one generally makes the best flowers, it is wise to pinch the other two off. This will result in a much better bloom. Xo K.eep Cut Flowers FresH Those who wish to make their cut flowers last the longest, so that they can get the most pleasure out of them, should be careful to give them a little extra attention in order to prevent their losing their beauty too soon. This is especially desirable during the winter where flowers have to be bought at a high price from a florist, or^^some patient home-grower A View of Midsummer Comfort and Beauty dahlia "bug" is most active. It is dif- ficult to combat, but when conditions are unfavorable for it (that is, cool, moist weather with plants started late in the season) it will not do much damage. Dahlias are gross feeders. If you desire fine flowers, you must not allow the plants to suffer from want of water or stimulants. Excellent fertihzing material for dahlias is liquid manure. In most home gardens dahlia plants are allowed to reach their full height and are tied to stakes. To grow them with - has 25,000 on the way, and among them out stakes, pinch out the centre of each there will be some of rare merit. Any- plant after it makes two or three joints. has spent much time and care in bring- ing her plants into bloom. The simplest way to keep blossoms fresh : see that the ends of the stems are cut with a sharp knife in a clean, even cut, and to clip off a little more from the ends of each just before giving the flowers fresh water every morning. Do not let the flowers be too crowded in the vase and keep them if possible where they will not be in direct sunshine, nor too near the heat from the register or radiator. At night set the vase containing the flowers in a vessel of water and place in a cool place. Some persons take the 170 THE CANADIAN H O R l" 1 C U L T U R 1 S T July, 1907 flowers from the vase and put in bowls of water where the stems will be covered nearly to the blossom, and cover with newspapers and set out on the window- sill, unless it should be cold enough to freeze the blossoms, when they are placed inside a cool place. W^alKs and Drive-ways When planning new grounds, walks and driveways must be taken into con- sideration. On large grounds they should be used to link the more important features of the landscape together, and to serve as entrances. They have an effect on the appearance of the place and, as they are not beautiful in themselves, they should be as few as possible. The general idea should be simplicity and directness. On grounds of considerable extent, Styrax Japonica Roderick Cameron, Niagara Falls, Ont. The beautiful shrub or small tree, Siyrax Japonica, blooms in June. It is a native of China and Japan, from where we get, and have got, many beautiful and valuable plants. This is not, by any means, the least valuable, where it proves to be hardy. Styiax Japonica is a handsome shrub of very graceful habit. It is the hardiest of its class; and no doubt it will be a surprise to many to know that this very beautiful plant thrives, perhaps, better in this locality than in Japan. I believe that it will thrive still further north than Niagara Falls — it should get a fair trial anyway. The best authority in the United States says that it is hardy as far north as Massachusetts in sheltered situations. The buds, before they open, resemble verv much a white fuchsia bell in form. A Beautiful Rose Bed Backed by Vines at Residence of Dr. D. G. Storms, Hamilton, Ont. the walks and driveways should be laid out in moderate curves, not winding or twisting, but gracefully curbing from the point of entrance to the house. The points of entrance are better located at the sides. On small city lots, where space is limited, we are restricted al- most to straight lines, but occasional slight curves may be employed with effect. Golden-leaved California privet is deemed hard to keep in its golden habit, because of the green shoots it will make. If these green shoots are persistently cut away as soon as they form, there is no trouble in keeping the shrub to its desired character; and it is highly orna- mental. They are a beautiful waxy white color when open, except the stamens, which are yellow. The flowers are very fra- grant, of a pleasing spicy nature. I have few plants in the park that call for more praise from me than Styrax Japonica. Saving Seed of S^veet Peas Edwin Utley, Toronto Sweet peas are very sportive. They occasionally will send out a double stem with 8 to 15 flowers upon it, but this appears to be a deformity. Seed saved from such flowers do not repeat and, in fact, generally produce inferior flowers. If you desire to save your own seed, do not try to get flowers and seeds from the same vine. Pick out the sturdiest vines to save seed from. Cut the poorer flowers, leaving the best, with three oi four flowers to a stem to seed. When ripe pick the pods which will contain * about seven seeds each. Those at each | end of the pod will be smaller than the rest, discard these, and save only the big, fat seeds for next year, and you will | probably get improved plants and | flowers from them. By this method, I 1 have been able to get many flowers with ' sturdy stems 16 and 17 inches long. The earliest flowers are the best to save i seeds from, as those which mature in hot weather do not seem to have the same vitality and jtrength. If your garden is very shady you cannot grow fine sweet peas. They thrive best with plenty of air and sun- ■ light. Many of the orange and red varieties bum or discolor somewhat easily under a hot sun ; hence, if you want to have pure colors for exhibition, it is a good plan to throw a few yards of cheese cloth over the vines when the sun is striking them strongly. Gro-wing SquasH A. McMeans, O.A.C., Guelpb, Ont. The best varieties of squash for mar- ket purposes are Summer Crookneck, Delicious, Marblehead and Hubbard. Many growers make the mistake of leaving the Crookneck until the shell gets hard ; whereas, if they would cut them just as the shell is beginning to harden, or when they can be indented easily by pressing on them with the thumb, the squash would be far more acceptable to the consumer. At that stage they can be taken and washed, and cut shell and all for cooking. A trial will convince any person that' this practice is superior. Marblehead is not grown enough. It has a grayish-white skin with a nearly smooth surface and is somewhat smaller in size than the Hubbard; the flesh is as dry, as thick and as good, and the season of ripening is about the same. Delicious is a variety that should be grown when quality is required rather than yield. It is a fall and winter variety, small to medium in size, with thick, dry flesh of excellent quality. If the amateur wants a variety of squash to cover as much of the season as possible, he should try Perfect Gem. Another variety of excellent flavor 14 Fordhook, but it is too small to grov»| for market. A shallow fountain or tank which affords a drinking and bathing place ioi birds throughout the summer will d '<^4^<^ '<^^^ ' OUR QUESTION AND ANSWER DEPARTMENT Readers of THe Horticulmrist are Invited to Submit Questions on any PKase of Horticultural "Worh '^ yTMf^>> /Ta^>> na^>> /Ta%>< /^jf^^ ^TM'^^ v