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THE 


(anadian Horticulturist. 


PUBLISHED BY THE 


Giruit Growers’ Sfssociation of Ontario. 


Volume XXII. 


Editor - - Linus Wootverton, M.A. 


if 


§ 


afe 


_ PusiisHep at HAmInron., OFFICE at GRIMSBY, 


1899, 


INDEX TO VOLUME XXII. 


OF 


The Capradian 


Horticulturist. 


INDEX TO ILLUSTRATIONS, 


PAGE, 
Brae Ae MOD. ice. eee ts ha eeee 198 
ME ONRO gic eia'e pice ents pak ae Nace 191 
Angel; = President Jas. 2.25 << ekeess cos 15 
ANU ALON: VIEWS << swans ose clace bees 14, 16 
Annie de Diesbach rose.......... vate aee 
MUR Es od aie c.w'v'd a oui o'os pes #48 Sack 195 
NO TINNNORC Ls oa. curl acess es Kee kene 226 
mpprs maggot fly... i. 05 oss aceee ees 225 
Araucaria excelsa...........scceeees . 401 
Arboretum at Central Exper. Faim..... 481 
PePmenee GUAR. © Sia, oo ester as whe 0 106 
Asparagus Sprengeri..............-02 351 
Baldwin tree sprayed.......... 2.2... 90 
Baldwin tree unsprayed............... 91 
Beach, Prof. 8. A... ......se6 Wiaceets 100 
Begonia Haageana...........,.0.2000% 402 
Begonias, Tuberous rooted........ 149, 151 
EMUROWGE sc Soles okveenewisstdy tas 458 
Berry wagon, Cover for.. ............ 299 
POUOTIMER MESS Dot Sine a Selree Seas eae 88 
Heston Views <2. ec oe oss 427, 428, 429 
RERMNDR Sitesi og «ss Pak gas ote a ahs 308, 309 
Buds, Whitened and unwhitened....18, 19 
RIRG, OU, A Mirae sc vv enhis cae saen 184 
Burke, Rev. A. E., Home of .......... 185 
BEE. Ve vic Scie ices ke eR g bigs 111, 349, "350 
Caladinm Esculentum...,........- 445, 495 
Callas with variegated grass... ........ 69 
Cannas and Recini at the Industrial.... 399 
Celery bed at Central Exper. Farm..... 479 
Central Exper. Farm views 430, 431, 479, 481 
Corens Grandiflorus........2..e.e0ee08 111 
Clematis Jackmanni.................. 31 
Climbing hydrangea............. 0.4. 300 
ABPGO Stra weITy sfc. 0 <ac cece sess 68 
Crate for berries, A new..........-00. 189 
Crimson Rambler rose............e00- 398 
Cultivating vs, Cropping orchards...... 188 
Curl Leaf, Whitewash for.......... 18, 19 
EINES; VEC $08! 203s Sacre esas vane 148 
BPHIRINGMN cals. 's «CPAs oo gas eee bee 278, 274 
Detroit Park views 48, 44, 45, 46, 48, 50 
Deutzia, Pride of Rochester...... ..... 500 
Development of some common fruits, II- 
WStTAUING CHGS... 5.2 Sante ee Hee ; 
Le esha 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58 
Dyicentra ppenfablis. ....... cc ccecesess 850 
Duchess apple tree in Manitoba... ... 301 
Karly Harvest blackherry............. 128 


Early Richmond cherry..... ......... 295 


PAGE. 
Elaeagnus Longipes............ ctaece ae 
BORGrAE PHOS s vc viove cs wawedeaoew eases 340 
Evaporator for apples..... Datete Wares a 379 
Experiment Station exhibit at the In- 

dustrial Fair............. Savery a 377 

Ferns—Adiantum cuneatum........... 449 
Adiantum gracillmum......... 448 
Wound Wlaation. <.o<'c. eodians v's 00 des o's 401 
BICONE Ss crinic isl wane eee hats hace yeas 233 
Bay GRID 5 6 aS eects aa asa aise aes 22 
Garden Uity apricot............. Fees OD 
Gardens of Renown...... 331, 382, 334, 335 
Geranium; FP. Crozys....: icwcvcrssces 72 
Geraniums for winter, Cutting back.... 457 
Gilleland, Mayor .......-0..¢sssce'es cewe 8 
SPINS 4 Gates Halse pats Sivdah WWE 271 
Gooseberries, Picking ........ ....... 219 
Grape praling ssi sveses css aaanwes 144 
Grape grafting saw..............0-4-. 144 
Grape, Layering the. ................ 257 
Grapes, Testing fertile and sterile..... 342 
Gravenstein apple tree................ 476 
CILCCNATUIE. WORMIG, «<n cis: od se oem + waters 321 
Greenhouse, A cheap................. 105 
PERO MR LAM COs ea ioe Ku.0's he chat deka ee 213 
Halifax fruitvexhibit..!..0 5.6200 0% 436, 437 
Hamilton floral exhibit......... ..... 297 
PORTOr, A CHEER ia ns cn Ogee s ee lo 3% 0/3 365 
Howlan~ Hon. ' Ge Wook val swe «canals 186 
AE EPR Deo iri One fire a ie 152 
SLND 0 85. 5)c/5 eax cea wie LEO oh ve 502 
MUR Ee eg CaLsais cis ceeigtan oo Re vie 5% 8 277 
MEOGUGINGVIGW aris a'Sied Sis «dar Soh 2 wie Lvs es 85 
TEATS GIVE, co vie Sawre Lard give-ads te et fs 
Tiadder, Acnseinla oc .<'s<sceeos sk abies 364 
Ladder for Srnit rac g «us. neice cbc se os 327 
Landscape Gardening ........ 145, 146, 281 
Layering the grape............ . 257 
Lilacs. Varieties"Oter.. os. 6 oa esk ee. 

169, 170, 171, 172, 173, 174, 175, 176 
Liemmoston, A. Wines. = hes sce ees 28 
Po te IOS xc «5.0 SRE ee ee p cy eis es 28 
Mantel decoration.... ...........06- 276 
Mealy bug... ...-taiistscces-s. 473 
Montmorency cherry......... ....++. 295 
Moyer Grape............ fe 386 
WNorticand, South: .oo52.0s see} 408 
Nova Scotia apple orchards, in the... . 

RE 3 Oa 474, 475, 477 

98 


ai 
4 INDEX TO VOL, XXII. 

PAGE, PAGE. 
Owen Sound views....... eeeeceeesees 183] Selaginella Emeliana.......... o sae 
Packing apples for export...... » +... 83/Sheldon pear...... ........... os eeee 423 
- Packing, Dishonest..... oseeeeees.178, 179 | Shipping fruit at St. Catharines..... oy QEL 
* Packing table ..... i265 ie. eA ase 86 ue a fruit at Winona............. 122 
Paeonies, Varieties of ....... Re We eh pee ah SG 11 
Palms, RGM. s. iieotease eae 447 | Spirea Von *Hoatii eee Seek: 2 -. 499 
Palms—Kentia Canterburyana......... 63 | Spirea Douglasii and Bumalda......... 498 
Kentia Forsteriana............ 61 | Spraying, Benefits of............... 90, 91 
Phoenix Reclinata............ 59 | Spruce in Vancouver, Giant........... 380 
Phoenix Rupicola............. p60) Samashes sri. 6 5 52.3. Meee ec 
Pan-American Exposition, Site of..... . 387:| St. Catharines views........ 9,10, 12; 28 
Pandanus Utilis........ a sistas a5 we GST Ste Walks tele So sect sarees a carom ae 343 
Pay’s orchard, Mr ...........: ----83, 84 Stirling WIGWHahs cals Siloam ty hao paar es 89 

PACH GWEL pace asic lores ts dere « -+-..-182, 308 | Strawberry plantation at Central Exper. 
Peach farm in Essex Co ...........+-- 249 Patines scte eles bite cone wer hep tase 430 
ABER CPOE. coe aie aig cian tie a a Slee 180 | Street trees, Protection for....... eta ars 95 
Peach) Seale, A new): <i dies=. seer ese 312 | Tent caterpillar gE ek ate VE ones 220 
Peaches, Case for... ....... Bey 426) on ” COCOONS Es ack pd wee Kas 222 
Poapbhess Tray FOr? iw cisdedstea« sa6-s secs 425) on n Egg masses of.......... 221 
Phyllocactus Latifrons............... 11] 0 " Pr emale mobos acre sais sr 

Plum: seedling 727 ot siete wend ee es 256! Thornbury view -. 4... 0. ..0. e000 ecee> 
Port Hope views... ..5 2.5.0 c sees 336, 338 | Trees, Notable 380, 381. 382, 383, 384, 385 
PETUNIA HOTRES Wo Sep oes ba eee 494 Tropical plants in window bee ee a 272 
Primula Stellata........ PIA Po ee 275} Vines, Climbing ....... do Kate the ee tas 352 
Quince tree pruned ..........., -.-00s 23 | Walter apple... 5... .en-cs ws edeces 378 
Quince tree unpruned...... ......... -. 24) Weigelia variegata, Spray ef......... 497 
HeIriPera LOT ear OG be seek we) Baws cca 21%) Window: boxes 2+ icucoa ge eee 130 
Ringing grapes, Tools for.............- 216) Wolf Rover apple........ 2.2.2 ..-2.- 121 
Rustic lamp posts and trellises....,.... 503 | Woodstock floral exhibit.............. 32 
San Jose scale delegation....... ae Kia 130)) Wrapping ‘fruit... 0). ose oes 87 
Scilla (SibsriGa sy .cos 5 is Saienis setae 466 | Yarmouth views.. ......... 469, 470, 471 
School grounds, Planting..... 324, 1255 127) Yaeea sss hen sot + 4s ee a eee 104 

CONTRIBUTORS TO VOL,. XXII 

er PAGE. , : : PAGE. 
Aloxandor. 4A vs oo GS. 2 hepa 162) Hick, We mc 2 as tesleaaelen - no eee . 370 
Alans 7ASS RCD as xiccy cctttores Oe prea ieee 05.) Tloover,, Dy Bests. a7 eek Bart. 2 164, 369 

Anderson, D. N....-..... vo esa ver 512 Hosk? ns, M.A» -.oDiesae eee 92, 
ISAGOT 3: SWAN 0 vas beste > Gia «0 aeghte eet ags 39 183, 195, ech 374; 278, pe. 354. 447 
OG, lx Bis W adate dtc ieee tale prea 795 Huggard, “Ry Dae sane . 143 

SIU Sey tA Sasi: ORR eG Aisle new atte nee 369°) Hunt, Wm.) \...13 sep seeeniones “59, 
Brown, COS S54, 25 an cameo sees 207 | 149, 191, 202, 233, 279, 446, 454, 497 
Brownleas WA's sic .av. shleteocre ee 369 | Antt, Prof, Baad: oeixaeee st s1es 200, 517 
SERGE sp Ws EL rv cine avis og we om eee ETE 212° J ack Stated Veils aoc vb x Dc ae Bares 405, 501 
EROY As IG cy rae onan es 184, 262, 483 | J. Lok ce eles code ee 315 
CAMCLONS Te utcaa ce owe ee oe 24, 166; (370: | Jones, -Bicg sess. .4 pha ae eh eee 70, 136 
Caston, G. Oo ak eats Coe re 230 | Junior .........+,. Lis woe ete ee 444 
CAVOIS Alo Aa ccix Se shea kin Gtela sista TaRe Cees 103) Kuigat ic. .c Aces ean PS eS 132 
Collier, SE oitoe ie besll: oo veeos SIO Tuateh ford at ae Pre 219 256, 271 
Coryell, 1S oer Res re Aree F.: 43 Leonard & Sons E......... ers Pept. 208 
BMORSOU Ss Mins co caes'ss ee ih Sew Hedy 298 McCinnghan, E. A ........es0e-eue> 495 
wawrett, (Gy Hens... . seeds bees 511| McGlennon, Jas... .. 2... assem eee: 439 
Fletcher, Dr. Jas. -.284, 285, 291, 325, 368) Macoun, W. T..... 163, 388, 396, 430, 479 
Fowlin-a0, iG ee .< ., Sek sudden ater oe 40 ‘Mickle: ok: Wino stan Basins 331, 381 
Gamumage, Wm.........,... 5 aoaters .. 189} Moore, 0. ¥. ois. ss05cae ee ete.» 196 
Garwood, Boo 2... wae Mielec. s tars 511 Matray: Wint jis. tpseeeeeeeeeses.. 76 
Goodhue, ‘George:O . ... AG yuee eset ws 289 | Newcombe, Prof......- ee eo 52 
Crorshiae2 Wars s:.'5.:2°s SD eaagteieeee ee 201| Nicol, Geo. ..... Neaipte ate hss acoritci's 's © 445 
Graham A. OW. ......c.cevpaeeeeneten 94) Origen. x -= dese cue noises oo ae 
Gro tty EL Fs... e «og ee ere 357 | Orr, W. M.. eae Gate biel, 18, 90, 98, 140 
Gaibleton, W.- Re 2 ck eters 370 | Pettifa ego cee Coe eases «n> S 391 
Harkness, *A 0.4% 24s cutee Sais e eke 117 | 'Parslow, | Pr ote 337 
Pactley, +O. .P <5 0. we donate ees 131 | Rice, T. H.. 210, 317, "339, als 458, 464 
Henman, Miss....> .cee eee: teers 31 | Robson, W. M. oe seee. 40 


— 


. INDEX TO voL, XXII. 5 
PAGE. PAGE 
Thoss;, . Wisgeibanay tp's'<: 0,273 eiieoia saree nats DTDs SCOWarbs. cdnas pes anetacs Besar eres pei Leonean 
RsSelly Seamless s/s 5 se we ees was Rate Ghee LOR | LLCS a; §: Bw este herein stece Is ae wlrerace a Reraaane 234 
SE oo FR on ee 4.7 88x. Vinnicom bes -Atie going eis sink pia, Pasa aie fr 
Saunders, Pes d erin iene etnae ss xO, 109 1 TOUTE, / Chad. Aoctietees ec « svelai onattya/s 446 
SUMMIT I 21 clus cca vietarsla'e sister c= Sieceud CF Wallace, BE Caracal atsniaieh 6 mero 206 
ES a ae Te fon. .436, 474 Warnock, IW ah itera tc, Oa /p 1xiccatha'siatane marr 253 
Shutt, BOVIS cin’. ise w'e wie 8 ans "39, 159, 345 Webster Bros. .2e. i. 9. ke wes sence 
Speedwell, S............ nes shee 417 ..84, 72, 106, 160, 204, 277, 315, 401 
INNES Gi wha eid o Stutes alee ioe ine 210 acs aia tas 206; Woolverton, L.. .8, 14, 26, 35, 66, 68, 76 
MESH NGNS Ls, Cs Sapte sais wel esas wets: 464 79, 80, 83, 96, 101, 113, 121, 122, 124 
SILGD RONG Ws bal ai Oeks a sie csceew alia. « 8 9" 288 130, 156, 177, 197, 202, 204, ete., etc. 
INDEX TO VOL. XXII. 
* 
OF 
The Canadian Horticulturist. 
i 4 PAGE, 
A ’ pAppies tm P. Bete aie Sic. ceo so vee LOG 
PAGE.| Promising...+++.. . +++ aves 396 
Abundance plum............. .-100, 489° -" Seedling Ai. Ae 248, 246, 288 
Adaptation of varieties......... ... . 207: . Time for planting............. 36 
African apples vs. Canadian. . . .... 263 Approach to tf residence... 1... seers es 281 
Afiteas Notes: from, 1.2 vssae 66s dso 117 Archibald, W. C.... 6... - scenester eee 38 
Agawam blackberry... foc, Seed iaa’. jg Arundo Donax..........-.+-+--..+++. 106 
RPattOS «5S kedesice Ne >.. 455 Asparagus, Ornemental.....-......... 351 
Agcicultural College in Nova Scotia. . 37 | Asparagus Sprengeri.............. 107, 351 
Alexander DP IOS oceteiy ctatetatelsetssa-gisXe este 186 Asparagus, Transplanting. ............ 201 
TCA RTAPE ata Pag tai ek Gees wes oak 411 | Asphodel, The...-....---seseeveee ees 278 
ieairy lit, ict aden do %cais aye 191, 355. | Autumn and winter notes for the araneenn 454 
American Pom, Soc’y, Meeting of ...... 38g | Azaleas ...... cnet teetenres 4-208, 279 
Ammonia for house plants............ 210 ad “ose 
Amoug our Neighbors..-............. 427 --- B- 
Anemone and PAPUGEWULES sae! sale nd « 453 : : puegtr ss 
PAISTOMEA DORI. consi eait ates wnaieeeteieeem oe 80, 143 Baby primrose.....:..........+.0--6: 404 
Aunapolis Vailey, Apple growing in the 474; ue IRPCNONEN ccc 6 uk Scag es Stel ae ee 
AES: ; DPSESOY ING 5. c5:oek ewes tiers dirs oe 370, Bank’s Gravenstein apple rae Pe 
Ants in the plum orchard...... ...... 204 | Bartlett pear for export. Bed oat as sae tae 36, 507 
Annual Meeting, 1898................ Me paskeL PlANEN so. 5 tacts saeco wins «eis tie 354 
Annual Meeting, 1899...............5 462) Begonias, Flowering ..-+........2....- 403 
Annuals, List of. ......... ..147, 183, 195 | Begonias, Tnberous-rooted ........... , 
Aphids . .. Ds wele “280, DOE EODO Ne eeg © sy crkcs 5 Fie's es Rat 161, 162, 199, 236 
Apple barrel, Bite Pfikass os .s oe $07, 463 | Beliflower...cccccccccceeessscccseeee 458 
nPAIED Sontuxta Ak 2 134, 163, 243] Ben Davis apple.............. 79, 322, 483 
“ grown in Manitoba............. GORY HALty? ADOT coo oye ae enn elects tens 299 
Vamps the 2 ea Rs SR Et es ata ae 225 | Beurre Hardy pear for export? 6 ails o/c 507 
»  Market...... SFr FOR ete 43) Bingchetry eo W e ooo ee eee ee 412 
et OPCnATGS ACD o:<-9 0k edna sss» 462 | Bismarck - SAPD IG oy aete slraove poeta ieee: se" 240 
n Praise of There a .-++ 435] Blackberry, Sieuiiccs and care of.... 127 
» trees in our Province, No. and Blackberry; Mathyiscs sas 2.% cscced eee 416 
ACE. Sareea) sacks 6 Sl Ree 129)|/Black currant... fin. ot eatn co seo ata « 304 
« twig blight... céivvedaeeke. +0: Bee) black: Victoria cittanty 207). 820203. 508 
yield in Nova Scotia .......... 157| Blair's seedling pegone cle e632 bint. wots « 415 
Apples, Adaptation of...............: 207 | Bones-used as a fertilizer.............. 137 
Fie Uh re NP is pe ro Dents Sie vos 49| Bordeaux: mixture: .:..0.¢.2...22). 99, 197 
" for breakfasts.) Sasaca scaly ste pet 374 | Bose pear........ PHeiyrlacta te elo ss, 5, Os 363 
" {HG OXPOVb..2-\ssieie in ase 93, 116, 255, Boston fern.........6..... terete ser 508 
» for home and market...... 202," 34h: Bititant. grape. cecheasss cscss'ceon' 440 
" TOONOUE 5.06 ns Scns tere 79 | Brockville Horticultural Society....... 74 
" from P. E. I., yp ecdling = . 505 | Brugmansia Arborea..-........+-+..-- 164 
« Hardy .. -..39, 117 | Budding .......... Dee ir, ne 308, 31] 


6 INDEX TO VOL, XXII. : 
PAGE, PAGE, 
Pulbs and their culture........ ~+..286, 318 ' Development and origin of some common 
Set, MLN stccrais yinito.s © a'e.e 3s }uleyas ore Oren 446 | PLUGS Ceol alanis s10's:0.00 « clclte ge ne 
w- for the garden..........ccscsser 109 Dishonest fruit packing ic «(pa eitne 177, 412 
pt ERO this sce. cs ad cpew ane ntey 403 Drainage for house plants............. 420 . 
«u Some desirable.............2..-+ SOU VEIEV INE AEORG 6 6.5 oisis)s ss'snie boone vs CORE 367 
» ge Winter whaiing és. oscars st thves ap 456 ) Duchess apple ip Manitoba............ 301 
Burbank plot ccsis< 0s: abscess cat oe TOC TANCHOONY FORE. ooo. es nso - 5 ooo 5 2 see 80 
res * | Durham Horticultural Society......... 75 
nt ST ERE ee co 111, 201, 349 E 
Caladium Esculentum............. 445, 495 Early Crawford peach for export....... 36 
CANTY: 50j- 2 o:dis aie sos 69, 112, 161, 162 Early Richmond cherry............... 295 
Canadian apples barrel.............-.-. 463 Easter lily, Hints of the.............. 290 
Canadian Horticultural Association.... 409 Elaeagnus Longipes................ 26, 110 
Camiiaa sc, Sx. ass wcsie sos ia nee 37S £62 emerald: plitn, is cio. ces cawe varies « 340 
Cape Breton, Fruit in....@........... 324 England, Orchards in................ 510 
Cardinal Horticultural Society......... SOS Tata; .2, Ses ws ws nee a eiea anes 461, 506 
Carnation plants, cause of leaves falling i Evaporator for fruit.................. 379 
HPOMR icin Mesh uit ae Gees ea ok alee ae 159 Experiment Station exhibit at the Indus- 
Catawba, Origin of the................ 258 | MAD PME 6 oos 5. Poss. Jaen tee eee 77 
Weleiy its cone aacicos set ss ase areiss 230, 480 | Export of fruit, The.................. 
Celery, Fertilizers for................. 159 12, 35, 36, 83, 93, 109, 116, 138, 156 
Central Exper. Farm Notes. ..398, 430, 479 206, 254, 255, 365, 425, 464, 507, 509 
Charcoal as drainage...............-- 162 F 
Chariton’ grape! <. 52S sincsee ie ee 461 462 
Chatham Horticultural Society..... .. 158 | Fameuse apple. .............-05-00-0- 226 
Cherries and -wilk 2s; nos s &.60.0 esis aos AID VOrns 5 too. aic's ln Calbatowele 202, 274, 447, 448 
CHestnnts 5.10526. snwae was seer SS, 161} Fertilization ....».c2c0\0hie08 on daw ee s¥ 163 
Chinese sacred -lily....... 2.0.2. -.2024. 148! Fertilizing orchards................. 136 
Chrysanthemums ei Pores & eed 78, 245, 290] Fertilizers ...... 39, 51, 157, 159, 206, 506 
Church in its relation to Horticulture, - | Ficus Elastica. . ..-402, 406 
GS chee eee. ——... 2. 417, 404) Field peas .oi.o3. Fiance, es Casale eee 506 
CUNETATIB Sve eee thas eee eee 161 | Floral decoration, Amateur..... pe 276 
CIMT peat Pear ec 22). os. swine eineogee 80.) Floral hints. ice ss Sree ss Sineeeate ee 236 
Clark’s ventilated car................. 198} Fraads in: Frait: 3. 7-222. vse s tee 10 
IGIBRGIS cris sseseiea es © Hass 5 ae 203, 463} Fraudulent packing. ............. 177, 243 
Clematis Jackmanni....:: 2.2.2.6. Sid Rreesia. The: a... de-siaek ceieleae ere 223, 357 
CHIT Serco alco oa 50 5 or se Serpe 352 | Freight classifie tion of fruit..... .157, 240 
Clyde strawberry............. 68, 198, 347 | Frozen plants, Reviving... ...... 102 
Cobourg Horticultural Society......... 74| Fruit crop......... 286, 287, 328, 372, 465 
Coe’s Golden Drop plum.............. 507| » Evaporating tender ....... ..... 12 
Cold. storage...%..). 3.665 23.0. 174, 309, 477 | Frnit growing business................ 213 
Columbia and Shaffer raspberries....25, 368 0 Profitable.......... 66 
Comets currant. 25 ¢ suis sce ktatis we aes 510 n Success and failure in... 132 
Conservatory, Heating a small......... 284) Fruit: notes. 5</0s06 stead s, ser ams , 281 
Conservatory, Plants for the........... 401 | Fruit pulp......... 175, 190, 205, 244, 320 
Cottoneaster vulgaris................. 364) Pratt, Waste Ofs2% < ..aentees see, a toler 174 
OWI PRES 25 cians oes Oe Paleo ae Sieve eels 486 | Fruits at fairs as a guide to planters. . 24 
Cranberry Pippin apple..............- 79 L Rileieetion . ss Fannie 2 ten 197, 198, 288 
Crate for berries, A new.............- 189 | Fungi, Spraying for..... . pic vin niwie suteie 77 
Crimson Rambler rose................ 398 
Crocus’ Soliloguy, The (poem)......... 118 G 
Croton, “Thé.- 200. 24...55 3 sees 232 : E 
Crown Imperials:..;..-...2shp5o emma 453 | Garden City apricot ..........+..-. - 508 
Crude Petroleum as an insecticide...... 77 | Gardens of Renown........ Petes. 521 
Curl leaf and peach rot............... 181 Geraniums Ree tie SS ee 72, 356, 456 
Curl, spraying for............ 18, 197, 302 AGIAQIONE 5. east nis oie eka 161, 271, 357, 451 
Gurrants, Notes on... c¢ies ane siec ss 348 | Glen Mary Strawberry........  ..-... 347 
Cuttings, Striking oo go bes 975 Gloxinias ee i 160 
Cuttings, VeneFor. 2555 cece ce ea 148 | Gibson Strawberry. . 40 
Oyolamegifoos 8.5 2.0~. ssnigtees 39, 203, 273 | Golden White apple..... SOE ip at ie ae 377 
: Gooseberries, Device for picking........ 219 
D " Wotes Oise Gacelssc.-.s-. 369 
Gooseberry, A Nova Seotia..... .-.... 92 
Decay and preservation of fruit........ 98 " Propagating the.. 372 
Desysey Peers nos oo See ietin ce - sce Sh 143 " RIPEAN ER Gonos S.. < aceebahie 3. - 129 


INDEX TO VOL, XXIL. 7 
PAGE. PAGE. 
Grading apples..... .....88, 268, 363, 365 |Judging at Fairs.,......... ». de vanies's 413 
Grafting the grape... ses. ee tee 144 K- 
COTAPO RUA IE MEN Cincs e cei cists Fad ww) eet 144 
» juice, Unfermented.............. 426 |Kentish cherries..... ...seeeeeeeeeee 295 
» Layering the ............0.- 257 |Kerosene, Spraying with.......-- Se Ry PL 
PREPPED ONG, 5. oie e's ka. c a sie ewrelaets 77 |\Kieffer pear.15, 36, 80. 113, 143, 251, 322 
<4 Ree aetna 38 |Kincardine Horticult’] Society .158, 362, 408 
EO HOWG 5.5.5 Sas sin aid a'nten sey one's aa 364 (Koonce pear.......csecoureun ctte:? 506 
Grapes, British prejudice against... ... 389}Koslov Morello cherry........- 11, 363, 439 
" Fertile and sterile............. 342 
» for export ..........36, 40, 109, 254 lL 
" Keeping.........++++++.- .267. 434 |Tabelling nlants........0:e.ee008 #8 - 315 
u Ringing of........ 11, 97, 208, 216 |Tadders, Useful........+6 .+--0e: 327, 364 
" Seedling Sere ee ee ee sseveee 415 Landscape gardening palate cee .490, 496 
Gravenstein apple .........++4+s ----- 133 |Lantanas, Treatment of..........++++- 200 
Gravenstein, Seedling of:............6 198 |Lawn, Patching up the...... .....-++ 187 
Green-fruit Worm... .....cccerscesnees 821 Layering the grape Pa Ey Se 257 
Greenhouse, A cheap.+........00ee0e- 105 | Leaf hopper, Destroying the..........- 103 
Greenhouse, A small.......+ Bic Gute ap Ae 236 Iv ice on planté..:...--00-++++s0e0. oi ee 
Grey soldier bug...... ....+e+++++++- 325 Lilacs, Variaties of...........0--e eee: 169 
Grimsby fruit district................. 339 | Lilies Tene Wie oss enecae 160 
Grimsby Horticultural Society. .33, 238, 459 |Tilies, Planting...........---++++-e+ 358 
Guelph Horticultural Society.......... 504 Lindsay Horticultural Society..... 238, 504 
H Liquid air.........0--- eee cece tee .... 418 
: , : Livingston, A. W..........---seeeeee 28 
Halifax frnit exhibit... ............ 436 |Louise Bonne pear........---+ee-+e 509 
Hamilton Horticultural Society....158, 298 
Hanging flower pots... .....+..e000.. 113 M 
Harlequin bug............ Bea ate thy 77 |Maiden’s Blush apple in England...... 507 
Heater. A cheap..... ..-..0-.+++000- 365 |Malinda apple...........-+---+-+eee° . 897 
Heliotrope, Diseased.........e+e.+00% 161 |Manchester Ship Canal..........-++-- 240 
BEANS ANCAADPCS 14 saudi ac ce ccee ks 473 |Manuring .....:-..--+2+seeeeeeeee . 206 
Herbaceous plants, List of..../.....-... 117 |Manures, Fresh or rotted........-..+- 157 
Home surroundings.......¢ Kovibivtsbete 145, 490 |Market gardens profitable...........-- 365 
Honeysuckle, Aphis on............+++ 368 |Mealy bug. ......0-+-see08- , ...416, 478 
Honor Bright tomato..... 28. 103. 142, 176 |Melia floribinda............+. hae aie & 272 
Horticultural societies..32. 72, 78, 88, 115 |Melons and their culture........ ..805, 487 
158, 204, 238, 360, 408, 459, 504 |Michigan Fruit Growers..........+++- 14 
Hortus Deorum.. ...25....cce08 «.s++ 196 |Millionaire peach...........--+.ssee- 415 
House plants, Ammonia for........... 310 |Miller Red raspberry.........- REE | 
" Drainage for.........-. 420 |Montmorency cherry.......+---++ wae) ae 
" POU LON a! ats vane asst siete 407 |Mountain ash for stock........ 22.80, 148 
" Summer care of........ 270 |Moyer grape.......-+c2+-se-seeee 386, 430 
" Treatment of ....... . 238 |Mulch of snow, Value of a......-++-++ 243 
Huggard’s seedling pear.....-...--..... 511 |Mustard, Spraying for.........++++++- 845 
Hyacinths ..++..0+..--eee0ss 203, 452, 502|McIntosh Red apple.......... ....396, 506 
Hydrangea Paniculata Grandiflora..407, 418 |McKnight, R...........+-- ees eae 132 
Hydrangea, The’climbing............-+ 300 N 
Napanee Horticultural Society......... 459 
Industrial Fair, Fruit at the....... .. 377 |Narciasus ...... ..eeeeseeee eoeee 104, 208 
Industrial Fair, Flowers atthe ........ 399 |National apple shippers. .....+0-++++- 462 
Inspection of fruit. ..16, 227, 268, 288, 303 |New fruit-culture........++.++ feeeeee - 96 
Ireland, A report from..........+- ... 370|Niagara Falls Horticultural Society.... 74 
Iris, German....... RPT 2 ond, Aiea ..... 277 |Night blooming cacti-.....--+-++++0 roe 
Tris,’ Japan Soe NT AGRE Na oe a BET eae ae 357 |Night scented stock........sseeeeeees 196 
Nitrate of soda for house plants....... . 162 
J Notable trees in Canada......-.--+-+- 381 
North Star currant.....2...+eeeeeeees 348 
Japanese fern ball.......+ssseesesseess 855 | Nova Scotia apples....cesecessess 472, 476 
Japanese pine........++ s+. ++ +483, 461 |x ova Scotia, Big apple crop in........- 438 
ORME PINIDS, |..7)4.. 21040 ccsnxee> 100, 20D iar ee vee unui eaevee rege 
Japan plums in’SimcoeCo.....6...417, 464/00 nn 
aaa of oe ae a veietd asrars oe Oo 
Ohnson’s Harly...ecscoseeessessecees 5 
Jonquil, Ther a ey Sa .. . 359 Obituary...... sei veo Hicwksavderwes FOU 


8 INDEX TO 
PAGE. 

Onions, Wood ashes for.... .......... 159 
CRUTAPIS MINES oes. stn twins owl hemaiee 133 
Ontario exhibit at Paris............... 322 
Orchard Sager... <5. sien ee ton ate 268 
Orchard, November in the......... 432 
Orchard, The unprofitable. .......... 390 
Orchards, Cultivating vs. cropping..... 188 
" Cultivation and care of ...70, 199 

" Wortitiging <sos7s prea ties es oes 136 

n Underdraining ..... ....... 215 
Ornithogalum Arabicuin........... 79, 287 
Our book table..... 164, 205, 207, 292, 374 
ONL’ PATOONS 55.15 5, s-:acere ws oF ats SE 313 
Owen Sound Horticultural Society..... 74 
Oyster shell bark louse............... 368 

Pp 

Packages for fruit...58, 258, 282, 412, 511 
Packivig:for-experts) oy: =o ora e 83 
Packing, Fraudulent......... 177, 243, 412 


Paeonies at Central Experimental Farm. 3 


PRNQ CUHMIE Paes si See awk enna 59 
Pan-American Exposition......... 887, 06 | 
EADIE Wooo aie wi aysle +) +(e a.ple's! oo RS 274 
Paris Exposition, Selecting fruit for the 370 
arin GT Bet, shay hi gh. 2 ea eee en te oe ae 206 
Patten’s Greening.:.............-+--. 396 
Feng buds, Spraying for the protection 

ECL al OR Re re 18 

Peach CROP case ts) seas 5 ALS 197 
Peach enlturey sexi: soi se ae 20, 166, 460 
Peach growing in Ontario ............ 249 
Peach prospects in Essex Co........... 198 
Peach rot and curl leaf................ 181 
Peach scale, A new......... ......0-- 313 
Peaches, Export of .............. 370, 425 
u How to grow early........... 67 

ing ta WATICHNOS Bex a o's « a'atcl ceetwu ets 116 
Poar iltdre | boss... 99, 140, 148, 165 
Prar DRGs ce hex th cise. ks sce Bare 114 
Pears fot Eport..ic 0 oe we ae cece es .386, 80 
5 Hardy Ais ot) obese iO woe ise hed bia 39 
SEE GOD GON tte rete ah eee coe h 9 aie 411 

u , Picking and marketing......... 259 

ih” 8 ROD Choletines cae cetiinn Seats ae 165 

ii 4, WATIOGION LOL. es stsiaant ae ae gels 143 
Perennials, Early Flowering.... ...... 71 
" Bist. “often cae cence eo seeces 183 
Picking apples. Time for............. 138 
Pickle. ma@aw uv. eee sat eenelans 348 
Picton Horticultural Society... .88, 360, 408 
Plant box los... Win... Rekasn Sees 30 
Plant distribution. .243, 289, 325, 369, 510 
Plants for dwelling and conservatories.. 401 
Plants, Reviving frozen..... Pr ae 102 
lim Freak: .c257.4:..'geapee Be sin wegtose aye 461 
Elnin; “Seedling <.:. ... Skea sey ameter 256 
Plums, A comparison of varieties of.... 419 
ay) Lard yt 37... cee eee b Arey 39 

" NGW so. oy ovine ein eek eae 76 

we  ECOMISING . 2:22 5o neat Gee oe 396 
Pomela, ‘Thie::.), 52.7). ne ee ee - 272 
Port Colborne Horticultural Society. 408 
Port Hope Horticultural Society ....... 460 
BOMBEOOS Mamie c's: dsc cistehe es as Sere lahatenaie's 394 
eis PEM PIOLE! > sslarete-e ae. y o's MEI ‘239 


VOL, XXII. 
PAGE, 
ity) tg WOO) ashes: for..: so Syne ane 159 
Pots and potting............... ree 420 
Preservation and decay of fruits........ 98 
Preservative for bottled fruit .... ... 3826 
Brices for sfrntl Ais ts soos ex os 444, 506 
Pride of Cumberland............... . B47 
Primula stellata........... Rae ri” 275 
Primrose of the house.. .. ........, 200 
Prince Edward Island Fruit Growers’ 
A BSOGIAPION 4 aisiei stele av ots dienes 34, 184 
Prince Edward Islend, Fruit interests in 
Siig maates Rie ake bisie ete eel 261, 483 
Propagating plants i PR -INGSS. 2. svieteaa eters 92 
Propagating, The artof. .. ......... 308 
Protecting fruit trees ......0.. 4.206. 95 
Pruning... 20, 77, 129, 161, 235, 337, 433 
Prints Pissatdi.-:.: . O24 sss eee ee 235 
Patt. ball, Che: - 4 3:... 3255.4 Ss ooneeeieteee 232 
Pyramidalis cis. o.°.sa-<:0 5 Sale oteltaent ee 493 
Pyramid pear trees...:....... Sat eee 254 
Prineess Louise apple............. 506, 510 
Q 
Queen of the Prairie rose......  ...... 161 
Quince cultnte: os cee cawlerine eae tes 22 
Quinces, Varieties of. ........ ...... 23 
R 
Rambler roses, H-dge of.......... Pt 12 
Rape as a cover crop.............. 339 
Raspberries, An experiment vith 86 
Raspoerries boon ng ..... ‘Soha yest 190 
Raspberries, Rose scale on............ 284 
Raspberries, Trimming. ... ame 
Raspberry pulp..... 190, 244, 320 
Red clover, Experiments WHS yc oes 379 
Red June plum ajptste e.¢ wens etea ean ot ae 100 
BLO MOPIGEN 6 «a Serticte cols ote oe ye oat ee ee 148 
Refrigerator car..... SIT pe a oe 218 
Ribston Pippin apple...... St 5 ccs EO 
Ringing the grape........ 11, 97, 208, 216 
Rivers; ‘Thos; Bss.%,.ce-0 epee Wa Sie fe 412 
Rochelle. apples (sx). sees seeae ee ale 6 e's 377 
Rock, gardens s./5 Aiea sms ees «is 276 
Rogers; Mdw. Ay. Abacaey taveateecarelce 263 
Rose leaves, Diseased..............0.- 291 
Rose scale on raspberries.............. 284 
Roses, A choice-of se = alos. ee 285 
ay ek few: POINES-OR: «cals worst eae 317 
if LOG So. seep teemry slew tee 307 
Budding 4. tdccastsc as see 203 
yy. forcsamatenteasaa.cescaa sce 204, 459 
> Blartiness! Of: 6. 2<cakcenteee 270 
" Hardy 2 01o.6 52. sliote este «s)e)© bfeleie ais 369 
n  PrOpagating 110.4 /004-~ seen. Sear ee 235 
not, Priming’: oyn see ae ere ere 111 
Priel (rt Wo 0) sommeeme ete ae tras bs Se 34 
Varieties:of; 244... steumeescs 415, 501 
Royal Horticultural Society of England. 393 
Rubber: ‘plant: och ses cere - cee 2, 406 
Rustic lamp post and treltises........ 508 
Ss 
SanJose scaler ids sisi). \.s:c,sielp De teats 99 
114, 180, 266, 283, 390, 412, 485 


INDEX YO VOL. XXII, 9 
PAGE, PAGE. 
Sanseveria Zealanica............. .+++- 403 | Tomato pulp in England...........--- 263 
Saunders gooseberry.....-..-++2eeeees #12 '| Tomatoes. .... cunaaee 2 tae < dee eentaate 296 
Scale on palms........... Sojete view einvels: 454 " for OXPOFG.: «2.82... 35, 103, 142 
School grounds, Rural................ 124 " , Varietiesofs si. sc 's sete. oc 28, 176 
RSE EDEN UR oe 6.5 o.oo shee oe mesivea'seele 466 | Top grafting...............- 160, 202, 442 
Seeds, Vitality of............ Boitctettrsis 282 |iLown “residencs.\feas ttn cami. e428 see 337 
Shaffer and Columbian raspberries...25, 368 | Trailing lanata.... .............--+- 354 
Sheldon pear..... Faves owlerd teiGale hss Sst 423 Transportation, Co- -operative 2 a als) xlatsso ate 211 
Shirley poppies......05...--..0e0.6.5 237 | Transportation of fruit..101, 122, 201, 411 
Shrubs, Flowering........... 451, 493, 497 | Trenton apple.......-2...-+eeeeee . 378 
" ME NOMS POUNdS Sete vob cis (147 | Talipg....c... on. 0. celine andeceemisase> 452 
" PIGVOGin ta sivin's eer s 397, 431, 482| Turnip as green manure, The.......... 511 
" Jig) cy eee Mp AP ares 161, 337 
Smith’s seedling peach...............- 367 U 
Snowdrops......--eseee-eeee 316, 453, 503 | Underdraining orchards...........+--- 215 
Sowing, Early...... sete tee eee eee . 234| Unprofitable plantations.............- 344 
Spaulding plum ...........----.20+0- 416 | United States apple crop..........++-- 512 
Spraying, A new wrinkle in........... 443 
" TOP SOT WORD irois os vale wae 18 Vv 
“ for fungi........ sisleaae scents 77 | Vegetables, Early.,............-+++ . 18t 
" LORCA UBTERGS © .G. cio! ole sis hres POD T Viner, CADE 5 o55 5 <5 5 6-5 sain eho 352 
" for protection of peach buds.. 18 Violets for winter blooming.........-- 278 
" Good results from..... 84, 484 | Vladimir and Koslov cherries.........- 439 
" Reasons of failure in....... . 391 
n with pure kerosene.......... 37 WwW 
Spy on Talman Sweet................ 202) Wattne annlocous cosas -oovas Pe cy 431 
Squash, How to grow the............. 253 Washing aes Se eee eee 200 
Stewart, H. H......-.--..0++++- +200: 343 | Waterloo Horticultural Society... .. 33, 74 
Stirling Horticultural Society......... 88 | Western N. Y. Horticultural Society .98, 140 
Storage for apples........-.++-+-+++++- 862) Whala-oll apbish opesds sos -+ oa Te aeee o: 217 
storage Or fruit. 235i ences sess 26 | White Banana apple.............+++++ 377 
St. Joseph’s Island, Notes from........ 464 | White Imperial currant............--- 348 
Strawberry culture notes.........-229, 347 Wickson plum......-...2++++e+0e: 100, 320 
as " Profitable........ 223) Wild mustard...........5.-00-++ee5: 323 
Strawberry plants, Winter protection of 1440 ws dow shoe oie uid eee cs ccs eters. 30 
Strawberries for new plantations....... 77 | Windsor Horticultural Society.......-- 459 
Strawberries, Propagation of.......... 217 | Winter blooming, Plants for.......... 236 
Sugar beet........... MHA Es HA wet ts 157 | Winter killing, Condition of..... os dst BOO 
WOGINBONE , Ogta a s.c3 bawsians so neeg es 359 | Winter protection of strawberry plants.. 441 
Swamp muck... 2.2... ssccesesceeees 136 | Winter Red apple ........-++++-++++> 378 
Sweet peas....... peteeeeeeee 163, 200, 373 | Wolf Rover apple.........-+++++: 121, 437 
Syringas .. 22. 1s eee eeeeeeeeeees LET Wopd ealiehes veka ago << adsben' s+ 51, 159 
Woodstock Horticultural Society...... 33 
Da CN Pehe oh les << RGR asa geet , 115, 361 
Woolly aphis........---+seeeeeees -- 368 
Mable Mecoreaon .... 2... 5 Disc ew iene 108 | Worden Seckel pear......-.---+ «+++: 78 
Temperature for fruits................ 25 | Worms in garden soil, Destroying....-. 284 
Tent caterpillar....220, 265, 288, 321, 325| Wrapping fruit.......... ety eee 27, 387 
Thinning fruit..15, 21, 141, 223, 229, 260 Y 
Thornbury Horticultural Society....34, 504 
Sori, DEBUG. «6. «06 0dsc sa ets 163, 455 | Yarmouth Gardens....... Wiese: 0% 469 
Toadstools, Poisonous...............- Baw | VNGCE. . vce v pec tele’ ou Rares Dae ele ee sess BOS 


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THE 


CANADIAN HortTICULTURIST. 


Vou. XXII. TORONTO, 


1899. 


JANUARY. 


PAEONIES AT THE CENTRAL EXPERIMENTAL 
FARM OTTAWA, ONT. §— 


By Dr. Wm. SAUNDERS, DiRECTOR. 


H E paeony which is 

| said to derive its 
name from Pzeon a 
Greek Physician 
who first employ- 
ed the plant medi- 
cinally, may be 
conveniently divi- 
ded into two 
groups, the her- 
baceous paeony 
and the tree pae- 
ony. The herba 
ceous paeonies 
have tuberous 
roots something like those of the dahlia 
which send up stout flower stems every 
year, which at the close of the season 
die down. The new growth the follow- 
ing spring is made from strong buds or 
crowns which form on the tubers. These 
herbaceous species have been derived 
mainly from two wild forms, one a native 


of Switzerland Paeonia officinalis which 
is said to have been in cultivation for 
more than three centuries, the other a 
Siberian species Paconia albiflora, which 
was first introduced in 1734. The 
shrubby forms of the paeony known 
also as the tree paeony have been de- 
rived from an Asiatic species known to 
botanists as Paconia moutan. ‘The tree 
paeony is much grown in Japan, China, 
and in the milder climates in Europe. 
In Eastern Canada it is more or less 
tender and unless well protected is 
liable to be killed to the ground during 
the winter, and even where protection 
is afforded during the severe weather, 
the tender shoots sometimes suffer 
injury from spring frosts. Where 
the tree paeony can be _ successfully 
grown it is a very desirable shrub ; it 
blooms ‘earlier than the herbaceous 
species and. the individual flowers are 
wonderfully large and fine. About 20 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


Fic. 1485.—Mapam_e d’Hovur. ate 1887-—DEcaIsNE. 


Fic. 1486.—BERLI10z. Fig. 1488, —PAPAVERIFLORA. 


PAEONIES AT THE CENTRAL EXPERIMENTAL FARM. 


varieties of the tree 
paeony have been tes- 
ted at the Central 
Experimental Farm, 
but none of them 
have been found en- 
tirely hardy. When 
the snow comes early 
andcovers the ground 
well during the winter 
they pass through this 
trying period without 
much injury, but in 
seasons where the 
snow covering is in- 
sufficient they are us- 
ually killed back near- 
ly to the ground and 
not unfrequently kill- 
ed outright. 

The herbaceous 
paeony, with which in 
this communication 
we are chiefly con- 
cerned is one of the 
hardiest and best 
known of all _per- 
ennials, and owing 
largely to the re- 
cent introduction of 
many new and beautiful varieties its 
popularity is steadily increasing. It is 
hardy not only in the eastern provinces 
of Canada but also in the north-west 
portions where the winter climate is 
much more severe. At the branch ex- 
perimental farms at Brandon, in Mani- 
toba, and at Indian Head, in Eastern 
Assiniboia, a number of varieties have 
been tested during the past five or six 
years and most of them have proven 
quite hardy and have borne flowers very 
freely for the past two years. The 
paeony succeeds well under almost 
every condition, and will thrive even in 
the gardens of the negligent and care- 


Fic. 1489.—SoLFATERRE. 


less, but when well cared for it responds 
to good treatment by producing a 
wealth of magnificent flowers of a most 
attractive character. 

The tubers as supplied by the dealers 
especially of the newer sorts, are com- 
paratively small, and do not usually 
flower the first year, but they grow 
rapidly and if left undisturbed for three 
or four years they form extensive clumps 
which produce flowers in great number 
and of large size. The plant is propa- 
gated by division of the roots, but where 
fine flowers are desired the parent plants 
should be disturbed as little as possible. 
The flowers are very varied in color as- 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


the first row. A 
part of one of 
these beds is 
shown in the 
frontispiece in 
bloom. The 
mass of flowers 
produced under 
these circum- 
stances, when the 
plants are well es- 
tablished is very 
effective, and the 
beds ‘are much 
admired when at 
their best in the 
latter part of June 
and early in July. 

With so many 
beautiful varieties 
to choose from 


selection be 
comes somewhat 


difficult. I shall, 
however, venture 
to name a few 


which appear to 
be among the 


most desirable of 


Fic. 1490.—SomME-GANOKO. 


suming every hue and shade from the 
deepest crimson, through all tints of red 
and pink to pure white. 

Of the herbaceous paeonies, there 
are now in the collection at Ottawa 141 
named varieties, consisting mainly of 
those sorts which have been produced 
within the past thirty or forty years by 
florists in Europe. Most of these were 
planted in 1895, with a more recent ad- 
dition of about thirty varieties from 
Japan. They are arranged in three 
large beds each containing three rows 
of plants put out three feet apart each 
way, and are planted so as to have the 
plants in the second row alternate, and 
those in the third row opposite those in 


6 


those which have 
yet been tested at the Experimental 
Farm. 

In Figure 1485 we have a single flower 
of a variety known as Madame d Hour. 
This was planted in 1895, bloomed well 
in 1897, and magnificently in 1898 and 
is certainly one of the best in the col- 
lection. The flowers are very large and 
double, the petals nearly white with a 
delicate rosy tint becoming deeper in 
color towards the base. The specimen 
from which the illustration was taken 
measured seven inches across and the 
blooms were produced in great profu- 
sion. 

Berlioz, shown in Figure 1486 is an- 
other good sort. The flowers are large 


PAEONIES AT THE CENTRAL EXPERIMENTAL FARM. 


to very large, very 
double, of a deeprose- 
color with paler shad- 
ings on the margins 
ofthe petals. This also 
was planted in 1895, 
made strong growth, 
bloomed freely in 
1897, and very freely 
in 1898. 

Ambrosieverschaffelt 
is a charming flower 
of medium size, a 
deep crimson-color 
and is very full and 
double andwell form- 
ed, it also bloomed 
well. 

Decaisne (Fig. 1487) 
—This is a strong 
grower and free- 
bloomer. The flowers 


are large, full and 
double, of a_blush- 
pink color, paler in 
the centre. In ad- 
dition to its other 
attractions this variety 
exhales a_ pleasant 
rosy odor. 


Purpurea superba produces flowers 
which deserve to rank with the best. 
This variety is a strong grower and very 
free bloomer. The flowers are of a 
deep rose-color finely formed and very 
attractive. 

Papaverifiora (Fig. 1488) is anelegant 
flower of good form and very double. 
Its color is white with a faint yellowish 
tint. The outer petals are wide while 
those forming the inner part of the flow- 
er are much narrower, making a very 
handsome combination. 

Solfaterre (Fig. 1489) is not very 
double, but is very loose and graceful 
in form, the outer petals are wide and 


Fie. 


1491.—TATSU-GASHIRA. 


of a pale rose-color, while the centre is 
made up of much narrower petals which 
are almost pure white. This is a very 
free bloomer and is one of the sweet- 
scented sorts. 

The Japanese varieties were planted 
in 1897 and 1808, and all those which 
have bloomed have shown much grace 
and delicacy of form with striking com- 
binations of color. Most of them have 
only one or two rows of outside petals 
which are wide and the centre is filled 
with a cluster or rosette of very narrow 
petals, delicate in form and hue, usually 
tinted with shades of yellow margined 
with pink. The Japanese appear to 
prefer these chaste and loose semi- 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


double forms to the larger, stiffer and 
‘more fully double sorts; some of their 
flowers are of great beauty of form with 
wonderful delicacy in their tints. 
Some-ganoko (Fig. 1490) is a good 
representative variety of this class. The 
flower is of medium size, the outer petals 


of a deep blush rose with paler mark-” 


ings, the centre being filled with a lovely 
rosette of very narrow yellow petals 
neatly arranged, each with a thread-like 
base and tinted above with pink. 

Kame-no-Kegoromo is a large hand- 
some, loosely double flower of a deep 
carmine-red color with a number of 
narrow petals distributed about the base 
of the wider petals, the former being 
crimped and twisted, yellow in color, 
margined with red. 


Tatsu-gashira (Fig. 1491) is also a 
very beautiful flower. In this variety 
there is a single row of wide petals 
nearly white, with the centre partly filled 
with a loose cluster of very narrow yel- 
lowish petals tinted with rose. 


Paeonia tenuifolia which is shown in 
the front of the bed seen in frontis- 
piece, is very striking on account of its 
finely cut foliage. It is a distinct species 
from the other sorts referred to of which 
there are two varieties in Common cul- 
tivation, one of which is single, the other 
double and both of a deep crimson-red 
color. This is a native of Siberia, is 
very hardy and is the earliest variety to 
bloom. 


THE ST. CATHARINES MEETING. 


Fie. 1492.—Mayor GILLELAND. 


ELDOM has the Ontario Fruit 
Growers’ Association received 

a warmer welcome than that 

extended to it by the Garden 

City, on the 1st and 2nd of- Hecember 
last, and put in the form of a welcome 


address by Mayor Gilleland at the even- 
ing session. It is some satisfaction, 
after a year of hard work on the part of 
the officers of our Association to tind 
that their labors have been appreciated, 
and that the literature on fruit gowing 
they have been able to send out has 
been helpful to their patrons. 

St. Catharines is beautifully situated 
on that highly favored belt of land lying 
below ‘The Mountain,’ a glimpse of 
which is seen in our engraving looking 
down from the cut near DeCew Falls ; 
whence the pipe line of the Cataract 
Power Company descends to the power 
house below. This gigantic enterprise 
undertaken by a Hamilton Syndicate is 
about completed, and will be of great 
value to the manufacturing interests of 
that city. The Welland Canal is another 
important feature of. this vicinity, not 
only giving beauty to the landscape, 
but what is more important, low freight 


fe Of. CATITARINES 


MEETING. 


Fic. 1493:—Cur 


rates for fruit and grain to the great 


markets. 
Geneva Street is one of the principal 
suburban streets, well shaded with beau- 


tiful 


ago by Dr. 


elm trees, planted nearly 
Dy. W. 


a centu ry 


Beadle, father of our 


NEAR DECEW 


Fats. 


former secretary, “The viewin Fig. 1495 
shows the portion of the street between 


AA: M. 
pretty 


the Beadle estate and Mr. Smith's 


residence. Among the houses 


in the outskirts we may mention that of 


Mr. W. W. Wanless, of Niagara St., 


: PL 
ji 


Fra. 1494.—W. W 


W ANLESY’ 


CAM.PHOTO.ENG Bu 


RESIDENCE. 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


with about 16 acres in fruit, the lawns 
and gardens about the house are taste- 
fully laid out, and well deserve the name 
given it of “ Fruitfield.” 

Our Association met in this old town 
on Thursday morning, Dec. Ist, at 10 
o’clock, and under the management of 
Mr. W. E Wellington as President, 
proceeded at once with the business of 
the day. 

FRAUDS IN FRUITS 


money under false 
especially regrettable feature of this 
species of dishonesty was that it was 
occasionally winked at by the judges, 
who were aware of the fraud. The 
speaker thought that some means should 
be taken to stamp it out. In the dis- 
cussion which followed, the practice 
which Mr. Smith had so strongly in- 
veighed against was roundly denounced. 
Strong measures were advocated to put 


pretenses. An 


Fic. 1495.— GENEVA STREET, St. CATHARINES. 


was the subject of a paper by Mr. A. 
M. Smith, who contended that there 
were exhibitors at many of the fairs who 
were guilty of collecting good samples 
of fruit from their neighbors or else- 
where and displaying them as their own 
production. Those in the 
habit of practising this deceit were ap- 
parently unaware that they were guilty 
of fraud, and 


who were 


of obtaining the prize 


down the custom, altogether too pre- 
valent of exhibiting purchased or bor- 
rowed fruit. Mr. Pettit said he believed 
in having a special class made of such 
exhibits and putting them in as educa- 
tional, not competitive showings. If 
such exhibits were correctly named it 
would be an education to the people of 
the country along the lines of our re- 
sources. 


Io 


THE ST. CATHARINES MEETING. 


Fig 1496.—Mr. A. M. SmitH 


The President said that at the In- 
dustrial there were open classes for 
Societies, and the restrictions were for 
individual exhibits only Mr. McNeill 
wished it were possible to return to those 
classic days when exhibits were made 
for honor, and not for mere money 
gain. Mr. Caston said he had seen at the 
Industrial some of those professional 
exhibitors who buy up fruit for exhibi- 
tion at smaller fairs for the purpose of 
sweeping off the prize money. The 
opinion seemed to prevail that it was 
best to remove all restrictions at pro- 
vincial, or international fairs, but to 
strictly enforce them at local fairs. 


THE RINGING OF GRAPES 


for exhibitions was also discussed, be- 
cause some judges were said to throw 
out a plate of grapes from competition 
that showed evidence of having been 
produced by ringing. Mr. Whyte claim- 
ed that such grapes were inferior in 
quality, though of enlarged size, and the 
Judge would simply need to consider 


a i 


all these points in giving his award. Mr. 
Huggard claimed that exhibitors should 
be allowed to fertilize, thin, ring, or treat 
their fruit in any way they may choose, 
in order to produce fine samples for 
exhibitions. Mr. A. H. Pettit thought 
that if ringed grapes were to be thrown 
out, the Judges should be compelled to 
ticket them with the reason, else the 
public would be puzzled over the awards. 

Prof. Macoun, of Ottawa, read a 
paper on ‘Russian Fruits.” This 
gentleman is a son of Prof. Macoun, the 
Dominion Botanist, and has been for 
some time Assistant to Dr. Saunders 
at the Central Experimental Farm. 
On the resignation of. Prof. Craig, he 
was appointed Horticulturist. He in- 
vited suggestions from the Ontario fruit 
men as to the various lines of work by 
which he could assist their industry. 
He had found the Russian Morello 
cherries to have especial value for the 
Northern districts, and at Ottawa they 
were much sought after in the local 
market. He especially commended the 
Koslov Morello, which was imported by 
the Ontario Fruit Growers’ Association 
in 1889, and of which a couple of dozen 
trees had been forwarded to the Cen- 
tral Experimental Farm by the Secre- 
tary for test. Mr. Woolverton said he 
had a few trees of this lot of cherries 
now in bearing in his orchard. They 
had been sent him by Mr. Jaroslav 
Niemetz, of Winnitza Podolie, Russia, 
who commended them very highly, be- 
cause they bear early, and are quite 
productive. They are rather to be 
called bushes than trees, for at fifteen 
years of age Mr. Niemetz stated they only 
reached three feet in height. Those at 
Maplehurst now eight years planted, are 
still bushes, but the fruit is good, much 
like English Morello, but later; and 
being bushes, they may be planted in 
rows like raspberry bushes. 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


EXPORTING TENDER FRUIT. 


Prof. Robertson delivered a capital 
address on ‘“ Prospects for export of 
tender fruits.” He spoke of the ex- 
periments in sending various fruits to 
the British market by cold storage under 
the best conditions which could be 
obtained. The result of these experi- 
ments had been in some cases favorable, 


mand. A profitable trade in exporting 
Early Crawford peaches to the British 
market could not be expected. This fruit 
was so tender and had to be picked so 
exactly right that the prospect was any- 
thing but good. Some other varieties 
might succeed The case of tomatoes 
was still doubtful. The Canary Islands 
were at present sending such an abun- 
dant supply that they would stand in the 


nA theory 


Fig. 1497.—RESIDENCE OF CHAS. RIORDAN, GENEVA ST. 


and in others not so favorable. The 
prospect of a profitable business in ex- 
port of Canadian pears, was he said, 
extremely good. We had here the con- 
ditions for producing abundantly this 
class of fruit, which the British public 
wanted and were willing to pay for. As 
far as plums were concerned, he said 
that while in some seasons they would 
bring high prices the home crop would 
generally be sufficient to meet the de- 


way. No large export of grapes could 
be looked for especially of such varie- 
ties as Concord or Niagara. In the case 
of the more tender sorts of apples, such 
as Astrachan, Duchess or Alexander, a 
large trade could be developed only by 
shipping in cold storage. As far as 
currants and raspberries were concern- 
ed, he thought they should only be 
sent in pulp and, if there 
large crop in England, even this would 


Was a 


THE ST. CATHARINES MEETING. 


Fig. 1498,—Lock.2, Op WELLAND CANAL. 


be useless. In speaking on the sub- 
ject of trans-atlantic transportation of 
fruit, Professor Robertson said that 
the early ripening apples should be 
cooled to below 50 degrees as soon as 
they were taken off the trees, and then 
before being packed they should be 
cooled below 40. This would ensure 
their arrival in England in good con- 
dition if the carriage was right. There 
was no possibility of carrying the tender 
‘apple except by cold storage. He 
urged very strongly the necessity of 
grading and packing apples intended 
for export. Fruit growers should be 
aroused to the importance of not allow- 
ing the commission men to buy their 
apples unless they graded them, as on 
this their market largely depended. 
A GOOD YEAR’S WORK. 

The evening session was enlivened by 
several pleasant features. Mayor Gille- 
land gave a cordial address of welcome, 
which was responded to by President 
Wellington, and during the evening Miss 
Daisy Torrey, B.E., of Gravenhurst, a 


graduate of Philadelphia College of 
Oratory, gave several recitations. Miss 
Torrey is an elocutionist of rare ability, 
and her renditions were received with 
great applause. 


In his annual address, President W. E. 
Wellington congratulated the members 
on a successful year’s work and on the 
excellence to which the monthly journal 
had attained. Last year, he said the 
members’ feés had netted $3,375, and 
this year they had risen to $4,147. Last 
year they had 3,315 members, and this 
year 4,151, who had paid their fees, and 
375 who had not. The total receipts this 
year had been $6,585, which left a 
balance on hand of $784. He suggest- 
ed that the size of the journal should be 
increased by one-third. After dwelling 
on the practical work of the Association, 
the President spoke of the reception by 
Hon. Sidney Fisher of the deputation 
which had gone to Ottawa to interview 
him regarding the San Jose scale. By 
his courteous and prompt action in re- 
sponding to the wishes of the deputa- 


13 


THE CANADIAN 


tion, he showed himself to have at heart 
the true interests of the farmers. The 
Provincial Government, too, had ably 
seconded his efforts in this matter. He 
referred in a congratulatory manner to 
the fruit experimental work and to the 


HORTICULTURIST. 


establishment of an experimental station 
on St. Joseph Island. The encourage- 
ment received in the matter of exporta- 
tion to Great Britain was also mention- 
ed with gratification. 


MICHIGAN FRUIT GROWERS. 


i wee 
ey 


Fic. 1499.—Lower Town, (AnN ARBOR) BOULEVARD AND Huron RIVER. 


S a delegate from Ontario to 
the ‘Michigan State Society 
meeting at Ann Arbor, we 
reached that town on Tues- 

dayafternoon, Dec. 6th. Itwas a pleasure 
to meet such men as President R. Morrill, 
of Benton Harbor; C. W. Garfield, of 
Grand Rapids; Thos. Gunson, of the 
Michigan Agricultural College; C. J. 
Monroe, of South Haven; L. B. Rice, 
of Port Huron and others, who are in 
the front ranks of Michigan Horti- 
culture. 

The meetings were held in the Uni- 


versity buildings, some of them in the 
Museum, because it was provided with 
apparatus for showing views and thus 
illustrating the lectures. (See Fig. 1501.) 

One of these illustrated lectures was 
given by Prof. F. G. Newcombe, of the 
University, on ‘‘ What are Fruits,” who 
kindly agreed to write it out in an 
abridged form for use in this Journal, 
and to send us photographs for engrav- 
ing. He is an enthusiast in botany, 
and knows how to make his subject 
interesting. 

Mr. R. J. Coryell, Supt. of Parks, 


14 


MICHIGAN FRUIT GROWERS. 


Fic. 1500.—PREsIDENT JAMES B. ANGELL. 


Detroit, also promised a copy of his 
address on “Object Lessons in City 
Parks,” so we omit our notes on these 
valuable papers. 


ARE WINTER PEARS PROFITABLE 


was a question which was answered 
doubtfully. Mr. Kellogg included 
Kieffer in his list for profit. In December 
last year he was offered 5oc. a bushel for 
them, but he held till January, when they 
yellowed up beautifully and brought 
$2 a bushel. Even its quality seems to 
improve, if properly ripened, while for 
canning it is as good as Bartlett. 

Mr. James B. Angell, President of 
Michigan University, gave an interesting 
address on Turkey, having himself 
resided there three years, as U. S. 
minister. 

That country is fossilized—it has not 
changed for 500 years, and is a long 
way behind us in horticulture, as well as 
every other interest. Their apples, 
peaches, plums and pears are far in- 


t5 


ferior, their cherries and apricots are 
good, and the only fruit in which they 
excel, and which they export in any 
quantity are figs. But their methods of 
cultivation are of the most primitive 
character. Their plow merely scratches 
the surtace of the ground. There is no 
local mail in Constantinople, and no 
public roads in the country, so that all 
products have to be transported on the 
backs of animals. Is it then any won- 
der that there is no encouragement to 
commercial horticulture. 


THINNING FRUITS 


was treated by Prof. S. A. Beach, of. 
Geneva. We must use every method he 
said to secure high grade fruit. Thinning 
was long practiced by the gardeners of 
the nobility in England, but only recently 
is being adopted in American commer- 
cial orchards as a profitable investment. 

He had experimented with three 
varieties of apples, and found in each 
case an improvement in size and color. 
The Greening had actually given him a 
greater quantity of fruit than where it 
had not been thinned, the Baldwin and 
the Hubbardston gave ro or 16 per 
cent. more of rst class fruit, but the 
unthinned gave the greatest quantity, all 
grades being counted. He had thinned 
the apples to four inches apart. 

More decided results were obtained 
in the case of peaches, which he had 
thinned from four to six inches apart. 
The thinned fruit weighed nine to the 
pound, and the unthinned, twelve ; and 
the trees themselves were less subject to 
disease, hence the benefit was not 
merely annual. In years of abundance, 
thinning peaches would certainly pay, 
even at a cost of from 5 to 10 cents per 
tree. 

President Morrill had practised thin- 
ning peaches on a large scale. He had 
about 100 acres in peaches at Benton 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


Fie. 1501.—THE Museum. 


Haroor, and spent hundreds of dollars 
on thinning. It cost him from 2% 
cents to 10 cents per tree, but he could 
not afford to neglect it in seasons of 
abundance. His rule was to thin to 6 
or even 8 inches apart. 

Hon. C. J. Monroe, of South Huron, 
advocated legislation to prevent the 
shipment or sale of 


SCABBY OR INSECT INFESTED FRUIT. 


He reviewed the condition of fruit grow- 
ing the last few years, and pointed out 
the condition of our markets glutted 
not with good, but with second class 
fruit. A resolution was the only hope, 
by which the scabby and infested fruit 
should never be allowed in our markets. 

California growers are alive to this, 
and are asking legislation providing for 
fruit quarantine, and the confiscation of 
all wormy fruit, or scabby fruit found 
on the markets, or at the shipping 
points. 


We cannot compel every man to 


16 


spray his orchard for scab; nor to 
bandage his trees for codling moth, but 
we can make it a misdemeanor to offer 
such wretched stock for sale, and this 
will most effectually check its produc- 
tion. 

The California Horticultural Act pro- 
vides even for the disinfecting of all 
fruit boxes that have been once used, 
before using them a second time. It 
also provides that all wormy, fallen 
fruits in the orchards be gathered and 
destroyed at least once a week. 


The result of such a law would be 
either that a large proportion of the fruit 
now produced would remain unmar- 
keted, except to the canner or the 
evaporator, or else the production of a 
higher grade of fruit that would do 
credit to the producer and to his 
country. 

It is the interest of the ruit grower 
himself we are consulting. As it now 
is a careful grower who grades high, 
sprays thoroughly, and packs conscien 


THE MIGHIGAN FRUIT GROWERS. 


tiously must compete against the care- 
less man who gluts the market with 
poor stock. United action is needed to 
destroy the market for all such stuff, 
and then the lazy and indifferent grower 
will be compelled to cease shipping it. 

Mr. Monroe quoted largely from re- 
ports of other countries in support of 
his position. The Jamaica Agricultural 
Journal says that her exports are chiefly 
to the United States, and they are ask- 
ing for steamers specially fitted up to 
carry their fruits, and for inspection of 
their fruit at point of shipment. 

In Tasmania orchardists are fined if 
they fail to bandage their trees for 
codling moth, or if they neglect to 
destroy the fallen infested fruit. 

New South Wales has adopted a rigid 
inspection of all imported fruit packages. 
Thousands of packages are unloaded 
from the steamers, but cannot be offered 
for sale until inspected. The inspectors 
often begin work at 6 o’clock a.m., each 
accompanied by a man to open and 
close packages, and which is done with 
astonishing rapidity. Condemned cases 
receive a certain mark, and cannot be 
offered for sale. 

At first great numbers of cases were 
condemned, but after a time, the ship- 
pers learned wisdom, and now only an 
occasional lot has to be condemned. 

Mr. Munroe proposes that a law be 
passed in Michigan embracing among 
other points the explicit prohibition of 
the sale of wormy, scabby or infested 
fruit, the destruction of fallen wormy 
fruit, that shippers guilty of breaking the 
law be liable not only to confiscation of 
the fruit, but to a fine equal to double 


the value of the fruit, and that every 
package offered for sale bear the ship- 
per’s name. 


THE PEACH OUTLOOK 


was treated by Hon. R. D. Graham, a 
wholesale peach grower. He says he is 
encouraged. He finds that by growing 
a good fruit in sufficient quantity, he 
can attract the buyers to his own local- 
ity. The peach is as sure a crop as any 
other, and in our late peaches we have 
practically no competitor. 

Engleman, Gold Drop, Kalamazoo 
were recommended as good shippers, 
but Mr. Morrill, of Benton Harbor, said 
the Elberta was the best of all. He 
had shipped that variety to New York 
City in bushel baskets, in a refrigerator 
car, and it had arrived in perfect con- 
dition, although it was held four days be- 
fore being sold. He had kept Elbertas 
in cold storage for twenty-four days, and 
taken them out in prime condition. 
Elbertas shipped up from the South had 
been put on our Northern markets in 
better condition than our own peaches 
of other varieties. 


THE FUTURE OF APPLE GROWING 


was introduced by Mr. Morrill, who 
pointed out that we had reached a new 
era when apple growing under the old 
methods was a failure, but the up-to- 
date grower who could produce perfect 
samples of the finest varieties would 
make money out of them. We live in 
the best apple region of North America, 
and near to the best markets. Chicago 
is one of the best apple markets in the 
world. 


STARS 


17 


SPRAYING OF PEACH TREES FOR THE PROTEC- 
TION OF THE BUDS AND FOR CURLED LEAF. 


Fig. 1502.—Showing difference in time of 
blossoming of whitened and unwhitened 


buds, (After Whitten). 

ROBABLY no other fruit grown 
in Ontario so often disappoints 
the well grounded expectations 
of the orchardist, as does the 

peach. The location may be favorable 

and the soil well adapted and perfectly 
drained ; the wood may be well ripened 
and go into winter with abundant prom- 
ise of a bountiful crop for the next sea- 
son ; but when the enterprising grower, 
endeavoring to ascertain the prospects 
for a crop, goes to the trees in January, 
February or March he often finds, on 
cutting open the buds, that the heart is 
black and dead. Not infrequently all 
the buds are affected in this way and 
the crop is a total failure. Sometimes 
there is vitality enough in the buds to 
blossom but not to set the fruit, thus 
cruelly disappointing the hopeful grow- 
er. This is due to the freezing of the 
buds after they have been stimulated 
into growth by a few bright warm days. 

Every peach grower knows that when in 

good condition peach buds will stand a 

temperature considerably below zero ; 

while buds which have been exposed to 
warm weather will be killed by a much 


higher temperature. Many experiments 
have been made to overcome this diffi- 
culty but have been abandoned as in- 
effectual or too expensive for commer- 
cial orchards. Mulching the ground 
under the trees, after it was frozen, so as 
to keep the roots dormant was tried and 
abandoned, when it was known that the 
buds would swell and even grow under 
certain conditions, while the roots were 
frozen and dormant. 

The building of sheds, baling and 
laying down of the trees were all suc- 
cessful but of no use to the grower from 
a commercial point of view. 

The temperature seldom rises high 
enough in the shade, during the winter, 
to stimulate the growth of the buds. 
The problem thus was, how effectively 
and cheaply could the buds be protect- 
ed from the direct rays of the sun. 

With this problem yet unsolved, we 
heard that a series of experiments were 
being conducted at the Agricultural Ex- 
perimental Station at Columbia, Mis- 
souri, in which the trees were whitened 
with a lime wash. 

The theory was that whitening the 
trees would prevent them absorbing heat 
on bright sunny days and that they 
would remain dormant during the win- 
ter and bldssom later, thus also being 
less exposed to frosts~in the early 
spring. ’ : 

A test was made to ascertain the 
amount of heat absorbed by different 
colored objects of the same texture. 

It was found that on dull days, or 
when shaded, no difference existed, but 
when exposed to the sunlight a marked 
difference appeared. Frequently a dif- 
ference of ro deg. or 15 deg. was indi- 
cated, and when the sun was very bright 


18 


SPRAYING PEACH TREES FOR PROTECTION OF THE BUDS. 


there was 21 deg. difference between the 
white and purple thermometers. 

The theory looked all right, and we 
decided to put it to the test. We se- 
lected 100 young and vigorous trees of 
the following varieties: Stephens Rare- 
ripe, Wheatland, Smock, Centennial, 
Early Rivers and two seedlings, and 
gave them a good whitening, going over 
them twice, late in December, again in 
February and a third time in March. 
The material used was fresh stone lime 
slacked with hot water and used as thick 
as it would work through a Bordeaux 


Fic. 1503.—Sections of unwhitened (a) and 


nozzle. One fifth milk was added to 
each barrel to make it adhere to the 
tree. The trees were completely coated 
and some of the wash remained on them 
all’summer. 

The trees thus treated were later in 
blooming than those untreated ; but it 
was impossible to judge of the benefit 
as all the trees came through in splen- 
did condition and we had a fair crop 
considering the very heavy crop of the 
previous year. However, we shall try 
again this winter, and our programme is 


as follows :—In the latter part of De- 
cember we will spray with the following 
solution : 40 gallons of water and skim 
milk or butter-milk, about one-fifth be- 
ing milk if possible, copper sulphate 4 
lbs., salt 5 Ibs., and enough lime to bring 
the whole to as thick a mixture as will 
work readily in the pump. As soon as 
this is dry we will follow with the same 
mixture only omitting the copper sul- 
phate. We will spray also, early in Feb- 
ruary and early in March, using the 
solution without the copper sulphate. 
We expect this will be all that is re- 
quired, but should the coat of 
whitewash at any time be- 
come thin we would make 
an application at once. 


There was a considerable 
amount of curl leaf on the 
trees in 1897 and for fear 
of a recurrence of the dis- 
“ease in 1898 we decided to 
treat them with Bordeaux 
mixture. 


In April we sprayed the 
whole orchard excepting 
one side of each of three” 
rows, and gave a_ second 
application in May. The 
mixture used in both cases 
was of standard strength and 
each barrel was tested with 
the ferrocyanide of potash test. 

The application made in April while 
the trees were dormant caused no injury, 
but in May, after growth had srarted, it 
injured the twigs badly on the narrow 
leaved varieties, the Longhursts drop- 
ping almost all their foliage and fruit. 
The fallen foliage appeared perfect, the 
trouble being apparently with the twigs, - 
which afterward shrivelled and died. 
No damage was done to broad leaved 
varieties. 

Otherwise than the damage referred 


19 


whitened (b) 
buds of Heath Cling Peach, taken March 20th, 1896, 
showing that the unwhitened bud had swollen and grown 
considerably and had an imperfect pistil, while the whiten- 
ed bud was nearly dormant, and had a perfect pistil— 
Whiten, Mo. Exp.-Station, Bull. 38. 


’ from careless methods. 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


to the work was satisfactory, as the or- 
chard was only very slightly affected, 
while the sides of the three rows which 
were not sprayed were badly diseased. 
On the trees which were whitened 
throughout the winter in addition to the 
Bordeaux sprayings, scarcely a curled 
leaf could be found. The orchard was 
visited by a number of prominent fruit 
growers from Grimsby, Winona and 


other points who expressed themselves. 
as pleased with the results. 

To avoid a repetition of the damage 
to the foliage this year we will use only 
2 lbs. of copper sulphate to 40 gallons. 
of water when we spray in April and 
May. 


W. M. Orr. 
Fruitland. 


PEACH GROWING. 


OME nine thousand acres of 
land in western New York are 
devoted to the peach indus- 
try, and, in accordance with 

the new law of that state, Professor 
Bailey has been making reports to the 
Commissioner of Agriculture on the 
condition of that industry. The facts 
in the case, and the counsel based upon 
them, seem so important that we give 
our readers a digest of parts of this re- 
port. Professor Bailey thinks that the 
_ peach industry, more than any other 
pomological interest, suffers peculiarly 
The first error 
is lack of cultivation ; the second, inat- 
tention to borers and yellows; the 
third is neglect to thin the fruit, and 
the fourth is carelessness in marketing. 

Location and Soils.—Many orchards 
are planted on land which is unsuited 
to them, such as heavy clay soils, or 
low lands with imperfect drainage 
of water and of air. The ideal peach 
soil is deep sand, upon which trees 
make a hard growth. The wood ma- 
tures early, the trees bear well and the 
fruit has high color and flavor. It is 
such soils and exposures which have 
made the Peach region in Delaware, 
New Jersey, the eastern shore of Lake 
Michigan and some parts of the south 
famous. Peaches may be made to 


grow on heavy land, but the trees must 
be severely headed in. The gravelly 
soils about the New York lakes are well 
adapted to the peach, but in the in- 
terior part of that state, away from the 
lakes, peaches only thrive on elevated 
lands which are naturally drained and 
escape the late spring frosts, so often 
disastrous to the peaches on lower 
places. 


Cultivating and Fertilizing.—Peach 
orchards should never be cropped after 
the third year, and on sandy lands 
especially, if the trees stand less than 
twenty feet apart, they should never be 
cropped from the time they are set. 
Frequent stirring of the surface-soil 
from May until August is desirable, and 
thereafter, perhaps, a green crop should 
be raised to be plowed under next 
spring. The orchard should, under no 
circumstances, be sowed to grain or 
seeded down, but it is easy on strong 
land to produce an overgrowth. Trees 
grow quickly to a great size, they bear 
poorly, and in some cases are never 
productive of much fruit; they run to 
wood, and the wind tears them to 
pieces. In addition to land which is 
too strong, too free a use of barnyard 
manure or other nitrogenous fertilizers 
is often made, and cultivation is con- 
tinued too late in autumn. Potash and 


20 


PEACH GROWING. 


phosphoric acid, and not nitrogen, are 
the true fertilizers for peaches. Ashes, 
muriate of potash and bone fertilizers 
make productive trees. Tillage with 
green crops, to turn under at the end of 
the season, will furnish sufficient nitro- 
gen generally, and even then it is possi- 
ble to plow under too much crimson 
clover. Nitrogen, it is true, lies at the 
foundation of suc s$ful agriculture, but 
its greatest ben ite z are to be had from. 
annual crops in’ “the ‘farm: and_ garden... 
It can also¢ 
to newly set® fruit: plants, but it can be 
easily used to excess. 


Pruning. —The difference of opinion 
as to the proper methods of pruning 
turn on three practices: (t) short 
trunks with rapidly ascending branches ; 
{z) high trunks with more horizontal 
branches; and (3) shortening: in or 
heading back the annual growth. Each 
of these methods has distinct advan- 
tages for different cases. The nature of 
the soil is the controlling factor in de- 
ciding which is preferable. The natural 
method of pruning trees on a sandy 
soil is to allow the tree to spread at will 
into a vase form, with no heading in— 
that is, to let the trees have short trunks 
and. forking branches. The low trunk 

allows an open top, where the peaches 
color better. High-topped trees are 
more easily tilled, and it is quite as 
easy to pick their fruit. It is the better 
method on rich land, for it keeps the 
tree within bounds. Heading in is 
usually done in winter, and one-third to 
a half of the annual, growth is removed. 


x 


. applied : advantageously . 


This heading in always makes a thick- 
topped tree. 

Thinning Fruit.—No two peaches 
should be allowed to develop nearer 
than five inches apart. No work of the 
orchard pays better than thinning the 
fruit either in the price which the re- 
maining produce brings or in the energy 
which is saved to the tree. When 
regularly thinned the tree bears every 
year unless injured by frost. The fruit 


‘must be picked sooner or later, and the 


work is more easily done in June than 
September, so that no labor is lost. 
The thinning should be delayed until 
the fruit is the sizeof the end of a man’s 
thumb, and by this , time -the “Jane 
drop ” has occurred, ‘and the fruit ean 
readily be seen. ; 

Marketing.—But if growers are négli- 
gent in thinning, they are positively 
careless in marketing, and everybody 
knows that nicely packed fruit brings 
good prices wholly independent of its 
quality. Hand boxes containing sixty 
wrapped California peaches have sold 
from $2 to $4, although of inferior 
quality when they reached our market, 
and alongside of them: our own peaches, 
of better flavor, have sold 4 for twenty-five 
cents to seventy- five ‘cents when care- 
lessly dumped into a half-bushel basket. 
The main fault in handling peaches are 
too large packages, lack of grading and 
selection, lack of covers to the basket, 
which allows the fruit to be crushed, 
when it will have a disagreeable and for- 
bidding look, and cannot command a 
fair price.—Garden and Forest. 


EXPERT QUINCE CULTURE. 


Fig. 1504.—THE FULLER QUINCE. 


HE bulk of the crop of quinces that 
have been sent to market this win- 
ter shows that there is something 
radically wrong with the system of 

culture pursued by the majority of fruit 
growers. The occasional receipt of some 
fine quinces that are free from blemishes 
is the only thing to keep consumers from 


22 


despairing of ever getting perfect fruits. 
But the quince responds to culture as 
well as any fruit, and they may be grown 
to perfection if the right rules are pro- 
perly observed. To begin with, then, it 
is necessary to dispel a few notions that 
some growers have acquired through er- 
roneous conception of an old trite say- 


EXPERT QUINCE CULTURE. 


ing. Nearly all text books 
upon quince culture have 
said that they require moist 
soil, and many have inter- 
preted this as meaning wet, 
boggy soil. More quince 
orchards have been set out 
in low, wet, cold ground, 
than upon good rich up- 
land, properly irrigated. 
The quince invariably does 
’ better upon high, rich up- : 
land soil, where perfect 
irrigation can be given, and 
trees planted in such local- 
ities will bid fair to produce 
fine fruits. 

The next point is to give 
the quince tree as much 
attention and cultivation as 
any other fruit. It should 
be remembered that natur- 
ally the quince shrub is 
a large, straggling growth, 
and never assumes the 
shape of a tree unless so 
trained. It will do better, 
however, if its natural rambling habit is 
somewhat checked, and a better shape 
given to it by judicious pruning. But too 
much pruning is injurious to it. Onlythin 
out the suckers every season inside of 
the shrub, and trim the head to a sym- 
metrical shape Beyond this do nothing 
with the pruning knife. 

Once a year at least, and twice is bet- 
ter, examine the stocks for borers, and 
cut them out and kill them, removing 
at the same time all suckers starting up 
around the roots. If the codlin moth 
or quince curculio are on the shrubs, 
spray freely with Paris green, and do 
not give them a good foothold. Spray 
as other fruit trees, soon after the fruits 
have set, in the spring of the year. The 
leaf and twig blight and scab which ap- 


iva) 
Vs sd Af ‘ 
PH 


Nv 
Pe / 
Sh eo 
WS 
NS 
Awae- 
\\ 4. 
NS Kt 
YR 


NN Ye 
DD 


A 


- 


Fic. 1505.—UnprRuNED TREE. 


pear upon the fruit, must be conquered 
by spraying freely with the Bordeaux 
mixture. The scab in particular must 
be kept under control, as it ruins more 
fruit than a little. 

As to varieties, select only the best. 
One of the best is ‘“‘ Rea’s Mammoth,” 
and it succeeds well in the climate of 
New York state. It produces a large, 
handsome orange-shaped quince, that 
sells readily in the market. The Old 
Champion is another large variety that 
should be cultivated, and Meech’s Pro- 
lific is very fine as,an abundant producer. 
The Fuller quince is a pear-shaped fruit, 
but of excellent quality. The Borgeat 
is a very fine early quince, and is very 
satisfactory. Do not select the Angers 
and Fontenay for producing fruits. They 


23 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


are the best adapted for 
stock on which the dwarf 
pears are to be grafted. 
The Portugal quince is a 
smaller variety, and is of 
inferior quality, and the 
Chinese quince is not to 

be desired. The varie- 
ties named are old stan- 
dard fruits,. and can be 
depended upon. Other 
newer varieties have since 
been put upon the market, 

and many undoubtedly 
possess excellent qualities 

but the writer has never 
tried them, and cannot 
vouch for their goodness. | __ 
In the present uncertain 
and unsatisfactory condi- 
tion of general quince  -. 
culture, it is better to 
select only the varieties - 


that have shown them- 
selves to be worthy of 
attention.— Germantown 
Telegraph. 


Fic. 1506.—A Prenep TREE. 


FRUETS AT 


N the last issue of your splendid 

journal I noticed an article by 

Mr. Alex. McD. Allan, in refer- 

ence to the twenty collections of 

pears at the Industrial Exhibition, To- 
ronto. 

Now Sir, I may say that I am one 
also who was struck by the first prize 
collection there exhibited, for I presume 
the education of the public, particularly 
the beginners in fruit culture. But we 
need not be surprised at anything of the 
kind any more, since the Keiffer Pear 
is the b¢st for the British market in 
preference to our delicious Bartletts, or 
Beurre Boscs, Sheldons, etc. Now sir, 
Iam not going into the merits or the 


OUR FAIRS. 


24 


demerits of the collections above men- 
tioned as I might get myself into a 
hornet’s nest, the collections spoke for 
themselves to those who know the 
varieties, but I would pity the beginner 
who might copy the names of this col- 
lection with the intention of planting 
thesame. Just think of a beginner plant- 
ing one hundred trees of Easter Beurre, 
or winter Nelis, where could he sell the 
fruit ; this I consider would be a great 
loss not only to the party that might 
plant, but also to the province at large. 
May I also ask what authority has the 
fruit grower or the exhibitor, and I may 
add the judges, to go by, as to the merits, 
value or the quality of our. fruits as a 


FRUITS AT OUR FAIRS. 


guide. The Exhibitions are a poor guide, 
as in my opinion the prize list should 
read differently, and this work should 
rest on the shoulders of the Fruit 
Growers’ Association. For instance, the 
prize list reads: ‘“ Twenty best varieties 
of pears.” Now sir, I might have 
in reality. the best twenty, but my 
friend with the largest specimens, two 
or three worthless varieties, which I 
think should not count points enough 
to change the prize. I think this 
trouble to the judges could be settled 
for all time to come by stating the 
names of the varieties to be shown in 
the collections, so many winter, fall and 
summer ; care to be taken not to name 
any summer varieties that might not 
keep to September. This method would 


keep out of collections any worthless 
varieties, such as the Easter Beurre, 
Winter Nelis, Josephine de Malines and 
so on. I want to be understood when I 
say worthless, that I mean worthless to 
grow for profit; this plan would work 
admirably with the collections of plums, 
since there is such a mixed up lot every 
year and they were particularly so last 
fall. There would have to be a few 
extra varieties named in the list in case 
of a certain variety failing to fruit, or 
otherwise one might count the number 
on hand, if they are sbprt it will make 
easier work to judge, if one lot has the 
full number and the other is one or two 
short of the given number of varieties. 


RODERICK CAMERON. 


SHAFFER AND COLUMBIAN COMPARED. 
—During a very dry season, like the 
preceding one, many raspberries are 
liable to crumble more or less. Strange 
as it may seem, berries groWing in a very 
wet place with poor drainage are affected 
in much the same way. Poor soil is 
sometimes a cause for the same trouble. 
In this case, the raspberry itself is at 
fault. Shaffer’s Colossal is a vigorous 
grower and very productive, but while 
the berries are very large and finely 
flavored, they are extremely soft, of a 
dull ugly color, and notall firm, making 
it a poor variety for shipping. It is, how- 
ever, a delicious berry, and is excellent 
for table use and for canning. The 
Columbian, which closely resembles 
the Shaffer, isa better berry, being much 
firmer, remaining longer on the bush, 
and retaining its shape after being 
picked ; though even the Columbian is 


25 


not an ideal market variety.—American 
Gardening. 


PRopER TEMPERATURE.—* The fol- 
lowing table will give the best tempera- 
ture for the storage of some of our 
most common produce, 


AMMORT EIS coo es si nina ee ts from 39° to 45° 
SGETAOR cies teiei ac aieisiecd dois wece u 36 to 40 
GOLOPY itis ut witteaiais da.arcs ers u 35 

Granperries’s ."5occceces oasis u 34 to 38 
ROBLES sda oa stumee nese ates “36 

ONIONS oye le cod hearse eae eee u 34 to 40 
PORALOOR oo h5 occsiavavee 2.7 @ eeyene u 36 to 40 
IASPBPAGUB), osc: 200 a eieteae ie u 34 

Cabbage? 140.55. stv Saree ee u 34 

Maple sugar and syrup...-. u 40 to 45 
Flour and meal...........+- u 40 to 45 
Brined meats! oii v.21 es u 36 to 40 
Dried beef.................. " 36 to 45 
Fresh beef 2....cssteto5.8 os u 37 to 39 
Ham, ribs andshoulder.... “ 30 to 35 
SPER cont s-s ee peret anna u 33 to 35 
ard 23. Ss Aked sass oenecs u 84 to 45 
Mutton scx a. come en reece u 32 to 46 
Veil 2c tee eee ten u 33 to 36 
Grapes: 5... 4 Ge ees « 36 to 38 


Butter should be given a separate room 
with temperature at 22°.”—Am. Gardening. 


ELAZXAGNUS LONGIPES (GOUMI.) 


Fig 1507.—E.L2aGnus LONGIPES. 


NTIL lately, not much attention 
seems to have been shown to 
this handsome shrub.  In- 
dividual specimens flourished 

in many large gardens, but until the 
horticultural press had noticed it, and 
nurserymen had given it prominence in 
their catalogues, it remained somewhat 
obscure. Now that it is in popular 
demand the accompanying illustration, 


and a few words concerning it,"may be 
of interest to our readers. 

Eleagnus longipes is a_ native! of 
Japan and belongs to the same class 
which gives us the well-known Buffalo 
Berry (Shepherdia argentea), Itjis a 
beautiful shrub of from five to six feet 
high, well branched, and with an abund- 
ance of foliage that is oblong-oval in 
shape, and in color pale green above 


26 


WRAPPED FRUIT. 


and silvery white beneath. In May it 
is covered with small, pale yellow blos- 
soms, which appear in great profusion. 
The berries are oval, resembling an 
olive in shape, of about the size shown 
in the illustration, of a bright scarlet 
color flecked with golden yellow, and 
ripen in July. When fully ripe these 
berries possess a rather pleasant, aro- 
matic flavor but before maturity they 
are acid and astringent. It is said that 
in Japan the fruit is eaten raw, and also 
pickled and preserved. In this coun- 
try it has been found, when cooked like 
cranberries, to make very good sauce 
and pies and also to be valuable for 
jelly-making. 

As to the hardiness of Elzeagnus long- 
ipes we are not prepared to say just how 
far north it may be safely exposed with- 
out winter protection, but here, in New 
Jersey, the plants stand out, entirely 
uninjured all winter. We have seen 
no indications of any tendency to 
fungous disease, and it is perfectly free 
from insect attacks, 

It would thus seem that this shrub is 
desirable for ornamental purposes and 
also, to some extent, valuable for its 


fruit for culinary use. Its symmetrical 
habit and pretty, pale, silvery foliage 
render it useful for grouping with shrubs 
of darker color, and when loaded down 
with ripe fruit in summer it is an object 
of much beauty. 2 

We find in this, as with many other 
plants from Japan, some confusion of 
names. Thus there are £. Longipes, 
E. edulis, E, pungens, E. Simoni, E. um- 
bellatus, and probably others that we 
know not of. Longipes, edulus, and 
pungens appear to be all the same plant, 
and longipes is probably the best name. 
Umbellatus is a different species from 
longipes and is known also as Simoni. 
It is a very strong, vigorous grower, 
often reaching a height of ten feet or 
more before bearing any fruit, and its 
season of ripening isin October. Long- 
ipes is by far the better species and 
comes into bearing at about two years 
old and when only a few feet high. 
There are also varieties with variegated 
foliage of green and white, all of which 
are very beautiful. E. longipes com- 
mands much attention when well-grown 
and is likely to become a popular shrub, 


WRAPPED FRUIT. 


At the Experimental Farms, Ottawa, 
some very interesting experiments have 
been carried out in connection with 
storing apples in winter. Some of the 
points involved were (1) wrapped versus 
unwrapped fruit ; (2) cellar versus ground- 
floor storage ; (3) close versus ventilated 
packages. These experiments began in 
the autumn and were carried through 
the winter. Twenty-four varieties of 
apples were included in the trials. The 
following results are the averages : 


WRAPPED v. UNWRAPPED APPLES. 

Per Comparative 

cent. weight. 

sound. Scale of 100. 
Wrapped and stored in cellar 42 ey! 
ss storeroom . Om face 
Unwrapped in cellar....... 32°8 ... 29 
«¢ gtoreroom........ de Pays 


27 


Specimens wrapped in paper kept best, 
there were fewer rotten apples, and they lost 
least by evaporation. The ground-floor store- 
room did not preserve them as well as the cel- 
lar. * 

CLosE v. VENTILATED PACKAGES. 


This was tested by packing equal quanti- 
ties of six varieties of apples in boxes of the 
same make, with and without ventilation. 
Half of the cases were placed in the cellar, 


the other half in the upper storeroom. Re- 
sults : 
Per cent. of 
Package. Stored. fruit sound. 
Not ventilated... Cellar..........00¢ 42 
phy .. Storeroom ........ 64°6 
Ventilated ..... Cellar. . 49 
o 8 es icets Storeroom........ 45.8 


The tight package preserved the fruit best 
in storeroom, but not in cellar ; per contra. 
the ventilated did better in cellar than in 
storeroom. 


ALEXANDER W. LIVINGSTONE. 


Fie. 1508.—A. W. Livineston, Coio., OHI0. 


HE death of Alexander W. Liv- 
ingstone, which occurred at his 
house in Columbus, Ohio, on 

the tenth November, closes a useful and 
successful career and one of special in- 
terest to members of the ‘gentle art.” 
His work on the improvement of the 
tomato has been of almost world-wide 
benefit. Wherever tomatoes are grown 
Livingstone’s “ Beauty” and Living- 
stone’s ‘‘ Favorite” are known. While 
not a wealthy man, as business men in 
these days are acknowledged wealthy, 
the two seed-businesses established by 
him, and now owned by his sons, one in 
his home city and one at Des Moines, 
Iowa, both with reputations for integrity 
and fair dealing, give evidence of his 
success in a business sense. The story 
of his life work is especially interesting 
to men who practise intensive culture of 
the soil, showing as it does, how a man 
self-trained in nature’s methods, wgth 
quick perception and faculties for close 
observation ; with patience and hopeful- 


28 


ness that long years of disappointing 
experiment did not dampen; and with 
the experience and skill induced by these 
years of unproductive work, did at length 
succeed in giving to the world a tomato 
fruit like the ‘‘ Paragon,” — to be fol- 
lowed by varieties of even finer quality, 
—developed from the rough, sour, seedy, 
and watery fruits that were found grow- 
ing wild in the fence corners when he 
was a young lad. The question of hy- 
bridization vs. selection for the improve- 
ment of fruits and vegetables is also 
given renewed interest by this event. 
Mr. Livingstone followed the lines of 
selection in his work ; and while some 
learned and skilled teachers and writers 
on Horticulture may hesitate to give full 
credit to him and his methods, there is 
no room for doubt about the honesty of 
his statements regarding his mode of 
work, and the results of his patient labor 
speak volumes on the success of these 
methods. The principle of “ selection” 
is, in these days, taking a prominent 
place in the methods of fruit and vege- 
table growers. Working on this line 
Kellogg, of Michigan, raises and sells 
“thorough-bred ” small fruit plants ; 
Rogers, and other nurserymen, apply 
the same principle to the growing of the 
large fruit trees for sale ; and Prof. Bai- 
ley and S. D. Willard of New York act 
on it in setting out their private orch- 
ards. 

Mr. Livingstone’s work on the to- 
mato on the lines of se/ec¢tion in the ear- 
lier years was disappointing, because the 
selection was confined to taking the best 
specimens of fruits for seed, regardless 
of the character of the plant. Cultiva- 
tion of the plant and selection of the 
best fruits for seed had made some im- 
provement in the fruit over that of the 
wild plant; but while this inferior fruit 


ALEXANDER W. LIVINGSTONE. 


was sold on a limited scale on the mar- 
ket, and was canned and sold as a com- 
mercial commodity as early as 1848, its 
character was so poor that it is believed 
that as late as 1865 not an acre of to- 
matoes had been grown in thé United 
States that would yield one bushel of 
uniformly smooth fruit. In this year 
(1865) his attention was attracted toa 
plant in a field of tomatoes which had 
distinct characteristics, being stronger 
than the average of the plants in the 
field, having heavy foliage, and bearing 
smooth fruit. His active mind now 
readily seized the idea of selecting spe- 
cial plants from which to take the best 
fruit for seed for future crops. Experi- 
menta! work for a year or two confirmed 
the correctness of this line of selection, 
for the improvement of the tofhato and 
further work on the same line was so 
successful that in 1870 he was able to 
place on the market the “ Paragon,” the 
first uniformly smooth tomato. This 
placed tomato growing on a permanent 
and profitable basis. Fifteen new and 
distinct varieties were originated and in- 
troduced by him between the years 1870 
and 1897. In the latter year “ Honor 
Bright,” a variety quite characteristic in 
habit of growth and of maturity of fruit 
was placed on the market, the original 
plant of which had been found three 
years previously in a field of the ‘‘ New 
Stone” variety. 

Who placed the original plant of the 
“Paragon” in the field of common 
tomatoes? How did the original of 
“ Honor Bright ” come to be growing in 
a field planted exclusively with ‘‘ New 
Stone”? Mr. Livingstone did not pre- 


tend to be able to answer these ques- 
tions, Perhaps we shall know the 
answers,some day. 

Mr. Livingstone was born in 1822, of 
Scotch-Irish extraction. His earlier years 
were spent on a pioneer farm in cen- 
tral Ohio ; and it was only in 1877 that 
he removed to Columbus to obtain bet- 
ter business facilities. (He had begun 
the seed business in a small way in 1856.) 
Leaving his sons in charge of the Col- 
umbus business he removed to Des 
Moines, Iowa, in 1880, where he estab- 
lished a similar business, but he returned 
to Columbus in 1890, having transferred 
the Iowa business to one of his younger 
sons. His business motto was—“ Give 
every man the worth of his money : and 
his many business friends bear testimony 
to his integrity, fair dealing, and courte- 
ous attention to their wants in his line. 

When a young man he became a 
member, and shortly afterwards an office- 
holder in the United Presbyterianchurch 
and to the end of his life he continued to 
take an active interest in its work. He 
took a lively interest in general affairs, 
and whether in the educational or muni- 
cipal matters of his home city, or in 
state or national politics, he was always 
ready to defend the right and to give 
battle to the wrong. He was exemplary 
in his domestic life ; and his kindly dis- 
position and broad sympathy enlisted 
the confidence of the children and young 
people of his circle of intimate friends, 
as well as the warm friendship of the 
elders. 

He is dead but his works live after 
him. ORIGEN. 

Ohio. 


so 


29 


drip—dripping so 
trying to a careful 
Martha’s soul. The 
illustration given 
here does away 
with all these diffi- 
culties. It is fitted 
to the window sill 
and supported by 
strong iron brack- 


ON St AEP es ? oS ow BS 

A OCT i a 9 EB 
pepo h Es tibttitfats ly te 
ee? 0s, ene 


Feo eee ee eae 


DUNN 


ESS 
U ee 


Fic. 1509.--A Winpow Box. 


on a broad shelf or a bench have 
manifest disadvantages, inasmuch 
as they are liable to be tipped 
over and to warp with the constant 
wettings necessary for the growth of the 
plants in them. Then, too, if more 
water is used than the earth will ab- 
sorb kindly, there will be the drip— 


T: usual boxes set in the window 


a 


ets, and is virtually 
immovable. A zinc 
tank is fitted into 
the box and pre- 
vents any leakage 
at all. It can be 
made easily at any 
tinsmith’s and with 
small expense. It 
is well to have the 
sides of the box 
widened out into 
shelves for the ac- 
commodation of any small pots desired, 
and there may be two little round 
brackets at each side of the window 
just above the shelves. The whole 
thing may be made ornamental to the 
room by using wood that has a pretty 
grain, with more or less modest orna- 
mentation in the making.—Webb Don- 
nel, in American Gardening. 


30 


CLEMATIS JACKMANNI. 


Fie. 1510.—CLEematis JACKMANNI, from photo sent by Miss Henman. 


HE Jackman’s Clematis shown 


in the accompanying engraving 

is about eight years old. It was 

spring planted in the spot it 
now occupies, and was only six inches 
high ; just one shoot and some healthy 
looking roots. I took great care of it, 
you may be sure, encouraging it to grow 
by tying ‘the shoots to supports as soon 
as they needed it, and every winter cov- 
ering up the earth surrounding the 
roots with leaves or straw, and laying 
boards on top to keep them there. In 
the spring I took this away and carefully 
laid on top of the soil, or mixed in with 
it some well rotted manure and watered 
all summer the same as I did my flower 


beds. It has amply repaid me for the 
care, and this year the leaves were 
scarcely visible for flowers, some years 
the flowers remain for six weeks and 
there are a few old ones right into 
October. At first I took it off the trellis 
work and laid it down along the veranda 
covering it up same as roots, this I have 
learnt by experience is quite unneces- 
sary. All that needs doing is to cut 
away with a sharp knife the part that is 
dead in the spring, but do’ not be in too 
great a hurry to do this, wait till you see 
what sunshine and warmth will do, the 
runners look dead when they are not. 
HELEN HENMAN, 
Sec. Thornbury Hort. Socy. 


Fic. 1511.—FiLorat Exursit at Woopstock. 


To our Affiliated Societies. 


We wish you all a Happy and a Prosperous 
New Year. We wish to be mutually helpful 
and to this end we are annually improving 
our Journal. We invite your frequent Com- 
munications for its pages, together with pho- 
tographs of new or valuable fruits or flowers. 
We are preparing a Constitution and By-laws 
for Affiliated Horticultural Societies, which 
we believe will greatly aid in the conduct of 
your work. 

We would suggest to our*Societies the wis- 
dom of holding monthly meetings, say, on the 
first Monday evening in each month, at which 
a single paper be read by some member, and 
fully discussed. 

A table of flowers would contribute to the 
interest of each such meeting. 


We hope before long to be able to send you 
a lecturer on some horticultural topic, and we 
hope you will get as many of your members 
out to hear him as you possibly can. We 
would suggest the giving of a liberal collection 
of plants for summer blooming, to be given 
away at a public meeting in April or May. 
We also advise floral exhibitions in connec- 
tion with your public meetings, at which 
award cards may be given, but no money 
prizes. 

In case of a special exhibition you will find 
it best to have a floral committee to get a list 
of the promised exhibits from members, and to 
send a drayman to collect and return all plants 
according to labels, and to arrange them at the 
hall. An orchestra would greatly enliven 


‘the evening. Members contributing flowers 


32 


to the exhibit should be admitted free, all 
others should be charged 10 cents. 


OUR AFFILIATED SOCIETIES. 


Woopstock.—The Exhibition which was 
held by the Woodstock Horticultural Society 
was a great success except in one respect, 
viz, there was not that support given in by 
the public which might fairly be expected ; 
stillin spite of this a fair amount was real- 
ized for the benefit of the funds of the Soci- 
ety. The exhibits, as may be seen by the 
accompanying photograph, were very taste- 
fully arranged and reflected great credit on 
the committee in charge, but, as usual, the 
work devolved upon a few of the more en- 
thusiastic members and a number of their 
lady friends to whose good taste must be at- 
tributed the more than usual beauty of the 
decorations. Only a comparatively small 
number of the plants were shown in the gen- 
erally adopted formal manner on benches or 
tables, etc., the greater number being placed 
on the floor in the style of raised beds, all 
spaces between being filled in with ferns of 
' larger growth and the edges made of the 
smaller growing varieties. For two of these 
beds the whole of the plants were contributed 
by Mr. Frank Harris, (professional) and our 
secretary, Mr. James.S. Scarff (amateur), and 
it is not saying too much in stating that the 
latter gentleman made the exhibit of the 
Show. The largest bed was composed princi- 
pally of the tropical style of plants, mostly 
owned by Messrs. D.W. Karn, T. H. Parker, 
W. H. Van Ingen, F. Mitchell and Mrs. 
Jas. Hay. Among the other most noticeable 
exhibifs were those of Mrs. McPherson, Mr. 
Frank Newton and Mrs. W. G. McKay, the 
latter lady making a most creditable exhibit 
of begonias. In the cut flower department 
the best contributions were the very beauti- 
ful collection of sweet peas of Mr. Sproat, 
and the gladioli from that hybridizer, Mr. 
H. H. Groff of Simcoe, and in the fruit 
department nice exhibits were made by 


Messrs. Croman and Grey. Taking it alto-. 


gether the Society is to be congratulated on 
the success of their Show, which, without 
doubt, will do much to encourage that most 
delightful of all recreations, the practice of 
the art of floriculture.—W. 


GrimsBy, Ont., Horticultural Society’s 
Floral Exhibit was held in the Town Hall on 
the Iith. The exhibit of chrysanthemums by 
Mr. A. E. Cole was excellent, containing a 
large number of varieties. Messrs. Webster, 
Bros., of Harailton, showed ferns, bogonias, 
orchids and a large collection of palms, be- 
sides asparagus sprengeri, ficus  elastica, 
Araucaria, Selaginella and Japan Ivy. The 
members of the society showed many fine 
specimens of chrysanthemums, cacti, and 
other house plants. One great mistake was 
making it a free exhibition. The hall was 
overcrowded. It would be far better to have 
admission tickets, even if they were all com- 
plimentary, to be had from the members of 
the society. Otherwise there should be a 
small admission fee for all who were not 
members. 


> 


2 
ae) 


33 


Fie. 1511.—JAmes LockiE, WATERLOO. 


WaTteERLoo HorticuttrRAL Socrrty,—Oa 
the eleventh of November occurred the deat h 
of Mr. Jas. Lockie, late active president.o+ 
the Waterloo Horticultural Society. He was 
a man who rose by his merit until he was ap- 
pointed president of the Waterloo Mutual 
Fire Insurance Co., and having a natural 
taste for gardening he built for himself a small 

enhouse, which contained about one hun- 
red varieties of cacti and many other flow- 
ers. Our members will remember how heart- 
ily he welcomed our society and Waterloo in 
December, 1897, and will deeply regret his loss. 


Picton.—Mr. Walter IT. Ross, the secre- 
tary, writes : ; 

‘‘T have much pleasure in stating to you 
that our Horticultural Society, which is 
affiliated with your Association, has so far 
been very successful. I understand that 
several similar societies were started here 
some years ago, and only lasted a short time, 
so I think we should be well pleased. The 
HortTICULTURIST seems very welcome to our 
members, and the premiums sent out by your 
Association are also very much appreciated, 
as they certainly deserve to be.” 


Hamiuton.-—Mr. Hirschmiller. of Hamil- 
ton, writes to correct name of W. Holt, 
which appeared as W. Hull in December 
number, p. 483. He says that his exhibit 
was so creditable that it was unfortunate to 
have his name wrongly entered. 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


Fie. 1512.—HomE or Mrs. W. J. Marsa. 


7] 


; 


_ TuHornpury.—The Secretary of the Thorn- © 


bury Society, Miss Henman, sends us some 
little views in that section, and among others 
a pretty little gem, a winter scene, showing 


the home of the late Mr. W. J. Marsh, who . 
was the first settler at Clarksburg, and at . 


one time owned the village. 


His son-in-law, | 
Mr. C. W. Hartman, a banker in the town, ‘ 


il 


has been an enthusiastic friend of our Asgo- © 
ciation and was instrumental in securing the © 
pluin experiment station at this place, in the ° 


favored 


eaver Valley, The grounds shown . 


in our picture are planted with black wal-— 
nuts, butter nuts, “Norway spruces, maples, - 


with a wide stream of clear water running 
through, over which spans a rustic bridge. 
On the beautiful lawn the snowdrop and the 
crocus bloom profusely in the spring. 


THE Prince Epwarp IsLanp Fruit Grow- 
ers’ Association have become affiliated with 
us, and receive our literature. This Associa- 
tion is ready to co-operate with us in every 
good object, for the advancement of the Do- 
minion fruit interests. Already it has accom- 
plished much for the development of the fruit 
industry in the island, some experimental 
export lots of fruit having been forwarded by 
it, and netted the growers excellent results, 
their Ribston Pippins bringing 20 shillings a 
barrel in Covent Garden. This was the first 
time apples had been exported from the island. 


CaRLETON Puace. — Mr. Thos. Beall, of 
Lindsay, a gentleman who takes a deep in- 
terest in matters of horticulture for the love 
of the cause, and who is well versed in the 
subject, was in Carleton Place, on Friday, 
Nov. 18th, endeavoring to interest some of © 
our citizens in the advisability of organizing 
a horticultural society here under the Agricul- 
ture and Arts Act, and was so far encour- 
aged that a meeting of those showing an- 
interest was held in the council chamber in - 
the Town Hall on that evening, when Mr. 
Beall explained very fully the aims and 
objects of such societies and the benefits 
which they were designed to bestow upon the: 
locality. The result was a resclution to- 
organize such a society here, moved by Mr. 
R. Patterson, seconded by Mr. R. Morgan, 
put by Mr. A. H. Edwards and carried. 
unanimously. Messrs. J. A. Goth and W. 
H. Allen were appointed canvassers to obtain 
members, and the proposition so far is meet-. 
ing with the best of encouragement, and 
success is almost insured, A membership fee 
of only $1.00 has been decided upon, and as. 
the society will affiliate with the Ontario 
Fruit Growers’ Association, every member: 
will receive a double return for his invest- 
ment «direct in the way of plants, bulbs and 
literature, aside altogether from the broader: ; 
features of the society, which are the im-- 
provement of grounds, circulation of periodi-- 
cals treating on horticulture, the holding of 
meetings to discuss matters of importance on. 
this subject, exhibitions, experiments with 
bulbs, plants, ete. At the exhibitions prizes . 
are not awarded, and the general public have 
the privilege of examining all exhibits and 
obtaining from the expert in charge of the 
department all needed information as to the. 
manner of cultivating and caring for his. 
particular class. The exhibition thus becomes 
a school of instruction for the benefit of the 
general public. We hope to see the new . 
society grow to a successful issue. Parties. 
desirious of identifying themselves with the. 
movement are requested to give their names : 
to either of the canvassers. Ladies have the ° 
some rights and privileges as the sterner sex 
in this movement, and are invited to give it 
their hearty recognition. 


~ ROSE 


HE best soil to choose for roses, 
for garden culture is a clay or 
clay-loam. You can_ scarcely 


choose too stiff a clay for your 
rose garden, providing it is well drained. 
Clay-loam is generally preferred how- 
ever; a close, very heavy quality of 
clay is difficult to keep open and friable, 
to such a soil the addition of sand, 
gravel, or humus of any kind, is of great 
benefit. Sandy soil is generally avoided 
on account of its failure to retain 
enough moisture, just at the time of 
flowering ; the free use of cow manure 


34 


Sorts 


is a great help to such soils. Good 
rose flowers may be grown on just 
about any soil, if proper care be given ° 
to the feeding, and it is hardly possible 
to feed too liberally. A rose enthusiast 
of our acquaintance, took all the tainted 
meat from a butcher store, for two 
summers ; burying the whole pieces 
near the roots of his rose plants, as yet 
none seemed to have. been overfed. 
Cow manure and bone-meal as fertilizers 
are still in the greatest favor with. 
rosarians. 
WEBSTER Bros., Hamilton. 


———= 


= = = 


The Canadian Horticulturist See 
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NEWS.—Correspondents will greatly oblige by sending to the Editor early intelligence 
of secon ieieicos or doings of Horticultural Societies likel to be of interest to our readers, or of any 
matters which it is desirable to bring under the notice of Horticulturists. 


ILLUSTRATIONS.—The Editor will thankfully receive and select photographs or drawings, 
suitable for reproduction in these pages, of gardens, or of remarkable plants, flowers, trees, etc. ; but 
he cannot be responsible for loss or injury. 

NEWSPAPERS.—Correspondents sending newspapers should be careful to mark the paragraphs 
they wish the Editor to see. 

DISCONTINUANCES.—Remember that the publisher must be notified by letter or post-card 
when a subscriber wishes his paper stopped. All arrearages must be paid. Returning your paper 


will not enable us to discontinue it, as we cannot find your name on our books unless your Post 
Office address is given. Societies should send in their revised lists in January, if possible, otherwise 
we take it for granted that all will continue members. 


+{ Notes and fomments. & 


New Year’s Greetings. Horticultural Society is being formed 
there. This is the best way of keeping 
THe CanapiAN HORTICULTURIST jn touch with each other and being of 
greets its five thousand subscribers with mutual benefit. 
a sincere Happy New Year! Having Lies 
now reached the mature age of twenty- THE NEXT ANNUAL MEETING of the 
one, she makes her debut this 1899 ina _ Association will be held in the town of 
fine new dress, hoping to win the Whitby, in response to oft repeated in- 
admiration and esteem ofall her friends. _vitations from local fruit men, backed by 
Her desire is to serve the best interests . thé Mayor and Corporation of the town. 
of the amateur flower grower, the 
professional as well as the amateur fruit TOMATOES were not a success in the 
grower, and the amateur landscape export of shipments of 1898 ; indeed 
artist. She, therefore, invites liberal they carried better in 1 897,and then gave 
contributions of experience in horticul- great encouragement; but this season 
ture, with photographs in illustration, they were reported arriving over-ripe and 
that there may be mutual helpfulness. too soft to sell. We believe the explan- 
— ation is in the variety, and we have yet 
THE ANNUAL MEETING at St. Cath- to learn which variety is best to grow for 
arines was of special interest both to this purpose. In 1897 our shippers 
fruit and flower growers. A letter from grew Ignotum for export, and in 1808 
Mr. Thos. Beall states that an affiliated the Dwarf Champion, Dwarf Aristocrat 


35 


“y 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


and some other kinds. This would seem 
to indicate that the Ignotum is a better 
shipping variety than the others which 
were tried. Its fault is that it is rather 
large for the English market, where we 
want to offer dessert tomatoes only. One 
thing was notable about tomatoes, that 
they are little if any retarded in ripening, 
by cold storage. 


THE EARLY CRAWFORD peach also 


has been condemned as an export va- 
riety. 
long distance, so that notwithstanding 
its great value for our home markets, it 
must be discarded by the peach grower 
who is planting an orchard for export. 
What is the variety that will carry? is 
the first important question, and what is 
the quality ? is the second. No doubt 
the Smock would answer the first ques- 
tion; but other varieties superior in 
quality, and earlier in ripening, may be 
more desirable. 


Concorp, NIAGARA, AND WORDEN 
grapes are also useless for export. They 
do not carry well, mildewing wherever 
there is the slightest crack, and so ten- 
der that they are easily broken. Then 
their flavor is so obnoxious to the palate 
of the Englishman, who has always at 
hand the Black Hamburg, and other 
varieties of high quality, that it seems 
foolish to undertake to force them upon 
the British markets. The only markets 
for these grapes appears to be in the 
North-West Territories, providing rea- 
sonable express rates can be secured. 
Our Association has appointed a Com- 
mittee to make an effort in this direc- 
tion. 


IN grapes for export we must choose : 
(1) our best shipping varieties, and (2) 
our best flavored kinds. Mr. Robson, of 
Lindsay, elsewhere commends the A/z//s 


It it too soft and juicy to carry a _ 


36 


for this purpose. The quality is certainly 
good, and the bunch of fine size, and 
probably it would carry ; but we notice 
one fault, that the berries do not hold 
very firmly to the bunch. Lindley is a 
capital grape, of beautiful color, a good 
shipper, but the bunch is often rather 
loose. Wilder should fill the bill, also 
Agawam, Salem and Vergennes. The 
latter however lacks flavor. 

We hope that in 1899 the export ship- 
ments of grapes will be confined to these 
varieties, or others like them, and that 
it may be proved to some certainty, whe- 
ther or not we may export any kind of 
grapes, as a private enterprise, with any 
hope of success. Perhaps some of our 
readers will suggest other varieties worth 
trying. 


Or Pears we have learned little new 
in 1898 over our experience of 1897, 
because of the short crop and the blem- 
ished character of much of the fruit. 
The Bartlett (Williams) has again been 
carried in good condition, and has been 
favorably received. The same may be 
said of Duchess, Anjou, Clairgeau, Bous- 
sock and even Kieffer. We notice how- 
ever that buyers hesitate to buy the last 
named a second time, its quality is so 
poor. It is easily grown, easily carried, 
and fair to behold ; but, alas! very dis- 
appointing to the eater. 


AppLEs keep better picked September 
26 than October 13, according to Ohio 
B., II, 4. No doubt a fruit should be 
handled just a point off maturity, with- 
out waiting for the process of ripening- 
to show itself, which is really a step to 
ward decay. At Maplehurst we usually 
begin gathering winter apples about Sep- 
tember 2oth, finishing up, if possible, by 
the 2oth of October. 


NOTES AND 


POLLINATION will not take place and 
apples will not set, if blossoms are kept 
continually wet duriag the pollination 
season, as has been proved by experi- 
ments at the New Jersey Station. 


THE AMERICAN PoMOLOGICAL SocIE- 
Ty is now working in connection with 
the U. S. Department of Agriculture. 
The Society furnishes matter for the 
report and for fruit catalogue, etc., all of 
which is printed and published by the 
Department, as a serial portion of the 
Department’s publications. Notwith- 
Standing its wide sounding title, this 
‘Society has small meetings, and lacks 
‘the esprit de corps that is manifest in the 
meetings of the Fruit Growers’ Associa- 
tion of Ontario, which latter, by the way, 
is now the largest and probably the most 
influential Society of its kind in the 
world During the last ten years our 
actual paid membership has grown from 
1,500 to 4,150. 


nT 


THE WESTERN HortIcULTURAL So- 
cieTY has published their first Annual 
Report. They have about fifty mem- 
bers, and a legislative grant of $roo. 
The Secretary is Mr. A. P. Angus, Win- 
nipeg. 

THE ANNUAL Report of the Fruit 
Growers’ Association of Nova Scotia for 
1898, contains the papers read at the 
Annual Meeting, Wolfville, last January. 
The Secretary is Mr. S. C. Parker, Ber- 
wick, N. S. ; 

SPRAYING WITH PuRE KEROSENE.— 
Last summer we tried spraying our rose 
bushes with a very fine spray of pure 
kerosene to destroy the green aphis. 
We used Mitchell’s Hand Sprayer, which 
makes the finest perceptible mist, and 
had excellent results—the ce were de- 


37 


COMMENTS. 


stroyed and the bushes uninjured. We 
tried the same spray on our Akebia vine 
with injurious results on the tender 
young wood, and therefore cannot yet 
speak as confidently regarding the use 
of kerosene as we would like. Mr. H. 
P. Gould, of Cornell, has made some 
experiments and writes in Bulletin 155 
that pure kerosene is likely to seriously 
injure peach trees, even when dormant ; 
a twenty per cent. solution, however, is 
safe at any time. Apple trees are less 
susceptible, often enduring pure kero- 
sene without injury, while 50 per cent. 
of kerosene is quite safe. The safest 
time to apply it is on a bright sunny day. 
A solution of 20 per cent., i.e., 1 part 
oil to 4 parts water, is harmless to plants 
and destructive to insects, even to the 
San Jose scale. 


AN AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE IN Nova 
Scotia.—We have just received a clip- 
ping from the Halifax Herald, containing 
an address at Wolfville, by W. C. Archi- 
bald, in which he eloquently pleads for 
the establishment of a first class agricul- 
tural college at Wolfville ; a college in 
which, as he says, “any person can find 
instruction in any study, beginning with 
agriculture as the chief corner stone.” 

There is no doubt that this is the true 
means of correcting the unequal condi- 
tion of the farmer in the social scale ; 
as well as of securing to him better re- 
turns for his work. . 


OuR PREMIUM PLANTS are giving 
splendid satisfaction. For example, Mr. 
D. W. McFarlane, Picton, writes :—- 
The Crimson Rambler you sent me last 
spring, has exceeded my expectations. 
It sent out two shoots of between three 
and four feet in length, with one cluster 
of roses, fourteen in number. I prize it 
very much. 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


CHESNUTS.—Bull. 42, Delaware, .is 
devoted to the European and Japanese 
chesnuts. On the whole it would ap- 
pear that more is to be expected in the 
near future from the Japanese varieties 
than from the European. The Killen, 
one of the former, has already been re- 
ferred to in these columns. 


—_ 


A PROMINENT Nova ScoTian.—Mr. 
W. C. Archibald, above mentioned, 
called at this office on 31st ult., on 
his way to visit the Agricultural College 
at Guelph. This gentleman is the 
chairman of the Board of Control of 
the School of Horticulture at Wolf- 
ville, and now hopes to be instrumental 
in having an Agricultural College estab- 
lished in his province. 


PRINCE EDWARD IsLAND.—The 


President writes that the subject of better . 


storage and ventilation for apples in 
ocean transport is to be discussed at 
their next meeting, and they will unite 
with us in asking legislation on this im- 
portant condition of success. He says 
the island has been so much encouraged 
by her recent export of apples that con- 
siderable planting will be done in the 
coming spring. 


THE NIAGARA PENINSULAR FRUIT 
GrRowErs have elected Wm. Armstrong, 


St. Catharines, President, and C. E. 
Fisher, Queenston, Secretary. The next 
meeting will be held in St. Catharines 
about the middle of January to listen to 
Professors Fletcher and Macoun of 
Ottawa. 


THE BURLINGTON FRUIT GROWERS 
have elected A. W. Peart, Freeman, 
President, and W. F. Fisher, Burling- 
ton, Secretary. 


Fruit Puxp would surely be a profit- 
able article of export in seasons when 
green fruit is high priced; and since it 
will keep indefinitely, when once pro- 
perly sealed up, we cannot see why it 
need be sold during those seasons when 
it would not bring a margin of profit. 
Here is a clipping from the Greengrocer, 
London, England :— 


There is a good chance for our Colonial 
fruit- growers in supplying the London market 
with fruit pulps. This year French and 
Italian apricot pulp is extremely scarce. 
Last year it could be bought at from £15 to 
£20 per ton; itis now fetching very much 
higher prices, and we are informed that until 
June next prices are likely to rule high. It 
is put up in tins containing about 28lb., but 
the principal requirement is that the pulp 
shall be quite clean and free from specks. 
Dried apricots also will be wanted, and will 
fetch good prices. The pulp must, of course, 
be boiled with just sufficient sugar to make 
it keep in good condition. 


What is to hinder our exporting 
raspberry and peach pulp, with profit ? 


GREEN GRAPE Rot.—When holding 
institutes in the famous grape belt 
of Western New York, the subject of 
black rot of the grape was thoroughly 
discussed by the growers and also by 
the scientists. The almost unanimous 
verdict was, that spraying with Bordeaux 
mixture pays. In some seasons there is 
no apparent good result, but there nearly 
always is a decided benefit. It pays to 


38 


clean up all trash, and especially all old, 
rotten grape clusters, and burn them. 
Even the tendrils on the vines were 
known to bea place of refuge for the 
spores of the black rot, and they were 
taken off by some careful vineyardists. 
Cases were related where the disease had 
spread from a dried berry or two left from 
former years. 


4{ Question Orawer. & 


Fertilizers for] Specific Purposes. 


£038. Srr,—What kind of manure, 
either natural or artificial is best for bringing 
out in perfection, the distinctively blue colour 

of the Colorado Blue Spruce. 
Joun M. MocAtnsh, Belton, Ont. 


Reply by Frank T. Shutt, Chemist, 
Dom. Expl. Farms. 

In answer to the above question, I 
would say that in all probability the 
striking and beautiful colour of certain 
Colorado Blue Spruce trees is not caused 
byany peculiarities in the composition of 
the soil. Since in the same plantation 
and upon the same soil, only a few 
of these trees may develop this re- 
markable sheen, it cannot be considered 
as due to the predominance of any one 
element of plant food. 

We, however, know very well that an 
abundance of nitrogen in the soil, as 
furnished by barnyard manure, nitrate 


of soda or sulphate of ammonia, in- 


tensifies and darkens the green colour- 
ing matter in the foliage of many flower- 
ing plants and farm crops. There is 
also good evidence to show that the pre- 
sence in the soil of soluble iron, as, for 
instance, supplied by sulphate of iron 
{green vitriol), has a marked effect of a 
similar character. 

Whether any change in the colour of 
the Colorado Blue Spruce can be in- 
duced by any such means is extremely 
doubtful to the writer, but it would be 
an interesting experiment for your cor- 
respondent to apply to the soil about a 
tree, say, 1 pound of nitrate of soda, 
and in another case half a pound of 
sulphate of iron, and note if any change 
in ‘the colour of the foliage results. 
Evenness of distribution would be 
effected if the materials were powdered 
and mixed with five times their weight 
of dry loam and sand. 2 

It may be well to point out that these 


intensely blue spruce trees cannot with 


certainty be reproduced from seed, but 


may be propagated by cuttings. 


Cyclamen. 


1039. Srr,—I noticed in the November 
number a reference to a new style of Cycla- 
mens, and I should be glad to know from your 
contributor where the seed for this strain is 
to be obtained, and under what name it is 
known. 

J. A. ROBERTSON, 
Chateauquay Basin, Que. 


Reply by Wm. Bacon, Orillia. 

The Cyclamen giganteum  grandi- 
florum can at present be obtained of 
almost all first-class seedsmen, but if the 
subscriber should write to Wm. Ewing 
& Co., of Montreal, Que., and mention 
my name he would be likely to get the 
very best that the European, Canadian 
or American growers have produced. I 
sold him seeds of my choicest blooming 
plants at 14 cts. perseed. Usually they 
get 27 to 35 seeds in a 25 cent packet. 


Hardy Fruits. 


1040. Str,—What are the names of 
some of the hardiest varieties of apples, pears 
and plums, that might stand 40° below 
freezing. 

Lewis WEIGAND, 
Upper Thorne Centre. 


We have not yet completed our list 
of the best hardy varieties of fruits for 
the north ; and therefore can only make 
our correspondent a ‘partial reply. Of 
apples he should try Transparent, Du- 
chess, Alexander, Wolf River, Wealthy, 
Gideon and Scott’s Winter. Of pears, 


Flemish Beauty and Sapieganka. Of 
plums, Moore’s Arctic, Miner and 
Kingston. 


Ornithogalum Arabicum. 


1041. Sir.—Some of the members of the 
Hamilton Horticultural Society would like to 
know if any of your readers have forced the 
above named plant with success. 

J. M. Dickson, Hamilton. 


39 


x Open Letters. ¥ 


Grapes for England. 


Sir,—By to-day’s mail I send you a ripe 
bunch of the Mills grape grown in my garden 


at Lindsay and gathered on the 2lst of Sep-' 


tember for exhibition purposes. All .my late 
kinds also ripened their fruit this season, 
namely, Jefferson, Agawam, Vergennes and 
others, showing the possibility of gratifying 
the most fastidious taste as to color, flavor 
and size by a range from Moore’s Early, Jef- 
ferson, Lady Washington, Mills, even in this 
latitude, whenever we are fortunate enough 
to have a favorable season. 

May I make a few suggestions regarding 
the Mills grape and other hybrids. The Mills 
was produced by a cross |}etween the Euro- 
pean species Vinifera and our standard Am- 
erican varieties, resulting in the production 
of a grape that has the essential characteris- 
tics for export. In the hands of a skilled hy- 
bridist there might be produced from it a pro- 
geny earlier in ripening which might meet 
the requirements of the middle, mechanical 
and laboring classes of England. The vine is 
healthy, hardy and productive; the fruit is 
attractive, of fair size both in berry and 
bunch, and in flavor it is of near approach to 
the European varieties; the flesh is firm, 
meaty and adheres well to the cluster. It is 
a good shipper and a gocd keeper, an excel- 
lent combination, and if to this could only be 
added the property of early ripening, we 
might reasonably expect to find a demand for 
it at popular prices in the old country. 

This last summer I had the pleasure of 
spending about six weeks in England during 
July and August, and, being interested in 
fruit, particularly grapes, I noticed the dif- 
ference in quality. color and size, as account- 
ed for by the district in which the fruit was 
grown. England receives large importations 
in season from Spain, Portugal, France, and 
the Channel Islands, the prices varying ac- 
cording to the size and quality from 12c. to 
60c. per lb. I have a strong impression that 
a consignment of a few tons of such showy 
grapes as Niagara, Agawam, Vergennes and 
other good keepers could be profitably dis- 
posed of in the latter part of September in 
some of the large manufacturing towns in the 
north of England, as, for instance, Leeds, 
Stockton, Middleboro. Newcastle, Sunder- 
land, each with an average population of 
about 100,000. In the hands of a person 
with some knowledge of fruit and an ac- 
quaintance with a few leading wholesale fruit 
men, I believe our grapes could be success- 
fully introduced in this way I would have 
no fear of making a success cf such an enter- 
prise if the grapes were in good condition. 


W. M. Rosson. 
Lindsay, Ont. 


A New Strawberry. 


Srr,—A new strawberry, a chance seedling, 
was found in Ulster Co., just north of Orange, 


and in the heart of the Hudson river fruit re- 
gion, and was fruited in a large plantaticn fer 
the first time last season. 1 gave ita visit and 
I grew very enthusiastic over it. If you did 
not see our paper containing an account of it, 
with a cut, write me and I will send it to you. 
It will be on the niarket next spring—per haps 
it is now. I have ashort row in my home gar- 
den which the originator’s representative gave 
me, but I am in honor bound not to give or 
sell any plants until after he has disseminated 
it, which I believe will be in the coming 
spring. ; 

I think it would please you if you could see 
it, and I hope you buy a few plants; two or 
three dozen next spring and try it. I can say 
this for it in its home :—Superb foliage, rank 
grower, perfect flower, berry large and round, 
regular in shape, very solid, crimson in color, 
and solid enough for a first-class shipper. 

As an indication of its vigor, let me say, 
that last summer I set out a row of Wm. Belt 
in my garden, grown there, and they made a 
better than average growth. Two weeks later 
I set out the Gibson and they soon passed the 
Wn. Belt, larger plants, more runners and an 
altogether ruggeder plant. Of course, I have 
no interest in it; but I thought you might 
like to try it. The propagator’s address is 
Marlboro’, N. Y., ©. H. Baildon, and he isa 
very honorable man. 

E. G. Fowxer, Port Jervis, N.Y. 


A Sham Pear. 


Sir,—I am taking the liberty of sending 
you a little piece of news that I think might 
have escaped you while in the city on Tues- 
day. 

There is a gentleman here, who grows some 
very fine pears that have long been noted 
prize winners at the country fairs. This gen- 
tleman very kindly sent a few specimens to 
the Horticultural exhibit ; these were seen 
and admired by quite a number of people ; 
one of the admirers is a gentleman who has a 
hobby for mock-orange gourds ; he at once 
declared he could beat the pexrs all hollow. 

The joker hustled home and picked the 
largest and best specimen of gourd he could 
find, rubbed a little vinegar on the side and 
brought out a beautiful color ; he then packed 
it very carefully in a neat little box of cotton 
batten, so as to give the impression that it 
was a dead ripe pear (in reality to hide the 
bottom of the gourd, which is very unlike a 
pear). 

The ‘‘ pear ” was then brought to the show, 
where there was much discussicn as to its 
variety and mode of culture. The prize win- 
ner declared that it was wax, avother that it 
was wood and tinted. But the owner would 
not allow his precious (pear) to be taken from 
the box, and so the joke went on, until some 
one that knew, ‘let the cat out of the bag.’ 
And now the horticulturists are wondering 
who it was that did not know a gourd from a 
pear. - R. B. C., Hamilton. 


40° 


DRINKING FOUNTAINS, BELLE ISLE PARK. 


TELE 


CANADIAN HorTicuLTurIst. 


VoL. XXII TORONTO, 


1s9o9; 


FEBRUARY. No. 2 


OBLECT LESSONS PNcGiryY PARKS, 


Fie. 1513.— 


O make the public object les- 
sons worthy of imitation, their 
author must have a master 
mind to conceive and its keep- 

er must bea past master to execute. To 
plan out the various parts of a park so 
they will fit the uses for which those 
parts are designed, is almost an impos- 
sibility ; but if the designer can so plan 
that future additions may be made 


43 


without the various uses over-lapping 
each other or blending inharmoniously 
together, then his legacy to the park is 
a rich one. 

In general, parks are supposed to be 
small isolated territories not open to 
expansion of our Uncle Samuel, and 
consequently are supposed to be free 
from the many evidences of his com- 
mercial activity. They should be re- 
treats into which one may lose himself 
from his daily work, and everything that 
goes to make it complete should sym- 
bolize the words: vest, recreation and 
recuperation. 

My idea is that their beauty is en- 
hanced by a consistent arrangement, or 
is destroyed by associating things of 
divergent nature. Suppose the scene is 
that of wildness, as a native woods, 
ravine or small open glade, it should be 
removed and hidden from the more 
cultivated portions. The only improve- 
ment necessary is to make it accessible. 
A foot-path made after the plan of an 
Indian trail, a fallen tree as seats anda 


‘AIST ATI 101) A 
[ ATIIG 40 AALIVAY ISVA-HLAOG NI MATA--‘FICT ‘OTT 
. 


44 


- OBJECT LESSONS IN CITY PARKS. 


Hig? 1515,—— 


drinking fountain made as a natural 
spring are in the line of improvements 
that are permissable. 
to improve it shows as little as possible 
the effect of man’s handiwork. 

In grounds where the scenery is 
artificial, that made by man, another 
condition exists. Flower beds may 
abound ; banks of flowering shrubs may 
fringe groups of ornamental trees, 
drinking fountains of artistic designs 
may be introduced, as may also a small 
lake or pond, fringed with ornamental 
grasses and filled with subtropical water 
plants. The lawn should be well 
‘clipped ; the edges of the walks and 
drives properly edged, and everything 
here should show the careful attention 
of man. This picture is the opposite of 
the previous one. The careful  per- 
formance of the work in the latter is as 
necessary as the rigid exclusion of it in 
the former. It is the proper under- 
standing and carrying out of the details 
of these pictures that gives the park its 
character. 

The picnic-grounds and play-grounds 
are localities that occupy a medium 
place between the two previously pic- 


Everything done _ 


tured. There must be abundant shade 
and a fairly good lawn, also tables, seats 
and drinking fountains sufficient for the 
needs. . 

A year ago, our Park Board placed in 
the picnic-ground a number of wire 
baskets for refuse paper. They: are 
about three feet high and twenty inches 
in diameter. On one side, they are 
concave, so they will fit against a tree to 
which they are locked by a chain. 
These baskets may not have been in 


_ proper keeping with good landscape 


effect, but they are far better than hav- 
ing the discharged lunch parcels scat- 
tered over the lawn. When I state that 
from six to eight cords of picnic refuse 
is gathered after a big picnic day, it can 
be seen that these baskets are very valu- 
able in keeping the lawns free from un- 
sightly litter. 

Parks that attract large crowds must 

be well supplied with drinking fuun- 
tains. These should be of such design 
as will harmonize with their surround- 
We are discarding the cast iron 
affairs and are using field stone. 

The horse drinking fountains should 
bz high enough so that the horsé can 
drink without unchecking. It is unac- 
countable why this is not more often 
done. i 

In no one thing can parks_be better 
object lessons in good taste than in the 
location and construction of its walks 
and drives. ‘The principal ones must 
be of a nature that they are in good 
condition at all times to be in keeping 
with park surroundings ; they should be 
of gravel or crushed stone. The latter, 
more commonly known as macadam 
roadways, is the kind that best fills the 
requirements, as it is comparatively free 

“from mud in wet weather and the dust 
is kept to the ‘minimum with-a small 
amount of sprinkling during droughts. 

In this day of good road agitation, 

45 


ings. 


€8VQ NI ANTOQ—'‘9TC 


‘Oly 


ae Zi xinSth : 


ye: are 


46 


OBJECT LESSONS IN CITY PARKS. 


the public can rely with safety upon the 
experience of the park systems of our 
larger cities in the making of macadam 
roadways. In localities in Michigan 
where field stone is found, there is rea- 
son to hope that in the near future, 
means will be provided by which per- 
manent and lasting macadam roadways 
will be built. 

The main drives around the park 
must be of this permanent nature. No 
matter what the landscape is, the public 
demands it and no violence is done to 
landscape effects, if the drive skirts wild 
and romantic scenes. In such places 
no improvement outside of the roadway 
should be made, thus giving opportu- 
nities to all to come in direct contact 
with nature. Turf roads or mere trails 
may lead off the main driveway to more 
thorough contact with the wildness or 
to reach a desirable picturesque spot. 

In laying out the drives and walks 
caution must be exercised in making 
the curves. Do not let it appear that a 
curve is made because the curve itself 
is desired. If the ground is open, let 
the curve be a long sweep following the 
lay of land to make easy ascent or 
descent to the hills, but through the 
woods the curves may be shorter ; even 
abrupt. The bend should be sufficient 
to hide the road ahead of the curve. 
It is human nature to wish to see be- 
yond the next turn and by proper land- 
scaping one can be led on and on, each 
turn opening up new pictures, adding 
zest for more ; but let the traveller see 
the drive beyond the bend, the road 
looks too far and he gives up and re- 
turns. - 

I have in mind a walk that follows 
along the bank of a stream, as it runs 
through an open lawn. The walk is 
constantly changing its course and it is 
possible to see every curve in its sixty 
rods of length and its termination from 


47 


the starting point. In fact, it fairly 
seems a wriggle as the eye follows it 
along. I never saw anyone walking on 
this path, but were it more or less hid- 
den Ly shrubbery, I think it would be 
extensively used, as the scenery is 
beautiful ; but, as it is now, it all can be 
seen at a glance, so a closer inspection 
is not invited. 

. Paths should be arranged sufficiently 
direct so that cutting across the lawn is 
unnecessary, and the surface should be 
such that there is no tendency to walk 
on the lawn, A plantation of shrubs is 
more effective than the sign ‘‘ No path 
here,” and a thorough sweeping up of 
the loose stones on the walk is better 
than the sign on the adjacent lawn 
“ Keep off the Grass.” 

Last spring the Detroit Park Board 
tried an experiment of removing the 
“ Keep off the Grass” signs from every 
lawn on the park system. No serious 
damage followed and the benefit was in- 
estimable. When you consider that 
there are twenty-two small parks scat- 
tered throughout the heart of the city 
and are the lungs of thousands of peo- 
ple, it can be realized that the experi- 
ment was a momentous one. 

The plantations of flowers and shrubs 
that go to make up the beauty of a 
park should have a character. They 
should be so arranged that their effect 
is combined in one grand whole. 
There may be planted in one locality 
plants that blossom at the same time, 
and when they are at their best their 
beauty will attract the sight-seer to that 
place. A fortnight later it will be 
another collection and so on throughout 
the season. It may be a pansy bed, a 
collection of peonies, a mass of spiraea 
Van Houtti and viburnums, lilacs, 
roses, phlox, petunias, hybiscus, hydran- 
geas, golden rods, rudbeckias and sun- 
flowers, and ending up the season with 


‘MIST ATTA NI 


Sy 


TALLY 


AHL 40 ANQ—'LIGT ‘Ot 


48 


OBJECT LESSONS IN CITY PARKS. 


a mass of bright colored autumn fol- 
iaged trees and shrubs as Thunberg’s 
berbery, sumach, sassafras or pepper- 
idge, etc. 

It is the aim of the Detroit Park 
Board to have the character of the dif- 
ferent parks dissimilar. 

Next in size to Belle Isle Park is 
Palmer Park, on which is situated Ex- 
Sen. Palmer’s log cabin, filled with relics 
of olden times. It is desired to carry 
out in this park the primitive conditions 
of early settlers, instead of gaudy 
geraniums and assertive canna, will be 
the old fashioned flowers. In this park 
will be Gollected all the plants obtain- 
able that are native of our State, that 
are worthy of cultivation. It will be a 
botanic garden of Michigan. It will be 
such a distinct and unique feature and 
object lesson that a person wishing to 
see our various parks can form no idea 
of this one by seeing any of the others. 

That the parks may not be defaced, 
the rules governing the privilege of 
stringing telegraph ‘and telephone lines 
should bea ‘prohibitory one, and those 


for park purposes should be placed in: 


conduits. Ag*# ‘to: the » _pdvertisements 
that may: from“tinie*tb time find their 
way within the park boundaries, there is 
but one way to settle that—-a complaint 
in the police court: In the Detroit 
parks everything in the way of an ad- 
vertisement is Jes even to hand- 
bills. 

A few regulations giving the main 
rules of a park that are most apt to be 


violated may be placed at the entrances. 
Outside: of that, the fewer rules.and 
signs posted about the park the better 
it is for all concerned. | 

The park should be conducted on 
broad lines, and the freedom of the peo- 
ple should be restricted as little as pos- 
sible. By this, I do not mean that law- 
lessness is allowable, but that there will 
be perfect freedom.-for the enjoyment of 
its advantages. There should be proper 
facilities for the enjoyment of the various 
amusements, a place to bathe, a place 
for children to wade and sail boats ; 
there may be baseball grounds, foot- 
ball grounds, bicycle tract, lawn-tennis 
or any sport that may be in popular 
favor. 

One more point. Let the parks be 
an object lesson in education. New or 
little known plants should be labeled. 
As the landscape features are built up, 
set aside a place where plants can be 
planted, each family more or less by it- 
self, with a label to every species. 

There are many very desirable plants 
growing in every park that people would 
like to obtain for their homes, but that 
do not know its name, and consequent- 
ly cannot order it from the nurserymen. 
A label giving its common name, scien- 
tific name and its family, places that 
plant where it can do its full duty to 
all. 


R. Jf CORVELE, -.. 
Supt. Detroit Parks: 


* Detroit, Mich. 


‘ ‘. DRIED APPLES IN FRANCE. 


writes: The Fruit Trade Journal, 
“The decided increase in the im- 


portation of dried apples and pears 
should call the attention of the shippers 
of these commodities to the necessity 
of keeping this market well supplied 
with information in regard to the trade. 


(wis TOURGEE, of Bordeaux, 


49 


This consulate was overrun during last 
autumn and early winter with applica- 
tions for addresses of shippers of dried 
fruits in the United States... I found it 
very difficult from the resources at my 
command to answer these inquiries. In 
a general way this difficulty exists in 
regard to all lines of trade.” 


“SIST 


5° 


FERTILIZERS IN COLD CLIMATES. 


T is well known that quick growing 
crops, Or crops grown in countries 
which from their high latitude 
or other causes, have a compara- 

tively short season of growth, require 
plant food in a form very readily assimi- 
lated. by the plant. An important mat- 
ter in relation to this point is that with 
a shortened growing season, maturity 
closely follows actual growth. 

If a crop of potatoes, for example, are 
grown in a northern latitude to be used 
as seed for more southern sections, it is 
very important that ample supplies of 
the mineral manures, potash and phos- 
phate, should be assimilated early in the 
growing season. Only a fully matured 
potato gives satisfactory results as seed, 
and a dwindling supply of mineral fer- 
tilizers, during the latter stages of growth, 
is pretty sure to result in a crop of im- 
mature potatoes; of lessened value as 
food, and of little value as seed. 

Canada-grown seed potatoes have for 
a long time been used in the United 
States for early potatoes, but of late 
years have only too frequently failed to 
give satisfactory results. It is very com- 
mon for the “ eyes” to fail to germinate, 
though the tuber is fair and plump so 
far as outward appearance goes. This 
is very probably due to the exhaustion 
of potash in many of the Canadian soils, 
from constant cropping without adequate 
restitution. Where wood-ashes are used 
freely, the same result happens very 
commonly ; woodashes are a good 
source of fertilizer potash, but they also 
carry large quantities of lime which acts 
to liberate the supplies of potash exist- 
ing naturally in the soil; as a conse- 
quence, the soil readily becomes defi- 
cient in potash. In the United States 
farmers have a common “ saying ” to the 
effect that lime enriches the father at 
the expense of the son, meaning that the 


51 


use of lime tends to exhaust potash 
quickly. Jf sufficient supplies of wood 
ashes were used to keep up the supply 
of potash, there could be no damage 
from the free use of lime, but to properly 
supply the potash needed yearly would 
require more wood ashes than the Do- 
minion can supply in ten years. 

Potatoes are an exhaustive crop. They 
are largely water and starch it is true 
but a good crop of potatoes remove 
more potash than nitrogen. Wheat 
removes only a little more potash than 
phosphoric acid, but oats much more 
closely resemble potatoes. An acre of 
oats will require more than twice the 
potash than an acre of wheat. What has 
been said of the influence of an ample 
supply of fertilizer minerals for the pro- 
per maturity of potatoes, applies with 
equal force to wheat and oats, or other 
crops. As seed, their condition for use 
in the Dominion is just as important as 
it is in the United States. 

To insure a supply of fertilizers at the 
proper time, use them early as well as 
in ample quantities. The mineral fertil- 
izers, that is phosphoric acid and potash, 
will lose little or nothing by being ap- 
plied weeks or months before plant 
growth begins, so long as surface wash- 
ing can be prevented. With nitrate of 
soda or sulphate of ammonia, the appli- 
cation must be made only shortly before 
seeding. With minerals, apply enough 
and apply it early, is a safe maxim. 

R. GARWOOD. 


Note.—While we agree with our cor- 
respondent in most of what he says, and 
appreciate his remarks about the value 
of fertilizers, we can hardly accept his 
statement regarding the exhaustive ac- 
tion of wood ashes, which we do not 
think has been proven by fact, nor as to 
the decrease in the germinating power of 
Canadian potatoes, as the result of lack 
of potash, which is a new statement to 
us. EDITOR. 


ORIGIN AND DEVELOPMENT OF SOME COMMON 
FRUITS. 


FREDERICK C. NEwcomBg, Ph.D., Jr. Prof. of Botany, University of Michigan. 


AN is not content to see the 
outside of things. It is not 
enough for some of us that 
we car recognize apples 

and grapes as such, but we wish to 
know how these things come to be, how 
they. originate and how they develop. 
We are to consider for a few moments 
the origin and development of a few of 
our common edible fruits. 


We all know that the flower precedes 
the fruit, and before we can talk of the 
origin of the fruit we must look to the 
structure of the flower. 


In Fig. 1519 is 


FIG. 1519.—Diagram of a flower in longitudinal] 
section. 


shown a diagrammatic view of a longi 
tudinal section of a complete flower. 
The parts uf the flower are seen to arise 
in circles from the flower stem, the 
lowest circle being the calyx, the nex 
above the corolla, then the stamens, and 
sitting on the apex of the stem is the 
pistil. The calyx is usually green, and 
surrounds the stem as a cup or as severa 
small leaves; in the bud it is folded 
closely over the other parts within, often 
protecting them by a waxy covering 
from the intrusion of rain, and from 
bird or insect enemies by distaste 


52 


secretions. The showy corolla which to 
man’s eye paints nature in beautiful 
colors, is a sign unfurled by the plant to 
tell insects of good things to eat, of 
banquets of pollen and nectar. The 
stamens with slender stalks supporting 
pollen-sacs are the male organs whose 
pollen-grains effect the fertilization of 
the ovule and thus start the growth of 
the fruit. The pistil is the female organ 
containing in its flask-shaped base, or 
ovary, the ovules which are the germs of 
seeds. 

This is the structure of a simple and 
complete flower. But every part just 
named is capable of modification, and 
there is no part among those named 
that may not be absent from some 
species of flowers. In the pea and the 
bean flower, for instance, the corolla is 
so modified that its separate leaves are 
no longer all alike, but together present 
a peculiar butterfly appearance. In the 
pumpkin the corolla is all in one piece 
forming a beautiful yellow funnel. The 
corolla may, instead of one, be com- 
posed of several rows of colored leaves, 
as in the cultivated rose or the white 
water lily. On the other hand, the 
corolla may be wholly absent, as in the 
flowers of the sugar maple; the calyx 
and corolla may both be absent as in 
our American sycamore and in the 
female flowers of the birch ; the stamens 
may be absent as in one kind of flowers 
in the melons, or the pistils may be 
absent as in the other kind of flower of 
the melons. When all parts are present 
in a single flower, the pistils and stamens 
may become mature at different times, 
thus insuring cross-fertilization, as in the 


pear. The successful fruit-raiser takes 


ORIGIN AND DEVELOPMENT OF 


all these variations into account ; for he. 


has learned that in order to raise cer_ 
tain kinds of strawberries, grapes, pears, 
etc., he must so arrange his plants that 
there shall be a plentiful supply of ripe 
pollen when the pistils are ready for 
fertilization. 

What is a flower taken asa whole? 
It is a modified branch; for it has an 


axis or stem from which grow the parts. 


of the calyx and corolla, these parts 
being leaves. The stamens and the 
pistils we belive to be also modified 
leaves; for we have many plants like 
the tulips and white water lily in which 
the parts of the corolla pass gradually 
into stamens. This is shown well in 
Fig. 1520. Moreover, there are many 
plants in which 
the pistils de- 
velop into 
leaves instead 
of taking their 
usual form ; our 
common tril- 
lium or wake 


Fic. rage f 
Lity (Nymphza odorata), rODIN 1S One O 
showing graduation from h 

sepal on the left, through these. 

petals to stamens on the 
right. 


1520.—WHITE WATER 


If we wish to 
see the origin of a fruit, it is not enough 
that we find in the flower the part from 
which the fruit comes. We can go still 
farther back and find the origin of the 
parts of the flower. If we were to dis- 
sect a peach bud, or almost any other 
flower bud in December, we should 
find all the parts of the flower present in 
small size. If however, we were to 
make an examination in August or Sep- 
tember, we should find the buds then 
forming. Suppose we dissect carefully 
the tip of a branch in the late summer ; 
we should find the appearance shown in 
Fig. 1521. The first view shows the 
apex of the stem directed toward the 
observer, while growing from it is a circle 


SOME COMMON FRUITS. 


cP 
& vb 
re > 34) a. 
FIG 1521.—DEVELOPMENT OF THE ORANGE BLOS- 
som. (Citrusaurantium). 1, tip ofstem show- 
ing the origin of thes sepals; 2, the 5 petals 
beginning to show alternating with the sepals ; 
3, appearance of the first 5 stamens; 4, other 
stamens arising on the flanks of the first 5; s, 
same stage as the preceding, but in different 
position, with calyx and corolla cut away; 6, 
origin of the circle of bee? as little hoods on 
the stem; 7, origin of pistils showing alone; 
8, older stage of stamens and pistils ; 9, ro, rr, 
interior views of pistils; 12, young flower with 
pistils united into one in the middle, and other 
parts cut away on the near side ; 13, 14, show- 
ing the origin of seeds in the pistil; 15, 16, 
older pistils ; 17, 18, mature flower ; 19, mature 
pistil; 20, mature stamen; 2r, ovulesin pistil; 
22, ovule enlarged. 
of little tongue-like structures. These 
five tongues are the germs of the five 
sepals. In No. 2, we see the sepals 
grown longer, while just above, and al- 
ternating with them are five little eleva- 
tions, the beginning of the five petals. 
In No. 3, sepals and petals have en- 
larged, and now appears a third circlet 
of elevations, the germs of the first 
stamens. Soon other stamen germs 
grow out beside these first five, so that 
in No. 4g, 5 and 6, where calyx and 
corolla have been partially cut away, 
one sees a circle composed of many 
little knobs. In No. 8, still another 
circle of elevations has risen from the 
stem, these being hood-shaped, and 
representing the beginning of the circle 
of pistils. In Nos. 72, z5 and 79, these 
pistil-germs have enlarged and finally 


9 


J 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


united to make one compound pistil. 
Nos. 73, 76 and 2z show how the ovules 
arise within the base of the pistil. Many 
of our edible fruits are formed, as we shall 
see, by the extraordinary development 
of the pistil, and it will be well to re- 
member that the first indication of the 
origin of such fruits is one or more lit- 
tle tongues of tissue rising from the sur- 
face of the stem at the tip of the branch. 


FIG. 1522.—A TO F NORTH AMERICAN FOX GRAPE. 
(Vitis labrusca) A, branch with leaves and 
tendrils ; B, unopened flower; C, male flower, 
D, female flower, with sterile stamens and 

lands alternating with the stamens; E, F, 
sross and Longitudinal sections of the pistil ; 

G to M, European Grape (Vitis vinifera). G, 
flowering branch; H, J, Longitudinal and 
Cross sections of the berry ; K, L, M, the seed. 
One of the simplest of our market 
fruits is the grape, illustrated in Fig. 

1522. The figure 4 is a branch from 

our American Fox grape, the ancestor of 

many of our cultivated varieties. 2B 
shows a flower of this species, the calyx 
being a mere ring around the stem, 
while the corolla never opens, but early 

falls off, revealing the stamens as in C, 

or the pistil with abortive stamens as in 

D. Thus wesee that the flowers of this 

grape are of two kinds, male and female. 

The only part of the flower that devel- 

ops into the fruit is the flask-shaped 

pistil, which after fertilization begins to 


swell, becomes fleshy, loses its flask form 


to become spherical, finally becoming 
pulpy, a delicious fruit of the simplest 
origin—a modified pistil. 


FIG. 1523—SOUR CHERRY. (Prunus cerasus)’ 
A, flower cluster; B, flower in longitudinal 
sections, showing pistil sunken in cup-shaped 
stem ; C, fruit in section. 


From the grape we pass to cherries, 
peaches and plums, the cultivated 
species all derived by America from the 
old world. In Fig. 1523, the illustra- 
tion B shows a cherry flower longitudinal 
section. There are depicted flower stem, 
calyx, corolla, stamens anda single pistil. 
The same parts are present here as shown 
in our diagram Fig. 1519, but in the 
cherry the parts are differently dispos- 
ed.* The stem or axis instead of pre- 
serving its conical form becomes cup- 
shaped, bearing the pistil in the bottom 
of the cup, and all other parts on the 
rim of the cup. No one could tell by 
looking at this flower alone what parts 
would develop into fruit. It looks very 
much as though not only the pistil but 
also the cup-shaped stem would become 
fleshy. But in the immediate develop- 
ment after fertilization, the cup ceases 
to grow, while the single pistil begins to 
swell, the inner part of its wall becoming 
stony, the outer part fleshy and edible. 
The relation of stony and fleshy part is 
shown in C' (1523). Thus the fruit of 
the cherry, the peach and the plum are 
made solely from the enlarged base of 
the pistil. These fruits are therefore 
in origin the same as that of the grape. 


*In the following account the author has 
chosen to regard the cup-shaped base of the 
flower of Rosacez as an extension of the stem 
rather than as a calyx tube. 


54 


ORIGIN AND DEVELOPMENT OF SOME COMMON; FRUITS. x 


|, The fruit of the lemon and orange 
are also derived from the pistil alone ; 
but whereas in the grape, cherry, peach 
and plum itis the wall of the pistil or 
ovary which becomes the succulent part, 
in the lemon and orange the ovary wall 
forms only the yellow skin, while the 
juicy flesh is formed by a mass of hairs 
which fill up the cavity of the ovary. 
The apple blossom is illustrated in 


FIG. 1524.—THE APPLE(Pirus malus). A, flower ; 
B, flower in section; C, flower in section with 
corolla removed; r, the axis or stem which 
develops into the fruit; D, fruit in longi- 
tudinal section, showing persistent calyx k, 
wall of ovary f,and vascular bundles y. E, 
fruit in cross section. 


Fig. 1524. If we look closely at the 
sections of flowers as shown at & and C, 
we shall note two principal variations 
from the structure of the cherry flower. 
The apple instead of one pistil as in the 
cherry has usually five; and the pistils 
instead of sitting freely in the bottom of 
the cup of the stem as in the cherry, are 
fused with the cup of the stem in theap- 
ple. As the fruit begins to develop after 
fertilization, the stem-cup, as well as the 
pistils, enlarges, carrying the rest of the 
flower on the rim of the cup for a short 
time ; soon the corolla, the stamens and 
the upper part of the pistils fall off, but 
the calyx remains even upon the ripe 
fruit. 

Of a quite similar origin to the apple 
are the pear and quince. The fruit of 
the apple, pear and quince is therefore 
a swollen stem or axis enclosing the base 


oo 


QC Oh 
of the pistil, thus differing widely from 
the fruits previously considered. 

Currants, “ huckleberries, gooseberries 
cranberries, pumpkins, squashes, melons 
and bananas have a similar origin to the 
apple ; for in the flower, their pistil-base 
is fused with the cup of the stem, and as 
the fruit develops both stem-cup and 
pistil-base enlarge together. There is, 
however, this difference between the 
fruits last named and those of the apple, 
pear and quince ; in the latter group the 
edible part is all or nearly all stem; 
while in the former group, the stem 
part is but a thin covering over the out- 
side, the edible part being mostly pistil. 

The flowers of the blackberry and 
raspberry have, as shown in Fig. 1525, 
a single circle of calyx leaves, a single 
circle of corolla leaves, but several cir- 
cles of stamens and pistils. By looking 
at B, Fig. 1525, it will be seen that the 
calyx, corolla and stamens, just as in 
the cherry and apple, arise from the 
rim of a stem-cup, a deep cup in the 
cherry and a shallow cup in the black- 


FIG. 1525.—EUROPEAN WILD BLACKBERRY. 
bus fruticosus). 


(Ru- 
A, a flowering branch’ B, 
flowerin longitudinal sections ; C, branch with 
fruit ; p corolla and ¢ calyx. 


berry. This cup in the raspberry and 
blackberry has rising from its bottom 
a solid dome, on whose sides the pistils 
are arranged. This dome is a part of 
the stem. 

The flower of the strawberry is in 
every way quite similar to that of the 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


are fused with the cup; while at 
A and BS, types of the strawberry 
and blackberry, the pistils grow 
from a dome rising from the 
bottom of the cup. 


Returning to a consideration- 
of the fruit of the blackberry 
and the strawberry, we find that 
although the flowers are so nearly 
alike, the edible parts of the fruit 
are much unlike. The pistils in 
the blackberry become thick-wall- 
ed, just as the single one does in 
the cherry, and these fleshy pistils 
give us the appearance shown in 


FIG. 1526.—STRAWBERRY. 
plant; B, flower; 


(Fragaria vesca). 
corolla and e¢ calyx. 


blackberry, as will be seen by reference 
to Fig. 1526, B and C. 

The last four groups of figures exam- 
ined, those of the cherry, apple, black- 
berry and strawberry, illustrate members 
of one plant family—the rose family or 
Rosacez. Since this family furnishes 
‘us in this region with the most of our 
tree and bush fruits, it may be worth 
while just here to take a comparative 
view of the flowers of its members, as 
illustrated in Fig.1527. It will 
be noted that in all these six 
flowers the calyx, corolla and 
stamens are borne on the rim 
ofa cup. The manner of arrange- 
ment of the pistils is what chiefly 
distinguishes the flowers from one 
another. At C we have the type 
of the cherry flower, with a single 
pistil in the bottom of the cup ; 
at D is the same relation, except 
that there are several pistils in- 
stead of one ; at Z, which is the 


A, complete 
C, flower in longitudinal section; D, 
pistil; E, pistil in longitudinal section: F, fruit; p 


Fig. 1525,,C, and Fig. 1528, B, 
the calyx of the flower still show- 
ing beneath the fruit. In the 
strawberry on the other hand, the 
pistils do not become fleshy; they remain 
small and become dry and hard, while 
the domed axis from which they grow 
swells enormously, furnishing thus the 
edible part. Therefore the blackberry 
is composed mostly of succulent pistils 
attached to a small central stem or core, 
while the strawberry is composed mostly 
of the enlarged central stem, in whose 
surface are borne the dry pistils. 

Fig. 1528 shows a series of three ber- 


type of the rose flower, the pistils 
are borne on the sides as well as 
on bottom of the cup; at /; the 
apple flower, the base of the pistils 


56 


corolla. 


FIG. 1527.—Comparative view of flowers of the Rose Family 
A, Marsh Five Finger (Potentilla palustris!; B, Avens 
(Geum urbanum) ;'C, Lady’s Mantle (Alchemilla alpina) ; 
D, Meadow-Sweet (Spirz2a decumbens); E, Dog Rose 
(Rosa canina); F, Apple (Pirus malus)* e calyx and p 


ORIGIN AND DEVELOPMENT OF SOME COMMON FRUIT. 


Fic, pre Comepasative few of fruits. A, Strawberry; B, 


Raspberry ; C, Mulberry. 


ries—strawberry,raspberry and mulberry. 
The mulberry, to a superficial observer, 
may look not unlike the raspberry or the 
blackberry. We see, however, that each 
little fruit in a raspberry or blackberry 
is tipped with a single thread—the re- 
mains of the upper part of the pistil ; 
but each little fruit in the mulberry is 
tipped with more than one thread, and 
there are lines crossing the fruitlet. If 
we cut longitudinal sections of these 
berries, we shall have before us such | 
appearances as are shown in Fig. 1529. 
From these figures and from a study 
of the development of the fruits, it can 
be seen that the fruit of the strawberry 
is a fleshy stem or axis with the small 
dry pistils in its surface ; the fruit of 
the blackberry is composed of many 
fleshy pistils attached to a slightly 
fleshy axis ; the fruit of the raspberry, 
as ready for market, is like that of the 
blackberry except that the pistils of 
which it is composed are separated 


FIG. 1529.—View of fruitsin section. A, Straw- 
berry; B, Blackberry ; C, Raspberry; D, Mul- 
berry. Dotted line in A and B show where the 
fruit separates from the axis. 


2 57 


FIG 1530. 
flowers ; B, head of fruit; C, single flower, showing 
calyx and corolla; D, flower in longitudinal section ; 
E, petal and stamen ; F, pistil and calyx. 


from the central axis ; while the 
fruit of the mulberry consists of a 
whole branch, all parts of the flow- 
ers of which have developed over 
into fruit. Each little fruit in a 
mulberry has a central part which 
is the pistil containing seeds, and. 
enveloping this pistil are four 
fleshy calyx-lobes. Each little 
fruit is attached by a short stem to the 
central larger stem; so that the mul- 
berry is made from a whole group 
of female flowers including the stems 
of these flowers. The mulberry is 
therefore the same kind of fruit as a 
naked ear of corn. In the ear of corn, 
however, the pistils are not united with 
the calyx as in the mulberry. 


PINE APPLE. (Ananas sativus). A, headof 


In the pine apple, Fig. 1530, the 
flowers are grouped in a head as in the 
flowers of the red clover. There is a 
central stem from which the flowers 
branch off as in the mulberry, but in the 
pine apple, in addition to the various 
parts of the flower, there are leaves in- 
terspersed, a leaf just below each flower. 
When the pine apple ripens, all parts 
become fleshy and fuse together, pistils, 
stamens, corollas, calyxes, leaves and 
plant stem, all uniting to make this deli- 
cious fruit. 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


- FIG, 1531.- -(Fi us carica). A, flowering branch ; 
BR, female flower; C, male flower ; D, maturein 
longitudinal section. 


In the last fruit to be dealt with here, 
the fig, we have the same parts present 
as in the pine apple, only their arrange- 
ment is different. In the fig, the plant 
stem instead of being solid, giving off 
flowers outwardly as in the pine apple 
and the mulberry, is urnshaped, giving 
off flowersinwardly, asseen in Fig.1531 D 
The urn of the fig is outwardly nearly 
like that of the rose, Fig. 1527 Z; but the 


urn of the rose gives off only pistils, 
while that of the fig gives off flowers and 
rudimentary leaves. 

Thus it is seen that fruits arise from 
the development of various parts present 
in the flower ; that the parts of the flower 
all arise as little tongue-like out-growths 
from a plant stem ; that in the ripe fruits, 
we have in the grape, cherry, plum and 
peach only the pistil of the flower; in 
the apple, pear, quince and others, the 
pistil with a thick stem part outside ; in 
the raspberry, a hollow dome composed 
of many pistils; in the blackberry, a 
central stem bearing many succulent pis- 
tils ; in the strawberry, a succulent stem 
bearing dry.pistils ; in the mulberry, a 
thin central stem bearing many lateral 
flowers, all of whose parts become suc- 
culent and remain in the fruit ; in the 
pine apple and fig, a complex of pistils, 
stamens, corollas, calyxes, leaves, and 
stems. 


NEATER PACKAGES FOR FRUIT. 


There is a needed tendency toward 
smaller and neater packages for fruits. 
In addition to getting nearer the wants 
of the consumer, the fruits are not sub- 
ject to the injury they are exposed to in 
large packages, where the ripe are crush- 
ed by the greener ones. A light attrac- 
tive package helps to no small extent in 
the sale of the contents. The cost of 
the packages is no longer a big expense. 
The decline has kept pace with the de- 
cline in values of fruit, and new and im- 
proved machinery insures still lower 
prices for many of the packages necessary. 

Conceding that the grower has done 


58 


his duty so far in raising, picking and 
packing the fruit, the next step is the 
best market, and last, but not least, the 
firm selected to ship to. The alluring 
and neatly worded circulars have led 
many shippers astray. Big figures, too, 
often prove a bait that many cannot re- 
sist. Every big market has plenty of 
firms who are entirely satisfied with their 
legitimate commissions, to whom the 
grower can ship without assuming any 
risk. Beware of the big, windy circulars 
that promise everything, and the firms 
that send them out.—Proceedings of 
American Pomological Society. 


PALM CULTURE IN OUR HOMES. 


Read by Mr. J. O. McCulloch, at the December Meeting of the Hamilton Horticultural Society. 


N this paper “ Palm Culture in Our 
Homes,” I can only give an ac- 
count of the method pursued by 
myself. It may not be the best 

method, but it has resulted in some 
fairly good plants, and there is no doubt 
that any one, with the exercise of a 
little care and patience, can produce 


This is a mistake, as there are few 
plants that will give as much satisfaction, 
with ordinary care as some varieties of 
the palm. (They will grow and thrive 
where any blooming plant would prove 
a disappointment, because they do not 
require the sunlight which most other 
plants must have. a 


Fic. 1532.—PuHa@n1x RECLINATA. 


fine specimens of this most graceful and 
beautiful class in our ordinary living 
rooms; and I hope, that those who 
have succeeded, perhaps by some differ- 
ent method, will give us the benefit of 
their experience. 

It is unfortunate that many have been 
deterred from attempting to grow palms, 
by the somewhat widespread notion, 
that they will not do well in the house. 


59 


Palm culture, - like everything else, 
must start by procuring the palm. Any 
florist can supply you, but it is not so 
easy to say with what variety to begin. If 
I were advising anyone to make a start, 
it would be with Phenix Reclinata or 
Phenix Rupicola. These two will stand 
almost anything, high temperature, low 
temperature, fluctuating temperature, 
coal gas (the less of it however the 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


better), and even drying out until the 
leaves droop, and still maintain an ap- 
pearance of which no one need be 
ashamed. Next in order would come 
the Kentias, Balmoreana, Forsteriana, 
and Canterburyana, then Latania Bor- 
bonica and Seaforthia Elegans, followed 
after a little experience, by Aveca Lut- 


escens and Cocos Weddeliana ; these last 


two are very graceful, the Cocos per- 
haps being the finest of all for table 


symmetry so necessary in a_ palm. 
However, having possessed yourself of 
a plant grown in a high temperature, is 
no reason for discouragement, as each 
succeeding leaf, after the first one grown 
outside the greenhouse, will come on a 
little longer stem, and the plant in time 
resume its graceful shape. When buy- 
ing, be sure your plants are well rooted, 
have them turned out of the pots and 
see that the tips of the roots are white 


Fic. 1533.—PHanix Rupico.a. 


decoration. And now a word about 
buying the plant, content yourself with 
something of rather a small size to start 
with and try and get a plant that has 
been grown in a cool temperature. If 
you get a plant that has been grown 
in a high temperature, the next few 
leaves it puts out, after having been 
removed from the greenhouse, will 
come with shorter stems than those al- 
ready on the plant, thus destroying the 


60 


or pink, and that there is a goodly num- 
ber of them. A well rooted, cool grown 
palm may be safely removed from the 
greenhouse to our living rooms at any 
season of the year. 

“The first requisite of house culture 
is regular attention. Other plants may 
be ,injured by neglect and quickly re- 
cover, not so with the palm. The 
damage done by one weeks neglect may 
require a couple of years to repair. By 


PALM CULTURE IN OUR HOMES. 


regular attention, I do not mean water- 
ing. or for that matter doing anything 
else at stated intervals, except looking 
your plants over at least once a day, to 
see what attention they need. There 
can be no stated time for watering 
plants. The temperature of the rooms 
may be higher one day than another, 


and easy as it is, it has proved a greater 
stumbling block than anything else. 
Constant soaking with water has ruined 
many palms, and drying out has pro- 
bably ruined as many more. When you 
water do it thoroughly, using tepid water 
if it is handy, and then watch your plant 
until it shows signs of becoming dry, 


Fic. 1534.—Kentia FoRSTERIANA, 


there may be more sunlight, the air 
may be drier ; in fact, there area variety 
of causes, not easily traced, which make 
it possible for a plant to require water 
twice in two days at the beginning of a 
week, and once in two days at the end 
of it. To be able to determine whether 
a palm needs water or not, is perhaps 
the most essential thing in palm culture, 


61 


before watering again. You can tell 
this by the appearance of the earth in 
the pot, by the feel of it, or perhaps 
best of all, by the sound produced by 
rapping the pot with the knuckles. To 
become familiar -with this last method, 
take a pot filled with earth and let it 
become dry; rap it sharply with the 
knuckles and note the sound, then water 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


it, and rap again noting the difference. 
Have a pot that was watered the day 
before, rap it and- you will have still 
another note. With a little practice 
you will be able to tell by this simple 
method whether a plant needs water or 
not. The only rule to be laid down is, 
never allow the earth to become dry 
enough to powder between the thumb 
and finger, and never keep it soaking 
wet. One of the best methods of water- 
ing is to place the plant in a pail or tub 
of water, where the water is deeper than 
the pot, and allow it to stand until the 
air bubbles cease to come to the sur- 
face ; then, in taking the pot out, drain 
the water from the top of the pot so 
that as little water‘as possible will pass 
through the soil. The reason that this 
method is better than the one usually 


employed is, that the. earth in drying _ 
shrinks away from the pot; and when. 


the water is poured in at the top, it is 
very apt to find its way down the sides 


of the pot and out at the bottom, with- - 


out having thoroughly penetrated the 
centre. 
watered by this method do not dry so 


You will also find that plants : 


once a week and ata time when the 
plant needs water. Perhaps the easiest 
way is to stand the plant in a bath or 
tub and give the leaves a shower bath 
with the watering can, or fill up the 
bath and put the plant in so as to cover 
the leaves, if necessary, placing it on its 
side. Should you prefer to have the 
leaves cleaner than these methods will 
make them, rub them over with a damp 
sponge, rinsing it occasionally. There is 
no necessity to use castor oil or any- 
thing else of that nature to make the 
leavés glossy, if they are kept perfectly 
clean. Handle your palms carefully. 
The tip of the coming leaf in some 
varieties is very brittle, the slightest 


“touch will break it as I have found 


out to my sorrow more times than 
one. If you should be so unfortunate 
as to break one, don't feel too bad 


about it as the injury is generally 


temporary, seldom . effecting the leaf 
after opening. ae 

With regard to temperature, a palm 
with proper watering will stand a higher 
or a lower temperature, than we would 


find comfortable in our living rooms. 


quickly, thus showing that the watering "Itisa mistake to suppose that they re- 


was more thoroughly done. And now 


I must sound a note of warning in re- | 


gard to jardinieres, they are all very 
well in their place, and certainly im- 
prove the appearance of a handsome 
palm, but they were never intended to 
water palms in. When you water your 
plant, take it out of the jardiniere and 
allow it to drain before putting it back ; 
and it is perhaps as well, as a matter 
of precaution, to have an inch of beach 
gravel, or something of that nature, in 
the bottom of the jardiniere, and when 
you lift your plant out, drain out any 
water that may have actumulated. 

The next matter of importance is 
washing the leaves. ‘To keep a palm in 
good order, this must be done at least 


62 


quite an extra amount of heat. They 
will grow and thrive just as well in a 
lower temperature, say from 55 to 65°, 
and in the end make a better plant. <A 
palm will stand, without injury, an oc- 
casional temperature of 45°, provided 
it has not been grown in a high tempera- 
ture, but it is not of course advisable to 
subject the plant to such an extreme, if 
it can be avoided. As to light, give 
them a sunny window in winter if you 
can, but it is by no means a necessity ; 
many palms that are fine specimens 
have seen little or none of the winter 
sun. Be careful not to give a full ex- 
posure to sun in the late spring, or the 
result will probably be“unsightly burnt 
leaves. If your housefis heated by a 


PALM CULTURE 


hot air furnace, be sure to keep the 
water pan filled, as much for the benefit 
of yourself as your plants, and avoid if 
possible coal gas, though palms stand 
even more of this than most plants. 
Should your house be lighted by gas, 
grow your palms in the room where 
least of it is used. Special ventilation I 
do not think is necessary, the air that is 


IN OUR HOMES. 


have them in any quantity, take a tooth 
brush and water and scrub the leaves 
until the scale has fallen off. If how- 
ever, your plant is free from these pests 
to start with, and you examine it oc- 
casionally, you will probably never 
find more than half a dozen or so, which 
may be removed with a little piece of 
stick, or anything else that comes handy. 


Fig. 1535.—Kent1a CANTERBURYANA. 


pure enough for us will be all the palm 
requires. 

There is but one class of insects that 
are injurious to palms. These are 
generally known as scale, and you will 
have to learn to know them and keep a 
sharp look-out for them, otherwise, your 
efforts at palm culture will come to 
naught. They appear as little greyish 
or brownish scales on the leaves, and 
will, if left undisturbed, render the finest 
green leaf a sickly yellow. Should you 


Never apply kerosene emulsion or any- 
thing else of that nature to your palms, 
it may kill the scale, but will certainly 
injure the plant. 

And now, we may consider the soil 
and method of potting. I have grown 
palms with some measure of success, in 
soils of widely varying nature ; for in- 
stance, in rotted clay sod, then in leaf 
mould, and again in a mixture of the 
two, and I have found but one soil so 
far, in which they would not grow, and 


63 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


that was, rotted sod and manure. The 
lesson to be learned from this is, avoid 
manure in any shape for palms. What- 
ever soil you use, make leaf mould the 
basis of it. All my palms but one or 
two, are growing in pure leaf mould, 
and the one or two are in leaf mould, 
with the addition of about twenty-five 
per cent. fine beach sand. This latter 
soil is the better of the two; but I think 
the substitution of light rotted sod for 
the sand, would be still better, provid- 
ed, there was no manure mixed with 
the sod. In case, that any of you do 
not understand what is meant, by leaf 
mould, I may say, that it is simply 
thoroughly decomposed leaves, and can 
be found in any woods. Scrape away 
the rough leaves on top, and you will 
find your leaf mould from two to four 
inches in depth underneath. In using 
it, don’t sift it, or throw out the fibrous 
parts, or little pieces of stick ; let it all 
go into the potting soil. Another thing, 
don’t take your leaf mould from a de- 
pression, where water might lie, select a 
spot that is well drained, otherwise your 
soil will be sour, in fact it would be bet- 
ter to throw the leaf mould in a little 
heap, in cellar or outhouse, and turn it 
over a couple of times, to make sure it 
is perfectly sweet before using. 

In potting, the first thing to be con. 
sidered is drainage, and this must be 
perfect. To attain this end, I know of 
nothing to equal the method described 
by our president, in his talk about 
bulbs ; if you remember he covered the 
hole in the pot, with a piece of broken 
flower pot, then, put in half an inch of 
beach gravel, and over this, some moss 
or leaves torn to shreds. This is an 
improvement on any method I have 
used so far, and I intend to use it in 
future. Having provided the drainage, 
put in some soil, and then your plant, 
and remember one thing, pot tightly ; 


64 


take a flat stick and ram the soil down 
around the side of the pot, you will 
hardly get it too tight. Be sure the pots 
you use are perfectly clean, and use a 
pot an inch larger than the one the palm 
is already in. In some cases, it may 
be desirable to put the plant back in 
the same pot that it is growing in. To 
do this take the plant out of the pot 
and stand it in a pail of water, washing 
all the earth from the roots ; then put it 
back in the pot and with the fingers, 
ram the new soil in between the roots 
until the pot is full. This is rather a 
delicate operation, and I would not ad- 
vise any one to try it extensively with- 
out first experimenting, though it proved 
a success with me in the case of two 
plants last spring. The best time for 
an amateur to pot palms is in spring, 
probably the latter end of May, and one 
shift a year is plenty for all palms 
though some of them may not require 
potting as often; it all depends on how 
the plant is growing. Learn to turn a 
plant out of the pot without disturbing 
the soil, and keep track of the condi- 
tion of the roots; in health, the tips 
should be light in color, if black and 
soft, something is wrong. The trouble 
may be, too much or too little water, 
the one, who waters’ the plant, is the 
only one, who can determine which. 
When turning out the plant, if you see 
a worm, take it out; but it is doubtful, 
whether they do any harm or not. 
Should you wish however to get rid of 
them, try watering with lime water or 
stick half a dozen matches in the pot, 
sulphur end down, and leave them there 
through two or three waterings, and the 
worms will come to the surface. 

Palms will probably be the better for 
staying out of doors in warm weather. 
Certainly, they are more easily looked 
after, but they must not be fully ex- 
posed to either sun or wind; the sun 


PALM CULTURE IN OUR HOMES. 


Fic. 1536.—Panpbanvus UTIs. 


will burn, the wind thrash and split the 
leaves. The ideal spot is one with wall 
to the south and west; in such a posi- 
tion the plants get three or four hours 
sun in the morning, and are protected 
from the prevailing winds. Another 
good place, in summer, would be 
a sunny position, where they could 
be protected by cotton, stretched 
along the sides, and over the top of 
them. In this position, they would 
make a more rapid growth but would re- 
quire very careful watching, the slightest 
drying out would result in injury. In 
summer, I have always watered my 
palms with the hose. There is no doubt, 
that tepid water would have been bet- 
ter, but the hose was so much the han- 
dier, that it outweighed all other consid- 
erations. Take your plants in when the 
nights get cool, and put them out dur- 
ing the day. You can give them all 
the sun they can get, at this time of 


65 


year, without fear of injury ; but beware 
of the wind. 

In recommending varieties of palms, 
I have confined myself to personal ex- 
perience, and there are no doubt many 
others of which I know nothing, that 
would do equally well in the house. 
There are also some other plants, which 
cannot be classed as palms, but which 
are of the same decorative nature. 
Chief among them stands Pandanus 
Utilis, the screw pine, which does well 
in the house; but should not be sub- 
jected to as low a temperature as palms 
will endure, and will come a much bet- 
ter color, if grown entirely in the shade. 
Pandanus Veitchii is a variegated form, 
green and white but seems to run to a 
solid light green and is not so desirable 
as the other. Ficus elastica, Cordy- 
line indivisa, Araucaria excelsa and 
many greenhouse ferns, make fine deco- 
rative plants, and grow well in the 
house. 


One word, in conclusion, to those 
among you, who may have bought 
palms, and seen them die or become so 
unsightly as to be an eyesore rather 
than an ornament. Don’t be discour- 
aged, and conclude, that palms will not 
grow in the house; rather try and find 
out wherein you have gone astray, and 
thus, get the benefit of the experience, 
that has cost you so dear. Remember 
one thing, look your plants over every 
day. It won’t take but a moment or 
two, and you will be surprised to find, 
how their needs vary with the varying 
conditions surrounding them. That 
palms can be grown in ordinary living 
rooms as well as in greenhouses, I know 
to be a fact. I venture to state, that I 
can find many palms, that have not 
been in a greenhouse in years, that size 
for size, will hold their own with any 
plants grown under glass. 


* The Orchard and Fruit Garden By 


HOW TO MAKE FRUIT GROWING PAY. 


OW to make fruit growing pay 
seems to be the question of 
the hour. There has been so 


much failure during the three 
. past years that there is universal dis- 
couragement, but the dawn of better 
days is near. The fact is that we must 
make a complete change in methods. 
We have been planting and growing 
fruit for our home markets; we have 
now completely stocked these markets 
and we imagine because Ontario is over- 
stocked, the whole world is in the same 
condition. So far is this from being the 
case, that the very opposite is the truth. 
England, Germany and Belgium are all 
looking to Canada for their supply of 
fancy dessert apples. Only this season, 
some of our growers have received net 
returns from Hamburg of $3.50 per 
barrel, for Ontario apples, and the writer 
has received a net return of 5oc. per 3rd 
bushel case for selected Baldwins and 
Spys. England is beginning to look to 
Canada for her fancy table pears. Our 
Bartletts, Boussocks, Clairgeaus, An- 
jous, Duchess, and even Kieffers have 
been making net returns of from one to 
two cents each according to size, and 
the demand is unlimited for the larger 
sizes and fine grades of pears, of high 
quality. The Kieffer is as yet new to 
the English market and for that reason 
has sold well both in ’98 and ’99 on ac- 
count of its fine appearance. But we 
have reason to doubt whether it will 
continue salable. One firm in Edin- 
~ burgh, for example, writes: ‘“ We find 
that persons buying Kieffers, do not 
want them a second time.” 

To make fruit growing pay in the 


changed conditions of the present day, 
we must revolutionize our methods 
completely. Once it would pay to grow 
small, soft apples, and even scabby and 
wormy apples, because our home mar- 
kets were so hungry they would buy 
anything in the shape of fruit, and it 
cost so little to put it on the near mar- 
kets that even natural fruits brought us 
a fair margin of profit. But now that 
our home markets are filled and we have 
to reach out to distant markets and com- 
pete with the finest fruits of California, 
and of Europe, and even of South Af- 
rica and Australia, the old slipshod me- 
thods will no longer do. 

To begin with, we must entirely cease 
growing inferior kinds ; they must all 
be either rooted out or top grafted. We 
must waste no more time or money 
over them, but at once grow varieties 
suited to our changed conditions. Just 
which special kinds these are must be 
to a large extent left to each man’s 
judgment, because localities differ ; but 
in general we must (1) plant good ship- 
pers—i.e., kinds that will carry long dis- 
tances under favorable conditions. Now 
it has been proved that the Crawford 
peach, for example, the best variety we 
grow for our home markets, will not 
carry to foreign markets, even in cold 
storage. The Dwarf Champion and the 
Dwarf Aristocrat tomato will not carry ; 
nearly every package of these varieties 
which we sent over in 1899, arrived in 
a rotten condition, and left the shippers 
in debt, while the Ignotum carried per- 
fectly. 

The next important thing is (2) to 
select varieties that are worth shipping. 

66 


OV —_————_—— ee 


HOW TO MAKE FRUIT GROWING PAY. 


It costs the same money to grow a poor 
variety as it does a good one. The 
packages and the freight are the same, 
and now that the costs of reaching dis- 
tant markets have to be added, the high 
grade, fine size, well colored varieties 
are the only varieties that will pay. The 
variety should not only be a good ship- 
per and of good appearance, but of the 
best quality. The Ben Davis apple and 
the Kieffer pear, for example, are Jack- 
ing in this last particular, while almost 
faultless in the previous qualifications. 
It is hard to find all these points in any 
one fruit, but let us.seek after them. =~ 
Then when the best varieties “are 
chosen, (3) only the best samples should 
be grown or shipped. What is the use 
of allowing our trees to produce a lot 
of small peaches, or apples, and then 
find that one half the crop is worthless. 
We must stop growing such stuff. We 
must manure, prune, and thin in a 


scientific manner, just as a trained gar- _ 


dener in the old land does, with a view 
to producing only the finest grade. 
Michigan peach growers thin their 
peaches to eight inches, and say it pays 


them, even for a home market; how - 
‘much more is it important for a foreign _ 


market. In our experience at Maple- 
‘hurst thinned peach trees yielded about 
‘as much fruit as unthinned by increase 
‘of size, and when you count advanced 


price, it will always pay. Pears for 
export in 1898 were packed in cases 
2314 inches long, 11 inches wide and 
5 inches deep, and graded extra A No. 1, 
A No. 1 and No. r. Of the first grade, 
60 pears, about 234 inches in diameter, 
filled a case. Of the second, 80 pears, 
2% inches in diameter; and of the 
third, 100 pears, 2144 inches. We have 
not the full and complete returns yet, 
but in general we may say that the 
1st grade Bartletts netted us $1 a box, 
the 2nd grade 75 cents, and the 3rd 
about 50 cents. Pears smaller than 
2% inches were entirely unfit for ex- 


_ port. Herein lies a lesson of great im- 


portance to the Canadian fruit grower 
which must not be despised, viz., that 
it will no longer pay to grow small-sized 
fruit of any variety for export, and that 
the grower must. make up his mind to 
pull off all small, poor and mean speci- 
mens, and allow only the best to come 
to maturity. Over in Michigan, the 
growers are wide awake on this even 
for their home markets. They are 
asking the legislature to pass an Act 
forbidding any man from offering for 
sale poor trash of any kind of fruit, in 


“order to bring about this very end. 


Must our Association ask this? will 
our growers have sense enough to stop 
growing second class stuff, and so make 
such action unnecessary in Ontario ! 


E ih: Hale, the “peach grower, gets 
ripe peaches two weeks earlier by the 
following method : 

In the middle of the growing season 
put a strong wire around a large arm of 
a tree and twist it fairly tight. This 
checks the flow of sap and causes fruit 
buds to form early and in great number. 
The fruit on the branches of this arm 


--TO GET EARLY PRACHES. 


will ripen two weeks earlier than that on 
the untreated branches and will be much 
more highly colored. But this part of 
the tree will be so weakened by the 
treatment that it should be cut away 
after fruiting that new shoots may come 
and take its place. Thus one large arm 
or limb of a tree may be forced each 
year.—Strawberry Culturist. 


67 


THE CLYDE STRAWBERRY. 


NE of the most difficult fruits 
to keep posted about is the 
strawberry. Forty years ago 
there were but two varieties 

much grown among us, viz.: Hovey 
and Early Scarlet ; and when a little 


came legion, and among them some 
that excelled in size, and others in qual- 
ity. The Bubach, for example, was for 
a time a leading variety on account of 
the lack in vigor of the plant. 

Now the number of excellent varieties, 


Fig. 1537.—CitypE STRAWBERRY. 


later, there appeared Wilson's Albany, 
and Crescent it was the beginning 
of a new era in strawberry growing. 
For a long time these two varieties 
held the supremacy as money makers, 
until by and by its competitors be- 


many of them far superior to Wilson’s 
Albany, numbers in the hundreds ; so 
that the most fastidious strawberry lover 
may have his whims gratified ; and among 
them such berries as Carrie, Saunders, 
Seaford, Nick Ohmer, Glen Mary, Mar- 


68 


THE CLYDE STRAWBERRY. 


garet, Wm. Belt, etc. Two years ago we 
saw the Clyde growing on the grounds 
of Mr. Stephenson, Guelph, and ever 
since we have been inclined to commend 
it as one of the best for general planting, 
on account of its uniform good size, and 
great productiveness. We therefore, 
read with some interest what Mr. E. W. 
Wooster says of it, in the December 
number of American Gardening, as 
follows : 

That the Clyde is the most universally 
popular strawberry of to-day in America 
goes without saying. That it is deserv- 
ingly so there can be no question, for 
although it has been pushed by its in- 
troducers, but not to that degree as is 
usual with most new introductions, most 
of which could not be compared with it 
in point of real value, by its own de- 
monstrations wherever it has gone it has 
pushed itself most strongly to the front. 
Dr. Staymen is deserving of much credit 


for originating such a noble variety, the 
more so when we come to appreciate 
the fact that it was not over extolled by 
him ; neither, as fruiting with me for the 
first time last summer, have 1 found it 
over-praised by any introducer. In this 
respect it stands as a single exception to 
every other variety I have ever treated ; 
only a few others have I found equal to 
all that was claimed for them. 

With the majority of fruit-growers I 
predict that this noble variety will have 
a short life of popularity, because they 
will fail to see the necessity of giving it 
that special culture which it demands in 
order that it may maintain its present 
high standard of excellence. The down- 
fall of the Parker Earl among so many 
growers was, in my opinion, due almost 
wholly to this cause; but among the 
most painstaking, carefully observing 
growers it is still one of the leaders. 


CALLAS EFFECTIVELY POTTED. 


ra 
A 
yi 


Fre. 1538.—CALLAS WITH VARIEGATED GRASS. 


69 


VERY successful arrangement of 
A potted calla lilies is shown in the 
accompanying cut. <A _ florist 
_writing to The Country Gentle- 


man says of it : ns a 


; It wasa large pot containing three 
strong callas, and in the center a plant 
of zebra grass (Eulalia japonica zebrina, 
var.). The soil was rich, and during 
the winter a top dressing of fine manure 
was given it, with plenty of water. The 
growth was magnificent, both of the 
callas and the grass, which gave the 
whole object a particularly pleasing 
effect that is but too poorly expressed 
by a picture. 


Many flowers were borne and it con- 
tinued in beauty till late in the spring, 
when it was planted in the garden and 
given a rest. 


THE CULTIVATION AND CARE OF ORCHARDS, 


S1r,—Now that affiliated societies are 
being organized in almost every town 
and village on the St. Lawrence, a few 
remarks and suggestions on the care of 
orchards for Eastern and Northern 
Ontario might be of interest to some. I 
speak more particularly of the apple 
orchard, as there is very little other fruit 
grown in this section. There is one 
thought ever-present with the careful 
orchardist, what are we to do to get our 
trees in the best possible condition to 
withstand a temperature of from 25° to 
30° below zero, for we all look for and 
rather expect such a temperature some- 
time during January or February, which 
may last from a few hours to several 
days. 

Now such temperatures are very 
severe on root-cell, branch and fruit 
bud. First let us take into considera- 
tion the root. If we can encourage 
deep rooting, and thereby partly getting 
below the frost line, we may largely 
overcome the difficulty. Now, how are 
we to do this? First, what are the 
functions and duties of the root as 
regards the growing and life of a tree? 
Briefly stated, the duty of the roots are 
to gather certain elements in the soil, 
such as potash, phosphoric acid, intro- 
gen, etc., held in solution by the water 
of the soil, which water or solution is 
carried in the form of sap to the leaves 
of the tree, where they are combined 
with carbon, which the leaves absorb 
from the carbonic acid gas present in 
the air and then returns through the 
tree, forming new wood, roots and buds. 
Now to get the food elements suluble, 
we must get the air into the soil to 
cause nitrification, and how is this most 
thoroughly done? 

First by underdraining then by care- 
ful and frequent tilling of the surface. 
By deep draining we cause nitrification 
to a greater depth and a warming up of 
the soil to a corrresponding depth and 
the roots will follow. Now by cultivat- 
ing the surface frequently, keeping it 
soft and mellow, we cause more rapid 
nitrification near the surface, and when 
the rains come instead of running off 


the land it will be absorbed by it like a 
sponge taking up the food elements that 
have been freed by the air near the 
surface and carrying them in solution to 
the roots below. 

If you take a sponge and fill it full of 
water, then place it on a piece of wire 
netting, and cover over thoroughly with 
thick cloths to prevent evaporation you 
will find it as damp at the end of a 
week or two as it would be when freshly 
squeezed out from the bath. Only a 
certain quantity, the surplus has drained 
away. 

Under the above conditions we cause 
a rapid and succulent wood growth 
which, however, must be checked early 
enough in the season to allow for it to 
ripen. The most approved method and 
the one that has given me most satisfac- 
tion is to cease cultivation about July 
20 to August ist, and to sow at that 
time clover seed at the rate of about 


20 lbs to the acre, which, besides being 
a valuable fertilizer, serves to draw the 
moisture of the soil, thereby checking 
the wood growth of the tree, and thus 
giving it a chance to ripen. A good 
crop of weeds is better than no crop at 
all, and here is a point that is of the 
utmost importance in this section. We 
must have a cover crop to catch the 
first snow and ice and. protect the 
ground from the severe frosts that are apt 
to come before we have sufficient snow 
on exposed surfaces to keep the ground 
from freezing to a considerable depth. 

In this section I cannot recommend 
the practice of the orchardists in South- 
ern Ontario of plowing the orchards 
late in the fall, and leaving the exposed 
surface to the action of the frost ; it has 
been followed by bad results here fre- 
quently. 

To summarize—underdrain thorough- 
ly, cultivate frequently until Aug. rst. 
Then grow a cover crop of clover, rye, 
oats or buckwheat, etc., and allow it to 
lay on the surface through the winter, 
commencing cultivation again early in 
April or as soon as the ground can be 
worked. HAROLD JANES. 

Maitland, Ont. 


7O 


A FEW EARLY FLOWERING PERENNIALS, 


URING the latter half of May 


_ being the most common; they make 


our gardens are bright with — 


spring flowering perennials, but 


in the early part of the month the bulbs, - 


_ alone, usually furnish us with all the 
bloom we have at that time. But while 
crocuses, squills, snow-drops, tulips, hy- 


fine table decorations on account of their 
bright coloring. 
Red barren-wort (Epimedium rubrum) 


A very graceful and beautiful little plant 


acinths and daffodils, if properly arrang- — 


ed, make a fine display, there are a few 
other charming early flowering plants 
which should not be omitted from any 
garden. The following are six of the 
best of them. 

Spreading Pasque Flower (Anemone 
patens). This beautiful perennial begins 
to bloom during the last week of April. 
It has large, deep, purple flowers which 
are very attractive and excellent for cut- 
ting. 

Ox-eye (Adonis vernalis). Though 
only attaining a height of from six to 
nine inches, this pretty little plant is 
very desirable. The flowers are large 
and of a lemon yellow colour, and the 
foliage finely cut and graceful. It be- 
gins to bloom during the first week of 
May. 

Iceland Poppy (Papaver nudicaule). 
This poppy begins to flower during the 
second week of May and there is a pro- 
fusion of bloom until early summer, 
when it rests for a time beginning afresh 
in the autumn. The flowers are of sev- 
eral colours, yellow, orange and white 


TE 


beginning to bloom during the second 
week of May. The flowers are small, 
bright crimson and white, borne in a 
loose panicle. The leaves of this plant 
are very pretty. There are several other 
species of this genus which are desirable. 
They are very ornamental as cut flowers. 

Lovely Phlox (Phlox amoena). There 
are many species of early flowering phlox 
but this is one of the earliest and best. 
The flowers are bright pink in colour 
and the stems are long enough to make 
it a good flower for cutting. It begins 
to bloom during the second week of 
May. 

Dwarf Jacob’s ladder (Polemonium 
humile pulchellum). All the polemo- 
niums yet tested here are pretty, and 
this is the earliest and one of the best. 
It is a profuse bloomer with violet blue 
flowers and small narrow leaves. 

There are a few other early flowering 
perennials which are very desirable, such 
as the bleeding heart, tall leopard’s, 
bane and trollius. 


W. T. McCoun, 


Horticulturist Central Experimental 
Farm, Ottawa. 


IVY LEAVED GERANIUMS. 


Fig. 1539.—Nrw Hyprip GEeranium, P. Crozy. 


HE beautiful leaves and flowers 
of this section of the Pelar- 
gonium family, are the object 
of much admiration. The 

older varieties are all single-flowered and 
of rapid trailing habit. The later intro- 
ductions tend to very large double or 
semi-double flowers and bushy habit, 
well suited for pot plants. All the 
varieties have, in a greater or less 
degree, the charming Ivy-shaped, spicy 
scented foliage, the thick waxy texture 
of which, would alone render this class 
well worthy of cultivation. 

Pelargonium peltatum is the name of 
the species, two varieties of this were 


-introduced in 1701. 


From these the 
variously hued and formed flowers have 
been raised. More than a decade 
since, Peter Henderson, disseminated 
his Jeanne d’Arc, double white, and 
James Vick, his Mme. Thi- 
baut, giving an impetus to 
the culture of these plants 
in America, which is still 
evident. Ivy leaved gerani- 
ums flower most freely dur- 
ing the spring and summer, 
the trailing sorts are good, 
come plants for hanging 
vaskets, rockeries and 
trellis, the dwarf varieties 
are better for pot plants, 
though any of them look 
well and do well trained to 
a trellis Souv. de Chas. 
Turner is probably the lar- 
gest flowered sort; indi- 
vidual’pips can‘be grown 2 
inches across. La Foud re 
is a very bright double flowered scarlet, 
probably the brightest of the color. The 
predominating shades seem to be pink 
and magenta. Le Elegant is a very old 
variety, with’a very fine trailing habit, 
leaves medium sized, green, edged 
heavily with pure white. Duke of Edin- 
burgh is another variegated kind, leaves 
quite large, a more rapid grower. 

Peter Crozy, the subject of the illus- 
tration, is a unique hybrid between the 
zonale and the ivy-leaved sections, color 
bright scarlet, it flowers very freely and 
is desirable in many ways. 

WEBSTER Bros. 


FHlamitlton. 


Fig. 1540—D. W. Karn, PrestpENT Woopstock HorticuLtuRAL SOoIETy. 


Woopstock.—The annual meeting 


of this Society was held in the Council since 
Chamber, on Wednesday evening, at Balance from 1897........ eat 24.35 $71.70 
r Legislature grant ..............04. 41 00 
7.30. ‘There was a good attendance of Members’ subscriptions ... ....... 98 CO 
members and much enthusiasm. Sec- Donations..... ...........0... 000: 19 40 
Admission fees to exhibition ........ 54 85 


retary-Treasurer Scarff’s annual report vi 
was as follows : $284 95 
3 73 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


EXPENDITURE, 

Rent of building, etc............... $16 30 
Canadian Horticulturist............ 97 00 
Purchase of seeds and plants........ 76 17 
Printing... .,5-. ME aC TIS a 16 08 
MBI Sis 5.65 oc oss SR o WO 7 00 
POMtage os. oa. visas Och eee eee 1 69 
Balance on hand ..2%<.. )6.2542545 70 71 

$284 95 


The election of officers resulted in the 
election of D. W. Karn as President; G. R. 


‘Patullo, Ist -Vice-President, and « Scarf, - 
Secretary-T' reser A letter was ea A 09 
the Secretars of*the Ontario Fruit Wers” 


Association, with kindly 
a set of by-laws for- A 
Societies, which were. 


greetin, 
Heh 


OweEN Sounp. The © ana meeting 
of the Owen Sound Horticultural Soc- 
iety, was held in the Couneit. ‘Chamber, 
Owen‘Sound, on the e mide “of . Wed-- 
nesday, thesrtthinst. “President, the 


Venerable : Mii ee 

siding. : ft. 
The minu previous annu 

being read, thé. President deliver 

teresting and4nstractive addr e ec- 

tors report chawed a membership ie 


the preceding-year ; $45.60 being ot peided™ 


for Horticultnrat periodicals. Hyacinth eae %. a 


were purchased and distributed» among the 
members to {me value of $22. The Associa- 
tion begins the. year with a balance-at-its 

| Were 


credit of $19:52. Two : 
livered during the 
of the Society. 
‘Indoor an 


Rae th Plants,” “and 6n6- by 


et 


Mr. Jenkins, Principal of the Collegiate cenit 


stitute, on ‘‘ The San Jose Scale,” both were 
heartily enjoyed, opt slimy attended: A 
letter was tare from the Editor of the 
HorTIcuLTURIS®=in> which many valuable 
suggestions were’made, ‘all of which were en- 
dorsed by the meeting,---He also-sent.a draft 
copy of By-Laws which were adopted with 
slight changes. The election of officers for 
the current year was then proceeded with, 
resulting as follows: Ven. Archdeacon Mal. 
holland, President ; R. McKnight, ‘Ast Vice- 
President. 

An animated discussion then took place as 
to the best method of extending the useful- 
ness of the Society, amongst other conclusions 
arrived at, it was decided to hold four public 
meetings during the course of the year, at 
which addresses are to be delivered by’ some 
member of the Society. Two of these meet- 
ings were provided for, Dr. Cameron and Mr. 
McKnight being secured to address them 

At a meeting of the Board of Directors 
subsequently held, Treasurer Peckham was 
re-elected, and the services of D. R. Dobie 
were secured as Secretary. The Society 
‘begins the year with a list of 53 paid up 
members. 


Mem 


One By iW fake om | 


BrockviLLe —This Society was or; 
on the 11th ult., with about 100 mem eh in 
affiliation with the Ontario Fruit Growers’ 
Association, The President is Mr. Samuel 


* Reynolds, and Mr. Geo. A. McMullen, Sec. - 


Treasurer. The by-laws submitted by our 
Committee was adopted with a few small 
amendments. As the President remarked in 
his closing address, ‘‘ It is to be hoped that 
all lovers of flowers and plants will join the 
Society and reap the benefits accruing there- 
from. By the payment of one dollar per 
siege a member is entitled to full member- 

rivileges, which includes free admission 

‘meetings, exhibitions, etc., the selec- 


ties frouka choice list of rare and hardy fruit 


‘=trees, shrubs, creepers and flower plants.” 

2 The membership will include the whole of 
“the county of Leeds, and the officers trust 
they will be loyally supported by all parties 
interested in gardening and orchards, or 
window gardening. In addition to the bene- 
fits referred to, every member will receive a 
free copy~ of ‘the Canadian Horticulturist 
pegsene for one year. 

Nracara Fairs. = at the Annnal Meeting 

. Balyon was elected President ; Thos. 
ertson, Secretary. The plants to be 

distributed this year are Rudbeckia, Golden 

~ Glow,-Hardy phlox, Eulalia Zebrina, Deutzia 
gee “Weigela rosea;and one packet each 
-of hardy Larkspur and ‘Canterbury bells. 


nt i ee 


 Lanpsay. —Our Annual Meeting was small, 
ocr other meetings the same evening. 

lected Mr Alex. Carters, President ; 
“Mr. F. J. Frampton, Secretary. We 


and 


; adopted, she se laws with-some amendments. 


Rie =z aes ise 
£ Cosoure. SAmong the“ officers elected at 
‘our annual meeting were Mro-J. D. Hayden, 
president, and. Major H.° J. Snelgrove, Secre- 
“tary 

Duiitig 1898 the members of the society 
was increased from 86 to 91. There is a 
balance of $25 in the Treasurer's hands, 
= Last a the directors distributed among 
the resident members a lige quantity of rare 
plants, shrubs, trees, bulbs, etc., including 
cannas, roses, honey-suckles, hollyhocks, 
anemones, deutzias, forsythias, lilacs, spirzas, 
rudbeckias, irises, ivies, clematis, bigonias, 
ponies, astérs, carnations, narcissi, hy- 
acinths, tulips, currants, plums, raspberries, 
etc., comprising a valuable acquisition to Co- 
bourg’s beantifal gardens. Under the prac- 
tical direction of Mr. Baker, a number of 
choice new vegetable seeds were also intro- 
duced. 

Besides receiving THe HortTIccLTurist, a 
monthly magazine devoted to fruit, flowers 
and forestry, and the useful report of the On- 
tario Fruit Grower’s Association, the mem- 
bers of the society will have the privilege of 
hearing lectures by noted florists from time to 
time. Mr. Webster of Hamilton, has been 
invited to address the society on ‘‘ roses” at 
an early date, which will be a rich treat for 
all lover of the queen of flowers. 


74 


OUR AFFILIATED SOCIETIES. 


Tue Grimspy Socrety elected Messrs. E. 
J. Palmer, president, and W. H. Read, sec- 
retary-treasurer. A resolution was passed to 
hold three monthly meetings, the 2nd Mon- 
day in February, March and April. At the 
first, a paper will be read on the Carnation 
by Mr. A. Cole, 2nd vice-president. The 
by-laws, as suggested by the Fruit Growers’ 
Association was adopted. 

At a meeting of the directors held later, it 
was decided to send out the following fine 
list of plants to each meniber, viz: Hyperi- 
cum, Carnation, Lilium auratum, Draccena, 
Datura, Dahlia, Salvia, English violet, speci- 
fic kinds to be selected later. 

WATERLOO,—The directors congratulated 
the society on the continued prosperity, the 
members having increased to 167 during the 
past year, each of whom received the CAN- 
ADIAN HorRTICULTURIST, and a bound copy of 
the Annual Report. In addition there has 
been distributed 72 plum trees, 114 cherry 
trees, 102 spruce trees, 352 house plants, 15 
peonies, 87 Crimson Ramblers, 16 Gault 
raspberries, 3 black currant bushes, 54 Wick- 
son _ trees, and 2,004 Hyacinth bulbs. 


The financial report was as follows : 
RECEIPTS. 
‘Balance on hand......... eseee $ 42 89 
Legislative Grant............. 140 00 
Membership Subscriptions..... 167 00 
Miscellaneous Minor Receipts.. 20 55 
$370 14 
EXPENDITURES. 

Horticultural Periodicals ...... $133 60 
Trees and Plants.............. 164 88 
Miscellaneous .... ........... 24 22 
: $322 70 

Balance on hand............. $47 74 


At the election Mr. A. Weidenhammer 
was made president, and Mr. J. H. Winkler, 
secretary. A resolution was passed, author- 
izing the directors to purchase $15 worth of 
flower bulbs in the fall, and distribute them 
between the Central and the separate school 
children, with the object of cultivating a 
taste for flowers among the children. 

. BRAmpToN.—At the Annual Meeting, Mr. 
A. Barber was elected President, and Mr. 
Henry Roberts, Secretary-Treasurer. 

Doruam.—The Annual Meeting of Durham 
Horticulturist Society was held in the Public 
Reading-Room, on the evening of the 11th 
inst. Reports were read, the Directors’ An- 
nual by the Secretary ; the Auditors’ by the 
Treasurer. These on motions were adopted. 


A communication from the Secretary of the 
Ontario Fruit Growers’ Association, contain- 
ing By-Laws for adoption by Affiliated Socie- 
ties was, as requested, read and relegated toa 
future meeting of Directors for consideration. 

The election of officers for the current year 
then was proceeded with :—C. Firth, Presi- 
dent ; G. McKechnie, Vice-President. Busi- 
ness being completed an adjournment took 
place. The Directors met then and John 
Kelly was elected Treasurer, and Wm. Gors- 
line, Secretary. After routine business, pass- 
ing accounts, etc., Directors’ meeting ad- 
journed at the call of the President. 

The Directors’ Annual Report for 1898 was 
as follows :— 


Ladies and Gentlemen,—-We wish you the 
compliments of the season, and are pleased to 
report that our efforts during the past year 
for the attainment of the objects of our organ- 
ization, the diffusion of horticultural know- 
ledge and the distribution of nursery stock, 
plants, bulbs, etc., has been appreciated.and 
attended with a fair measure of success. 
Many of our members purchased and had 
delivered to them, free of charge, those things 
at cost prices, which were so low as to be to 
them a revelation—a complete surprise. 

An exhibition of house plants and cut 
flowers was held in the beginning of Septem- 
ber. The great heat and long continued 
drought of summer gave these such a forlorn 
aspect generally, ‘that a selection for show 
purposes were somewhat of a difficult and 
critical task. Members and others kindly per- 
mitted us t» select such as we chose, and 
these, when collected carefully and judicious- 
ly and artistically massed on a raised plat- 
form in the centre of the Town Hall, most 
pleasantly surprised the many visitors. 

From the province and county liberal 
grants were received during the year, which 
enabled us to deal generously with our mem- 
bers, to each of whom we gave premiums 
costing 83c, The Ontario Fruit Growers’ 
Association supplemented this by a free dis- 
tribution for experimental purposes of trees, 
plants, etc., giving one or more to each person. 

Through the Society during the year, mem- 
bers obtained flowering shrubs—rose bushes 
and peonies; small fruit bushes—black cur- 
rant, gooseberry and raspberry, 780; fruit 
trees—apple, pear, cherry, plum and peach, 
108; strawberry plants, 50; house plants— 
palms and chrysanthemums, 39; bulbs and 
tubers—gladioli, calla, hyacinth, tulip, lily, 
narcissus, daffodil, tuberous rooted begonia, 
and canna, 4600) ; papers of seeds—flower and 
vegetable, 475. Of these 6186 articles, the 
Ontario Fruit Growers’ Association supplied 
113, the Society gave 3213 as premiums, and 
members purchased, through the Secretary, 
2860. 

Curis. Fiera, 

President. 


Wa. GORSLINE, 
Secretary. 


75 


——— 


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“Mee The Canadian Horticulturist We 


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we take it for granted that all will continue members. 


= 
« 


IN RETURN. 


To THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST in reply to its New Year’s greeting inits new dress, to its 
5000 subscribers 


Your subscribers (thousands five) 
In return wish you 

Joy and gladness o’er your live, 
Lustrous, garments new ; 

Which are in perfect keeping with 

Your intellectual power and pith. 


“ Athol Bank,” Hamilton, Jan. 1899 


The same five thousand also wish 
Your Editor in-chief, 

Long life and every luscious dish 
That can convey relief 

To one who in our time of need 

Has been a patriot indeed. 


Wm. Murray. 


+j Notes and 


NEw CREATIONS IN FRUITS IN FLow- 
ERS, supplement for 1899 from Luther 
Burbank, Santa Rosa, California, con- 
tains notices of several new fruits of inter- 
est. Among them we notice the Climax 
plum, the best selection from a number 
of hybrids of Simoni and Botan. The 
originator claims that it is “as produc- 
tive as Burbank, about four or five 
times as large, two or three weeks 
earlier, and very much more richly 
colored.” Another new plum is 


Comments. & 


The Sultan, a cross between Wick- 
son and Satsuma, over two inches in 
diameter and round, excellent sub-acid. 
Ripens a week before Burbank ; a great 
keeper. 

The Bartlett is another, unfortunately 
named we think—but so called because 
in quality, flavor and fragrance, it so re- 
sembles that pear. A cross between 
Simoni and Delaware. 

A new quince, the Pineapple, is also 
offered, similar in appearance to the 


76 


NOTES AND 


orange, but much lighter yellow, and 
higher flavor. Said to cook tender in 
five minutes. 


Mr. HaRo_p Jones of Maitland, sends 
us for this number the first of a series of 
articles adapted for fruit growers north 
of the St. Lawrence river. The first is 
on the Cultivation and Care of Or 
chards, to be followed by articles on 
Fertilizing, Trimming, Harvesting, Grad- 
ing, etc. 

STRAWBERRY P ants for new planta- 
tions should be well chosen. Only 
those formed by runners should be used, 
and of these the first formed are the 
best. It is injurious to a bearing plan- 
tation to allow the plants to run freely, 
because the last formed will produce 
little fruit, and cause the variety to “run 
out.” The very best plants are those 
first formed on a young plantation in 
its first year. 

THe Harvequin Buc.—Prof. John- 
son, of Maryland, says that this insect 
which is so destructive to turnips, 
radishes, cabbage or mustard, is very 
difficult to kill, as it does not eat the 
foliage but simply sucks the juices. 
The insect has a particular fondness for 
mustard, which is planted as a trap crop, 
and the insects are afterwards destroyed 
by strong kerosene wash. He suggests 
the use of kale as a still better trap, be- 
cause it can be planted in the fall, and 
being already in leaf in early spring 
will catch the early appearing insect. 


“A FasHIONABLE FLOWER.—A fine, 
new carnation has been raised by George 
Nicholson, Framington, Mass. It is a 
beautiful pink color, and is named Mrs. 
E. N. Lawson, after a Boston woman. 
The papers state that there was consid- 
erable competition among florists for 
the purchase of this variety, one of chem 


COMMENTS. 


a Bostonian having offered $5,000, and 
a Chicago man $6,000. We should not 
advise the owner to hesitate long over 
such offers. 

SPRAYING FOR Funct is seldom as it 
should be, and, when failure results, the 
first grower declares it a useless waste of 
time and money. Usually the lazy 
method is followed, of riding about the 
orchard and squirting a light spray on the 
outside leaves in passing ; this is a most 

‘superficial method to be sure. The 
thorough method, and the only paying 
method, is to have the nozzles carried 
under the trees, or elevated on poles 
among the branches, by a man walking, 
who sees to it that every leaf and every 
branch is covered with the mixture, and 
this at least three or four times in the 
season. 


Ir THE GRAPE PRUNING was left un- 
finished in the fall, we would advise that 
the work. proceed in mild weather. 
With Concords and such vigorous 
growers, almost all the young growth 
needs removing, to about two buds from 
the main arm. With slower growers 
like Wilder we would advise the cutting 
back every other shoot at two years of 
age. 

CrupE PETROLEUM is recommended 
as an insecticide by Prof. J. B. Smith, 
in Entomological News.- Kerosene was 
too strong to be safely applied, but all 
experiments with the Crude Petroleum 
had been successful, without doing any 
injury. He had first tried on pear tree 
affected with San José Scale, painting 
every part ; then a dozen similar trees, 
then entire orchard of Ben Davis apple 
trees was sprayed with Crude oil, and 
all these experiments were successful in 
killing the insects without injuring the 
tree. The Ben Davis apple trees were 


77 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


sprayed April 14 to 22, and in the 
following September were fully loaded 
with fruit. 


Pompon CHRYSANTHEMUMS. — We 
notice American Gardening speaks 
favorable of this class for amateur culti- 
vation. For some time this old group 
has been somewhat neglected, owing to 
the more showy and popular green- 
house monstrosities. But it appears 
that many are paying attention to Pom- 
pons, because of their ease of cultiva- 
tion, and of their abundant bloom even 
under considerable neglect. The varie- 
ties mentioned in Gardening as worthy 
of a place in the amateur’s garden are 
(1) Rose Trevenna; (2) La Sceur Me- 
lanie ; (3) Emily Roeboltom, and (4) 
Jules Lagravere. 


THE WORDEN SECKEL pear is figured 
in the January number of the American 
Nurseryman, as being considerably 
larger than the well-known Seckel. This 
new variety was originated by Sylvester 
Worden, of Oswego Co., N. Y., origina- 
tor of the Worden grape. It is claimed 
for it that it is a first class dessert pear, 
of very beautiful appearance. The tree 
is said to be hardy and productive. We 
expect fruit of this pear at Maplehurst 
this coming season, and will then report 
farther. 


New AFFILIATED SOCIETIES.—Seven 
new Societies have been formed this 
year in affiliation with us, viz. :—St. 
Catharines, Kemptville, Carleton Place, 
Arnprior, Millbrook, Cardinal, Brock- 
ville. This makes forty-two in all that 
have thus been formed during the past 
three years in connection with our 
Association, and so popular and success- 
ful are they, that they gain in numbers 
and interest year by year. The old 
fashioned societies are dying out, be- 


78 


coming every year involved in financial 
difficulties, and in time we doubt not 
nearly all the provincial horticultural 
Societies will become associated with us. 


THE RussELL STAPLE PULLER, of 
which a sample has been sent us by 
Russell Hardware Company, Kansas 
City, Mo., is a fine handy tool combin- 
ing staple puller, wire cutter, hammer, 
wire splicer, pincers, monkey wrench, 
etc. The firm would like some firm to 
take charge of it in Canada. It cer- 
tainly would be a very convenient tool in 
keeping the wire trellesis in order in a 
vineyard. 


WoopaLtt & Co., apple receivers, 
Liverpool, send us a review of the apple 
market to 31st Dec. They note the 
almost entire absence of Newtown Pip- 
pins, of which in the past there have 
always been a few fine samples, enough 
to satisfy the fancy trade, but this year 
they have been conspicuous by their 
absence. A few inferior to: medium did 
come forward, but were a sorry repre- 
sentative of the well-known and much 
appreciated fruit, and not being what 
was wanted were ignored, although some 
few sold up to 35/ per barrel, which was | 
very much beyond their value, and 
which buyers discovered too late and to 
their cost. 

Californian Pippins, in boxes, have to 
some extent taken the place of New- 
towns, and although of fine appearance, 
are not considered equal in flavor, so 
that when there is a good crop of the 
old favourite, it will not find that its 
position has been usurped. 


NoveELTIEs.—The Baldwin cherry is 
a new claimant for patronage, named 
after the introducer, Mr. S. J. Baldwin, 
Seneca, Kansas. A sweet and rich 
cherry of the Morello type. 


4 Question Orawer. Kk 


Orinthogalum. 
Reply to Question r0g1, by W. E. 
Saunders, London, Ont. 

Ornithogalum Arabicum may be 
forced in the house for winter bloom by 
the same treatment as that given to the 
hyacinth. It requires a longer season 
of active growth, and the flower is fully 
six weeks later than that of the hyacinth, 
but ordinarily good treatment should 
suffice. I have not always been suc- 
cessful with it, and think that possibly 
it may be injured by delay in planting. 
Good bulbs, planted early, have usually 
succeeded. It is a striking plant in 
bloom, the black centre of the flower 
giving it an unusual appearance; but 
the pot needs to stand on the floor, as 
the flower stem is about two feet long 
beneath the umbel. 


Reply by Mr. E. A. Bog, Secretary 
Cambellford Horticultural Society. 


_.Srr,—In answer to Mr. Dickson’s 
enquiry No. 1041, I may say that I 
have forced the Ornithogalum Arabicum 
with great success. My treatment is as 
follows : “ Pot the bulbin a 4 or 5 inch 
pot, first week in October. Bury the 
pot in the garden with about a foot of 
soil over it, leave it there until end of 
November ; then bring it into the house 
and put it in a hot, sunny window, give 
plenty of water, plant food twice a week ; 
will bloom in February or March. I 
had three magnificent specimens last 
winter, which were the admiration of 
everyone who saw them. The bulbs I 
had were imported dvec¢ from Holland. 
My object in burying the pot in the 
garden is that the top grows very quick- 
ly, before the roots start; burying it 
prevents injury to the top and does not 
grow so quickly. 


Apples for Profit. 


° 4042. Srer,—As I am thinking of plant- 
ing from eight to ten acres of winter apples, 
I would like your advice as to Ontario, Cran- 
berry, Ben Davis and York Imperial, and a. 
few others. 


A. B., Picton, Ont. 


Questions concerning the best varie- 
ties to plant in a certain section can. 
only be answered in a general way, be- 
cause those most desirable this year 
may be quite displaced by new varie- 
ties in a few years. There can be little 
said, however, against the varieties 
above mentioned. Ontario is a great 
favorite with those who grow it, as a 
commercial apple, because it is so clean, 
so uniform in size, so regular in bear- 
ing, and so well colored. Its chief 
fault seems to be over-bearing, which 
is inclined to weaken the vitality of the 
tree, and shorten its life. 


~The Cranberry Pippin is a favorite 
export apple with the writer, for on rich © 
sandy and clay loam, the fruit is re- 
markably fine. It is larger and better: 
colored than Ben Davis, carries well to 
a distant market, and yellows up about 
Christmas so as to set off its red stripes 
to the best advantage. But it is a very 
fastidious variety, if we may so speak 
of an apple, for unless soil and climatic 
conditions suit, it is apt to bear a good 
many blemished or wasty samples. 


Ben Davis is reliable,.and pays ; and, 
until an apple of the same season, pro- 
ductiveness, and good appearance, but 
of better quality, appears, we are obliged © 
to accept it in spite of its poor quality. — 

York Imperial has a high reputation, 
but has not been tested in Canada, so 
far as we know. 

We would be inclined to add Blen- 
heim and Wealthy to the list ; for both 


79 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


are superb apples; and we wish we 
could add Sfy and zug, but our expe- 
rience in apple growing for thirty years 
past would condemn them both for 
planting, the former because .it does 
not produce well until fifteen or twenty 
years planted, and the latter because it 
never bears paying quantities. Both 
are prime apples—the best in quality 
for general uses, but what is the use of 
quality if you cannot get enough of it 
to be worth handling? We have an 
orchard of Northern Spys, covering 
about six acres of ground. They have 
been planted twenty-five years, and 
have only given us two good crops! 
We have an orchard of Kings about 
thirty-five years planted, which have 
never given more than three good crops 
and several small crops. 


Pears for Export. 


1043. Sir,—I intend planting, next 
spring, a large number of pear trees, and 
have decided that for export varieties the 
Duchess d’Angouleme, Beurre Clairgeau, and 
Beurre d’Anjou, are as good as any. 

The ovly question that undecides me is, 
whether they are sufficiently prolific, to pay 
as well as others. If planted, they will be in 
good strong clay soil, well drained, and will 

carefully cultivated. 

Now will some kind friend, who can speak 
from sweet or bitter experience, please let me 
know, through these columns, as soon as pos- 
sible, if these varieties yield a good paying 
crop, under the treatment spoken of above ? 

Also, I would like to know, from an expe- 
rienced man, whether Mountain Ash is a de- 
sirable stock on which to graft pears ? 


W. B. SrEpPHENs, 
Owen Sound, Ont. 


The experience thus far gained in 
exporting pears to the British market 
is so small and limited, covering only 
two years, and that chiefly from one 
section, and a limited number of varie- 
ties—that it is quite too soon to give 
a settled opinion regarding the best 
for the purpose. We have had excel- 
lent success exporting the Bartlett in 
cold storage, for when it arrives in good 
condition, it sells well. This last sea- 
son we received from 5oc. to $1.25 net 
for %3 bushel cases, or about $3.50 per 
bushel for the very finest—but they 


80 


need great care in storage, or they will 
arrive rotten and be a bill of expense. 
We cannot therefore recommend this 
pear for general planting for export. 

Fine DucueEss pears always do well, 
if well grown.’ They usually do better 
as dwarfs than as standards, growing 
to a finer size. In the Grimsby section 
the Duchess orchards have not been 
bearing well for several years, we do 
not know why, for the tree has the 
character of being productive. If this 
variety does well in Simcoe county, it 
may be planted with confidence that 
a fine quality will bring a good price in 
the British market. : 

CLAIRGEAU is a fine-sized pear of 
beautiful appearance, and a good ship- 
ping kind. Well grown and well col- 
ored it is a variety of great excellence, 
and should do well for a distant mar-_ 
ket. It may be grown either as a dwarf 
or standard. 

Anjou is one of the finest, and no 
pear, that we sent over, brought prices 
equalling it. Some bushel cases sent 
over in 1897 sold for $3.75 each. In 
our experience at Grimsby, however, 
this variety is a poor bearer as a stand- 
ard, and the fruit is not quite as large 
as on the dwarf. We have always grown 
it on sandy loam, and no doubt the 
standard would do better on clay, still 
in any case we would expect the best 
fruit on the dwarf. 

The Kierrer should also be planted 
to a limited extent, because it is sure 
to succeed. It will grow anywhere, 
and produce tremendous crops. With 
good cultivation and manure, and thin- 
ning, it will yield fine-sized fruit. This 
pear ripens for use in December and 
January, and will carry any distance in 
perfect condition. The only question 
is its quality, which is very poor for 
dessert. For canning it is unexcelled. 
However, should the time come when 
it is not in demand, no stock would be 
finer for top-grafting than the Kieffer. 

Regarding the Mountain Ash for stock 
there is no doubt that it will answer, 
for it has been frequently used ; but we 
would give the preference to a good 
seedling pear. 


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TARE 


CANADIAN HorTiCuLTURIST. 


Vou. XXII. TORONTO, 


L892: 


MARCH. No. 3 


PACKING APPLES FOR EXPORT. 


FAVERY year it becomes more 
F=\ evident that for the best suc- 
L—~7 cess in fruit growing for profit, 

the aim must be to adapt. our 
work to the foreign demands, rather 
than to our own markets ; ‘at least in the 
case of such fruits as can be exported. 
Canada can no longer find use for the 
apples, pears or grapes she produces ; 
and some seasons is even overstocked 
with plums and peaches., And now 
that it has been proved that the first two 
can be exported, we hope for success 
with the others also. 

In apples, the Baldwin and the North- 
ern Spy have always been the leading 
varieties for export from Ontario and 
truly it is difficult to choose two others 
among all the hundreds of new apples, 
which can displace them. 

Uniformity of packing is the great 
want of the present day, and were it 
possible to secure this end by means of 
legislation, we would urge such legisla- 
tion. What is there for example, to 
prevent the present inspection Act to be 


so changed as to require that Grade 
r for apples, should mean apples about 
2% inches in diameter, in addition ’to 
the present requirements of that grade, 
suchas freedom from worm holes, bruises, 
and other blemishes ; and that Grade 
A 1 should” mean apples about 3 
inches in diameter, of good color and 
form, in addition to above points. Here 
then would be the grades exactly defined, 
and they would form the basis of agree- 
ment:in selling to a distant buyer. As 
it now is we have no uniforinity in-size, 
and one man’s No. 1 may be no larger 
than another man’s No. 2, and the grad- 
ing marks are meaningless. 

We would go further than simply to 
establish grades and sizes: we would 
have it made a misdemeanor to put the 
stamp Grade A 1 upon a grade 1 or 
a grade 2 package of fruit, and make 
the shipper or seller of such false pack- 
age liable to a fine, or confiscation of 
goods. 

We would go further still, and have 
an inspector appointed,“whose duty it 


83 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


would be to examine such packages as 
seemed proper, and impose fines upon 
any one offering for sale or shipping to 
market falsely packed goods. 

The frontispiece to this article repre- 
sents the packing of apples for export 
in the orchard of Mr. Albert Pay, an 
enthusiastic apple grower, at St. Cathar- 
ines. Ina letter recently received from 
him, he gives some interesting details 
which we here insert in full : 


*. 
sults. Six applications were used on 


the one row and none on the row next 
and the difference was very marked ; in 
fact you could not find last year a per- 
fect apple on the unsprayed, while on 
the sprayed row ninety per cent. were 
good clean fruit and not a wormy apple. 
I picked eleven barrels off two Baidwin 
trees and only one barrel off the two 
unsprayed Baldwins, next to them. 
There are Russets, Greenings, Baldwins 


Fic. 1541.—Harvestina AppuLes In Mr. Pay’s ORCHARD 


“The photos sent you-are from the 
orchard which was picked out by the 
Fruit Growers of this section, at a 
meeting called by Mr. A. H. Petitt, 
three years ago, to select an orchard for 
experimenting on with spraying. These 
experiments have now been carried on 
for three years, the last two years under 
the superintendence of Mr. Wm. Orr. 
The same row of trees have been sprayed 
each year, and with very beneficial re- 


84 


and Spys in the sprayed row, and I have 
had three good crops in succession off 
them all, except the Baldwins which have 
had two crops in the three years. There 
are 400 trees in the orchard nearly all 
Baldwins, Greenings and Spys ; I have 
sprayed all the orchard three times each 
year, but I find it did not stop all the 
scab, and now believe it would have 
paid me well to have put on three more 
applications. I had as fine a lot of fruit 


PACKING APPLES FOR EXPORT. 


last year as there was any where in this 
section. It took 55 barrels of mixture 
to go over it all. In sorting and pack- 
ing I make three grades, No. 1, No. 2, 
and peelers which I sold to the factory. 
I brand them with a circle brand, hav- 
ing a Maple leaf in the centre and the 
words Canadian apples, packed by Albert 
Pay, St. Catharines, Ontarid. This is 
used on the No. 1. The No. 2 are all 
marked seconds. ‘ Last year I used on 


rels. I usually get my barrels early in 
summer and store them till wanted and 
then they are thoroughly dry and I 
endeavour to keep them that way until 
shipped as I think a good dry barrel 
will help to absorb the sweat from the 
fruit. For packing I use a screw press, 
and the baskets are round, with a board 
bottom, with a hinge on one side and _ 
a string or cord on the other, which is 


hooked to the top rim? the basket cord 


Fie. 1542.—‘‘ Tue Gases,” Home of Mr. Jno. Stewart Carstairs, Iroquois. 


the face of each barrel a heavy white 
pulp paper, with an edge turned up 
about 114 inches, which just fitted the 
head of the barrel, and on opening the 
barrel the apples were covered, on re- 
moving the paper the face of the barrel 
showed a bright clean appearance on 
the No. 1. I cut all stems off the face 
row and face with a double row. I have 
never used any other package than bar- 


loosened and the basket gently lifted 
up, when the fruit goes out of the bot- 
tom. ‘This, I think, saves a great deal 
of bruising. I believe thorough ‘shak- 
ing on a good solid floor or plank, after 
each basket or two is put in, is better 
than pressing so much on the top. I 
have shipped every year, for a number 
of years, to some private customers in 
England and Scotland and all the re- 


85 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


ports were, that they arrived in perfect 
condition. I have also shipped to some 
commission houses in Glasgow, London 
and Liverpool, but these shipments, 
after slacks, wet, very wet, samples, and 
other various charges, have been paid, I 
am sorry to say have not done so well. 
T pick my apples and put them in bar- 
rels and they are all brought in under 
cover every night and the packing is all 
done inside. This leaves all cull stock 
in one place not scattered all over the 
orchard.” 

Mr. Pay certainly follows an excellent 
system in gathering and, packing his 
apples. But in cases of very heavy 


crops it is a great undertaking to carry 
all the apples to a packing house; and 
we have taken out our packing table 
into the orchard where the trees are 
heaviest laden, and had the pickers 
empty their baskets upon it. One man 
with one or two assistants will in this 
way pack forty or fifty baskets a 
day, keeping four or five pickers 
busy. We give a cut of our packing 
table, which holds about two barrels of 
apples, and is so inclined toward the 
opening that the fruit rolls toward the 
packer, and this much facilitates his 
work, : 


. . 
Fic. 1543.—Packine TABLE. 


AN EXPERIMENT WITH RASPBERRIES. 


YEAR ago last spring I turned 

under a heavy sod and planted 

corn, keeping it thoroughly culti- 

vated and not allowing a weed 
or any grass to grow. Last spring I 
cross-plowed the field, taking pains to 
turn every furrow over, not cutting and 
covering, as is so common among some 
people. Then I pulverized the ground 
with pulverizing harrow until it became 
suitable for gardening. Then with a 
marker made of hardwood, 4 x 4, suffi- 
ciently long to make two rows at a time, 
by bolting standards two"feet long and 
four feet apart, I marked the field out 


86 


one way. Then I began taking up my 
plants and setting them out in rows the 
other way, seven feet apart, using a line® 
and taking pains to have the rows 
straight both ways. 

In setting out I used a spade, dig- 
ging a hole sufficiently large so as to 
spread the roots out in their natural 
position, then filling in around the plant 
with fresh, mellow earth, packing it 
around the plant with the foot. 

In. taking up the plants, I selected 
good thrifty ones of the previous year’s 
growth, and only took up a small quan- 
tity at a time, cutting them back to 


WRAPPING FRUIT AND VEGETABLES. 


within 4 to 6 inches from the ground, 
keeping the roots covered so that the 
sun and wind could not dry them out. 
I began stirring the ground with a fine 
tooth cultivator, cultivating them out 
both ways, and by so doing was able 
to keep them in such a condition, that 
it was only necessary to hoe them twice 
during the season, while the plants 
made a growth of four feet in height, 
and although the season was unusually 
dry, there were only, about five plants 
out of each thousand that died, and 
these I shall reset this spring. 

In trimming raspberries, as well as 
blackberries, I always remove the old 
canes as soon as the crop is harvested, 


_ burning them as soon as they are re- 


moved, thereby leaving no brooding 


places for insects, and have always had 
the best success in cutting off the tops 
of the canes that are left to bear, during 
the month of March or the latter part of 
February, if the weather permits. I 
have also found it far more profitable to 
set a new patch each spring, thereby | 
having a fine new patch coming into 
bearing each year. I plow up the ground 
and seed to clover, then turn the clover 
under as soon as it becomes suitable. 
By so doing I have always been able to 
keep the land in good condition, and 
have had the pleasure of harvesting all 
first-class fruit, which has _ generally 
found ready sale at the highest market 
prices.—D. W. Piercell, in North Am. 
Horticulturist. 


WRAPPING FRUIT AND VEGETABLES. 


Cal ornia Peac 


- 25 aBd&. a Peaches. + AER 


rapyes 
Fie. 1544. 


fruit growers, H. E VanDeman said 

—‘There js nothing very myste 
rious about the success of the California 
fruitg rowers. In the first place, they 
take pains to produce high-grade fruit ; 
then they fix it up in the nicest pack- 
ages they can devise, and wrap every 
pear, every peach, every fruit, except 
cherries, in tissue-paper, some even hav- 


ing their brand printed on the tissue- 
paper. And this fruit they send here, 
and with it capture the fancy market. 


A the recent meeting of the Michigan 


87 


oo 


The way to beat California is to beat 
her at her own game. If it pays them 
to buy tissue-paper and wrap their fruits 
it will pay you. Fruit which is wrapped 
is of better quality. The wrapping re- 
tains the flavor. Why do the Florida 
people wrap their oranges? They wrap 
oranges with skins as thick as sole leather 
because it retains the aroma. Witha 
pear the longer that fragrance escapes 


the poorer it is. The peach, pear or 
plum that is wrapped is better than if 
not wrapped. 


THE STIRLING HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 


Fic. 1545.—Mrs. Jas. Botprick, President. 


HE Secretary, Mr. David Sager, 
sends us a very good review 
of the work of this Society 
during the year 1898, which 

was read before the Society by the Vice- 
President, Mr. J. S. Carstairs. He also 
encloses us a photograph of the Presi- 
dent, Mrs. Jas. Boldrick, of her home 
‘‘ The Cedars,” and of the home of Mr. 
Carstairs, ‘*‘ The Gables.” 

1. The financial condition of the 
Society furnishes excellent ground for 
congratulating the Board of Manage- 
ment. Of the total receipts amounting 
to $128, more than one-third has been 
returned to the members in premiums 
and prizes ; another third was expended 
onourperiodical, THE CANADIAN Horrl- 
CULTURIST, and the remaining small third 
includes our running expenses of less 
than $15, and our handsome little sur- 
plus of $26.41, which is reposing snugly 
n the bank. As a fact, we have col- 


lected one dollar a piece from our fifty- 
three members; we have given them 
each what has been received, and we 
have still on hand one-half of what we 
collected, still at your command ! 

2. Practically there have been three 
distributions of premiums. First, the 
premium of the Horticu.turist ; the 
shrubs and trees received have been- 
generally successful, in some cases 
shrubs have flowered in the first year. 

In the Spring distribution of the 
Society itself, $28.89 was expended, 
each member thus receiving seeds and 
vines costing about 45 cents, which 
owing to our discoynts were worth from 
75 cents to go cents. Altho’ in some 
cases the seeds, or the man with the 
seeds, or the weather failed; still we 
are led, both from our own experience 
and from the testimony of others to re- 


gard this distribution as a success, con- 


sidering the spring and summer ; a suc- 
cess, it is true, that we may make greater 
in the year 1899. Our third distribu- 
tion, $13.80 worth of bulbs, that is about 
15 bulbs for each member is still to 
be heard from, and still to be seen in 
the brightening glory of tulips, hyacinths 
and narcissi, that will gleam in a half 
a hundred homes of Stirling. 

3. The monthly meetings of the 
Society have all been regularly held 
with the exception of the December 
meeting. Whether it is owing to the 
moon or the members, the attendance 
has been only fair. However, there are 
many of the members, chiefly ladies, 
it must be said, whom neither darkness, 
nor storm kept away. Perhaps in the 
new year, both the attractions of the 
programme and a little self-correction 
in the members may give us larger 
meetings, a wider enthusiasm, and thus 
wider usefulness as a Society. 


88 


THE STERLING HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 


The public meeting at which Mr. 
McNeill, Director of the Ontario Fruit 
Growers’ Association, delivered a lecture, 
was extremely _ profitable, 
attended. 

4. The horticultural exhibit of flowers 
the North Agricultural 
Society attracted much notice both by 
its beauty and its variety. 


and well 


at Hastings 


This was 


enthusiasm of our President, Mrs. Jas. 
Boldrick. Not darkness, nor rain, nor 
storm, nor even illness has prevented 
her attendance at our meetings or her 
performance of, the duties of the chief 
office of the Society. Notwithstanding 
the depressing effects of badly attended 


meetings, and of criticism sometimes 
unfriendly, Mrs Boldrick has given the 


Fie. 1546,—-‘¢ Tirk Cepars,” Home of Mrs. Jas. Boldrick. 


our initial attempt, and perhaps we do 
not overstep the duties assigned to us 
if we look forward and suggest that 
should be 
offered for flowers in classes; and it 
may be limited to flowers grown from our 
Society seeds, bulbs, ete. 

5. In conclusion, this report would 


next year premium cards 


be incomplete, 1f it did not place on re- 
cord the untiring energy and boundless 


business of the Society her unwavering 
care and constant supervision. In fact, 
it is to the ladies that the Society owes 


It 


that founded it, and if we now can pre- 


its heaviest debt. was three ladies 


sent the report of a very successful 
year’s work, it is owing to the efforts of 
Mrs Boldrick, and of the other ladies 
that had an active faith and an 


active interest in the organization. 


have 


Fic. 1547.—BALDWIN SPRAYED: 


GOOD RESULTS FROM SPRAYING IN EASTERN 
ONTARIO. 


O varied have been the results 
attained by fruit growers, from 
their work in spraying, that as 
‘varied opinions obtain regard- 

ing its benefit. The real explanation 
no doubt is to be found in the various” 
methods of application, for it is only now, 
and then that the work is done as it 
should be done. 

A good example of the success attain- 
ed by Mr. Wm. Orr in 1898, is seen in 
the orchard of Mr. Claude McLachlin, 
Arnprior, a gentleman who previously 
had little or no faith in the work. We 
publish a letter written by him to Mr. 
Orr, on the 29th Dec., 1898. 

“In reply to your written reference 
to the spraying of my apple trees, I 
would say that in the fall of 1897, I was 


completely discouraged with the result 
of my apple crop, so I made up my 
mind to cut out all my trees (I have 
about 500) in fact I had cut some of 
them down when I was advised by a 
friend to give them one more trial, and 
to try spraying. The following spring I 
was making inquiries about a spraying 
machine when I. received a notice from 
Mr. Orr, calling a meeting of those in- 
terested in fruit raising in this section, 
and stating that it was the intention of 
the Government to conduct spraying 
experiments in different parts in the 
Ottawa Valley. I attended the meeting 
and was so much pleased with Mr. Orr’s 
explanation that I immediately offered 
my orchard for the experiment, part of 
the trees were sprayed and part left 


go 


GOOD RESULTS FROM SPRAYING IN .EASTERN ONTARIO. 


unsprayed. With the result of the 
spraying I am more than delighted, the 
apples of the sprayed trees were round 
and large, the foliage a good rich color, 
and the trees ‘made more growth than 
ever before in one season. In the fall 
of 1897 I had no apples fit for use, all 
were small and scabby. In the fall of 
1898, on all trees sprayed I had perfect 
large and round fruit, and although the 
past season was an off year, I had some 
of my trees propped, they were so loaded. 
On the unsprayed trees the fruit was 
poorer, even than in 1897, and perfectly 
useless. I have bought the machine 
with which the spraying experiment was 
conducted, and I intend using it next 
season, when I expect even better re- 
sults, as my trees were in very bad 
shape from the many insects that affect- 


ed them. This fall they look clean and 
healthy. I am fully convinced that 
with good systematical spraying and 
ordinary care of the trees, we can raise 


_as good apples in this section of Canada, 


and better than in most sections. 

“The spraying experiment of the Gov- 
ernment was of very great value to this 
section, and was much appreciated by 
the people.” 

Our protogravures show (Fig. 1548) 
Baldwins unsprayed, almost bare of fruit 
and with sickly foliage, and (Fig. 1547) 
Baldwins sprayed, with healthy foliage 
and a heavy crop of apples. 

Let us have thorough work all along 
the line in this work during the summer 
of 1899, and let no country excel Can- 
ada in apple production. 


Fig. 1548.—-BALDWIN NoT SPRAYED. 
s 
gI 


A NOVA SCOTI 


HAT our sister province by the - 


sea is not behind in fruit 

culture is well evidenced by 

her magnificent Gravenstein 
apples, which command so ready a sale 
in the best markets. Gooseberries, we 
would suppose, should do well so near 
the sea; and this is farther evidenced 
by the accompanying engraving from a 
photograph, sent us by Mr. D. H. Mc- 
Farlane, of Pictou, N.S., accompanied 
by the following nofe :— 

“T am sending you a photo of a 
seedling gooseberry grown in Pictou 
County. I have been growing it for the 
last twenty years, and I find it a very 
good one with good cultivation, it grows 
very large, colour when ripe red; with 
me comparatively free from mildew, 
name Webster’s Seedling.” 


STARTING PLANTS IN MOSS. 


A very neat way to hurry our cuttings 
and bulbs is to use moss instead of 
earth. Take a large tomato can with 
holes punctured in the bottom, or an 
old leaky pail half filled with clean 
moss, well pressed down, and place a 
geranium on it with well spread roots, 
and then fill the tin up with moss, and 
you will be surprised at the result. The 
geranium has blossomed more satis- 
factorily with me*in this way than in 
earth, the blossoms being richer, larger 
and more vigorous. It needs only pure 
water, rain water preferred. For ver- 
andah basket culture, give plenty of 


A GOOSEBERRY. 


Fre. 1549.—Nova Scotia SEEDLING GoossE- 
BERRY. 


water. Will the ladies please try and 
report ? 
M. A. HOSKINS. 
Newport, Vt, 


APPLES..FOR EXPORT. 


Fie. 1550.—Mr. ALtex. Mob. 


N this district, consisting of the 
Counties of Huron, Bruce and 
Grey, almost all the varieties in 
the apple have been tested, and 

we still cling to the older tried kinds, 
as containing those qualities not only 
adapted to the climate and soils, but 
also most valuable in the home and 
foreign markets. It is hard to get 
beyond the Baldwin, Greening, Spy, 
Ribston, Blenheim, King and American 
Golden Russet (properly the Golden 
Russet of Western New York). The 
Ontario is the only newer variety that 
seems to have staying qualities generally. 
Ben Davis succeeds well but flavor is 
against its permanence for market, and 
the same may be said of Canada Red, 


93 


ALLAN, GODERICH. 


Phoenix and a host of others. Of 
course the cry is often heard that many 
of even the old sorts are dying out, or 
rather deteriorating in size, form and 
flavor. Why? 

A great many causes can be fairly 
given. First of all the fault lies at the 
grower’s door, for neglecting the well 
known rules for production of crop of 
any kind, namely, cultivation and man- 
uring. Upon a majority of farms the 
orchard is the neglected spot. But look 
at many newer kinds and what do we 
find? Some flourish for a while after 
introduction and then rapidly run back 
in outward marketing and flavor. When 
the stock fresh from the _ pro- 
pagator’s hands we naturally look for 


1S 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


best results, because the trees have all 
the vigor of a newly found seedling or 
the benefit of a successful cross. I be- 
lieve something beyond growers’ neglects 
after planting can be discovered, if we 
look into the early history of varieties 
closely. Nurserymen have something 
to answer for in not selecting wood from 
perfect trees to use for budding. To 
me it seems reasonable that wood taken 
from a tree that is not strongly and well 
cared for is not fit for use in producing 
young stock as it does not’contain the 
elements of permanency any more than 
we find in similar cases among animals. 

In selecting seed we know it pays to 
select only from trees that are perfect 
in form and free from disease of any 
kind. Why not apply the same rule in 
selecting budding and grafting wood ? 

But, as I said already, the greatest 
fault is with the growers, and only per- 
sistent educative influences, such as the 
Fruit Growers’ Association and Farmers’ 
Institutes exercise, can ever accomplish 
the end so much to be desired. Re- 
turning to varieties, there is one I would 
like to see more largely introduced, the 
Stotts Russet, and improvement can still 
be made in this very desirable sort if 
some enthusiastic would take the trouble 
to get a cross of the Golden Russet into 
it for the purpose of toning down Stotts 
acidity slightly. I wish the Ontario had 
more firmness also. 

Péwaukee was very promising but 
does not stand abuse as well as the old 
kinds named. Years of neglect have 
served to give us the Greening in many 
forms, but seldom do we find one with 
the well-known markings of this fine 
apple of years gone by. 

If we, in Ontario, paid as close atten- 


tion to the production of perfect apples ~ 
as growers in Florida do in respect of 
oranges, the demand in all markets for 
our apples would increase enormously 
and we would not hear so many cry- 
ing out about overproduction. The 
over-production is only in poorly grown 
fruit, and by persisting in this course 
we are destroying markets and cutting 
off consumers instead of increasing. 
There is money in Fameuse if we give 
markets what they want in quality. If 
everyone concerned from the propagator 


_to the grower could only be educated to 


a full sense of responsibility in attend- 
ing closely to rules that common sense 
dictates and science teaches, we would 
have larger orchards, with proper room 
for trees to flourish and produce perfect 
fruits,and markets that woutd ‘consume 
all we could grow and look for more. 
But we have all departed from the 
orders delivered to our first parents 
when placed in Eden, and hence, our 
Edens are becoming worse and worse, 
just because we do not repent of folly 
and obey the rules laid down. Of the 
the varieties mentioned the Stotts 
brought the highest prices in Britain 
and Germany the past season, Kings 
came next, then Blenheim and Ribs. 
ton, followed closely by Baldwin and 
Ontario and Greening and Spy very 
little lower. In all these there was 
demand constantly, while many other 
sorts brought occasionally good prices. 
Fameuse and Wealthy did well, where 
selected and delivered in small packages, 
Pewaukee is not a good packer being so 
uneven in form and varied in size. 


‘ ALEx. McD. ALLAN. 
Goderich, Ont. 


94 


RAMBLING NOTES. at 


From St. THomas, ONT, 


HE past season, taken all in all, 
was a fairly good one for fruit 
growers in this section of the 
country. The quality of the 

strawberries grown here was poor after 
the first picking. More than half the 
crop being what I call nubbins, caused I 
think by the extremely dry weather just 
when the fruit was setting. I like the 
Williams, the Woolverton and Bubach. 
Crescent and Wilson are too small for 
this market. 

Early raspberries were scarce and high 
in price. Late berries were a good crop 
and prices dropped to $1.00 per crate of 
24 boxes. I fruited Conrath and Loudon 
this year for the first time and I like 
them both, they have come to stay. 
The first is a black cap, hardier, larger, 
as good a cropper and a better table berry 
than Gregg. The latter, a hardy stocky 
red berry, larger than Cuthbert and of 
fine color and flavor. 

Pears were a good crop, choice Bart- 


letts and Clapps brought $1.00 per . 


bushel on the local market, but late 
pears appeared to be a drug at 50 cents 
and 75 cents. Apples were only a fair 
crop, but prices were good, and many 
farmers received as much from an acre 


of orchard as from the rent of fifty 
acres. 

Plums were a good crop and brought 
good+ prices. This section produces 
now nearly all the plums that the city 
requires, where only a few years ago 
there were scarcely any grown ; the plum 
belt and peach belt is becoming broader 
every year. Every Abundance plum 
tree in this section was loaded all they 
would carry, and every one is delighted 
with the fruit, both as to appearance and 
quality. It is a great acquisition to the 
list of plums. I sprayed thoroughly 
this year for the first time, and had fifty 
bushels of clear fruit from young plum 
trees. I am pleased with my experi- 
ence, and shall spray again. 

In my experience Japan plum trees 
will not stand the same strength of Bor- 
deaux mixture as other plums. Neither 
will peach trees. Why don’t those 
Government sprayers tell us these things 
so we would not have to learn by dear 
experience? I wish some one would 
tell me the best way to get borers out 
of plum trees and keep them out. 


A. W. GRAHAM. ° 
St. Thomas 


PROTECTING STREET TREES. 
Shade trees along 
a village or city street 
are liable to damage 


bes from the gnawing of 
~3 horses that are stop- 
ma ped near them, and 
"Re TPE bi sometimes even hitch- 
os eA? 408 ed to them. A high 

4 Vea 


protection of stakes 
and wooden slats is 
not attractive. The 


Fig. —1551. 


illustration shows how shade trees can be 
wound with the narrowlengths of wirenet- 
ting, and thus protected at little expense 
of money or labor, while the result is not 
distressing to the eye. Very narrow wire 
netting is now to be had, and this is 
capable of such stretching as to make it 
lie very flat and close to the bark of a 
tree. The upper end of the strip should 
be beveled when in place, so as to leave 
the top of the wire even all the way 
around. 


95 


THE -NEW-FRUITE CULTURE, 


T has been so fashionable of late 


years to talk about “The New 

Onion Culture,” “The New 

Strawberry Culture,” etc., that it 
seems quite in place to make a few re- 
marks about the “New Fruit Cul- 
ture.” Certainly, if we may judge by the 
experience of the past three years, the 
old fruit culture is no longer profitable, 
and some new methods must be adopted 
or else the business will be declared a 
failure. One-half the varieties of apples 
are worthless for scab, one-third the 
whole crop of tree fruits for worms and 
curculios ; grapes, raspberries and cur- 
rants have glutted our markets, and 
what are we to do? 

Right here comes in the value of im 
proved methods such as the O. A. C. 
can point out, the faithful observance 
of which will make fruit culture as good 
_a line of agricultural life as it ever was. 

Let us very briefly refer to some of 
the apparent difficulties and see if we 
can find a solution. 

(1): The Glutted Markets.—This is 
only an imaginary difficulty, a mote that 
obscures the visions of larger things. 
Our little Ontario has filled its own 
‘markets with home-grown fruits, and 
fancies it has filled the whole world, 
and individual growers are giving up in 
discouragement. How foolish, when 
the big markets have hungry mouths 
wide open for our luscious fruit products ; 
when Covent Garden, England, will 
take all the apples we can send, and 
when Antwerp in Belgium and Hamburg 
in Germany are both clamoring for a 
share of our dessert apples. 

I have just received returns from 
Hamburg for some prime apples sent to 
that market in cases; they were fancy 
apples of course. What do you think 
were the net returns? Fifty cents for 


96 


a one third bushel, or $1.50 per bushel. 
Similar prices prevailed in other Euro- 
pean markets. Is that a failure or a 
success ? 

Does that look as if there was no 
market for Ontario apples ? 

Then our magnificent Canadian pears. 
We have shipped several car loads to 
Bristol this year, and the net returns 
have varied at from 50 cents to $1.25 
per 3rd bushel case. Is there then no 
encouragement for growing pears in 
Ontario? I might go on and enumerate 
other fruits in the same manner, but 
time forbids. 

I have shown, I think, that there is 
plenty of market for tip-top stock that 
is worth conveying to a distant market. 

The next difficulty is “ How fo sell 
the fruit which won't pay to export?” 

Why, you must stop growing such ~ 
stock entirely. It will pay to export 
Duchess, Alexander, Gravenstein’ and ~ 
Wealthy apples ; it won’t pay to export 
Fall Pippins, Rambos, or any soft, poor 
looking*apple that is given to spot. It’ 
will pay to export Bartlett, Bosc, Anjou, 
Clairgeau, Boussock, and such pears, 
but not Buffum, Tyson,  Rostiezer, 
Vicar, or other such inferior varieties. 
It will pay to export a firm peach like 
Elberta and Smock, but not a tender 
variety like Early Crawford. What 
must be done? Why you must plant, 
with a purpose,.the varieties that will 
export and then you can capture the 
best markets in the world. 

But the worms, the scab, etc., what 
about them? Why, kill- them. You 
must, or they will kill yourtrade. Fight 
them with the spray pump. Not witha 
little shower from nozzles held by men 
riding Jazily about in the wagon, but by 
wide-awake chaps who will get under 
and into the tree and cover every inch 


RINGING 


of wood and foliage with the deadly 
mixture. 

You must fertilize, cultivate, spray, 
prune, and thin in a new and improved 
fashion, until you learn how to produce 
the largest and finest fruit in the world, 


GRAPES. 


? 
and then you will find fruit culture not 
only inviting, but quite as remunerative 
as any other line of agriculture. 


L. WOOLVERTON, 
in O. A. C. Review. 


RINGING 


grapes to be entered in competition 

for prizes has long been debated, 
and in many cases judges have ruled 
adversely. We believe the advisability 
of the practise is not yet sufficiently set- 
tled to justify such action. Indeed it 
has been claimed by some growers that 
ringing is a benefit even in the commer- 
cial vineyard, not only ripening the fruit 
from ten. days to two weeks earlier than 
when not ringed, but also considerably 
improving its sweetness. 

‘Experiments have been in progress at 
the Massachusetts Agricultural College 
since 1877, and have gone to show that 
the practise is advisable and does not 
injure the vine. An analysis by Dr. 
Goesmann showed the increase of sugar 
in juice as follows : 


Te question of allowing ringed 


In 1877. Ringed. Not Ringed. 
Concord... .. 19 per cent... .13 percent. 
Rhattlord::si areca f Lews Ba & 

In 1889. ; 
Comeatas «sot ite. x0 '« Gin 


Dr. Jabez Fisher also made some pri- 
vate experiments. In July, 1888, he 
ringed some Concords when the berries 
were about a quarter of an inch in diam- 
eter and the ringed fruit showed color 
August 24th and the unringed Sept. 2. 
On July 2, 1889, he ringed two bearing 
arms on sixty vines, taking out a ring of 
bark from one half three-quarters of an 
inch wide, near the trunk. The result 
-was increase of size about 30 or 4o per 
cent., and about ten days’ gain in ripen- 
ing. 

2 97 


GRAPES. 


In 1890 he ringed nearly an acre of 
Concords, which showed color Aug. 17 
and those not ringed August 25. The 
former were marketed Sept. 22, the lat- 
ter Oct. 3. Twenty-two specimens of 
each sent to Dr. Goesmann showed 9 
per cent. of sugar in ringed and 7 per 
cent in those not ringed. 

Mr. Fisher observed, however, a 
weakening of the vines so treated, 
which made him question the ultimate 
benefit of the procedure. Perhaps if he 
had confined his work to branches 
which would need removing at the next 
pruning, instead of operating on the 
two main arms, he would not have weak- 
ened his vines so much. 

Prof. Bailey quotes a writer in the 
valley of the Hudson, where a good 
many growers have been practising this 
custom, who says: 

“That girdling destroys the flavor of 
some varieties has been well shown; 
that others, when girdled, never seem 
to ripen, or in other words remain sour, 
is also true. A girdled Catawba rivals 
a cucumber pickle for acidity, and a 
Delaware so treated never gets sweet. 
Empire State loses all its character when 
girdled, while Martha and Wyoming 
Red suffer no lessin quality. Concord 
and Champion are girdled freely with- 
out bad effects. Worden and Lady 
sometimes crack badly when girdled ; 
both are very thin skinned varieties. As 
a general rule the more delicate flavored 
grapes, especially if they contain for- 
eign blood, deteriorate most by girdling. 


NOTES BY THE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE O. F.G. 
ASSOCIATION TO "THEW: N.Y. H: SOCIETY: 


$°1 74, HE 44th annual meeting of 
; the Western New York Hor- 
ticultural Society was held 
in the City Hall, Roches- 
ter, on the 25th and 26th 
of January. Morning, afternoon and 
evening sessions were held. The hall, 
which holds about seven hundred, was 
filled at most of the sessions, so that 
standing room was not available. 

The president, W. C. Barry, was not 
able to attend, being sick. Mr. S. D. 
Willard, Vice-President, who is_ well 
known to Ontario fruit growers, ably 
presided. This Society is particularly 
favored by having such a large number 
of professors from Geneva and Cornell 
Experiment Stations, to attend their 
meetings, They appear to be able, wil- 
ling and anxious to solve all the pro- 


98 


blems that arise, and to give the fruit 
growers all possible information. 

This Society has done good work, not 
only for the fruit growers of New York 
State ; its influence has overleaped state 
and international boundaries. 

Dr. G. C. Caldwell gave an address 
on 


DECAY AND PRESERVATION OF FRUITS, 


Several species of fungi are the causes 
of the rotting of fruit. It attacks both 
ripening and ripe fruit, and is some- 
times found in the blossom. The fun- 
gus germs are carried by flies and wasps. 
Spraying is the only remedy, and to 
secure the best results must be con- 
tinued much later than we have been 
doing in the past. Thorough tests have 
been made of late sprayed fruit, but no 
poison was found, so it is not consid- 
ered dangerous. 

The fruit exhibit was very fine. 
Messrs. Elwanger & Barry showed fifty 
varieties of pears, all in excellent con- 
dition, some specimens of Anjou being 
remarkably fine. Geneva Experiment 
Station showed fifty-six varieties of ap- 
ples. There were many other fine ex- 
hibits of apples, and about sixty plates 
of grapes shown. A new pear shown 
by E. Moody & Sons, of Lockport, is a 
handsome russet winter pear, but said 
to be rather poor in quality. 

Peach orchards in South-Western 
Michigan are being attacked by a new 
disease, said to be more serious than the 
yellows. It was first noticed three or 
four years ago, and is particularly bad 
in Sangatuck Township, where thou- 
sands of trees have been ruined by it. 
The effect is that the fruit is stunted 
when it is about the size of a plum, and 


NOTES FROM THE W. WN. Y. 


ceases to grow, and the tree loses vital- 
ity. This disease was also reported at 
Cayuka Lake, and in peach orchards on 
the Niagara river opposite Queenston. 
Mr. R. Morrill, of Benton Harbor, 
Michigan, President of Michigan State 
Horticultural Society and a large peach 
grower, says that this disease is quite as 
contagious as the yellows, that there is 
no known remedy but to dig out and 
burn roots as found. 

Mr. S. S. Crissey, of Fredonia, N.Y., 
read a paper on the 


CHAUTAUQUA AND ERIE GRAPE Com- 
PANY. 


The Chautauqua-Erie Grape Belt in- 
cludes eleven townships ; nine of them 
border on Lake Erie and join each 
other. There are twenty-seven thou- 
sand acres planted with grapes. Ninety- 
five per cent. of all the vines planted 
are Concord. Two thousand five hun- 
dred growers, representing twenty-five 
thousand acres, are members of the 
Company. The objects of the Com- 
pany are to supply a uniform grade of 
fruit, prevent the overloading of the 
markets, secure a wider and more equal 
distribution, of the fruit at the least pos- 
sible cost to the producer. There was 
shipped from this district in 1897, 6,000 
car loads of grapes. The crop was light- 
er in 1898, being estimated at 4,000 cars. 
The Company handled in‘a single day, 
Oct. 16, 218 cars of 2,800 baskets each, 
or 600,000 baskets. They handled in a 
single week over 1,000 cars. Each 
day’s shipment was pooled separately 
and every basket accounted and paid 
for. The Company paid all expenses, 
all losses, and every grower in full, at a 
cost of Jess than three mills per basket. 
The business of one year amounted to 
nearly one million dollars. Seven and 
three-quarter cents each was the average 


HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 


price received by growers for nine- 
pound baskets of grapes. 

Mr. J. J. Borden, Inspector for San 
Jose Scale, reported a very bad infesta- 
tion on Long Island, he found seventeen 
Nurseries infested. Flushing Cemetery 
is also badly infested, both trees and 
bushes, including two rows of elms from 
forty to fifty feet high. Beach, maple, 
linden, in fact almost all kinds of trees 
are infested. 


Central Park, New York, he says, is 
badly infested. He reports thousands 
of trees killed by the scale,.and hun- 
dreds’ of thousands dying, including 
many full grown apple trees. 


Professor Beach says that stock solu- 
tions for Bordeaux Mixture is all right, 
but they must not be mixed until wanted 
for use, and then they should not be 
put in the spraying barrel until the bar- 
rel is partly filled with water, as when 
put together at stock-strength a chemical 
action takes place which injures the 
mixture. He says that he would not 
use Bordeaux Mixture that had been 
prepared for over two days. 


D. K. Bell, of Brighton, gave an in- 
structive address on ‘ Pear Culture.” 
Clay loam the best soil for pears. 
Clapp’s Favorite, Bartlett, Seckel, Shel- 
don and Duchess, were among. the 
varieties recommended; headvises plant- 
ing about two feet deep, and making a - 
large hole to give ample room for the 
roots. Training should be done while 
trees are dormant, say from Nov. 1st to 
March rst; he prefers thepyramid system 
of pruning. Pear trees should be pruned 
ennually, and well cultivated and ferti- 
lized, using manure every other year 
Let the trees have plenty of sunshine 
and air, don’t grow any other crops on 
the ground after the trees are eight 
years old. Thin the fruit early in the 
season. 


99 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


Fra. 1553.—Pror. S. A. BEAcH. 


A discussion as to whether it is better 
to give an orchard clean cultivation, or 
keep stock of any kind in it, brought 
out the fact that clean cultivation is 
growing in favor. Numbers who op- 


posed it a few years ago acknowledged 
that they had changed their minds. 

Sutton’s Beauty was spoken of as a 
first class apple. 

A discussion on Japan plums brought 
out the following : Red June said to be 
fairly good, and profitable on account of 
being two or three weeks earlier than 
any other variety. Abundance and 
Burbank said to be abundant bearers of 
fruit, of quality from poor to medium. 
Wickson a large beautiful plum of good 
quality, and quite hardy, but doubts 
were expressed as to its productiveness. 

Thinning of all kinds of fruit was re- 
commended to secure better specimens, 
and preserve the vitality of the tree. _ 

An interesting paper, on “ Apple 
Canker,” was read by W. Paddock, of 
Geneva, which will appear in another 
issue. 

Your representative was kindly re- 
ceived and courteously entertained by 
the Society. ' 

W. M. Orr. 

Fruitland. 


MAKE YOUR OWN 


to be used in the flower garden 

should be rooted during the 
months of February or March. Gera- 
niums made during these months should 
be covered with blooms during the sum- 
mer months if they are given proper 
care. 

Other plants that add greatly to the 
beauty of the garden, and which may be 
propagated by cuttings, are the Coleus, 
Iresine, Althermanthera, and Centaura- 
These plants all root readily from cut- 
tings ; they can be started in a cutting 


(5 toe of many of the plants 


box in the window, which should be as 
100 


PLANT CUTTINGS. 


long and;wide as desired for the limited 
space, and about four or five inches deep. 
It should be filled with clean river sand. 
When the cuttings are first made they 
should be shaded during the heat of the 
day and sprinkled several times a day 
until the- cuttings become thoroughly 
established. The sand should always 
be kept moist but never wet. 

Cuttings are often rooted in a deep 
plate filled with moist sand. There are 
various contrivances used for rooting 
cuttings, but in each case the rooting 
medium is clean moist sand. Soil is 
apt to become soggy.—Kansas Bulletin. 


NIAGARA DISTRICT FRUIT MEN. 


N important meeting of fruit 
growers was held at St. Catha- 
rines on Friday the 17th Feb- 
ruary, at which commission 

merchants and railway men from To- 
ronto, Ottawa and Montreal were 
present, and also Messrs. Bain and Gib- 
son, members for Wentworth and Lin- 
coln. 

The commission men were blamed 
for selling fruit by auction, for selling all 
grades of fruit at the same price, for 
wholesaling to themselves, and then 
retailing at a much higher price for 
which the grower got no account ; for 
using the fruit, which is the property of 
the growers, for competing with other 
commission merchants, etc. 


To these points the commission men 
replied, pointing out that in some cases 
the auction system was a good means of 
getting the fairest price for each man’s 
goods, for thereby all packages were sold 
wholly on their merits ; that the best com- 
mission men were these who confined 
themselves to the wholesale work, which 
some did not do; that usually packages 
of fruit were classified according to 
grades, at once on arrival, and sold ac- 
cordingly, but that on a slumpy market 
all fruit would be sold in bulk without 
distinction of grades. 


The subject of transportation of fruit 
was taken up in the afternoon, and it 
was shown that we need (1) better ven- 
tilation for cars which carry fruit, by 
means of a rapid circulation of air ; (2) 
lower rates to Manitoba, which would 
result in a largely increased  vol- 
ume of trade; (3) greater speed or 
dispatch, especially for small lots. 


Mr. Clemes of Toronto said he could 
find little fault with the ventilation of 
cars coming into Toronto, from any 


points in Ontario; but the methods 
of packing a car were bad. The Flor- 
ida shippers take pride in loading a car, 
and it is done with such system that it 
is worth anyone’s time to see; Cana- 
dians too often ship in a higglede-piggle- 
dy manner. 

Mr. Callahan of Montreal thought the 
service very good to Montreal, the new 
refrigerator cars, fitted with Clark’s pa- 
tent, and numbering from 50,000 and 
upwards, are well ventilated. The rates 
could not be better than last year, 33¢. 
a hundred from Toronto to Montreal. 

Mr. Hunt of Ottawa thought that with 
well ventilated cars it was not neces- 
sary to use ice on short distances. Mr. 
Albert Pay said the kind of cars fur- 
nished by the Grand Trunk in 1898 
were a disgrace—dirty with coal dust, 
patched up floors, and generally shabby. 

Mr. Robinson, representing the G. T. 
R; said that in 1898 fifty of the Clark’s 
patent ventilated cars ran between St. 
Catharines and Montreal, and in 1899 
there would be about 500 of them in 
use for fruit growers, but he would not 
advise their use without ice. 

Mr. E. D. Smith said even these cars 
were not sufficiently ventilated. The 
opening is only about four inches in 
diameter, entirely too small; it should 
be three feet wide, a foot high, and 
placed in front of the car, with a wire 
screen to protect from dust. 

Mr. Grant of the C. P. R. said their 
ventilated cars had an opening at the 
ends three feet high and two feet wide, 
with a sheet of wire cloth to protect 
from dust. 

Regarding rates to Manitoba, he said 
these had now been lowered 33 per 
cent., and were now as low as anywhere 
else on the continent. The rate for 
apples from Ontario to Winnipeg was 


Io! 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


now only 50 cents a hundredweight, 
and for grapes 8134 cents a hundred 
(as third-class freight). 

The re-icing of cars en route to Win- 
nipeg had, in some instances, not been 
done frequently enough, but arrange- 
ments have now been made to have 
this carefully remedied, and such cars 
will be re-iced as often as is necessary. 

The agent of the Niagara Central said 
that if shippers had any farther griev- 
ances they should appeal to the Freight 
Agents’ Association, which meets at 
Toronto every month, representing all 
the railways of Canada, and the secre- 
tary is Mr. John Earls, Union Station, 
Toronto. 

The Packers’ Association had recent- 
ly met with this body and received 
some important concessions, and the 
Fruit Growers might do the same. 

The agent of the Intercolonial said 
that his road was now in a position to 
forward fruit in the best condition to 
the maritime provinces. 


Excellent addresses were delivered by 
the Hon. Wm. Gibson, and the Hon. 
Thos. Bain, in which they congratulated 
the growers on the grand progress which 
had been made in their business during 
the past few years, and referred to the 
need of better service for distribution of 
fruit from such centres as Montreal and 
Toronto. Public opinion was turning 
rapidly in the direction of the appoint- 
ment of an independent Railway Com- 


mission, to which could be referred all 
matters of dispute between the Railway 
Companies and the shippers—-a com- 
mittee which would be entirely outside 
of political influences, and the sooner 
this is appointed the better in the in- 
terests of the public. 

The Secretary of the Ontario Fruit 
Growers’ Association said a committee 
had been appointed by that body which 
would take up the matter of Railway 
Transportation in earnest, as soon as it 
was possible to put down in black and 
white exactly what the growers want. 
For this purpose he was present at this 
meeting, and was prepared to receive 
complaints from all parts of Ontario. 
These would be looked into by the 
committee and put in shape to be laid 
before the Railway Commission should 
such a body be appointed. 

The following resolution was moved 
by Mr. D. J. McKinnon, seconded by 
E. J. Woolverton, and _ urfanimously 
carried :— 


‘*That in the opinion of this Association 
the service rendered the public of this coun- 
try by the railway and express companies 
in the matter of transportation of fruit, is not 
wholly satisfactory in respect to ventilation 
of cars, to despatch, and to rates; that the 
fruit growers have long striven to secure bet- 
ter service, but. with little result; that to 
tremedy the evils complained of this Associa- 
tion deems it absolutely necessary that a Gov- 
ernment commissioner be appointed with the 
fullest discretionary pewers to investigate the 
whole question of service rendered by public 
carriers both as to its efficiency and reason- 
ableness of charge, and to remedy all evils 
that may have arisen under the monopolistic 
system heretofore in force.” 


FROZEN 


Many people are at loss what to do 
when plants have been frozen. While 
on a visit to Lansing, Mich., Prof. Craig 
visited the greenhouse of Prof. Taft. It 
so happened that the previous day had 
been Thanksgiving, and the man in 
charge had remained away all night, the 
result being that every plant was found 
to be badly frozen. | Prof. Taft at once 
procured a quantity of tobacco and filled 


PAIN eS; 


the whole place full of smoke in order 
to lessen the strength of the sun’s rays. 
He then turned on the water in different 
parts of the greenhouse in the form of 
fine sprays. He heard later from the 
professor that the plan had succeeded 
admirably, very few plants being killed. 
It is rapid thawing that hurts the plants. 
PROF. CRAIG. 


102 


THE TOMATO 


“Sir, —I have read in ‘“ American 
Gardening” a condensed report of the 
proceedings of the late meeting of your 
Fruit Growers’ Association. I observe 
that the export of tomatoes to Great 
Britain by your people in 1898 was not 
yet quite satisfactory, chiefly owing to 
the size of the fruit. Allow me to make 
a suggestion that may be helpful to you, 
and through you to your friends at 
Grimsby, Winona and Burlington, who 
are taking the lead in the export of 
fruits. It is, that at least two or three 
of your friends at each of these points 
make a small trial planting of Living- 
ston’s “ Honor Bright” tomato. It is 
one of Livingston’s latest introductions 
in the tomato line, and is a quite dis- 
tinct variety. The description of it, to 
be found in Livingston’s catalogue, is a 
fair and accurate one as it grows here. 
The habit of growth of the plant is 
almost precisely what Mitchell, of St. 
Mary’s, recommends as the best for 
Northern latitudes, a flat, spreading 
growth. It is mediumearly. The fruit 
is of good quality, not superior to 
Ignotum, perhaps scarcely up to it, but 
good, better than many others. The 
features of the fruit that lead me to 
think that it will give satisfaction in 


FOK EXPORT. 


the export business are, medium size, 
smoothness, freedom from crack or rot, 
toughness of skin (skin is of a thin, 
silky texture), and an apparent capacity 
for ripening after being gathered from 
the vine at the proper stage, and with- 
out deteriorating in quality, while it is 
ripening in the dark, or wrapped in 
paper. ‘The fruit changes in color as it 
grows and approaches maturity just as 
the description narrates. Last season I 
gathered some fruits at the ‘“ waxy- 
white” stage, wrapped them in paper, 
and placed them on a shelf in a rather 
warm, probably 60°, compartment of 
my cellar. In ten days the fruits were 
a deep red and in fine condition. My 
gardening operations are for the present 
confined to the back yard of a city lot, 
and my experience with ‘“ Honor 
Bright” is confined to that, with three 
plants. My very little experience was 
so satisfactory, and my enquiries about 
the variety gave me such good reports, 
that I have confidence. in recommend- 
ing your friends to make small ¢rial 
plantings of it, with a view to adopting 
it in the near future as a standard 
variety for export. 
J. CAVERS. 


95 West Second Ave., Columbus, O. 


HOW TO KILL THE LEAF HOPPER. 


Leaf Hopper, Thrip and Erythroneura 
Vitis are all different names for one 
small insect, which is often very num- 
erous On grape vines during the summer. 

It is about an eighth of an inch long, 
of a light color, and marked by three 
dark red bands. They fly from their 
position on the under side of the leaves 
when the vines are shaken and soon 
light again. 


To combat them in the summer; when 
their destructive work is noticeable is 
difficult. Now is the time. They may 
be found under the leaves near the 
vines. If the vineyard is cleaned of all 
litter and this promptly burned, many 
will be destroyed. The insects remain- 
ing on the ground can be killed by a 
spray of coal oil emulsion.—Kansas 
Bulletin. 


103 


1554— Yucca. 


Fie. 


FILAMENTOSA. 


UR northern gardens contain no 
other hardy plant which in ap- 
pearance is so distinctly tropi- 
cal as the Yucca. It makes a 

fine specimen plant standing singly on 
the lawn, and when in bloom is a grand 
and beautiful object with its hundreds 
of drooping white lily-like flowers. 
Planted in good soil, and with a little 
space about it kept free from grass and 
weeds, it will take care of itself. The 
stem is killed down by the frost, but an 
annual growth is made, becoming 
stronger with age. It is well to place a 
layer of litter about the plant late in 
autumn, and in spring to dig in some 
good old manure. Besides the position 
mentioned for it, it is also suitable for 
the shrubbery border, or it may form 
one of a small group of shrubs, or occupy 
the centre of a large flower bed.— Vick’s 
Magazine. 


THE NARCISSUS NOT BLOOMING. 


When Narcissi fail to bloom it is 
usually because the bulbs have become 
too deep and too much crowded in the 
soil by long remaining in one place, or 
because the bed is composed of tenacious 
clay soil to which the sun does not have 
free access. In such a position the 


104 


bulbs do not ripen well because the 
ground is constantly moist, and in con- 
sequence they split up into numerous 
smaller bulbs, none of which are of 
sufficient size or vitality to bloom. 
Knowing the cause the remedy will 
suggest itself. 


A CHEAP GREENHOUSE FOR PLEASURE AND 
PROFIT. 


HAVE seen from time to time in 
| your columns, instructions on 

building various styles of green- 

houses. Now I think I have one 
that some others would like. It is one 
which I made myself during my leisure 
moments, both night and morning. I 
present the drawings that others may 
do as I did. The plan (Fig. 1555) is 
¥-inch to the foot. The rafters and 
uprights I had made, but the rest of 
» the work I did myself. 
There are 600 panes of glass in the 


Fic. 1555.—A Low Cost GREENHOUSE AND BoILER Room. 


roof and end; the size is 8% x 6% 
inches. These were plates of pictures 
or photographic negatives—larger glass 
would be better. The glass in the 
belt or the upright is 9x12 inches. 
The rafters are 34-inch between the 
glass and the uprights are %-inch be- 
tween the glass. This makes every- 
thing come all right. 

There are two skylights on the east, 
and one on the west side, two slide 
windows in the belt on each side of 
the house. From the bottom of the 
belt to the ground is 3% feet. This 
can be made from old boxes, with a 
cleat or strip over the crack of the 
edges. 


TOS 


The boiler room is 2 feet deep. The 
bottom or sides are cemented or stones 
laid in cement. The top and sides are 
lined with sheet iron and painted to 
keep from rusting. The chimney is of 
brick about 7 feet high, and four lengths 
or 6 feet of 6-inch Acron pipe on top of 
brick. The ventilator over the boiler 
is of galvanized iron, 8 inches in di- 
ameter, 6 feet high, with a damper in it. 
This takes away gas that may escape, 
and is regulated at night to keep the 
house ventilated. 


The boiler is a No. 12, made by 
Howes, of Boston, for hot water, and is 
the best thing of its kind I have ever 
seen for a portable boiler. This is the 
second winter I have used it, and I do 
not have any trouble to keep the house 
at 60 degrees, when it is zero outside. 
It takes two tons of egg coal, and one- 
half ton of screenings for the year round, 
by putting on a little coal four times a 
day. The coal bin will hold one-half 
ton of coal and one-half ton of screen- 
ings. 

There is about 112 feet of 2-inch pip- 
ing in the form of the letter L running 
under the west side and end of bench. 


The east side is portable, so I can take 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


ES eos > FORO BS oy eS 
Benen. 
Passage wax 
ly. Return Ppe - 
foes SF -- Supply Tipe. topes sstis ft : Fipes Hig 


Fie. 1556.—PiLan ror Low Cost GREENHOUSE. 


the bench down when I want to stand 
’ Chrysanthemums on the ground. After 
they are gone I put the bench up again, 
and everything is all right. 

The water tank is supplied with water 
from the roof of the shed. The house 
and shed are double boarded on 2x4 


joist, making it 4 inches thick, and filled 
with sawdust. There are two doors at 
the entrance. The outside door is a 
good thing, as it keeps the other door 
from freezing or sweating.—American 
Gardening. 


- ARUNDO 


Fie. 1557.—ARunDo Donax. 


derivation, but supposed to be 

from the Latin word Arundo, a 
reed. The species, Donax, is a very 
strong growing bamboo-like reed, hav- 
ing long stout leaves, that remind some 
people rather too much of Indian Corn. 
Farther south, it is much used in beds 
of ornamental grasses and for centres 
of sub-tropical beds. The roots are of 


T° name Arundo is of doubtful 


DONAX 


doubtful hardiness here if unprotected ; 
we lift the roots every fall and store 
them in a cool cellar over winter. 
Plants so treated do not attain nearly 
their full height however. Those shown 
in the engraving, were planted in May 
and photographed in October. A sin- 
gle specimen at our nurseries was kept 
in good condition through the winter of 
1897, by turning an old apple barrel 
over the root after shortening back the 
stems and banking the barrel up part 
way with earth ; this plant made growth 
last summer of 12 feet. Should we 
succeed in keeping the root through 
another winter, it is expected that a 
greater growth can be obtained by fur- 
ther enriching the soil. Arundo Varie- 
gata is a smaller growing species, varie- 
gated after the same style as the com- 
mon Ribbon Grass ; it is not quite as 
hardy as the green variety. 


Hamilton. WEBSTER Bros. 


106 


ASPARAGUS SPRENGERI. 


Fie. 1558. AsPpARAGUS SPRENGERI. 


ERHAPS no other new plant 
introduced within the last 
twenty years has been so 
satisfactory and so welcome 

as Asparagus Sprengeri — now called 
“Emerald Feather” by some and 
“ Abyssinian Parlor Fern” by others, 
It has not only proved the most profit- 
able plant for florists, who now grow it 
by the thousands, for its long feathery 
sprays which are used to the exclusion 
of almost all other decorative greens, 
but it is also grown extensively in 
baskets and in jardinieres from which 
the long green sprays droop for the 
length of 3 to 8 feet, according to the 
age of the plant. The engraving shows 
a plant in a hanging basket. It is 
almost unbelievable to most persons, 
that grand specimens measuring 12 to 
15 feet in circumference, and with sprays 


8 feet long, can be produced in the short 
space of two years from quite small 
plants, and yet such specimens are fre- 
quently shown, and one of them was 
awarded a special premium by the 
Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, as a 
reward for its remarkable beauty. 


Not only is the plant extremely valu- 
able, but it is admirable at all times, and 
naturally, especially so when smothered 
with its delicate, pure white and delici- 


i ously fragrant flowers, which perfume a 


whole conservatory. These delightful 
flowers are followed later on by bright 
red seed berries which remain perfect 
for a long while, and from which the 
plant can be easily and quickly prop- 
agated. 


I do not know of another ornamental 
plant that I would prefer to this gem— 
and this for many reasons: First, it can 
be grown with less trouble than any 
other, whether indoors or out—sun or 
shade ; next, it keeps green the whole 
year round, and its graceful foliage can 
be used for many decorative purposes, 
and also with any cut flowers. Again, 
it is a plant that increases in value from 
year to year, and does not have to be 
replaced like so many others. Again, it 
can be put to many uses, such as sus- 
pended from a porch or balcony, ele- 
vated on a pedestal, or grown in flower 
boxes outside of a window. It likes 
sun, but also grows elegantly in shade. 
It prefers a rich soi! and lots of water at 
all times, but at the same time stands 
neglect, owing to its large fleshy roots. 
Owing to its rapid growth it should be 
repotted frequently. — Park’s Floral 
Guide. 


107 


PLANTS FOR- THE DINING TABLE. 


O one having the attention 

called to the matter for the 

first time it is surprising to 

note how surely fashion rules 

even among flowers. The use of palms 
and decorative plants of that order upon 
every occasion of social importance has 
opened a new field for the florist. If he 
be what Mr. Peter Barr refers to as a 
‘“ bread and cheese” grower, rather than 
one cultivating plants for love of their 
rareness and charm, he fills his house 
with such specimens as my lady loves 
to see adorning her dwelling. She 
usually forgets to water, or neglects to 
give proper sun or shade, and in a sea- 
son or two is back at the florist’s door 
seeking fresh subjects for her jardin- 
ieres ; all to the advantage of the grower 
and the attractiveness of the parlors, if 
not to that deep and abiding love of 
flowers that holds sway in some hearts. 
A floral fad making for trade in the 
same direction is the growing custom of 
employing a jardiniere of low plants as 
a centre piece for the dining table. 
Whereas madame used to purchase cut 
flowers and feel her table not fitly 
adorned for the social function or ex- 
pected guest unless some sort of floral 
piece, however simple, held the centre 
of attraction amid her silver and china, 
she now realizes the aggregating ex- 
travagance of such outlay, and feels her- 
self sagacious and economical when she 
buys something more durable than the 
perishable blossoms. Best of all, just 
now, she likes a low jardiniere having 
an outside holder of silver and stocked 
with dainty ferns. Such a centre piece 
can be kept, with a minimum of care, in 
fair condition for three or four months. 
At the end of its presentableness it 
comes back to the florist for fresh filling. 
Madame wants something equally pretty 


with the first, but would like it as differ- 
ent as may be. It is in meeting this 
demand for suitable table plants that 
the florist’s best wits will be likely to 
bring him promptest compensation. 
The plants would preferably not be tall, 
unless of delicate texture; anything 
being an annoyance, particularly to men, 
and always a menace to conversation, 
that obtrudes itself to intercept the eye 
glances of those about the table. Par- 
ticularly the head of the house and 
Madame, being seated opposite each 
other, dislike a barrier to those eye 
messages frequently so useful to the 
administration of domestic affairs. Who 
knows what nice decisions of matters of 
church, state or kitchen, even a Cocos- 
Weddeliana might be guilty of turning 
away. 

Of ferns, Adiantum and Pteris at once 
suggest themselves as well adapted to 
table use, either in collections or as 
single specimens. The woman who has 
a flourishing Adiantum, and a stand of 
Lycopodium and low ferns, may give 
each its days of retirement in the win- 
dow, and with occasional substitution of 
flowers or some blossoming plant, keep 
up a continual variety. For no matter 
how lovely a thing is,.an American is 
wearied by sameness. This is the great- 
est fault to be urged against the palms, 
draczenas and various stiff leaved tropi- 
cal plants. 

For grace and beauty of effect nothing 
can surpass a simple basket as a recep- 
tacle for plants. There must be pro- 
vision for removal, for watering, and for 
complete protection of the table cover. 
The covers of the plant holder should 
always be subdued in tone. Soft olives 
and yellows can never offend the eye, 
but reds and blues are usually an 
abomination. Ferns and small decora- 

108 


BULBS FOR THE GARDEN. 


tive plants, set to keep on growing in an 
attractive receptacle, no matter how 
simple and inexpensive it be (in fact the 


more so the better), would sell on sight 
in any shop window.—American Gar- 
dening. 


BULBS FOR THE GARDEN. 


NE of the most eminent au- 

thorities on floriculture, Mr. 

Peter Barr, has recently been 

visiting Canada and the Unit- 

ed States. He is an enthusiast in bulb 

culture, especially Narcissi, and he has 

travelled far and wide, in search of 
novelties. 

Interviewed by American Gardening, 
he said :— 

All spring flowering and bulbous 
plants should be placed facing the north 
and inacool bottom; Daffodils, Tu- 
lips, Hyacinths, Chionodoxae, and 
the whole tribe will be both lasting and 
beautiful and go on from year to year if 
these conditions are attended to, name- 
_ly, a cool bottom and facing the north. 
Bulbous plants should be left where 
they are and not removed annually and 
not be manured under any circum- 
stances. Every bulb that grows in Eu- 
rope may be grown in the United States, 
and in many cases bulbs that cannot be 
grown in Eurape can be grown in the 
United States. I believe myself that 
all the Cape bulbs could be grown well 
out of doors. Lilium candidum and 
Lilium chalcedonicum and many other 
Lilies do better when they are grown in 
tightly over-grown masses. According 
to experiments made by Dewar at Kew, 
it was found that Lilium candidum did 
best when the bulb was partially ex- 
posed. In a country where the frost 
penetrates so deeply and so suddenly, I 
do not see the advantage of deeply cov- 
ering the bulbs. The rule for planting 
bulbs is three times their own depth, 
that is to say, if a bulb is one inch from 


top to base, it should have its base three 
inches below the surface. Crinum has 
a bulb of about one foot and more in 
length and may safely be planted at a 
depth of eighteen inches. A Dutch- 
man will usually plant his bulbs, mea- 
suring by the depth of his hand placed 
side-ways on the ground. The Japan 
Irises should be placed on a bank with 
underflow of water as from a spring. 
In such situations they do simply mag- 
nificently, but they want plenty of drink 
and should not be in stagnant water. 
And the same conditions will prove 
satisfactory for almost all alpine plants. 
All the Primulas will take the same con- 
ditions. Given that condition the Eng- 
lish Primrose would flourish as well here 
as in its native place. It suffers in this 
country from being dried up in the sum- 
mer. It does not matter how much sun 
plays upon it so long as it has water 
feeding it below. 


AN OUTLET FOR GRAPES. 


When at Cornell, I was asked what 
the chances were of sending grapes to 
England. I replied, ‘If you can de- 
liver them in condition, the sale will be 
immense for the street trade. The only 
question is how to send them over.” 
Since I left Cornell, the subject has 
occupied my thoughts considerably and 
I have come to the conclusion that 
grapes put up in wooden boxes that can 
be retailed at 12c., 18c, and 36c. would 
have a large sale if handled by agents 
who understand the mode of distribu- 
tion for that class of trade. The mar- 
kets would be London, Liverpool and 


109 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


Glasgow. It is not a produce for Cov- 
ent Garden. American grapes will not 
take the place of the Guernsey or Eng- 
lish grown grapes, but they will com- 
pete in the market with the Spanish and 
Portuguese grapes at any season that 
the grapes can be delivered in these 
markets. 

The class that would eat these grapes 
would be the mechanic class. The 
classes that eat the grapes of Guernsey 
and of English growth are the upper 
middle class and aristocracy. The low- 
er middle and the mechanics are a large 
public, ready to buyin small lots. 

Before the ‘‘ Lazy Club” at Cornell 
he spoke quite positively, asserting that 
he believed there is a profitable market 
for American grapes in the old world. 
If we could place our grapes in English 
markets for six, cents a pound, tons and 
tons could be sold in a week. Mr. 


Spencer here called attention to the fact 
that a carload has been sent over from 
Chautauqua County for a number of 
years, but with discouraging returns. 
The difficulty seems to be not so much 
in the cost of transportation, for that 
hardly reaches two cents a pound, as in 
the market. It needs a man to push 
matters at the other end. For a num- 
ber of years English and continental 
gardeners have been shipping their high 
priced hothouse grapes to America. At 
first it did not pay ; the market was too 
cautious and prices too uncertain. Last 
year a hustling Englishman came over 
to represent English grape growers and 
push their interests. The result was an 
immediate advance in returns, so that 
shipments became profitable. Our Am- 
erican grape growers might apply this 
business stroke to their profit. 


ELEAGNUS 


F<\LEAGNUS LONGIPES, or 
-=\ Japanese Oleaster, is a hardy, 
L—~7 deciduous ornamental shrub 

of recent introduction, and 
upon trial it is found to be as valuable 
an addition to our list of fruits as to our 
ornamental shrubbery. In cultivation it 
forms a shrub of bushy habit, growing 
from four to six feet in height by as 
much in breadth, with oval foliage, dark 
green above and silvery underneath. 
The bark is also quite attractive in win- 
ter, being a reddish brown color. It 
blooms during the month of June, the 
bright yellow flowers being borne in the 
greatest profusion on long stems around 
the branches, and are succeeded by 


LONGIPES. 


small oval-shaped fruit about half an 
inch long, and of a deep orange red 
color, studded with small golden scales 
or spots, giving it a very attractive or 
ornamental appearance. Not only is 
the fruit edible, but to most persons it 
is very palatable, possessing a sharp but 
pleasant flavor, while by many it is pre- 
ferred to currants or gooseberries. And 
it bids fair in time to have a market. 

A shrub so interesting, and promising, 
well deserves special attention and a 
place on the lawn as well as in the fruit 
garden ; but wherever grown it should be 
given an open situation and sufficient 
space in which to properly develop.— 
Vick’s Magazine. 


Ito 


THE NIGHT BLOOMING CACTI. 


especially so-called, is the Cereus 

Grandiflorus. This long specific 

name implies its beauty and gran- 
deur. It is one of the most delightfully 
scented of all the cactus family, bloom- 
ing, as noted, at night. A large plant 
covered with blooms, is a sight of beauty 
once seen that is never to be forgotten. 
The round stems have numerous small 
angles on them and are covered with 
delicate spines. These stems are usually 
about as thick as one’s finger. Of late 
years, another member of the cactus 
family has usurped the name of night- 
blooming. This is Phy/locactus latifrons. 
It is one of the broad, flat-leaved kinds, 
and is so readily propagated that it has 
now become common. It has a long 
tube to the flower, which curves down- 
ward like a siphon. It doves bloom at 
night,’and in one sense is night-bloom- 
ing ; but it bears no comparison in any 
respect with the original Night-bloom-. 
ing Cactus.—Meehans’ Monthly. 


i only true night-blooming cactus, 


—— 


——, 


by yh \; 


/ Li 


— i Sate 


Fig. 1560. —PHYLLOCACTUS LATIFRONS. 


PRUNE roses in spring after the buds 
have begun to swell. Then you will be 
able to see where the strongest branches 
are going to be and can prune intelli- 
gently. Transplant in , May.—Ladies’ 
Home Journal. 


Fig. 1559 —CEREUS GRANDIFLORUS. 
\ II! 


A HEDGE OF RAMBLER ROSES. 


HE Rambler roses, beautiful in 
any situation, are especially 
so when grown in hedge form. 
In place of the stiff looking 

hedges of evergreen so common a few 
years ago, those of airy, graceful appear- 
ing plants seem more in favor, and no 
plant yields itself more readily to train- 
ing than the Rambler rose. © The frame 
for the hedge is the first consider- 
ation, and it can be almost any material 
and made in any form. Perhaps as 
good a screen as any for the purpose is 
one like-an ordinary grape trellis, made 
of fence posts and wire. Set the posts 
eight feet apart. The end posts can be 
squared and made more ornamental if 
desired, but after the first year they do 
not show, so it matters little. The wires 
should be put on so that they can be 
stretched when necessary; often they 
seem quite slack after a season or two, 
and then we make them taut in this 
way:: Fasten the wires securely to one 
end post and pass them through all the 
others ; after they are through the last 
end post wind each wire around a piece 
of stick which can then be turned 
around until the wires are perfectly firm 
and straight. No other fastening is re- 
quired. The sticks are made from 
stuff two inches square and are eight 
inches long. About three inches near 
the middle of the stick is rounded so 


that the wires will wind round it easily, 
and each spring the sticks can be turned 
once or twice to keep the wires in good 
order. Ordinary chicken netting can 
be used with less trouble at the start, 
but it is inclined to stretch badly after 
a few years, and is not durable. 

The plants can be set eight feet apart, 
or midway between each two posts. 
Fasten the new shoots in place as fast 
as they get of sufficient length ; little 
pruning will be required, as it is long 
growth one wants until the hedge is 
established, but all old rough wood 
should be removed in the spring, and 
occasionally the ends of rank growing 
branches be pinched to cause branching. 

The plants are so perfectly hardy 
that it makes them more valuable for 
hedges, as often not even the extreme 
tips of the branches will be killed by 
freezing. All the varieties are also re- 
markably free from mildew, which is an 
added advantage. The flowers have no 
fragrance, yet bees gather on them in 
great numbers, probably on account of 
the bountiful supply of pollen found on 
the roses. Rose bugs do not molest 
them, though other roses in the same 
garden are badly infested. The plants 
blossom: later than the June roses, be 
ginning just as they are almost gone, 
thus prolonging the rose season three or 
four weeks.—Vicks Magazine. 


THE CALLA LILY. 


When the Calla Lily begins to bloom, 
if the pots are placed into shallow pans 
of water and left there, the bloom will 
be found to last much longer, and re- 


main more plump and fresh, than where 
water is simply applied to the surface of 
the soil. 


‘ 


112 


~ 


| si nd shape : ee RS 
eee The Canadian Horticulturist Se 


~ 


SUBSCRIPTION PRICE, $1.00 per year, entitling the subscriber to membership of the Fruit 
Growers’ Association of Ontario and all its privileges, including a copy of its wis ets Annual 
Report, and a share in its annual distribution of plants and trees. 

REMITTANCES by Registered Letter or Post-Office Order are at our risk. Receipts will be 
acknowledged upon the Address Label. pray 

ADV ERTIS NG RATES quoted on application. Circulation, 5,000 copies per month. 

LOCAL NEWS.—Correspondents will geeeuy oblige by sending to the Editor early intelligence 
of local events or doings of Horticultural Societies likely to be of interest to our readers, or of any 
matters which it is desirable to bring under the notice of Horticulturists. ks 

ILLUSTRATIONS.—The Editor will thankfully receive and select photographs or drawings 
suitable for reproduction in these pages, of gardens, or of remarkable plants, flowers, trees, etc. ; but 
he cannot be responsible for loss or injury. ’ ; 

NEWSPAPERS.—Correspondents sending newspapers should be careful to mark the paragraphs 
they wish the Editor to see. , 

DISCONTINUANCES.—Remember that the publisher must be notified by letter or post-card 
when a subscriber wishes his paper stopped. All arrearages must be paid. Returning your paper 
will not enable us to discontinue it, as we cannot find your name on our books unless your Post 
Office address is given. Societies should send in their revised lists in January, if possible, otherwise 
we take it for granted that all will continue members. 


+ Notes and Comments. & 


KIEFFER FOR Top GRAFTING.—Quite 
contrary to our expectation, Kieffer is 
reported by an American writer as poor 
stock for top grafting. Every graft in- 
serted, he says, died after one or two 
years’ growth. 


THE TERRIBLE STORM AND Low 
TEMPERATURES which prevailed over 
the whole Continent in the early part 
of February has resulted most seriously 
in the Southern States ; playing the mis- 
chief with orange and peach orchards, 
and all kinds of vegetables. Even at 
New Orleans the temperature fell to 6° 
above zero. 


FEBRUARY NUMBER.—We beg the 
kind indulgence of our readers over the 
lateness of February number, which was 
due to several reasons beyond our con- 
trol. (1) The lamented death of Mr. 


3 


Burns, of the firm of Dudley & Burns, 
Toronto, who are our printers ; a gentle- 
man who has always given a great deal of 
personal attention to our work. (2) 
The change of postal regulations which 
required posting the Journal at Grimsby 
instead of Toronto, as previously. 


KIeFFER FOR Export.—Contrary 
again to anticipation, this pear has not 
exported as well as we expected. One 
lot sent to Bristol in the fall of 1898, 
only made a net return of about 25 
cents per half bushel case. 


DEVICE FoR HANGING FLower Pots. 
—Mr. A. H. Myles, of Hamilton, sends 
us a sample of an excellent suspensor for 
flower pots, which is at the same time 
cheap, convenient and tasty. It is made 
of small sized, polished brass wire, and 
is ingeniously clawed in such a way 


113 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


that it firmly grips the pot, which may 
thus be safely suspended in any part of 
the room. Mr. Myles writes :—I send 
you a neat little device to attach to 
standard pots for the purpose of hanging 
them up. I find it most convenient in 
my little Conservatory, where I am 
short of room. 


NoOVELTIES.—We have an_ inquiry 
where in Canada to buy trees of Apples 
of Commerce, Champion, Delicious, 
Senator, etc. No, and we hope no Can- 
adian nursery will attempt to sell such 
untested novelties in Canada, until they 


have been fruited in our country. These ' 


varieties are boomed in the catalogue of 
Stark Bros. of Louisiana, and of course 
there are: always persons waiting to be 
caught with humbugs. 


A STATE BoaRD oF ENTOMOLOGY 
has been established in Georgia, con- 
sisting of the Commission, the President 
of the State Horticultural Society, and 
the President of the State Agricultural 
Society. A State Entomologist has been 
engaged and all Nursery goods are al- 
lowed to be delivered by any trans- 
portation company, without a certificate 
of inspection. 


THE Best Spray Pump. —We are con- 
stantly asked “which is the best Spray 
Pump.” Each of the firms advertising 
with us are first class, and each is so 
continually improving his pump, that 
now one, now another, might score 
the highest number of points. 


THE Gipson STRAWBERRY.—A new 
berry originated on the farm of J. H. 
Gibson, Marlborough, N.Y. Claimed 
to be very uniform in size, firm, mild in 
flavor, bright crimson in color; vines 
very productive. 


San JQsE ScALE.—We have received 
several inquiries from subscribers to 
know whether any orchards or nurseries 
in Ontario are affected with this insect. 
In reply, we may state that about three 
years ago a committee from our As- 
sociation found an orchard near the 
border badly infested. Entomologists 
were called in and great pressure was 
brought to bear upon the Government 
to prohibit the importation of nursery 
stock from the United States, and to 
have the infested trees destroyed. In 
response, the Dominion passed an Act 
preventing the importation of Nursery 
Stock altogether, and the Province an 
Act providing for the destruction of all 
infested trees. On investigation it was 
found that a few lots of the Nursery 
stock imported during the last five years 
were infested with scale, and some of it 
had been handled by Canadian Nursery- 
men. Careful searching enabled the 
inspector, Mr. Geo. E. Fisher, of Bur- 
lington, to trace this stock to the 
orchards in which it was planted, and 
his work is being continued on into the 
year 1899, for the purpose of utterly 
destroying such trees. Our Nursery 
men are all wide awake to the danger, 
and have had their Nurseries carefully 
inspected ; and so far as we know every 
Canadian Nursery at the present time 
is free from this scale. 


ADK 


114 


+1 Our Affiliated Societies. & 


Woopsrock, Feb. Ist, 1899. —The following 
circular has been issued to our members: The 
President and Directors of the Woodstock 
Horticultural Society have much pleasure in 
submitting to the members for their selection 
one of the three lists of Plants, Trees, etc., as 
below. These lists have been carefully pre- 
pared to meet the varied requirements of our 
membership, but it is distinctly understood 
that no change can be made from the lists, 
each member selecting one or other in its 
present form. You will mark the one chosen 
and return this circular, together with one 
dollar membership fee for 1899, from those 
who have not already paid, not later than the 
15th inst. . 


D. W. Karn, 
President. 


J. 8S. Scarrr, 
Secretary. 


List No. 1. 
1 Improved Montmorency Cherry. 
1 Burbank Plum, 


1 Yellow Transparent Apple. 
4 Hersee’s new Strawberry. 


List No. 2. 


1 Extra fine Canna. 
1 Spirea ‘‘ Afthony Waterer.” 
1 French Canna. 


2 Burbank’s select Gladioli. 
1 Packet each Sweet Peas, Asters and 
Nasturtiums. 


List No. 3. 


Kentia Palm. 

Fern. 

New Geranium. 

Tea Rose. 

Hydrangea. 

Fuchsia. 

Canna. 

Tuberous Begonia. 

Tuberose Bulb. 

Packet each Sweet Peas, Asters, Phlox 
Drum., Verbenas and Pansies. 


ss 


KincaRDINE. — The draft of by-laws pro- 
vided by the Ontario Fruit Growers’ Associa- 
tion was adopted, with one or two slight 
amendments. We should have at least one 
hundred members here. The Horticuttur- 
Ist has certainly improved in appearance, and 
may be truly be said to be the best of its kind 
published in Canada, and must I am sure be 
well received by the members of the Horti- 
cultural Societies of Ontario. Our president 
is Mr. S. W. Perry. 


JOSEPH BARKER, Secre/ary. 


PEAR’ PICKLES. 


t 
HILE most of the common varie- 
ties of pears lack the decided 
flavor that makes them a choice 


preserve when used alone, they will be 
found delicious used in combination 
with lemon peel and juice or green gin- 
ger root. Even hard pears or ‘ wind- 
falls,” pared, cored, filled with sugar and 
grated lemon rind and baked, closely 
covered, until juicy and tender, may be 
canned and kept indefinitely. Gingered 
pears make a rich sweetmeat. 

Peel, core, and cut rather hard pears 
into thin slices. Allow to eight pounds 
of sliced fruit eight pounds sugar, a pint 
of water, the juice and rind of four lem- 
ons, and half a pound of ginger root 
sliced thin. Cut the lemon rind into 
long, thin stripes and put all together in 
the preserving kettle. Simmer gently 


for an hour, then pack in jars or cans. 
If the pears used for pickling are Seckels, 
they do not need paring, but the larger 
varieties usually do.. The stem should 
be left on, but the blossom end removed. 
As fast as pared drop into a pan of cold 
water to prevent their turning black. 
Make a rich syrup, allowing to eight 
pounds of fruit ‘our pounds of sugar, 
one quart of vinegar and one cup mixed 
spices, cassia buds, stick cinnamon, 
cloves and allspice. Tie the spices in a 
bag and boil with the sugar and vinegar. 
Skim thoroughly, then add the fruit—a 
portion at a time—and cook slowly until 
scalded and tender enough to be readily 
pierced with a straw. Skim out the 
fruit, put in a stone jar or glass cans, 
boil the syrup a little longer and pour 
over.—New England Farmer. 


115 


+ Question 


Apples for Export. 


1044. Sirx,—From present understand- 
ing of the varieties, can you say which would 
be a good paying variety of undoubted ability 
to hold its position to meet the market— 
shipping requirements, etc., etc. You named 
‘* Wealthy ” once to me. Do you know I 
think it soft, easily mashed and so on. I 
can grow them to a fine size, shape and color. 
I would top graft Tallman Sweet for these, 
as they are weak in trunk and too low grow- 
ing. How are Gideon, Longfield, Canada 
Baldwin ? 
any others. 

Can you recommend me to plant 25 pear 
trees or more with the same view. Beurre 
Bosc seems to give us hope in that direction. 
I wish to recommend to my neighbors graft- 
ing and planting such varieties and numbers, 
so that we may be able to ship directly to 
England or sell orchard to exporters, etc. 


Wma. Bacon Manorfleld, Orillia. 


Can I grow the latter? Name 


The varieties suggested by our friend, 
Mr. Bacon, are scarcely to be recom- 
mended for export. Gideon is a pretty 
apple, which originated with Peter 
Gideon, of Minnesota. It is of the 
same parentage as the Wealthy, but 
softer apple and not so good a shipper. 
It is a fall apple, ripening September 
and October, of poor quality for dessert 
purposes, and only fair for dessert. It 
is of great value in the Algoma section 
on account of its hardiness and produc- 
tiveness. Canada Baldwin is a nice 
apple, but too unproductive and too 
small to be a profitable variety for ex- 
port|; though very desirable for one’s own 
table. Longfield may or may not prove 
desirable. We have not yet fruited it ; 
but in Algoma it yields heavy crops, and 
the apple is quite attractive in appear- 
ance and of excellent quality. 


Peaches for Norfolk County. 


1045. Sir,—Will you kindly give mea 
list of varieties of peaches you think profit- 
able for an orchard, those adapted especially 
for canning and shipping. The locality is 
the extreme end of Turkey Point, Norfolk 
Co., Lake Erie ; latitude 42° 38” north ; land 


Oralwer. & 


15 feet above high water line and adjacent to 
bay shore, which surrounds it on east and 
south, and on west is open marsh | to 14 _ 
miles, to high bank of main land ; on north, 
thick growth of cedar, pine and red cedar, 
with maple, elm and walnuts and butternuts. 

In this the question of tender fruit buds 
not important, for obvious reasons. 


W. J. McInngs, Vittoria. 


There has a considerable change 
come over the views of our peach 
growers regarding varieties, during late 
years. For a long time the rage was 
for early varieties, which were for a 
time very profitable; but now that 
Southern and California peaches come 
into our Province in such abundance 
in the early part of the season, our 
own early clingstones—such as Alex- 
ander, Hale’s Early and others, have 
been less and less in demand. Fine 
late varieties, which come in when the 
imported varieties are about over, are 
therefore much more desirable for us 
to grow in Canada. Certainly we have 
little use for Alexander, Amsden’s June, 
Louise, Hale, and such varieties which 
hardly ripen before they rot ; and when 
they ripen, have so little quality. For 
home markets, the following are good: 
— Rivers, Barnard, Early Michigan, 
Elberta, Gold Drop, Kalamazoo, Old 
Mixon Smock Free, Stump the World, 
Stevens’ Rareripe. 


Spraying. 


1046. Srtk,—Are there any new develop- 
ments in the spraying world that I may take 
advantage of on your advice? Which is 
the best spraying machine? I would like to 
spray potatoes as well. 


Wa. Bacon, Orillia. 


The excellent article by Mr. W. M. 
Orr, in our January number, will in 
part reply to our correspondent’s in- 


116 


OPEN LETTERS. 


quiry. It seems conclusively proved 
that spraying and thinning pay. We 
must use every means to produce high 
grade fruit and to cease growing poor 
stock. 


The best Spray Pump makers adver- 
tise with us and we cannot undertake 
to say which is the best. Each maker 
is constantly making improvements, and 
each have special advantages to offer. 


* Open Letters. ¥ 


Appreciated in Africa. 


Sr1r,—I am very well pleased with your 
publication and quite look forward to its 
arrival and enjoy the reading, which is at 
times very instructive, for although our cli- 
mate is very different from yours, we have 
the same pests to contend with. I bad a 
very good fruit garden where I lived last, 
but am now quite a statist regarding fruit, 
etc. Am grafting most of my apples on to 
pear stocks instead of quince, or apple, as I 
am of opinion they will be less liable to blight. 
I find dressing for destruction of apple bug, 
with Calvert’s Carbolic Soft Soap, about as 
efficacious as any other wash. Wishing you 
the compliments of the season, I am, yours 
faithfully, 


A. VINNICOMBE, 
Kokstad, Cape Colony, Africa. 


Apples for Glengarry. 


Sir, — In the last Horticotturist you 


give, in reply to L. Wiegand, a partial list 
of hardy fruits. We have a cold climate 
here, but seldom down to 40°, but still it 
sometimes is, and we have it below 30° every 
winter, on some occasions ; so we need hardy 
fruits. I do not know anything about plums 
or pears, but do about apples, as I have taken 
quite an interest in them and small fruits for 
thirty years. You can add the Peach apple 
to your list of early ones, as it is nearly if 
not quite as hardy as the Duchess and ripens 
about the same time, and for home use is a 
better apple. Then, for a fall apple, the St. 
Lawrence has no peer and is really a native 
seedling; for early winter, the Fameuse, 
McIntosh Red—also a seedling and a little 
better keeper than the Fameuse. These two 
are about the best apples you can get and are 
perfectly hardy. I have known the Pewaukee 
for about fifteen years and so far it seems 
perfectly hardy, is a good bearer of good ap- 
ee that keep till June; and the Golden 
usset does very well here, and so does the 
Winter St. Lawrence. I am not writing this 
for publication, but you can do as you please 
about adding any of the names to your list. 


A. Harkness, Lancaster. 


PLANNING HERBACEOUS GARDENS.— 
While most herbaceous plants can be 
safely transplanted at any season, the 
best immediate results are obtained from 
early spring planting. It is therefore 
quite appropriate to lay plans at once, 
that orders may be sent in good time, 
and the stock received for early plant- 
ing. 

There are constantly improvements 
in garden flowers, as instance the 
double rudbeckia, Allegheny Hollyhock, 


Napoleon III pink, Japanese, Irish, 
eic., and these properly claim every 
one’s attention ; yet there are also many 
old-fashion, well-known flowers that 
must not be forgotten. What garden is 
complete without the fox-glove, ane- 
mone, columbine, aster, chrysanthemum 
larkspur, bleeding-heart, day-lily, flag, 
lavender, lily, forget-me-not, pzony, 
poppy, phlox, pyrethrum, golden-rod, 
spider-wort, veronica, periwinkle, and 
scores of others >—Meehans’ Monthly. 


117 


Che Crocus’s Soliloquy. 


= 2S 2S 
ee in my solitude under the snow, 


Where nothing cheering can reach me ; 
Here, without light to see how to grow, 
I'll trust to nature to teach me. 


I will not despair, nor be idle, nor frown, 
Locked in so gloomy a dwelling ; : 
My leaves shall run up, and my roots shall run down, 
While the bud in my bosom is swelling. ; 
Soon as the frost will get out of my bed, 
From this cold dungeon to free me, 
I will peer up with my little bright head, 
All will be joyful to see me. 


Then from my heart young buds diverge, 
As rays of the sun from their focus ; 

I from the darkness of earth will emerge, 
A happy and beautiful Crocus ! 


Gaily array’d in my yellow and green, 
When to their view I have risen, 

Will they not wonder how one so serene, 
Came from so dismal a prison ? 


Many perhaps, from so simple a flower, 
This little lesson may borrow ; 
Patient to-day, through its gloomiest hour, 
We come out the brighter to-morrow. 
“The Saturday Magazine,” February, 1836. ; 


* I came across these lines in an old volume of The Saturday Magazine of 1836. I was 
only three years old then, but since I have always had a few Crocuses growing in my lawn. 


C. J. FOX, DErtaware. 


118 


. 


RIVER APPLE. 


THE WOLF 


THE 


CANADIAN Horticulturist. 


Vou. XXII. 


L89O9 


No. 4 


THE WOLF RIVER .APPLE-. 


”E agree with the President 
of the Michigan Horticul- 
tural Society, who stated 


Yr~a* at the recent meeting that ° 


apple culture had reached 
a new era, in which better 
methods and a_ choicer 
selection of varieties are essential to 
success. 
or manure, or cultivate his apple 
orchard; who will not trap codling 
moth, top graft best varieties, grade and 
market his fruit in the most up-to-date 
fashion, must go to the wall; but the 
intelligent, enterprising apple grower 
can make as great a success of the 
industry as any previous time, barring, 
of course, years of over production like 
1896. 

No doubt special trade will soon arise 
in special fancy dessert apples, and the 
man who can cater to the demands of 
the public will make money out of the 
business. At Ann Arbor the writer 
gave the following as three profitable 
varieties to grow for export, viz. :— 


The man who will not spray, - 


Blenheim, Cranberry and Ontario. 
These are varieties intended to cover 
the winter season from December to 
March, but for earlier shipments one 
might name Astracan, Duchess and 
Alexander. It has been the custom to 
condemn these varieties, because our 
home markets were overstocked, and 
they would not carry farther, but now 
that our steamship lines are being fitted 
up with cold storage plants, we can 


_ export them in good condition, as was 


proved by our experiments last August, 
when these very varieties commanded 
top prices in Great Britain. Of course 
they had to be graded for size, as well 
as quality ; all wrapped in tissue paper 
and packed in bushel or half bushel 
cases, and then stand inspection by a 
government official before shipment. 
Our frontispiece represents another 
apple that might be included in a list 
for export, viz. The Wolf River. A 
little later in season than Alexander, if 
anything larger and more showy in 
appearance, and better in quality, it 


121 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


promises well for one of our fancy varie- 
ties for export. It is said not to be an 
early bearer, and to be productive each 
alternate year. 

The apple is a seedling of the Alex- 
ander, and originated in Wisconsin on 
the bank of Wolf River. 

The tree is very hardy, vigorous and 
fairly productive. 

The fruit is very large, 3 inches by 
4% inches, oblate, or roundish oblate, 


usually regular in size ; skin light yellow, 
shaded with dark red or crimson in sun, 
with a few yellowish dots; stalk three 
quarters of an inch long, set in a narrow 
deep basin, of a green or russeted 
color; calyx open in a narrow, deep, , 
green wrinkled basin. The flesh is 
yellowish white, moderately firm in tex- 
ture, not fine grained, juicy, with a 
pleasant, sub-acid, spicy flavor. Season 
October and November. 


THE TRANSPORTATION 


Fic. 


HERE is no question that it is 
more vital to the interests of 
the fruit growers of Canada 
than the carrying of their fruits. 

Numerous have been the complaints 
in the past, both with regard to the 
carriage and the rates. Ocean trans- 
portation of fruit has been extremely 
unsatisfactory ; for even winter apples, 
which had been packed firm. and hard 
in our orchards and graded with the 
utmost care; fruit which would keep 
in our own cellars for six months in 
good condition, after two weeks on 
shipboard, closed in hot, unventilated 
holds, have arrived in Great Britain as 
“slacks and wet and wasty.” As a result, 


OF OUR FRUIT. 


1561.—Loap1nc Fruit at E. D. Smitn’s, Winona. . 


Canadian fruit growers were being given 
a bad name for packing, which they 
do not deserve ; and the English com- 
mission merchants are blamed for false 
reports, because shippers cannot under- 
stand why fruit, which leaves them in 
first-class condition, should be tuined 
in so short a time. 


As a remedy for this evil, cold stor- 
age has been provided on many steam- 
ers, which of course will carry apples 
in perfect condition. To quote from 
Prof. Robertson’s address at’ our St. 
Catharines meeting : 


“* By means of cold storage even the very 
earliest ripening sorts can be landed in Great 
Britain in first-rate condition. If these are 
put in barrels at even 60° Fahr. and headed 


I22 


THE TRANSPORTATION OF OUR FRUIT. 


up close, they will get up to 70° in the centre 
of the barrel in a short time. If put in the 
hold of the ship. the whole place soon goes 
above 70°, and the apples will all arrive in 
** slacks ” and ‘‘ wets.” In 1897 a lot of over 
500 barrels was sent over, and the half that 
went in cold storage sold for 18/ a brl., and 
the half that went not in cold storage sold for 
8/ a brl. at the same time. I think [ am safe 
in saying that 60% of the apples that go to 
Great Britain fetch less than two-thirds they 
would fetch if they were properly graded, 
properly packed and safely carried, across the 
sea. 1 think if the Fruit Growers’ Associa- 
tion of Ontario does not take hold of this 
transportation problem and bring about bet- 
ter methods and facilities, they may as well 
go out of the business. The growing of fruit 
has been very well attended to, but there has 
been so much loss and dissatisfaction from the 
spoiling of fruit on the way to the markets, 
both home and foreign, that the matter must 
be taken hold of and corrected.” 


Considerable discussion followed both 
on the subject of ocean and railway 
transportation, resulting in the appoint- 
ment of two committees to take up 
these ‘matters in earnest, appealing to 
the other provincial societies for co- 
operation ; and if necessary, to appeal 
to the Dominion Minister of Agricul- 
ture. The Committees on Transporta- 
tion were as follows: Ocean, L. Wool- 
‘ verton, W. M. Orr, and A. H. Pettit. 
Railway, W. E. Wellington, W. M. Orr, 
Alex. McNeill, M. Pettit, E. D. Smith, 
T. Carpenter, R. W. Gregory and W. H. 
Bunting. 

These committees met jointly at the 
Walker House, Toronto on the 3rd of 
March, and after a full discussion, pre- 
pared the following resolution on Ocean 
Transportation of Fruit : 


Whereas, the. accommodation on Atlantic 
steamships has hitherto been unsuitable to 
the carriage of our fruits, even such hard 


fruits as apples being ruined in transit and. 


arriving in the British market in an unsalable 
condition, although in perfectly sound condi- 
tion when packed and shipped ; and 


Whereas, the lack of ventilation, and the 
great heat in the holds of the vessels, added 


to the heat arising from the fruit itself, con- 
tributes to this evil, which has resulted in 
immense losses to the fruit growers in every 
province of our Dominion ; 


Therefore, Resolved,—That we memorialize 
the Department of Agriculture at Ottawa to 
take steps to remedy this serious condition of 
affairs, and thus give encouragement to one 
of the most important of our exports ; that 
ventilation of the holds in which apples are 
carried be strictly required of steamship com- 
panies in order that the temperature be kept 
similar to that of the outside air; and that a 
government agent be employed at each of 
the important ports, as Montreal, St. Johns 
and Halifax, whose duty it shall be to see 
that such ventilation is attended to, and, fur- 


* ther, to insist upon proper care in handling, 


loading and storage of our fruits on shipboard ; 


Further, that, when cold storage for fruit 
is provided on shipboard, the steamship com- 
panies shall be required to guarantee that the 
temperature will be kept within certain limits, 
and that the same be verified by a self-regis- 
tering thermometer placed under government 
seal. 


and the Secretary was ordered to send 
copies to local fruit growers associations 
and to the provincial societies most 
interested in export, as for example: 
Nova Scotia, Quebec, and Prince Ed- 


ward Island, suggesting that they pass 


similar resolutions, which could all be 
forwarded’ by our Secretary to the Do- 
minion Minister of Agriculture. 

The next question dealt with was the 
better classification of freight rates on 
fruit ; better ventilation of box cars for 
long hauls ; and greater speed in tran- 
sit. The following gentlemen were 
made a sub committee to carefully re- 
vise the freight classification, and to 
interview the Freight Classification Com- 
mittee at Toronto, place fairly before 
them our grievdnces and seek for the 
requisite concessions, viz.: Messrs. E. 
D. Smith, T. H. P. Carpenter, Alex. 
McNeill and W. H. Bunting. 


We anxiously await the result. 


OUR RURAL SCHOOL GROUNDS. 


ANY of our affiliated horti- 
cultural societies are en- 
deavoring to interest the 
children of the public schools 
in floriculture. They give bulbs or 
flower seeds to them and offer prizes for 
the best results. One teacher we knew 
who encouraged his pupils to bring pot 
plants to the school, and taught them 
how to care for them and above all to 
love them for their beauty and their fra- 
grance. ° 
But as a rule our rural schools are an 
object lesson teaching neglect and dis- 
taste for ornamental horticulture. The 
school building itself is unsightly, and 
often shabby for want of paint. The 
school yard is enclosed by an ugly 
snake or stump fence, or by a board 
fence, half down, and gates and posts 
that stand awry. The extent of the 
grounds may be large enough to meet 
legal requirements but they are bare of 
tree, shrub, and sometimes even grass. 
Arbor Day is a move in the right direc- 
tion, and we are pleased to credit our 
authorities with this enactment, which 
however is too often taken as an 
ordinary holiday, and the school grounds 
are no better after than before it. 
Prof. Bailey, of Cornell University, 
Ithaca, U. S., has devoted Bulletin 160 


Fic. 1562.—Where Children are taught. 
An actual example. 


to Hints on Rural School Grounds, and 
is thereby aiming to cultivate the taste 
of the public for better things, so that 
they will demand a different, state of 
things and make the grants to schools 
conditional on such improvements. 


~ Quoting a report he says: “If chil- 
dren are daily surrounded by those in- 
fluences that elevate them, that make 
them clean and well-ordered, that make 


Fic, 1663.—A suggestion in planting. 


them love flowers, and pictures, and 
proper decorations, they at last reach 
that degree of culture where nothing 
else will please them. When they grow 
up and have homes of their own, they 
must have them clean, neat, bright with 
pictures, and fringed with shade trees 
and flowers, for they have been brought 
up to be happy In no other environ- 
ment.” 

Regarding the school building Prof. 
Bailey says : 

“The school building is generally 
little more than a large box. It has not 
even the charm of proper proportions. 
A different shape, with the same cost, 
might have made an attractive building. 
Even a little attention to design might 
make a great difference in the looks of 
a schoolhonse ; and the mere looks of a 
schoolhouse has a wonderful influence 


124 


OUR RURAL SCHOOL GROUNDS. 


Fic. 1564.—A suggestion for a simple school house. 


on the child. The railroad corporation out walks or drives by gentle curves be- 
likes to build good-looking station- tween fixed points, etc.” 


houses, although they have no greater 


We close this article with a few further 


capacity than homely ones. I askedan _ extracts. 


architect for a simple plan of a cheap 


Making the sod.—The only outlay of 


schoolhouse. He gave me Fig. 1564. money required for the entire improve- 

The first thing to do after the school ment is for grass seed. The best lawn 
building itself is completed, is to pre- grass for New York is June-grass or 
pare a plan of the grounds. For this it blue-grass. Seedsmen know it as Poa 


might be well to consult a landscape —— 


architect, who would give an outline —- 
ground plan, showing where trees, 
shrubs and plants may be planted after 
the correct principles of landscape art. 
Or if any one in the neighborhood has 
enough taste to do so, let him draw a 
rough plan first, before the first planting 
is attempted. A-« good model for a 
small school yard (Fig. 1565) situated at 
four corners, is given by Prof. Bailey, in 
which these principles are observed, as 


for example (1) an open lawn through 
the centre ; (2) the grouping of trees 
and shrubs about the borders, and to 
hide objectionable features ; (3) Laying 
125 


See 


Fic. 1565.—Suggestions for the planting 
of a school yard on four corners. 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


It weighs but 14 pounds to 
the bushel. Not less than three bush- 
* els should be sown to the acre. We 
want many very small items of grass, 
not a few large ones ; for we are making 
a lawn, not a meadow. 

Do not sow grain with the grass seed. 
The June-grass grows slowly at first, 
however, and therefore it is a good plan 
to sow timothy with it, at the rate of 
two or three quarts to the acre. The 
timothy comes up quickly and makes a 
green ; and the June-grass will crowd it 
out in a year or two. If the land is 
hard and inclined to be too dry, some 
of the clover will greatly assist the June- 
grass. Red clover is too large and 
coarse for the lawn. Crimson clover is 
excellent, for it is an annual, and it does 
not become unsightly in the lawn. 
White clover is perhaps the best, since 
it not only helps the grass but looks 
well in the sod. One or two pounds of 
seed is generally sufficient for an acre. 

How to make the border planting.— 
The borders should be planted thick. 
Plow up the strip. Never plant these 
trees and bushes in holes cut in the sod. 
Scatter the bushes and trees promiscu- 
ously in the narrow border. In home 
grounds, it is easy to run through thesé 
borders occasionally with a cultivator, 
for the first year or two. 

Make the edges of this border irre- 
gular. Plant the lowest bushes on the 
inner edge. 


pratensis. 


For all such things as lilacs, mock 
oranges, Japan quinces, and bushes that 
are found along the road sides, two or 
three feet apart is about right. Some will 
dieanyway. Cut them back onehalfwhen 
they are planted. They will look thin 
and stiff for two or three years; but 
after that they will crowd the spaces 
full, lots over on the sod, and make a 
billow of green. 


- to grow. 


Kind of Plants.—The main planting 
should be for foliage effects. That is, 
think first of giving the place a heavy 
border mass. Flowers are mere de- 
corations | 

Select those trees and shrubs which 
are the commonest, because they are 
the cheapest, hardiest and most likely 
There is no district so poor 
and bare that enough plants cannot be 
secured, without money, for the school 
yard. You will find them in the woods, 
in old yards, along the fences. It is 
little matter if no one knows ‘their 
names. What is handsomer than a 
tangled fence row? 

Scatter in a few trees along the fence 
and about the buildings. Maples, bass- 
wood, elms, ashes, buttonwood; pepper- 
ridge, oaks, beeches, birches, hickories, 
poplars, a few trees of pine or spruce, 
or hemlock,—any of these are excellent. 


If the country is bleak, a rather heavy 
planting of evergreens about the border, 


in the place of so much shrubbery, is 
excellent. 

For shrubs, use the common things 
to be found in the wood and swales, 
together with roots which can be had in 
every old yard. Willows, osiers, witch 
hazel, dogwood, wild roses, thorn apples, 
haws, elders, sumac, wild hogneysuckles, 
—these and others can be found in 
every school district. From the farm 
yards can be secured snowballs, spireas, 
lilacs, forsythias, mock oranges, roses, 
snowberries, barberries, flowering cur- 
rants, honeysuckles and the like. 

Vines can be used to excellent pur- 
pose on the outbuildings or on the 
school-house itself. The common wild 
Virginia creeper (shown on the right in 
Fig. 1566) is the most serviceable. On 
brick or stone school houses the Boston 
ivy or Japanese ampelopsis may be 
used, unless the location is very bleak. 
Honeysuckles, clematis and bitter-sweet 


126 


al 
es 


CULTIVATION AND CARE OF THE BLACKBERRY. 


Fig. 1566.—A clump of weeds in the corner 
by the house—motherwort and Virginia 
creeper. How pretty they are! 


are also attractive. Bowers are always 
interesting to children; and actinidia 


(to be had at nurseries) is best for this 
purpose. . 

Plants for decoration.—Against these 
heavy borders and in the angles about 
the building, many kinds of flowering 
plants can be grown. ‘The flowers are 
much more easily cared for in such 
positions than they are in the middle of 
the lawn, and they also show off better. 
They havea back ground. Even a clump 
of weeds looks well when it is in the 
right place. : : . ; 

While the main planting should be 
made up of common trees and shrubs, 
a rare or strange plant may be intro- 
duced now and then from the nurseries, 
if there is any money with which to 
buy such things. Plant it in a conspicu- 
ous point just in front of the border, © 
where it will show off well, be out of the 
way, and have some relation to the rest 
of the planting. Two or three purple- 
leaved or variegated-leaved bushes will 
add much spirit and nerve to the place ; 
but many of them make the place look 
fussy and overdone. 


CULTIVATION AND CARE OF THE BLACKBERRY. 


N starting to grow this favorite berry 
‘we must first consider its loca- 
tion, as most varieties are too 

tender to stand much exposure to either 
severe frost or keen cold winds; and 
consequently a windbreak of some kind 
is desirable toward the success of the 
bushes, carrying them through the winter 
without freezing down. This windbreak 
should be on the west side. As it will 
not only shield them from the cold 
frosty air in winter, but will also protect 
the bushes from the high winds when 
they are heavily laden with fruit. 
Another important point towards its 
success is the soil, as some soils would 


not be suitable, such as hard clay, or 


wet ground. The Blackberry likes a 
warm sandy soil. They grow splendidly 
on a deep rich sandy loam, and will 
stand the dry weather better than on a 
light sandy soil, and perhaps grow rather 
larger berries. 

But if itwas possible to irrigate, I would 
*choose the light sand as it is warmer, 
and getting plenty of moisture they 
would grow to perfection. 

Now as to fertilizers for the soil. 
There is nothing better in my opinion 
than plenty of good unleached hard- 
wood ashes, stable manure well rotted, 
and nitrate of soda. In first setting 
the roots, and management of them 
after, I differ from most growers, setting 


127 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


them much closer in the rows for the 
purpose of making a thick shade over 
their roots during¥the dry spells when 
the berries are growing and ripening, 
and helping to retain the moisture as 
long as possible. The rows should not 
be less than eight feet apart, and set 
two feet apart in the row, and afterwards 
allow them to thicken in the row as 


tion of the fruit spurs or stems that grow 
out in the spring for the fruit to form on. 
Some cut out the old wood as soon as 
the crop is off, but I do not do so until 
the next spring, as I thinks it assists to 
protects the young canes and to hold 
the snow and leaves to cover the roots 
and keep the frost from doing them in- 
jury. There is a great difference in the 


Fic. 1567-—EarLty HARVEST BLACKBERRIES. 
* 


close as convenient to hoe. After the 
young canes get toa height of two or 
three feet, they should be pinched back 
so as to give them a stocky growth, 
form a fine bushy top and harden the 
the wood, so that it will stand our severe 
winters without injury. When spring 
comes do not cut them back a second 
time as it will seriously injure the forma- 


hardiness of the different varieties ; I 
have tried several kinds, but the Aga- 
wam is only one that would stand our 
cold winters without injury ; it has more 
good qualities than any other variety of 
which I have any knowledge. There is 
one point in their ripening which is very 
important, as it has to do with their size 
and sweetness. Some think they are 


128 


PRUNING THE 


ripe as soon as they turn black ; but 
that is a mistake, as it takes them two 
or three days to get ripe and sweet after 
turning black, and if they are left on the 


bushes until they are sweet, they are» 


seedy and are more luscious to the 
taste. Never allow any grass or weeds 
to grow, but keep perfectly clean. If 
you cannot do that do not try to grow 
them as you will surely fail, for they 
will not grow in sod. 

When the bushes get their load of 
green and ripening berries, the weight is 
too great for the canes to sustain and 


GOOSEBERR Y. 


hold them up, and they must be assisted. 
It is a very easy matter to place a few 
posts through the centre of each row, 
bore a hole two inches from the top, 
split out the piece from the auger hole 
to the top, then draw a wire through on 
each side of the bushes, fasten both ands 
to the end posts, raise the w‘re and drop 
it in the slot at the top of the posts. In 
this way one row of posts carries both 
wires and the cost is light. 

I think this is all the information 
necessary to grow and care for the 
Blackberry.— (Name of writer not given.) 


PRUNING THE 


points about the gooseberry which 

deserve consideration. It is fairly 

hardy, but thrives best when shel- 
tered. Then, though good supplies of 
moisture are essential to its welfare, the 
soil in which it is planted must be well 
drained, if the best results are to be re- 
lied upon. Further, though it must be 
kept in check by pruning, to clip it all 
over, making it form a dense spurred-in 
hedge is an error that cannot be too 
strongly condemned, and this brings us 
to the all-important question of pruning. 
Whilst some advise one system and 
and some another, the best and safest 
plan will be found to be as follows :— 
Instead of shortening the shoots, except 
where they are too rampant, or work 
downwards into or towards the soil} re- 
move the weak shoots wherever they 
are seen, and take care they are not 
chopped off, but removed as close to the 
old wood as possible. Generally speak- 


T wm are one or two important 


129 


GOOSEBERRY. 


ing, the usual method of ensuring a 
well-shaped and evenly-developed head 
will produce good results, but if better 
fruit is desired then cut out and train 
the bush in the shape of a cup; by this 
plan you reduce the quantity, but the 
fruits will be much finer from having 
free supplies of air and sunlight let into 
the head of the bush. It will be found 
much better to thin out rather than to 
clip all round the head. Let the 
branches grow outwards, and remove 
all branches which cross; rub against, or 
entangle such as should be encouraged 
to grow out freely. In planting, do not 
set the bushes too closely together. If 
set in rows, let them be five or six feet 
apart, and the bushes should be five 
feet from one to the other in the rows. 
Nothing is gained by over-crowding, 
either with bush or hardy fruits, as 
plenty of air and sunlight are essential 
to successful cultivation and develop- 
ment.—Bush Fruit Culture. 


THE SAN JOSE. SCALE 


Fic. 1568.—THe DELEGATION WHO DISCUSSED SAN JOSE SCALE. 


S has already been stated, this 
country has narrowly escaped 
the general introduction of 
this terrible insect from Am- 

erican nurseries. Before we were aware 
of the danger several large lots of “trees 
were imported. and distributed, that 
were affected by this tinyinsect. In 1896 
an orchard near the border, belonging 
to a member of our Association, Mr. 
Chas. Thonger, was found to be infested, 
and immediately our executive called 
upon both the Provincial and the Do- 
minion Ministers of Agriculture to send 
competent men to examine and report. 

A large number of fruit growers, ac- 
companied by Dr. Fletcher, of Ottawa, 
and Prof. Panton, of Guelph, proceeded 
to Mr Thonger’s farm, and found the 
report only tootrue, and that a large num- 
ber of his pear and peach trees were 


infested. Our illustration shows the 
delegation, met under a grand old oak, 
to discuss the situation. Mr. Thonger 
is the prominent figure, while on his 
right are Prof. Panton and Dr. Fletcher; 
at his feet, Mr. D. J. McKinnon, “of 
Grimsby, and at his left, Mr. W. M On, 
E. D. Smith, Mr. Armstrong, the writer 
and others. Strong resolutions were 
made, and sent to the Ministers of Agri- 
culture, and as a result, every tree im- 
ported from the United States during 
the last five years is being carefully 
located and examined and if there be 
any trace of scale, utterly destroyed. 
The superintendent of this work is 
Mr. George E. Fisher, of Burlington, a 
man who never allows difficulties to 
hinger him, and who is sparing no labor 
or expense, to make it sure that Ontario 
is clean of the ugly insect. The San 


130 


* out. 


EARLY VEGETABLES. 


Jose Scale Act, of 1898 is well-known, 
and this is still being amended by the 
addition of the following sub section : 


(a) If, in the case of an orchard or col- 


lection of plants, the inspector finds scale on 


plants located in several different parts of the 
orchard or collection, and decides that it is 
advisable in the public interest to destroy all 
the plants in such orchard or in any part or 
parts thereof and so reports to the Minister, 
the Minister may direct that an examination 
or inspection shall be made by an additional 
inspector, and upon their advice in writing 
he may direct that all the plants in such 
orchard or such collection of plants or in 
such part or parts thereof shall be destroyed 
without requiring that every plant in the 
said orchard or collection shall be first 
examined. 

3. The owner or proprietor of any nursery 
shall not send out or permit any plaut to be 
removed from his nursery- without the same 
being first fumigated by hydrocyanic acid gas 
in accordance with regulations prescribed by 
order of the Lieutenant-Governor-in Council. 

4. No person shall sell or dispose of or 
offer fpr sale any plant obtained, taken, or 
sent out from a nursery unless the said plant 
has previously been fumigated in accordance 
with these regulations. 


5. In case the inspector finds scale in any 
nursery and so reports to the Minister, the 
Minister may thereupon inform, by writing, 
the owner or proprietor or manager of said 
nursery of the existence of scale in his 
nursery, and the owner or proprietor or 
manager of said nursery shall not thereafter 
permit any plant or tree to be removed from 
the said nursery until the inspector reports to 
the Minister that it is safe in the public in- 
terest to permit the said nursery stock to be 
removed after fumigation. 


. This measure is extreme, but coupled 
with the Dominion Act, totally exclud- 
ing all American nursery stock, is calcu- 
lated to save our country from an inva- 
sion of this insect and make it perfectly 
safe for our readers to purchase freely 
Canadian stock from our Canadian 
nurseries. It costs a large sum of 
money to trace out all these impor- 
tations and examine each tree micro- 
scopically, but it is well-worth the expen- 
diture, if we are thereby saved from the 
threatened évil. 


EARLY VEGETABLES: 


AULIFLOWER should be in 

as general use as is cabbage. 

Its good qualities merit its 

general use. Would you be 

without cabbage from year to year? 
Then why be without cauliflower ? 

Do you grow and use salsify, the 
oyster plant? Try it. If you have 
good success, and are as fond of it as 
some are, you will not let a spring pass 
without planting it. 

If you like celery, try to grow it, 
Splendid celery can be grown but it re- 
quires thoughtful work. 

For raising early vegetables, now is 
the time to begin to work. Make a hot 
bed, and have good sized hardy plants 
ready for the open ground as soon as 
the weather will admit of their being put 
Place several loads of horse 
manure in a flat-topped pile, and give it 


a good wetting. After several days it 
will be steaming vigorously, and should 
be forked over into a similar pile and 
wet again. After this process has been 
repeated two or three times, make the 
manure into a solid bed two feet deep, 
place a frame on the bed, and fill in 
with four inches of good soil well pul- 
verized. Sow your seeds, cover lightly, 
and keep the soil moist. Covér the 
frames during nights and cold days with 


_glass sashes if you have them, but, if not 


use the best covering you have, such as 
old carpet or wagon sheet. With this 


little care, you may have early vegetables, 


They grow better during early summer: 
before it gets hot and dry, and tomatoes 
will continue to bear till frost, if irriga. 
ed, or if the drouth is not severe. 


C. P. Hartiey, Kansas. 


131 


SUCCESSES AND FAILURES 


IN FRUIT GROWING. 


Fic, 1569.—Mr. McKniceut’s ReEsIpENCE. 


OME time ago we gave our 
readers a sketch of Mr. R. 
McKnight, of Owen Sound, 
and recently we received the 
accompanying photographs of his 
grounds, that of the house showing a 
short cut to the town, the hedge on the 
right being privet and that on the left, 
cedar (the native arbor vitae). Behind 
the hedge to the right is the small fruit 
plantation, and behind the house the 
orchard. The carriage drive, which is 
not shown, enters on the west side of 
the lawn, and is flanked on one side by 
a row of Austrian pines, and on the 
other by one of spruce, now nineteen 
years planted. 
The other picture, Fig. 1570 ,shows a 
sauntering place along the east of the 
orchard, and on the brow of the hill ; 


any part of which commands a fine view 
of the town, harbor and lake. 


Fhe row of evergreens on the left is a 
spruce wind break and joins the eastern 
boundary of the orchard, along which 
you will notice a privet hedge, which 
has outlived both its usefulness and its 
beauty. The trees now partly over- 
shadowing it, the maples on the right, 
are second growth volunteers, and 
stretch along the immediate brow of the 
hill. The trees in the distance are a 
part of about 1% an acre of the original 
bush ; they make a good background to 
the place, and shelter the orchard from 
the north wind. This is the only piece 
of original bush within the limits of the 
residential part of the town. 

Mr. McKnight writes as follows :— 
“T have cultivated about all the kinds of 


132 


SUCCESSES AND FAILURES IN FRUIT GROWING. — 


fruit grown in this neighborhood, large 
and small, with the average degree of 
success. My apple orchard contains 
about 40 trees 25 years old, half dwarfs, 
all of them branching within 4 to 5 feet 
off the ground. I was once told bya 
prominent fruit grower of the Niagara 
peninsula, that the Gravenstein was too 
tender a tree to succeed as far north as 
Owen Sound. My experience of* them 
leads me to differ with him in this view. 
I regard it as amongst the hardiest. I 
have 4 of them in my collection, the 
rest being make up of Spys, Baldwins, 
Spitzenbergs, Greenings, Canada Red, 
Maiden’s Blush, Talman Sweets, Snows 
and Astracans. My Gravensteins are 
the largest, finest and most symmetrically 
formed of any trees in the orchard. 
Perfectly hardy, not a twig of them has 
ever shown the effect of frost, while I 
have had Greenings killed outright by it. 

I went out this morning and meas- 


ured the relative sizes of the trunks of 
several kinds of trees, the measurement 
was made in all cases 2 feet from the 
ground : here is the average result : 


Gravensteins, 52 in. in circumference 
Spys, Ape z 
Talmans, 5 a sf 
Spitzenbergs, 41 “ 2 
Greenings, ake % vs 
Maiden’s B., 42 “. - 
Astracan, ag. “ a 
Canada Reds, 44 “ ARS 
Baldwins, rs ee yc cape 


The Gravensteins more than hold their 
own in the size and symmetry of 
branches and head, the fruit is unsur- 
passed in size, form and flavor, by any 
fall apple grown. By the way, the 
Ontario I got from the Fruit Growers’ 
Association some-12 or 14 years ago has 
not proved thrifty with me. It fruits 


* well and the apples are clean skinned 


and uniform in size. But the tree itself 


Fie. 1570. View oN THE ({ROUNDS OF Mr. McKnieut. 


133 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


is not vigorous. It does not make 
sufficient growth in a year to enable one 
to get a decent scion from it. It is not 
favorably situated, however. My neigh- 
bor got one at the same time, and it is 


‘ 


a much better and larger tree than mine.” 


Mr. McKnight is Registrar for the 
County of North Gray, and First Vice- 
President Owen Sound Horticultural 
Society. 


THE APPLE CANKER. 


From a paper read at the last meeting of the W. N. Y. Horticultural Society. 


HE DISEASE FOUND.—At 
last year’s meeting of the 
Lt Western New York Horticul- 
tural Society, the committee 

on botany and plant diseases reported 
the prevalence of apple canker in the 
orchards in Western New York, and a 
note on the subject from M. B. Waite, 
Washington, D. C., was read. Last 
Spring a request was received at the 
Geneva Experiment Station from Chap- 
in Brothers, East Bloomfield, N.Y., that 
the dying of trees in their orchards be 
investigated The visit revealed the 
fact that of 80 acres of once fine 
orchard belonging to one of the broth- 
ers, 30 has been taken out, and one- 
half the remainder were not worth a 
shilling. Of the 45 acres originally in 
the other orchard, only about 20 are 
left that are of any value. It is evident 
that this wholesale destruction is largely 
due to the canker. The disease has 
heen noticed for the past six or eight 
years, but it has increased rapidly in the 
past three or four years. Twenty-Ounce 
is most susceptible, Baldwin, Wagener, 
Greening .and King next. Talman 
Sweet seems practically freé ; trees on 
lowland and on ground at all wet, suffer 
worst. ‘Trees in outside rows are freer 
from canker than those in less exposed 
situations. The orchard is 40 years old, 
but the trees that are free from disease 
are thrifty and in their prime. The 
orchard has been cultivated far more in- 


. 134 


telligently than the average orchard. No 
crops have been taken, trees have been 
pruned regularly, and the orchard was 
thinned 15 years ago.- It has been 
sprayed from the first with insecticides 
but not with fungicides. 

What It Is.— Inquiries concerning 
the disease have been received from 
various sections: of the State and its 
prevalence is reported in widely separ- 
ated localities. It seems to be common 
in most parts of the State, and in a 
number of instances, is doing serious 
damage. It is also prevalent in the 
Southern States, on the Pacific coast, in 
Michigan and Indiana. The swollen 
appearance of the limbs, the rough, 
blackened bark, and in many instances 
bare wood, black and decaying, are 
characteristics of this disease. The 
cankers are much more prevalent on 
mature than on young trees, the latter 
being evidently exempt from the attack. 

Old age and neglect seems to favor 
the disease, though thrifty trees may be 
ruined by its attacks. 

its Life History.—Investigations of 
the nature and life history of the disease 
were at once begun. A series of cul- 
tures were made from the diseased bark, 
and various forms of fungi were obtained. 
Two forms constantly appeared in the 
cultures, and led to their being separated 
and being grown in a pure state in test 
tubes. One form proved to be a toad- 
stool that is very common on dead bark 


THE APPLE CANKER. 


and wood in the orchard, and the other 
was unknown = Inoculations were made 
with both forms, and in a few days there 
was an area of discolored bark around 
the place of inoculation in each case 
where the unknown fungus had been 
inserted. Further inoculations were fol- 
lowed by the same results. By the close 
of the season, several of the seedlings 
were nearly girdled with wounds three 
or four inches in length, while on the 
trees, a portion of the wood was laid 
bare and the dead areas of bark, charac- 
teristic of the disease, were produced. 
Further experiments seemed to prove 
that the apple canker is caused by the 
fungus that produces the black rot of the 
apple, pear and quince. Some blighted 
apple twigs were examined, and it was 
afterward found that mature spores of 
the black-rot-fungus were abundant on 
them. Some pear trees, also, which 
were found to be in a dying condition, 
were attacked by the same fungus. The 
spread of the disease was from the top 
downward. Fruit of the same fungus 
has also been found on twigs of some 
quince trees that grew by the side the of 
pear trees, although the injury was 
slight. The canker has also been found 
on a quince tree in the Experiment Sta- 
tion orchards, the appearance and effect 
being much the same as on the apple 
trees. The disease was also found to 
be abundant and doing serious damage 
in the large orchard of Maxwell Broth- 
ers, near Geneva. A series of experi- 
ments was undertaken to prove that this 


fungus occuring on these different 
species of trees is the same and identi- 
cal with the common black rot of the 
fruit. 

What Can be Done ?— Strong evi- 
dence seems to be produced that a well- 
known fruit disease will also attack and 
do serious damage to the trees them- 
selves. Black rot of the fruit of apple, 
pear and quince can be held in check 
with Bordeaux mixture, and there is no 
reason to think that this standard fungi- 
cide will fail in this case. Orchards 
that have been well sprayed with Bor- 
deaux mixture for several years past, are 
much freer from the disease than those 
not sprayed with fungicides. The dis- 
ease seems to prefer mature trees, and 
it lives best in the rough bark, till it 
gains an entrance to the cambium. By 
removing or preventing the formation 
of this bark by spraying the limbs 
with Bordeaux mixture, one favorite 
breeding place of this and possibly other 
plant diseases is removed. By keeping 
the limbs protected with Bordeaux mix- 
ture, all spores that chance to fall on 
them will be destroyed. Canker spots 
once formed cannot be cured, but such 
limbs should be removed wherever prac- 
ticable. The rational way to combat 
apple canker is to spray the limbs 
with Bordeaux mixture as a preventive. 
This may be done when the trees are 
sprayed for apple scab, and an earlier 
spraying when the growth first starts, 
would do no harm.—-W. Pappock, of 
Geneva, before W. N. Y. H. Society. — 


2 135 


FERTILIZING ORCHARDS. 


Sir,— It is becoming a matter of 
the greatest importance to our fruit 
growers to understand not only what 
substances may be useful as manures 
but also how to apply them in the best 
manner so far as they can be made pro- 
fitable. 

There are numerous commercial fer- 
tilizers now on the market advertised 
for special erops with guaranteed anal- 
ysis, etc., but in many cases with a little 
care. and judgment and some knowledge 
of what the land and trees require, 
many dollars may be saved in collecting 
and preparing the crude matter always 
found about our homes or near bye. 

It may be necessary for market gar- 
deners, near our towns and cities to pur- 
chase these fertilizers to force a quick 
and succulent growth in early vegetables, 
but the orchardist has not to consider 
the forcing of an early growth so much 
as he has the placing of his land ina 
good state of cultivation with sufficient 
quantities of humus to keep up an active 
state of nitrification in his soil and also 
a liberal supply of potash and phos- 
phoric acid combined with nitrogen, 
forming the three elements so necessary 
to producing the full grown perfect fruit 
that our best markets now demand ; for 
our soil becomes more rapidly exhaust- 
ed of these three elements than any 
other of the ash and volatile parts of 
plants and trees. 

To those who have sufficient stable 
manure, I might say, that excellent re- 
sults can be obtained from the annual 
application of 5 or 6 tons per acre 
spread during the winter or early spring, 
over the entire surface of the ground, 
and after the first ploughing, which 
should be done in the spring, just so 
soon as the ground ean be worked, a 
dressing of 20 or 25 bushels of wood 


ashes followed by frequent cultivating, 
up to August Ist to 15th at which time 
the working of the soil should cease so 
as to check succulent growth and give 
the new wood time to ripen up before 
winter. 

Where swamp muck can be obtained 
a good manure can be made by the fol- 
lowing method: Draw your muck toa 
convenient place and to every load mix 
one bushel of fresh, unslacked lime ; 
spread out your muck ina thin layer 
and spread on the lime, then a layer of 
of muck and lime alternately, just damp- 
ening the whole with animal urine or 
barnyard drainage if it can be obtained, 
or water will do, putting it as the layers 
are built up. 

After it has stood a few days it should 
be turned and intimately mixed by com- 
mencing at one side of the pile and 
cutting down from top to bottom with a 
spade and throwing up into a conical 
heap. Now, just before you apply this 
to the land take one barrel of dissolved 
bone and ashes (how to dissolve the bone 
will be described presently) to every five 
loads of muck and lime mixing it by 
putting up in alternate layers of muck 
and bone and then cut down to the full 
depth of the side of the pile when 
shoveling into the wagon, by which 
means its becomes well mixed. Spread 
over the entire ground of the orchard 
in April or May, at the rate of eight or 
ten loads to the acre, and thoroughly 
incorporate it. with the soil by cultiva- 
tion. 

This will be found an excellent ma- 
nure for bearing orchards, besides the 
the humus added to the soil the lime 
acts upon and corrects the acid pre- 
sent in the muck and allows the ferments 
of nitrification to proceed, liberating the 
nitrogen, potash and phosphoric acid 


136 


FERTILIZING ORCHARDS. 


which is found in muck in varying 
quantities ; and by the addition of the 
dissolved bone and ashes you add an 
ingredient very rich in phosphoric acid 
and potash beside some nitrogen, all of 
which is mostly available as plant food 
as soon as applied to the soil. . 

Every farmer and fruit grower should 
have a bone barrel or box where all 
bones should be put, and one will be 
surprised at the quantity they will col- 
lect in a short time. When a bushel or 
two have heen collected and you have a 
spare hour or two for one of the boys, 
have him break them up in small pieces, 
which is very easily done by holding 
them over an old anvil or heavy piece 
of iron, and breaking them with a two 
pound hammer. Now take a sugar or 
flour barrel and put in a layer of fresh 
dry ashes (those made from elm wood 
are preferable), put a thin layer of 
broken bone on top of the ashes, filling 
the spaces between the bone with ashes 
shaken in, then bone and ashes, finish- 
ing off with a thick layer of ashes. 
When your barrel is full pour on water 
enough to dampen the whole, being 
careful not to leach any off, and in a 
short time the mixture will begin to heat 
and in a few weeks you can put a spade 
through the mixture, the bone having 
all become as soft as cheese. Now by 
packing the bones as fast as collected, 
one is able to keep a stock of dissolved 
bone on hand for use when required. 

Now to those who have not got the 
necessary material at hand to prepare 
their own compost heap, and have to 
depend upon commercial fertilizers, it 
is not necessary to go to the expense of 
buying so-called complete fertilizers, but 
rather buy your phosphoric acid and 
potash, and grow clover to supply 
nitrogen. 

Three or four hundred pounds of 
Thomas’ Phosphate powder, 1oo hun- 


dred pounds muriate of potash, and 20 
pounds crimson clover per acre, or 200 
pounds pure ground bone, too pounds 
muriate potash, and 20 pounds clover 
sown about the 1st of August, the ground 
being kept in a perfect state of cultiva- 
up to that date, and cultivation com- 
mencing again early in the spring, and 
repeating annually gives the necessary 
potash and phosphoric acid and the 
clover the nitrogen and humus. 

Now that we have supplied the ele- 
ments to the soil necessary for the 
growth of our trees, we must not con- 
sider our work complete, for we have 
still the carbon to consider. About one 
half dry weight of vegetable matter con- 
sists of carbon, and it is almost wholly 
obtained from the carbonic acid that 
in the air, only a small portion possibly 
in the form of carbon dioxide present 
in the condition of humus, being at the 
disposition of the tree as plant food 
from the soil ; thus the principal source 
of carbon comes from the atmosphere 
and is obtained by the tree through the 
leaf pores, breathing pores, or stomata 
with which the mature leaf is provided 
in vast numbers. By means of these the 
inter-cellular spaces in the interior of the 
leaf are brought into direct communica- 
tion with the outer atmosphere where 
the mineral matters, nitrates,  etc., 
brought from the soil by the action of 
the sap, combine with the carbon from 
the air, and, after the chemical combina- 
tion of the elements has taken place in 
the leaf, it passes back through the tree, 
building up the cell tissue and forming 
new wood, buds, bark and leaves. 

In the air there is somewhat less than 
one part by volume of carbonic acid 
gas to 3,000 parts of air (oxygen and 
nitrogen) so it is very necessary to the 
healthy development of a tree that it has 
an abundance of foliage, and that the 
same is kept in a healthy condition with 


137 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


its numberless stomata or breathing 
pores in active work. 

When the foliage is spotted with 
fungi or bitten by insects, the leaf 
loses its functions either wholly or in 
part, and, when a leaf becomes covered 
with fungi, cell tissue is disorganized 
and it is as useless as though it were off 
the tree. Thus we see that no amount 
of fertilizing through the soil will give 
satisfactory results unless the foliage be 
kept clean and healthy and in the best 
possible condition to absorb the carbon 
from the atmosphere, and to do this we 
must spray and spray thoroughly, both 
with fungicides and insecticides. 

Practical illustrations in spraying and 
the materials used have been made in 
almost every corner of the province, 
thanks to the energy and interest taken 
in our fruit growers by the Minister of 
Agriculture for Ontario, Mr. John Dry- 
den and his energetic helpers, and there 


is very little, if any excuse now for not 

knowing when and how, and what to 

use in spraying your orchards. 
SUMMARY. 


Cultivate the soil thoroughly and 
frequently to retain the moisture neces- 
sary for the sap flow that holds the ele- 
ments of plant growth in solution. 
Supply humus to keep up active nitrifica- 
tion. Supply those elements of plant 
food of which the soil is most rapidly 
exhausted. 

Spray your trees thoroughly and at the 
proper time to check fungi and insect 
depredations, and the result will be 
rapid and healthy growth, abundance of 
dark green foliage, fruit buds fully deve- 
loped, and a crop of full grown perfect 
fruit with pleasure and profit to the 
grower. 

HAROLD JONES. 


Maitland, 
Mar. 8th, 1899. 


EXPORTING TENDER FRUITS. 


N our Report for 1898 our readers 
will find a very interesting address 
by Prof. Robertson on this subject, 
which is of the greatest moment to 

the more enterprising of Canadian fruit 
growers. From the experience of the 
cold storage shipments of 1898 it would 
appear that the possibility of success is 
within reach. As Mr. Robertson says: 


‘*T have learned by two years’ experience, 
that the British consumer and importer does 
not care a snap of his fingers for the fancy 
names of highly esteemed kinds of fruit. 
Soundness is his first consideration, second, 
their keeping qualities, then nice appearance 
in regard to color, size and shape, and lastly, 
he looks for as nice flavor as you can give him. 

‘*The California pears that go to England 
are sold particularly wel] because the re- 
ceivers there say they can keep them for two 
weeks after they get them. Anybody in 
Canada knows that a Bartlett is a joy to eat 
compared with a tough old tasteless pear 
from California, still the pears from California 
would fetch nine shillings a case whereas our 


best would fetch only six shillings, because 
the California ones wculd keep.” 


Tomatoes, peaches and grapes made 
unsatisfactory returns, but one case of 
Centennial peaches, sent by the writer, 
which variety is a clingstone and worth- 
less so far as quality is concerned but is 
firm of flesh, and of fine appearance, 
actually sold for 13/- or nearly $3 25. 
The case contained about 60 peaches. 

We believe there is hope of splendid 
success in all these fruits, providing we 
can once decide upon the variety which 
will carry. Even in grapes we do not 


despair, for some cases of Lindsay and 
Wilder sold well, and would, no doubt, 
soon create a fine demand. 

We believe it is the intention to have 
these experimental shipments continued 
one more season, after which, no doubt, 
they may be safely left to the ordinary 
course of trade for development. 


138 


NUMBER AND YIEI.D OF APPLE .TREES IN 
OUR PROVINCE. 


N the last Report of the Bureau of 
Industries we have a step in ad- 
vance for the benefit of the fruit 
grower, ina table showing the num- 

ber and yield of apple trees in Ontario 
in 1896 and 1897. We are often asked 
by outside correspondents for this infor- 
mation in previous years, and need these 
statistics, not only of apples, but of other 
fruits also. 


a decrease in the number of apple trees 
under fifteen years old, and the number 
reported is now only 3,435,018, or 113,- 
040 less than in 1896. The average 
yield per tree was small, being but 2.19 
bushels per bearing tree (fifteen years 
old) compared with 9.45 bushels in the 
previous year, and the total yield amount- 
ed to only 13,343,720 bushels, as against 
55,995,755 bushels in 1896. 


Apple Trees. ‘ : 
Yield of apples} Yield of apples 
15 years and over.| Under 15 years. in 1897. in 1896. 
Districts. a) 
; ge Bush. 
1897. 1896. 1897. 1896. Bushels. |5 | Bushels. | per 
ZL 
| a, tree, 
PN 2s Ce a 1,161,558} 1,068,063! 493,210) 515,176) 2,154,517)1.86) 13,087,056|12.25 
Lake Huron........ “i 772,270| 729,325) 392,187! 395,319) 1,452,401)1.88) 7,236,435) 9.92 
Georgian Bay ........ .| 448,519). 442,216) 393,146) 417,074 924,2942.06| 3,303,025) 7.47 
West Midland ......... 1,095,234) 1,075,992; 445,147) 448,223) 2,174,640 1.99) 11,804,969)10.97 
Lake Ontario........... 1,766,184} 1,739,191} 826,253) 875,356} 4,064,148 2.30) 14,273,665) 8.21 
St. Lawrence and Ottawa! 582,853) 576,921) 554,619, 557,010) 1,723,251'2.96) 4,360,144) 7.56 
East Midland........... 263.756} 273.649) 261,742) 271,514 823,243.12) 1,798,647) 6.57 
Northern Districts...... 12,025 8,549 68,714 68,386 27,235 22.6 31,814] 3.72 
The Province........| 6,102,399) 5,913,906] 3,435,018 3,548,058 13,343,720 2 19) 55,895,755) 9.45 
si | 
An increase occurred in the number The following table presents the acre- 
of apple trees over fifteen years old in ages in orchard and garden, and in vine- 
every group except the East Midland yard, in 1897, by county groups and for 
district, there now being 6,102,399 trees the Province, together with the total 
of that age in the Province, or 188,493 acreage of these in the years 1895, 1896 
more than was reported in the preced- and 1897: 
ing year. Every group, however, shows 
; g od S 4 ; ; 
= E a q P 8 : E a8 
& fo a) = 4 S oO a _ () s i 
Year. © © D0 Dy Peles! © & 3 g £ cv oa aA ° 
4 sf | 37 | x 25-| $3 | 64 | 2a 
4 4 <) S 4 D = A 
acres, acres. acres. acres, acres, ‘acres. acres acres. acres 
Orchard & garden.| 62,534! 35,817) 25,217 57.317| 91,516 34,207; 16,792 2,941| 326.341 
Vineyard ........ ! 3,700 636 553 513 4,212 368 72 46; 11,100 
| 
1897...) 66,234) 36,453) 25,770 57,830 96,728, 34,575| 16,864 2,987) 337,441 
Totals.+ 1896 ..| 61,496) 34,514) 24,224. 56,382) 94,036 31,066) 15,744 2,660 320,122 
1895 3] 60,141 wed ae Sal 55,442 si 30,454; 16,813 2,135 312,787 
| 


139 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


The Lake Ontario and Lake Erie 
groups lead in the acreage in fruits. 
Over eleven thousand acres are now 
given to growing of grapes in Ontario. 


The total rural area in fruit is 337,441 
acres, Or 17,319 acres more than in the 
preceding year, every district sharing in 
the increase. 


NEW YORK FRUIT GROWERS—II. 


EAR Culture for Profit was 
2 treated on by Mr. D. K. Bell, 
from whose paper the follow- 

ing notes are taken. 

Soil and Varieties—I1 have found 
that the best soil for pears is a clay 
loam, that is, where the loam overlies a 
clay subsoil. Pears will also grow and 
produce well on what is known asa 
gravel loam, with a clay subsoil. The 
trees will not do well on peaty or black 
muck soil. These tend to unhealthy 
growth, and the fruit is of inferior qual- 
ity. Ifthe soil is not naturally dry, it 
must be made so by tile drains. Trees 
will not thrive in ground which is soaked 
with water. Do not locate an orchard 
on low land, but select a situation where 
there is plenty of sunshine and free cir- 
culation of air. Where the orchard is 
exposed to west and northwest winds, I 
favor windbreaks. 

In selecting trees, accept only those 
that have good, sound roots, clean bark, 
and have made a strong growth during 
the past season. The following varie- 
ties are to be preferred for a commercial 
orchard: Standards, Clapp’s Favorite, 
Bartlett, Seckel, Sheldon, Bosc, Clair- 
geau, Anjou and Winter Nelis. On the 
quince, Howell, Superfin, Duchess and 
Anjou. I will add Kieffer, although it 
is not a favorite of mine. The varieties 
named ripen in succession. 

Working and Planting. — The soil 
should be thoroughly worked the year 
before setting out the orchard. This 
can best be done by planting corn, po- 
tatoes, or some other hoed crop. The 


grade will then be as nearly as possible 
natural, so that the trees may be set at a 
uniform depth in the ground. Before 
the tree is placed in the ground, it 
should be trimmed of all surplus and 
damaged roots, and the top should be 
headed back. This heading should be, 
at least equal to the trimming of the 
roots, and it will do no harm if itisa 
little more. I head back to one or two 
buds, believing that the remaining buds 
will push forth stronger than if a larger 
number are left. The hole for the tree 
should be dug large enough so that the 
roots can be spread out without being 
bent. If some of the surface soil is 
thrown in first, it will do no harm. Care 
should be taken not to plant too deep. 
Two inches below the collar, for dwarfs, 
and even with the collar, for standards, 
is sufficient. Nothing is gained in too 
deep planting, as, in the cold soil, the 
roots will eventually come to the sur- 
face. Fine soil should be well sifted in 
among the roots, so that the space will 
all be filled. For Bartlett, Clairgeau, 
Sheldon, Bosc and Winter Nelis, 15 x 
20 feet apart is sufficient ; Anjou, Law- 
rence, Seckel and Kieffer should be 20 
to 25. On the dwarf, 15 feet is suffi- 
cient for all varieties. 

The young orchard should be thor- 
oughly worked by planting it to some 
hoed crop. If the fertility of the soil is 
such that it will produce a good farm 
crop, no manure or other fertilizer need 
be applied for the first few years, after 
which the ground should be enriched 
by applying potash, phosphoric acid and 


140 


NEI 


nitrogen, the last furnished by plowing 
under Crimson clover or well-decom- 
posed barnyard manure. 


Treating the Tree.—At about five 
years, the trees will begin to show signs 
of fruiting, which should be regulated 
by trimming. The trees should be 
trimmed systematically, according to 
the form that the grower has decided 
upon. I prefer the pyramid, and trim 
to a leader. This is done by cutting 
the lower branches to four or five buds, 
those higher a little shorter and so on 
to the leader, which should be left 
longer. The cutting back and thinning 
out must continue annually, to obtain 
the highest results. Whether this is 
done closely, must depend upon the 
variety and the vigor of the trees. Some 
trees have a tendency to set fruit more 
than do others. ‘Trimming should be 
done during the dormant season which, 
in Western New York, is between Nov. 
1and March 1. No trimming should 
be done after the sap starts. If the 
tree has become stunted and exhausted, 
from overbearing or other cause, it can, 
if not too far gone, be revived by cut- 
ting back into the old wood, and allow- 
ing the tree to make a top of new wood. 

After the trees have come into full 
bearing, which is at the age of from 
eight to twelve years, no farm crops 
should be grown among them. Plow 
the orchard during May, but never 
more than three inches deep ; I do not 
approve of plowing any deeper, as it 
cuts off many of the pear roots. Then 
move the soil often by the use of a 
cultivator or spring-tooth harrow. By 
this treatment, the soil will be kept in 


YORK FRUIT GROIWERS.—V/L. 


mellow, moist condition. Under no 
circumstances should it be allowed to 
become hard and cracked. 


Feeding and Thinning.—The orchard 
should now be in full bearing, and the 
fertilizers should, consequently, be ap- 
plied more liberally ; I cover my orchard 
every second year with a light covering 
of well rotted barnyard manure. In the 
alternate years, I plow under Crimson 
clover, adding to this a liberal amount 
of muriate of potash, applied by sowing 
broadcast, by hand, and worked in by 
the cultivator. I have sprayed for the 
last six or eight years with varying 
success. I believe in spraying, when 
necessary, but the person doing the work 
should have a knowledge of what he is 
spraying for, what to use, and how and 
when to use it. This is important to 
insure success. 

The thinning of fruit is absolutely 
essential, in many cases. The work 
should be done early in the growing 
season and, wherever a tree is over- 
loaded, a sufficient amount of the fruit 
should be removed to relieve it thor- 
oughly. ‘The money expended in thin- 
ning is amply repaid in the protection 
of the trees, and the superior quality 
of the fruit. Thin whenever a tree is 
overloaded, and bear in mind that, with 
judicious thinning of the fruit, and care- 
ful precautions to prevent the trees from 
overbearing, annual crops will be the 
result. Nearly all kinds of pears should 
be gathered at least one week before 
they naturally ripen on the trees, as 
pears allowed to ripen upon the tree, 
lose much of their substance and quality. 


TPS 


141 


TOMATOES FOR EXPORT. 


in 


) 
ve fh iN é iV 


ai Ny 2 | 


», 


Fie. 1571.—Honor Bricut Tomato. 


ang i‘ . 


E are very anxious to find a 
W variety of tomato that may be 
carefully recommended for ex- 
port. So far the Ignotum has 
been the most generally satisfactory 
variety we have tried, for it is a wonder- 
ful yielder, and carries fairly well. Dwarf 
Champion and Dwarf Aristocrat were a 
perfect failure, and were to blame for 
the bad reports of results last year in 
shipping to Great Britain. 

We notice that Mr. T Greiner, gard- 
ener near Niagara Falls, N.Y., writes in 
Farm and Fireside most favorably of Mr. 
Livingston’s new tomato the Honor 
Bright, as follows : 

The illustration gives a pretty good 
idea of this new type, which the Liv- 
ingston’s gave us last year. The follow- 
ing is the catalogue description, and it 
fits like a glove: ‘The foliage is yel- 
lowish green, and the fruit grows in 
clusters of from three to five large to- 
matoes. The color when fully ripe is a 
rich, bright red, but during growth it 
makes several interesting changes in 


color, first light green, then an attractive 
waxy white, then lemon, changing to 
rich, bright red at maturity. It is one 
of the most attractive varieties grown. 
The quality is very fine, flesh thick and 
mealy, with small seed-cavities. The 
skin never cracks and the fruits are so 
solid that if picked when white they 
can be shipped in barrels like apples, 
and after a period of three to four weeks 
will be solid and ripened to rich, bright 
red.” My friend, the editor of the New 
York (former Orange County) Farmer, 
speaks in terms by no means flattering 
of this sort, and seems to consider it a 
curiosity. I do not agree with him, and 
shall plant quite largely of it. But 
don’t plant it for an early sort. It is 
rather late, as the fruit requires consider- 
able time to go through all these changes 
in color. I recently saw a report from 
London, England, saying that the ship- 
ment of tomatoes from here had not 
proved a success, and surely not profit- 
able to the shipper. The fruit in most 
cases was allowed to get too ripe before 


142 


PEAR GROWING. 


being gathered and packed for shipment. 
With the Honor Bright it would be easy 
to avoid mistakes, as the color shows 
the exact stage of progress toward ripen- 


$ 


ing. I think if picked when in the white 
stage they could be safely shipped across 
the water. 


PEAR GROWING. 


SEE by the Feb. No. of Horticut- 
TURIST, on page 80, Question 
1043, from W. B. Stephens, on 
pear growing. Perhaps my 20 

years’ experience would be acceptable, 
as I have tested and have now growing 
over 100 varieties, some of which have 
not fruited yet. 

I find Duchess d’Angouleme a good 
pear, but not a good yielder. I have 
them both in dwarf and_ standard. 
Beurre Clairgeau bears splendidly, but 
requires thinning on standard trees to 
get the proper results in size and color. 
The Beurre d’Anjou, I have both dwarf 
and standard, the former bears fairly 
well, fruit of good size and good quality, 
but the standards, of which I have about 
20 trees, some 20 years planted, have 
not produced as many bushels as years 
they have been planted, but we have 
some very fine specimens and of even 
size. They do not yield enough per 
tree to compare with Louise which 
always bears abundantly and _ sells 
here at from $4.50 to $6 per bbl. ; 
and if picked at the proper season 
ships better than the Anjou. 

I have made more money out of the 
Kieffer, however, than any other variety 
I grow, but they must be thinned from 
200 to 600 per cent. to get the best 
results, as they are the most persistent 
bearers we have so far tested, besides 
fruiting every year, and if properly 
thinned bear a fine, large, beautiful 
fruit. If properly ripened the Kieffer 
is of fair flavor and excels many other 
sorts for canning. 

If Flemish Beauty can be grown suc- 


cessfully at Owen Sound, I _ would 
strongly recommend them as a fruit that 
would ship well and please the custom- 
ers, as well as being productive and 
hardy and good quality of fruit, if it can 
be grown free from the spot or scab. 

We have succeeded in growing clean 
fruit only by persistently spraying with 
Bordeaux mixture. There are two or 
three other varieties of late introduction, 
which I think will prove excellent, viz., 
Rutter, Comice and Idaho. So far as I 
have tested them they are hardy, large 
size, good color and excellent quality 
when properly ripened, and I think 
when better known will be highly appre- 
ciated. 

The Dempsey is proving itself a good 
yielder, large size and of first-rate qual- 
ity, much superior, in my opinion, to 
the Duchess d’Angouleme, which it 
much resembles. 

With regard to the last clause of the © 
question, there is a Mountain Ash 
grafted about 12 years ago within 80 
rods of where I am writing. It has 
often fruited, but the fruit is invariably 
small, warty, sour and no good. The 
scions used were Bartlett and Flemish 
Beauty. 

The varieties I have found to be the 
most profitable for the last 9 or 10 years 
are Keiffer, Bartlett, Louise, Lucrative 
and Clairgeau ; any of which would ship 


to England if properly picked and 
packed. R. L. Huccarp. 
Whitby. 


Notre.—We are a little doubtful about 
the Idado fulfilling expectations, from our 
experience at Maplehurst.—Ed. 


143 


GRAFTING THE GRAPE. 


HOULD our experimental ship- 
ments prove that Wilder and Lind- 
ley, Agawam andSalem, for exam- 
ple, are varieties of grapes that 

may be exported with profit to Great 
Britain, and that such varieties as Wor- 
den, Concord, Niagara and Brighton are 
unsuitable for that market, it will be 
necessary to graft over some of our 
large vineyards to these varieties. With 
this in view we give a simple method of 
doing this work, given some time ago 
by a writer in American Gardening. 

To prepare the stock, remove the 
earth from six to eight inches in depth 


Fie. 1572. 
Grape GRAFTING Saw (WAGNERS PATENT). 


around the vine. With a common 
handsaw cut it off at a convenient knob 
or knuckle, as shown at A in i lustration, 
three to six inches below the surface of 
the ground. Then cut a number of 
kerfs diagonally across the knob with 
the grafting saw. Be sure that every 
kerf is entirely clean, and free from 
chips, sawdust, etc. Now select a cion 
to fit the kerf. If it has a crook or 
angle like that shown at B, all the bet- 
ter. Cut a thin piece from each side 
directly below the middle bud. The 
cut portion of the cion should fit snugly 
into the kerf. Remove the bark from 
back of cion, so that this part will ap- 
pearas shownatC. Then press it into 
the kerf, driving it snugly in place by a 
light tap or two with the wooden 
handle of the knife. Neither tying nor 
waxing is required. We always like to 
put a number of cions in each stock ; 
the more we put in, indeed, the better 
are our chances, although we care only 
for one to make good growth. The 


Fie. 1573. 


cions after insertion appear as shown at 
D. 

The covering of stock and grafts 
should be done with great care. Pack 
the earth well about the lower ends of 
the cions, and between them and the 
stock. Cover to top of cions, making a 
broad hill. If a quantity of sawdust is 
put on top, it will help to keep the soil 
moist, loose and cool. Often the: buds 
start and then die downagain. Usually 
the secondary buds are the ones that 
make the growth ; they start after the 
first buds have given out. After the 
cions have grown six or eight inches, 
remove all canes starting from the 
stock, but do not disturb any of the 
first year’s growth of the cion. The 
second year, if too many cions grow, 
cut off what you do not want. This 
method has given excellent results all 
through the grape districts of Western 
New York. 


144 


* Flower Garden and Lawn * | 


CPA Pi aC 


HOME MAKING. 


Fie. 1574.— 


HE time is come when we in 

Canada need to pay more atten- 

tion to the surroundings of our 

homes, and seek to make them 
more in accord with the principles of 
good taste. 

Many a person will build a fine 
house, faultless from an architectural 
point of view, and wholly disregard the 
setting of the same. Old ugly building 
may be in full view,.beautiful landscape 
bidden, delapidated fences may surround 
it, and a yard unkept and untidy. 

The surroundings are next in import- 
ance to the house itself. Better a plain 


old fashioned house, with a fine lawn 
and artful planting of trees and shrubs, 
than a most ornate building with no 
taste in its surroundings. - This part of 
home making is sadly neglected with us 
in Canada, not always from lack of 
means, but more often from lack of taste 
in landscape art. It is with the object 
of overcoming this lack in our rural 
homes, where the conditions are so 
favorable for making beautiful homes, 
that Prof. Bailey has written such bulle- 
tins as No. 161 on Annual Flowers, 
from which we make the following 
extracts. 


145 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


Fic. No. 1575.—THE OpeN-CeNTERED YARD. 


Flowers should be accessories —The 
main planting of any place should be of 
trees and shrubs. The flowers are then 
used as decorations. They may be 
thrown in freely about the borders of 
the place, not in beds in the center of 
the lawn. They show off better when 
seen against a back-ground: this back- 
ground may be foliage, a building, a 
rock, or a fence. 

Where to plant flowers is really more 
important than what to plant. In front 
of bushes, in the corner by the steps, 
against the foundation of the residence 
or outhouse, along a fence or a walk,— 
these are places for flowers. A single 
petunia plant against a background of 
foliage is worth a dozen similar plants in 
the centre of the lawn. Too many 
flowers make a place over-gaudy. Too 
much paint may spoil the effect of a 
good building. The decoration of a 
yard, as of a house, should be dainty. 

The open centered yard may be a 
picture ; the promiscuously planted yard 
may be a nursery, or a forest. A little 
color scattered in here and there puts 
the finish to the picture. A dash of 
color gives spirit and character to the 
brook or pond, to the ledge of rocks, to 
the old stump, or to the pile of rubbish. 

A flower garden.— But the person 
may want a flower garden. Very well; 
that is a different matter. It is not 
primarily a question of decoration of the 


yard, but of growing flowers for flowers’ 
sake. It is not the furnishing of a 
house, but the collecting of interesting 
and beautiful furniture. The flower 


Fic. No. 1576.— A Datnty EpoGine or 
FLOWERS. 


garden, therefore, should be at one side 
of the residence or at the rear; for it is 
not allowable to spoil a good lawn even 
with flowers. The size of the garden 
and the things to be grown in it must 
be determined by the likes of the person 
and the amount of time and land at his 
disposal; but a good small garden is 
much more satisfactory than a poor large 
garden. Prepare the land thoroughly, 
fertilize it, resolve to ‘take care of it, 
select the kind of plants you like ; then 
go ahead. ; 

Plants for screens.— Many annual 
plants make effective screens, and covers 
for unsightly places. Wild cucumber 
(or echinocystis), cobea, and sweet peas 


146 


SHRUBS FOR HOME GROUNDS. 


may be used to decorate the tennis 
screen or the chicken-yard fence. The 
alley fence, the smoke-house, the child- 
ren’s play-house, may be screened with 
morning glories, flowering beans, and 
other twiners and climbers. The win- 
dows may be screened and decorated 
by vines grown either in the ground or 
in window-boxes. 

Efficient screens can be made of 
many strong-growing and _ large-leaved 
plants, of which castor beans, sunflowers, 
cannas, tobacco and other nicotianas, 
striped or Japanese corn, are the chief. 
But it is not the mission of this bulletin 
to report upon foliage plants. 

The kinds of annuals.—In the selec- 
tion of the kinds of annuals, one’s per- 
sonal preference must be the guide. Yet 
there are some groups which may be 
considered to be standard or general- 
purpose plants. They are easily grown 
almost anywhere and are sure to ‘give 
satisfaction. The remaining plants are 
mostly such as have secondary value, or 


are’ adapted to particular purposes or 
uses. 

The groups which most strongly 
appeal to the writer as staple or general- 
purpose types are the following: Petun- 
ias, phloxes, pinks or dianthuses, lark- 
spurs or delphiniums, calliopsis or core- 
opsis, pot marigold or calendula, bache- 
lor’s button or Centaurea, Cyanus, clark- 
ias, zinnias, marigolds or tagetes, collin- 
sias, gilias, California poppies or esch- 
scholtzias, verbenas, poppies, China 
asters, sweet peas, nemophilas, portu- 
laccas, silenes, candytufts or iberis, 
alyssum, stocks or matthiolas, morning- 
glories, nasturtiums or tropaeolums. 

Annual flowers possess a great advan- 
tage over perennials in the fact that 
they appeal strongly to the desire for 
experiment. The seeds are sown every 
year, and there is sufficient element of 
uncertainty in the results to make the 
effort interesting; and new combina- 
tions can be tried each year. 


SHRUBS FOR HOME GROUNDS. 


LANT a few small shrubs near 
the house, so that the founda- 
tions of the house will be 
screened, and the house seem 

to rise out of its surroundings. The 
choice of shrubs depends somewhat on 
the soil and location. There area great 
many shrubs that are very appropriate 
for planting on the grounds, but only a 
few will be named here. 

Common Lilac—Syringa Vulgaris.— 
This is one of the commonest and most 
highly praised of garden shrubs, and one 
that has given rise, either by natural 
variation or by crossing with other 
species, to a great number of superior 
forms. ‘The colors range from white to 
various forms of lilac. 


Syringa Persica.—-This is a distinct 
small growing species, with slender 
straight branches, and lilac or white 
flowers produced in small clusters. The 
form bearing white flowers is named 
Syringa persica alba ; and there is one 
with neatly divided foliage, Syringa 
persica lanciniata. 

Philadelphus.— This is a genus of 
shrubs which are remarkable for the 
abundance of white and usually sweet 
scented flowers they produce. They 
will thrive on almost any good soil, and 
require no special treatment. Philadel- 
phus coronarius, Philadelphus somentosa, 
Philadelphus gordanisnus are all large 
growing bushes, and give a succession 
of bloom, 


147 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


FToneysuckles or Lonicera, are all of 
the readiest culture, and succeed well 
even in poor soils. There are a large 
number of species, some vining, and 
some of a sturdy bushy habit. Lonicera 
fragrantissima blooms very early, and 
is very fragrant. It retains its leaves 
nearly allwinter. Lonicera ¢artarica pro 
duces whiteand pink flowersinthe spring, 
which are as attractive as the blooms. 

Berberis Vulgaris also produces at- 


tractive flowers in the spring and scarlet 
fruit in the fall. 

Spireas are excellent shrubs, and 
make very good low screens, and also 
give a beautiful display of flowers. 
Spirea Thundergit, Spirea Van Houttet, 
and Spirea veversiana give a succession 
of blooms. 

Deutziu gracilis and Deutzia crenata 
floraplena are very compact shrubs, with 
close spikes of very attractive flowers. 

Kansas Agricultural Coll. Bul. 


* Floral 


LEAVES CURLING. 


THE leaves of the Tub- 
erous Begonias, Gloxi- 
nias, Fuchsias, Roses and 
many other plants will 
curl and become un- 
sightly, when attacked by 
the red spider This pest 
thrives in a dry, hot at- 
mosphere, and can only be kept from 
becoming troublesome by evaporation, 
aud the free use of the syringe. It spins 
its almost invisible web upon the under 
side of the leaves, and causes the leaves 
to curl and appear rusty. When not 
numerous, the pest may be eradicated 
by syringing with soap suds, but foliage 
badly affected should be removed and 
burned, and the plants encouraged to 
put out new leaves and branches. 


Fie. 1577. 


PAONIES FROM SEED. 


Seeds from Pzeonies sown in autumn 
in a cold frame will germinate—some 


next spring, and others the second spring . 


afrer sowing. It is by means of seeds 
that the new varieties are propagated. 
Division, however, is generally the more 
successful and satisfactory method of 
propagation for the amateur, and the 
one to be recommended. 


Hints ¥ 


A VASE FOR CUTTINGS. 
The prop- 
agation of 
cuttings 
may be a 
source of 
= window 
adorn- 
ment as 
well as of interest and pleasure, by using 
a standing vase of silver sand, and ar- . 
ranging the cuttings tastefully, as repre- 
sented in the little engraving. The sand 
should be kept constantly wet, and in 
partial shade, at least until the cuttings 
begin to callous. Avoid strong draughts 
of air, and keep the atmosphere moist 
by evaporating water in the room. 


Fie 


1578. 


CHINESE SACRED LILY. 


When these are grown in water it is 
generally as well to cast them out after 
blooming. They are worthless except to 
produce small offsets, which must be 
grown for several years before they be- 
come of blooming size. When grown 
in pots of earth, however, continue 
watering till the tops begin to fade, then 
gradually dry off. 

—Fark’s Floral Guide. 


148 


TUBEROUS ROOTED BEGONIAS, AMARYLLIS AND 
FREESIAS FOR THE AMATEUR; THEIR 
TREATMENT AND GROWTH.—I. 


A paper read before the Hamilton Horticultural Society by W. Hunt, florist. 


it may interest you to know that 

the numerous and beautiful class 

of plants, known under the term 
“begonias,” of which the tuber- 

ous variety form a very small, but de- 
cidedly important section of, were nam- 
ed after M. Begon, a noted French 
botanist, and their introduction to Euro- 
pean floriculture took place about a cen- 
tury ago, there being at that date only 
a few discovered. It was not until early 
in the present century (about 1810) that 
we have any record of the tuberous 
begonia, when it was introduced into 
England from South America, where a 
very large percentage of the numerous 
varieties of the begonia, which have 
served as the basis of the beautifully 
improved varieties, now grown, were 
natives of Peru, Brazil, Mexico and 


wh 


a § 


Fig. 1579.— Spray or TusBerovus BEGonNTAS. 


149 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


Lima, while a few originated from Africa, 
the west Indies and other warm climates. 
For a long time the begonia was 
treated altogether as a stove or hothouse 
plant, and at the present day, fine speci- 
mens can be seen, propagated and 
grown entirely in the windows and 
gardens of many of our own citizens, 
who are lovers of this beautiful and in- 


teresting class of plants ; but very little. 


was done to materially improve the 
tuberous varieties of the begonia, until 
well into the present century, when it 
was taken in hand by British and conti- 
nental florists, who by a careful system 
of hybridization of the few. and at that 
date thought to be almost worthless 
varieties, together with some more re- 
cent importation of a better type, have 
produced the numerous and magnificent 
specimens to be seen at the present day 
in almost every florist’s establishment in 
the world. Among the most successful 
improvers and growers being John Laing 
& Sons, Henry Cannell, and Ware & 
Co., of London, England, the first men- 
tioned firm devoting immense houses, 
and in the summer acres of ground to the 
culture and development of this tuber, 
beside other American and Continental 
growers that devote special attention to 
the tuberous begonia, and both seed and 
tubers of good strains are now offered at 
very reasonable prices in most of our 
Canadian florists, and seedsmen’s cata- 
logues. 

Apart from the beautiful and innum- 
erable shades and colors of both the 
single and double varieties of the tuber- 
ous begonia, varying as they do from 
pure white to pink and deep crimson, 
from pale yellow to orange, and almost 
brown so deep is the shading of some 
of the bronze varieties, there is also 
another feature, that strongly recom- 
mends this plant to notice, which is the 
beautiful emerald green foliage of many 


of the varieties, shaded and marked by 
hues of a much lighter color, oftentimes 
nearly white, making the plant still more 
attractive than it would be if, as is the 
case in many plants having fine flowers, 
the foliage is poor and meagre looking. 
There are two almost distinct classes of 
this plant, so far as habit and growth is 
is concerned, viz: Erect and Drooping 
varieties, the latter being -specially 
adapted for window boxes, hanging pots 
and baskets, placed in partially shaded 
positions, filling a much needed want in 
that respect. 

The great aim of the improver and 
growers of the erect varieties, has been 
to secure beauty and density of foliage, 
with flowers having the necessary at- 
tributes of a perfect flower, viz., color, 
symmetry and substance, with the 
flower standing erect on stout stems, 
carried well above the foliage and in 
full view of the admirer. This has been 
so successfully carried out that one is 
compelled to think the limit of perfec- 
tion has been attained, until, as in other 
classes or natural orders of plants, we 
are surprised by some new and often- 
times chance addition, so far as human 
skill and science are concerned, to the 
floral wonders of the world, showing, as 
they often do, some delightful feature 
really distinctive from anything hitherto 
produced. 

I am afraid I shall have already tired 
you, before coming to what might be 
termed the practical part of these re- 
marks, so I will endeavor, as briefly as 
possible, to give you a description of 
“ How to secure and grow this delight- 
ful flower.” 

The easiest method would be to pur- 
chase tubers from some reliable firm 
early in the spring, say February or 
March, the bulbs will likely then be in 
a dormant, or resting state, and if in 
good, sound, firm condition, satisfactory 


150 


TUBEROUS-ROOTED BEGONIAS 


Fig. 1580.—SineLte Treerous-RooTED Becoxta, Surron’s QUEEN or WHITES. 
(Engraved from a photograph. ) 


results should be obtained the first 
season. If you can command a fairly 
even temperature of 60 or 70 degrees, 
you can commence to start the tubers 
at once by securing a flat wooden box 
(not a match box), two inches and a 
half deep, with holes bored through the 
bottom sufficiently large for drainage 
purposes, the box to be of a size so 
that the tubers can be placed on it, and 
allow about one inch of space between 


3 


each one. Put about half an inch of 
damp sand in the box first, so as to 
cover the bottom of the box evenly, 
then place the tubers in as above stated, 
and fill in around them with sufficient 
dry sand to cover them and water thor- 
oughly. If the sand settles unevenly 
after watering even up with dry sand, 
water again so as to settle the sand 
firmly around the tubers and when this is 
done the tubers should be barely show- 


(51 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


Fie. 158).—Mr. Hon. 


ing through the sand. Place the box in a 
warm position near the glass where the 
sun at midday does not strike directly 
on it, and in about a week, or perhaps 
longer, usually when the tubers show a 
growth of about half an inch in height, 
a tuber or two may be carefully lifted 
from the sand; if small fibrous roots 
about an inch long are showing, the 
tuber can be potted, if no root growth 
is showing, return the tuber at once 
into the sand and waterthoroughly. In 
potting the tubers use fairly well drained 
pots, of a size in proportion to the size 
of the tuber. A tuber one inch in 
diameter would require a six-inch pot, 
and so on, in proportion to its size, 
some very large tubers would require a 
nine or even ten-inch pot, as it is best 
to have the pot large enough for them 
to flower in, without repotting, as re- 
potting tuberous begonias in an ad- 
vanced stage of growth is a delicate 
and dangerous occupation, however 
carefully done, and is not really neces- 
sary. 

Care must be taken in potting the 
tubers not to injure the young fibrous 


roots by pressing the soil around them 
too closely ; the best way is to fill the 
pot nearly full with well prepared, en- 
riched, dry loamy potting soil, then 
take out sufficient of the soil in the 


_ centre to make a hole, large enough 


so that the tuber will be barely below 
the surrounding soil ; sprinkle a hand- 
ful of dry sand around the tuber to 
help start root action ; fill around care- 
fully with the dry soil taken out, so 
that the tuber barely shows above the 
tup of the soil; water thoroughly ; if 


‘the soil settles to leave the tuber bare, 


fill in with more dry soil, and water 
slightly again ; place the box in a warm 
situation near the glass, partially shaded, 
water only when appearing dry, which 
will be seldom until established, then 
harden off gradually in a slighly lower 
temperature, as the tuberous begonia 
does not need a high temperature—5o0° 
to 60° being suitable—to produce stocky 
plants with good foliage. 

Give the plants a good circulation of 
air, as the tuberous begonia when well 
established dislikes a close humid at- 
mosphere ; in fact I find it best not to 
syringe or sprinkle the plants overhead 
at all; even in the open air, overhead 
watering is not really desirable, as the 
peculiar rough, spiney surface of the 
foliage retains the moisture in a close 
atmosphere sufficient to spot and rot 
the leaves ; this peculiarity applies to 
many other varieties of plants, among 
them being the gloxinia, gesneria and 
achimenes. 

I might add though, that unless there 
is a long spell of continuous wet wea- 
ther, the tuberous begonia when planted 
out in beds or borders, stands the rain 
very much better than geraniums, espe- 
cially if sheltered a little from sweeping 
winds. 

The tuberous begonia can be propa- 
gated from cuttings with fairly good 


152 


TUBEROUS.ROOTED BEGONTAS. 


success, in pots or pans, well drained, 
first, and filled about half full of loamy 
potting soil, with a small percentage of 
sand mixed with it ; then fill the pot up 
nearly level to the top with propagating 
sand ; the surplus growth from a large 
tuber can be utilized for cuttings, as 
four or five strong shoots is sufficient to 
leave on an ordinary sized tuber for 
flowering purposes, taking the weaker 
ones off for cuttings. 


The method of taking the cuttings, 
to prove most successful, is to pull or 
break the growth away from the tuber, 
for the base of the cutting close to the 
tuber strikes easier, as it is often already 
partly callused when taken off; the 
cuttings can be taken when the growth 
is about four inches long, about the 
time the strong shoots show signs of 
flowering. . Pinch the bloom buds, if 
any, carefully off the cutting ; be very 
careful not to force the cutting into the 
sand, or the base of the cutting will be 
injured, thus preventing it from cal- 
lusing and rooting; put the cutting in 


the sand so that its base is just above - 


the top of the soil and in the sand, 
about half way down the pot. Water 
well once, never allowing the sand to 
get really dry ; I find it is the best plan 
to allow rooted cuttings to grow on in 
the pot, or box, they have been propa- 
gated in until the foliage shows signs 
of decay when withhold water gradu- 
ally until the foliage has decayed en- 
tirely, when the box or pot, with the 
foliage left undisturbed, can be stood 
away in a cool dry place; a tempera- 
ture of 40° or 45° will be suitable; but 
if very vigorous they can be grown on 
in small pots to winter in, where they 
can in either case remain until the fol- 
lowing spring, when the young tubers 
can be taken carefully out of the sand 
or soil and started into growth in the 


same way as recommended for large 
ones. 

Of course the size of the young tuber 
necessitates a slight difference in hand- 
ling, and even more care than the large 
ones. I have been very successful in 
starting them in the spring in the same 
box they were propagated in, but this 
requires care, as the tuber cannot be 
seen so deep down in the pot. 


The after culture is similar to that 
for large tubers, only that the pots used 
must be smaller, probably at first 214 
inch pots will be large enough ; these 
young tubers can easily be re-potted as 
required into larger pots, until showing 
signs of flowering. The soil should 
have a larger percentage of sand in the 
first potting than that recommended for 
the large tubers, or instead of putting 
into larger pots, the young plants may 
be planted out about the second or 
third week in June, in beds or borders, 
in a partially shaded position and in 
loamy soil. 

I omitted to mention that the cuttings 
when first started require a warm situa- 
tion, and not exposed fully to the sun. 
One advantage in prupagating from cut- 
tings is the certainty of securing a plant 
similar to the original, which is not 
often the case when propagated from 
seed. 

The cultivation of this begonia from 
seed is possibly the method that will 
most commend itself to an enthusi- 
astic amateur, not only because one is 
kept on the tiptoe of expectancy and 
uncertainty, from the time of sowing the 
seed until the first flowers have fully ex- 
panded into full beauty, but because 
there are no difficulties that cannot be 
overcome by care and watchfulness in 
the first stages of growth, and that are 
necessary with all small seeds. To se- 
cure satisfactory results, use a seed pan, 


153 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


(not a saucer) pot or small wooden box, 
carefully avoiding a match box. I prefer 
the latter to either of tne others men- 
tioned, as the seed does not dry out as 
quickly as ina seed pan or pot. The box 
should be about two inches deep with 
holes boredthrough the bottom sufficient 
for drainage ; place broken pot or gravel 
in the box nearly all over, then put a thin 
layer of sphagnum or common moss 
over this, fill to within half an inch of 
the top with soil composed of one part 
dry sand, one part leaf mould and four 
parts of dry loamy potting soil mixed 
well together, and sifted through a fair- 
ly fine sieve before putting into the box ; 
press down firmly and evenly ; then 
cover this again with a quarter of an 
inch of finer sifted soil of eaual parts of 
dry loamy soil, sand, and leaf mould 
mixed well together, and pressed firm 
and quite level; then water thoroughly 
so as to soak allthesoil. Ifany uneven 
places are seen after watering sift in 
enough of the last named compost to 
level up, water again slightly and sow 
the seed at once, which should be of as 
good a strain as possible, that is, saved 
from good varieties. The seed being very 
minute, will have to be carefully and 
barely covered with fine dry leaf mould ; 
I prefer to shake it over the seed with 
the fingers to sifting it over, as it can be 
done more evenly, in fact, my usual 
method with all very fine seeds is to use 
only the tip of the first finger and 
thumb ; it is a slow method, but sure. 
A layer of sphagnum or common moss 
may be laid over the seed to prevent 
washing when watering, but care must 
be taken to remove it as soon as the 
plants appear ; water carefully with tepid 
or lukewarm water at this stage, but 
only when appearing to be dry. Place 
the box in a warm, partially shaded 
place near the glass, where the hot mid- 
day sun does not strike directly on it, as 


a few minutes hot sun will burn up 
the germinating seed or young plants 
and destroy them. It is the safest plan 
to put a pane of glass over the box or 
pot, and then shade with a sprinkle of 
sand just to cover the glass, or shade 
lightly in any other way. The glass can 
be kept close at first, but when the 
seeds start into growth, especially at 
this stage, will the tuberous begonia 
thrive in a close humid atmosphere. 

When the plants are large enough to 
handle, say when the second leaf is 
formed, take a pointed label or stick 
which has been dipped in the water 
first, with this stick take the young 
seedlings from the box, and plant ina 
carefully prepared box or pot, prepared 
in the same way, but with much less 
drainage than for the seed box, and in 
a similar compost, excepting that the 
compost need not be sifted so finely. Be 
careful to water the seedlings before 
commencing to transplant them, so as to 
get all the soil possible to adhere to the 
roots ; place the seedlings about an inch 
apart each way and when large enough, 
shift into suitable sized pots, two and a 
half or three-inch pots will be about the 
size. These should be filled with a com- 
post, similar to thatrecommended for the 
seedlings, with about half the proportion 
of leaf mould and sand to the loamy pot- 
ting soil, and possibly less drainage, as 
moving the drainage material when pot- 
ting, if in large quantities may possibly 
injure the roots of the plant. 

The next shift or re-potting will be 
into the flowering pots, when the plants 
have attained sufficient growth of roots 
and foliage ; 5 or possibly 6 inch pots 
will be suitable, according to strength of 
plant to be potted; or they may be 
planted in the border at once, if all dan- 
ger of frost is over—possibly the middle 
of June will be early enough. Plant ina 
rich loamy soil and in a partially shaded 


154 


TUBEROUS-ROOTED BEGONIAS. 


position, a north or east aspect being 
the best—anywhere so that the burning 
mid-day sun does not strike them, and, 
if possible, sheltered from sweeping 
winds. Plants in pots can be stood out 
of doors in the same position. Watch 
the plants carefully and put sticks to 
support them, as the weight of flowers 
and foliage will often cause them to 
topple over and break the stem off close 
to the tubers, thus ruining the plant, 
perhaps permanently. 

In the fall, about October, after the 
tops have been slightly touched by 
frost and before the tubers are touched, 
take them from the borders, foliage and 
all if you can; place them in boxes 
deep enough, so that the tubers can be 
covered an inch deep with moist sand ; 
place the boxes in a dry cool place, 
free from frost, a temperature ranging 
from 40° to 45° is best; if the tubers 
are in pots, remove pots—foliage and 
all—in the same way and withhold water 
gradually until the foliage drops away 
of itself from the tubers ; then, if ne- 
cessary, remove the foliage and with- 
hold water altogether until the following 
spring, when they will require similar 
treatment as before recommended for 
large tubers. 

I prefer keeping the tubers in the 
pots they grow in, rather than turning 
them out in the fall, and packing away 
in cocoanut fibre, or sand, as often 
recommended ; as I have had better 
results by keeping them undisturbed 
in the pots until spring, having grown 
and kept the same tubers for ten years 
with good results. But I would not 
recommend keeping them, except for 
cuttings, quite so long as that, as young 
tubers require less care and give finer 
flowers than very old ones. 

If these directions are fairly well fol- 
lowed out, you will be rewarded with a 


‘gorgeous display of flowers at a season 


of the year—July to October — when 
good flowers are rather scarce; they 
may possibly require a little more care- 


‘ful handling than some plants, but they 


make ample returns for the care given. 
A few well grown specimens in pots 
stood out so that the burning sun does 
not strike thein, or planted out in beds 
in the same position, to say nothing of 
a whole bed in full flower, add beauty 
and brightness to a spot that without 
them would look barren, perhaps un- 
sightly. Ae 

I may say that J have been fairly suc- 
cessful with cuttings taken when the last 
flowers are dying off the plants in the 
fall, and treated as recommended before 
for cuttings; it is worth a trial, in case 
of good varieties anyway. 

The only disappointing feature in pro- 
pagating this begonia is that one, can 
scarcely get flowering results the first 
season ; but with the aid of a green- 
house or hot-bed, early sowing and 
good culture, it is possible to flower the 
tubers, oftentimes early the first season. 

I will conclude this subject by giving 
in brief, a few leading points to be 
noticed in the culture of this beautiful 
and fascinating plant : 

1st. Get a good strain of seed or 
tubers. 

2nd. Sow and plant carefully. 

3rd. Use good, rich, loamy soil, and 
pure leaf mould and sand. 

4th. Water well at the roots when 
established, carefully at other times. 

5th. Don’t sprinkle or syringe the 
foliage at all. 

6th. Give all the air possible. 

7th. Select a cool, shaded position in 
summer. 

8th. Dry tubers off gradually. 

gth. Keep perfectly dry when once 
dormant. 

roth. Use good loamy potting soil 
only, for flowering plants. 


155 


* The Canadian Forti 

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will.not enable us to discontinue it, as we cannot find your name on our books unless your Post 
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we take it for granted that all will continue members. 


+{ Notes and @omments. & 


ExporTING TENDER FrRuits.—Prof. pended upon the men who undertake 
J. W. Robertson, of Ottawa, gave an it; men who will deliver fruit (1) 
address on the prospects of this trade, sound, (2) large, (3) of good appear- 
at St. Catharines. He said that too ance, and (4) of high flavor, charac- 
many had gone into fruit growing be- teristics that are important in the 
cause they had failed on the farm, who order named. 
knew nothing about the best methods. During the past season over 2000 
They planted varieties that would grow packages of tender fruits have been 
with least care, and least expense, with- sent over for experiment, and of these 
out reference to the demands of the 400 were Bartlett pears. The pack- 
best markets; and thus we have too ages held about a basket and a third 
many varieties of tender fruits thrown each, and netted an average return of 
upon our home markets. 72 cents each. Three hundred and 

For a successful export trade we twenty-four cases of peaches were for- 
need to confine ourselves to a few warded, and most of these were a fail- 
staple kinds, and those the very best. ure, because not of a variety that would 

Great Britain is a good market, im- carry. 
porting annually about a million dol- Of early apples 254 cases were sent, 
lars’ worth of pears; one anda quarter and these realized 44 cents net at 
million of plums, and two and a quarter Grimsby. ‘These cases were too small ; 
million dollars’ worth of grapes. Suc- they should contain a bushel. 
cess in capturing these markets de- Four hundred and forty-one cases 

156 


NOTES AND 


of grapes were forwarded, but these 
were not well received. A few cases 
of Wilder grapes, however, of about 
17 lbs of fruit each, netted at Grimsby 
about 80 cents each. 


FRESH OR RoTTED Manurgs,--Mr. 
F. T. Shutt, in Bulletin 31 of Central 
Experimental Farm, speaks of the rela- 
tive merits of rotted and fresh manures 
as follows :—The advantages of rotted 
_over fresh manure have already been 
studied ; it has also been seen, on the 
other hand, that even under a good 
system of preservation, rotting must 
be accompanied by loss of fertilizing 
constituents. Weight for weight, rotted 
manure is more valuable than fresh 
manure, containing larger percentages 
of plant food and having these ele.. 
ments in a more available condition, 
but the losses in rotting may, and fre- 
quently do, out-balance the benefits. 
Undoubtedly the safest store-house for 
manure is the soil. Once in the soil, 
the only loss that can occur is through 
drainage away of the soluble nitrates, 
and this is usually very slight, indeed 
it is not to be compared with the loss 
of nitrogen in the fermenting man- 
ure heap. We, therefore, unhesi- 
tatingly say that the farmer who gets 
his manure, while still fresh, into the 
soil, returns to it for the future use 
of his crops much more plant nourish- 
ment than he who allows the manure 
to accumulate in piles that receive 
little or no care, and which, therefore, 
must waste by excessive fermentation 
or leaching, or both. 


- THE ANNUAL ApDpREssS of Mr. J. W. 
Bigelow, President of Nova Scotia Hor- 
ticultural Society, states that the apple 
yield of the past season amounted to 
about 300,000 bris., valued at $800,000. 


COMMENTS. 


The address was printed in pamphlet 
form for distribution. 


THE American Pomological Society 
holds its next meeting in Philadelphia, 
on the 7th and 8th of September, 1899, 
with the Penn. State Society. 

THE GREAT AND WIDE SPREAD dam- 
age by the severe cold of last February 
is reported to have been most serious 
throughout a large part of the United 
States, and from the fruit report sent 
out by Mr. Latham, secretary of the 
Missouri Horticultural Society, it would 
appear that not only are the fruit buds 
of the peach, pear and cherry badly 
killed, but even the trees of these fruits 
in many instances. - 


THE SuGaAR BEEt.—-Mr. F. W. Glen, 
of Brooklyn, sends us a leaf from the 
sugar planter, and draws attention to 
the good profits now before those who 
grow the sugar beet. Granulated sugar 
is now being manufactured at less than 
three cents a pound, and the farmers 
get from $4 to $4.50 per ton for their 
beets, an average crop being twelve tons 
to the acre. Mr. Glen thinks there is 
no better land on the continent for the 
production of the sugar beet than West- 
ern Ontario. 

FREIGHT CLASSIFICATION OF FRUIT.— 
In view of the 2fforts now being made 
by our committee to secure better rates 
on the carriage of our fruit, it will be of 
interest to note that our American 
cousins are seeking after the same ends. 
The following is a note from the last 
meeting of the Western New York 
Horticultural Society. 


FREIGHT RATES ON PEARS AND QUINCES, 


This Society, through its committee on 
railroad classification, has made efforts to 
have pears and quinces placed in the same 


157 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


class with apples. At present the rates for 
pears and quinces are much higher than for 
apples, although it costs no more to the rail- 
road to carry them. The difference in price 
does no longer exist, and cannot be put for- 
ward as a justification of the difference in 
rates. The outlook is also that in ten years 
the shipments of pears and quinces will ex- 
ceed those of apples. The only thing accom- 
plished is a slight change for the better in 
the classification of quinces. Another griev- 
ance against the railroad is presented by Mr. 
Perkins, who states that the railroads are 
now making the mirimum weight for a full 
car 30,000 pounds, when it used to be 20,000 
pounds, later raised to 24,000 pounds, and 


the minimum for refrigerator cars 15,000 
pounds, while they do not furnish cars large 
enough to load 15,000 pounds—all these are 
great hardship. to shippers. The Committee 
on Railroad Classification was finally con- 
tinued, and charged to make new efforts in se- 
curing concessions from the railroad. 


COMMISSION MEN. 


A resolution endorsing the Legislation now 
pending the State Legislature, and aiming to 
clip the wings of dishonest commission men 
by forcing them to report to the shipper the 
name and address of the city buyer and the 
prices paid, passed after a spirited debate, 
and with much enthusiasm. 


4} Our Affiliated Corictics e 


KINCARDINE. — Mr. Joseph Barker, 
the Secretary, sends us a copy of the 
circular being issued their members, 
which is as follows :— aera 


’ PLANT AND BULB DISTRIBUTION FOR 1899.— 
Members will please make a selection and 
notify the Secretary, Jos. Barker, or Walter 
M. Dack, on or before 18th March. _ Collec- 
tion No. 6 will be ordered for all who omit to 
do tris. 

Members requiring more than one Collec- 
tion will pay additional only the wholesale 
cost to the Society. All stock is guaranteed 
first-class and named Spring delivery in 
April ; Fall delivery. early. 

Collection 1.—(Fall delivery.) Azalea, 
white or colored, in pot; 6 double tulips, 3 
white and 3 yellow. 

Collection 2.—2 clematis, 2 yrs. old —Jack- 
manii (purple) and Henryi (white). 

Collection 3.—2 palms—Kentia Balmoreana 
(4 in. pot) and Asparagus Sprengeri (4 in. pot). 

Collection 4.—3 roses, hardy hybrids, 2 yr. 
old—Crimson Globe (moss), General Jacque- 
minot (crimson) and Margaret Dickson 
(white). 

Collection 5.—Tuberous begonia, 2 double 
and 3 single; 2 Gloxinias (tigered and 
spotted). 

Collection 6.—(Fall delivery.) 5 hyacinths 
—3 single and 2 double, assorted colors ; 
double tulips—6 white and 6 yellow. 

Collection 7.—5 gladioli—Childsi ; 3 cannas 
—Burbank, Bouvier and Queen Charlotte ; 2 
cyclamen (white and red). 

Collection 8.—3 carnations — Bridesmaid 
white, Daybreak pink, Flora Hill white; 3 
chrysanthemums — Philadelphia white, M. 
Henderson yellow, Mrs. E. G. Hill pink; 1 


Gloxinia—spotted ; 1 Asparagus Sprengeri. 

Collection 9.—3 currants—Black Naples, 2 
year old ; 3 currants—White Grape, strong 1 
year old ; 25 raspberry —Cuthbert. 


Note sy Epiror.—We would advise 
our Societies to make up one general 
list for all members, as they could then 
buy the stock wholesale in advance at a 
great reduction, and the distribution 
would be much less troublesome. 


CuaTtHaAM.—Our Society is in a very 
healthy condition, and gradually creeping up. 
We shall have over 100 members this year. 
We are giving each member | palm, | fern, 1 
new geranium, | tea rose, |] hydrangea, 1 
fuchsia, | canna, 1 tuberous begonia, 1 tube- 
rose. 1 oz. sweet: peas, | pkt. asters, 1 pkt. 
pansies, 1 pkt. philox, 1 pkt. verbena. We 
are also likely to give bulbs in the fall, and 
talk of having a Chrysanthemum show. 


Hamitton.—This Society has issued a 
printed Directors’ report, dated 3lst Dec., 
1898, showing list of officers, of addresses 
giving during the year, of plants given away. 
of honorary awards given at exhibition and 
of finances This Society receives an annual 
grant of $350. ; 


Hamitton.—At the monthly meeting, held 
March 6th, a paper was read before the 
Society by W. Hunt, florist, on ‘‘ Tuberous 
Begonias, Amaryllis and Freesias for the 
Amateur, their Treatment and Growth.” 


158 


— Question 


Fertilizers for Celery. 


1047. Str, — What kind of fertilizers 
should be used in connection with stable 
manure for celery, and in what quantities ? 
Reply by Prof. Shutt, Central Experi- 

mental Farm, Ottawa. 


If it is intended to use a commercial 
brand of fertilizer, the writer would 
advise from 700 to 1000 per lbs. acre of 
one containing— 


Nitrogen. '<iitorae 5 per cent. 
Available phosph. acid 6 
PORBIE tic erage eevee Beek 


(Norge. — When purchasing a com- 
mercial fertilizer, the buyer has a right 
to demand a certificate of. analysis.) 

The farmer and market gardener 
will in many cases find it more econo- 
mical to obtain the ingredients or con- 
stituents that are used in compounding 
attificial fertilizers, rather than the 
manufactured product. For those 
who desire to adopt this plan, we 
recommend the following :— 


. Per acre., 
Superphosphate (plain)... 300 lbs. 
Muriate of potash....... 125 
Nitrate of soda ........... 200 wu 


If the soil is rich in well decomposed 
vegetable matter (Aumus), the amount 
of nitrate may be decreased to 100 lbs. 
per-acre. The superphosphate and 
muriate should be thoroughly worked 
into the soil before setting out the 
celery plants ; the nitrate should be 
given in twu applications to the grow- 
ing plants (some three weeks apart) 
as a top dressing. 

It is not a good plan to apply heavy 
dressings of fresh manure directly to 
the plants, but the land should be pre- 
viously well prepared by deep culture 
and digging under thoroughly rotted 


drawer. & 


manure. Further, it should be remem- 
bered that the best returns cannot be 
made unless the plants have a good 
supply of water, even though the soil 
is rich in plant food. 


Wood Ashes for Onions and 
Potatoes. 


1048. Sir, —- What quantity of wood 
ashes should be put on an acre of onions, 
and also one of potatoes ? 


Reply by Prof, F. T. Shutt. 


To be able to answer these questions, 
save in a more or less indefinite way, 
one should know something of the con- 
dition of the soil, and its history as 
regards previous cropping and manur- 
ing. On soil in a fair state of fertility, 
we should advise from 1500 to 2500 
lbs. of wood ashes per acre for onions, 
and from 1200 to 2000 lbs. for: pota- 
toes. 

(Note.—lIt is generally held that for 
both of the above crops it is better to 
apply the stable manure the year pre- 


vious. ) ; 
FRANK T. SHUTT, 


Chemist, Dom. Expl Farms. 


The following questions were put 
to one of our lecturers at Horticultural 
Societies, and at his request we are 
having them answered in this Journal 
by various authorities, as follows :—- 


Questions 1049 to 1055 are answered by 
W. W. Gammage, London. 


1049. Srr,—What is the cause of the 
leaves falling off the carnation plants? 
What is a cure? 


Without seeing your plants, I would 
say it is caused by the hot dry atmos- 


phere of your rooms; while the same 
would follow from over-watering, or 


£59 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


by not giving sufficient water; the 
carnation as a rule is not a satisfac- 
tory house plant. 


1050. Srr,—Should there be a dressing 
of manure put on lilies in the garden over 
winter ? 

I consider it would be _ beneficial 
with most varieties. 


1051. Srr,—When is the best time to 
separate bulbs from white lilies ? 

August. 

1052. Sin,—Have you any experience 


with house plants getting yellow leaves, but 
otherwise healthy ? Plenty of light and mois- 
ture, pots well drained, the leaves turn yel- 
low around the edge tirst. 


The above results can be attributed 
to one of the following causes: escap- 
ing gas from furnace, coal stove, or 
illuminating or fuel supply. pipes; an 
overdose of liquid manure; a sudden 
fall in temperature. 


1053. Sir,—Please explain the effects 
of gas on house blooming plants ? 


The injurious effect on plants kept 
in a room where gas is used, is caused 
by the sulphur which is contained in 
the gas, the fumes of which will always 
cause single flowers to drop their petals. 


Top-Grafting on Talman Sweet. 


1054. Sir,—lIs it a fact that top-graft- 
ing the King apple on the Talman, makes it 
more prolific ? 

J. M. 


Several of our leading fruit growers 
have proved by their own experience 
that the King apple is much more pro- 
ductive when grafted on Talman Sweet 
than upon other stock. 


Question. 


1055. Srr,—Some writers in the Hor- 
TICULTURIST advise top-grafting some varie- 


ties of the plum. Would it be safe to do the 
grafting the same spring the tree is trans- 
planted, or would it be better to defer the 
grafting a year ? 

lt would not be wise to attempt top- 
grafting a tree the same year it has been 
transplanted, as the removal checks the 
growth to a degree that failure would 
be almost certain. 


The following list of questions, Nos. 
I056—1063 are answered by Webster 
Bros., Florists, Hamilton. 


Rose, Queen of Prairie. 


1056. Srr,—What is the best method 
of propagating the Queen of Prairie Kose ? 

The Prairie Roses may be propagated 
from hard wood cuttings, about 12 in. 
long, inserted in the open ground all 
but a few eyes. October is usually pre- 
ferred for putting in these cuttings. 
For propagation in a sma | way, layering 
is usually employed, midsummer and a 
few weeks afterwards is the best time to 
choose ; loosen the soil well around the 
plants, take a convenient branch, bend 
it down into this soft earth and cover it 
over a inch or so deep, letting the end 
of the branch protrude four or five 
inches at least. Sometimes a cut is 
made in the branch before covering it ; 


_ with the Prairie Roses however, it is 


unnecessary. 


Gloxinias. 


1057. Srr,—How are Gloxinias started 
and cared for? 


Gloxinias should be started in early 
spring in 60 to 80 degrees of heat in 
light soil; be careful not to give too 
much water at this stage. After flower- 
ing all summer, give the bulbs a rest 
by gradually witholding the water, after 
they have dried off they may be kept in 
a warm cellar or under the stage of a 
greenhouse. 


160 


QUESTION DRAWER. 


Pruning Shrubs. 


1058. Srr,—When and how should 
shrubs be pruned ? 


Oleanders are best trimmed in the 
summer after flowering, this gives them 
a chance to make new growth. These 
growths made in summer will flower the 
ensuing summer if ripened well. Trim 
them only when the size or shape of the 
plant demands it. Roses, the hardy 
varieties, should be pruned in the spring, 
just as growth is beginning. The sever- 
ity of the pruning must be varied ac- 
cording to the habit of the rose ; strong 
wooded varieties such as M. Dickson 
must be left quite long or no bloom will 
be the result, while weak growers, such 
as Louis Van Houtte, should be short- 
ened down to a few eyes. 


Tuberous Begonias. 


1059. Sir,—What is the best method of 
treating tuberous Begonias. 

Start the bulbs into growth in March 
or April; it is best to wait till they show 
signs of starting of their own accord. A 
little bottom heat will start them more 
quickly, a temperature of 60 to 65 de- 
grees is best for the tuberous begonia. 
If grown in a house or greenhouse they 
should be protected from the direct rays 
ofthe sun. In many parks in the United 
States these plants are used for bedding 
in the open air with great satisfaction, 
we have never heard of them being very 
successful in Canada. The tubers are 
stored over winter in boxes of light soil 
or sawdust and képt in a temperature 
not too high but secure from frost. An 
eminently successful American grower 
of these plants claims that the tubers 
may be wintered over safely anywhere 


that potatoes will keep well. 


Calla Lily. 


1060. Srz,—How should the Calla Lily 
be treated in summer ? 


Calla Ethiopica will flower all the year 
if frequently repotted and watered. It 
is usual to rest it during the summer 
months, as a bulb so treated will produce 
fewer leaves and.a greater number of 
flowers. The variety Little Gem de 
mands a decided rest, in fact this seems 
to be the secret of getting it to bloom 
freely. 


Cineraria. 

1061. Srr,—What treatment would you 
give the Cineraria after flowering ? 

A berth on the rubbish heap is always 
recommended for the Cineraria after it 
has flowered. Young plants must be 
raised from seed each year. 


Gladioli. 


1062. Sr1r,—Do Gladioli degenerate after 
being grown a year or two? 


Gladioli are generally supposed to 
produce poorer flowers when the same 
bulb has flowered several years in suc- 
cession. Young bulblets taken from the 
base of the parent bulbs and grown on 
is the best way to put new vigor into a 
collection that is degenerating. 


Heliotrope. 


1063. Sir,—What is wrong when leaves 
of beliotrope turn brown ? 


The leaves turning brown is very 
likely what is commonly known as 
“rust,” this seldom makes its appear- 
ance when the roots have sufficient pot 
room. ‘The only cure for it is to induce 
a strong new growth. 


Growing Chestnuts. 


1064. Sim,—How are chestnuts tobe 
managed to have them grow ? es 
A SUBSCRIBER. 

We presume our correspondent refers 
to chestnut seed. These should be 
gathered as soon as ripe in the autumn, 


161 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


and packed between layers of moist 
sharp sand in boxes. The boxes are 
then buried in the ground on some knoll 
or dry place, until planting time in 
spring, when they are sown in drills in 
the open ground, covering them about 
two inches deep with soil. When these 
stocks have reached a diameter of about 
half an inch, three or four feet from the 
ground, they may be grafted early in the 


spring. 


Questionts 1065 to 1071 are answered 
by Mr. A. Alexander President of the 
Hamilton Horticultural Society. 


Tuberous Begonia. 


1065. Srz,—I have a tuberous begonia 
which has been in leaf all winter, it is rotting 
at the root. What is the cause ? 


The tuberous begonia as soon as fin- 
ished blooming should have been allow- 
ed to dry off and be kept in sand until 
about March, when it should again be 
started into growth. Throw it away 
and start again. 


Nitrate of Soda. 


1066 Sra, — How would you apply 
nitrate of soda to house plants? 

Nitrate of soda is very soluble in 
water, and the best way to apply it is to 
put about a tablespoonful in a pail of 
water, or about a large teaspoonful in a 
gallon, and water with this once a week. 
Only plants in a growing state should 
have this treatment. 


Calla Lily. 


1067. Sr1r,—lI have a-calla lily, and the 
pot is*quite full of shoots. Should these be 
removed from the parent bulb 7 


The shoots spoken of are the leaves 
of young callas which are produced 
around the parent bulb or tuber and 
should be allowed to grow where they 
are until after the season of rest which 


all callas should have during the sum- 
mer. Before starting into growth next 
fall turn the whole out of the pot and 
take away these young callas and repot 
the large bulb. The small ones if de- 
sired may be potted separately thus 
multiplying the number of lilies. 


Chareoal as Drainage. 


1068. Sre,—Is charcoal, alone, good 
drainage for flower pots ? 


Yes, if broken into small pieces 
about the size of peas. About 34 of an 
inch of this material placed over the 
crock covering the hole in the bottom 
of the pot with a little rough leaf mould 
or moss over it would make an ideal 
drainage for pot plants. 


Cannas, 


1069. Sir,—How should dormant canna 
roots be started ?—Most of us failed with 
ours last year. 


Canna roots suffer from two main 
evils when being kept over the winter in 
a dormant condition. First by being 
allowed to get too dry, and second by 
being exposed to too low a temperature. 
The least frost destroys their vitality. 
In taking them out of the ground in 
the fall, as much soil as will adhere 
should be taken with them and set on 
the floor of a cellar or in boxes about 
six inches deep set close together, any 
place where the temperature never gets 
below 40 or 35 degrees will do. They 
will only require looking to once or 
twice during the winter just to see that 
the rhizomes are plump and fresh. All 
they require to start every bud into 
growth is increased heat and moisture. 
Small roots of one or two buds or bulbs, 
if fresh, should be potted in the usual 
way and placed in a warm place. As-° 
soon as growth begins they take plenty 
of water. 


162 


ee 


QUESTION DRAWER. 


Sweet Peas. 


1970. Should Sweet Peas be planted 
from north to south, or from east to west ; 
and should it be sunny or shady. What sort 
of soil ? 


Rows of Sweet Peas should run from 
north to south, as they then get the sun- 
light on both sides of the row. A sunny 
exposure is best. Any good loamy soil 
well enriched with ‘thoroughly decayed 
stable manure will do. 


——- 


Questions 1071, 1072 answered by Mr. 
W. T: Macoun, Horticulturist, Central 
Experimental Farm Ottawa. 


Fertilization. 


41071. Srr,—-Does not the honey bee fer- 
tilize the second crop of clover ? 

2. Does nature abhor close fertilization ? 

3. Have you observed that a certain insect 
visits only flowers of a particular color ? 

4. Do different species of flowers ever fer- 
tilize each other ? 

5. Does a plant prefer the pollen of a 
flower of another species to that of one of its 
own kind ? 

6. Are experiments still being carried on in 
Manitoba to obtain by artificial cross fertili- 
zation of Fife wheat with Ladoga or by selec- 
tion from the Fife alone to secure a variety of 
Fife that will ripen earlier and before frost? 


1. The bumble bee plays a more 
important part in fertilizing the second 
crop of red clover than the honey bee ; 
which in most races is unable to reach 
the nectar in the blossom and conse- 
quently is rarely seen in the red clover. 

2. It would seem that nature does 
‘abhor close fertilization,” as most 
flowers are so constructed that they can 
receive pollen from others either by the 
agency of the wind or insects. Barley, 
wheat, and oats are among the few 
which are close fertilized. It has been 
proven that the seed from flowers, which 
are made to self-fertilize by preventing 
the admission of other pollen, do not 
produce as strong plants as those which 
are left to cross fertilize naturally. 

3. Insects do not appear to have any 
particular color that théy prefer as can 
be easily observed by watching a honey 
bee in a garden. 


163 


4. Different species are sometimes 
hybridized in nature, but this is not of 
frequent occurrence. There are hybrid 
willows and oaks produced in this way. 
The Rogers’ hybrid grapes are an ex- 
ample of artificial hybridization. 

5. A plant does not prefer the pollen 
of a flower of another species to that of 
its own; this would mean hybridization 
which seldom occurs in nature. If the 
pistil of a flower, however, receives the 
pollen of another flower of the same 
species as itself better results will follow 
than if it were self-fertilized. 

6. The cross-fertilization of wheats 
was begun at the Central Experimental 
Farm, Ottawa, in 1888. Since that time 
many varieties have been originated. 
None, however, have been produced 
during the last two years. One variety, 
the Preston, a cross between Ladoga 
and Red Fife, has during the past four 
years given a greatér average yield per 
acre than any other kind tested at the 
several Dominion Experimental Farms ; 
selection of the cross-bred grains is be- 
ing carried on yearly. 


—— 


Apple Canker, 


t072. Sir,—I have a lot of young apple 
trees, planted two and three years, that are 
affected with a black fungus, the Ontario par- 
ticularly so. 

They have made a very good growth, but 
the trunks and even the new wood is nearly 
black in some cases with the fungus. 

Would you advise washing trees now with 
the Saunders wash, or with a strong lye wash ? 
Will either of these washes injure the buds 
on young wood ? 

I have idle time at present and would like 
to prune now, but have been advised not to 
prune young trees until later in winter. Do 
you think that trees would be injured if 
pruned now with a pocket knife? An early 


reply will oblige. 
C. E. Smrru. 


Your trees are probably affected with 
the Apple Canker, a disease long known 
in the old orchards of Great Britain, but 
until recently not prevalent in America. 
Your best remedy is to clean the trees 
thoroughly of dead and decaying bark, 
and spray with Bordeaux mixture. We 
refer our correspondent to Mr. Pad- 
dock’s excellent article on the Apple 
Canker. 


* Open Letters. ¥ 


Brugmansia Arborea, or Angle 
Trumpet. 


Srr,—Of all the novelties in shrubbery, I 
think there is nothing to compare with the 
above-named one. I have one four years old 
which is now about six feet high, planted in 
a tub about fifteen inches deep, being a part 
of an old barrel, which I filled with the very 
best mould and some rotten stable manure, 
as this shrub is a very hearty feeder, and also 
needs plenty of water during summer or grow- 
ing season. ; 

It is a rampant grower, sending forth very 
strong stout branches ; upon the new wood 
the flowers are produced, which are a wonder 
and surprise to the amateur, and no one will 
walk past this beautiful little shrub, loaded 
with its gigantic flowers, without making 
some peculiar remarks about it 

I have heard one observer exclaim, when 
looking at my shrub when in full bloom, that 
its beauty was really ‘‘ supernatural.” Last 
year my shrub bore nearly a hundred flowers, 
which are creamy white, about a foot long, 
and about five or six inches wide. The fra- 

ance is delicately sweet, and will perfume a 
arge back door yard for two or three weeks, 
if weather is favorable and not too hot. 


My shrub had last year at one time opened 
sixty-five of those large flowers at once. This 
shrab is not hardy enough to allow the frost 
to strike it, but it is no trouble to winter it 
over in any room not below freezing point. 
I never had good luck by trying to winter it 
in the cellar ; the wood is too soft and fleshy ; 
it most surely will rot like a pumpkin-vine. 

I have often wondered why the above- 
named beautiful flowering shrub is so little 
known. They are no more trouble to grow 
than the Oleander, Fuchsia and Hydrangea. 
{ always cut back every spring, about two- 
thirds of last year’s growth ; this will insure 
good, stout, thrifty shoots for a good crop of 
flowers, and also keep the shrub from growing 
tall and awkward to handle. 

The flowering season, if not allowed to 
grow during winter season, is last of August 
and September. They will also flower durin; 
winter if kept ina warm room and clear o 
insects, which are so destructive to house 
plants. But if now and again a sprinkling of 
persiatic, manufactured by Pickhardt Ren- 
frew, Stouffville, Ont., is applied, it will soon 
free the tree of the pest. 


D. B. Hoover, Almira, Ont. 
March Ist, 1899. 


* Our Book Jable. + 


BOOKS. 


The Supervising Committee of the Experi- 
ment Farm at Southern Pines, N. C., have 
just issued a very valuable and important 
work on ‘ Plant Food.” The book is well 
printed and handsomely illustratod with 
many fine pictures. It would pay farmers to 
read this book, which, we understand, can be 
obtained free by sending to the Director, 
Experiment Farm, Southern Pines, N. C. 


Prant Foop.—Its nature, composition, 
most practical use. Prepared to aid Practical 
Farms, Experimental Farms, Southern Pines. 
w. C, 

LANDSCAPE GARDENING as applied to Home 
Decoration, by S. T. Macaned. Professor of 
Botany Mass. Agricultural Coll. Published 
by J. Wiley & Sons, New York City. Price, 
$1.50. : 

A beautiful and valuable work, with num- 
erous illustrations. It treats of the princi- 
ples of landscape art as applied to location 
and ornamentation, grading, lawn making, 
arrangement and grouping, pruning and care 
of shrubs, walks and drives, renovating old 
homes, parks and school-yards, climbers, 
herbaceous plants, ete. A book of 338 pages. 


SPRAYING FOR Prorit, a pamphlet of 72 
pages, by H. E. Weed. Published by Horti- 
cultural Pub. Co., Griffin, Ga. Price, 20 cts. 


CATALOGUES. 


SpramotTor. — 5th Annual Catalogue and 
Treatise on diseases affecting fruit trees, 


vegetables, etc., and their remedies. The 
enterprise of this firm is well shown by their 
excellent and useful catalogue. Especial 
attention is called to the mechanical emulsion 
attachment, which may be added to any of 
these spray pumps and by which kerosene or 
crude petroleum may be combined with water 
in any proportion required. 


WessTeR Bros., Hamitton, Canada, 1899. 
Canadian plants for Canadian people. 74 
pages. 

E. D. Smrru, Helderleigh Fruit Farms and 
Nurseries, Winona, Ontario. Descriptive 
and illustrated catalogue, 132 pages. 


Barn YARD ManvrRgE, Bulletin 31, Central 
Exper. Farm, by F. T. Shutt, Chemist. 


Resutts obtained in 1898 from trial plots 
of grain, etc., by Dr. Saunders, Bulletin 32, 
Central Exper. Farm, Ottawa. 

FREEMAN’s Fertitizers.—The W. A. 
Freeman Co., Hamilton, Ont. Contains 48 
pages descriptive of the various fertilizers, 
with testimonials. 

HerseEg’s RELtABLESEEDs. —Edwin Hersee, 
Seed Merchant and Nurseryman, Woodstock, 
Oat. ; 
Spray Pumps anD Nozzies.—The Deming 
Company, Salem, Ohio. 

Brucer’s CaTaLoGurE or SEEDS, 1899.—J. 
A. Bruce, Hamilton, Ont. 

A. G. Hutt & Son, St. Catharines, Ont- 
19th Annual Catalogue Fruit and Ornamental 
Trees, Shrubs, Roses and Plants. 


164 


SOIL FOR PEARS. 


LAY soil is considered best for pear 
( culture, and still it should not be 
too tenacious and sticky. <A pear 
orchard will not thrive so well on 
any soil that has not a clay sub-soil. 
Next to a friable clay loam, a gravel 
loam is most desirable. A light sandy 
soil is the least desirable of any, and yet 
pears can be grown on sandy soil. 
Standard pears can be planted twenty 
to thirty feet apart according to circum- 
stances and habits of growth. If planted 
. thirty feet apart, dwarf pears can be 
planted between the rows each way. I 
prefer a standard pear for general orchard 
culture, for the reason that they require 
less fertility and cultivation, and for the 
further reason that they are longer lived 
and make larger and more permanent 
trees. 


When the question came up for a 
vote, however, before the Western New 
York Horticultural Society, we found 
that the dwarf pear was the favorite for 
orchard planting or for garden. Dwarf 
pears have the advantage of coming into 
earlier bearing. The dwarf pear is not 
short lived. It requires more pruning 
and more attention than the standard 
pear. Many varieties do better on the 
dwarf pear than on the standard. 

I should not locate a pear orchard or 


‘any other orchard on a low piece of 


ground. I should locate it on a hill- 
side. The pear is easily transplanted. 
I transplant . several thousand every 
spring, and they do not lose on an 
average, one out of one hundred trees. 
Pear trees come into bearing earlier 
than the apple. 


TEN CHOICE PEARS. 


WILL now give what I consider 

the best ten varieties of pears for 

export or home market or any 

purpose, for profit to the general 
planter, and I will start with Bartlett, 
Beurre Bosc, Beurre d’Anjou, Beurre 
Clairgeau, Doyenne de Comice, Duchess 
d’Angouleme, Sheldon, Lawrence, 
Doyenne Boussock, Ritson, and you 
may add the Keiffer, for the short time 
it will be in demand, and when there is 
no more call for it, you then could not 
have a better tree for top grafting, to 
any variety you wish, and in fact, if I 
was to plant a pear orchard, I would 
plant every tree Keiffer, and then top 
graft to what varieties I wanted, as there 
could not be a better parent stock to 
work from. Another good parent stock 
would be the old Edmonds or Church 
pear. I think if our Flemish Beauty 


was worked on to either of these, we 
might get it back to its original cleanli- 
ness and good quality, and also a num- 
ber of other varieties, such as the Brock- 
worth Park, White Doyenne, etc. I 
think that the want of cleanliness and 
their tenderness is due to weak parent 
stock, and I do believe that if all varie- 
ties of trees were treated in the same 
way, that we would have less diseases, 
such as blight, yellows, black knot, scab, 
etc. I will now ask, since I have taken 
up the pear, who will start the peach, 
plum, apple and cherry, and give their 
opinion, as to what they think the best 
six to ten varieties for the general fruit 
grower to grow. 

I will also add what I would consider 
the best twenty varieties for exhibitions : 
Bartlett, Beurre Bosc, Beurre d’Anjou, 
Beurre Clairgeau, Beurre Hardy, Beurre 


165 


~ a 
“y a 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


Gris de Hiver, Beurre Superfin, Doy- 
Comice, Doyenne Bous- 
sock, Ritson, Glout Morceau Law 
rence, Goodale, Sheldon, Duchess d’ 
Angouleme, Mount Vernon, | Seckel, 


enne de 


Clapps’ Favorite, President Drouard 
and the Keiffer on the recommendation 
of the British market. 
RODERICK CAMERON. 
Niagara Falls. 


GROWING GOOD PEACHES. 


MERICAN GARDEN reports Mr. 
Hall's address before the Massa- 
chusetts Horticultural Society as 
follows :—- 

“The difference of preparation of 


land for peach orchards, is the differ-- 


ence in business methods, the one being 
superior which is most thorough, practi- 
cal and intelligent. 
be plowed too much, and harrowing and 
cross-harrowing are less harmful than 
sensible. 

‘“‘ The trees should be planted early in 
the spring; fall planting is apt to be 
disastrous because the tender roots will 
not bear transplanting then from nurse- 
ries to open soil. While 16 feet each 


way is accepted now as a proper dis- 


tance, the theory of planting trees 13 
feet apart is justified by the fact that 
peach trees are mighty uncertain and 
may not fill out. Medium-sized trees, 
3 or 4 feet high, are best to plant, and 
they should be trees one year old. In 
fact, no nursery ever delivered a two- 
year-old tree, though it is claimed that 
it does. 

“It is not essential that a tree have 
many fibrous roots; most of them are 
' dead anyway at planting, and a modest 
number will serve, provided they are 
cut smoothly when out in the ground. 
Fine earth should pack the roots, and 
the only thing having any business in 
the orchard after that is a horse, a har- 
row, and a plow. The practice of mix- 
ing crops, of planting alternate rows of 
corn and expecting to get a peach 
orchard of any vigor is extreme folly. 
At the first year’s growth cut off all but 


The land cannot - 


a few top sprouts, and the next year cut 
off the interfering side spurs. Twice 
can these be removed, yet the tree will 
yield well. 

“Do the pruning and shaping in the 
first two years. In pruning for fruit the 
question is, ‘ How are your buds?” If 
they are nearly all killed, wait until 
spring, and when the buds are swelled, 
prune. Trim for peaches then. Don’t 
trim for form ; you may have one of the 
worst looking orchards in the country, 
but you will get more peaches. 

*As to winter bud killing, 75 per 
cent. of your peach buds may blight, 
but if the remaining 25 per cent. are 
evenly distributed among the trees you 
need not worry. It is a popular fallacy 
that when it is announced that 50 per 
cent. of the buds have been killed the 
peach crop for the following season is 
doomed. It is time enough to thin 
your fruit after it has set in the spring. 
Large, fine fruit can be raised only when 
there is a moderate number of peaches 
on each tree. 

“Tt takes from 10 to 12 days to 
gather peaches which have come to 
maturity. Don’t use a machine in sort- 
ing them. Hire bright, intelligent 
women ; they are better than men as a 
rule. And remember always'that there 
is more profit in selling 50 or 60 peaches 
to the half-bushel at $2 than roo to the 
half-bushel for 50 cents. § There may be 
less nutriment and more water in the 
large fruits, but the people like them 
and will have them. As to the profit in 
peach growing, it depends on the in- 
dividual. 


166 


Syringa Chinensis or Rothamgensis. 


THE 


CANADIAN HortiCULTURIST. 


VoL. XXII. 


No. 5 


LIBACS: 


AT THE CENTRAL EXPERIMENTAL FARM, OTTAWA, ONT. 


2) HE lilacs or syringas are 
y among the most valued of 
all shrubs for the garden. 
They are favorites every- 
‘ where and almost univers- 
ally grown. Their hardi- 
ness commends them, for 
they thrive not only in Eastern Canada 
but many of them endure the colder 
winters of the North-West plains with- 
out injury. They are easily grown and 
the beauty and fragrance of their flowers, 
so freely produced in the early spring, 
and the richness of their foliage through- 
out the season, are qualities which make 
the lilacs deservedly popular. 

This useful group of ornamental 
shrubs contains ab ut ten species, seven 
or eight of which, with many splendid 
varieties which have been produced 
from some of them, are now more or less 
generally available for the decoration of 


our gardens. 
The common lilac, Sy7nmga vulgaris, 


was introduced to cultivation in 4597 © 
and has hence been an object of admir- 
ation among lovers of flowers for more 
than 300 years. It is a native of Persia 
and Hungary, and when planted in good 
soil grows to a height of 10 to 15 and 
sometimes 20 feet. Although it suckers 
freely, if the suckers are persistently cut 
away it may be ‘trained to a handsome 
tree-like form. 

Lilacs may be propagated from suck- 
ers also by budding. They are some- 
times grafted on the privet, but this stock 
is undesirable on account of its tender- 
ness and lack of vigour. Of late years 
many of the best varieties have been 
grown from cuttings which, when placed 
under suitable conditions, are said to 
root without much difficulty. Lilacs on 
their own roots are much to be preferred 
since when grafted on the common stock 
the suckers thrown up from the roots 
are sometimes so numerous and vigorous 
as to crowd out or weaken the graft. 


. _ 169 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


given are all from speci- 


Fie. 1582.—SyRINGA VULGARIS, CHAS. XTH. 


Among the earliest recorded varieties 
_of the common lilac is the single white 
form S. vulgaris alba, and a reddish 
known as rubra major or Syringa de 
marley. The first of the double forms, 
which are now so numerous and popular, 
was brought out in 1870, and since then 
most of the very best sorts now so much 
admired have been produced. , 

More than fifty varieties of Syringa 
vulgaris are included in the collection 
at the Central Experimental Farm em- 
bracing all the newest and finest sorts. 
As yet only a few of these have bloomed 
and every season reveals new attractions 
in this wonderfully interesting group. 
Among those which have bloomed are 
some superb varieties, a few of which 
will be referred to. The illustrations 


mens grown at the Cen- 
tral Farm. 

S.v. Charles roth. A 
specimen bush of this 
fine sort is shown in Fig. 
1582. This is one of 
the freest bloomers of 
all the varieties thus far 
tested ; the flowers are 
of a rich reddish pur- 
ple hue, are highly fra- 
grant and are most 
freely produced in large 

trusses. A bush of this 
sort when in full bloom 
becomes a striking and 
most interesting object. 
This variety has been 
thoroughly tested in the 
most exposed situations 
and is thoroughly hardy. 

S. v. Emile Lemoine. 
In this form an example 
of which is shown in 
Fig 1583 the flowers 
are of a reddish lilac, 
very full and double, a 

handsome and valuable sort and a free 
bloomer ;_ one of the best. 

S. v. Frau Damman. This is a pure 
white single lilac of great beauty. The 
flowers are produced in large trusses 
which are loose and graceful. The bush 
is also a very free bloomer. A single 
cluster of bloom is shown in fig. 1584. 

S. uv. Alphonse Lavelle. <A flower 
truss of this variety is shown in fig. 1585. 
It is a very handsome form, the flowers 
are of a beautiful bluish violet color and 
are produced in abundance in very large 
panicles. 

S. v. President Carnot. This is an 
excellent sort which produces fine 
trusses of large single reddish lilac 
flowers, clusters of this variety are shown 
in fig. 1 586. 


170 * 


LILACS. 


S. v. Madame Abel 
Chateau. This is perhaps 
the finest of all the flowers 
yet produced at Ottawa 
in this wonderful group 
of lilacs. The panicles 
are large and the individ- 
ual flowers of unusual 
size, of a pure white very 
double and of great sub- 
stance. It is also a free 
bloomer. A single clus- 
ter is shown in Fig. 1588. 

Syringa Josikea, Jos 
tha’s Lilac. This is a 
robust growing species, 
a native of Hungary, * 
which was_ introduced 
into cultivation in 1588 
and is now very widely 
distributed. Its leaves 
are large glossy and of 
great substance of a deep 
green color above and 
paler below. This shrub 
is well worth growing for 
its foliage alone. The 
flowers which appear from 
ten days to a fortnight later than Syringa 
vulgaris, are of a bluish purple, the 
clusters are smaller than those of the 
common lilac, they also lack perfume. 
When well established this variety blooms 
very freely and attains a height of from 
6 to to feet. It makes a beautiful 
hedge, its rigid habit and glossy laurel- 
like leaves produce a fine effect. For 
this purpose young plants should be 
chosen and put out in a single row about 
15 inches apart. 

‘Syringa Persica, the Persian Lilac. 
This species is a native of Persia and 
was introduced in 1640. It is a shrub 
smaller in size and less robust in habit 
than most of the other species, growing 
usually from four to six feet in height. 


Fie. 1583.—S vuLearis EMitrk LEMOINE. 


The flowers which are borne freely in 
good sized clusters,are bluish purple ; 
another variety of the Persian lilac 
produces white flowers; both these 
forms are common in cultivation. This 
species is not quite so hardy as most of 
the other lilacs. A cut leaved form 
S. P. laciniata has also been produced. 

Syringa Chinensis known also under 
the name of S. Rothamgensis or Rouen 
lilac. This is a very desirable shrub, 
well known and much appreciated. It 
was introduced into cultivation in 1795 
and is said to be a hybrid between 
S. vulgaris and S. persica which was 
raised at Rouen by Mr. Varin then 
director of the botanic garden there. 
This variety is loose and graceful in 


171 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


Fic. 


habit, the foliage is intermediate in size 
and form between the common lilac and 
the persian, the flowers which are of an 
intense purplish violet color are borne 
in large clusters produced in abundance. 
Our frontispiece shows an example of 
this shrub in bloom. 

A form of S Chinenszs is also in culti- 
vation known as SS. C. Saugeana, the 
flowers of which are of a reddish purple 
color. 

Syringa Emodi—¥rom Mount Emo 
dus in the Himalaya mountains. This 
species was introduced to cultivation in 
1840, and is quite distinct in its char- 


1584 -—S. vuLeGaRIs Frau DAMMAN, 


acter. It grows to a 
height of about six feet, 
and is somewhat rigid 
in form. The leaves 
are considerably larger 
than those of the com- 
mon lilac, with the un- 
derside more  promi- 
nently veined, and the 
flowers which are pur- 
plish or white are ar- 
ranged in longer and 
looser panicles. A form 
of Emodi with varie- 
‘gated leaves has been 
introduced, which is 
quite attractive. Both 
of these have been. 
found less hardy than 
the common lilac at 
Ottawa. 

Syringa villosa, is a 
native of the northern 
parts of China of quite 
recent introduction, hav- 
ing first been brought 
‘into notice in 1880. It 
is lower growing than 
many of the other sorts 
of lilac, varying in height 
from three to six feet. 
The leaves are of medi- 
um size, ovate in form and rather obtuse, 
the flowers are of an attractive shade of 
pale bluish rose less fragrant than those 
of the common lilac. This shrub is a 
free bloomer, but the flower clusters are 
not so large as in some of the other 
varieties. Its time of blooming is about 
two weeks later than the commor lilac, 
it has been tested for four or five years 
at Ottawa and found to be perfectly 
hardy. 

Syringa oblata. This handsome 
variety has not yet found its way into 
very general cultivation. It is a native 
of China and was introduced in 1859. 


172 


LILACS. 


The leaves are large and 
wide, oblate or _heart- 
shaped, and rather thick 
and fleshy. The flowers 
are purple, larger than 
those of the common 
lilac, and produced in 
large and handsome clus- 
ters, which are very attrac- 
tive. In its habit of 
growth this species much _ 
resembles the common 
lilac. There is a form of 
oblata which produces 
white flowers. The pur- 
ple variety has been tested 
for several years at, the 
Central Farm at Ottawa, 
and has been found quite 
hardy. 


Syringa Amurensis is 
a native of Manchuria, 
China and Japan, and is 
common in the valley of 
the Amour. It was intro- 
duced in 1863. This shrub has a 
somewhat spreading habit and a grace- 
ful form, and grows to a height of 
from six to eight feet. The flowers are 
small, creamy white, and produced in 
panicles of varied form, some being 
short and compact, others long and 
sparsely flowered. It usually blooms 
during the third week in June. This is 
a hardy and desirable species. 

Syringa Japonica. This is a native 
of Japan and was introduced to cultiva- 
tion in 1885. It is the latest in bloom- 
ing of all the lilacs and does not usually 
flower in Ottawa until the first week in 


Fie. 1585.—S. vuLGARIS ALPHONSE LAVALLE. 


July. The flowers are small, creamy 
white, and are produced in large dense 
clusters. They have a fragrance quite 
distinct from the ordinary lilac, remind- 
ing one of the hawthorn or the privet. 
The leaves are large and of a dark green 
color. This species grows taller than 
Syringa vulgaris and forms an attractive 
tree-like specimen. 

With a judicious selection of the 
species and varieties referred to one 
may have a _ succession of lilacs in 
bloom for from four to five weeks. 

Wo. SAUNDERS. 
Ottawa 


173 


Fic. 1586.—S. VULGARIS PRESIDENT CARNOT. 


N THE ‘fruit industry the waste often 
consumes the profits. An inoppor- 
tune rain or wind at the time when 

the fruit is just ripening often ruins the 
hopes and anticipations of a whole year. 
The failure to use the right kind of a 
package, and to make the fruit look its 
best in it, often degrades the quality, in 
the estimation of the buyer, from first to 
second class with the corresponding 
reduction in price. The crowded mar- 
ket of Saturday often leaves on the hand 
of the grower a few crates of berries 
which are worthless when the market 
ripens on the following week. The 
insects somehow find their way to the 


fruit, and just at the time 
when it should ripen, we 
find that it is ruined. 
Nine cases out of ten of 
failure in the fruit busi- 
ness come through loss 
due to waste. 

The successful fruit 
grower must learn early 
in his career that his pro- 
ducts are at all times ten- 
der and quickly perish- 
able. He must,so far as 
he is able, prevent the 
contact of any agent that 
destroys or reduces the 
value of his fruit. This 
is not something that is 
beyond his power. By 
a vigilant war against in- 
sects he can greatly in- 
crease the quantity and 
improve the quality of 
the crop which he is to 
receive. ‘ 

Cold storage affords 
-one of the most practi- 
cal means of preventing 
waste in the fruit crop 
that we have. Apples 
that fall from the tree when almost ripe, 
and are lost, are frequently ripe enough 
to be picked and placed in cold storage. 
The fact, that apples for cold storage 
should be picked while solid, is valuable 
information to those who realize that 
their fruit is dropping badly while in 
that state. An ice and cold storage 
house on the fruit farm: is of immense 
value in preventing the waste in summer 
fruits that comes naturally through rapid 
decay. Berries, cherries, plums, and 
peaches can be kept a number of days, 
even weeks, and there is thus afforded 
ample opportunity for using or disposing 
of them. W. L. Hai, Kansas. 


174 


“FRUIT PULP. 


N view of the excell- 
ent demand this sea- 
son for this article 
in Great Britain, and 

the efforts having being 
made by a committee 
appointed by our Asso- 
ciation to make exten- 
sive trial shipments of 
raspberry pulp, our 
readers will be _ inter- 
ested in thé following 
‘from the Agricultural 
Gazette c New South 
Wales. 

Pulping is a_ very 
simple and efficacious 
method of preserving - 
fruit for storage or 
transit, to be convert- 
ed into jam at some 
later date. When one 
considers the thousands 
of tons of fruit that 
literally rot and are wasted in these 
colonies simply from lack of the adop- 
tion of such simple process as pulping, 
one is apt to accuse the Australians of 
being neglectful of their opportunities. 
If a good class of pulp were placed on 
the London market instead of letting 
your fruit rot on the ground it would 
give you a very remunerative return. 
Now, I am not going into figures; I 
‘will leave that to a more mathematical 
pen, and a head better fitted to statistics 
to convince you of this fact. All I say 
is it will pay, and pay well, as some of 
the more enterprising Australians have 
shown. The fruit is gathered in the 
same condition as for canning (that is, 
firm, yet ripe and sweet) ; at the same 
time there is no waste, as the over-ripe 


Fie. 1587.—S. votearts Louis Van Hovurte. 


fruit may be used as well. 

All the stone fruits are pitted and 
placed in a steam-jacketed kettle, a little 
water added. The whole mass must be 
constantly stirred, no sugar being added. 
Now, the most essential thing in pulp- 
ing is the cooking. The old theory of 
cooking merely for the expulsion of the 
air has exploded, and we find that the 
pulp must be cooked for such a time as 
to kill all germs of fermentation. 

Immediately the pulp is cooked it is 
placed in tins and the caps soldered 
down, care being taken to fill the tins to 
the brim, the size of tins generally in 
use being rolb. tins, these being round, 
and 45lb. tins being square. If, after 
the tins have been closed down, any of 
them exhibit signs of swelling, it is a 


175 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


Fie. 1585.—S. vutGaARis MADAME ABEL CHATEAU. 


sure sign of insufficient cooking. The 
pulp from these must be emptied out 
and re-cooked for as long as originally ; 
in fact, a few minutes longer. It is quite 


optional as to whether 
you peel your fruit for 
pulping or not. 

The time required for 
cooking the — several 
kinds of fruit for pulping 
is as follows : Apricots, 
about 25 minutes; 
peaches, nectarines, 
plums, soft pears and 
cherries, about 30 min- 
utes ; figs, hard pears, 
auinces and apples 
about 35 minutes. 
These periods for cook- 
ing do not apply to® 
every condition of the 
fruit ; you will only be- 
come perfect with prac- 
tice; at the same time 
they are sufficiently 
adequate to start from. 

Now, supposing you 
are the recipient of a tin 
of pulp, and you wished 
to convert it into jam. For every pound 
of pulp add about 3lb. of sugar, and 
boil for about 30 minutes. 


6 


THE HONOR BRIGHT AND OTHER TOMATOES. 


Mr. R. Brodie, of Montreal, sends 
us the following note about tomatoes: 

Mr. J. Caven, Columbus, O., advises 
a small trial of the Honor Bright to- 
mato. With us it is a heavy cropper, 
but too late a variety and ripens very 
little of its fruit. I tried a few bushels 
(in the yellow stage of ripening) in my 
cellar, and they did not ripen as well 
as the Beauty alongside. My selection 
of tomatoes would be: for -tst early, 
Henderson’s Ruby; it is the largest 
and best extra early tomato. $500 


worth was sold off two acres in one 
week, about the 2oth July last year. 

In the purplish crimson varieties, 
Rennie’s Canada is a splendid tomato. 
The Imperial is a little earlier, but not 
so large or as heavy a cropper. Liv- 
ingstone Beauty is a very close third. 

In the scarlet tomatoes, Ignotum and 
Livingstone Favorite are two very good 
varieties. 

Most of the red varieties are subject 
to crack round the stem. 


176 


DISHONEST APPLE PACKING. 


Str,—In your article on ‘‘ Packing Apples 
for Export” in March number, you go out of 
your way to recommend legislation to hamper 
the apple growers of this country. You 
advocate a size test for apples of all varieties, 
putting Snows, Russets and ‘Spitzenberg, 
etc., in the same category as Spys and Bald- 
wins, which you must admit is impracticable. 

W. F. Fisner, Burlington. 


Our article on this subject was not 
intended as final by any means, but 
simply to invite discussion from our 
readers. That something is necessary 
is evident from the heterogeneous col- 
lection of grades and sizes now being 
shipped by Canadian fruit growers. It 
will surely not Zamper our growers to 
impose such legislation as will tend to 
bring about some uniformity and system 
in packing our apples and other fruits, 
so that foreign buyers may buy Cana- 
dian stock with greater confidence, and 
consequently at higher prices. 

Of what use will it be for A and B to 
grade their apples to a uniform size in 
the barrels, and send all that will pass 
through a 2% inch hole as “ Seconds ” 
to the evaporator, or to thecider mill, if C 
and D wid/ persist in facing up the heads 
of their barrels with 3 inch apples, and in 
hiding, beneath the two top layers, apples 
of all sizes, from 3 inches down to 1% 
inches. C and D may possibly get as 
good sale for their car as A and B, but 
the buyers who are robbed will class A, 
B, C and D all together as Canadian 
rogues, and give them a wide berth 
next season, and all will suffer for the 
dishonesty of one ortwo. Now,-it is not 
simply the interest of two or three, but 
the interest of the thousands of honest’ 
apple growers in Canada which we wish 
to champion. And have we not a right 
to insist on honest packing, and in- 
sist upon inspection and confiscation 
of dishonest packages, just as much as, 
in the case of short weight loaves of 
bread. We grow in Canada the finest 


apples in the world, both in color and 
in flavor, and’the markets of the world 
are just opening to us ; they want all our 
apples, and will pay top prices if we will 
but assure them that they are uniform 
in size and No. 1 in quality. 

Perhaps somebody may say inspection 
is not necessary—it is impracticable— 
let every man ship his own apples under 
his own name, and all will come out 
right. Indeed! Will it? We beg to 
differ. The steamer Castilian, which 
was wrecked the other day off Yarmouth, 
N.S,, carried 6,500 barrels of CHOICE 
CANADIAN APPLES, packed for the 
British market, the heads of the barrels 
were decorated with X XX, and with the 
names of the shippers. These apples 
were saved.and sold in Yarmouth, wet 
apples bring $1 per barrel, dry $3, and 
some of the readers of THE CANADIAN 
HorTICULTURIST there are taking notes 
as these are opened, and are reporting to 
us the honest and the dishonest shippers ; 
but we mercifully suppress the names. 
Mr. Chas. E. Brown, .of Yarmouth, an 
honored life member of our Association, 
sends us six samples from a barrel of 
Phenix apples marked XXX!! and we 
have photographed their exact s7ze, that 
all may see whether an inspector is need- 
ed or not. (Fig. 1589) Not one of these 
apples are even two inches in diameter, 
and we maintain that ~o apples, not even 
Fameuse apples, should be marked grade 
No. 1, which are below 2% inches in 
diameter. Crabs, Lady apples, etc., are 
not in competition and need not have 
the regular grade mark, and the same 
may be said ofeven small-sized Fameuse, 
or Swazie Pommegrise. Our Burling- 
ton correspondent objects to Spitzen- 
berg, Snow and Russet coming under 
these grades, but if he will take the 
trouble to measure these apples he 


177 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


Fie. 1589.—Extra SELECTED! Apples From Wrecked Str. Castilian. 


will find that they will average 2% 
and over, while Spy often reaches 3% 
to 4 inches, and would deserve to be 
marked Extra No. 1.° If preferred, 
however, grade marks and size marks 
might be separately indicated on each 
barrel. 


Mr. Chas. E. Brown, writes : 


It is now probably twenty years since we 
began to import Ontario apples to supply the 
local market ; latterly, one or more car loads 
came every fall, via Boston, at the low 
through freight rate of sixty cents per barrel 
Occasionally, there would be a few barrels in 
a car load that failed to come up to the stan- 
dard of No. 1, but on the whole, we got to 
feel confidence in Ontario Fruit Growers, 
Packers and Shippers, that a barrel of apples 
marked Extra, Fancy, or No. 1, meant a 
quality of fruit that the buyer would have 
no cause to complain of. This confidence has 
however been recently sadly shaken, and 
hereafter in Yarmouth, it will not be enough 
to say to a prospective buyer that his barrel 
of apples was exported from Ontario, grown 


or put up by ——— and marked XXX or 
Extra Extra Extra. I enclose a stip from 
yesterday’s local paper, and I send you in a 
small box a few specimens from a barrel of 
Phcenix apples that I bought myself, in con- 
firmation of the statement made. 


Extract from Yarmouth Herald. 


Some years ago complaints were made 
frequent and often, of the dishonest packing 
of apples by the growers of the Annapolis 
Valley, but we are pleased to note that for 
the past two years these complaints have 
been few, and, in fact have almost entirely 
ceased, so far as we can ascertain. 

There were on board the wrecked Castilian 
some 6,500 barrels of Ontario apples. Many 


,of these have been saved and sold at auction. 


In several instances the fruit has proved first- 
class in every respect, and of even size all 
through. But we regret to state that many 
barrels have been of the most inferior kind. 
One or two of the top layers look fine, but 
after these have been removed the remainder 
have turned out to be scrubs, and the size as 
small or smaller than crab apples. They are 


‘totally unfit for table use, and would hardly 


pay to gather to feed to pigs. 
Weare surprised to know that such dis- 


178 


DISHONEST APPLE PACKING 


Fic. 1590.—Srys from top and middle layer ‘of barrel. 


honesty prevails in Ontario, as this would 
indicate. It not only injures the sale of fruit 
from that province, but as each barrel has 
‘** Canada ” branded upon it, also affects the 
sale of apples from our own province of Nova 
Scotia. It is time that some law was passed 
for the inspection of apples for shipment to 
the English market, and the punishment of 
such dishonest packers. 

As a consequence of the fine appearance of 
some of the barrels that were opened at the 
sale, a good price was realized, but several of 
the purchasers, upon examining their lots, 
were very indignant at the dishonest packers 
of the fruit. . 

As a Life Member of your Association, I re- 
gret extremely such a suicidal policy as these 
mean shippers are pursuing, packing apples 
for the Knglish, or for any other market, 
that are not even worth the barrel they are 
packed in, and so far from there being any 
chance for profit in such a business, I do not 
see how they can escape a claim for freight 
and charges beyond what the apples can pos- 
s*bly bring. 

I read with much interest Taz CANADIAN 
HortTIcuLttRist that comes with great ree 
gularity, and always contains something to 
instruct and entertain. 


Since writing the above, we have re- 
ceived another letter from another 


gentleman in Yarmouth, N.S., with an 
accompanying package containing two 
apples from a barrel he had purchased, 
belonging to the same ill-fated cargo. 
He gives the name and address of 
the packer, who lives in a prominent 
apple growing section of Ontario ; but 
the names we withhold in the mean- 
time. 


We have photographed these samples 
also, natural size, and think the expense 
of so doing justifiable in the interest of 
Canadian fruit growers. Mr. Geo. H. 
Guest, Sheriff, Yarmouth, N.S., who 
sends these samples, writes :— 


You will notice a great difference between 
the second layer and one farther down. The 
top layer was better than the second. [I al- 
ways had an idea that the very hest was sent 
to the English market, (where these were 
intended for by 8. S. Castilian ) 

As I get down in the barrel they are all 
about like the small sample, and badly 
bruised. Such rascals should be exposed. 


179 


THE PEACH ROT’ 


OR a long time it was supposed 
that the rot of cherries, plums 
and peaches was entirely clima- 
tic, being directly the result of 

continued wet weather. “Now it has 
been clearly proved that this evil is 
caused by a fungus called Monilia fruc- 
tigena, which grows readily in hot moist 
weather, and very slowly in dry weather. 
In California this rot of the cherry and 
peach is little known, because the climate 
is so dry it cannot grow ; and as a result, 
their cherries are shipped to eastern 
markets in good condition—varieties 
too which, with us, often rot on the 


AND CURL: LEAF, 


chief consideration, for the present, is 
that the rot fungus is always found in 
the decaying fruits. We may rightly, 
then, turn attention to the fungus in 
question. Fig. 1591 will show some- 
thing of the character of this fungus. 
At 1 are shown two rotted and dried up 
“mummy” peaches which were gath- 
ered in midwinter. Upon wetting and 
placing these in a moist chamber for 
twenty-four hours, it was found that the 
fungus still lived in the mummies. 
Some of the forms of threads are shown 
at 2a,6, c. At the same time a great 
abundance of ash-colored spores was 


Fig. 1591.— 


Monilia fructigena in mummy peaches. 


At 1, midwinter mummies are shown, natural 


size. -2a, a, b threads and resting cells or gemme (?) ¢ from the preceding, both magnified 


about 760 diameters. 
* 


trees, or will scarcely keep over night. 
Bulletin 92, of Ohio Experimental 
Station gives some interesting informa: 
tion concerning this rot, as follows ; 
This rot fungus, as indeed have most 
fungi, has its growth favored by warm, 
or hot weather, and abundant moisture. 
If this warmth and moisture come 
together near ripening time we may 
expect serious loss of fruit. But the 


produced upon the outside of the rotten 
peaches. Similar results may be had if 
one places a freshly rotted peach under - 
a tumbler or dish where it will be kept 
moist. These ash-colored, powdery 
masses of spores are easily scattered by 
the wind and rain and will cause mis- 
chief where they find a suitable place. 
Favorable places are numerous; such 
will be found in a dense cluster of fruit 


180 


THE PEACH ROT AND LEAF CURL. 


or where the fruit is densely shaded by 
leaves in contact ; and in case of warm, 
April showers at the time of blossom- 
ing, these spores from the mummy 
peaches may enter through the blossoms 
and cause sad havoc in the form of twig 
blight. It may be a matter of surprise 
to some to hear that this rot fungus 
destroys the twigs and blossoms of the 
peach. But close observers in the 
orchard at harvest time have often called 
my attention to the death of the twigs 
and branches bearing rotten fruit. Yet, 
even these observers have usually missed 
the early spring blighting of twigs and 
destruction of blossoms. Unquestion- 
ably this fungus is responsible for the 
injuries just named. Therefore, in deal- 
ing with it we must know where and 
when to strike. 

It is first to be observed that the loss 
of fruit from the monilia is much more 
a matter of weather conditions than is 
even usually supposed. We are accus- 
tomed to find much rot among early 
varieties like Hale, Alexander and Craw- 
ford’s Early, and are consequently likely 
to call these susceptible varieties. The 
large grower sometimes finds that Smock 
and Salway show the greatest losses. 
A large amount of rot in any variety 
may be expected during hot, wet weather 
at ripening time, and there seems no 
sufficient reason to regard early sorts, on 
the whole, as more liable to rot than 
late sorts. As before stated, the favor- 
able conditions determine the amount 
of rot, though it may also be true that 
these conditions more commonly occur 
about the ripening time of the early 
varieties. Late varieties succumb when 
met by hot, rainy weather at ripening. 
To induce rot, the spores of the fungus 
must gain entrance into the peach, and 
a decided differenée in the texture of 


o 
the peach skin would have some effect. 
This difference, however, may be given 
too much weight. The pin punctures 
of the curculio with early peaches as 
with plums are a fertile source of rot 
infection. 


THE PREVENTION OF PEACH ROT. ‘ 


As shown above the rot fungus sur- 
vives the winter in the mummy peaches ; 
and the same holds true for mummy 
plums and cherries, since the same fun- 
gus is found in all the stone fruits. To 
what extent it imay survive in twigs can- 
not be stated. The resting forms of the 
fungus are shown above, Fig. 1591, 2, 
6, c. All that is needed to induce their 
growth is a period of warm, rainy 
weather, such as commonly comes in 
April and May of each year. So long, 
therefore, as the mummy fruits are per- 
mitted to remain on the trees, we must 
expect an abundance of rot fungus and 
the losses it causes. All rotted peaches 
should be removed from the trees as 
soon as they appear, and before the 
advent of spring rains. This is the first 
step in preventing rot. "Of thesé are per- 
mitted to remain on the trees over win- 
ter, they should be burned when gath- 
ered; the better plan is to remove the 
rotten fruits as they appear in the fall, 
or ih early winter, when they may be 
dropped on the ground. 

Without this destruction of the mum- 
my fruits, other methods will not be 
likely to succeed, though the disease 
may not succumb to this alone. Ches- 
ter* has conducted experiments in 
spraying peach trees for the prevention 
of rot. Results of the second season 
show a three to four fold increase of 
sound fruit on sprayed trees of Hale 
and Early Rivers. In this work Bor- 
deaux mixture and Paris green is recom- 


*Bull. Del. Exper. Station, 34. 


181 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


mended to be used just}{[before the 
blossoms open, Bordeaux mixture and 
Paris green when the fruit has set, 
copper acetate solution (8 oz. to the 
barrel) when the fruit begins to color, 
and a repetition of the treatment in case 
of weather favorable to the rot. 

The prompt removal of rotted fruit is 


destroy them. The leaf curl was for 
Many years thought entirely uncontrol- 
able, and peach growers viewed with 
much alarm the wholesale destruction 
caused by it in 1892, 1893, 1897 and 
1898, when the abundance of cool rainy 
weather in April and May favored its 
development. 


Fie. 1592.— 


urged under all circumstances ; spray- 
ing may or may not prove profitable. 
The careful thinning of the fruit may 
also be sometimes helpful in preventing 
rot. 


PEACH CURL. 


Every year we add a little to our 
knowledge of the fungus disease of our 
fruit trees and learn better how to 


The leaf curl has been proved to be 
caused by a minute plant parasite, 
Exoascus deformans, which attacks both 
the leaves and the new shoots, thicken- 
ing and distorting the former and en- 
larging the latter. The hyphae of the 
fungus is easily recognised under the 
microscope, the cells being more or less 
triangular or wedge shaped. It lives 
through the winter in the leaf buds, and 


182 


THE PEACH ROT AND LEAF CURL. 


in the spring when the growth starts the 
fungus also starts to grow, and the 
young leaves and shoots are affected 
with it. It is evident, therefore, that 
this disease can only be routed by per- 
sistent application of fungicides year after 
year, by cumulative effect, if we like to 
call it so. Results obtained from spray- 
ing at the Ohio Station led to the fol- 
lowing conclusions : 

1. That two applications of the Bor- 
deaux mixture in a season favorable to 
curl leaf, will sufficiently prevent the 
disease to enable the tree to carry a 
crop of fruit without very great loss 
through dropping. | 


2. That unsprayed trees, in a season 


like 1897, especially of varieties suscepti- 


ble to curl leaf, can scarcely carry the 
crop of fruit when suffering from such 
injury to the leaves. 

3. That thorough spraying the preced- 
ing season is even more effective in the 
prevention of curl leaf than during the 
season of its occurrence. 

The orchardist must judge by the 
weather in April, whether to spray, for 
upon such susceptible’ varieties as 
Mountain Rose, Old Mixon, Globe, 
Elberta, etc., two sprayings with Bor- 
deaux mixture will prove profitable ; the 
first of full strength, made just before 
the blossoms open, and the second of 
half strength, to be made just after the 
calyx drops. 


HARDY FLOWER GARDENS. 


If the house master is called away 

for the summer, or is ill, she has 

a never-failing source of pleasure 
in the thought that flowers will bloom 
in the home grounds if she is unable to 
tend them. The old gardens of our 
fore-beares were always bright, and the 
lesson of the past is also a good one for 
the present. So many added treasures 
too, lie at our hand. The Gypsophila 
alone with the hardy Asparagus Brous- 
soneti is an acquisition. And what is 
finer about the walks than a bed con- 
taining Rosemary, Southern-wood, 
Lavender, Digitalis, Daisy, Campanula, 
Linim Centaurea, Gaillordia, Humilus, 
Stevia, Dictamnus, Pensteman, Ver- 
bena, Hollyhocks, Bartonia, Aurea, 


Te are the matron’s: safe. guard. 


Vaterian Acquilegia, etc. With a jarge 
variety of these and a good rose bed, 
we need never lack bloomers, no matter 
what befals us. God has made these 
flowers to be of service in our lot and 
place, and we may carry the balm of 
consolation through them to many 
wounded suffering hearts if we will. 

Let us prefer them to fine feathers if 
we are unable to enjoy both, and so 
make the grand garden of life to blos- 
som as the rose. 

One of the new Rambler roses in the 
house is a treasure, and if nipped in the 
bud by the frost, it will soon grow glad 
and bright again. 

M. AGATHA HOSKINS. 
Newport, Vt. 


THE GOOD 


Wie. 1594.—Rev. A E. Burke, P. P., Alberta, P. E. I. 


Director F. G. A. 


Association of Ontario, the 
mother and mistress of all 
such associations in Can- 
ada, will learn with inter- 
est something of the work 
which the daughter society so recently 
organized in the little Garden Province 
of Prince Edward Island is doing for 
the advancement of horticulture within 
its borders. 

The strangest thing about this Prince 
Edward Island movement seems to us 
to be its tardiness. To think that not 


WORK IN PRINCE EDWARD IS 


LAND. 
i. = 

till the year of grace 1898 
was any properly organized 
effort made to tempt a foreign 
market with our fruit, al- 
though we had stood before 
the world for almost a cen- 
tury as the abundant pro- 
ducers of the best roots in 
Canada, a superior quality 
of grains and horses, cattle, 
sheep, pigs and poultry equal 
to the best! But the answer 
to this wonderment is easily 
accepted when we state that 
no provincial organization 
vowed to the fostering of 
the fruit industry and its 
development was established 
here until 1896, when our 
far seeing, energetic and 
patriotic governor, Hon. G. 
W. Howlan, convinced him- 
self by what he saw of the 
fruit put on exhibition at the 
county shows which he had 
officially patronized and 
opened, that we could grow 
excellent apples and grow 
enough for ourselves and enough also 
to fill a big hole in the British trade. 
Previously even the fruit consumed in 
the Province was imported from the 
United States, from Ontario and from 
Nova Scotia. It is safe to say that the 
day of importation is now over and that 
the fruit growers of the Island will put 
themselves into sharp competition with 
the two above named provinces in the 
great British market. 


Although scarce a decade has flown 
by since a premier of the Province from 
his place in our local parliament boldly 
asserted that good apples could not be 
grown in Prince Edward Island, we have 


184 


THE GOOD WORK IN PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND. 


been able to demonstrate on the author- 
ity of the expert buyers of London, Liv- 
erpool and Glasgow that no superior 
fruit of the kind forwarded has been 
put on these markets. And their testi- 
mony is no empty sound. We have the 
money jingling down in our pockets 
from satisfactory sales made there this 
autumn. We have been largely work- 


ing in the dark up to the present, plant- |i 


ing the trees for years aback palmed off ~ 


on us from all sources—some, indeed 
the great majority of them, untrue to 
name and inferior stock from all points 
of view,—unloaded here at big profit 
because a more discerning class of buy- 
ers in Ontario or Nova Scotia cast it out 
entirely. Thus with all these drawbacks 
we have gone ahead remarkably in the 
science of pomology and demonstrated 
to the most hardheaded community to 


convince at all times, our own Island, 


to its evident surprise and amazement, 
that we can grow superior fruit. It 
takes time to effect changes in public 
sentiment ; we have certainly experi- 
enced this tardy process in horticulture 
here. But as the French proverb says: 
“* Ze monde sagite et Dieu le mene.” 
Brought together by the public-spirit- 
ed Governor, our fruit raisers and their 
friends formed the “ Prince Edward Is- 
land Fruit Growers’ Association.” The 
first meeting was not promising but the 
Governor persevered. 
matter having seized others of the pro- 
fessional community and the good work 
of the Ontario Society having been 
brought to the notice of all concerned, 
a more enlightened essay was made last 
year and, as a consequence, the Associa- 
tion was established on the same plan 
as that of Ontario, to which it was affili- 
ated and incorporated in due course by 
Provincial statute. A moderate grant 
was also secured from the Government 
for the Society and the HorTICULTURIST 


Interest in the, 


Fie. 1595.—Rev. FatHER BuRKE’s PREs- 
BYTERY, ALBERTON, P. E. I. 


became its organ. 


The first annual meeting since reor- 
ganization took place at Charlottetown 
on the 21st of March last. The ses. 
sions were attended by the Lieutenant- 
Governor, the Premier, the Mayor, 
judges, clergymen, professional men and 
merchants, besides the most enlightened 
and cultured element of the agricultural 
community. The President, Edward 
Bayfield, Esq., presided, while all the 
officers were in their places and about 
all the members except Senator Fergu- 
son, engaged in the session at Ottawa, 
were present. 


In the interval between meetings the 
Association had expended much energy 
and employed its grant in making a trial 
shipment of Island apples to Britain, as 
a practical test of the Island’s capabili- 
ties in fruit-growing, and to ascertain if 
shipments of this fruit would be suffi- 
ciently remunerative to make orcharding 
an avocation for the money that it af- 
fords. 

The Government wishing to keep 
abreast of the Association and help 
trade in other directions, sent the Trea- 
surer of the Association, Joseph Wise, 
Esq., M.P., as a commissioner to Eng- 
land to study the markets and report 
thereon. One hundred and eight bar- 
rels of apples shipped under the per- 


185 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


Fic. 1596.—Hon. G. W. Hownan. Governor of 


P. E.1., Patron F. G. A. 


sonal supervision of Hon. Senator Fer- 
guson, who went to Nova Scotia to 
become acquainted with apple packing, 
and Messrs. Robertson and Sharp, two 
of our largest orchardists, were first 
selected. A steamship more or less 
suitable to the carriage of perishable 
fruit, called the Lake Winnipeg, was 
subsidized by the local Government and 
came direct to Charlottetown for the 
fruit consignment and the large cheese, 
butter and cattle cargo awaiting her. 
The apple shipment was made up of 
King, Spy, Golden Russet, Ribston, 
Baldwin, Alexander, Wealthy, Wolf 
River, Bethel, St. Lawrence, Fameuse, 
and Nonpareil. It will be seen at a 
glance that we were tyros in apple ship- 
ping business, as no regard was had for 
season, ‘the whole range of fall and win- 
ter varieties being sent on at once. 
Well, notwithstanding this and many 


other disadvantages, which neces- 
sarily menace a trial shipment, our 
fruit did wonders,—was praised 
most lavishly by the British dealers, 
and orders for unlimited quantities 
forwarded to us. Especially were 
we surprised at the prices our 
Alexanders fetched, netting us $3.05 
after paying the exorbitant charge 
of 76 cents per bbl. here and the 
expenses on the other side. We 
can grow this apple in Prince 
Edward Island as easily as we can 
grow turnips, and if it will maintain 
anything like that price on the 
Home market, can make big money 
raising it. The other varieties also 
brought, one with the other, encour- 
aging prices. This ‘shipment on 
the part of the F. G. A. opened up 
the trade to Island apple raisers 
and impaired by only a very few 
dollars the Society’s grant. It was 
followed by further consignments 
on private account on the succeed- 
ing steamers with a result that the whole 
Province is enthusiastic over the new 
industry which has sprung up as if by 
magic on its fertile shores. 

Mr. Commissioner Avise made report 
of his investigations in London and 
Liverpool at the Annual meeting. He 
found a solid demand for P. E. I. fruit, 
which to be maintained and improved 
required better packing and shipping 
facilities and the continuance of honest 
methods ; he said some of the trash 
branded “Canadian Apples” he was 
heartily ashamed of. 

To secure the success of the Canadian 
apple trade the P. E. I. F. G. A. is co- 
operating with the Ontario F. G. A. in 
asking the federal government to ap- 
point inspectors and exact proper ship- 
ping facilities for fruit at the ports of 
departure. The writer had the great 
pleasure of moving a resolution at 


186 


THE GOOD WORK IN PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND. 


Charlottetown which we all hope may 
materially strengthen your hand in 
obtaining this boon. 

The discussion which followed the 
reading of valuable papers at the differ- 
ent sessions of our Association meeting 
turned very often on suitable varieties to 
plant. A great diversity of opinion ob- 
tained. Like the owner of a good horse 
who is ever ready to aver him the best 
in the place; so each possessor of a 
good variety would have to head the 
list, as the best apple to grow. A con- 
siderable number of things was taken 
down by the secretary ; and Jno. Robert- 
son, Inkerman Farm, D. P. Iwing, 
Cherry Valley, and the undersigned, 
appointed a committee to take into con- 
sideration all the circumstances — 
growth, productiveness, vigor, quality of 
fruit and price fetching in England, etc., 
—and classify a sufficiently extensive 
list that could be recommended to the 
people as worth planting. After much 
deliberation we agreed to recommend 
for the Inland trade, Duchess and 
Gravenstein, for fall use ; and Wealthy, 
Baldwin and Ben Davis for winter and 
late keepers. For export we made a 
list in the order named, Alexander, Ben 
Davis, Wealthy, King, Golden Russet, 
Ribston Pippin, Nonpareil, Mann ; our 
list was unanimously accepted by the 
association. It will be seen at a glance 
that the money-making feature is kept 
well to the front in this export table. 


Of those different varieties in particular 
as suited to our Island, we may have 
something to say in a later issue. 

This article has out-grown proper 
limits and therefore we shall simply give 
you the names of our new officers, state 
that we are expending our grant in top- 
grafting good varieties on unprofitable 
orchards and going to work in earnest 
to emulate the example of your splendid 
Ontario Association, in so far as restrict- 
ed circumstances will permit. And after 
our esteemed governor there is nothing 
to which we owe more for our present 
prosperity than to your grand associa- 
tion and its live and learned secretary. 

Officiality for 1899-1900 :— Patron, 
Governor Howlan; President, Senator 
Ferguson ; Vice President, H. A. Stew- 
art, Hamilton ; Secretary, P. McCourt, 
Charlottetown ; Treasurer, J. Wise, Mil- 
ton. 

Directors. Prince County—Rev. A. 
E. Burke, Alberton; C. R. Dickie, 
Muddy Creek; R. Carruthers, Cape 
Traverse. 

Queen’s County—J. H. Gill, Little 


“York; John Johnston, Long River; J. 


G. McCallum, Brackley Point, 

King’s County —John Robertson, 
Inkerman ; J. D. Stewart, Lower Mon- 
tague ; G. E. Goff, Woodville. 

With fraternal greetings to the fruit 
growers of Ontario. 

A. E. BURKE. 


PATCHING UP THE LAWN. 


This, too, is the time for sowing grass 
seed, so these filled spaces should each 
have a handful of seed sprinkled’ over 
them, raked in lightly, and then firmed 
with the foot or spade. All through 
spring, when we can work between 
showers, we are patching up the uneven 


or the bare places on our lawn in this 
way. If the old turf is dead, it must be 
removed or have some fresh soil scat- 
tered over it. We sprinkle these patches 
every few days if the clouds are not 
obliging. — Vicks Magazine. 


187 


CULTIVATING, «ws; 


PEN OM ge? Ed “3 
ee af : Z ; @ 
Cal VAGUS 

av ’4 Ny i . Ze Z 
y fe, WS Wi fj) GZ 
y a ZAP 1 


2 


ew Pelaservts 


Wyre aos 4S Alle wr Sm Mee NY 
Cee ES a Thee a Wy Saar waht 


CROPPING ORCHARDS. 


m% " CORR ee 

ict fe VIE Ud | 

Sg ORO EET S~ 
— =A%! ‘ 


WIA 
o 


/ 


Fic. 1596—Trees in sod and in cultivated ground. 


P~\ XPERIMENTS have been con- 
-=<\ cluded in various parts of the 
Continent by experiment sta- 
tions to settle the question whe- 
ther an orchard should or should not be 
kept cultivated. The result is in favor 
of clean cultivation unless in exceptional 
instances. At Cornell it was shown that 
while the roots of apple trees in sod were 
at the surface, in cultivated land they 
were at least 8 inches below the surface. 
At Nebraska the effect on growth was 
shown very clearly. The report says: 


“Trees in cultivated ground suffered notice- 
ably less from the drought and hot winds of 
summer than those'in sod ground. The foli- 
age was darker and more vigorous in appear- 
ance, and there was no yellowing and drop- 
ping of the leaves nor wilting during hot 
windy days, both of which occurred with 
uncultivated trees. Apples from cultivated 
land averaged nearly 14 per cent larger in 
weight than those from pasture land and over 
17 per cent large: than those from mowed 
land.” 


An Illinois station report also shows 
marked resuits from clean cultivation. 


** Tn 1890 three rows each of Ben Davis and 
Grimes Golden apples were planted, the trees 
being set 15 feet aparteach way. These were 
divided into 4 plats, the first being given 
clean cultivation and the second, third, and 
fourth being cropped with oats, clover, and 
blue grass, respectively. The same treat- 
ment was continued each year after plant- 
ing. The trees grown on the grass plats 
were decidedly inferior to those grown on the 


cultivated plat as regards height, diameter of 
trunk, vigor, and abundance of foliage, etc. 
For instance, in the case of the Ben Davis 
trees the diameter of the trunks 1 foot above 
the surface of the soil was about twice as 
great in the case of the cultivated plats as in 
case of that in grass. Similarly the height of 
the trees in the two plats averaged 18? and 
11 feet, and the diameter of the tops 154 and 
84 feet, respectively. In the growth and 
vigor of trees, the clover plat ranked next 
after the cultivated plats, and the oats plat 
ranked between the clover and blue grass 
plat, An examination of the root systems of 
trees on the different plats also showed the 
superiority of clean cultivation, especially 
over cropping with oats and grass. In the 
cultivated plat the root system was compact 
and reached a considerable depth, while in the 
oats and grass plats the roots grew shallow 
and ranged widely from the tree. There was 
also a difference in the moisture content of 
the soil in the different plats. In the latter 
part of October, 1897, the average percentages 
of moisture in the first 27 inches of soil of the 
various plats were for the cultivated and corn 
plats 12, for the clover plat 10, and for the 
oats and grass plants 8. The effect of the 
different treatments is seen in Fig. 1596 which 
shows a typical tree from each of the 4 plats. 


The injury caused by growing grass in 
young orchards is shown very emphatically 
by an experiment conducted at the Utah 
Station. Parts of an orchard were seeded to 
alfalfa, timothy, clover, and a mixture of 
timothy and clover soon after the trees were 
set, and other parts were cultivated, all being 
irrigated alike. Over half of the trees in the 
grass plats died and were reset twice, while 
the cultivated trees lived and grew well. It 
is not to be expected that growing grass in 
young orchards is always as injurious as it 
proved to be at the Utah Station, yet the 
reported experiences of fruit growers and 
experimenters everywhere show the import- 


188 


A NEW BERRY CRATE. 


ance of carefully cultivating young orchards. 
Even in a climate as moist as that of England 

rass proves very detrimental to young trees. 
At the Woodburn Experimental Fruit » Set a 
mixture of grass recommended for orchards 
was sown around young apple trees and other 
trees were cultivated, the two lots bein 
treated alike in other respects. The secon 
year after sowing the yrass and trees in the 
grass plat made 35 to 41 per cent less leaf 
growth and 74 to 87 per cent less wood growth 
than trees in the cultivated plat. In the case 
of dwarf trees bearing fruit for the first time 
the grass reduced the yield 71 per cent in 
weight and 82 per cent in value. 


These are clear indications of the road 


to success in orcharding to which we 
must not shut our eyes; forif we are to 
attain success in our chosen line it is 
only by producing the finest products. 
Too long already have Canadian orch- 
ards languished in sod, showing in con- 
sequence enfeebled growth, and becom- 
ing an easy prey to borers, moss, and 
bark lice ; whereas vigorous trees resist 
these evils, and grow fruit of large size 
and fancy grade. 


A NEW BERRY CRATE. 


i 
£ 
: 
f 
; 
? 


Fic. 1597.—A New Berry Crate. 


MALL fruits have lately brought 
such low prices in our markets 
that fruit growers find it neces- 
sary to economize in every 

particular, in order to make the balance 
come on the right side of the ledger. 
We therefore gladly give prominence to 
any invention which promises to be an 
advantage to our readers such as the 


new crate, now being introduced by Mr. 
E. H. Cleaver, of Burlington. 


Samples were brought us a few weeks 
ago and we were pleased with the simple 
method for fastening the cover, and of 
removing the same for the showing the 
fruit, also with the low price at which 
they were offered. 


The cut shows three sizes, 12 qt., 
24 qt and 36 qt crates, and Mr. Cleaver 
calls attention to the following points. 

1. The ventilation. 


2. The strength of the interlacing 
corners. 


3. The shelving with thick cleats, 
keeping shelving off the fruit, to admit 
top dressing. 


4. The cleating im the lid, leaving air 
space, and space for dressing, and at the 
same time when the lid is down all the 
box edges in the top layer are gripped so 
as to hold all the boxes firmly. 


5 The removable lid, secured and 
locked with a wire loop and button, 
which lid is also filled with Veneer. 


FRR 


189 


RASPBERRIES BOOMING. 


HIs Journal has often advised 
its readers not to be fickle 
minded, and discouraged with 
growing a fruit because of one 

or two years’ failure in crop or prices. 
Many fruit growers were disheartened 
over apples, and dug out trees they had 
been nursing into bearing for years, to 
find in 1898 that Grade A1 apples were 
about the best crop they could have. 

Now a similar thing is happening 
with raspberries. For several years the 
price has been depressed until 1898 
there was little, if anything, left after 
paying expenses, and many large fields 
of bushes were rooted out. Now we 
find indications of a strong advance in 
the value of this fruit. Already canning 
factories, which last year paid 3 and 3%4 
cents for the crop are offering 4 cents ; 
and no doubt will have to advance still 
more to secure their supplies. 

One outlet for raspberries is tv Great 
Britain in the form of pulp—which is 
put up without sugar or water, in tins 
weighing about ten pounds. At our St. 
Catharines meeting Mr. C. C. James 
spoke on the subject and gave a great 
deal of interesting information which he 
has since published in the form of a 
special bulletin, in which he shows that 
raspberry pulp is a regular article of 
commerce in Great yBritain, which will 
pay the shipper fairly at £25 per ton; 
but will give excellent returns, when as 
sometimes happens it reaches £40 or 
#50 per ton. All this will be seen in 
our report for 1898, soon to be pub- 
lished. From a recent letter from Mr. 
Watson of the Imperial Institute to Mr. 
James, he says: 

““T am keeping track of the raspberry 
pulp trade. I learn that the Australian 
crop has again been practically a failure. 


One broker states that they are asking 
445 to £50 per ton, and others that 
the Australians will have none to ex- 
port. It is still too early to attempt to 
foretell the course of events, as every- 
thing must depend upon the English 
and Dutch crops. Speaking guardedly, 
I should think that the prospect for 
fairly high prices is on the cards, and 
Canadian raspberry packers should 
watch the market I have not yet had 
any blueberries from you, but it may 
interest you to hear that a considerable 
lot of canned wild raspberries from New 
Brunswick shipped to a broker here 
turned out satisfactory and realized good 
prices. 
LIKEWISE PEACHES AND PEARS. 

‘“‘ Peaches and pears are goods which 
Canadian packers should turn particular 
attention to. I hear constantly of an 
ever-growing demand, and even if Can- 
ada cannot offer the extra choice vari- 
eties which Californian firms, like the 
San Jose, have obtained such a market 
for, there is a good market for sound, 
well flavored fruit of good appearance, 
provided that the syrup is what s 
wanted and the standard is maintained. 

“The new pack California fruit 1s 
now here, but if the damage now re- 
ported has really occurred in the Atlan- 
tic States, and the cold has destroyed 
the trees and next season’s crop, deal- 
ers look to high prices next autumn and 
winter. Most of the eastern United 
States pack is consumed locally. It is 
much larger than the Pacific, and if 
here is a shortage, California will not 
have much for this market. If your in- 
formation confirms the damage, it would 
bea favorable time for Canadian canned 
pears and peaches to obtain a footing in 
this market. 


190 


* Flower Garden and Lawn ¥* 


wy ee 


THE- AMARYLSIS: 


Part of a paper read before the Hamilton Horticultural Society. 


Fig. 1598.—AMARYLLIS JOHNSONI. 


@ I enclose photograph of pot of Amaryllis Johnsoni, grown by Mr. James Anderson, 
323 Queen St. S., Hamilton. Thespecimen which has fifteen spikes of bloom with sixty flowers 
and buds, presents a gorgeous appearance and, as far as I can learn, far surpasses anything 
of the kind ever seen by any of our members. The flowers are carried over three feet above . 
the soil. The original bulb is nine years old, and has been repotted twice, the last time 
being about two years ago, when the increasing growth burst the pot. A little manure water 
is given at the time of flowering, perfect rest and no water when the bulbs are dormant. 
Thirty-nine flowers were produced in 1898. The photograph, owing to position and light, 
does not do it justice. J. M. Dickson, Hamilton, Ont. 


HE Amaryllis belongs to the of Hippeastrums, as well as the Vallota, 
bulbous class of plants, and and other species closely allied to the 
under that name is generally amaryllis proper, all of them belonging 
included, for commercial pur- __ to the natural order of amaryllis. 

poses at any rate, the numerous family The first record we have of the intro- 
191 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULURIST. 


duction of amaryllis to European gar- 
dens gives the date as being early in 
the eighteenth century, about 1712, it 
being indigenous to the Cape of Good 
Hope, South. Africa, where so many 
varieties of these beautiful plants have 
been introduced. These were herba- 
ceous in their character, the foliage 
"commencing to die down soon after the 
flowering season, followed by a period 
of rest, about which more will be said 
in the few remarks, I shall make on the 
culture of this easily grown, showy and 
attractive class of plants. 

To secure the best results get some 
good sized bulbs, which we suppose 
are dormant, plant the bulbs in good 
rich loamy potting soil and not of too 
sandy nature ;. in well-drained pots, size 
of pot to be regulated by size of bulb. 
For a good average flowering bulb, a 
seven inch pot will be required. Plant 
so that a small portion of the bulb shows 
- above the soil; water thoroughly once, 
and if the soil settles from watering fill 
up with soil again; water only when 
appearing dry at this stage, and water 
very seldom until root action has well 
started, when the plant will need more 
water ; when in full growth it requires 
and will bear a great deal of water, 
especially if the drainage is perfect. 
The first intimation of top grow:h in 
most of the herbaceous varieties will be 
the appearance of the flower spike ; about 
the same time the foliage will be seen 
starting into growth ; the growth of both 
flower spike and foliage being very rapid, 
water, and possibly liquid manure, of a 
mild nature, may be given pretty freely 
now until the leaves show symptoms of 
decay, then water must be gradually 
withheld until the foliage has decayed 
almost entirely, when the pot, with the 
bulb in it, can be placed in a compara- 
tively dry and-warm position, say in a 
temperature of 40° or 45°. The bulbs 


can remain there until the following 
season, when they can be brought out 
and repotted if. necessary; but if, as 
often happens, the bulb has commenced 
root action, do not repot it, but stir out 
some of the old soil from the top of the 
pot, and top dress, which in gardeners 
phraseology means filling up with a good 
rich compost of potting soil. This is pre- 
ferable to repotting if growth has com- 
menced, when the same treatment can 


be given as before recommended. One 


objectionable feature of the herbaceous 
class, from my point of view, is the 
appearance of the flower before the foli- 
age has fully developed, which seems to 
me to detract from its beauty and 
value. 

The evergreen varieties, which are 
generally classed under the name of 
Hippeastrums, have by constant hybrid- 
ization with other Amaryllids become 
so blended and mixed that it is almust 
impossible to distinguish them except 
as evergreen varieties. The first known 
variety of this class was introduced from 
this Continent of North America in the 
17th century, about the year 1658, some 
years before its near relative the Amaryl- 
lis was known to European floriculture. 
Many others were brought at more 
recent dates, chiefly from South America, 
the West Indies, and Africa, and are, as 
far as form and color of the flowers are 
concerned, very similar to the deciduous 
or herbaceous varieties. At the present 
time, there is an almost endless variety 
of both these classes of beautiful plants, 
secured largely by hybridization, al- 
though some having quite distinctive 
features are still introduced by plant 
collectors and travelers in newly opened 
up countries. 

The evergreen varieties, like the her 
baceous kinds, require their period of 
rest, but not of such a decided character, 
as only partial rest is required by the 


192 


AMAR YVELIS. 


evergreen varieties. The time to rest 
them can best be ascertained by watch- 
ing when the plants have completed 
their growth, which will be some time 
after they are out of flower ; then with- 
hold water gradually, but never allow 
the plants to get sufficiently dry at any 
time to allow the foliage to droop. The 
appearance of the flower in these as 
well as in the herbaceous varieties, is, 
in most cases, the first sign of new and 
active growth, and water can be given 
more liberally ; in fact, it is hardly pos- 
sible to give too much water at this 
stage, providing the drainage is perfect 
and the plant healthy. Liquid manure 
of a mild nature, made from cow or 
sheep manure, will improve the quality 
and color of the flowers and foliage, if 
judiciously applied. The same remarks 
apply, even more closely, to the evergreen 
varieties than to the herbaceous. As re- 
gards repotting, it is certainly better not 
to repot if the plants are healthy and 
doing well, and this can be easily known 
by the condition of the foliage, which 
should look bright and glossy if they 
are thriving. It is better to assist them 
with weak manure water occasionally, 
than to repot. The evergreen varieties 
can be kept in the window or green- 
house continually, and very few varieties 
need a high temperature at any time; 
or they can be stood out of doors dur- 
ing the hot summer months to advan- 
tage where not exposed to the burning 
midday sun. It would be best to stand 
them in a saucer if possible, or on coal 
ashes. <A good position for them is on 
the north or east side of a fence or 
building. 

I cannot close my remarks on the 
Amaryllis without noticing the Vallota 
purpurea, a beautiful and easily grown 
ally of the Amaryllis ; in fact it is often 
catalogued as Amaryllis purpurea, being 
probably better known as the Scar- 


borough Lily It takes that name, it 
is supposed, from the fact that so many 
fine specimens are seen in and around 
that fashionable seaside resort, on the 
N. E. coast of England. It is also a 
native of the Cape of Good Hope, hav- 
ing been brought from there about 1774. 
The Vallota requires similar treatment 
as the evergreen Amaryllis, but even 
more water, the plant in its native 
haunts being found near marshy places 
and is even more averse to repotting 
than the Amaryllis ; it often grows and 
thrives in the same pot for several years. 
These plants can all be propagated from 
seed ; an almost countless variety of 
hybrids, some of them very beautiful, 
have been introduced in that way. 
They can also be increased by offsets, 
the small bulbs which appear at the 
side of the old bulbs; these must not 
be detached from the old bulb until 
appearing to drop away, and can best 
be removed when repotting ; care must 
be taken in separating, to try and do so 
with the small roots attached, but this 
is a slow method of increasing the 
plants. In commercial establishments 
these bulbs are often increased by divid- 
ing the old bulbs, and there is nothing 
in this method that cannot be success- 
fully practised by an amateur. This 
must of course be done, when the bulbs 
are dormant, by dividing them lengthwise 
with a sharp knife so that if possible a 
small portion of the tip of the bulb, as 
well as the flat part of the base is left 
on each division, as the latter is the 
essential part of the bulb to produce 
roots. Each section so divided and 
can be potted into small pots, in soil 
composed of equal parts loam and sand, 
when they can be grown on into larger 
pots as required. By this method one 
large bulb can be made to produce ten 
or more plants, and is possibly the best 
means of increasing good varieties, as 


aO3 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


one is certain of securing the same 
plant in every particular, which is not 
always the case with plants raised from 
seed. These plants as a rule do not 
vary as much in that respect as some 
other classes, or natural orders do. 
‘There are one or two hardy varieties of 
the Amaryllis, and as they have been 
grown successfully as such, in and 
around New York, I see no reason why 
they could not be grown even more 
successfully in this section, than where 
mentioned. I find I have extended my 
remarks on these beautiful plants, but 
cannot close without saying, that I am 
satisfied that anyone starting to grow 
the Amaryllis, will never regret doing 


£0, as it is one uf the most remunerative 
and easy plants to grow, and will by its 
handsome and gorgeously striped and 
marked flowers, amply repay any labour 
bestowed on its culture. I might name 
on or two of the best varieties, Ama- 
ryllis johnsont, red with white stripe ; 
A. vittata, white, striped red or purple ; 


_ A. formosissima (Jacobean Lily), scarlet; 


A. hybrida (Empress of India), striped ; 
A. hybrida (Thomas Speed), striped, 
both beautiful varieties ; 4. pardinum, 
cream, dotted crimson; 4 rodustit, A. 
graveana, rich colored ; A eguestre, an 
old, but favorite variety ; Amaryllis or 
Vallota purpurea, and other varieties. 
Hamilton. W. Hunt. 


HORTUS 


whose husband had been a (mod- 

erate) invalid for years. He had 

spent his summers in beautifying 
his enclosed lawn of about an acre, and 
it was indeed a garden of the gods. 
His three summer-houses were inex- 
pensive, but glorious with vines of 
various kinds. At the eastern end of 
one he stretched a woven wire, like 
fencing, and over this was trained the 
finest specimens of Canary Flower vine, 
This beautiful light green climber was 
literally covered with its flowers of a 
bright lemon color. 

This member of the Nasturtium fam- 
ily is an annual of great beauty, but 
seldom seen in America, as hardy vines 
are preferable. At the south and west 
sides of this house were Roses and Cle- 
matis 

The most charming of all was the 
broad and high house in the midst of 
the garden. A fine grape vine let its 
fruit down from the top, amid Bignonia 
and Ivy and Moon Flower. Almost 


Sve time ago I visited a friend 


DEORUM. 


the entire garden fence was adorned by 
some vine or rose. 

The Alleghany Vine (or Wood Fringe) 
and Adlumia make an elegant screen, 
but are not hardy here. The Wood 
Fringe is not perennial, but biennial ; 
not climbing the first year. He had 
mastered them, however, raising them 
in tubs the first season. _ 

Pilogine was used entirely on one 
balcony. The roots, somewhat tuber- 
ous, can be kept dormant through the 
winter—buried in sand in some place 
free from frost. Started in pots in 
March or April, and fed with a lib- 
eral supply of manure water, they 
grow very luxuriantly, and the countless 
flowers fill the air with musky fragrance. 

One vine pleased the children greatly, 
and this was the Dish-Cloth Gourd ; 
suspended by a cross stick on a pole, it 
was striking. 

The American Ivy (Ampelopsis quin- 
guefolia) was found in various places ; 
on pillars, walls and fences. But the 
Bittersweet, climbing a Poplar tree, 


194 


ANNUALS. 


coaxing along the Trumpet Flower as 
it clambered, was altogether unique. 

-I was informed that the American 
Ivy was unfit for a tree garniture, its 
embrace being too tenacious—like our 
evils, Therefore an English bishop 
once wrote : 


** The Ivy, fairest plant to seize, 
And promptest on the neighb’ring trees, 
O’er bole and branch, with leaves that shine 
All glossy, bright, tenacious twine ; 
And the else naked woodland scene 
Clothe with a raiment fresh and green. 
Fair is that Ivy twine to see ! 
But as ye love the goodly tree, 
O rend away the clasping wreath, 
*T will pay the kind support with death ; 
Ah, that beneath such semblance fair. 
Should lurk, conceal’d, such deadly snare 


17? 


The shrubbery of this garden was 


old-fashioned, but arranged with finest 
taste. In front of the large bay window, 
Hollyhocks and Dahlias flourished in a 
bed six feet wide. I had never seen 
Fuchsias at their best, and their nook 
under three Birches grown near toge- 
ther was.a charming sight. 

Roses in borders and in beds, and 
annuals of every kind, I thought, greeted 
us along the walks. I greatly wondered 
how he could achieve so much beauty ; 
but his small greenhouse—where his 
Hoyas clambered—which held about 
three hundred plants, solved the prob- 
lem, and I thought how infinitely greater 
the satisfaction of this garden than the 
delusive vanities of the outside world. 

M. Acatua Hoskins. 
Newport, Vt. 


ANNUALS. 


always preferable. 
little care. 
delicate and beautiful for cut flowers. 


. Mer daey 
Pi ie 'S mst 


HE inexpensive annual, like children, so trouble- 
some and yet so lovely, are not to be neglected 
or despised. Most of them grow with little or 
no care, and these correspond to the natural 

good innate in mankind, while others, far lovelier and 
consequently more prized, require minute attention. 


These, like the higher 
qualities of the soul, 
are often considered too 
much trouble, and are 
left to the painstaking 
few. Thegarden teaches 
us “it is more blessed 
to give than to receive.” 
We grow to love the 
plants we care for, as 
we learn to love chil_ 
dren. The delicate 
flowers, to my mind, are 


The Swan River Daisy is a charming flower, and requires 
The Schizanthus, is another in bloom a long time, and is especially 


The Corn-flower, so beloved by Ger- 


mans, is little or no trouble, and worthy a place; given a rich soil it will attain 
195 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


18 inches in height. I never trans- 
plant them, or thin, to more than three 
inches. Whitlavia is another favorite ; it 
should be given a rather shady location ; 
this is a treasure, but not so great as the 
Schizanthus which, waving in the breeze, 
always reminds me of flitting butterflies. 
Salpiglossis, Myosotis, Alyssum, etc., are 
half hardy and self-sowing. I like a 
wild garden of all these flowers, with a 
few added, such as Gaillardia picta, or 
mixed Eschscholtzia, Lobelia, Gyp- 
sophila, Gilia, Nigella, Salvias and a 
few Shirley Poppies and Heliotrope A 
mixture of our own is more expensive 
but the results are one hundred per 
cent. better. The coarse flowers are out 
of place here; I like them by themselves. 

The Antirrhinum is perfectly hardy in 
Ohioandthesouthern states, but not here. 
Its richness and profuse bloom make it 
attractive. The Larkspur also is an 
annual treasure, snperior to the peren- 


nial varieties. Close to a tight board 
fence they thrive with me, and, if a 
trifle too dry, I use a mulch or flat 
stones about them, and give them a 
pail of water at even-tide. 

A yard wire netting, of five or six 
yards, should be in the garden, for Morn- 
ing Glories, Sweet Peas, Perennial Peas, 
New Climbing Nasturtiums, Japan Hops, 
and roses like Climbing Pearl, and 
Meteor, Cyprus Vine, etc. 

Seeds purchased of a reliable seeds- 
man will all grow if properly sown, and 
one dollar’s worth will quite do for two 
years, and give more pleasure than many 
spent on more expensive flowers. 

I have found more fraud in “ posey- 
seed” than in the garden, and as much 
depends on the reliability of a seeds- 
man as on any other investment bear- 
ing the proper credentials. In this 
business a good name is better than 
precious ointment. M. A. HoskIns. 


THE NIGHT SCENTED STOCK. 


Mathiola Bicornis, the Night Scented 
Stock, is a flower not so well known 
and not so often grown as it deserves. 
The generic name of the stocks, AZathi- 
ofa, is after Mathioli, an Italian physi- 
cian of the sixteenth century, and the 
specific name, Jdicornis, means  two- 
horned, the allusion being to the two 
flower buds placed like horns at the 
ends of the stems. The flowers suc: 
ceed each other, adding to the length of 
the pod, which is often seven or eight 
inches and looks like an ordinary stem, 
but being opened, will be found to con- 
tain two rows of seed. The Night. 
Scented Stock is a half-hardy annual, 
growing about a foot high, oushy and 
with narrow leaves and single rosy-lilac 
flowers. The flowers are pretty enough 
but open only at night or on a cloudy 
day. In the light they are closed and 
the plant has a ragged, unattractive ap- 
pearance, and should occupy a retired 
position. But though not beautiful, it 
is one of the flowers— 


“That keep 
Their odour to themselves all day; 
But when the sunlight dies away, 
Let the delicious secret out 
Toevery breeze that roams about.” 


It takes a good deal of heat to devel- 
op the odour and ina coolsummer it 


may be very little noticed. But ona 
warm summer night it is perceptible at 
a considerable distance, and from the 
passers-by are heard frequent exclama- 
tions of wonder and delight. It is one 
of the most agreeable of flower per- 
fumes, not strong, but sweet and satis- 
fying, and when one has once enjoyed 
it the experience will often be re-called 
with pleasure. The amateur who grows 
the Night Stock, starting the seeds with 
bottom heat, if possible, and giving the 
plants good culture, will find that while 
there are many more beautiful flowering 
plants, there is none that gives a more 
exquisite odor when the conditions are 
favorable to its full development. 
Cuas. Y. Moore. 

Brampton, Ont. 


196 


fo *. 
e Canadian Horticulturist Sy 
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+{ Notes and @omments. & 


Stock SOLUTIONS FOR MAKING Bor- 
DEAUX MIXTURE.—A convenient meth- 
od is to dissolve 40 pounds copper 
sulphate in 40 gallons of water in one 
barrel, and 40 pounds of lime in 4o 
gallons of water in another. Then each 
gallon means a pound of the substance 
wanted. When wanted for use each 
solution should be diluted separately 
before pouring them together. 


ORCHARD FUMIGATION is the subject 
of Bull. 122, Univ. of Cal., Berkeley, 
Cal.; and it would appear that more 
effective destruction of scale insects can 
be accomplished by fumigation than 
by spraying; even orchard trees can 
be treated by using bell, hoop and box 
tents, made of light duck, oiled, sized, 
and painted to make it gas tight. 
Cyanide of potassium gas is used for 
fumigation. 


PracH Curt. Cornell Bull. 164, ad- 
vises the following treatment to prevent 
this evil. 

1. Spray thoroughly with strong Bor- 
deaux mixture just previous to the swel- 
ling of the buds, late in March, or early 
in April. 

2. Spray again with weaker Bordeaux 
asjsoon as the petals of the flowers have 
fallen. 

3. Spray again with weak Bordeaux 
when the leaves are just full grown, or 
at just about the time that the spores of 
the fungus are developing. 


Tue PreacH Crop is said to be so 
completely cut off in Georgia, that there 
will be no peaches to ship from that 
state this season. The prospect is fair 
in the Niagara District, a small propor- 
tion only having been destroyed. This 
should result in better times this season 
in the Niagara peninsula. 


197 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


CLARKES’ PATENT VENTILATED CAR. 
We have a line from Mr. John Clarke, of 
Orangeville, inventor of the ventilated 
car, referred to in page 101, who says it 
is a mistake to say that there are fifty of 
his cars already in use. In fact there is 
only one on the G. T. R., and one on 
the C. P. R., and of the two, the former 
is the best fitted. 


Ture CLYDE STRAWBERRY. Ohio 
Bulletin 98, speaks well of this straw- 
berry, as follows: ‘‘ The favorable re- 
port given in 1897 concerning this 
variety does not seem to need modifica- 
tion. The plants are healthy and un- 
commonly prolific. The berries are 
large enough and are sufficiently firm 
for near market. Although rather soft 
it was noted that fewer berries of this 
variety spoiled on the plants than of 
many others, which appeared to be 
firmer. ‘The color is not quite as dark 
as desirable, but there can be no doubt 
that it will sell at a fair price in almost 
any market, while the berries are of fair 
size but not large enough to be ranked as 
fancy. It appears to be in nearly every 
respect a variety which is just suited to 
the wants of the ordinary commercial 
grower. It is probably the most pro- 
lific perfect-flowering variety in exis- 
tence. While it is a vigorous grower 
and the plants have a tendency to mat 
too thickly in the row the berries do not 
seem to be small in consequence. It 
holds out well towards the end of the 
season ; much better, in fact, than many 
other varieties which are less prolific. 
While not of the highest quality it can 
be recommended for home use, and 
growers for market need not hesitate to 
plant largely of it. 


SEEDLING OF GRAVENSTEIN. Mr. 
Burbank of California has _ recently 
brought out a new apple in a seedling 
of the Gravenstein, but six weeks later, 


and therefore a winter apple. It is said 
to possess a very excellent flavor. 


Hon. SENATOR FERGUSON who was 


appointed President of the P.E.1.F.G.A. . 


for the current year has, owing to en- 
forced absence from his province on 
account of senatorial duties, been reluc- 
tantly obliged to resign and H. A. Stew- 
art, Esq., the vice president, a most 
enthusiastic advanced orchardist has 
succeeded to his place. 


PEACH PROSPECTs IN ESSEX. Mr. W. 
W. Hilborn, of Leamington writes : 


We have had the most disastrous winter 
ever known in this locality. Long continued 
cold with no snow on the ground had destroy- 
ed the roots of I think considerably more than 
half of the peach trees in this country. 
Nearly all of the large trees are killed espec- 
ially where they have been well cared for and 
the ground kept clean around them. Some 
of the finest orchards five to eight years old 
will all have to come out, I have been ex- 
amining the experimental trees and find they 
are not so badly killed, had crimson clover 
among them and hope most of them will sur- 
vive, cannot tell at present to what extent 
the treesare killed. The tops are all right 
on most sorts with plenty of injured blossom 
buds for a good crop of peaches. The tops of 
the trees looked so nice that no one thought 
of looking at the roots until Saturday last, it 
was discovered that the roots were killed. 
Many of the fruit men are about discouraged 
and do not intend to plant as largely again. 
One man living just opposite me has 2100 
trees planted six or seven years and bore 
their first crop last season, all are killed. Old 
trees have suffered most, seedlings more than 
budded stock. 


FUMIGATION OF NURSERY STOCK. 
In order to carry out the provisions of 
the act for preventing the spread of San 
Jose scale, the department of agriculture 
has just issued the following regulations 
for the fumigation of nursery stock : 


1. Fumigation must be carried on in a box, 
room, compartment, or house suitable for the 
purpose, which must be air-tight and capable 
of rapid ventilation. The owner or proprie- 
tor will notify the Minister as soon as pre- 
paration for fumigation is complete. The 
Minister will thereupon order an inspection 
of the fumigation appliances. No fumigation 
under the Act is to be carried on until such 
inspection has been made and a satisfactory 
report sent to the Minister. 


198 


NOTES AND 


2. The Inspector, after examining and 
measuring the box or house, or other com- 
partment in which fumigation is to be carried 
on, will prescribe the amounts of material to 
be used for every fumigation, and the instruc- 
tions as to the same must be carefully followed 
out. The Iuspector may, if thought advis- 
able, supply the material for each fumigation 
in weighed packages. 

3. The fumigation house (which shall in- 
clude all apparatus or appliances used in the 
fumigation, such as generators, etc.) is to be 
subject to the orders of the Minister on the 
recommendation of the Inspector. Subject to 
the approval of the Inspector the fumigation 
house may be on other lots than those on 
which the nursery stock are bigest 

4. The fumigution is to be by hydrocyanic 
acid gas produced according to the instruc- 
tions of the Inspector, and from such formulas 
as he prescribes for the purpose. 

5. The fumigation is to be continued for 
a period of not less than forty-five minutes. 
Alter the expiration of this time or longer, 
and when fumigation is complete, the house 
is to be thoroughly ventilated for fifteen 
minutes at least. 

Tuserous Brconias. — Mr. Hunt 
writes: “I regret there is an omission 
of a small sentence or two in the second 
paragraph of my paper on ‘Tuberous 
‘Begonias,’ second column, page 154, 
commencing ‘The glass can be kept 
cloke, etc., etc.’:—- the full paragraph 
should read as follows :—‘ The glass can 
be kept close at first, but when the seeds 
start into growth, air must be given, as at 
no period of growth, especially at this 
stage, will the tuberous begonia thrive 


in a close humid atmosphere.” 


CHARLES BaLTET, of Troyes, France, 
is a celebrated author of horticultural 
books, widely known and respected in 
Europe, founder of the Pomological 
Society, of France, and chief exhibitor 
at most of the great expositions. hence 
it is not surprising that he is to be chief 
of the. Horticultural Department of the 
Paris Exposition of t900. We have 
just received a pamphlet, giving a bio- 
graphical sketch of M. Baltet, written 
by Jean Guicherd, Professor of Agri- 
culture at Aube. 


COMMENTS. 


THE Co_p WEATHER of last Febru- 
ary was too severe for tender trees, especi- 
ally where the ground was not protected 
by either snow or some cover crop. It 
is reported that ninety per cent of the 
peach trees are winter killed in Essex, 
and whole orchards in Michigan are 
wiped out of existence. 


FuMIGATION is the order of the day 
for nurserymen, who find it an expen- 
sive and troublesome undertaking. It 
seems quite unnecessary too in cases 
where never a single scale has been dis- 
covered. 

We believe the law will prove in many 
instances a dead letter, for the inspector 
comes along only to inspect the fumi- 
gator and does not remain to see that the 
work is done. 


BLACKBERRY CULTURE.—The article 
on this subject, p. 127, was written by 
Mr. Chas. McColl, and read at a meet- 
ing of the Simcoe Horticultural Society. 


An ENJOYABLE LECTURE on Our 
Canadian Homes was given before the 
Brantford Horticultural Society, by Mr. 
F. H Race, of Mitchell, Ont., one of 
our directors. The Brantford Courier 
says: ‘“‘Mr. Race is a very pleasing 
speaker, unaffected, but most effective 
in his manner from start to finish.” 


Dr. FLETCHER and Prof. Macoun 
both report having had a most enjoy- 
able lecture trip among our Societies. 


ORCHARD cultivation ‘is gradually 
reaching a new era. Better pruning, 
spraying, cultivating, thinning, etc., 
seem absolutely essential to success ; 
but this takes heaps of good honest 
labor. Consequently, the successful 
fruit grower must make a business of 
his fruit, and not attempt to accomplish 
too many things at once. 


3 199 


41 Question Orawer. Ke - 


The following questions 1073 to 1077 
are answered by Prof. H. L. Hutt, 
Horticulturist, O..A. C, Guelph. 


Sweet Peas. 

1073. Sr,—What south should sweet 
peas be planted ? 

Make a furrow in which seed is 
planted from three to four inches deep, 
and about six inches wide at the bot- 
tom. Scatter seed evenly, and cover 
with about two inches of fine soil. The 
rest of the soil should be worked in 
gradually, as the plants grow, the furrow 
being filled by the time the plants are 
six inches above the surface. 


Primrose in House. 


1074. Sizr,—How should a house prim- 
rose be treated ? 


To have good winter blooming prim- 
roses, new plants should be started 
every spring in a little seed box. 
When they are large enough to trans- 
plant they should be potted singly into 
small pots from two to three inches in 
diameter. When the roots have filled 
the small pots they should be repotted 
into four-inch pots, and from these 
again into five or six-inch pots, in which 
they are allowed to bloom. Care should 
be taken to have the crown of the plant 
a little higher than the soil of the pot, 
to prevent water lodging in and rotting 
it. Use well prepared potting soil, 
keep in a moderate temperature, and 
avoid excessive watering. 


Washing House Plants. 


1075. Srr,—Should the leaves of a plant 
be washed with a cloth ? 


This is desirable with plants having 
large smooth leaves like the India Rub- 
ber and many of the palms ; other plants 
may be washed by showering them. 


Treatment of Lantanas. 


1076. Sir,—How should a three or 
four-year-old lantana be treated ? 


The lantana is a shrubby little plant, 
which after a long period of blooming 
should be rested by witholding water 
any more than may be necessary to 
keep them alive. When beginning to 
make new growth after resting, they 
should be repotted firmly into good rich 
soil, and the top should be severely 
pruned back. More water will be re- 
quired as the plants begin ‘to grow 
freely. Syringe the foliage frequently 
to keep the plants free from the red 
spider. 


Campanulas. 


1077. Siz,—How long will a campanula 
last ? 


Some of the campanulas are annuals 
lasting but one year; some are bien- 
nials, lasting two years, and generally 
blooming the second season; and 
others are perennials, lasting for several 
years. 


Bad Ocean Transportation. 


1078. Srr,—In October last I sent four 
barrels of Northern Spy, from here to Ham- 
burg, Germany, and arrived in Hamburg De- 
cember 28th. The apples were well packed 
but arrived in a very bad condition ; in the 
best barrel only half were fit to use, and the 
worst barrel had only forty good apples. I had 
to pay $2.50 charges for each barrel in advance. 
Now I would like to know how this could be 
remedied and who is responsible for this loss, 
as no doubt the time was exceptionably long, 
being two months and a half. The fruit 
was sent only as a present to a party. Is 
there any other company beside the Ham- 
burg American Packet Company, or was it 
the fault of the G. T. R. The railway agent 
here told me the apples would go in cold 
storage. 

Justus RoEDLER, Miléon. 


200 


QUESTION DRAWER. 


Your apples could not have been for- 
warded from Montreal by a direct line 
to Hamburg, or they would not have 
been so long en: route. No doubt they 
went via London, and were delayed 
waiting transhipment. You should get 
a definite bill of lading specifying just 
how the fruit is to be forwarded, or 
by what line. Unless you have some 
agent in Montreal to see that your goods 
are loaded in cold storage, or else have 
it in your railway shipping receipt, we do 
not see how you can expect them to be 
carried in that way. 


Cereus and Phyllocactus. 


1079. Srr,—The article on The Nright 
Blooming Cacti, in the March number of the 
Horticu.turist is rather confusing. Cuts 
of two plants are given—Cereus grandiflorus 
and Phylocactus latifrous. I have both 
plants and they were in bloom last summer. 


Florists apply grandiflorus to that indivi- 
dual of a species having the best flower. 
Hence the use of the term indicates that 
there are other members of the species. The 
one I have, that bloomed, is quite different 
from the cut given, It is square, each side 
being ? of an inch, and quite rounded, being 
without spines. The cut represents a much 
smaller plant with concave sides, and having 
prominent spines. I obtained mine from a 
person skilled in cacti, and he assured me 
that it was the real Cereus grandiflorus. I also 
have the smaller plant, the one represented 
in the cut as the Cereus grandiflorus. I 
should like to know which is the real and 
which is the spurious Cereus grandiflora or 
grandifiorus. 


The flowers of the Cereus are perfect, hav-, 


ing both calyx and corolla. Those of Cacti 
are imperfect, having no corolla, but a col- 
ored calyx. Cacti remain in bloom during a 
number of days. The flowers of the Cereus 
open in the evening and close before morn- 
ing. Ihave not much knowledge of Cacti, 
but the above is the result of my observa- 
tions. According to these, combined with 
some knowledge of botany and an acquaint- 
ance with the practices of florists, I cannot 
understand why, when two plants having 
perfect flowers and both blooming in the 
night only, one should be called a Cereus and 
the other a Cactus. 


Wo. Gorstinz, Durham. 


The Cacti are a very numerous family, 
a large part of them natives of Mexico. 


’ covered. 


They are also found in California, Tex- 
as, Nevada, and South America; as 
many as 1000 varieties having been dis- 
They are subdivided into 
numerous genera, as (1) Cereus, of which 
there are about 200 species, among 
them Cereus giganteus, which in Mexi- 
co has reached the height of 50 feet, and 
Cereus grandiflorus, of which our illus- 
tration on page 111 shows a two year 
plant, grown in a six inch pot from a six 
inch cutting, and this is the true Night 
blooming Cereus. (2) Lchinocactus, 
the hedge hog cactus, containing about — 
200 species; (3) L£chinocereus; (4) 
Echinopsis ; (5) Epiphyllum ; (6) Mam- 
tllaria, a numerous and popular family ; 
(7) Lilocereus, to which belongs that 
curiosity Pilocereus senilis, the “Old 
Man Cactus”; (8) Phyllocactus, of 
which P. latifrons, figured on page 111, 
is called the giant of its family, growing 
8 or ro feet high, with stout flattened 
stems 4 or 5 inches broad. The flowers 
appear at night, giving rise to the mis- 
nomer, “ Night blooming Cereus,” which 
is mentioned above. This genus is of 
the easiest culture ; (9) Opuntiae, of 
which there are 150 species in cultiva- 
tion. 

We have given a list of the principal 
families of Cacti, a class of plants 
quite in favor of late with some amateur 
florists, and which go far to make up 
for their ugly spines by their beautiful 
bloom. 


—_— 


Transplanting Asparagus. 


1080. Sir,—Last year I planted a quan- 
tity of asparagus seed, sufficient for a bed of 
about one-eighth acre, intending to trans- 
plant this spring. The seed came up very 
well and looked strong and healthy last fall. 
During last season I prepared the bed into 
which I intend to transplant by ploughing 
up the sod and planting in roots, keeping 
well hoed and free from weeds, and when 
crop was taken out I manured very heavily 
and ploughed again last fall. 


201 


\ 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


I have since heard that the asparagus plants 
will do better to remain for another year be- 
fore transplanting. Will you kindly advise 
me as to this. The soilis a rich clay loam, 
well drained naturally. 


Yours very truly, 
SUBSCRIBER. 


Strong one year old plants are best 
but they may be transplanted at two 
years old, if more convenient. 

The roots should be set about six 
inches below the surface of the soil ; 
some advise setting deeper, but of 
course that would mean later starting in 
- the spring. 


One Hundred Apple Trees. 


1081. Stz,—In planting out an orchard 
of 100 apple trees, what kinds would you 
recommend, and how many of each, so as to 
give the family sufficient for use during sum- 
mer and fall and the balance winter fruit, 
principally for shipment. 

E. J. P., Kintore. 

The following would make a very 
good list for family use, with a larger 
number of those kinds suitable for 
export ; Early Harvest 1, Porter 1, Sweet 
Bough 1, Red Astracan 2, Duchess 10, 
Alexander 5, Fall Pippin, Gravenstein 
10, Blenheim Orange 10, Wealthy 20, 
King 5, Fameuse 2, Greening 2, Ontario 
20, Spy Io. 


Spys on Tolman Sweet. 


1082. Srr,—ln the case of Spys or other 
late bearing trees of good quality would they 
bear any earlier by being top-grafted on 
Talman Sweet stems. 

E. J. P. 


We know of no instance of testing 
the Spy on Talman sweet. Some have 
claimed to have made the King apple 
more productive by top-grafting it on 
Talman Sweet. 


Mixed Planting. 


1083. Srr,—Would it be advisable to 
plant plum, pear, cherry, peaches, or early 


bearing apples among the regular rows of the 
apple orchard, to be cut out when their room 
would be needed by the apple trees ? 


E. J. Pearson, Kintore, Ont. 


We would not advise this except in 
the case of peaches and possibly dwarf 
pears ; plums, cherries and dwarf apples 
are longer lived, and would just reach 
their best days when they would have to 
be sacrificed. 

We think, unless land is very limited, 
it is best to plant each fruit separate. 


Questions (1084 to 1090) answered by 
Mr. W. Hunt gardener, Hamilton. 


Ferns. 


1084. Srr,—What is the best time and 
way of increasing Adiantum ferns, and the 
best compost to pot them in. 


Adiantum ferns can be increased by 
dividing old plants in the spring, just as 
the young fronds are commencing to 
unfold from near the roots of the plant. 
Pot each division into small pots at 
first, repot into larger as required. A 
good compost for them can be made by 
mixing two parts of well rotted fibry 
loam, with one part each of leaf mould, 
(or peat) and sand, use plenty of drain- 
age, and keep the plants in a shaded 
position, during the summer, water well 
at the roots, but do not sprinkle or 
syringe very often. Adiantum can be 
raised from seed sown in a box or pan 
filled with fine peat and leaf soil, 
with a little sand mixed with them, do 
not cover the seed at all, water very 
carefully ; or a few well ripened frouds 
may be laid on a moss covered stone, 
kept in a well shaded position, and 
watered carefully ; the latter is often- 
times the most successful method. 
Seedling Adiantums make better plants 
than those from divisions, but require 
great care at first. 


202 


QUESTION DRAWER. 


Palms. 


1085. Srr,—What is the best time to 
shift palms, and the best soil to pot them in. 


Referred to paper on Palm Culture in 
February issue of the C. Horrticut- 
TURIST. 


Clematis. 


1086. Siz,—What is the best time to 
plant clematis, spring or fall? Should cle- 
matis be pruned, and if so, at what time? 


Plant as early as possible in spring. 
The Clematis, asa rule, requires very lit- 
tle pruning ; cutting out the dead por- 
tions, or shortening back the growth to 
strong vigorous buds, is all that is gener- 
ally necessary. Ifthe growth is too dense, 
thin out the weaker growth altogether 
as required. The best time to do this 
is in spring, just as the buds are show- 
ing growth. 


Budding Roses. 


1087. Srr,—What would you advise, 
budded roses, or roses on their own roots, for 
the amateur. 


Roses on their own roots are decided- 
ly the best, whether Hybrid Perpetuals 
or the more tender classes of Tea and 
Noisette roses. 

Hardy roses when budded or grafted, 
require to be heavily mulched with 
manure, or sufficient soil thrown around 
them to cover the junction of the graft 
or bud with the stock so as to protect 
them in severe weather ; they are also 
very liable to canker at the point where 
grafted. Another objection to budded 
or grafted stock is the worthless growth 
from below the graft, which has to be 
kept constantly cut off, or it would 
soon smother and eventually kill the 
rest of the]plant. Tea and Noisette 
roses are also best on their own roots, 
with possibly a few exceptions, one of 


which is the well known and ever bloom- 
ing white tea rose, Niphetos, which in a 
greenhouse gives the best results when 
budded or grafted on a strong growing, 
climbing rose, such as Lamarque or 
Cloth of Gold. 


Hyacinths and Narcissi. 


1088. Sr,—Will hyacinths and Roman 
Narcissi flower as early potted in the soil as 
in water ? 

There would be very little difference 
in time of flowering these bulbs, whether 
grown in soil or water; condition of 
bulbs and temperature affect both 
methods at different seasons very ma- 
terially. 


Cyclamen. 


1089. Srr,—What is the best soil in 
which to grow Cyclamen, and how should 
they be treated in the summer ? 


The best soil for Cyclamens is light, 
fibrous loam, enriched with dry cow 
manure ;. use plenty of drainage in the 
pots. For summer treatment keep the 
plants growing for a short time after 
flowering, then withhold water gradual- 
ly, giving sufficient at intervals to keep 
the plants fairly moist, without drying 
off altogether. The plants should be 
kept as cool as possible. A cold frame 
and sash in a shaded position out of 
doors, is a good place for them. Seed- 
ling Cyclamens should be kept growing 
steadily the first summer. 


Azaleas. 


1090. Srtr,—Howshould these be treated 
after flowering ? 


Azaleas should be repotted, if neces- 
sary, immediately after flowering, and 
kept in a temperature of about 65 de- 
grees to complete their growth ; remove 


203 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


to.a cool, partially shaded position out 


of. doors during the hot summer 
months. The north side of a building 
or fence is a good position. The pots 


may be either plunged in, or stood on a 
bed of coal ashes. Water and syringe 
frequently, never allowing the roots to 
be quite dry. A few tobacco stems 
thrown around outside each pot will 
materially assist in keeping down red 
spider and thrip, the two insect pests to 
be dreaded by the Azalea grower most 
of all. 


: Roses for Amateurs. 


1091. Srr,—Are budded or own root 
roses best for amateurs ? 


Answered by Webster Bros , Hamilton. 


If by an amateur is meant one who 
can scarcely tella rose from a cabbage, 
well decidedly, roses that can produce 
nothing but flowers of the variety he has 
purchased, or own root roses, are the 
best. However, we find the majority of 
the amateur rose growers are well versed 
in varieties, etc., and to this question it 
would not do to say plant own root 
root roses, because you cannot tell the 
difference between the general Jacque- 


minot foliage and that of the Manetti, - 


or that of the briar on which it is 
budded. Budded roses will give a 
quantity and quality of flowers, the 
first of-the season after planting, that 
cannot be had from own root plants. 
Budded roses will not stand late plant- 
ing as well as the own root stock. 
Plant them as soon as the ground can 
be nicely worked and set the union of 
the rose and the stock rose three to five 
inches below the surface, to give the 
good rose a chance of ultimately estab- 
lishing itself on its own roots. The 
Manetti rose has seven leaflets, while 
most of the H. P. roses have five. 
The briar has very light colored wood 


and small leaflets, which are very dis- 
tinct. Neither of these stock roses’ 
should be mistaken for a worthy vari- 
ety, by any one who is sufficiently inter- 
ested in his roses to notice a difference 
of wood and foliage. 


Public Meeting of Societies. 


1092. Sir,—We find it a little hard to 
get the members to attend the public meet- 
ings of our Society. Could you suggest any 
way in which we could make them more in- 
teresting ? M. Totty, 

Sec. Midlaud Hort. Soc’y. 


We think it a mistake to depend too 
much upon one big meeting for the life 
of a horticultural Society. Frequent 
smaller meetings, of a somewhat social 
character, will accomplish more, and 
need cost little trouble or expense. 

Some of our Societies have monthly 
meetings—say, the rst Monday evening 
in each month during the winter and 
early summer. These may be held in 
a small hall, or, on invitation, in houses ; 
and in the proper seasons, a fair display 
of cut flowers or pot plants may be 
made on the dining-room table. These 
will form a centre for conversation until 
the time comes for reading a paper by a 
member of the Society, or a lecture by 
some gardener, which should be fol- 
lowed b” questions or open discussion. 

A little music will enliven the occa- 
sion. 

The plant distribution in the spring 
should always take place in a public 
hall, at the close of a programme of 
music and addresses. Some call out 
the names of the members, who come 
forward and receive their basket of 
plants, and such a public gift night 
greatly helps the membership. 


Ants. 


1093. Sir,—I am at a loss to know 
what to do to destroy the ants that infest my 
plum orchard. They are building mounds 
all over, and a favorite place ‘is around the 


204 


QUESTION DRAWER. 


trees. 


Last year they destroyed some of the 
fruit. 


J. E. Anperson, Port Dover. 

Ants are not usually counted inju- 
rious to fruit trees. They often climb 
the plum trees after the wax secretions, 
and cherry trees after the honey dew 
deposited by the aphidz ; indeed they 
sometimes extract it from the aphis it- 
self, which are therefore often named 


the ants’ cows. However, our corres- 
pondent can easily rid his orchard of 
the ants, by dusting air-slaked lime, 
freely about and over the hills and 
other places infested. This should be 
done in warm dry weather. 


Carbolic acid, diluted 1o or 12 times 
in water and sprinkled about, is an ex- 
cellent destroyer. 


Fruit Putp.— Mr. W. Boulter, of 
Picton, member of the Fruit Pulp Com- 
mittee, writes: — “I received a letter 
from Messrs. Anderson & Coltman, 
acknowledging receipt of our’ small 
consignment of raspberry pulp last fall, 
saying, ‘ Quality satisfactory ; color 
good, and flavor good, only criticism 
was it was vo sweet. As fruit is about 
6d. a pound and sugar 14d., the greater 
the quantity of sugar it will absorb the 
better for the jam maker. The pulp 
sent over was simply pure fruit, and it 
sold at about 36 shillings per dozen of 
7 pound cans; but with a large crop it 
might drop to 15/ or 20/. 


Ye Narcissus or Darropyt, Hys 
HIsTORIE AND CULTURE.—Peter Barr 
& Son, Covent Garden, England. 
Through courtesy of Mr. Peter Barr, 
now visiting this continent, we are in 
- receipt of a set of the magnificent cata- 
logues, issued by this firm, and also ofa 
pamphlet entitled as above, which forms 
a most interesting monograph on this 
flower. Speaking of the culture of the 
daffodil, he says : 


‘* Even a clump or two of the common old 
double. yellow kind in a cottage garden 
brightens up all around it; and planting bold 
beds or masses of these bulbs along the mar- 
gins of woods, or even in the grass of lawns 
or in the home meadows, is a means of add- 
ing beauty to natural vegetation of such lo- 
calities, for, as some one has well said, a 
group of garden daffodils on the young grass 
is a ‘*sunshine in a shady place.” When 
planted in quantity, one of the results gained 
is a plentiful supply of flowers for cutting, 
and of all spring blossoms these are the best 
for indoor decorations of vase or pitcher.” 


L’ArT DE GREFFER, par Charles Bal- 
let Horticulteur a Troyes, France. 

This is the most complete work on 
the art of grafting we have ever seen, 
and well deserves to be translated for 
public benefit. In the first place he 
treats of the operation itself showing the 
various methods ; then he treats of each 
individual tree, shrub or plant, and 
points out the method best adapted to it. 

Traite.de la Culture Fruitiere, Com- 
merciale et Bourgeoise, par Charles Bal- 
let Horticulteur at Troyes, France. 


This is a very complete work on fruit cul- 
ture in France, and treats in a very complete 
manner, with the varieties and methods of 
culture, adopted in that country. Much 
however is not adapted to our country, as for 
example, the training on walls of peaches and 
pears, and the transport of fruit 1m panniers. 


205 


* Open Letters. ¥ 


Apple Shipping. 


Srr,—I notice in your valuable journal for 
March, that at a meeting of the Niagara Dis- 
trict Fruit men, the subject of ventilated cars 
for shipping tender fruit in summer, was 
taken up and handled very ably, but to my 
mind there was a matter omitted of far more 
importance viz., winter shipping of apples to 
Europe. Now it is a fact that there has been 
very heavy losses this winter caused by apples 
being frozen on the way to the shipping ports 
and lying around waiting for vessels to arrive, 
and other causes. [I have a circular from 
Woodall & Co., Liverpool, stating that apples 
in some cases turned out frozen, out of the 
bottom of the vessels, even after the long 
voyage and in the warm vessel. 

’ Apples, when frosted and put into the ves- 
sel in that state, will turn wet when they 
thaw out and will commence to rot at once. 
I just have returns for a car of Spys from 
Liverpool, $1.13 a barrel that cost me in the 
orchard last fall $1.50 for the fruit. I think 
this was the best car I ever shipped and 
would have made money had it arrived in 
good order. We want heated cars the same 
as those used on the C. P. R. I understood 
they have a coal oil lamp that is‘sufficient to 
keep the frost out of a good refrigerator car, 
also there should be a large shed at Portland 
and other points of shipping, into which cars 
could be run in till they are ready to be un- 
loaded. I think that if this matter was taken 
up and remedied, we would not have so many 
barrels of slacks and wets and worthless rot- 
ten apples exported. 

E. Leonarp & Sons, Cobourg. 


stronger Solutions Paris Green 
Advised. 


Srr,—According to my experience the pre- 
sent formula for paris green for the distruc- 
tion of eating insect pests is not strong enough 
to kill anything. 

For Gooseberry worm last year I went by 
the formula 4 oz. of paris green to a coal oil 
barrel of Bordeaux mixture. This had no 
effect and 1 doubled the dose 8 oz, and this 
only just succeeded. 1 then sprayed potatoes 
4 0z. with milk of lime in the mixture and 
found it of no use, T'o ascertain what we had 
been using by the old teaspoon measure, I 
filled a barrel and to every pail of the mixture 
—(milk of lime and water)—I put a teaspoon- 
full of paris green this was 14 oz. to a barrel 
40 gals. 

A gentleman living near had his orchard 
overrun last spring with the tent caterpillar, 
upon my advice he got a spray pump and put 
on the orthodox 4 oz. and this did not delay 
their operations of stripping his orchard in 
the least. 

1 notice in reports spraying for codling 


206 


moths is not always successful, nor in my 
opinion will it ever be with 4 oz. of paris green 
to 50 or 40 gals. of water. Still I would coun- 
sel every one using Paris green to use milk of 
lime, as this not only protects the foliage from 
the effects of the poison and fixes it to the leaf 
but actually nourishes the lesf. This latter 
seems questionable but my experience so far 
seems to justify this conclusion, and this con- 
tention supported by other investigators, that 
the leaf should feed on the lime by absorbtion 
does not seem improbable when we remember 
that many plants take nitrogen from the air. 
Let this be as it may I am satisfied that the 
leaves of bushes that are kept coated all sum- 
mer with lime are of more than normal thick- 
ness and size and retain their greenness till 
destroyed by frost. 

Another point ; Iam satisfied from my own 
experience and from the experience of others, 
and the lecture given here last winter before 
the Farmer’s Institute by Alex. McNeil Esq., 
still further fortifies the opinion, that goose- 
berry mildew is not affected by Bordeaux after 
the spores once get hold on either leaf or fruit. 
Our vantage time is before the leaf comes out, 
I gave mine a good drenching last fall, not 
after the leaves had fallen but after they were 
no longer needful to the bush ; this I did with 
pure blue stone water 2 lbs to 40 gals., but 
for the future I shall add lime even before 
the leaves come out, as it fixes the blue stone 
to the stems for weeks. 

STANLEY SpPILLET, Nantyre. 


Manuring. 


Srr,—Your correspondent writing about 
Potash seems to have entirely misunderstood 
its application to plant life. As an alkali 
and base it is undoubtedly important in flesh 
building both in plants and animals, and 
although some eminent agriculturists have 
intimated that magnesia and soda can to 
some extent take its place, yet they have 
never for a moment suggested that we can 
get large crops of anything without potash 
in plentiful supply. There is, however, a 
great deal of potash in Canadian as in most 
other soils, in fact it is usually in much better 
supply than lime alkaline base. It is very 
often locked up in unyielding forms in the 
earth, but is readily liberated by the free 
caustic lime of the tetra-basic phosphates. 
The use of mono-calcic (superphosphates) 
phosphates, or even the di-calcic or tri-calcic 
(bone) phosphates will not effect the unlock- 
ing of the potash because they have no further 
base of free lime as the tetra-basic phosphates 
carry. This is one of the many reasons why 
the tetra-basic phosphates are being recom- 
mended by the highest authorities as prefer- 
able to superphosphates and bone. 

In the light of the most recent researches 
we are again emphasizing the teaching of Lie- 
big that the acids need more careful attention 


OPEN LETIERS. 


than the bases and more particularly phos- 
phoric acid. It is undoubtedly in compara- 
tively poor supply in most soils and as it is 
carried off in the ripening of grains, roots, 
fruits and animals, and in the bone it does not 
get returned to such an extent as potash. 
Also what the soil does contain is usually 
locked up harder than the potash and is not so 
easily liberated. I do not fora moment wish 
to be understood as desiring to discourage 
the application of potash as kainit because 
I think it is wise to supply sufficient available 
material to meet the possible requirements of 
the largest conceivable crops, but I am within 
the line of latest and most extensive research 
and in accord with the best authorities in say- 
ing that, in particular, phosphoric acid is the 
most important of the inorganic elements 
which we have to provide return of in a com- 
mercial form. In the matter of the fertility 
of the seed phosphoric-acid is by far the most 
important substance, in fact in most seeds 

tash is but little in evidence in comparison. 
Ft is the bulky parts of the plant and not the 
reproducing parts which abounds in potash. 
Fruit growers have not been very careless in 
the matter of supplying more potash to their 
soils, but they have, not been supplying phos- 
phoric-acid as they should. I understand that 
the reason for this has been that they have 
given too much heed to the teaching, that as 
potash enters so much with the composition 
of flesh in fruit that supplying lots of it would 
work the oracle. Also they are in the 
position of having had their fingers burned by 
the use of vitriolized superphosphates. As 
they want strength, firmness, ripening and 
reproducing powers of the best in their 
orchards they must supply in particular 
an abundance of phosphoric-acid but they 
must stipulate that the phosphate is free from 
sulphuric acid (vitriol) and available to their 
plants under proper circumstances of applica- 
tion. It is all the better if it isin a tetra- 
basic form and that the bases be lime, mag- 
nesia and iron. 


T. C. WALLACE. 


Adaptation of Varieties. 


S1r,—I would like much to see an article 
on the adaption of varieties of apples to local- 
ities, the Newton Pippin is grown to perfec- 
tion only in an area of a few miles up the 
Hudson, around the mountains of Virginia, 
and one or two other Southern States, under 
the name of Albermarle Pippin, this worth- 
less, as grown in Nova Scotia, I have tried 
cuttings sent from Mr. Downing, but never 
saw even a blossom, the tree too for my local- 
ity, nor does it succeed in any part of Can- 
ada. The Gravenstein, as grown in Nova 
Scotia, to for as my experience goes, is not 
excelled anywhere, with you I think it is 
drier, ripens earlier, and is a short keeper. 
Now that is our one kind in which alone we 
excel, we judge few of our fruit growers have 
ever seen a Ribston Pippin such asI got 10 
barrels of once from Grimsby, as juicy and as 
rich and as fragrant as a pine apple, and going 
in October, For the Famause you must go to 
Montreal. The best Wagener I ever saw, 
beating Ontario, came from C. W. Gillespie’s 
orchard, Grand Rapids, Michigan. Where 
does the Swaar excel? We can never get it 
from Outario, nor Grimes, nor Swazie Pomme 
Grise, or along other choice kinds. Shippers 
sre too apt to send too many of R. [. Greening, 
Mann, Ben Davis, and a lot of rubbish tha 
no one wants, if he can get others. - 

At a meeting of our N. S. fruit growers, a 
few weeks since, I found as much uncertainity 
as ever, as to what kinds of apples to grow 
for profit, and the largest buyer and dealer 
at Wolfville, that has become wealthy through 
his apple shipment, advised a friend of mine 
to plant this coming spring, in a lot of 500 
trees, not less than 200 Ben Davies. 

I do not believe the English people will 
remain fools forever, but that they will gradu- 
ally learn what are useful varieties, for the 
table and for cooking. 


C. E. Brown, Yarmouth, N. S. 


x Our Book Jable. ¥ 


ELLWANGER & Barry, Mt. Hope Nurse- 
ries, Rochester, N. Y. Novelties in fruit 
and ornamental trees, etc., etc. | 


Batter Freres, Nurseries at Troyes, 
France. Catalogue and Prices Current of 
fruit trees, forest trees, ornamental trees, 
conifers, shrubs, roses, plants, etc., etc. 


ANNUAL Report of the Superintendent of 
Spraying, 1898. W. M. Orr, Winona. 

This valuable and convincing report may 
be had on application to the Dept. of Agricul- 
ture, Toronto. 


Report of the Supt. of Farmers’ Institute 
for 1898. F. W. Hodson, Dept. of Agricul- 
ture, Toronto. A most interesting report, 
and one well worthy of the widest circulation, 


SimMeRs GENERAL ANNUAL SEED CaTa- 
LOGUE for 1899, 147 KingSt. E., Toronto. A 
magnificent Catalogue, with a fine set of illus- 
trations. Free on application. 


SEED ANNUAL, 1899, D. M. Ferry & Co., 
Windsor, Ont. A very fine catalogue, highly 
illustrated. 


207 


RINGING GRAPES. 


This process is the removal of a small 
section of the bark surrounding the cane 
for the purpose of obstructing the down- 
ward flow of sap, which is thereby caused 
to accumulate in excessive quantities in 
the portions of the cane above the ring, 
and to supply these portions richly with 
food materials. Experiments were tried 
last summer to test the results of ring- 
ing on several varieties. The rings of 
bark were removed in the period be- 
tween June 27 and July 5, when the 
grapes were from one-third to one-half 
grown. . The width of the ring removed 
in most cases was one-half inch, but on 
some canes only one-fourth inch. The 
following notes taken at the time of 
ripening indicate the results on each 
variety :— 

Concord showed the first on the 
ringed canes to be slightly larger and a 
day or two in advance of the fruit of the 
rest of the vine. 

Cambridge showed the fruit on the 
ringed canes to be larger, of better qual- 
ity, and two or three days, earlier than 
that on other canes. 

Brighton showed no difference in 
size, but three days difference in earli- 
ness. 

Columbian Imperial showed very 
great difference in size, the berries aver- 
aged one-fifth larger on the ringed than 
on the unringed canes, while the ringed 
canes ripened fruit two weeks earlier 
than other canes of the same vines. 

Agawain showed only a slight differ- 
ence in size and earliness. 


Herbert showed no difference except 
that the fruit on the ringed canes was 
poorer in quality than the rest. 

Moore’s Early showed no perceptible 
difference in size, quality or earliness. 

Niagara showed the fruit on the ring- 
ed canes to be two days earlier and 
slightly superior in quality to that.on the 
canes. 

The Delaware showed better and 
earlier fruit on the ringed than on the 
unringed canes, but showed the best 
fruit where only asmall section of the 
bark had been removed. . 

The best results were obtained on 
canes where the bark overgrew the sec- 
tions from which it had been removed. 
Where the bark overgrows section about 
the time the first begin to ripen the 
surplus food material in the cane is 
drawn away into the lower parts of the 
vine and the fruit ripens with only a 
normal quantity of food material present. 
If the section is not overgrown, the ex- 
cess of food remains, the fruit is forced 
to ripen with this excess on hand, and 
hence ripens improperly. 

The width of the section of bark to 
be removed should vary according to 
the vigor of the cane and the variety. 
On strong canes of vigorous varieties 
three-fourths of an inch is not too much 
while on feeble varieties one-fourth of 
an inch may be sufficient. 


WJ ALG 


Kansas State, Agricultural College. 


208 


Sirs rial ced 


ch 


*JUQ ‘soupjseyzesy “3S Je Sulddiys yNI4 SAes9d0-05 


THE 


CANADIAN HorTicuLTuRIST. 


VoL. XXII. 


1899. 


No. 6 


CO-OPERATIVE TRANSPORTATION 


/ 

URING the early 
years, in which the 
fruit industry had 
its beginnings in 
these portions of 
Ontario which 
seemed from their 

favorable circumstances and surround- 
ings to be peculiarly adapted for the 
production of the various fruits of all 
the temperate zone, the energies of 
those, whose bent or inclination led 
them into this particular line, were 

chiefly devoted to a study of the varie- 
ties of the different fruits which seemed 
to give promise of best results ; and also 
to endeavor to become familiar with the 
best and most approved methods of 
cultivation and propagation. That these 
efforts have been crowned with a fair 
degree of success, the extensive or- 
chards and vineyards which stretch 
away for miles in various directions in 
many localities, give ample evidence. 

In this laudable and praiseworthy 


OF. FRUITS. 


pursuit, the Ontario Fruit Growers’ 
Association has taken an active part, 
and much credit is due the various 
officers of the Association in past years 
for the success which has attended their 
efforts. 

The time has come however, when 
the average grower of fruit is not look- 
ing so much for new varieties and new 
approved means of culture, although we 
have by no means reached the limit in 
either of these lines ; but rather, that he 
may beable to place the fruits which he 
is now producing in abundance and of 
a good quality into the hands of an 
ever increasing number of consumers 
in our towns and cities, as well as across 
the sea in the Home Land, in good 
order with fair despatch and at reason- 
able cost for transportation. These are 
burning questions with the commercial 
fruit growers to-day, and are engaging 
the best thought of some of the largest 
shippers in the various fruit sections. 

The illustration accompanying this 


211 


oS a 
~F ae 
; ac 
“¢ 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


article gives a view of an effort made a 
short time ago on the part of a number 
of large shippers at St. Catharines to 
avail themselves of the facilities which 
presented themselves, whereby shippers 
might co-operate together and take ad- 
vantage of the freight service, shipping 
their fruits in car lots under one 
management, and thus secure better 
and more careful handling and satis- 
factory despatch. Up to the season of 
1895 all fruit had been transported 
either by express or boat, or else by the 
ordinary local freight in small lots; the 
objections to these methods seemed to 
be high rates in the one case, infre- 
quency of boats in another, and slow 
service and poor handling in the third 
instance. It was thought by a number 
of shippers that by loading a full car 
load from time to time when the cir- 
cumstances of the case would admit of 
of it, that it would be an object for the 
railroads to give rapid transit, and being 
loaded by the shippers themselves, the 
fruit would have careful handling, and 
should arrive at destination in good order; 
and with carload rates the cost would be 
somewhat reduced. The frontispiece 
shows a scene at the N. C. R. Depot, 
St. Catharines, which was of almost 
daily occurrence during the early fall of 
1895, some thirty-five or forty cars being 
thus loaded during that year with very 
satisfactory results. 


Since that time the carload shipments 
have increased very rapidly, until in 


1897 some 350 or more cars were ship- 
ped via G. T. R., N.C. R.and C. P. R., 
to the various large centres of Canada 
and the United States. During 1898 
owing to the failure in some lines of 
fruit the business was not so extensive. 

The result of these efforts has been 
to show the shippers the necessity of 
some organization among themselves, 
whereby this work can be carried on in 
a systematic, business-like manner. 

Consequently, a Stock Company was 
formed in the spring of 1888, for this 
particular object, called “‘ The St Catha- 
rines Cold Storage and Forwarding Co., 
Ltd.,” with a capital stock of $10,000, 
in shares of ten dollars each. This 
company has been in existence but 
little over a year and bids fair to bea 
very great success. The company con- 
templates erecting in time for this 
season’s business a modern cold storage 
warehouse, operated by mechanical re- 
frigeration, they have also a large ice 
house of their own from which to ice 
refrigerator cars during the hot weather, 
and will be prepared to receive, store, 
and forward all kinds of fruits to any 
point according to the wish of the 
shipper. 

We congratulate our St. Catharines 
friends on the efforts that they are put- 
ting forth to solve the problem of 
cheaper and more satisfactory trans- 
portation. mR 


W. H. BunrtINc. 
St Catharines. 


OnE of the neatest shrubs for forming 
a hedge is the California privet; it 
makes a very neat, dense-foliage plant, 
and bears any amount of clipping into 
shape.. Another beautiful shrub for the 
same purpose is the Japanese barberry, 
Berberis Thunbergit. ‘This is handsome 


at all seasons, bearing a number of 
coral red berries, which hang on well 
into the winter, if the birds do not 
devour them all. In the autumn the 
foliage turns a bright, deep red. It is 
broad and compact in its growth. 


212 


THE FRUIT GROWING BUSINESS. 


HE uncertainty which at- 
tends the business of the 
fruit grower is some- 
times very trying to his 
patience, the results are 
sometimes so disappoint- 

ing that he is almost discouraged. If 
sometimes the returns for a fruit crop 
are higher than for ordinary crops, it is 
only a just compensation for the frequent 
failures to which the crop is subject. 
Sometimes we meet a summer frost, 
sometimes a winter of unusual severity ; 
one year the apple crop fails completely, 
another year it is too small or too scabby 
for shipment ; now the peach, now the 
pear is a total failure, and a whole year’s 
income is gone. 

And when to these misfoitunes we 
add two years of depressed prices such 
as we have just experienced, it is no 
wonder that many have turned their 
attention to other lines, and have offered 
for sale fruit farms that formerly it was 
almost impossible to buy. All these 
considerations however make for the 
ultimate good of the fruit grower who 
has made the business his life work, and 
is not possessed by a fickle mind. The 
second-class will be weeded out. the 
poor orchards rooted out, and when the 
good times and higher prices come, the 
deserving and persevering will have the 
reward they so well deserve. 

As an example of the disappointments 
which have fallen the lot of many of our 
fruit growers this spring, we give a letter 
just received from Mr. W. W. Hillborn, 
Leamington, an experimenter in peaches, 
he says : 

‘*T find the damage done to our fruit trees 
by frost was much greater than we first 
thought. All nursery trees in this district 
were killed, about 100,000, and I think T am 
safe in saying that not less than 95% of all 


the peach trees planted in orchard are killed. 
It is hard to believe such to be true when we 


a 


look at the tops and see they are burstin 

out nicely in leaf, and most of them very ful 

of blossom buds just beginning to open. 
When we examine the roots we find nearly 
all are killed. Many plums, some cherries, 
pears and apples are injured. I expect to 
have to clear off the whole farm and start 
over again. A week ago I thought there were 
many that would pull through, but at pre- 
sent I fear it will be a clean sweep. Mr. 
Carpenter, of Winona, has just been here, he 
says he thinks much damage has been done 
there also. Mr. W. H. Lee, of Virgil, writes 
me that his nursery trees (Peach) are all 
killed. Cannot send out any this season. It 
is only within the last few days that it was 
apparent what damage had been done.” 


This is indeed a deplorable story, and 
our friend Hillborn, and others in the 
same boat, have our sincere sympathy ; 
at the same time we admire his pluck, 
for he writes that he intends replanting 
as soon as possible. Time will show 
that he is doing the wise thing, 

The result will not be all loss, for the 
wreck is so wide spread, especially in the 
Western States, that large prices must re- 
sult, and the persistent grower must 
eventually receive his reward. 


Wwe 
WY SS 
RS 


S 


Fic. 1599.—J. H. Hate. 


J. H. Hale, ‘the Connecticut peach 
grower, seems never discouraged with 
reverses, and his success is phenomenal. 
He is an enthusiast, and a quotation 
from a recent address of his before the 


213 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


Massachusetts Horticultural Society, 
will be an inspiration. He says: 

The whole theory of successful soil 
culture consists in selling water, because 
it is the cheapest gift to man. The 
grain farmer cuts great chunks off the 
plant food in the soil and sends it away, 
so does the potato grower, the market 
gardener, the hay farmer, and, so to a 
less extent, the dairyman. The fruit 
grower keeps most of his plant food at 
home and sells water just as truly as 
though he tapped the spring and piped 
its water down into the market, only the 
the fruit basket takes the place of pipes. 

Fruit culture is one thing that enables 
us to sell watered stock and satisfy our 
customers. Disguised in the luscious 
strawberry, blooming raspberry, ebony 
blackberry, or beneath the rosy skin of 
some one of our delicious tree fruits, 
water finds a ready market at prices that 
leave “ millions in it” for the one who 
most skillfully assists Nature in ‘‘turn- 
ing water into wine” (fruits). Every 
season occurs the apparent miracle of 
turning water, often impure and un- 
wholesome, into rich and _ healthful 
fruits, which are “absolutely pure,’ and 
free from germs or microbes. 

How best and most economically to 
assist Nature in the work, and reap the 
greatest rewards, is the question. How 
shall the watercourses be turned into 
the channels of tree, plant, and vine, 
and help to turn the wheels of fruit cul. 
ture in such a way as to give the best 
final results ? 

A deep ploughing and a thorough 
pulverization of the soil will make it 
capable of holding much more water 
than before. A cubic foot of soil will 
hold, after being pulverized, a hundred 
times as much water as the soil would 
before. This water will be taken up by 
the roots of your fruit trees and so will 
swell up your fruit. If you cannot 


keep enough moisture in the soil by pul- 
verizing you will have to try to do it by 
mulching and if you cannot do it by 
mulching, then by irrigation, but let me 
say that you cannot irrigate a large tract 
with windmills and tanks, 

Just at present a bushel of apples; 
wheat, or potatoes sells for about the 
same price, $1 for 60 pounds. In the 
apples we sell 1 ounce nitrogeon, 1% 
ounces potash, and % ounce phosphoric 
acid, which costs 1 % cents, leaving 98% 
cents for the water. Potatoes take from 
the farm 4 ounces nitrogen, 2 ounces 
phosphoric acid, and nearly 5 ounces 
potash, valued at 6% cents, leaving 
9334 cents for the water. The bushel 
of wheat has 134 pounds nitrogen, 10 
ounces phosphoric acid, and 5 of potash, 
worth 30% cents, leaving only 6934 
cents for the water. Fifteen bushels of 
apples take no more plant food from the 
soil than one bushel of wheat, yet 
bottled up under their bright skin you 
can sell 765 pounds of water for $14.77 ! 
To sell the same amount of water in 
wheat would take 84 bushels, or the 
product of five average acres, while the 
apples would come from one well grown 
and well nurtured tree. Eighteen 
pounds water, 1% ounce nitrogen, % 
ounce potash, and so little phosphoric 
acid that you cannot see it with a micro- 
scope, all costing less than 3% a cent, 
make to quarts of strawberries, that sell 
for $1, the same as the bushel of wheat, 
which takes sixty times as much plant 
food from the soil. Selling water in a 
strawberry basket enriches both the farm 
and the farmer. 

My trial bed -and test plot of straw- 
berries is on medium sandy loam soil, 
well pulverized to the depth of 15 inches, 
then subirrigated by 34-inch perforated 
iron pipes, lying 6 feet apart, 1 foot 
below the surface. Every condition is 
as favorable as I know how to make it 


214 


UNDERDRAINING THE ORCHARD. 


for pumping water into strawberries, and 
so securing the greatest size and yield. 
It contains 12 plants each of all leading 
varieties. Each plant is allowed 214 
square feet of land. Six of the largest 
and most productive varieties yielded 
an average of a little more than one 
quart to the plant, 18,360 quarts per 
acre. The average for the whole bed, 
including many shy fruiting varieties, 
was # of a quart per plant, or 13,115 
quarts per acre, 400 per cent. increase 
over 3,200 quarts, the average yield in 
the State. These berries were so puffed 
up in size and beauty by extra condi- 
tions that their selling price was 50 per 
cent. about average market prices. 

If with water you can float 400 per 
cent. increased yield into market and 


‘soak the price up 50 per cent. more, 


does that not show profit enough to 
keep all soil pumps well oiled and leave 
a good margin for outside fun? Three 


hundred and forty of my big Japan 
plums, 82 per cent. water and 18 parts 
solid, made a bushel that sold at $4.80, 
while 720 of same varieties 26 parts solid 
and only 74 of water, made a bushel 
that sold the same day in the same 
market at $2.56, or over $1.00 per bar- 
rel for the extra percentage of water in 
the larger plums. Open up the water- 
courses of the soil, and be ready for the 
flood tide of prosperity ; it is of no use 
to dam it with “I can’t !” 

My big peaches—roo to the bushel— 
g2 parts water to 8 parts solid, solid at 
$5 ; the same variety, 400 to the bushel, 
were 84 parts water, 16 of solids, and 
sold at 70 cents per bushel—$4.60 for 
the water and 40 cents for the solids in 
the large fruit, and 58.7 cents for the 
water and 11.3 cents for the solids in 
the small ones, or $5.64 per gallon for 
extra water. 


UNDERDRAINING THE ORCHARD. 


rows of trees. The depth of the 

drains should be from four to five 

feet, not less than four and as much 
deeper as the outlet and convenience 
will allow. The tile should be two or 
three sizes larger than would be neces- 
sary to use in ordinary land draining, to 
give aeration to the soil, and not be 
liable to obstructions from small roots. 
If the drains midway between the rows 
and as much as four feet and laid with 
five or six-inch tile, the roots of the trees 
will not likely reach the drains in suffic- 
ient numbers to seriously affect the 
drainage. The deeper the drains the 


L wre drains midway between the 


deeper the roots will*penetrate the sub- 
soil. If the drains were eight feet deep 
the earth midway between the drains 
and directly under the rows of trees 
would be affected as deep as seven feet 
in a few years’ time, and the roots of 
the trees will penetrate as deep as the 
subsoil is drained within a reasonable 
limit, say ten feet, possibly more. Trees 
so deeply rooted are the better secured 
against injury from the extremes of the 
weather. With the sufficient under 
drainage of a fertile, retentive clay soil, 
the intelligent orchardist with persistent 
energy is master of the business.— 
Orange Judd Farmer. 


215 


Fic. 1600 (1) and (3).—Tools used in ringing grape vines; (2) vine showing 
ring of bark just removed ; (4) same at the close of the season. 


ee INGING grape vines is prac- 
ticed by many growers to 
q secure earlier maturity and 


larger bunches of grapes. A 
ring of bark is removed from the bear- 


ing arm between the main vine and the 


buds which are to produce the fruit of 
_ the season. This does not interfere 
with the-ascent of the sap, which passes 
through the outer ring of undisturbed 
wood ; but it does prevent the return of 
the food which has been formed from 
the sap in the leaves. Thus parts of the 
branch above the ring can draw upon all 
the food formed in the leaves of that 
branch, none of it passing on to build 
up the parent vine. Consequently the 
overfed bunches grow faster and become 
larger than their less favored mates ; but 
the vine itself may suffer, and size may 
be added and early maturity produced 
at the expense of quality. 

Ringing is performed either with knife 
or with tools like those shown in Fig. 
1600, a band of bark about an inch 
wide being removed. Since the ringing 


vine by the continued drain. 


robs the plant, it must be done with 
care to prevent permanent injury to the 
However, 
by keeping the vines well fed, maintain- 
ing a good supply of vigorous foliage 
kept free from diseases and insects and 
by modifying the method to suit the 
system of training, vineyards which have 
been ringed for ten or fifteen years have 
been kept growing and still yield heavily. 
In the twoarm Kiffin system of train- 
ing the ring is removed from each arm 
beyond the fifth bud thus leaving ten 
buds to furnish leaf surface to support 
the vine; in the four-arm system only 
the two upper arms are ringed, leaving 
the lower ones for foliage and fruit ; and 
in the renewal system the ring is remoy- 
ed just beyond the renewal bud, so that 
several shoots in the centre of the vine 
supply it with necessary food. In any 
system all fruit below the ring should be 
removed as it will not ripen well, but 
will uselessly draw food from the already 
cheated vine. 

To test the process and its modifica- 


216 


HOW RINGING AFFECTS GRAPES. 


tions tests have been carried on for two 
seasons in two localities. At Pough- 
keepsie the vines were trained on the 
two-arm Kiffin system and both arms of 
most of the vines tested were ringed 
beyond the fifth bud, four vines only 
being ringed beyond the renewal bud. 
No difference was noticed between these 
two methods ; but great difference, par- 
ticularly with some varieties, between 
ringed and unringed vines. Delaware 
ripened g days earlier, Niagara 14 days, 
Concord 17 days and Empire State 21 
days ; and there was a slight gain in 
size with Moore’s Early and Niagara ; 
but Delaware and Moore’s Early showed 
a decided loss in quality, and Worden’s 
tendency to crack was decidedly in- 
creased. ‘Two vines of Niagara ringed 
beyond the renewal bud, succumbed to 
the treatment, dying before the second 
season was over. The results of the 
second season, which was dry and hot 
toward its close, were not so marked 
Empire State was the only variety to 
show gain in size and hasten maturity. 
At Lodi the renewal system is used 
and vines were ringed just beyond the 
renewal bud. All varieties tested show- 
ed a gain in size, compactness of 
bunches or earliness ; this being quite 


marked with Concord, Geneva and Nia- 
gara; but the quality of the finer-flavor- 
ed sorts, as Delaware and Niagara, was 
inferior on the ringed vines. In the 
second season no new growth was al- 
lowed to form beyond the truit on some 
of the ringed vines, the ends of the 
vines being trimmed off ; and the quality 
of fruit was improved on such vines. 
As at Poughkeepsie, the differences in 
size and earliness were not so striking 
as in the preceding season. 

These experiments tend to show that 
ringing will mature grapes of some vari- 
eties earlier, and will make larger and 
more compact bunches ; but the amount 
of difference will vary with the variety, 
season, condition of foliage, cultural 
care, and quantity of fruit allowed to 
mature on the vine. The quality of 
finely flavored grapes is liable to be 
lowered ; but this may be remedied to 
some extent by trimming ringed vines 
so but little new growth forms. With 
careful management the vitality of the 
vines need not be seriously impaired. 

The question of desirability of ringing 
and profit therefrom is one which each 
grower must decide for himself.—Geneva 
Bul. 151. 


WHALE-OIL soap should cost about 
four cents per pound when bought in 
quantity. It requires no preparation 
other than dissolving in water, and or- 
dinarily is easily applied. Care should 
be observed to get an article that will 
not turn to jelly when dissolved at this 
rate, for jellied soap is very difficult to 
spray. The above strength, two pounds 
to a gallon, should never be applied ex- 
cept in the winter when the trees are 
entirely dormant, for an application 
when the buds are swelling or when the 
leaves are on the tree is sure to do great 
injury to the tree. 


PROPAGATING STRAWBERRIES.—-Ifone 
has a variety of strawberry desirable for 
propagation, it is a good practice to peg 
down the earliest runners close to the 
ground. If small stones are at hand, 
one placed at the end of the runner will 
do as well. Pegs are easily made, cut- 
ting twigs into lengths of eight or ten 
inches, and splitting them. They will 
then bend like hair-pins ; or tooth-picks 
may be utalized. If small pots of rich 
earth be placed under the runner’s bud, 
so much the better for an early and 
strong plant. 


217 


THE REFRIGERATOR CAR. 


adapted to the carriage 
of tender fruits and 
vegetables. Ice alone 
is used. It is placed 
in a chamber in the 
centre of the car in large 
blocks, just as it comes 
from the ice house. 
The consumption of ice 
is much less than where 
ice is mixed with salt. 
In fact Hanrahan cars 
run between Chicago 
and New York or Bos- 
ton without re-icing, 
while the ordinary re- 
frigerator car has to be 
twice replenished _be- 
tween these points with 
a mixture of broken ice 
and salt. A great sav- 
ing is made by dispens- 
ing with the cost of salt, 
icing stations, and lab- 
or and machinery for 
smashing, mixing and 
charging. The cost of 
the car is moderate 
while its life is much 
greater than that of the 
ordinary refrigerator 
car. Hanrahan cars 
that have been running 
for eight years are as 
sound to-day as when 
they were first put in 


Fic. 1601.—REFRIGERATOR CAk. 


HE refrigerator car depicted 

above is built by the Pullman 

Co. for the fruit trade, between 

the southwest and the central 

and eastern states. It is constructed 
according to the system invented by 
Mr. J. F. Hanrahan, formerly of Ottawa, 
but now of Chicago, and is especially 


use. The lining of the 
ordinary refrigerator car, especially in 
the vicinity of the tanks, is usually wet 
and slimy and rots away in a few years. 
On the other hand every part of a Han- 
rahan car, even the inner sides of the ice 
chamber is at all times perfectly dry. 
As might be expected, the tempera- 
ture of the car is not as low as where a 


218 


THE REFRIGERATOR CAR. 


mixture of ice and salt is used. In fact 
Mr. Hanrahan has found a low tempera- 
unnecessary for the preservation of 
perishable goods. Cold is not of the 
the first importance, though the ordinary 
experimenter thinks of nothing else. 
What is essential is that the air in the 
chamber should be kept at all times 
active, dry, inodorous and otherwise 
pure. The moisture and odors given 
off by the goods carried, the heat which 
they exhale or that which they absorb 
from the warmer air surrounding the 
car body, must all be abstracted from 
the chamber. Decay may be retarded 
for a time by a low temperature alone, 
but the products carried or stored, fruit 
especially, will ‘‘ go down,” or otherwise 
decay as soon as exposed to ordinary 
+ aa 

Experiments have demonstrated to 
Mr. Hanrahan that the elimination of 
moisture and the products of decay from 
the refrigerator chamber is of far greater 
importance than the maintenance of a 
very low temperature. Such tempera- 
tures have been maintained in the ship- 
ments that have reccntly been made to 


England. The cold was produced by 
the most approved chemical processes. 


The temperature of the storage cham- 


bers was all that could be desired, but 
no application was made of the cold 
produced to rid the storage chamber of 
the moisture, gases, odors or heat pro- 
duced by the goods carried. The result 
was necessarily failure. On the other 
hand, as Professor Saunders testified a 
few years ago in his address before the 
Fruit Growers’ Association, large quan- 
tities of tender fruits were carried by the 
Hanrahan process to the Indian and 
Colonial Exhibition at London, and 
exhibited in perfect condition. The 
success of that shipment has never since 
been duplicated, and it never will be 
until shippers adopt a rational system 
of cold storage and_ transportation. 
Though Mr. Hanrahan is a Canadian 
his cars are not running between Cana- 
dian points. ‘They however, pass through 
Ontario every day successfully carrying 
the products of the United States. 
F. R. LATCHFORD. 
Ottawa. 


DEVICE FOR PICKING GOOSEBERRIES. 


T is the habit of all our sorts of 
gooseberries to grow in a tangled 
mass of branches close to the 
ground, says Orange Judd Farmer, 


Fig. 1602.—GoosEBERRY PICKING MADE 
Easy. 


The result is most difficult picking and 
scratched hands. Fig. 1602 shows a 
simple plan to obviate the difficulty. If 
one has many bushes this plan will prove 
especially advantageous. The stout 
wire ring, Fig. 1603 is put about under 
the low lying branches and hooked. 
Then the three wires are hooked into it, 


Fie. 1603.—Wire Rive. 
the wires drawn up and hooked over 
the stake that is stuck down in the 
middle of the bush. One can then 
reach under the bushes very easily. 


219 


DAE LER 


CATERPILLAR 


Fie. 1604.—THe Trent-CaTeRPILLaR. 


HE orchardist who suffers se- 
verely from the apple-tree 
tent-caterpillar (C/stocampa 
americana) must, without a 

hearing, be condemned as careless. 
Many did so suffer last year and the un- 
sightly nests of the caterpillars were all 
too common in otherwise well-kept orch- 
ards ; yet this pest is almost the easiest 
to combat of all the fruit-grower’s ene- 
mies. It may be quite readily located 
and destroyed while in the egg, the tents 
are conspicuous and quickly burned, 
the young caterpillars yield speedily to 
arsenicals and the white cocoons plainly 
show themselves for destruction on the 
sides of buildings, on fences and on rub- 
bish, where they are usually placed. 

The effect of the nests in marring the 
beauty of the orchard shculd be suffi- 
cient reason for proceeding vigorously 
against this enemy ; but a more influen- 
tial motive lies in the voracious feeding 
habits of the larvee. The caterpillars in 
a nest of ordinary size will consume 
2,500 apple leaves in a week ; and as 
they feed for five or six weeks, those 
from two or three nests may almost 
completely strip a tree of its foliage and 


greatly lower its vitality. They seem to 
prefer the taste of the wild cherry, and 
this tree was probably their original 
food plant. All such trees should be 
carefully watched as they are liable to 


be starting points for the invasion of ° 


nearby orchards. Next to the wild 
cherry the caterpillars seek the apple ; 
but they also do considerable damage 


upon cherry, plum and peach ; and are | 


known to feed upon the rose and other 
members of the rose family, and upon 
witch hazel, beech, birch, oaks, willows 
and poplars. 

During most of the year, from late 
July until the following spring, the in- 
sect will be found in the egg. These 
eggs are laid in peculiar rings or bands, 
*‘thimbles ” or “caterpillar belts ” some 
call them, about the smaller twigs as 
shown in Fig. 1605. From 150 to 250 
of these eggs are crowded together in 
this band, which may reach nearly, or 
quite round the twig. It is covered 
with a thick layer of glue which makes a 
glistening protection from the weather. 
These bands are large enough to be 
plainly seen and can easily be removed 
and burned when pruning the trees. In 


220 


THE TENT-GALTERITLLALG 


many places it may pay to 
offer a small price per hun- 
dred to encourage the chil- 
dren to collect them. This 
was tried in New Hampshire 
and one case is _ recorded 
where 8,250 egg masses, equi- 
valent to 1,237,500 eggs, were 
collected for $8.25. The lit- 
tle caterpillars form in the 
eggs in the summer but do 


not hatch until the middle or 
last of the following April. If 
food is not :yet plenty they 
live for a few days upon the glue which 
has been their winter bed-blanket, but 
soon begin the construction of the well- 
known nests. These are usually placed 
in some crotch of twigs near the aban- 
doned little honeycomb-like egg-bane 
and are formed by the threads of silk 
which the caterpillars spin. As the 
larvee grow and the nest becomes too 
small another sheet of threads is spun, 
so that the tent is really a succession of 
nests one outside the other. These 
white or yellowish masses of silk are 
easily destroyed by burning on the tree 
or by cutting off the twig and crushing 
the nest. ‘his should be done in the 
evening or just before a storm when the 
caterpillars have sought shelter. 

The caterpillars feed until late in May, 
when, after four or five molts, they are 
of the size and appearance shown in Fig. 
1604. ‘lhe body color is black, but a 
prominent white stripe extends the full 
length of the back. ‘There are also 
numerous shorter irregular white lines 
and a row of oval, pale blue spots upon 
each side; while the entire body is 
thinly covered with long yellowish hairs. 
The caterpillars, especially when young, 
can easily be killed by two or three 
sprayings with some arsenical poison. 
Several natural agencies serve to keep 


Fic. 1605.—Eco Masses or AppLe-TREE TENT- 


CATERPILLAR. 


the caterpillars within limits: Some of 
the ground beetles and the spiny soldier 
bugs catch and eat the larve ; several 
species lay their eggs within the bodies 
of the caterpillars and the little grubs 
which hatch from them live upon the 
caterpillars’ life blood ; and a bacterial 
disease frequently destroys large num- 
bers. These friendly agencies are but 
slightly under man’s control; but the 
birds which prey upon the pest would 
respond quickly and _ beneficently to 
efforts to protect and encourage them. 
The principal birds feeding upon the 
tent-caterpillar are the yellow-billed and 
black-billed cuckoos and the black-cap- 
ped chickadee, but others known to do 
some service in this line are the Balti- 
oriole, red-eyed and _ warbling 
vireos, wren, chipping-sparrow, yellow 
warbler and crow. 

The larvee crawl down the trunks of 
the trees in late May, when they are 
mature and are nearly two inches long, 
and spin their cocoons on the trunks of 
the trees where partially protected by 
the rough bark, in the grass under the 
trees, on and about the fences, and very 
often about the eaves and window cas- 
ings and along the sides of out build- 
ings. hese cocoons are quite conspi- 
cuous even when placed singly; but 


more 


2a2it 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


when in succession as shown in Fig. 
1606, there is no excuse for not discov- 
ering and destroying them. 

From ‘these cocoons the reddish- 
brown moths emerge in late June and 
early July and soon lay the eggs which 
complete the life cycle. These moths 
are quite large, as shown in Fig. 1607, 
and are easily distinguishable from all 
but a few closely related species, by the 
two oblique, nearly parallel bands of 
white crossing the fore wings. 


quite similar to the apple tree tent-cater- 
pillar in appearance or habits and which 
may do damage in the orchards, though 
not usually so abundant as these spe- 
cies. The forest tent-caterpillar (C7Zzszo- 
campa disstria) ordinarily feeds in the 
wouds upon the maple; but frequently 
mingles with its relatives in the orchards 
and is distinguishable from them only 
by a few minor characteristics. The 
egg-masses, are similarly placed but are 
cut off squarely at the ends instead of 


Fic- 1606.—Cocoons OF THE APPLE-TREE TENT-CATERPILLAR. Natural size (Original.) 


Most of the measures to be taken 
against this pest have already been in- 
dicated but may be concisely summar- 
ized as follows: Protect and encourage 
birds ; destroy the egg-bands and co- 
coons and reward the children for col- 
lecting them; burn out or crush the 
nests while the caterpillars are in them ; 
spray the trees with Paris green, and 
last, but not least, see that wild cherry 
trees, crabapple trees and neglected 
apple trees along the roadsides are kept 
free from the pests or cut down. 

There are two other insects which are 


being somewhat sloping as are those of 
the apple-tree caterpillar. This is 
caused by the eggs in the end rows of 
the bunch, as well as those in the cen- 
ter, being placed upright ; while the end 
rows of the first described masses are 
inclined. The tents are more delicate 
and less conspicuous and are frequently 
lacking ; the caterpillars have a row of 
diamond-shaped white spots along the 
back instead of a single white line ; and 
the parallel bands across the wings of 
the moths are dark rather than white 
and the space between thelinesis darker. 


222 


THINNING FRUIT: 


Fie. 1607.—FeMALE Motu oF THE APPLE-TREE TENT-CATERPILLAR. 


The fall-web worm (Myphantria cunea. 
makes a tent in the fall—not in the 
spring—which includes the leaves upon 
which the caterpillars feed ; these latter 
pupate in the fall and pass the winter 
in the cocoons. The moths, which are 


white or slightly flecked “with color, 
emerge in the spring. 

The methods of repression for these 
insects are similar to those given for the 
apple-tree tent-caterpillar.—Geneva Ex- 
periment Station. 


THINNING FRUIT. 


We will next consider the thinning of 
fruit. I wonder how many of you 
practice the thinning of fruit on your 
apple trees. Now, apple trees will do 
a good deal if you do nothing for them. 
But the man who wants good apples— 
apples that will pay—in the future will 
practice thinning his fruit. I should 
take a young tree which attempted to 
produce one hundred apples, and remove 
at least fifty of them, leaving not more 
than fifty to ripen. The next year, if it 
attempted to produce two hundred, I 
should leave one hundred or less, and 
the next, if it had one thousand apples, 
I should leave three or four hundred 
only. By this method I should get 
that tree into the habit of annual bear- 
ing. The man who will make fruit 
growing a profitable business will thin 


all his fruit. A peach tree“that will set 
one thousand peaches needs to have six 
or seven hundred thinned off. The 
commercial side of fruit growing de- 
mands thinning of nearly all your fruits. 
You will get more bushels to the tree 
within reasonable bounds; the more 
you throw away the more pounds or 
bushels you will have left, increased 
size more than making up loss in num- 
ber. In thinning Japanese plums I 
should leave the fruit four inches apart, 
and peaches from five to six inches. If 
you will make a practice of thinning 
your fruit from the trees, you will usually 
get four dollars for one. I have often 
had it increase the crop fifty per cent, 
and the selling prices five hundred per 
cent.-—J. H. Haug, before Mass. Hort. 
Society. 


223 


THE SECRET OF PROFITABLE STRAWBERRY 
GROWING. 


HAVE long ago come to the con- 
clusion that the great secret of 
growing strawberries profitably, 
and the one most difficult to solve, 

is to find out the varieties which are 
most suited to the particular soil and 
climate in which they have to be raised. 
Not only has this been my own per- 
sonal experience, but I have noticed in 
studying the numerous reports of the 
various experiment stations, that while 
one variety may be most productive at 
one place, it will be utterly worthless in 
another. The varieties not only differ 
in vigor and prolificacy, but they seem 
to vary sometimes in firmness and I 
often note that one variety is reported 
as firm at one station, and soft at 
another. Varieties, however, that are 
large or small, late or early, have good 
fruit stems or poor ones, seem to have 
these characteristics nearly everywhere 
It is mainly in the quantity and not the 
quality that the strawberry varies, and 
out,of 80 varieties you may often notice 
whereas the 5 or 6 best varieties yielded 
at the rate of 5,000 or 6,000 quarts per 
acre, the remaining 75 will not average 
2,000 quarts. ; 

These variations occur not only in 
the newer and untried varieties, but 
even in the old standard sorts, although 
to a less extent. Frequently one sees a 
certain variety at the very top of the 
list at some one station, and always 
doing well there, while I fail to find it 
favorably mentioned any where else. 

In the selection of varieties it is al- 
most useless to go by the description 
given in the nursery catalogues, as a 
variety may do exceedingly well on the 
particular spot where it originated and 
yet be utterly worthless nearly every- 


where else. Furthermore, the descrip- 
tions given are seldom impartial. The 
only safe plan is to select those varie- 
ties which will give the best results in 
the greatest number of neighborhoods, 
as the chances are in favor of some of 
them giving the best results on your 
own farm. Get roo of each variety and 
note the results, and then grow only 
those which have turned out well. 

The above is, as I say, the safest plan, 
but it is not the best way of getting the 
very best varieties, because your selec- 
tion will only be made from old stan- 
dard sorts, whereas my own experience 
is that the very best results are from the 
newer varieties, that have only. been 
propagated some 5 or 6 years. ‘This is 
partly due to the fact that varieties are 
apt to degenerate or run out after many 
years of careless propagation, and partly 
due to the fact that some other newer 
varieties are undoubtedly an improve- 
ment upon the older ones, especially in 
size and number of quarts to the acre. 
Some three years ago I made a selection 
from about 60 of the most popular varie- 
ties and only Enhance, Greenville, 
Beder Wood, Wartield, Captain Jack 
and Gandy gave good results, and the 
latter was by no means prolific, although 
the quality was the very best. These 
were, however, altogether beaten by the 
Bismarck and two or three new varieties, 
not now in general cultivation. 

This has led me to make a still 
further trial of some of the newer varie- 
ties, which have given the best results 
in some particular sections, and it may 
interest your readers to go over my 
selection, bearing in mind that the 
qualities which I aim at are vigor and 
productiveness, combined with a large 


224 


7 


A DREADED PEST OF THE APPLE. 


berry, for I find that buyers zé/7 have 
large strawberries. Then the fruit must 
be firm enough to stand shipment of 
300 or 400 miles and keep in good con- 
dition for 48 hours after gathering. 1 
want some early varieties, but not unless 
the quality is A No. 1, for if my first 
shipments are small and inferior, my 
customers fail to repeat their orders, 
thinking that the late ones will be equal- 
ly poor. It usually pays me quite as 
well to be able to prolong my shipments, 
as to begin extra early. I also look for 
varieties with good fruit stems that will 
hold the berries out of the mud when 
we irrigate. Now I do not mean to say 
that all the varieties 1 have selected for 
fruit come up to my standard, nor are 
they all of recent introduction, but I 
am led to believe that some few of them 
may beat any I have hitherto tried. 
They are Magoon, Pride of Cumberland, 
Edward’s Favorite, Kentucky, Splendid, 
Jessie, Glen Mary, Jerry Rusk, Eureka, 
Gertrude, Sunnyside, Hunn, Laxton’s 
Noble, Nick Ohmer, Robinson, Holland, 


Carrie, Enormous, Ruby, Hall’s Favo- 
rite, Ohio Centennial, Beverly, Iowa 
Beauty, Martha, Muskingum, Princess, 
Aroma, Giant, Crawford, Equinox, 
Princeton Chief, Georgia ‘Triumph, 
Fountain, Ridgeway, Ponderosa, Clyde. 

It will be noticed that a great num- 
ber of well-known and equally good new 
varieties are missing from this list, but 
this is because myself or some one else 
has tried them and found them deficient 
in some necessary quality. Other 
growers may have better results with 
such strawberries as Brandywine, Wm. 
Belt, Mary, Parker Earle, Lady Thomp- 
son, Woolverton, etc. 

From my own experience I believe 
that the man who tries too and selects 
5 or 6 of those that give him the best 
results, will raise double, if not thrible, 
the quantity of fruit per acre, and better 
fruit too, than if he follows the advice 
of some book or plant catalogue, or 
even the advice of a friend.—F. C. 
Barker, iz Strawberry Culture. 


A' DREADED’ PEST OF THE APPLE. 


HE apple maggot, or railroad 
worm, is a serious pest that is 
rapidly spreading from the east 
to the west. The mature in- 

sect is a fly, which cannot readily be 
poisoned, and it is supposed that the eggs 


Fie. 1608.—Marture Fry or APPLE Macoot. 


which produce the maggots are deposit- 
ed by the flies in the pulp of the apple 
beneath the skin, so that the young 
maggots are secure within the fruit, from 
the time the eggs are laid until they are 
mature and emerge from the apple to go 
into the ground. The maggot is very 
small, and honeycombs the fruit doing lit- 
tle material injury to the skin or exterior 
appearance, but causes streaks of rot in 
the flesh of the fruit, that are very repug- 
nant tothe consumer. The soil beneath 
infected trees was examined at the Rhode 
Island experiment station last fall 
(bulletin 37, L. F. Kinney), and the 
number of maggots that were secreted 
under different trees was estimated to be 


2 225 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


Fig. 1609.—APPLE Maceor 


from 1600 to over 12,000. When hens 
were penned under the trees, they work 
ed faithfully and seemed to get enough 
food from the ground to sustain them 
during three or four days. It appeared 
as if few of the maggots were likely to 
be overlooked by the hens.. It is pro- 
bable that the apple maggots remain in 
the pupa state in the soil beneath the 
trees in that latitude from the time 
they leave the apple in the fall until the 


following spring, so that confining 
poultry in the orchard in the fall is the 
most practical treatment for this pest 
that can now be suggested. It is impor- 
tant to ascertain the distribution of the 
pest, and all who observe it will please 
report tous. Carefully feeding all wind- 
falls or refuse apples to hogs or the 
stock is advised. Sheep, hogs and 
poultry should be kept in the orchard 
after haying, if not before. Clean cul- 
ture is also advised. Spraying is no 
protection against this pest, because it 
does not affect the fly that lays the egg. 


' —Am. Agri. 


FAMEUSE APPLE. 


T a recent meeting of the Mon- 
treal Horticultural Society, of 
which Mr. W. W. Dunlop has 
been for many years the 

esteemed Secretary, the following tri- 
bute was given to this famous apple. 

I once heard a remark by that veteran 
pomologist, Dr. T. H. Hoskins, of Ver- 
mont, which struck me forcibly at the 
time. He said: ‘I believe there are 
about three hundred kinds of Fameuse.’ 
This, of course, was said in joke, but ex- 
pressed the fact that numerous apples 
of Fameuse type were known to exist on 
the island and vicinity. We know of 
the Red Fameuse, the Fameuse, there 
is also the Striped Fameuse (Fameuse 
barre), of which no doubt the Snow 
apple of Ontario is a degenerate off- 
spring There are the Fameuse Sucre, 
and many seedlings which | closely 
resemble the parent. 

The Canada Baldwin, Decarie and 
McIntosh Red are very near relations of 
La Fameuse. The Red Fameuse is, no 
doubt, the handsomest, the most pro- 
ductive, successful and profitable apple 


of this province. It excels all other 
varieties for quality, and since the advent 
of spraying with Bordeaux mixture we 
can grow as fine specimens as in years 
gone by. 

The Fameuse has been known pro- 
bably over two hundred years. Trees 
were sent to England, and the fruit ex- 
hibited there at the Horticultural Society 
exhibitions as early as 1818. It is a 
common fallacy to suppose that Fam- 
euse is dying out. Let me tell you that 
as long as a variety is profitable it will 
not die out. For example, the Ribston 
Pippin of England, produced from seed 
brought from Normandy, it is said, about 
1689, is yet one of the most popular 
apples of England, and to-day is very 
largely grown in Nova Scotia and On- 
tario. 

The American Baldwin was _intro- 
duced about 1750, the Rhode Island 
Greening about 1765. The Roxbury 
Russet originated about 1649. All of 
the above mentioned are favorite market 
varieties of the present day. 


226 


FRUIT INSPECTION NECESSARY. 


or four seasons become a great favorite, 
famous in England. Since the means 
of ocean transportation are improving 
year by year, the successful exportation 
of this favorite apple to England is as- 
sured. Cold storage in transit, 1s, thanks 
to our honorable Minister of Agriculture, 
an accomplished fact. By means of 
cold storage we can not only put our 
fruit on the London market in_ prime 


FRUDD INSPECYT 


TRONG resolutions have been 
forwarded the Canadian De- 
partment of Agriculture by our 
Association asking that venti- 

lation of holds in vessels intended to 
carry our apples and other fruits, be in- 
sisted upon; that government agents 
be placed at the principal shipping 
parts to see after the proper loading and 
storage of our fruits; and that some 
steps be taken toward inspection of 


fruit in closed packages intended for 
export. 


In these requests, the Fruit Growers’ 
\ssociation’s and Horticultural societies 
of the Dominion have united with us in 
pressing upon the Minister of Agricul- 
ture, and we are glad to report that some 
immediate action will be taken in our 
behalf, especially in the two first men- 
tioned points, 
our opinion the most important of the 
three, seems likely to be shelved, because 
no definite and practical plan has yet 
been placed before the Minister. 

A special despatch to the Globe, 
dated Ottawa, May 16th, says :-— 


The latter one, and in 


Prof. Robertson tells the Agricultural Com- 
mittee this morning that the Canadian apple 
trade in Great Britian is not in a good way 
owing to lack of care, lack of skill and lack of 
honesty in packing the fruit and to damage 
sustained by the fruit in its carriage across 
the Atlantic. Representations have been 
made to steamship agents for proper ventila- 
tion of holds in which apples were carried, 


condition in the autumn, but in years of 
plenty, by placing our crop in cold stor- 
age here, and sending forward shipments 
during winter as prices on the other 
side improve, prevent a glut in the Eng- 
lish market which often obtains during 
heavy fall shipments. My advice to the 
orchardists of this province is, keep on 
planting Fameuse, as well, of course, as 
other varieties that are profitable. 


ION. (NECESSARY. 


but up to the present few ships have been so 
equipped. 

In proof of the deception practised in pack - 
ing, Prof. Robertson read a letter from ex- 
Mayor ‘Varne of Yarmouth, N. S., where the 
salvaged cargo of the Castilian was sold. 
Mr. Warne expressed disgust at the way in 
which the barrels were packed, with windfalls 
in the centre. He sent on twosamples of top 
rows and fillings, which Prof. Robertson 
showed the committee. The latter was a 
miserable specimen, not one-sixth the size of 
the apple which was used at the two ends of 
the barrel. Prof. Robertson stated that he 
had considerable evidence of the form of dis- 
honesty which was going to injure the Cana- 
dian apple trade if it was not stopped. 

Several members suggested that inspectors 
should be placed at the different ports in or. 
der to prevent badly packed or dishonest 
shipments, but Prof. Robertson pointed out 
that this was a difficult questiou to settle. 
If the fruit-growers would only realize the 
injury they were doing themselves they would 
give up the practice. 

Mr. Grindley, the special agent of the 
department in Britian, pointed out how the 
Nova Scotia and California apples had made 
a place for themselves by being of uniform 
quality and size, and of one or two varieties, 
although the so-called Canadian apples were 
of far better quality. But these latter were 
of so many varieties and so badly packed that 
they were not wanted on the London market 
and were sent down into the provinces. A 
model packer was Mr. R. W. Shepherd, of 
Como, who shipped Fameuse apples to the 
Prince of Wales and the Army and Navy 
stores in boxes with a pasteboard compart- 
ment for each apple and these arrrived in 
excellent condition. Mr. Grindley spoke 
strongly on the necessity for proper packing 
and grading, and packing fruit in a cool state. 
He was glad to know that the steamship 
companies were going to provide ventilated 
compartments for apples. 

Hon, Mr. Fisher stated that thousands of 
Ontario apples like those shown by Prof. 
Robertson had been sent to England last 
year, fg the great disgrace of Canada, 


22% 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULURIST. 


Mr. Grindley gave much good advice 
regarding growing, grading and packing. 
on. Mr. Fisher went over some points 
of interest to shippers and growers. He had 
for a year past received so many letters that 
he felt it was necessary to investigate state- 
ments. The committee had taken exception 
last year to the spreading abroad of state- 
ments regarding dishonest packing, but the 
reports were such that he was satisfied that 
the matter must be faced. Hundreds of bar- 
rels had been sent of such a sort that the trade 
would be ruined if something was not done. 
The English people wanted an honest apple, 
and if they did not get it from Canada this 
country’s trade would be gone. The question 
of inspection had been brought to his notice, 
but there was great difficulty in the way. 
The only way to thoroughly inspect apples 
was to empty a whole barrel out, and the fruit 
could not be repacked without loss. Besides, 
when it was remembered that in a few weeks 
in autumn over 100,000 barrels were shipped 
from Montreal, it would be seen how impos- 
sible it would be to inspect all the shipments. 
But something could be done to obtain good 
conditions on the steamer and the department 
would continue its efforts to have the com- 
panies provide properly ventilated holds. 
This season, if he got the vote he asked for, 
he would have officers at Montreal, St. John 
and Halifax to specially look after the ship- 
ping and loading of apples. The difficulties 
in the way of Government inspection were 
numerous, and he preferred to bring all the 
facts of the matter before the public. As to 
the quality and grading of the fruit, the 
growers and shippers had the remedy in their 
own hands. 


Now of what avail will it be to have 
first-class conveniences on ship board, 
and proper storage, if no steps are taken 
to stop the rascally practices of certain 
large buyers and shippers who buy 
whole orchard crops and pack them in 
the manner that was exposed by the 
wreck of the steamer Castidian? It is 
not our Canadian apple growers that are 
guilty of this dishonesty. It is certain 
sharpers who are making a big specula- 
tion for their own pockets at the expense 
of the reputation of our honest fruit 
growers. 

These men do an enormous trade ; 
they buy our apples at 75 cents or $1 
per barrel, send their gangs of packers 
through the country, with definite in- 


structions to put all the small, poor 
apples in the centres of the barrel, to 
save out all the big fine apples to face 
up the ends. 

Are our authorities powerless to stop 
this roguery? It is all very well to 
bring the facts before the public and 
depend upon moral suasion and patriot- 
ism to correct the evil ; but the rogues 
will still practice their deceit, and laugh 
at us while they fill their pockets at our 
expense. 

Buthow could an inspector go through 
the 100,000 barrels of apples, or more, 
shipped from Montreal in a single 
season ? 

Why, there is no need of such a thing. 
The very fact of an inspector being ap- 
pointed would frighten these thieves, 
even if he never did a thing more than 
pace the wharves at Montreal with his 
hands in his pockets. But let him keep 
his eyes open, and his hands a little 


busy with a barrel opener, and he would. 


very soon get track of the brands that 
were unreliable. We can give him the 
names of a few who shipped such stuff 
on the Caséz/tan, and our English friends 
can name others. 


Give the inspector the privilege of in- 
specting any lot he chooses—no one but 
a rogue will object—and if he finds one 
fraudulent package, then let him detain 
that whole lot for careful examination. 
If he finds ten barrels out of a hundred 
fradulent let him forbid the shipment 
of the whole lot, or confiscate them. 
We venture to say that after the first sea- 
son the inspector would have very little 
work to do; for the very fact of his 
being at the port and the possibility of 
his opening some barrels for examina- 
tion would have a most salutary effect 
upon the whole apple shipping fraternity. 


228 


ABOUT THINNING FRUIT. 


SMALL, insipid, worthless peach 
A is sure to be the result when this 

system is not practised, in instances 

where the trees are overloaded- 
The product is wanted by no one, and 
rarely will sell for sufficient to pay the 
cost of marketing. From an economic 
stand-point it does not pay. 

The rule I have adopted is to thin the 
fruit so as to leave that remaining about 
six inches apart on the limbs, I have 
found the same rule to work equally well 
when applied to apples and pears, par- 
ticularly if the former are to find their 
way on to the city fruitstands. Four 
dollars per barrel was received for apples 
in October last thus treated, that would 
not have turned the scales at two dollars, 
if left untouched. Mr. John Craig and 
Prof. Waugh, of Vermont, saw this fruit 
when being packed for shipment, and 


could scarcely recognize the variety, as 
they had seen it grown in other sections. 

One-half of the crop of an extremely 
heavy setting of Kieffer pears was re- 
moved and allowed to go to waste on 
the ground. The portion that matured 
was fine and sold at high prices, and in 
my opinion gave a larger yield than if 
all had remained on the trees. 

Many canning factories in purchasing 
the apples and pears consumed, demand 
that no fruit delivered them shall run 
under a specified diameter. They are 
important factors in the consumption of 
our surplus fruits; hence their require- 
ment is an additional argument in favor 
of the work suggested that deserves 
more general consideration at the hands 
of all growers of fruit.— Correspondence 
Country Gentleman. 


NOTES "FOR STRAWBERRY CULTURE. 


abundance of moisture in all 
stages of growth, but this is most 

easily secured during the first sea- 

son by attending to the proper details in 
preparation of the soil, and in cultivation. 
Early and continuous cultivation 
saves the moisture to a greater extent 
than is commonly supposed. It has 
been found that the loss of moisture 
from unplowed ground may be in excess 
of that from cultivated soil to an amount 
equal to an inch and three-fourths of 
rainfall in a week. A man with a team 
and a sprinkling cart could not replace 
the water on an acre of land as fast as it 
escapes by evaporation from the soil, 
when it goes off at that rate, if he had to 
haul the water one fourth of a mile. The 
importance of stirring the soil soon after 
a shower is generally known; but in 
practice, cultivation after slight showers 


J stuminee 0 plants require an 


229 


is often neglected. This is because the 
soil does not become compact and no 
crust forms after slight showers, hence 
the necessity of stirring the soil at once 
is not apparent. 

A slight wetting of dry soil, however, 
increases the upward flow of water, 
hence there is more water added to the 
surface soil at such times than comes in 
the form of rain. 

The sun and wind soon dissipate the 
slight rainfall and along with it much of 
the water which came from the lower 
layers of the soil, leaving the soil dryer 
than before. 

As the two are commonly used, a cul- 
tivator is a better machine for irrigating 
than a sprinkling cart. The cultivator, 
if rightly used, saves moisture, while the 
sprinkling cart is more likely than not 
to be the means of wasting it.—Ohio 
Bul. 85. 


THE CHLERY: CROP. 


family garden or more extensively 
for market, has been so simplified 
that every home should have its 
supply the season through and well 
along into winter. From extensive and 
careful tests the past season with dif- 
ferent varieties and the new and old 
methods of culture, we conclude that 
while the so-called self-blanching sorts 
are more easily grown and more profit- 
able for the market gardens, they have 
not the crisp, nutty flavor, nor the long 
keeping qualities that will recommend 
them for the home garden. For this 
the “one” variety is Giant Pascal ; it 
is the king of celeries. Paris, golden 
self-blanching, is the best of its class, 
and New Rose the best red variety. 
Regarding culture, the old trench 
system is done away with, and the cel- 
ery plants are set on the level surface, 
about 6 in apart in rows, from 3 to 4 
ft. apart. After the celery has attained 
to a growth of to or 12 in it. should.be 
‘handled ;” that is, the earth should be 
drawn up firmly for a few inches around 
the base of the plants to cause the erect 
or upright growth necessary for celery. 


T : culture of celery, either for the 


According to the most approved method 
now in use, this handling is all the 
celery gets ; all the subsequent bleach- 
ing is done with boards 10 to 14 in. 
wide, and of any desired length, placed 
close up to the plants on each side and 
held together by stakes. These blanch 
the celery perfectly, keep the plants free 
from dirt, and after the first cost are the 
cheapest of any method of culture. 

The old theory that contact with the 
ground was necessary to blanch celery 
is exploded. For the benefit of novices 
it may be best to state briefly that for 
early celery, the plants may be grown in 
spent hotbeds, about April, and trans- 
planted about June, will furnish celery 
for the table all the fall. Early celery 
hardly ever escapes blight or rust. For 
winter use sow seed in open ground and 
you get stocky plants to set during July 
and on into August. Celery needs cool 
weather to grow its best, and the later it 
can be left out before being winter 
packed the better it will save. Mind, 
however, when preparing celery for 
winter not to handle or pack when wet 
with dew or rain.—{E. V. Albany Co., 
NiY.] 


NOTES FROM SIMCOE COUNTY. 


pretty severe one, and we read of | 


Tm: the past winter was a 


extensive damage to tender fruits 

in southern Ontario, yet every- 
thing in the fruit line has come through 
fairly well here. I quite expected to 
find a number of the more tender varie- 
ties killed or badly injured. But very 
little damage has resulted. All the 
tree fruits with the exception of a few 
Dwarf Duchess pears, have come through 
all right. The Purple apricots had a 


close shave, but seem to be coming all 
right now. 

Of the small fruits, strawberries have 
been badly winter killed where not pro- 
tected. Early King and Erie _black- 
berries are killed down to the snow 
line, while Agawam and Eldorado are 
alive and healthy down to the ends of 
the tips. Raspberries have come through 
well. Even the Cuthbert better than 
usual. I have had this year a very in- 
teresting example of the wonderful 


230 


NOTES £ROM SIMCOE COUNTY. 


recuperative powers of nature. I had 
top-grafted a number of Flemish Beauty 
and Russian pears with several of the 
more tender varieties. They made a 
rapid growth, and on that account I 
thought they would surely succumb to 
the severity of the winter. 

I examined them in March and they 
were to all appearance dead. The bark 
and tissues were dark and discolored 
like dead wood. I thought they were 
gone for sure. But I was agreeably 
surprised to see them budding out. 
The bark has again become green and 
the tissues assumed the normal healthy 
condition, and they are now nearly out 
in leaf. Prof. Bailey writing on this 
subject, says that trees store up nutri- 
ment in their tissues sufficient to bring 
the tree into full leaf, yet if badly injured 
from severe cold they may die later 
on owing to the frozen wood being un- 
able to draw nourishment from the soil. 
For the same reason a tree will blossom, 
the petals will open although the pistil, 
the vital part of the blossom, may be 
killed during the winter. He says there 
are exceptional cases, as in the case of a 
vigorous healthy tree which may entirely 
recover though apparently winter killed ; 
and if these grafts entirely recover it will 
be one of the most remarkable cases of 
recuperation that has yet come under 
my notice. I believe that good care 
and cultivation has much to do with the 
hardiness of a tree, and that a tree is 
much like a man inthis respect. The 
more vigorous and healthy he is, the 
better will he be able to withstand ex- 
tremes of temperature. Proper ferti- 
lizing has no doubt much to do with it. 
Furnishing the tree with a well balanced 
ration will be conducive to the building 


up of good healthy hardy wood and a 
vigorous constitution. 

This will be an off year for plums 
and early apples here, apparently. They 
bore such a large crop last year, that they 
failed to form fruit buds. 
apples, judging from present appear- 
ances will be the largest crop since 1896. 

The tent caterpillar is very much in 
evidence, and promises to repeat the 
devastation of last year in some orchards. 
But where people spray their trees and 
do it properly, there is no trouble. 
For the destruction of the codling moth, 
a valuable adjunct to the spraying of the 
trees, is the placing of pieces of canvas 
or woollen rags in the crotches of the 
trees, and examining them occasionally 
after the apples begin to drop. I tried 
it last year on a small scale and found 
it a great success. 


But winter 


When an orchard is cleanly cultivated 
and the trees scraped to remove the 
rough bark, the larva of the moth readily 
take advantage of the rags, as a suitable 
place to pupate in, here they spin around 
them their cocoon from they 
emerge a perfect insect. ‘rom the time 
the early apples begin to drop these 
traps should be examined occasion- 
ally until late fall. When a number have 
collected, the rags may be plunged in 
boiling water and replaced. They should 
be examined late in the fall and again in 
spring before the blossoms come out. 

Keeping hogs in the orchard to eat 
up the fallen apples is, where practicable, 
also a valuable aid. 

I believe if these niethods were used 
together with a faithful and proper use 
of the he codlin moth 
would soon be almost entirely exter- 
minated. 


which 


Spray pump, 


231 


PUFF BALL—Lycoperdon Gemmatum. 


MUSHROOM 


FAMILY. 


S we stroll through the dry 
pastures after a rain we are 
likely to spy balls of grayish 
white here and there along 

the path, some half-hidden beneath the 
fallen leaves, some large enough to stand 
out boldly among the surrounding grasses 
and small plants. 

Let us pick up one and break it 
open. Within we shall find, if the 
fungus is young, a mass of firm white 
substance which, as we examine it, looks 
rather pretty. Perhaps we shall find one 
a little older ; the inside of that will be 
of a gray color with a spongy texture. 

As the puff-ball grows still older, its 
‘outer skin turns brown and becomes 
papery, and the substance within, really 
a great number of spores, become ripe 
and separate into loose particles that 
seem almost like fine dust. When fully 
ripe the ball bursts at the top and the 
little spores go flying all about, lodging 
in many a little crack and crevice. 

The puff-ball is edible only when the 
spores contained within the skin form a 
fine-grained, firm white mass. Then the 
skin may be removed and the “ meaty ” 


substance fried in butter as a dish for 
the table. 

Of this dish, one versed in the art of 
cooking and eating mushrooms, says: 
“Slice and seasoned in butter and salt, 
and fried in the pan, no omelette is half 
as good in richness and delicacy of 
flavor.” 

One variety of puff-ball grows quite 
large, one ball often weighing several 
pounds, so that it is sufficient to make 
a good meal for a large family. When 
mature, the spores of this species are 
sometimes used to stanch wounds; the 
smoke coming from the burning spores 
will stupefy bees and may also be em- 
ployed as an anesthetic. 

In England puff balls are often called 
Puck-fist and Puck’s stool. Another 
name, referring to the discharge of the 
spores from the ball, is Devil’s snuffbox. 
The Scotch call this fungus “ blind 
men’s een,” and it is thought that the 
dust, if a bit of it should blow into one’s 
eyes, would cause blindness. The 
Welsh term it ‘‘ bag of smoke.”—Ameri- 
can Florist. 


THE Croton has long becn regarded 
as one of the handsomest conservatory 
plants, and it is now coming into use 
for house and garden. It is a stout 
shrubby tropical plant, grown solely for 
for its handsome foliage ; the flower is 
insignificant. The leaves are usually 
very richly colored, green, bronze, red 
and yellow, and the shape _ varies 
greatly in different varieties. Some 
crotons have narrow, ribbon-like leaves ; 
others are strap-like, twisted like a cork- 
screw, rolled up like shavings, or fluted 


into waves along the edge. It is only 


of recent years that the crotons have 
been used in bedding ; in a favorable 
situtation they make a piece of gorgeous 
color, but they will not stand an exposed 
place, where rhey will suffer from sweep- 
ing wind. They must not be planted 
out before the middle of June, and must 
be taken np before the nights become 
cold in Autumn. Indoors a croton 
makes a fine centre for the fern pan, 
though it does not last very long under 
these circumstances ; small plants are 
also very suitable for the Wardian case, 
and luxuriate its close, moist atmosphere, 


232 


THE FREESIA. 


(Part III. of a paper read before the Hamilton Horticultural Society, by Mr. Wm. Hunt.) 


Ire. 1610.—THE FREEsIA, 


ND now we come to the last of 
my three subjects, the Freesia, 
that beautiful little bulb which 
produces those deliciously 

scented, tube like flowers, so popular 
with every one for button-holes, sprays, 
or table decoration, and which are to be 
seen in every florist’s window in early 
spring. We are also indebted to the 
Cape of Good Hope for this little gem 
in the bulb line. It is of recent intro- 


duction, not having been brought pro- 
minently into notice until about twenty- 
five years ago. There are two varieties 
of the Freesia, they both belong to the 
natural order of Irids, which include 
several numerous classes of plants. The 
Freesia refracta alba is as its name im- 
plies, nearly white in color; the other 
variety, Freesia Jleitchlinii being very 
similar to vefracta alba, of a somewhat 
stronger growth than the latter, a creamy 
yellow tinge running through the flower 
with a deep blotch of orange color on 
one or more of the petals, giving it rather 
a pretty appearance. 

With the Freesias, as with most other 
classes of plants increased from seed, 
we have already variations from the 
original ; in some flowers a bluish tinge 
may be noticed, but not of sufficient 
importance to produce any material dif- 
ference, either in growth, or color of 
flower. By sowing the seed early in 
the spring and growing on in pots or 
frames they can be flowered the same 
year. The best way to raise them from | 
seed is to sow a few seeds in two anda 
half inch pots, thin the plants when 
about one and a half inches high to five 
or six, Or more ina pot, and grow on 
into five or six inch pots. ‘To flower in 
this method prevents any check when 


233 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


transplanting, as they do not like to be 
disturbed at the roots when in a grow- 
ing state. Or you may secure some 
good bulbs from any seed or florist’s 
establishment when the bulbs are dor- 
mant ; get them in July or August if 
possible, when they can be at once pot- 
ted into four or five inch pots, filled 
with good loamy potting soil, very little 
if any drainage being required. Plant 
the bulbs so that the tip or point of the 
bulb is just under the soil; press the 
soil lightly around the bulbs, water 
thoroughly. If the soil settles, so that 
the bulbs show, cover with more soil, 
water, and either plunge or stand the 
pot out-of-doors on coal ashes, to pre- 
vent worms getting into the pots. Water 
only when appearing to be dry ; sparingly 
at first, but sufficient to soak the soil ; 
increase the supply of water as required 
when growth commences, which will be 
slow. The pots can remain out of doors 
until about September, when they can 
be taken in and placed ina cool tem- 
perature, ranging from 40° to 55°, as the 
freesia rebels at any attempt to force it, 
resenting such treatment by producing 
small and inferior spikes of flowers, and 
producing small bulbs which will give 
poor results the following season. A 
few pots may be put into a warmer posi- 
tion when flower spikes appear so as to 
secure a few early flowers ; by judicious 
management a succession of bloom may 
be secured from Xmas until Easter, 
possibly later. The plants may be sup- 
ported as required ; I find the best plan 


is to put four or five small sticks around 
the edge of the pot, high enough to 
support the foliage, and wind around 
from one to the other of these fine twine 
or raffia. The after treatment of this 
bulb is very simple ; keep them grow- 
ing in a temperature as at first mention- 
ed until the foliage shows signs of 
decay, then dry off gradually, until the 
foliage is nearly yellow, then withhold 
water altogether, stand the pots foliage 
and all away in a dry cool place, free 
from frost, until the following summer, 
when they can be shaken out and pot- 
ted as above described. The freesia 
can be increased very easily, if the 
small bulbs found when repotting are 
picked out, and sown in boxes or pots 
similar to seeds of the same size, treat- 
ing after as for larger bulbs, picking out 
any bulbs that are large enough to 
flower when repotting them and grow, 
ing the small ones on again until large 
enough for flowering purposes. 

In conclusion, I may say that no 
plant that I know of, will give more 
pleasure and gratification than this 
pretty little Cape, as it is easy of culture, 
and of graceful habit, which with its 
prettily formed and sweetly perfumed 
flowers, make it so desirable an acquisi- 
tion to the amateur’s coliection of plants. 
I may add in conclusion, that neither of 
the three plants, treated on in this 
paper, will give the amateur much 
trouble with insect pests, a point that 
strongly recommends them as window 
plants. 


EARLY SEED Sowinc.—Plant seeds 
of nearly all varieties to be started in- 
doors as follows: Fill shallow boxes 
nearly full of good garden soil, sprinkle 
the seed over, then sift on enough fine 
soil to cover the seeds well from sight, 
press down fimly with a bit of board, 
sprinkle or set the box into a pan con- 


taining an inch or two of water until the 
moisture begins to show at the top of 
the soil, then cover loosely and set in a 
warm place near the stovepipe. Watch 
the box that the soil does not become 
dry and as soon as the first plant appears 
move to a sunny window.—| W. F. Heath. 


234 


a 


PROPAGATING THE ROSE. 


wood from which the cuttings are 

to be made. It must neither be 

too hard nor too soft. To be 
sure of getting it at about the right 
stage, make up the cuttings from the 
flower shoots or stalks at the terminus 
of which the flower is borne, just at the 
time the flower naturally wilts and the 
petals fall. It is not necessary at all in 
making the cuttings to have an eye, or 
joint, it might be called, at the end of 
the cuttings which enters the sand, as is 
often supposed. 

Make the cuttings about two and one- 
half inches in length, using a sharp 
knife, and in cutting let the stroke be 
slightly slanting. The ends of the cut- 
ting should be cut clean and smooth, 
and not mashed or bruised in any way. 
Let several leaves remain on each cut- 


T: first matter for attention is the 


ting, but trim off the tips of the outer 
leaves. Now procure a saucer or pan 
of some sort deep enough to hold about 
two inches of sand. After putting in 
the sand toa depth of about two inches, 
water heavily until] it is thoroughly 
soaked. With a knife make several 
cuts one and one-fourth inches deep 
across the sand, and in these incisions 
insert the cuttings, pinching the sand 
about the base of each cutting as it is 
put in. When the pan is filled with the 
cuttings about an inch apart, or perhaps 
a little more, set the pan in full sunlight, 
there to remain every day during the 
rooting process. The only operation 
necessary each day while rooting is to 
keep the sand thoroughly saturated with 
water. Neglect this one day and the 
chances are that the whole lot will be 
spoiled.—Woman’s Home Companion. 


PRUNUS PISSARDI. 


is a question recently called to my 

attention, and while my experience 

leads me to answer the interrogation 
in the affirmative, I sincerely hope that 
I am mistaken. However, I have be- 
come quite skeptical as to the value of 
this much admired tree or shrub, but I 
hope that these remarks may elicit some 
facts from other parts of the country 
which may be of value to us here. 

The trees with which I gained this 
experience were planted somewhat over 
ten years ago, and out of a group of a 
half dozen or more only one sickly 
specimen survives. The others died in 
the past two years. I do not think that 
the soil or situation can have anything 
to do with it, for in that respect I should 
consider them rather favorably located 


| Prunus Pissardi short lived? This 


in comparison to the surrounding coun- 
try. The trees are to be found in Mt. 
Olive Cemetery, situated on the eastern 
slope of a ridge which once constituted 
the beach of the lake. 

The tree which has survived is bleed- 
ing considerably and cracks badly along 
the main trunk, the effect of which is 
noticeable in the dead top. From its 
appearance this specimen must have 
once enjoyed splendid health. 

Is it our erratic western climate which 
is unfriendly? Prunus Pissardi is pro- 
bably a variety of Prunus cerasifera and 
is also known under the name Prunus 
cerastfera var. atro-purpurea. It was, I 
believe, introduced by Mr. Pissard, 
head gardener to the Shah of Persia; 
its home is Ispahan, Persia.—Gardening. 


235 


FLORAL 


A SMALL GREENHOUSE —A_ small 
greenhouse may be constructed sixteen 
or twenty feet long and eleven feet wide, 
with benches three and a half feet wide 
at each side, a walk through the centre. 
Let the house stand north-east and 
south-west, and cover with a comb roof, 
with hinged ventilators at either side, 
so that ventilation can be secured from 
the calm side of the house. If the 
walk is sunk in the ground the eaves 
need not be more than two and a half 
feet above the surface, requiring less 
heat. Use a coal oil heater, with pipe 
running aro und beneath the bench, 
to distribute the heat. A house of this 
kind requires but little care, and will ac- 
commodate many plants 


For WINTER-BLOOMING.—Now is the 
time to get your plants for winter- 
blooming. Get small plants of Mrs. 
Hill Geranium, Lopesia rosea, Agathzea 
coelestis, Crassula cordata, Abutilon 
Mesopotamicum, Strobilanthes aniso- 
phyllus, Begonia semperflorens, Begonia 
Angel’s Wing. Primula obconica, Droop- 
ing Lantana, Plumbago coccinea, Me- 
sembryanthemum grandiflorum and 
Peristrophe angustifolia variegata. Start 
in three-inch pots, and shift as the 
plants grow till they occupy five-inch or 
six-inch pots, encouraging growth rather 
than flowers. Then in the fall you 
will have fine large plants, all ready for 
doing good service in the window- 
garden during winter. Most of the 
failures to have flowers in winter comes 
from not starting in time, or getting 
plants that are not adapted for winter- 
blooming. ‘This note should therefore 
prove a timely hint to those who are 
anxious to succeed with winter flowers. 

THE TUBEROUS BEGOoNIA.—One of the 
most satisfactory pot plants for summer 
culture that I know of is the Tuberous 


HINTS. 


Begonia. It deserves every word of praise 
it has received or may yet receive. Be 
sides its handsome, thrifty foliage it pro- 
duces a_brilliant display of gorgeously 
beautiful blossoms from June till Novem- 
ber, thus making a truly charming plant, 
the delight, admiration and envy of all 
beholders. Some varieties have immense 
drooping blossoms, others more. stiff 
and erect ones, but all are comparative: 
ly beautiful in their bright, glowing 
colors. The yellow variety will be a 
revelation to those who have never seen 
it 

Plant the Tuberous Begonia any time 
from March till June, putting one bulb 
in a four-inch pot. For soil use a good, 
porous, compost, enriched with manure 
and leaf-mould, and see that the drain- 
age is of the best. Do not cover the 
bulb entirely over, but leave the concave 
end in view. Set the plant in the coolest 
most even-temperatured place in the 
yard, on the north side of some build- 
ing if possible, where it will not be in- 
jured by fierce rain and wind storms, 
and see that its supply of moisture is 
never low. Do not, however, keep it 
sopping wet, as the bulb might decay. 
Treated in this manner it will begin to 
bloom in a very short time, and bear 
blossoms until well into the fall, then it 
prepares for its annual rest. At this 
stage the foliage grows brown and 
withered, and no more buds appear. 
Then the plant should be gradually 
dried off in its dish, and put into some 
dark, frost-proof room to spend the 
winter. When growth starts in the 
spring repot, using fresh, new soil. The 
bulb will be good for several years if it 
receives good treatment. 

The Tuberous Begonia may be bed- 
ded out in the open ground, and will 
make a striking display, provided it is 


236 


FLORAL HINTS. 


planted in a rather shady place and re- 
ceives a proper supply of moisture. The 
single varieties do better in the border 
than the double ones, but either kind 
will prove unexcelled as a pot plant. 

The Gloxinia is the Tuberous Be- 
gonia’s only rival, but, inasmuch as it is 
not so free-flowering as the Begonia it 
has not so many admirers. However, 
a well grown specimen in full bloom is 
something to be proud of.—Parks’ 
Floral Guide. 


Lic—E on P.Lants.— Lousy plants 
should be laid on their sides in a sink 
and the foliage wet with tea made by 
steeping tobacco stems in water. The 
decoction should not be very strong. 
Repeat when necessary. Whale oil 
soapsuds may be used for the same pur- 
pose. Dissolve a piece of soap as big 
as your thumb in a gallon of water 
thoroughly. If the plants are in a con- 
servatory or greenhouse, by all means 
fumigate with the tobacco stems. A 
moderate amount of smoke every other 
day until the enemy is routed will not 
injure the plants ; then fumigate regu- 
arly twice a week. 


ORNITHOGALUM ARABIcUM. — The 
Arabian Star of Bethlehem is without 
a rival for cultivation in the window 
garden or greenhouse, on account of 
the ease with which it can be grown, 
and the great length of time the flowers 
remain perfect when properly grown and 


cared for. The bulbs can be potted at 
any time from September to January, 
and should be given a compost of two- 
thirds turfy loam and one-third well- 
decayed manure, well mixed. Use pots 
proportionate to the size of the bulb (a 
four-inch or five-inch pot), and in plant- 
ing set the bulbs just below the surface 
of the soil, so that they will be entirely 
covered. Water thoroughly, and place 
in a dark, cool cellar to make root. 
Then they may be removed to a light, 
sunny situation, where a temperature of 
50 to 60 degrees is maintained, water- 
ing freely, and giving as much fresh air 
as is possible.— Parks’ Floral Guide. 


SHIRLEY PoppiEs.—We shall ever owe 
a debt of gratitude to the Rev. W. Wilks 
for the glowing beauty of Shirly Poppies 
with their lovely white borders and 
splashings without the black spots. 

They are so fair and bright, laughing 
in the morning sunshine, bowing so 
sweetly to the storm, growing without 
care. I always carry the seed with me 
and scatter beside the way, any and 
everywhere I think they are needed. 
Thin them, if they come up too thickly, 
and the flowers will be of finer quality, 
but not so abundant. 

We all owe a double duty to mankind 
now such varieties of flowers are so 
abundant and so cheap. I buy flower 


seeds for gifts for little ones instead of 
sweet-meats, and they are all delighted 


with their posy-beds.—M. A. Hoskins. 


237 


+) Our Affiliated Societies. & 


GrimssBy.— On Friday evening the 
t2th of May, the Society at Grimsby 
had their annual meeting for the distri- 


bution or plants to the members. 


Mr. A. Cole the Grimsby florist, made a 
fine display of plants in bloom, besides a fine 
coljection of urns and hanging baskets, full 
of ornamental plants. .The Grimsby Band 
occupied the platform and gave a fine pro- 
gramme of instrumental music. ‘There was a 
full house and great interest was taken in the 
roll call of members, as each came forward 
for his collection of plants. 

A beautiful May wedding took place here, 
on the 11th inst., atithe house of the Secretary 
of the Ontario Association The house at 
Maplehurst was beautifully decorated for the 
occasion with evergreens, peach, crab apple, 
and double cherry blossoms, Japan quince, 
roses and carnations. The work was done 
by five young lady friends of the the bride 
and their work was well worthy of notice in 
connection with our Grimsby Society. Miss 
M. F. Woolverton, now Mrs. Mode, will make 
her home in Yarmouth, N S. 


LinDSAY.— TREATMENT OF HOUSE 
Piants. The council chamber present- 
ed a charming and esthetic appearance 
on Thursday night, April zoth., when 
about 100 people ranged themselves in 
_ front of a long bank of blooms to hear 
Messrs. Maxsom and Beall discuss 
matters pertaining to the care of fruit 
and flowers. The magnificent speci- 
mens with which Mr. Maxom illustrated 
his remarks were at once charming to 
see and helpful to a comprehension of 
the points discussed. Maxom’s remarks 
ran somewhat as follows : 


MISTAKES ABOUT WILD PLANTS. 


Unless one is a close discerner he is apt to 
get mistaken ideas about the way to treat 
plants from watching them in their wild con- 
dition. Forexamplo; ferns grow in swamps, 
and one can easily imagine he should keep 
his tame ferns in very wet soil but that is not 
the case. No ferns want much water. The 
wild plant grows in the swamp but on 
soil that is covered with water perhaps for 
a short time but not for long and is of such a 
nature that it dries out very quickly. Even 
calla lilies cannot be grown in water at home. 
They do live in water out-doors but it is run- 


ning water and pure. When in-doors in 
stagnant water they die for the water becomes 
foul. These are only two examples of how 
one may be misled by wild plants unless he is 
a close observer. 


THE PROPER SOIL FOR POTS. 


Black muck alone is not a good thing to 
pot plants in. In the first place you cannot 
get it sweet and clean unless you expose it to 
the light and air for two years. Taken di- 
rectly into the house it soon smells very foul. 
The leaf-mold found in the hardwood bush is 
one of the very best things for lightening up 
the soil for plants. In England they have 
men go about the parks and collect all the 
leaves. These are thrown in between stone 
wall or some such place and left for a couple 
of years when they can be sifted. Half a 
bushel of soil, one peck of manure and a peck 
of the mould make a splendid mixture to put 
plants in. 


ABOUT FLOWER POTS. 


Do not put a young plant into a large pot. 
It ls better to have the roots come out to the 
edge than have so much soil that it sours and 
kills the plant. A three inch pot is large 
enough to begin with for most plants. Then 
move them into one an inch larger and so on 
an inch at a time. 


HOW TO PUT PLANTS INTO THE POTS, 


When you have the proper soil and the 
proper pot put a little dry grass into the bot- 
tom and then put in the plant and punch the 
soil down firmly-around it with a wooden pad- 
dle. Do this thoroughly for if any cavities 
remain the water will all run into them and 
sour there while the rest of the soil will be 
parched. And if the soil is loosely put in it 
will be too open and the water will run 
through it and do the plant little good. 


HOW TO GET THEM OOT. 


Many people run a knife around between 
the soil and the pot when they want to take 
the plant out. There is great danger of cut- 
ting the delicate roots that way. If the 
plant has been properly potted it will slip out 
freely if turned upside down over the fingers. 
The pot may be gently tapped if necessary. 


FLOWERS NEED LIGHT. 


Mr. Maxsom spoke very pointedly about 
keeping plants in the dark. He said there 
was only one plant that will live in the dark. 
Its name was such that it is no wonder it had 
to stay in-doors. Many ladies were said to 
be so particular about the sun fading their 
carpets that they let the darkness fade the 
flowers instead. He had seen many languish- 
ing plants that needed only more light. 
Plants do not like to be put into prison, 


238 


OUR APFILTATED SOCIETIES. 


ABOUT WATERING PLANTS. 


Continuing Mr. Maxsom spoke on the fol- 
lowing strains: One of the chief points in 
the care of plants is the watering. It should 
be done with great care, too much or too 
little will kill your plant. There are two 
way of telling when a plant needs water, by 
the weight of the pot and by the sound when 
it is tapped. When it feels light or rings 
when tapped the soil is dry. A damp soil is 
heavy, the pot has a dull souna when struck. 
Water should be poured on slowly until it 
runs down into the saucer. If a plant is real 
dry it may need to be watered two or three 
times in succession before it is well soaked. 
The carpet is often an enemy to the plants in 
this matter as well as in that of the sunlight. 
Many a house-keeper fails to puc enough 
water on their plants that are kept in doors 
for fear of the carpet being soiled. It isa 
question between having the carpet and your 
flowers injured. It is well to take the plants 
to a sink where you can water them freely. 


Some flowers are ruined for that season if 
allowed to get once thoroughly dry. The 
maidenhair ferns is an example. The rubber 
plant will stand a good deal of drought. 


WASH THE PLANTS, 


It is important to wash plants occasionally. 
Take them to the sink and with a fine sponge 
bathe the leaves. They are refreshed by a 
bath as well as a human being. — Be careful, 
though, not to dry them in a draft or low 
temperature for they are very sensitive to 
chills, A little soap in the water will do no 
harm. Tobacco smoke is the best remedy 
for a green fly. Take a large paper bag ; put 
the plant into it and close the top. Theu 
make a small hole through which to insert the 
stem of a lighted pipe. Get a smoker to 
blow the smoke from the pipe into the bag. 
That avoids all heat, which is injurious to 
the plant. When the bag is full of smoke 
stick a bit of paper over the hole and the fly 
will be killed. 


POTATOES (POR PROEIL. 


S the tendency of potatoes after a 
few years of cultivation is to de- 
teriorate, it becomes necessary to 

have new varieties to take their places. 
Most of the kinds cultivated twenty 
years ago are now superseded by varie- 
ties of recent introduction. In the last 
half-dozen years we have had a number 
of new varieties of superior excellence 
in all of the qualities of first-class table 
potatoes. As most desirable of late in- 
troductions may be named the New 
Queen, Early Essex, Carman No. 1, 
Carman No. 3, Banner, Somerset, and 
Enormous. 

From the experience of the past few 
years it seems indispensable to have our 
crop of potatoes planted very early in 
the season, so as to have them well ad- 
vanced in growth to escape the ravages 


of the potato beetle, and the blight 
which usually appears in the latter part 
of July or during August, and is apt to 
be followed by more or less rotting of 
the potatoes. Two important advan- 
tages in the early crop are that the price 
of potatoes is much higher than later in 
the season, and the land can be used 
for a second crop of celery or late cab- 
bages with but little cost of cultivation, 
thus adding quite an amount to the 
yearly profits. 

Another method I have practised 
very satisfactorily is to plant about the 
fifteenth of June every third row with 
squashes ten feet apart inthe row. ‘The 
potatoes being harvested early, the 
squashes will occupy the land later, and 
produce about as large a yield as if no 
other crop had preceded them. 


239 


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will not enable us to discontinue it, as we cannot find your name on our books unless your Post 
Office address is given. Societies should send in their revised lists in January, if possible, otherwise 


we take it for granted that all will continue members. 


+3j Notes and @omments. & 


WESTERN New York horticulturists 
have secured the right to ship car-load 
lots of pears and quinces in boxes and 
kegs as fourth-class, and in_ lesser 
quantities, second-class. This means a 
reduction over the old rates of 10 cents 
per 100 pounds in car-load lots, and five 
cents on smaller shipments. 


SHIPPERS Count.—Mr. Britton com- 
plained at the Rochester meeting, of the 
unfairness on the part of railway com- 
panies in refusing to take the responsi- 
bility of the count of carloads of fruit 
packages. He says: 


‘* We have, not one, but dozens of instances 
where we load, and take our certificates of 
weights from the weigher, or our account of 
barrels, and the bill of lading is marked 
‘‘shippers count or tally,” except where we 
ship from the larger cities. : 

When the car reaches its destination the 
purchaser, reports it to be so many hundred- 
weight short ; they again furnish the city 
scale weights and we are obliged to pay for 


2000 lbs and often 3000 lbs, or five and ten 
barrels of apples short at $3 per barrel, for 
which we are unable to collect. Is it asking 
too much, under the circumstances, that 
every railroad should know what it receives 
and delivers.” 


THE MANCHESTER SHIP CANAL is 
likely to open up the interior of England 
to our fruit trade so that many fruit 
merchants who have been in the habit 
of buying from the great fruit brokers of 
Liverpool, may now receive consign- 
ments direct from Canadian growers at 
reasonable freight rates. Goods are 
being delivered at Manchester at about 
the former Liverpool rates. Mr. R. 
Dawson Harling, of Toronto, is the 
agent for this canal. 


THE BISMARCK is a new and valuable 
apple from New Zealand. It is said to 
be remarkable for its early bearing, even 
grafts one or two years old carrying fruit. 


240 


NOTES AND 


The fruit is large, yellow and red, and 
considered very handsome ; the flesh is 
tender and mild subacid. 


APPLE CANKER. Mr. V. Paddock 
writes that the form of apple canker 
which effects the trees in England is 
distinct from that prevalent in America. 
The former is caused by a species of 
LVectria, the latter has been prevalent in 
America for years, but has only recently 
been identified. The data given on 
page 163 are not sufficient to. decide 

‘finally upon the disease affecting our 
subscriber’s trees. 


A New WRINKLE IN SPRAYING is 
reported from California. Some old 
apple trees of Santa Barbara were badly 
scale infested; and were sprayed with 
pure kerosene, and immediately after 
with a weak solution of caustic soda. 
The oil routed the scale, and the caustic 
soda then neutralized its power to in- 
jure the tree. 

This may bea useful hint for farther 
experiment. The usual solution of soda 
is 2 ounces to 4o gallons of water. 


New SEEDLING APPLES. Mr. J. P. 
Williams of Bloomfield sends us 12 
samples of a fine looking winter apple, 
which he says is a seedling of the old 
Wax apple or Belmont. He says it much 
resembles the parent only it is a better 
keeper, hardier and later coming to 
maturity, is thoroughly hardy and yields 
very few culls; the tree is an immense 
cropper, and begins bearing at a very 
early age. The apple is certainly re- 
markably fine in appearance, with a 
beautiful bright red cheek, and should 

sell wonderfully well in an old country 
~ market. 

Mr. Williams sends us several other 
seedlings as (1) seedling of Ben Davis, 
(2) Seedling of Greening, quite hardy, 
(3) Seedlings of the Spitzenburg. 


COMMENTS. 


Our Pianr Distrisution.—One of 
the most difficult undertakings in hand 
is to send out four or five thousand pre- 
miums and give each member satis- 
faction. During thé last two or three’ 
years unusual care has been taken by 
the Nursery from whom they are pur- 
chased to give us the very finest stock 
and to send it out in prime condition ; 
but who can conirol Jack Frost, and 
last winter the old ice King has gripped 
our temperate clime with an icy hand, 
and winter-killed many trees and shrubs 
always counted perfectly hardy. When 
dug and shipped the premium plants 
appeared perfectly sound, the young 
buds were even pushing out; but since 
mailing them we have word from some 
of our members that their rose and 
their eleagnus plants were apparently 
drying up. ‘This must be the effects of 
the rigorous winter, and is something so 
beyond our control, that we do not see 
how we can replace them ; we can only 
ask the indulgence of our subscribers 
and hope that such a misfortune will not 
again occur. 


THE VALUE OF A MULCH of snow, or 
of some cover crop in winter time, is — 
plainly evident since the severe winter 
just passed. The protracted cold weath- 


_ er in February without snow protection, 


reached down deeper than usual and 
destroyed many peach trees, even in the 
milder parts of Ontario. Wherever the 
ground was protected by a cover crop 
the trees have survived, and are coming 
out as healthy as usual. 


Now that we are on‘the war path 
against fraudulent fruit packing, evidence 
of the gigantic extent of the evil con- 
stantly accumulates. Only to-day (May 
22nd) we are in receipt of the following 
lines from Mr. George Maun, Leeds, 
England. He says:—‘“I bought 50 
barrels Canadian apples last year 


3 243 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


through a commission man, but a more 
disgraceful lot it would be hard to find. 
They professed to be xxx, but as a fact 
they had been sent from Canada I 
think without marks, and these were put 
on in lead pencil, I think in England ; 
but such goods are enough to ruin any 
trade. Only one barrel seemed to have 
been properly marked, and had on one 
x. The apples were the veriest refuse 
of the orchard—particularly small—ex- 
tremely covered with black spots, and 
positively not worth the carriage paid 
Sor them. This kind of dealing will 
keep the Canadian apple trade back, 
and I am sorry to say it is not a solitary 
instance in my own experience.” 


These examples are alarming, and 
from the positive necessity of having a 
detective at our wharves to watch such 
thieves and put a stop to their villainous 
practices. 


SHALL WE CONTINUE THE PLANT 
DisTRIBUTION.—If our readers would 
be favorable to it, we would advocate 
giving up this plant distribution, 
and spending the money otherwise for 
the general good. It would mean a 
saving of $500 more or less, which would 
largely increase the size of the Journal, 
and thus give each member a volume of 
much increased value, more, we are sure, 
to his interest than the plant we now 
send him. Would our readers show 
their wishes on this point by voting pro 
or con on postcards, addressed to the 


J 


Secretary? It would be a guide to the 
Executive Committee. 


RASPBERRY PuLp.—Mr. W. Boulter, 
chairman of our committee on the ex- 
port of raspberry pulps has been over in 
Great Britian interviewing jam makers 
there and getting all the information he 
can for our benefit. He encloses a let- 
ter from Messrs Anderson and Coltman, 
London England. They say: “ Last 
year, when the first fruit came in, it was 
generally expected that the crop would 
be a plentiful one, and *prices ranged at 
first from £18 to £20 per ton (2,240 
Ibs), and it was not until something like a 
week that it was discovered that the 
quantities would be kept short, and 
prices immediately began rising by leaps 
and bounds, and very soon reached £ 40 
and afterwards 50 per ton. 


With regard to the fruit itself, what 
you sent us last year we consider very 
satisfactory both in regard to color and 
in regard to substance, but we think 
that the berry might be picked when 
not quite so ripe, as it is a point to have 
the fruit as comparatively whole as pos- 
sible, and with as little liquor as possible. 
Of course it is understood that no addi- 
tional water should be added, and that 
the fruit must be pure unadulterated 
fruit, with the stalks taken out, and no 
sugar or any other substance in it; and 
nothing should be used in the way of a 
preservative, either salycilic or boracic 
acid, or anything else of this nature. 


ATA 


244 


4 Question Drawer. & 


Growing Chrysanthemums. 


1094. Six,— Would you please give me 
some hints for growing chrysanthemums. 


If our correspondent will turn up our’ 


report for 1897 he will find an excellent 
article by Prof. Hutt, on this subject. 
The following brief hints are given by a 
Canadian florist :— 


During the past decade, the chrysan- 
themum has been and still is the most 
popular of all fall blooming plants, and 
is properly called ‘** Queen of Autumn.” 
Coming into bloom as soon as the 
dahlia is over, its flowers last throughout 
November and early December, if the 
plant is properly protected from freezing. 
The culture is very simple, as they grow 
freely in any rich, well-drained soil 
whether of a clayey or sandy nature’ 
Young plants should be secured in May 
or June and planted if possible, on the 
east or south side of a fence or build- 
ing, that they may easily be protected 
from cold, freezing winds in autumn. 
The plants should be cut back early in 
July, and again each two or three weeks 
afterward, until early in August, when 
the shoots should be allowed to grow. 
By this time each plant should present 
a well branched and stocky appearance. 
The plants must of course, receive 
thorough cultivation throughout the 
summer, and the surface of the ground 
never allowed to get hard or baked. 

If these few directions are observed, a 
magnificent display of chrysanthemums 
will be had in the fall after all other 
flowers have ceased blooming. 


The chrysanthemum is one of the 
finest fall blooming plants for the house. 
Young plants secured in May or June 
should be lifted into larger pots from 
time to time, until five to seven inch 


pots are reached, according as the grower 
desires. If cut back, as above instruct- 
ed, large stocky plants can be had in 
the house in full bloom throughout the 
autumn months. Few realize that 
amateurs can grow large blooms of 
exhibition quality ; yet this can be done 
by growing plants to a single stem and 
removing all but the terminal bud. In 
growing chrysanthemums in pots, they 
can be placed in frames or among other . 
flowers, but the most satisfactory way is 
to plunge the pots to the rim in the soil, 
thus causing less danger of drying out, 
and requiring much less attention. 
They must, of course, be watered dur- 
ing dry times, and the plants should be 
turned immediaiely before watering, at 
least once in two weeks, to prevent 
rooting through the pots under the soil. 

The principal enemy to chrysanthe- 
mum culture is the black fly, which is 
easily kept in check by frequent applica- 
tions of tobacco dust or spraying with a 
solution made by boiling tobacco stems 
in water. This solution should be 
about the color of strong tea. 

Even the tender varieties of chrysan- 
themums can be kept over with good 
results, by covering the plants outside 
with pine branches (or other materia 
that will not harbor mice) to the depth 
of one foot to prevent frequent freezing 
and thawing. Chrysanthemum plants 
grown in pots can be placed in the 
cellar after they are through blooming] 
and by not watering, except when abso- 
lutely necessary to prevent shriveling, 
will be in excellent condition for plant- 
ing the following spring. 


Apples for Home Use and Market. 


1095. Srr,—I see in the May number 
two questions asked and answered, but along 


245 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


the line I would advise. The first is No. 1081 
wnat variety of apples to set; your advice 
would surely mislead a great many as 42 
summer and fall apples are altogether too 
ygreat a percentage in 100 trees. 
that you advise setting 20 trees of has not 
proved to be a winter apple in this country 
but early fall, contrary to what we bought 
and sold trees for. 1t is a Minnesota produc- 
tion and keeps fairly well there but all that 
have them bearing here will bear me out in 
this and in many cases with much regret 
that it is a poor keeper. In place of these, 
if you want a red apple, set Baldwins, if not 
too far north as the trees are not as hardy as 
some others and don’t be afraid to set the R. 
I. Greening as it is hardy, a fair annual bear- 
er, and has good quality, and that always 
tells when you get strong competition. 
Then again unless EK. J. P. is close to a good 
market ten Duchess Oldenbnrg is far in 
excess of what any family could use; two 
trees of these would keep E. J. P. and grand- 
children agoing as long as they will last, as 
they ripen before the fall apples, and right 
here I might say don’t miss setting two yel- 
low Transparent in place of a Early Harves 
as it is one of the best bearers and beats 
everything for pie and sauce. 


Question 1082—Spy on Talman Sweet. 


In answer to K. J. P., I have had sixteen 
years experience and observation in grafting 
Spy on Tolman Sweet trees and can recommend 
it. There is no hardier stock than the Tol- 
man among our old varieties which is a very 
important point, and the growth is similar to 
the Spy and it certainly makes the Spy more 
inclined to annual bearing and much younger. 
It makes the fruit somewhat lighter in color 
as it takes some of the sweetness and color 
from the original tree. Greening and Bald- 
win do well on Talman but I think Kings 


are too fast a grower for top-grafting on 
them. 


G. H. Caueuiti, Nurseryman, Alymer, 

We appreciate all that our friend Mr. 
Caughell writes, and ten years ago we 
would have replied in a similar strain ; 
indeed, now, we would do so, for an in- 
quirer who is not conveniently situated 
for an export business. 

But for the up-to-date fruit grower, who 
.can ship to the seaport in a cold storage 
car, our advice is all right. The sum- 
mer and fall apples, such as Astracan, 
Duchess, Gravenstein, Alexander, Blen- 
heim and Wealthy, have proved for two 
years past most profitable varieties for 
export. Of course, they were in cold 
storage almost from the time they were 
harvested until the time they appeared 
on the consumer’s table in Great Bri- 


The Wealthy 


From Mr. Pearson’s letter we did 
not take it that he wanted winter varie- 
ties only for shipping, if earlier varieties 
were desirable. 

Mr. Caughell recommends the Bald- 
win and the Greening. These are the 
varieties we always recommended, as the 
best commercial varieties, until the ex- 
perience of the last few years has shaken 
our confidence inthem. In the Niagara 
district, at least, the Baldwin has been 
unproductive for ten or twelve years 
past, with the exception of 1896, when 
we had a surplus, and a glut in the 
apple market _ 

If the Baldwin would yield such crops 
as it did of old, it would still be the 
very best variety to plant for profit. 

The Greening is another fine apple 
and probably should have a prominent 
place in our list. It is usually a pro- 
digious bearer each alternate year, but 
it has a poor color, and has recently 
become subject to apple scab. No 
doubt Bordeaux will control this fungus 
and we may wisely plant Greening again 
for profit. 

For farmers who cannot take time to 
harvest and pack fancy summer and fall 
apples for shipping, we would give quite 
a different list for market, perhaps the 
following: Blenheim, Wealthy, Green- 
ing, Baldwin, Cranberry and Ontario. 
The two first are late fall varieties, but 
can be shipped away about October rst, 
along with the winter varieties. 


tain. 


A Fine Seedling Dessert Apple, 


1096. Srr,—I send you to-day (May 4th) 
by sample post, a seedling apple. I have 
fruited it for years, and sold it in Owen Sound 
the middle of June in as good condition as 
they are to-day. They are by all odds the 
best keeper of any variety I have. 

Jas. W. Gravy, Anna, Ont. 


This is a very nice apple, of medium 
size, oblong, of a beautiful golden yellow 
color, and of excellent quality as a table 
apple. Probably a little on the small 
side for a profitable commercial apple, 


246 


*“LNO ‘NOLDNIWV4AI ‘WAVA HOVAd ALN 10) \X4SSd NV 


THE 


CANADIAN HorticuLTurist. 


Vou. XXII. 


1899. 


No. 7 


FINW. NLY thirty or forty years ago 
it was thought almost foolish 
to plant the peach in Ontario. 
A few natural seedlings were 
growing about Grimsby, but 
no one seemed to think that 
an orchard of good varieties 
would ever live long enough to give pay- 
ing returns. About the year 1860, Mr. 
A. M. Smith and Mr. C. E. Woolverton, 
then partners in the Grimsby nursery, 
planted the first peach orchard of any 
extent in the Niagara district, devoting 
about five acres of the farm now known 
as Maplehurst, to such varieties as 
Early Purple, Early Crawford, Late 
Crawford, Royal George, Morris White, 
Old Mixon and Smock. 

Then was the time to make money 
out of peach growing, it being quite an 
ordinary thing to sell the fruit at $3 and 
$4 per bushel. 

No wonder that orchards were planted 
on all sides at Grimsby, St. Catharines, 
Niagara and Winona, and the rage for 
planting did not cease until yellows came 


PEACH GROWING IN ONTARIO. 


upon the trees and. gluts in the market 
reduced the prices. 

For some time it was thought that 
the Niagara district was the only favored 
one for peach growing until some enter- 
prising fruit growers at Leamington and 
Kingsville found that the soil and cli- 
mate of that region was also adapted for 
peach growing. Soon the planting fever 
seized that whole district, and thousands 
of acres of peaches were planted. In 
1S89, W. W. Hilborn, resigned his posi 
tion as horticulturist at Ottawa and at 
Leamington with the view of engaging 
in peach culture. About this time Mr. 
Hilborn was engaged to act as experi- 
menter in peaches, and over 150 var- 
ieties were placed in his care for trial. 
In 1892 Messrs. Morris, Stone and Wel- 
lington of Welland, Ontario, became 
interested in Essex as a peach section, 
and purchased nearly one hundred acres 
of land and planted the whole to peach 
trees, placing them under the” general 
oversight of W. W. Hilborn. 

Our frontispiece shows this farm as it 


249 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


appeared in 1898, during fruiting season. 
In each of the lower corners, says the 
Farmers’ Advocate, in which this cut 
first appeared, will be seen a single tree 
loaded with choice peaches; on the 
right hand is a Barnard tree ; on the left, 
one of the Golden Drop variety. The 


latter was taken from a tree in a block. 


containing 300 of this sort; they gave a 
yield of about 2,000 baskets, which sold 
at an average of forty-five cents per 
twelve-quart basket : nine hundred dol- 
lars ‘for this their first crop. These 
trees have been planted six years. The 
lower central picture is a view down the 
center of the orchard; at the top are 
two views looking diagonally across 
either side of the farm. The upper 
central figure is the residence of Mr. 
Hilborn, located on the opposite side of 
the road and directly in front of the 
central or leading road through the farm. 
It is built on a triangular piece of land 
containing three acres. 

The orchard contains over 12,000 
trees, not half of which bore a crop of 
fruit this season ; nearly all will be old 
enough to produce a crop next year. 
The yield, of course, is not so great on 
these young trees, the average being 
about two to three baskets per tree. 
The quantity produced by a peach tree 
increases rapidly with age. This season 
thirty baskets were gathered from a 
single tree nine years planted. It wasa 
sight worth going many miles to see the 
Brigdens, Fitzgeralds, Barnards, Cros- 
bys, Longhursts, Golden Drops, Smocks, 
and many other kinds laden with their 
choice fruit. The finest grades sold for 
sixty cents to one dollar per basket. 
Although less than half of the orchard 
produced a crop, the net returns after 
paying all expenses was, we understand, 
between $2,000 and $3,000. 

The trees are planted fifteen by eigh- 
teen feet apart, in blocks containing 


250 


twenty four rows of twenty trees in a row. 
These blocks are located on either side 
of the central drive, which is thirty feet 
in width. Between each two blocks a 
crossroad is left twenty-five feet wide for 
convenience in gathering the fruit, etc. 
The trees are pruned every spring. 
The first two or three years after plant- 
ing the trimming consists in thinning 
out the superfluous branches and short- 
ening in the longest limbs. After the 
trees come into bearing, thinning out is 
all that is required in the way of prun- 
ing. Every spring cultivation begins 
quite early or when growth starts. The 
land between the trees is plowed to a 
depth of three or four inches. This is 
done with a regular farm plow, as near 
to the trees as possible. A side draft 
is attached, which permits plowing quite 
close to them. An implement called a 
“grape hoe” is used to turn the soil 
that cannot be reached with the com- 
mon plow. Cultivation is continued at 
frequent intervals, say once a week, up 
to the middle or last of July, with har- 
row and cultivator. It is then discon- 
tinued in order that the wood and fruit 
buds will ripen up properly to withstand 
the cold of winter, When the trees are 
young, crimson clover or rye is sown 
among them at last time of cultivating. 
This is plowed under quite early the 
following spring. The fruit usually be- 
gins to ripen about July 15th to 25th. 
One variety continues to succeed an- 
other until about October roth to 25th, 
thus give a continuous supply for three 
months. The fruit is carefully picked 
into baskets by men and boys. All of 
the fruit is not in condition to pick at 
once. The trees have usually to be 
gone over three or four times at inter- 
vals of two or three days, in order that 
all may be gathered at the proper degree 
of ripeness, each time taking only what 
is sufficiently ripe for market. As fast 


THE KIEFFER PEAR. 


as the fruit is picked it is carted to the 
packing-house ; here it is turned out in- 
to trays containing canvas bottoms to 
prevent bruising. It is then sorted 
carefully into the different grades as 
required for market. Four and eight- 
quart baskets are used largely in which 
to pack the first early fruit ; later, twelve- 
quart and bushel baskets are used as the 
fruit becomes more plentiful. 
Unfortunately for Essex peach growers 
the three weeks of unusual severe wea- 
ther in February 1899, without any snow 
to protect the roots, was fatal to the 
peach orchards in that county, and not 
only there but also did immense dam- 
age to peach orchards even in the 
Niagara district. Mr. Hilborn wrote 


(see page 198) that one man in Essex 
had lost 2100 bearing trees, and the 
damage seemed universal except where. 
the roots where protected by some cover 
crop About Hamilton the peach 
growers are checkered with dead trees 
and from many quarters we hear a simi- 
lar tale of evil. 

Michigan peach orchards have suffered 
very severely, from which State large 
quantities of peaches are annually ship- 
ped into Canadian markets. It’s an ill 
wind that blaws naebody good,” so per- 
haps those growers whose orchards have 
escaped injury will this year make up 
for the unprofitable seasons which they 
have recently passed through. 


THE KIEFFER:PEAR. 


Kieffer and have had opportunity to 

test it from most of our Missouri 

soils, beside those of many other 
States and am free to say that I have 
never sampled one that could be called 
good that did not grow on such land as 
we call poor, or where the subsoil is 
red, such as is found in most of the 
Ozark’s regions. 
- If the Kieffer pear is planted on such 
soil and the trees are not allowed to 
bear too full, but the fruit is properly 
thinned at the proper time, and picked 
when not quite ripe, and each specimen 
wrapped in paper and packed in barrels, 
or bushel boxes and stored in a cellar 
with a temperature of not more than 50 
degrees, that will lower a little later 
to 40 degrees, and allowed to remain 
there until towards the holidays, and 
then submitted to a temperature of 


| HAVE been a close observer of the 


about 60 degrees for a few days, they 
will be ripe, will colored, sweet and 
juicy, and almost as good as a Bartlett. 

Now if these pears grown under favor- 
able conditions are so much improved 
by this treatment, of course those grown 
under other conditions would be im- 
proved in proportion under like treat- 
ment, besides the advantage of going 
on to the market at a time when they 
are wanted, and would sell for a good 
price. Unless something of this kind 
is adopted, we may some day wish we 
had not planted so many Kieffer. On 
the other hand, if even a part of the 
growers adopt this or some similar plan, 
we will find our market supplied with 


_ luscious, juicy Kieffer pears in midwin- 


ter and selling at a profit to the grower. 
Will those who are growing this pear 
take the hint ?>—J. C. Evans, Mo. 


251 


(‘S681) Ysenbs Jo 1qrYxe STY YIM ayey oyY HOTZ SuTUIN eI “YoLepoy) Jo 


‘HOONUVM ‘WA “SIN—TI9T 


“Oly 


252 


HOW TO GROW 


Str, I send you picture of three big squashes 
which grew in Goderich last year and exhibit- 
ed at our fallshow. This picture was taken 
when coming from the fair, with myself stand- 
lng at the back ; they weigh 3884, 3554, and 
344 lbs. each. I thought it might bea suitable 
souvenir of the productiveness of our great 
province to be placed in your office where 
visitors could see it. 


Wn. WARNOCK. 


’ Mr. Wm. Warnock of Goderich has 
certainly made himself famous by the 
marvellous sample of Rennie’s Mam- 
moth Squash, which he exhibited at the 
Columbian Exposition in 1893. It 
was the wonder of our visitors, whom 
we always took around to see the big 
squash that beat the world. California 
came nearly up to us but failed by a 
few inches of the size of our Ontario 
giant, which weighed 365 lbs. 

We have often thought that some of 
our readers might be interested in 
monstrosities in the vegetable line and 
would gladly welcome the secret of Mr. 
Warnock’s wonderful success, and since 
he freely sends us the following direc- 
tions for growing big squashes, we wil- 
lingly give them a prominent place. 

“My land is made in good condi- 
tion, being heavily mianured every year, 
it is of gravelly formation with about 
sixteen inches of clay loam ontop. A 
three hundred pound squash can be 
grown on any part of it by the following 
method of cultivation: For each hill I 
intend to plant, about the first of April 
I take two good wheelbarrow loads of 
hen manure, and mix with four barrows 
of good soil taken from some other part 
of the lot, this is mixed a second time 
the middle of April. The first of May 
I add four barrows of well-rotted man- 
ure and mix thoroughly, then about the 
eighteenth of May make hills and 
plant, dig out a space seven feet in 
diameter and fourteen inches deep, fill 


BIG SQUASHES. — 


in my compost mixing, and with it some 
of the best earth which was thrown out, 
and when finished, the hill will be about 
ten feet in diameter and six inches 
higher in the centre than the surround- 
ing level. Then plant the seed. Hills 
want to be about twenty feet apart ; 
work the ground well until the’ plants 
commence to run. When about three 
feet long I mulch the ground all over 
for twenty feet in diameter around each 
hill with horse manure three inches 
deep, and stake the vines down with 
sticks to keep the wind from rolling 
them about, so that they may root at 
every joint. It is of great advantage to 
keep the vine from fruiting as long as 
possible, by pruning all fruit bloom off 
until about the last week in July ; this 
will give time enough to mature a three 
hundred pound squash by the first of 
October, for there must be a big vine to 
produce a big squash. I practice fer- 
tilizing a few of the first bloom that 
come, when I think the vine is strong 
enough to grow a good specimen, by 
cutting off some of the fresh false 
bloom, trim the corolla or flower leaf 
off, and rub the stamen in around the 
fresh fruit bloom. This is necessary 
when fruit bloom opens on a morning 
that is unfavorable for bees to do their 
work, and it assures the setting of the 
specimens just where you want them. 
It also gives extra vigor to the growth 
of fruit to be well pollenized. When 
the first perfect specimens have set well, 
say four or five inches in diameter, cut 
all other fruit and blossoms off, and nip 
the ends off the vines and all bloom 
that shows twice a week, so that the 
vine is not exhausted with the great 
quantity of false bloom that would 
naturally come. Now while the great 
growth of the squash is going on I use 


253 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


liquid manure twice a week along three 
or four of the principal vines of each 
hill, often six pails to the hill if it is in 
a dry time. Great care must be taken 
to give plenty of water ; for instance, in 
1893 when I grew the great specimen 
that was the largest on exhibition at the 
World’s Fair, it was a dry time with us 
at Goderich, and having the advantage 
of the town water service, I sprayed 
each hill twice a week through August 
and the first two weeks in September, 


drenching the ground each time. 

I expect all have heard of feeding 
squash and pumpkin by injecting milk 
or other stuff. This is a ridiculous silly 
humbug. I have practiced several 
methods along this line when I was 
younger, but it only makes me ashamed 
to confess it, and I am now quite satis- 
fied the only thing that will increase the 
size of the fruit comes out of the vine, 
and the vine must get its support from 
the natural roots.” 


THE EXPORT OF CANADIAN GRAPES. 


HE overproduction of fruit in On- 
tario is most evident in fruits not 
exportable. For apples and pears 
of a No. 1 quality there seems to 

be an unlimited demand in Europe, 
and we are confident that if our best 
varieties of grapes could be landed in 
first-class condition, and once intro- 
duced among the middle classes, they 
too would find an unlimited sale. As 
_ it now is, our own markets are glutted 
with them, and unless the Northwest 
opens up a large trade in them, we shall 
soon have to dig out one half our vine- 
yards. 

Realizing this condition of affairs, the 
Dominion Minister of Agriculture has 
tried for two years experimental ship- 
ments of grapes, without success ; for 
it has been found that the English peo- 
ple will not take our Concords, and no 
more of that class will be sent forward. 
We are however hopeful that our 
Rogers’ grapes may meet with more 
favor, and our Exécutive Committee 
has submitted the following resolution 
to the various local societies for en- 


dorsation, so that the Minister of Agri- 
culture may be assured of the support 
of the public in his further efforts to 
open up English markets to our tender 
fruits. 


To the Honorable Minister of Agriculture : 


Whereas, the grape is one of the most im- 
portant fruit products in Canada, and very 
large acreages are devoted to its production, 
and 

Whereas, of late years the yield has been 
so abundant that our home markets are glut- 
ted, and the price too low to leave any profit 
to the grower, and ~ 

Whereas, certain varieties of Canadian 
grapes have superior flavor and excellent 
carrying qualities, as, for example, the 
Rogers’ Hybrids, and 

Wheras we are persuaded that English 
consumers need only to become acquainted 
with the excellence of such grapes to become 
fond of them, 

Therefore, Resolved, that we humbly pray 
that you will export in large quantities our 
best Rogers’ grapes to the best English mar- 
kets ; that they be put up in neat and at- 
tractive packages, and sent out in costermon- 
ger carts in such a city as Manchester, until 
the trade reaches a firm basis. 


Already we are receiving official 
notices from the various local societies, 


saying that they fully endorse the above 
resolution. 


254 


EXPORT OF FENDER APPLES. 


N the 26th of May Prof. 
Robertson and Mr. Grindley 
met the shippers at Grimsby 
to consider plans for farther 

experiment in shipping tender fruits. 
Peaches, tomatoes and grapes have been 
so unsatisfactory thus far that it was 
not proposed to receive any of them from 
shippers on guarantee, but the Govern- 
ment might buy some of these fruits for 
purposes of experiment. 

The Dairy Commissioner said the 
Government would push the export of 
pears and early: apples in particular 
during the coming season, because 
there seemed to be good ground for 
expecting that Canada would be able 
to take a first place with these fruits in 
the British market. There would there- 
fore be a large quantity of these sent 
forward, providing the crop was of fine 
quality. There would seem to be a 
good opening for fine, high colored 
Astracan, Duchess, Alexander and 
Gravenstein apples, among the summer 
and fall apples, if forwarded in small 
packages in cold storage. 

It was advised that apple growers in 
each province make specialties of a few 
of the kinds of apples that succeed and 
not to have too many varieties. Thus 
Nova Scotia has made a name for her 
Gravensteins. . 

Among the winter varieties he men- 
tioned such kinds as the King, Green- 
ing, Cranberry, Pippin, Golden Russet, 
and Spy, as varieties which were be- 
coming known as Ontario apples, and 
were in demand abroad. 

Prof. Robertson proposed trying some 
shipments of Ontario winter apples in 
the Ontario barrel, which is about 28% 
inches from croe to croe, 17% inch 
head, and 65 inches around the bilge, 
and some in the Nova Scotia apple bar- 


rel which has straight staves, and is 
smaller, but which appears to reach 
Great Britain with fewer slacks. He 
thinks the bilge tends to flatten in the 
Ontario barrels when piled three or four 
tiershighand thus render the apples loose 
in the interior. He had looked over 
many account sales for the purpose of 
comparison and had found in the Nova 
sales not more than 10 per cent slacks 
reported, while in Ontario sales a much 
larger proportion was not unusual. Of 
14,000 barrels of Ontario apples for 
example, that were reported, only 5,000 
were tight. He thought possibly the 
explanation was in the difference of the 
shape of the barrels. Of course it 
might possibly be due to difference in 
temperature of storage ; but if so, that 
would henceforth be remedied, for in 
response to the resolutions sent in by our 
Association, the Minister of Agriculture 
has made provision for better storage of 
fruit in trans-atlantic steamers, and 
agents of the Government would be 
sent to port towns to insist upon better 
conditions. 

The Committee discussed with Prof. 
Robertson the importance of persever- 
ing with the experimental shipment of 
grapes. So far, it is true, these have 
been a failure, but the shipments have 
been on too small a scale. Besides, 
they have been of too many varieties. 
Concords, Wordens and Niagara are 
worthless for export and large quantities 
of these varieties were previously forward- 
ed to the disgust of the English consum- 
ers, with both their condition and their 
flavor. 

We would advise shipping only the 
Roger’s grapes, such as 4, 9, 15, 22 
and 44; grapes of the highest qual- 
ity, of fine appearance and _ excel- 
lent carrying qualities. These should 


255 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


be packed in fancy packages and sent 
over in large quantities. Let them be 
peddled on the streets of the great cities 
by the costermongers, and thus intro- 


duced among the middle classes, until a 
demand has been created; then there 
will be no trouble in finding agents who 
will gladly receive them from us. 


Fic. 1612.—A SgeEDLING PLUM. 


A SEEDLING PLUM. 


A blue plum in my garden here is re- 
markable for its hardiness and produc- 
tiveness. It most closely resembles the 
variety “Prince Englebert.” The tree 
is said to have been planted about 25 
years ago, and to be the only one of a 
number purchased at the same time 
which has lived. The trunk divides in 
three parts almost at the ground, where 
it has a diameter of about 15 inches. 
It is absolutely hardy, and yields enor- 
mously about every second year. In 


1898, I gathered from it 440 pounds of 
fruit. At least 60 pounds more fell 
owing to the wind, or with branches 
which could not be propped. The size 
of the fruit is medium to large, and the 
quality good. The variety seems a de- 
sirable one to propagate, especially in 
the East; and I shall be glad to give 
scions for budding, at the proper time, 
to all who may desire them. Fig. 1612 
shows a terminal cluster of the fruit. 

F. R. L. 
Ottawa. 


256 


LAYERING THE GRAPE. 


AYERING is the simplest, 
surest and easiest method of 
increasing the grape, and is the 
best way to grow them where 

but few vines are wanted. There are 
two kinds of layers, called spring and 
summer layers, from the season at which 
they are made. 

Summer layers are made in the sum- 
mer, generally the last of July, from a 
branch of the same season’s growth. 
They are likely to be weak for several 
years, and do not make as good plants 
as the spring layers. In making them, 
the wood should be slit for an inch or 
so near the buds that are covered. 
Bury about one foot of the cane four 
inches deep in the ground and it will be 
rooted by late autumn, when it should 
be separated and be treated as a young 
vine ; and it is generally best to get 
them well started in a garden or nursery 
before planting in the vineyard perma- 
nently. 

Spring layers may be made by laying 
down any cane early in the spring. It 
will root in one season. By fall it will 


have made a good growth of roots, when 
it may be cut from the main cane, and 
if strong it may be divided into two 
plants. 


This form of layer is illustrated 


FIG. 1613.—A ROOTED FiG. 1614.—TH& ROOTED 
LAYER. LAYER SEPARATED, 
MAKING Two 
PLANTS. 


in Fig. 1613 and 1614. _ By a little 
different treatment of the spring layer a 


257 


vine may be grown from each bud on 
the layered cane. For this purpose 
some thrifty cane should be selected in 
autumn, pruned of its laterals, and 
buried. In the apring it should be un- 
covered and only one shoot permitted 
to grow from each joint. After the new 
growth has started about six inches from 
each bud the whole cane should be lay- 
ered about four inches deep, handling it 
carefully so as not to break the new 
growth. 

Fig. 1615 shows such a layer after it 
has rooted. It is a good plan to cover 
it not more than three inches at first, 
and to fill up the trench as the shoots 
grow. If covered four inches deep at 
once the young growth will sometimes 
rot, though this seldom happens, and 
some skilful growers fill the trench full 
at once. In the autumn, roots will be 
found growing from each joint, and these 


A 
ZD J GS os Cz 


The 


FIG. 1615.--A ROOTED LAYER, EACH BUD MAK- 
ING A NEW PLANT. 

may be cut apart and treated as recom- 
mended for weak vines grown from cut- 
tings. If this method of propagation is 
to be used to some considerable extent 
vines should be grown especially for the 
purpose. It is not a good plan to use 
fruiting vines for layering to any great 
extent, though it may be safely done in 
a small way.—S. B. Green. 


STANDARD SIZES OF FRUIT PACKAGES. 


BILL introduced by Mr. Penny 

to define the sizes of small- 

fruit packages was given its 

first reading in the House of 
Commons on April 13th. The object 
is to arrive at a standard measure of 
quart, pint and half-pint baskets, used 
in buying and selling strawberries, rasp- 
berries, blackberries, currants, and other 
small fruits. The bill demands that 
the standard quart when even full shall 
contain sixty-seven cubic inches. The 
standard quart basket shall be 51% 
inches on each side at the top, and 43 
inches on each side at the bottom, and 
27% inches deep. The standard pint 
basket shall be oblong, and the inside 
measurement at the top shall be 5% 
inches by 33% inches, and at the bottom 
434 inches by 2% inches, and it shall 
be 21% inches deep. The dimensions 
of half-pint baskets are also defined as 
33% inches on each side at the top, and 
234 inches on each side at the bottom, 
by 134 inches deep, all inside measure- 
ments The Bill also enacts that 
makers of baskets of less size or capa- 
city, shall mark the word “short” on 
the outside in letters not less than one- 
half inch in height. The penalty for 
selling “short” baskets of fruit not so 
marked will, upon summary conviction, 
be a fine of not less than five dollars 
and not more than twenty-five dollars. 
The Act is not to come into force until 
May Ist, 1900. 


In order to arrive at the probable 
effect of such an Act, we interviewed a 
number of fruit dealers who claim that 
such a provision, if it can be properly 
carried out, will do away with much 
dissatisfaction to both dealers and con- 
sumers, as many of the so-called twelve- 
quart baskets contain not more than 
frcm ten to eleven quarts, and smaller 
packages -in the same _ proportion. 
While the dealers interviewed could see 
considerable difficulty in having such a 
regulation carried out, they were of 
opinion that it is just what is needed, 
especially with Canadian fruit. The 
greatest difficulty, however, was ob- 
served in the way such regulations 
would effect foreign fruit, such as straw- 
berries, of which we get great quantities 
during the early season, as the cases 
from the various States differ widely in 
form if not size. It is claimed that 
there is little to complain of in the mat- 
ter of shortage in the American cases— 
in fact, far less than in Canadian—but 
as the Bill demands cases of certain di- 
mensions, an effort to compel the use of 
a regular form of box in place of those 
of a different form now in use for the 
shipment of fruit from foreign countries, 
and which are already iarge enough, 
would be to little purpose and well-nigh 
impossible of enforcement without seri- 
ously interfering with the trade.—Farm- 
ers Advocate. 


ORIGIN OF THE CaTAwBA —It is a 
fact that the Catawba grape was found 
wild in the woods of Buncombe cou.ty, 
N.C., about ten miles southeast of Ashe- 
ville. In 1807 Senator Davey, who 
lived on the Catawba river, transplanted 
some of the vines to his farm, and some 
time between that year and 1816 
brought cuttings of his vines to Wash- 


ington and gave them to some friends 
in Maryland. The Scholl vine un- 
doubtedly came from these cuttings. 
American horticulturists are agreed in 
the opinion that the Catawba is purely 
a native grape, without the slightest 
admixture from European kinds.—N 
Y. Trade Bul. 


258 


PICKING AND MARKETING PEARS. 


THINK I may safely say that the 
| ripening of pears by growers has 
received but little attention until 
very recently, the purchaser in- 
variably attending to that whenever they 
were sold in market for eating. In the 
past, I have annually supplied market 
men with hundreds of boxes at a ship- 
ment, that they might ripen for that pur- 
pose. They would store them away in 
some convenient place, and frequently 
cull them over, taking out the ripe ones, 
until they were all disposed of. 

Very often such purchases did not 
prove very profitable, though sold at 
a much higher price, from the simple 
fact that the place in which they were 
stored was not at all suitable for the pur- 
pose ; the principal loss, which was by 
decay, being very great. 

Many years back, finding my crops 
greatly increasing and the price declin- 
ing, particularly for green stock, caused 
me to give the subject of ripening the 
fruit before shipping my most serious 
attention. That season, I selected fruit 
from all the varieties that I was growing 
(some fifteen or more), and put them in 
various place in my house (which is of 
brick) from celler to garret and also on 
a shady porch, and carefully noted the 
results. 

The following spring, I erected houses 
especially for the purpose. (Described 
house here. Size, platform, how used, 
etc.) 

The fruit to be ripened is carefully 
picked and brought to the ripening 
room, where it is at once assorted ; all 
inferior, ripe, specked and bruised are 
carefully culled out, the others being 


placed in baskets (7-8 peach baskets) 
and piled as high as a man can reach 
and kept there until they begin to ripen 
which will be from 10 to 15 days, if the 
fruit is properly picked from the trees. 
By that time, any variety that you are at 
work on should be gathered and put in 
the house. It is during this period of 
picking that the market is generally 
overstocked and prices low. As soon 
as they begin to ripen, commence on the 
first you put in, to cull them over, tak- 
ing out the ripe ones to ship, putting 
back the green ones for a future culling, 
until finally they are all ripe and dis- 
posed of. 

You can work, say, on the Howell 
and Duchess for at least three weeks 
after you finish picking, before they are 
all ripe enough to ship. Before you 
have gotten through with these varieties, 
the Kiefer is ready to begin on, and 
when you have finished these, the Law- 
rence will follow, and it generally takes 
until about the first or fifth of December 
to close out our pear crop. 

As to varieties to ripen in house, I 
will say, that all varieties are not adapted 
to this system ; in fact many varieties 
cannot be handled in this way, as they 
will ripen much better on the tree, and 
can be held, if desirable, much longer 
in that way. This is particularly true 
of the Bartlett ; when housed, the Bart- 
letts all ripen nearly at the same time, 
but fortunately, it is a variety, and one 
of the leading and most largely grown, 
that sells well to canners and shippers 
when green, and they prefer them in 
that way.—Report Md. H. Soc. 


259 


THINNING FRUIT. 


HIS is another part of the New 
Fruit Culture which is absolute- 
ly essential to success in plums, 
apples, pears and_ peaches. 
The absurd method of allowing each 
tree to overload itself each alternate 
year in its natural effort to produce 
as many seeds as possible, regardless of 
the size of the fruit must come to a stop, 
and the fruit grower who means to suc- 
ceed must aim at size of fruit and not 
at the number of seeds. Even for 
evaporating, buyers will not take apples, 
for example, less than 2 inches n 
diameter, and for export it is proposed 
that we make the minimum for No. 1 
grade 244 inches. Van Deman writes 
very sensibly on this subject in Green’s 
Fruit Grower, he says :— 

There are several reasons why thin- 
ning pays. The most important one is, 
that it causes the fruit to be large and 
well flavored instead of small and poorly 
flavored. It is scarcely worth while 
arguing about the difference in value 
between large and small fruits of the 
same variety, either for market or home 
use ; and I would not do so if there 
were not so many who continue to grow 
so much of the latter kind. One big 
Baldwin, Jonathan or any kind of apple 
is worth more than twice as much as 
two of half the size. In actual net pro- 
fit it is worth fully four times as much 
whether eaten or sold. The same is 
true of pears, peaches, plums and all 
other fruits. When there is a glut in 
the markets it often occurs that small 
and inferior fruits will not sell for 
enough to repay the cost of gathering 
and transportation. 

Now if the trees that bore these small 
half or less than half-developed fruits had 
been stripped of half or three-quarters 
of them when they were about the size 


of marbles the remaining ones would 
have grown to weigh nearly as much as 
all of them and would have been worth 
much more. 

There have been several experiments 
made to obtain positive evidence as to 
the profit or loss of thinning fruit and 
what proportion should be removed. 
The first extensive experiments of this 
kind, of which I have knowledge, were 
made in California some fifteen years 
ago by Mr. A. T. Hatch, and were 
made principally upon peaches and 
pears. I heard him state that he tried 
leaving the fruits different distances 
apart; some being just as nature had 
placed them, some three, four, five and 
six inches apart and so on up to a foot. 
He said that he had finally decided that 
for these two fruits about six inches gave 
the best results. The open hand of the 
workman was given them as a measure 
by which to space them. In New York, 
Connecticut, Michigan and Georgia 
there have been several such tests with 
apples, peaches, pears and plums. Only 
a few persons have tried the plan upon 
grapes, except in house culture. In 
every case it has paid. A few have 
thinned big trees of Baldwin, Esopus 
and other apples, carefully charging all 
expense of labor and crediting the trees 
with the fruit sold. This having been 
done in comparison with adjoining trees 
that were not thinned, and of which 
records were kept of fruit sold, it was 
found that there was a very decided 
balance in favor of thinning. If this 
will pay on a few trees it will pay 
on many. It is purely a matter of 
business judgment as whether it should 
be done or left undone; just as a 
farmer thins his corn to two or three 
stalks to the hill and has big ears, or 
lets five or six stalks stand to make fod- 


260 


FRUIT INTERESTS IN PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND, 


der and nubbins. A few of the most 
progressive fruit growers have passed 
the experimental stage of the business 
and practice thinning their growing fruit 
with as much certainty of profitable 
return as they do. tillage or any other 
part of the business. 

One large peach grower in New York 
showed me an orchard in which he had 
expended about $80 in thinning in 1897, 
with an increase of over $2,000. This 


he knew from comparing it with another 
orchard which was not thinned. Another 
of the leading fruit growers of New York 
has repeatedly stated in my hearing 
and written me that he has been experi- 
menting for many years with some large 
trees of Esopus and since he began 
thinning and spraying he has not failed 
once to have a fair crop, and the apples 
have always been extra large, well color- 
ed and richly flavored.— 


FRUIT INTERESTS IN PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND. 


"=. ln Hansard of April 26th, we read the 
following : 


Mr. Martin asked : 


Does the Government propose to initiate, 
as advocated by Professor Robertson, any 
scheme tor experimental spraying of fruit 
trees? 

If so, to what extent is it proposed to ex- 
tend it this coming summer ? 

What sections are to be chosen for these 
experiments ? 

1s it proposed to extend them to all the 
provinces ? 

Is it intended that these experiments are 
to be made without any charge to orchard- 
ists ? 

If not, what charge is to be made? 

The Minister of Agriculture (Mr. Fisher). 
Professor Robertson has not advocated any 
scheme for spraying fruit trees ; but it is pro- 
posed to co-operate with the provincial 
government of Prince Edward Island and the 
Prince Edward Island Fruit Growers’ Asso- 
ciation in preparing for some trial shipments 
of fruit by the spraying of fruit trees, and ix 
the packing and shipping of apples in the 
season of 1899. 


Mr. Martin is a member of parlia- 
ment for Queens (East) Prince Edward 
Island, where recently, thanks to a well 
organized Fruit Growers’ Association, 
the production of apples especially has 
received a wonderful impetus. Every- 
body now feels compelled to walk in 
the ways of the Association and hence 
the keen interest of the politician who 
scents the necessity of co-operation, in a 
matter of vital importance to his pro- 
vince, afar. 


When Hon. Senator Ferguson resigned 
the presidency of the F. G. A. of P. E. 
I., owing to enforced absence from home 
at a season of the year when the presi- 
dent of such a live organization would 
need to be engaged in active work, he 
advised, in view of a resolution passed 
at the general meeting of the Associa- 
tion to inaugurate a service on top- 
grafting for the province, the placing of 
this whole matter of orchard advance- 
ment into the hands of Professor 
Robertson, Dairy Commissioner for 
Canada, of whose judgment and superior 
intelligence on all matters pertaining to 
Agriculture, nobody, at this late day, has 
the slightest doubt. Down in the 
island province Professor Robertson 
had taught them?how to make cheese— 
had actually built the first cheese factory 
but a few years ago and now that fair 
province is, according to Governor 
Howlan’s happy expression, ‘A million 
acre dairy farm.” The whole island is 
dotted over with cheese and butter fac- 
tories, and their numbers will go on in- 
creasing, for all the conditions for mak- 
ing the best possible cheese at the least 
possible expense obtain there. The 
people there admire Professor Robert- 
son and trust .n him implicitly. It was 


261 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


not wonderful therefore, that at Senator 
Ferguson’s suggestion the Fruit Grow- 
ers’ Association, backed by the local 
Government, asked the Minister of Ag- 
riculture to place on the Professor’s al- 
ready well burdened shoulders, the de- 
velopment of fruit culture in the “ Gar- 
den Province.” Luckily the kindly feel- 
ings which Islanders entertain for Pro- 
fessor Robertson are reciprocated to the 
full, and hence he took to the new work 
with that earnestness and industry— 
which are characteristic of the man and 
can only enter where such occupations 
are a labor of love. ‘“ Prince Edward 
Island can grow excellent fruit,” said 
Professor Roberson ;” ‘*‘ we must only 
fit up the old orchards, plant out judi- 
ciously the new, teach the people to 
graft, spray, and prune the trees they 
have and pack and ship properly the 
fruit, and, as with the cheese factories, 
so with the orcharding, this interest will 
go ahead with leaps and bounds.” 

The Minister of Agriculture con- 
vinced that the Federal Government 
ought to do something for Prince Ed- 
ward Island on the lines suggested by 
Professor Robertson and _ backed by all 
her representatives in the House and 
Senate, began to cast about for an ef- 


ficient orchardist. There was little time 
to waste as grafting time was on, so 
luckily a well recommended Nova Sco- 
tian, named George Kinsman, was se- 
cured to take charge of this im- 
portant work. Mr. Kinsman was sum- 
moned to Ottawa for instructions, and 
the most improved outfit left the Cap- 
ital on the roth of May and is now 
hard at work in Prince Edward Island, 
where the Fruit Growers’ Association 
had already a programme of operations 
cut and dried. He will have several 
young men with him, it is to be hoped, 
and as the Island province is small, 
compromising only three counties, he 
will be able to get a goodly number of 
old orchards top-grafted, and give valu- 
able instruction in spraying at once. 
The value of spraying will be demon- 
strated on the lines followed in Ontario 
and everything done to initiate the keen 
Islanders into scientific methods of 
orcharding without delay. The work 
will be invaluable and Prince Edward 
Island has already great reason to thank 
heaven for a live Fruit Growers’ Associ- 
ation. 


P. E. BURKE, 
Alberton, PET. 


TOMATO PULP WANTED IN ENGLAND. 


Canada from a house in England 


NQUIRIES have been received in 
c for large quantities of tomato 


pulp. 

The pulp must be put up in sealed 
tins, and must he free from acids or pre- 
servatives of any kind. 

Any information sent to this office 
will be forwarded to destination. 

This may open up new possibilities 
for the tomato industry. To what ex- 
tent can only be ascertained by actual 
experiment. It is to be hoped that 
persons will be found sufficiently enter- 


prising to interest themselves in a practi- 
cal way in the matter. 

Mr. J. S. Larke, the Canadian Trade 
Commissioner in Australia, in his last 
report to the Department of Trade and 
Commerce, pointed out that there was 
a maker of sauce in Australia who 
wanted tomato pulp, for which he was 
willing to pay $50 per ton. “ At that 
figure,” says Mr. Larke, ‘‘ British Colum- 
bia ought to be able to supply the 
article, though the freight might make 
it impossible to bring it from Ontario.” 
—The Canadian Grocer. 


262 


AFRICAN APPLES VERSUS CANADIAN. 


HE Cape of Good Hope bids 
fair to be a strong competitor 
with Canada in the English 
fruit market. 

The Fruit Grower, London, Eng., of 
May 4th, says: 

The arrival of new apples from the 
Cape has produced a perfect sensation 
in the fruit trade. The samples are 
very pretty and fine and are sure to 
create an immediate demand. In the 
early months of the year the public has 
to depend principally upon apples from 
California, Canada, and the Eastern 
States of America, and these fruits after 
January, through having been kept in 
cold storage, lose their freshness and 
aroma, and are thus in no way com- 
parable to the new, fresh fruit. It 
seems then, if devoloped, that future 
Cape apple shipments will completely 
revolutionise the trade, for with the ex- 
ception of the Australasian samples, 
there are no new apples obtainable at 


this time of tne year, which have not 
been rendered insipid through months 
of cold storage. It is believed that the 
opening up of new markets, and the 
successional arrival of new apples from 
various outside centres, will, in time, 
render cold storage unnecessary, compel- 
ling apple growers at least to market 
their stocks when the fruits are new, or, 
at least, fairly fresh. By this develop- 
ment the public will undoubtedly be the 
gainers, for all fruit is at its best when 
marketed in fresh condition. We learn 
that if the present shipments prove a 
success the Cape fruit shippers will send 
over a plentiful supply next year. The 
fruit will be put up in a very artistic 
manner, on the lines adopted by the 
Paris packers of choice new fruits. The 
retail fruiterers, particularly those at 
the West End, will welcome these fruits, 
as they will come in at a time when 
fresh apples are much appreciated. 


GRADING AND INSPECTION OF APPLES. 


HE Executive Committee of the 
Ontario Fruit Growers’ Association 
has prepared a resolution asking 
for some provisions of the grading 

and inspectior of apples, and has submit- 
ted the same to thelocalaffiliated societies 
in Ontario, and also to the various pro- 
vincial societies, for their support. The 
following is the resolution : 


To the Honorable Minister of Agriculture : 

Whereas it is well known that fraudulent 
packing of apples for export is a very preva- 
lent evil which is yearly bringing discredit 
upon the name of our Dominion, and ruining 
the English market for our Canndian apples, 
and . 
Whereas, as a matter of fact, Canadian 
apples are the finest in the world, and ‘will 
bring the very highest prices in the English 
markets if confidence in the packing can be 
sustained. 


Therefore, Resolved, that this 
Society do humbly pray 
that you will provide some remedy for the 
same. 

We would suggest that certain marks or 
numbers be adopted to indicate certain grades 
and sizes of apples, and that it be made a mis- 
demeanor for any one to stamp these marks or 
numbers upon the outside of his packages un- 
less the contents of the packages are in accord- 
dance therewith ; that the name and address 
of the owner and shipper be always required 
on the inside or outside of closed packages 
intended for export; and that an inspector 
be appointed with power to open packages, 
and, if found fraudulent to have the grade 
marks removed and to expose the offender ; 
and we further suggest that the terms used’ 
for grading be ‘*No. 1” and “A. No, 1,” 
‘*No. 1” to include sound apples reasonably 
free from worm holes, scabs or other blem- 
ishes, and to be not less than 2} inches in 
diameter, and the grade ‘‘A. No. 1” the 
same with apples not less than 2? inches in 
diameter. 


2 263 


PYRAMID PEAR TREES. 


HE Pyramid or cone form of 
training pear trees, where they 
stand alone or in a small gar- 
den, is a very ornamental one 

and at the same time calculated to se- 
cure a good crop. A strong pyramid, 
well pruned, symmetrical and thriving, 
is certainly a handsome object. Like 
the dwarf or fan form the pyramid 
requires more or less annual pruning. 
One must of course \ 
begin with a young 
tree that has branch- 
es to the gronnd. 
Do not expect too 
vigorous a growth ; 
from five to seven 
main branches a year 
are all that should be 
allowed. When lay- 
ing out the branches 
for the next year’s 
growth, it is as well 
to prune close to the 
bud which is to continue the growth, 
leaving a small spur attached to tie the 


Fic. 1616. —Pyra 
MIDAL PRUNING. 


growing shoot to in order that it may 
grow in the proper direction. Or it 
might do to cut the branches three or 
four inches above the bud, removing all 
buds on it, and tie the growing shoots 
to this spur, which may afterwards be 
taken off. It is a mistake to prune 
strong-growing varieties too much, and 
it is equally wrong to allow the lateral 
branches to grow too long. Therefore 
it will be best in pruning to use a judi- 
cious moderation and keep the tree pro- 
perly balanced. A well proportioned 
pyramid should have a diameter about 
two-thirds of its height. Ifa tree of the 
proper age fails to bear, it may, if well 
proportioned, be left unpruned for two 
or three years. A circular incision of 
the bark about one-half inch wide at the 
base and. kept open may be tried, or 
even root-pruning resorted to, to bring 
it into bearing. The illustrations givea 
good general idea of a pyramid pear tree _ 
after winter pruning, also one in fruit —- 
Farm and Home. 


EDwaRD A. Rocers.—The _intro- 
duction of Rogers’ hybrid grapes marked 
anew era in American grape culture. 
The death of the originator, Mr. Ed- 
ward A. Rogers, of Salem, Mass., has 
just been annonnced. This occurred at 
Peabody, Mass., on the 30th March. 
It is remarkable, considering the grand 
results of Mr. Rogers’ experiments, that 
more work in the same line has not been 


attempted. All he did was to plant 
under a hot-bed frame a vine of the 
European race, and one of the Ameri- 
can Fox grapes. They then hybridized, 
naturally, as one might say, as the re- 
sults proved. If the path marked out 
by Mr. Rogers had been followed 
further, valuable results might have re- 
warded the explorer.—Mechans’ Monthly. 


SRE 


264 


THE FOREST TENT CATERPILLAR. 


Srr,—Onur last year’s visitors, the caterpil- 
lars, are on the rampage again, more plenty 
than even last year. I am in hopes that this 
may be their last year with us. They have 
nearly cleaned the Poplar of the fresh youn 
leaves already. So far I have kept my orchar 
clean by persistent spraying every few days; 
but when they get big and begin to travel 
round, will keep them aa by band of tarred 
cotton round the tree trunk. Paris green is 
after they get big,—at least I have not found 
it of any usc. fa have observed that the bud 
worm is here this spring ; this is the first time 
it has made its appearance to be noticed. We 
are a little behind you good people in old On- 
tario, but are getting educated whether we 
will or no, and this kind of compulsory edu- 
cation we’ll have to get, and [ hope may pro- 
fit by what you older people have already 
learned. 

Cuas. YOUNG, 


Richard’s Landing, Algoma. 


Mr. W. M. Munson, of the Maine 
Experiment Station, writes : 


The Forest tent caterpillar is defoliating 
many orchards in Maine the present season. 
The eggs are laid upon the twigs in the same 
way as those of the common tent caterpillar, 
but the insects, instead of spinning a web for 
a resting place, gather in great masses upon 
the sides of the trees at moulting time, and 
they often migrate for considerable distances. 
In many cases during the past year, they 
swept over entire orchards in spite of every- 
thing that could be done. Spraying in the 
manner already indicated, if begun when the 
insect first appears, will usually prove effec- 
tive, but if delayed till the caterpillars are 
half grown, it is of no avail, Many large 
orchardists have been approximately success- 
ful in holding the pests in check when they 
appeared in force, by putting on rubber gloves 
and crushing as many as possible of the in- 
sects. Many of those not killed would spin 
a web, and drop to the ground when dis- 
turbed, and a band of paper, smeared with 
equal parts of lard and sulphur, tacked about 
the trunk, prevents their return to the tree. 
The Forest caterpillar is at present doing 
much injury to the shade trees in the cities 
and towns of Maine, as well as to the or- 
chards. 


We have received numerous letters 
from subscribers living in northern parts 
of Ontario complaining of the ravages 
of caterpillars, saying they were so 
abundant as to become a great plague, 
sometimes collecting so thickly on the 
track as to be the means of stopping the 
trains ; and in the orchards they were so 


numerous as to threaten their wholesale 
destruction. Some complain that even 
Paris green is ineffective. It is quite 
evident that reference is made to the 
Forest and not the Apple tree Tent Cat- 
erpillar. The latter is comparatively 
easy of control by spraying, but the for- 
mer increases so enormously at times in 
the forests that imimense swarms often 
travel across roads or along fences in 
search of food, and woe to the garden 
or orchard which comes in their way. 
The foliage may be well poisoned with 
Paris green, but what if the first thou- » 
sand or two perish, the endless hosts 
following will soon take their places, and 
continue their ravages until July, when 
they usually go into cocoons and wait 
for another season’s attack. When we 
were on St. Joseph’s Island last July we 
noticed the evergreen trees white with 
loads of the whitish yellow cocoons like 
crops of some peculiar fruit; even the 
fences were dotted with them and every 
other convenient lodging place. 

We are not surprised to hear they 
have now appeared in enormous num- 
bers, and that all usual remedies fail 
against such an army. Mr. Young’s 
band of tarred cotton around the trunks 
of the trees is a fine plan, because one 
can easily control those worms hatching 
out from eggs deposited on the apple 
trees, provided fresh worms from the 
forest do not crawl up the trees to take 
their places. Dr. Saunders says on this 
subject: ‘‘ During the day they are so 
constantly on the move, that a young 
tree thoroughly cleansed from them in 
the morning may be crowded again be- 
fore evening. To avoid the necessity 
of constant watchfulness, strips of cot- 
ton batting, three or four inches wide, 
should be tied around the tree about 
half way up the trunk. These bands 


265 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


should be tied tightly in the middle. 
Each caterpillar is furnished with four 
pairs of fleshy prolegs, which are fringed 
with small horny hooks, and on its try- 
ing to pass over the cotton these hooks 
get so entangled in the fibres, that its 
further progress becomes very difficult 
and is seldom persisted. in.” 


Fortunately, Dame Nature has the 
best remedy, and when an insect be- 
comes very abundant, she usually pro- 
vides a parasite to keep itin check ; she 
has several ready for this tent caterpil- 
lar, so that in a year or two we may ex- 
pect to see them cleared out without 
our assistance. 


THE. SCALE AGS, 


VERY important meeting of 
fruit growers was held at 
Grimsby on June 16th, under 
the auspices of the Ontario 
Fruit Growers’ Association, to consider 
the present delay on the part of the 
. Department of Agriculture carrying out 
the provisions of the San Jose Scale Act, 
which was passed at the request of our 
Ontario Fruit Growers two years ago. 

It seems that there are only three or 
four sections in the province, and those 
near the border, in which the scale has 
been found. The whole of the infested 
sections put together would not exceed 
twenty miles square, and the Act if vigor- 
ously enforced will soon clear out the 
whole thing. Two delegations from the’ 
sections have called on the Minister of 
Agriculture and asked that the Act be 
suspended so as to save their orchards, 
and in response the Department has 
temporarily suspended the Act and 
appointed a Commission to look into 
the whole question, consisting of Dr. 
Mills, of the O. A. C., Guelph ; John 
Dearness, of London, and W. H. Bunt- 
ing, of St. Catharines. 

Mr. Geo. E. Fisher, of Burlington, the 
Inspector, was present at the meeting on 
invitation and gave much valuable infor- 
mation, in answer to questions. He had 
become convinced that the pest was a 
much more serious enemy than he had 
first supposed, but since it was so far 


confined in Ontario to two or three 
small sections of two or three square 
miles each, it could still be easily routed. 
The young lice began to leave the 
mother scale about the end of June, and 
hence the importance of prompt action. 
He had found no scale at Leamington, 
and at Kingsville one square mile would 
cover the infested territory. He had 
found no forest trees affected. As to 
fumigation as a means of destroying the 


‘pest, he believed it was impracticable, 


because the canvas tents were not gas 


proof, and it was not possible to apply - 


them to trees over ten or twelve feet 
high. 

Mr. D. J. McKinnon, Grimsby, said 
he was greatly surprised that the Govern- 
ment should delay action in a matter so 
important to the farmers of Ontario, at 
such a critical moment; when delay 
might mean their ruin. The Commis- 
sion might decidewhether the Act should 
continue in force for another year, but in 
the meantime it should be pushed for- 
ward with all vigor, in accordance with 
the wish of the people expressed two 
years ago. 

Mr. A. H. Pettit said he was much 
pleased when the, Hon. John Dryden 
had the Scale Act passed, and he much 
regretted the present hesitation in carry- 
ing out its provisions. - After consider- 


able discussion a committee consisting | 


of M. Pettit, Winona, D. J. McKinnon 


266 


KEEPING GRAPES. 


and A. H. Pettit, Grimsby, brought in 
the following resolution, which was 
unanimously carried. 


To the Honorable Minister of Agriculture for 
Ontario.— 


Whereas, the minute San Jose scale is the 
most serious enemy that has ever threatened 
the fruit grower, 


Whereas, the Government has passed an 
Act which is calculated to save the fruit 
orchards of Ontario from being infested with 
this scale, 


Whereas, certain persons, whose orchards 
were found affected and who were ordered to 
have them destroyed in their own and the 
public interest, have waited upon the Minis- 
ter of Agriculture asking that the law be not 
enforced, 


Therefore, Resolved, that we consider the 


Act to be all important in the interests of the 
farmers and fruit growers of Ontario, because 
it is the only sure way of saving our orchards 
from ultimate destruction by this terrible pest, 
and that we consider the interests of the 
many of much greater importance than the 
interests of the few, 


We, therefore, express our deep regret that 
the operation of the law has been suspended 
at this season of the year when the scale is 
beginning to spread and when a fortnight’s 
delay may cause irreparable damage, and we 
earnestly beseech you to enforce the law 
vigorously and without delay, allowing the 
findings of the Commission, lately appointed 
by you, to govern your action with regard to 
future years. 


And we further pray that you consider the 
interests of those growers whose orchards 
have had to be destroyed, by so increasing 
the amount of compensation that they will 
have no just reason for complaint. 


KEEPING 


RYNESS is essential to the success- 
ful preservation of grapes. Mois- 
ture causes the growth of mould, 
which at once ruins the fruit. 

With the present moist storage rooms 
some good absorbent such as sawdust 
must protect the fruit. Better success 
with grapes would be attained in a room 
cooled by dry, cold air currents than by 
the present systems of refrigeration. 
Such storage rooms are already being 
planned in some warehouses. Grapes, 
do not require a low temperature, 38° 
to 40° being as low as necessary, provid- 
ed the temperature is steady and the 
proper conditions regarding dryness are 
preserved. 

As may be observed from the records, 
the grapes held up in good condition 
from six to eight weeks. The results 
of other seasons agree in fixing this as 
the limit for grapes grown in our section. 


GRAPES. 


The length of time varies considerably 
with the different varieties. Delaware, 
Agawam, Brighton, Duchess, Centennial, 
Concord, Worden and Hays, ranking in 
the order named, have kept the best. 
It is noticeable that the red grapes head 
the list, the first three being red. The 
fourth and fifth of the list are white, 
while the black grapes, represented by 
Concord and Worden, rank in the sixth 
and seventh places. The varieties that 
kept best are those that rank as early 
grapes. However, no extremely late 
varieties were tried. Had they been 
tried the results might be different. 
The climat2 in which the grapes grow 
modifies their keeping qualities. A 
grape maturing slowly in a climate of 
moderately cool, regular temperature, 
will keep longer than one whose ripen- 
ing is hastened by excessive heat.— 
Kansas, Bul. 84. 


267 


ORCHARD 


E have frequently pointed 
out in these pages the 
necessity of thorough cul- 
tivation of the orchard. 

The notion was prevalent twenty years 
ago that an apple or a pear orchard would 
thrive in grass, and many growers plant- 
ed large orchards on their hardest land, 
thinking thus to reap harvests without 
the tough labor of ploughing and dig- 
ging. It has taken all these years to 
prove conclusively the mistake of sucha 
notion ; each year of barren trees or of 
scarcity of fruit was thought exceptional 
until at last the hateful truth has dawn- 
ed upon the planter that his ground and 
his trees were both wasting his time and 
his money, and that no high grade fruit 
would ever be produced without the 
same hard work and thorough cultiva- 
tion that was necessary for garden crop. 

Added to the crop failure is the 
change in markets. Twenty years ago 
apples of almost any grade would sell at 
$2.50 per barrel, but now only A 1 
apples will bring such a price,and second 
grades are not salable unless to the 
evaporator or the cider mill. Evidently 
then we must most completely change 
our methods to suit the changed condi- 
tions, and tillage is the first and most 
important consideration. Bailey arranges 
the benefits of tillage under three heads 
thus : 

1. Tillage improves the physical con- 
dition of the land, (a) by fining the soil, 
(b) by increasing the depth of the soil 
(c) by warming and drying the soil in 
the spring, (d) by reducing the extreme 
of temperature and moisture. 

2. Tillage may save moisture, (e) by 
increasing the water-holding capacity of 
the soil, (f) by checking evaporation. 

3. Tillage may augment chemical 
activities, (g‘ by aiding in setting free 


TILLAGE. 


plant food, (h) by promoting nitrifica- 
tion, (i) hastening the decomposition of 
animal matter, (j) by extending these 
agencies (g h i) to greater depths of soil. 

Bulletin 40, Kansas Experiment Sta- 
tion, is so much in point that we quote 
it at length as follows : 

There is no longer any question as to 
whether the orchards should be cultivat- 
ed. Experience everywhere shows that 
cultivated orchards live longer, bear 
better and are more profitable than un- 
cultivated orchards. “any of the ex- 
periment stations of the best fruit pro- 
ducing states have tried uncultivated 
orchards beside those that were culti- 
vated and have collected opinions of 
the most observant fruitgrowers of their 
sections, and the considerate verdict in 
almost every case is that cultivation is 
necessary for healthy trees and first-class 
fruit. The principal orchardists of the 
state have expressed themselves on or- 
chard cultivation. Out of 272 reports 
made to the Secretary of the State 
Horticultural Society, 130 advocate 
thorough cultivation till bearing time. 
and 130 urge continuous cultivation as 
long as it is possible to enter between 
the rows with horse and implement. 
Most of those advocating cultivation till 
bearing time only, live in the lower 
Kansas river district where the soil is 
very rich, deep and moist, and will pro- 
duce fine crops of clover. The general 
practice in this district is to cultivate 
well till the trees are in full bearing and 
then seed to clover. West of Manhat- 
tan, clover does not succeed. Even if 
it should succeed it would not be pro- 
fitable to sow it from the fact that all 
the moisture that falls in this region is 
required by the fruit trees, and any crop 
whatsoever simply robs them of the 
moisture they should have. For this 


268 


ORCHARD 


region, then, clean and steady cultiva- 
tion ought to be the rule for at least 
that part of the year including the dry 
season. 

However, bare soil soon loses its 
humus and becomes infertile. This 
must be prevented. Here is one way of 
preventing it. Plow the orchard in the 
spring, cultivate both ways and keep all 
weeds down till September 1, at which 
time the soil will be in fine condition 
for a seed bed. Sow rye at the rate of 
two bushels per acre. This will cover 
the ground well before winter, and there- 
fore protect the ground from blowing or 
hard freezing during the winter. Let 
the rye stand till knee high in the 
spring, then turn under and _ proceed 
with clean cultivation through the sum- 
mer. 

Deep cultivation is not essential nor 
advisable, but the cultivation should be 
frequent. Go over the ground after 
every rain, if possible, with the disk or 
the harrow to break the crust. This 
will give a mulch of loose earth two 
inches deep, which will greatly retard 
evaporation and therefore conserve the 
moisture for the use of the trees. This 
system of management has the following 
advantages : 

1. It provides the soil with a good 
supply of organic matter (humus) which 
will keep it in good physical condition as 
well as prevent washing and blowing. 

2. It provides a cover for the ground 
during winter, thus preventing the soil 
from blowing; it catches the snow, 
thereby moderating the temperature of 
the soil. 

3. It provides for clean cultivation 
during the summer, the time when all 
the moisture that falls should be con- 
served for the use of the trees. 

4.4By ceasing cultivation and intro- 
ducing a crop September 1, the trees 


TILLAGE, 


are helped to ripen off their wood and 
prepare for winter. 

These advantages are worthy of the 
consideration of the orchardist. The 
plan has worked well in the orchards of 
this department, and it will without 
doubt operate as successfully in many 
other regions of the state. 

It is a matter of grave doubt as to 
whether there is anything gained in the 
long run by cropping the land that has 
been planted to fruit trees. Of course 
it pays while the crops are being gather- 
ed, but does it pay to have the orchard 
come into bearing on soil reduced in 
fertility? Will not the orchard during 
its bearing period have need of all the 
food elements that the soil contained at 
the start? Will not the productiveness 
of the orchard be reduced in the same 
proportion as the elements of fertility 
have been removed by previous crops? 
This will certainly be the case unless the 
removed elements are restored by means 
of fertilizers. Ground that supports an 
apple orchard for thirty successive years 
has no food to spare for corn crops. 
Either cling to the orchard and forego 
the corn crop or else depend upon the 
corn and abandon the orchard. 

It is now the latter part of May. The 
soil is moist, and good growing condi- 
tions prevail all over the state. It is 
nip and tuck between crop and weeds 
on every side. With the farmer in the 
garden or the cornfield, the weeds grow 
apace in the orchard and often pre- 
dominate. Once in control they soon 
fully possess the situation ; and, as dry 
weather prevails later on, they will con- 
sume the water in the soil and leave 
none for the trees, which thereby starve 
for the time being. The only remedy 
is prevention. Do not allow the weeds 
to grow 


269 


THE LATE SEVERE WINTER. 


that has come from fruit growers 

from all the peach districts over 

the distruction of trees from the 
severe frosts of the past winter. I can 
readily lend my voice to that same sad 
tale. The past winter has been the 
’ most severe and destructive in this sec- 
tion of the county experienced for 
twenty-seven years. And it is only 
now that the extent of the damage done 
is showing itself. Many trees that 
came out in leaf in the spring are now 
dying away. All my Burbank plum 
trees succumbed; the Imperial gage, 
Munro and Abundance will not pull 
through this season. Two Dempsey 
pears and one Marguarite are quite 
killed while, strange to say, Bartletts 
are showing no signs of having suffered. 
I would have supposed that the Demp- 
sey, being of Canadian origin, would 
have stood a lower temperature than 
the Bartlett or Duchess. 

But it is with my roses that I have 
suffered the greatest loss. I am invit- 
ing nobody to see them this year; or 
rather see where they used to be. Out 
of 130 varieties I will have, maybe, 50 
that will bloom this year. Quite a few 
varieties were totally killed, among them 


ll HAVE observed the tale of woe 


Margaret Dickson, Mad. Gabriel 
Luizet, Ulrich Brunner, La France, 
Victor Verdier and Meteor. Many 
others are starting again from the roots, 
but will not bloom this year, and indeed 
will never bloom again with me as I in- 
tend to reduce my collection to at 
least sixty varieties this season. One 
very peculiar thing this season its that 
not one of the moss varieties are bloom- 
ing except the crested, though they are 
all vigorous in growth. All my roses 
were well covered with leaves, though 
there was very little snow over them at 
the time of the cold snap when the 
thermometer went down as low as 35 
degrees below zero, a thing never 
known before here. 

Among the small fruits the Hilborn 
black and Loudon red raspberries came 
through all right. The Gregg black and 
Schaffer purple were badly killed ; the 
Cuthbert red and Golden Green were too 
much injured to give more than half a 
crop. Let us hope that such winters as 
the one we have just passed through 
and suffered from may be few, with 
many years between. 

T. H. Race 

Mitchell. June 2oth. 


SUMMER CarE oF HousE PLants.— 
A very satisfactory shelter for house 
plants may be made by setting up four 
posts in a square, to which strips of lath 
or boards can be nailed about an inch 
apart. Make a roof of the same ma- 
terial, and put on in the same way as 
the strips on the sides, which should be 


in a sort of lattice. Such a shelter will 
admit all the air that is stirring and all 
the sunshine that the plants will need, 
and not prevent any one of them from 
getting the benefit of dews and showers, 
while it will break the force of strong 
winds.—Ladies’ Home Journal. 


270 


Fic. 1617.—‘t Sport GLApIoLus.’S 


Va fp 


HE gladiolus shewn in Fig. 1617 
produced on the same stalk single: 
semidouble and double blooms. 
The bulb was bought of Vilmorin, 


whose growers are the Souchet’ estab- 


271 


lishment at Fontainbleau, where the 
Gandavensis strain first reached its pres- 
ent excellence. The double blooms 
were produced at the base of the spike, 
the semi-double near the centre, and the 
single towards the end. 

The variety, Zamerlan, was intro- 
duced in 1883. As it is slow to multi- 
ply, and of great merit, it has main- 
tained a comparatively high price. The 
stalk is strong, and set with well ar- 
ranged flowers of medium size. The 
upper divisions are dark red, framed 
with slate on the edges ; the lower, deep 
reddish carmine, and creamy yellow. 
It is a superb variety, even when it does 
not sport in the direction of doubling. 
Zampa and Multipliant are varieties 
which frequently have double blooms, 
but Zamerlan has not been previously 
known by its originators to sport in this 
way. I may add, to avoid possible con- 
fusion, that there is a different Zamer- 
Jan, of the Nanceianus strain. 


F. R. LATCHFORD. 


Ottawa. 


AN 


OFFICE WINDOW. 


Fic. 1618.—View vor Orrick WINDow. 


HE above two photos are the office 
window of Mr. Walter T. Ross, 
Secy. Picton Horticultural Society, 
of Picton, Ont. One is taken from 

the outside, and the other from the inside 
The fruit is the Pomela or Grape Fruit ; 
there are five.on the tree, but only three 
show in the picture ; it is like an orange, 
but not so sweet. They are now about the 
size of a Spy apple, and are not ripe yet. 
The plant in the tub is a pineapple, about 
one year and a half old, and should soon 
fruit. The bloom in top center is a Melia 
fiortbunda (China tree) and 1s very odd 
looking, no leaves or branches except at 
the top, and looks like a stick with large 
bunches of fragrant flowers at the topend. 
Several orchids are hanging at the side 


of the window. With this result of the 
garden in the Summer, and an office 
window in the Winter, is Canada appro- 
priately called “Our Lady of the 
Snows.” 


SOMETHING ABOUT 


HE genus cyclamen, in Europe 
commonly called Sow-bread, 
from the fact that the acrid 
stems are greedily eaten by 

swine, is a near relative of the primrose. 
Beside the beautiful favorite flower of 
the window garden and greenhouse, the 
Persian species, through which it is, 
perhaps, known more widely than any 
other, the genus contains a quite lengthy 
list of hardy kinds not so widely dissem- 
inated. By English growers of fine 
Alpine plants these are much prized, 
and well they may be, for there is, as a 
whole, no more attractive group in the 
whole range than that comprised in this. 


Fic. 1620.—CycLaMEN HEDER2FOLIUM. 


The necessaries for success in open 
air culture are protection from dry, cut- 
ting winds, a rich, friable soil, good 
drainage, covering in the winter; still 
bearing in mind that because some 
species are hardy is no reason why they 
should thrive in exposed situations. 

For planting in rockwork, not too 
high, in warm, shady borders, they are 
of much value, and a choice collection 
in full bloom is a sight not easily for- 
gotten. The most luxuriant growth in 
their native haunts is noticeable among 
broken rocks, under the shade and 
friendly protection of low bushes and 
the hill corpses. While, in general, 
with high culture plants are improved in 
point of blooming and habit of growth 


THE CYCLAMEN: 


Fie. 1621.—CycLAMEN NEAPOLITANUM. 


from the original type, the conditions of 
growth are essentially the same as in the 
old form, and to this the cyclamen is no 
exception. 

There are two general classes or divi- 
sions made, regulated as to time of 
flowering, viz.: the fall-blooming sec- 
tion, of which C. Africanum, C. hede- 
refolium, (ivy-leaved cyclamen,) C. /Vea- 
politanum and C. Pyrnaicum are good 
representatives, and the spring flowering 


class, prominent among which are 
C. Atkinsiti C. Coum, C. repandum 
C. vernum. 


Though the growing of cyclamen in 
the open air may not be so desirable or 
practicable in this country as in the old 
world, we can expect them, nevertheless, 
to stand as much frost as the English 


Fic. —1622.—CycLaAMEN VERNUM. 


Primrose ; hence will survive with the 
same amount of winter protection. 
With out door cultivation undesirable, 


273 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


Fie. 1623 —CycLamMEen Cotem. 


pot culture may be resorted to with suc- 
cess, providing the same period of rest 
be given as would be had if growing in 
open ground High culture and careful 
selection have brought the Persian cycla- 
men to a near state of perfection, nearly 
all the shades and colors known in the 
different species at the present day are 
to be found in the numerous varieties, 
as well as improved size of floret. Their 
culture is not difficult, the most impor- 


tant points being a light rich soil, plenty 
of sunlight and moisture during the 
growing season, and a cool place before 
starting into growth. Many plant in 
open ground in May, lift and pot in 
September for the winter. 

Tolerably true reproduction from 
seeds can be counted upon if the plants 
are kept from cross fertilization when 
in flower, while to secure a good per 
centum in germinating sow as soon after ~ 
gathering ss possible. 

Contributors to flower-shows should 
do all in their power to promote the 
cyclamen to a more prominent place 
than it now occupies, for were its true 
merits more widely known, our windows 
during the fall, winter and early spring 
months would be more frequently seen 
enlivened by its presence. — Vick’s 
Magazine. 


PANSIES AND FERNS. 


best in a cool and somewhat shady 

spot. I have grown them ina large 

bed with a border of hardy ferns 
with great success. One can pick 
them up beside the way almost. any- 
where, and a good long bed of them on 
the east or west side of the house 
admits of many varieties, and water ina 
“dry-spell” is an aid to both sorts. 
The florist’s fern, planted to grow shaded 
by larger ones, does finely, and the 
Maiden-hair is charming anywhere. 
I have transplanted them at all seasons, 
with good results. A bushel of black 


[= generally favorite flower does 


earth from the woods strewn over the 
bed is of great value, and all the leaves 
you can rake up in the fall tucked un- 
der ana about them and held down by 
chip or stone is useful. 

Often there is a shady corner of the 
veranda, that is greatly improved with 
an ivy, and ferns. We can utilize all 
space for the embellishment of our sur- 
roundings, if it be only a tumble-down 
sort of a place of small area. A good 
place to plunge pot ferns is such a spot. 


M. A. HoskINs. 
Newport, Vermont. 


PRIMULA STELLATA. 


. 
h 


Ay! 


Fra.” 1624, --INFLORESCENCE OF P. STELLATA. 


ly) RIMULA STELLATA is another ad- 

dition to our coliection. of prim- 

roses. It grows somewhat in the 

style of the Baby primrose, but 

the flowers are about three-quarters of 

an inch in diameter, and flower stalks 

are about twenty inches high, very full 

of bloom. ‘The flowers are white, pink 
and purple. 

Fraser says of it in Amercan Garden- 
ing: “The culture is the same as for 
the Chinese primrose: Sow the seeds 
in March and when up keep near the 
light as they are liable to draw and be 
spindly, as the leaf stalks are not so 
strong as in the regular Chinese sorts. 
A sixinch pot, well drained, is large 
enough to flower in; or, what is better, 
a six-inch fern pan. I have grown all 
my primulas in these pans of late years 
and find them much better than pots, 
as when the plants are full grown the 
leaves hide the sides altogether, making 
them nice for room decoration. 


Plow deep ! 
Sow not thy precious seeds 
Among the scarce uprooted weeds, 
Or thou shalt weep 
To find thy crops all choked and dead, 
And nought but thorns and tares instead. 
Then plow down deep, 
The promise ringing in thy ears 
That those who sow their seeds in tears 
In joy shall reap. 
—A. G. Evans. 


STRIKING CUTTINGS. 


We are too apt to select short cut- 
tings for the best success. I have found 
those of sufficient length to bury two 
buds or even more, allowing about three 
to remain above the soil is best. The 
decay of the leaves that absorb moisture 
may be prevented by stirring, or by a 


porous soil. I failed in every attempt to 
root carnations and roses, until I tried 
this experiment, advised by some gar- 
dener along in the seventies. The 
water process does not give the satisfac- 
tion of this method. For geraniums 
almost any method works. They grow 


as easily as cabbages. 
M. A. H. 


275 


AMATEUR FLORAL DECORATIONS. 


Fic. 1625.—AmaTEUuR MANTEL DECORATION. 


The professional florist has material 
and skill for decorations of a superior 
order, but because amateurs cannot 
equal professionals is no reason why we 
should not encourage the former. _In- 
deed it is the general cultivation of taste 
in these matters which we most aim to 
develop, and we welcome every contri- 
bution in photography a writing which 
helps toward this end. The engraving 
shows one of three mantels decor- 
ated for a wedding by some young 
lady friends of a bridal pair at a recent 
wedding. The projecting canopy was of 


_ dwarf evergreen box, fastened on a wire 


frame above the mantel, and was inter- 
woven with apple blossoms. The other 
trimmings are largely made up of double 
white cherry blossoms, apple bloom, 
white roses and white carnations. The 
Double White cherry is one of the pret- 
tiest ornamental trees of its season, every 
blossom as full as arose and pure white. 


THE ROCK GARDEN. 


TuHE rock garden should never be 
near walls; never very near house ; 
never, if possible, within view of formal 
surroundings of any kind. It should 
generally be in an open situation. No 
efforts should be spared to make all the 
surroundings, and every point visible 
from the rockwork, as graceful and 
natural as they can be made. The part 
of the gardens around the rock work 
should be picturesque, and, in any case, 
display a careless wildness resulting 
from the naturalization of beautiful 
hardy herbaceous plants, and the 
absence of formal walks, beds, ete. 


No tree should occur in or very near 
the rock garden; hence a site should 
not not be selected where it would be 
necessary to remove valuable or favorite 
specimens. The roots of trees would 
be almost sure to find their way into the 
masses of good soil provided for the 
choicer alpines, and thoroughly exhaust 
them. Besides, as the choicest alpine 
flowers are usually found on treeless and 
even bushless wastes, it is certainly 
wrong to place them under trees or in 
shaded _ positions.— Gardening Jilus- 
trated. 


276 


THE GERMAN _ IRISES. 


Fie. 1626.—Irnis Sreertca (left) Iris Ger- 
MANICA (right). 

HE German Irises, Jvis Ger- 
manica, or Fleur de Lis, fur- 
nish us with some very useful 
and very hardy garden plants. 

They will cover a period of three weeks 
with their showy flowers The earliest 


varieties were showing open flowers May. 


25th and at present writing (June 7th) 
it certainly appears as if there will be 
quantities of good flowers yet to be cut 
June 15th. There are a host of named 
Germanica varieties, we suppose on ac- 
count of them being easily handled from 
seed. Some of the varieties are certainly 
grand enough for any collection of hardy 
plants, but the seedlings show a great 
percent of poor flowers and unattractive 
colors. The collection at our nurseries 
numbers twenty varieties and comprises 
a great variety of colors and shows quite 
a lapse between the earliest and latest 
varieties. Spectabilis, a pure deep pur- 
ple, and A/a Odorata pure white, are 
two of the earliest bloomers and the 
largest flowers. The former is the most 
striking garden plant in flower at the 
time. Queen of the May is a delicate 


277 


reddish heliotrope shade, also one of 
the largest. Bleu Parfeur, white lightly 
edged and beautifully netted with dark 
blue. Hortense a clear yellow. Old Gold, 
the standard or upright petals are true 
old gold, falls marked white and purple. 
Leopold is atter the same style, stand- 
ards dark old gold, falls veined with 
brown.  TZudifiora reminds one of a 
greatly improved common blue flag, the 
spikes are very long, sometimes bearing 
seven open flowers on a stem, the color | 
is a delightful shade of blue and the 
fragrance is like that of orange blossoms. 
Mme. Chereau still holds first place as 
the best fancy variety, a clear white 
ground with a deep and delicately feath- 
ered edge of sky blue, makes it at once 
the most admired flower in the bunch, 
The roots may be planted with equal 
safety in either spring or fall, however, 
if you are anxious to transplant them 
during the summer do not hesitate to do 
so, for you run no risk, just shorten the 
foliage slightly and water well after plant- 
ing ; if planted in mid summer, you will 


Fie. 1627.—Iniszs AT WERBSTERS’. 


have the roots nicely established by au- 
tumn and gain several months. Among 
dwarf Irsises the Siberian species .S?- 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


berica Alba and Siberica Coerulea are 
conspicuous, the latter sort is several 
days later, more dwarf and a particu- 
larly fine deep purple color. Pumila 
is a very dwarf species with light 
purple flowers, in appearance it is a 


dwarf counterpart of the Germanica 
varieties There is a pure white variety, 
of this species which we are adding to 
the collection. 
WEBSTER Bros. 
Hamilton. 


THE ASPHOOEL 


cemetery than this overshadowing 
canopy of twinkling blossoms, fit 
type of the soul’s_ resurrection ; 
covered with its dead flowers; its blos- 
soms and buds, typical of the past, the 
present and the future. Up the moun- 
tains where the Greek buried their dead, 
they desired to think the sleepers would 
wake in fields Elysian. The fair mea- 


To is no lovelier flower for the 


dows where the ever blooming Aspho- . 


del, or wrongly termed Daffodil, forever 
bloomed. Let us plant our church- 
yards with some at least of this hallowed 
flower, and keep the corruption of the 
name out of them, it no doubt being 
derived from Fleur ad’ Asphodel. 


The world is slowly beginning to com- 
prehend that the death of this natural 
body is the quick gate-way into eternal 
freedom, and cessation from life’s hos- 
tilities and strife. And we look forward 
to the day when the places we establish 
to commemorate our affliction will be- 
come a living picture, known and read 
by all mankind. When Cremation aids 
us to thoroughly purify the carth, Ceme- 
teries will be called Memorial Parks, 
and be no longer breeding places of 
disease and melancholy. The flowers 
and shrubs we plant now are our salva- 
tion from pestilence, particularly in 
cities. 
. M. A. Hoskin. 


PREPARING VIOLETS FOR WINTER BLOOMING. 


To grow violets for winter blooming 
itis by far best to plant them where 
they are to remain. The frames may be 
placed about them later. Pick off every 
bud that forms, and remove the run- 
ners, and do not force them by giving 
fertilizers. The ground in which they 
are planted should be light and mellow 
and only ordinarily rich. What is 
wanted is'a sturdy, healthy growth 
rather than a luxuriant one. Shower 
the plants frequently to keep down the 
red spider, unless they are where they 
will get the benefit of the dews and 
rains. Put the frames about them in 
October, but do not cover the plants 


until cold weather comes. At that time 
it may be well to fertilize the soil some- 
what. Bank up well about the frames, 
and provide a sash to cover them that 
fits snugly. On every pleasant day after 
the weather becomes cold lift the sash 
a little to admit air. If it is intended to 
grow them in the greenhouse, where 
there are no beds to plant them out in, 
keep them in seven-inch pots. Clip the 
runners off frequently, and do not allow 
them to bloom until winter comes. 
Violets are not satisfactory for culture 
in the window of the living-room.— 
Ladies’ Home Journal. 


278 


AZALEA. 


Srr,—I should be pleased if you would 
kindly furnish me with some information 
regarding the care and culture of the Azalea. 
I have three varieties, and as the blooming 
season is over, I wish to know how to care 
-for them during their resting period. Should 
they still be mi Se with water during this 
time? I have been told that in renewing the 
‘earth in the pots it will be necessary to pur- 
chase from a florist, that they will not live in 
ordinary garden or flower pot soil. Is this 
correct ? 

The Crimson Rambler rose received from 
you last spring is growing nicely and full of 
buds. The Yellow Rambler received this 
spring has also made a good start. The 
Lilium Rubrum distributed two years ago, 
has developed and multiplied into a nice 
clump. 

Mrs. W. R. VANDERVOORT, 
Sidney Crossing, Ont. 


The Azaleas referred to in the above 
questions, are, I presume, varieties of 
the Chinese or Indian Azalea, and are 
generally catalogued by florists as Azalea 
Indica (greenhouse varieties), and are 
not the Ghent or American Azalea, the 
last named being sometimes forced and 
sold when in flower, and require quite 
different treatment from Azalea Indica. 
Some of the Ghent varieties are quite 
hardy in some localities in Ontario, and 
are of a deciduous nature, requiring a 
period of rest, which they get naturally 
during the winter season when planted 
out of doors as shrubs. The Azalea 
Indica requires no very decided period 
of rest ; that is, so far as the withholding 
of water is concerned ; they must never 
be allowed to become quite dry at the 
roots at any time, being of an evergreen 
nature. 

Immediately after the flowering season 
is over the plants should be repotted, if 
necessary, which can be ascertained by 
knocking the plant out of the pot and 
examining the roots; if the plant has 
fairly well filled the pot with roots, and 
is in a healthy condition, repot into a 
larger pot; one size larger will be 
sufficient, as overpotting must be care- 


3 


fully guarded against. In_ repotting 
remove all the old drainage, and a little 
of the old soil from the top edges of the 
ball of roots, then place in a clean pot 
of the size required. First put in some 
broken pots or coarse gravel about an 
inch deep, covered with a thin layer of 
sphagnum or common moss; place the 
plant in the. pot, so that the top roots 
are about half an inch from the top of 
the pot; fill in with a compost of one 
half peat, the other half being equal 
quantities of fibrous loam and sand, all 
well mixed together. Take care not to 
fill in too much of the compost at once, 
as each layer of compost must be packed 
firm around the plant with a potting 
stick ; a broken shingle or thin piece of 
lath will answer very well for that pur- 
pose. Continue filling in the compost 
and packing until nearly level with the 
soil around the stem of the plant, so 
that when finished, the soil near the 
stem is slightly higher than near the. 
edge of the pot; this is very essential 
to the well being of the plant, as the 
Azalea dislikes its roots to be buried 
deep beneath the soil. The packing 
process prevents the water from draining 
too quickly from the roots. After pot- 
ting, water once thoroughly, but do not 
over water at the roots, until the plants 
are well established and root action well 
commenced, when water may be more 
freely given; syringe daily with tepid 
water, and keep the plants growing in a 
temperature of 60° or 70° until growth 
is completed, which generally takes 
about two months, after which the plants 
can be stood out of doors, say about the 
end of June, to harden the new growth. 
Stand the plants or plunge the pot into 
a bed of coal ashes, where the plants 
can have plenty of air and sunshine ; I 
have found that too much of the latter 


279 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


has proved injurious to the young tender 
growth, especially when first taken 
from the greenhouse. It is sometimes 
necessary to shade rather closely for a 
few days until the new growth has 
hardened a little. Afterwards a few 
slats of wood or lath about an inch apart, 
is all that is required to shade the 
plants, providing the plants are properly 
attended to in the matter. of syringing 
daily, and the roots kept fairly moist, 
without allowing the roots to become 
quite dry ; neither must they be kept 
sodden with water at this stage. 

The Azalea is sometimes planted out 
in specially prepared beds, but this is 
only done where large numbers are 
grown. If after flowering, the plants do 
not look healthy or the roots vigorous, 
repot into the same sized pot, and take 
a little more of the old soil from the 


plant than before recommended, as bad 
drainage produces sour soil sometimes, 
which no plant, especially the Azalea, 
will thrive in. Syringing with diluted 
tobacco water once a week, or oftener 
if necessary, prevents and keeps down 
thrip and red spider, the two most 
destructive enemies of the Azalea 
grower. The tobacco water can be 
made by placing a handful of tobacco 
leaf or stems in a pailful of hot water, 
allow the liquid to cool, add a teacupful 
of the liquid to two gallons of water, 
and syringe with as required. The peat 
required for potting had better be pur- 
chased, as it requires to be specially 
prepared before using; it can be ob- 
tained at most seed stores, and is not 
expensive. 
W. Hunt. 

63 Aberdeen Ave., Hamilton. 


APHIDS OF PLUM, CHERRY, AND APPLE. 


(Aphis prunicola, Myzus cerasi, Aphis mali.) 


mer, few days pass without bring- 
ing some inquiry as to the method 
of getting rid of the lice on one of these 
trees. As these three species of lice all 
yield to},the same treatment, it seems 
expedient to discuss them together. 
The apple-louse passes the winter in 
the form of an egg. These oval eggs 
are very characteristic; they are black 
in color after they have been laid for 
some time, and are usually crowded 
together in large numbers. These are 
very difficult to destroy, and thus far 
nothing has been found which will do 
any good without killing the tree as 
well. As soon as the buds burst in the 
spring, the young lice crowd on to them 
and commence to suck. The remain 
on the leaves for some time, but usually 


) 2: the spring and early sum- 


disappear in the early summer to re- 


"appear again in the fall at the time of 


depositing eggs. 

The plum and cherry aphids differ in 
some respects, but the life-history in 
general is similar. They may be easily 
killed by a spray of kerosene-emulsion 
(Hubbard formula), diluting the emul- 
sion ten times, or by a spray of whale- 
oil soap, using one pound of the soap to 
six gallons of water. In the case of the 
cherry aphis it is best to apply it a little 
stronger, as this louse is able to stand 
more than the others. Tobacco tea, 
made strong, is used by many with 
success, but whatever is used must be 
applied thoroughly, for each louse must 
be hit to be killed. — Mich. Exper. 
Station. . 


280 


APPROACH. TOV A RESIDENCE. 


HE approachtoa 
residence is one 
of the most 1m- 

portant 
tions that 


considera- 
confront 
the landscape 


gar- 
dener, as first impres- 
sions will naturally 
have effect on later 
ones. 

Some tastes will 
lead persons to con- 


struct massive gate- 


ways, which in them- Fic. 


selves may by truly 
magnificent, but which in relation to 
landscape effect will appear out of place 
unless the artist can so arrange trees and 
plants nearby to bring all into harmony. 
In the case of a large estate, nothing 
should appear cramped, hence the en- 
trance will be broad and the corners 
well-rounded. On the lawn, these cor- 
ners afford opportunity for massing shrub- 
bery ; and a little further in from these 
may be an open group of well selected 
trees. ‘The choice of these trees and 
the future of the shrubbery, are matters 
To the 
writers eye, the absence of strict form- 
ality is desired, and the trees should 
therefore be the elm, 
Wier’s Maple, Cut leaved Birch, Yellow 
Locust, etc.,; and the shrubs not con- 
tinually sheared and rounded. 
Evergreens in careful assortment take 
the place of the shrubs very acceptably, 
and make the entrance attractive sum- 


of considerable importance. 


graceful, like 


1626.—THE APPROACH. 


mer and winter; and 
also be used in place of the deciduous 
trees—pines are perhaps most fitting. 


large ones may 


Vines on walls and gate-posts are 
always pretty; but especially desirable 
are the loose-clambering ones like the 
Virginian Creeper. Let the latter be 
mingled with English Ivy for a back- 
ground and winter effect. 

Flower boxes for stone posts filled 
with summer plants and vines can be 
easily and tastily arranged and are ad- 
mired by every one. [n winter, they 
may be replaced by evergreens of dwarf 
nature or small specimens of larger 
ones, like Himalayan Pine, Lawson’s 
Cypress and Scotch Pine. 

The main idea should be to construct 
the entrance as a whole bringing in pretty 
it and connect all 
with the estate in harmony.—Meehan’s 
Monthly. 


features to enliven 


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3 Notes and Pomments. & 


Poisonous ToapsTooLs.— Prof. Hal- 
sted says there are three very poisonous 
toadstools, all belonging to the genus 
Amanita, viz. The Fly Amanita, the 
Death Cup and the Vernal Amanita. 
Only last October, three persons in 
Trenton, N.J., died from eating the 
Death Cup, and leave a warning to us 
against ignorantly using fungi, Dr. 
Peek warns against fungi. (1) in button 
state or decayed (2) with swollen base 
and white gills, (3) with milky juice, 
(4) with cap or pileus thin in proportion 
to the gills; (5) tube bearing fungi, of 
which flesh changes color when cut ; 
(6) fungi with spider-web ring about the 
upper part of the stalk. 


EXTREME CoLp does not seem fatal 
to the vitality of seeds we judge by an 
experiment of Tripler’s with liquid air. 
Seeds of pea, wheat, oat, barley, squash 


and cucumber were kept at the unim- 
aginably low temperature of 312 degrees 
below zero for tro hours, and then 
gradually thawed for fifty hours. The 
seeds were then planted, and they germ- 
inated and grew, none the worse for their 
exposure. 


STANDARD SIZES FOR Fruit Pack- 
AGES. —We notice that Mr. Penny’s bill, 
regulating the sizes of fruit packages is 
creating considerable discussion, and 
that some growers and dealers are not 
very favorable to its provisions. 

The objections urged are that the 
standard is neither imperial nor wine 
measure ; and that its adoption would 
necessitate an entirely different size of 
crate, and a different size wagon box for 
carrying to advantage. : 

We think that bill is a move in the right 
direction and we hope something will be 


282 


NOTES AND 


done to create uniformity of packages, 
and thus prevent fraud. But to confine 
growers to use certain fixed sizes for 
their fruits might not always prove a 
wise regulation. 

Perhaps a simpler method would be 


to make net weight the standard of sale. - 


The weight of the package being known, 
it would be quite easy to stamp or write 
in pencil, on the outside of a crate, the 
number of pounds net of the fruit con- 
tents. This is commonly done now 
with grapes, and the same habit could 
easily be extended to other fruits. 


BETTER SERVICE FOR FRUIT GROW- 
ERS.—A special express fruit train for 
the rapid delivery of fruit from the Niag- 
ara, Hamilton, Burlington and Oakville 
districts was put on the C. P. R on the 
19th June by the Dominion Express Co. 
Seventeen new ventilated fruit cars, 
models of construction, clean and 
bright, have been put at the service of 
the fruit men. To feed this line of cars 
fruit will be collected by the H. G. & B. 
electric road, and by steamers which 
call at Jordan, Port Dalhousie, Niagara 
and Queenston, and carry the fruit 
across to Toronto in time for this new 
fruit train. We understand that the 
Grand Trunk proposes a similar ser- 
vice. 

THE San JosE SCALE inspection 
cannot be carried on without hurting 
somebody, and the great question is 
how to protect the interests of the pub- 
lic generally and at the same time do 
justice to the individual. For example, 
Mr. Angus Wigle, of Kingsville, has a 
peach orchard of about 1200 trees, 
which has largely escaped winter killing. 
In this orchard the inspector has found 
eighty trees badly affected with San Jose 
scale, from which the pest will quickly 


COMMENTS. 


spread throughout the whole orchard ; 
and no doubt many of the others are 
slightly infested. Consequently the in- 
spector has ordered the whole orchard 
destroyed. Mr. Wigle would not object 
to the badly infested trees being des- 
troyed at once, if the balance could be 
left until after he has gathered the fruit. 

We hope the Department will find 
some way of satisfying Mr. Wigle’s 
claims, and at the same time clearing 
out an orchard such as his, which 
threatens to be a breeding ground for 
the whole country. 

Obviously a peach tree with a load 
of peaches on it in a year of scarcity is 
to be valued higher than a tree with lit- 
tle or no fruit and in a year of plenty. 


MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL 
SociEty.—Twenty-sixth Annual Report ; 
a fine volume, bound in black cloth, 
illustrated and with much _ profitable 
reading. 


PEACHES IN EssEx.—Our frontispiece 
shows a magnificent peach orchard of 
over 12,000 trees that were loaded with 
blossom and fruit this spring ; but alas, 
the exceptional winter has done fatal 
work with the roots, and Mr Wellington 
writes that the whole orchard is now 
dead, except about 200 trees. He esti- 
mates they would this year have paid 10 
per cent. net profit on a valuation of 
$60,000. 


Kansas.—The R. N. Y. quotes Mr. 
Wellhouse as saying that this year’s 
apple crop will be the largest in the 
history of the State. He estimates that 
his 1,600 acres of apple trees will yield 
100,000 bushels. The hard Winter in- 
jured only the tender varieties, and these 
are scarce in that State. 


283 


+ Question Orawer. & 


Heating a Small Conservatory. 


£097. Srm,—I am desirous of putting up 
a small green house about 8 x 10 feet. Not 
being ina position to put in a hot water heat- 
er, can you or any of your readers tell me how 
best to heat it to say 50° when the cold out- 
side is 20° to 25° below zero. Any pointers 
gratefully accepted. 
+ane 


Ottawa. 


In TROUBLE. 
e 

To heat a small conservatory like that 
described, a large oil stove would 
answer in ordinary weather, but when 
the mercury drops below zero two 
would be required. If the stoves are 
well made and properly cared for there 
will be little trouble from smoke, but it 
would be safest to provide a small pipe 
to carry off the gases to the outside of 
the house. It will be much mure satis- 
factory if ahot water system could be 
used, and the oil stoves could be used 
for supplying the heat while a galvanized 
iron tank with a capacity of five gallons 
could be used as a heater. A coil of 
one-inch pipe containing as many linear 
feet as there are square feet of exposed 
glass, plus one-fifth of the woodwork, 
would distribute the heat around the 
walls of the conservatory. 


L. R. Tart, Agrt. Coll., Mich. 


Raspberries Affected With Rose 
Seale. 


L098. Srr,—If send you samples of dis- 
eased raspberry canes, can you explain and 
give remedy. ’ 

A SUBSCRIBER. 


Reply by Dr. Fletcher, Ottawa. 


On the rst inst., I received from you 
a card together with some samples of a 
scale insect on the raspberry. These 
have been examined and: prove to be 
the Rose Scale (Diaspis rosae). The 
scale resembles the Scurfy Bark Louse 
somewhat in appearance, but is rather 


arger, nearly circular and is pure white 
in colour, forming a striking contrast to 
the green or reddish shoots of the plant 
upon which it occurs. It sometimes 
appears in large numbers and thus is 
easily observed. It is by no means a 
common insect in Canada but occasion- 
ally occurs on blackberries and raspber- 
ries, and rather more frequently on 
roses, particularly on such bushes as 
have not free ventilation or are fastened 
to walls or trellises. As a remedy for 
this insect Dr. J. B. Smith recommends 
whale oil soap, one pound dissolved in 
four gallons of water ; to this add one 
ounce of carbolic acid and spray the 
bushes thoroughly. Badly infested 
bushes should be cut back severely in 
autumn and the cuttings burnt and all 
the canes left for crop treated a second 
time in spring before the leaves burst, if 
there is any sign of life in the scales. 


Worms in Garden Soil. 


1099. Sir,—I send you to-day a 
small box containing worms, such as have 
been infesting’ my garden for the last two 
years. In fact they have become so trouble- 
some that I have been unable to grow, with 
any sort of satisfaction, sweet peas, edible 
peas, corn and many other crops. These 
worms cluster about the seed as soon as it 
starts to germinate, and attack it, causing it 
to soon rot, and of course the crop is de- 
stroyed. lf you, or any of your subscribers, 
can suggest any means of getting rid of the 
pest, I should feel very thankful. 

Last summer was the first time my garden 
was troubled with these worms. They are 
much more numerous this season, in fact my 
kitchen garden is almost ruinel by them. I 
will be glad to hear from you at your earliest 


convenience. 
T. H. PARKER. 


The creatures sent with your letter 
from Mr. Parker of Woodstock are 
Julidz or millipedes. These are occa- 


sionally complained of in gardens. A 
light application of nitrate of soda is 


284 


QUESTION DRAWER. 


sometimes useful in not only stimulat- 
ing the plants but also, it is claimed, in 
destroying the millipedes. 150 lbs. to 
the acre is recommended. 
Jas. FLETCHER. 
Ottawa. 


A Choice List of Roses Wanted. 


1100. Srr,—I have been looking anx- 
iously for that gilt edged list of really hardy 
Hybrid Perpetual Roses that Mr, T. H. 
Race of Mitchell promised in the Magazine 
for December. Please jog to his memory as 
I hope to add to my few roses in the fall, and 
according to the catalogues they are all per- 
fect. I have Gen. Jacqueminot, Mrs. John 
Laing, Aune de Diesbach, and Margaret 
Dickson ; also a white one, and Crimson 
Rambler. I have room only for a few more, 
so I want extra choice varieties, and they 
must have perfume. Mrs. John Sharman 
Crawford is exquisite, but is it hardy? and 
I could not detect much perfume. Alfred 
Colomb is a lovely rose, and very sweet ; can 
you tell me its faults ? 

M. E. B. 


Toronto. 


Would our rose fanciers give their 
views in answer. At Maplehurst Alfred 
Colomb is a special favorite with its 
large fragrant carmine-crimson flow- 
ers. A good hardy and fragrant rose is 
Baron Provost. It is rose color, anda 
free bloomer. Some other special 
favorites with us are Gabriel Luizet, a 
beautiful pink rose, of excellent form, a 
free bloomer, and very fragrant; Paul 
Verdier, carmine red; and Paul 
Neyron, deep rose, and somewhat fra- 
grant, the largest variety known. 

Mrs. Doctor Hoskins of Newport, 
Vermont, who writes so lovingly of her 
floral treasures, sends us a note on 
roses, which may well be published as 
_ a partial answer to our Toronto corres- 
pondent. She says: 


Where one has room for a bed of 
hardy roses and knows little of the 
properties of them, a suggestion may be 
useful. A few like Marshal P. Wilder, 
Capt. Christy, Mrs. John Laing, Mabel 
Morrison, Gen. Jacqueminot, La 
France and Vick’s Caprice, make a 
fine selection. Then a bordér of the’ 
half hardy and quite hardy Polyantha, 
which are constant bloomers and can 
be protected by leaves and a little 
light manure after freezing, are well 
worth the care. The Dinsmore is an 
acquisition in northern latitudes, and a 
profuse bloomer ; also Ulrich Brunner. 
The La France rose is sometimes a better 
gift to a boy or girl than even a book. 
I knew one boy that was hard to man- 
age, and whose aunt made him the 
present of this rose, and for love of 
them he became one of the model 
boys of the neighborhood. The hybrid 
tea roses are half hardy but, given a 
banking up of soil and oldjmanure well 
mixed, they will stand almost any 
northern winter. In teas, a good 
choice is the three Souperts, which are 
said to be hardy with slight pro- 
tection. Marion Dingee, Sunset, Maria 
Lambert, Inconstant, Princess Bonner, 
Etoile de Lyn and Perle des Jardins, are 
my favorites. 

Do without some unnecessary thing 
you are accustomed to, and plant a bed 
of these roses, and see if you have not 
made a grand exchange. 


M. A. HoskINs. 


Newport, Vt. 


ONTARIO FRUIT CROP. 


As reported by Ontario Fruit Growers. 


Simcoe County: For a few weeks the 
weather has been very wet, and strawber- 
ries in low lands have been completely 
drowned out ; they mostly came well through 
the winter, and spring frosts have hurt them 
but little; in high lands they will be a full 
crop. Red and white currants and goose- 
berries promise a full crop, and to mature a 
week or ten days earlier than usual. Black 
currants ‘‘fair to middling.” Plums none, 
except of the Japan and native varieties. 
Cherries not much grown, and birds will get 
most of them. Pears not much grown. 
Apples of all kinds promise well, and with 
ptoper spraying and thinning a profitable 
crop is assured. But few currant worms have 
yet shown up, and they cannot now do any 
damage to this year’s crop ; but late broods, 
if not destroyed, may affect next year’s crop. 

C. L. SrepHens, Orillia. 


The last bulletin from the Bureau of 
Industries, Toronto, gives the following 
report of fruit : . 

Colchester, Essex : Peach trees have been 
killed by hundreds and thousands. One 
neighbor who has twenty-five acres told me 
yesterday that he will have to pull up the 
whole field; and many smaller lots have 
suffered as badly. 

Gosfield South, Essex: All peach trees are 
dead by frost, and many other kinds. 

Mersea, Essex: At least 50 per cent. of 
peach trees killed and some plums, 

Stamford Welland: Vegetation will prob- 
ably rush along now, as during the past two 
or three days we have had summer heat, I 
never knew the buds to come out so fast. 
The leaves came out on some trees within a 
few hours; they seem to almost grow while 
looking at them. 

Nottawasaga, Simcoe: Nearly a car load of 
young fruit trees were shipped into Creemore 


the other day. Farmers around here are 
taking considerable interest in planting out 
orchards. In a few years to come this neigh- 
borhood is going to play an important part in 
fruit production. 


Grantham, Lincoln : In some orchards part 
of the peach trees are killed by the excessive- 
ly cold weather, freezing and injuring the 
trees under the bark. The buds of all fruit 
trees were very backward during the winter, 
and even well into March there was scarcely 
sunshine enough to cause them to swell 
noticeably, so they were not in this section 
killed, as many who stay all winter in the 
house reported. Some varieties of straw- 
berries, especially the Clyde, not covered by 
litter during the winter, are killed, and ten- 
der varieties of raspberries are more or less 
killed in canes which should bear fruit this 
year. Grapes are about as usual. Spraying 
fruit is becoming a necessity for successful 
growing, as each fruit has its insect enemies 
and fungous diseases. 


Trafalyar, Halton: Caterpillars are already 
making their appearance on apple trees in 
large numbers. It is to be hoped that 
farmers will make more efforts to destroy 
these than many did a year ago. Man 
orchards, especially in the north end of the 
township, were entirely stripped of foliage. 


Mr. A. E. Sherrington, Walkerton, 
writes : 


The raspberry crop will be lighter than last 
year, as so many varieties suffered by the 
winter snow and frost. Some of them will 
not fruit at all. HiJborn is about the only 
black cap that came through all right; it 
will give a full crop. The Hale and Wickson 
plums were nearly killed out-right, and a few 
trees of other varieties. The Abundance and 
Burbank plums are loaded with fruit. 


TREATMENT OF BuLps.—It is a well- 
known fact that bulbs, forced in our 
country, are comparatively useless for 
flowers the season following. This is 
really owing to the fact that the leaves 
have not been permitted to mature 
properly. A bulb is composed of the 
bases of leaves which have become 
thickened and succulent. To make 
good, strong bulbs, therefore, it is neces- 
sary that they should have had good, 
strong leaves for their parents. Our 


286 


bulb growers commence to dry them off 
almost at once after flowering, instead 
of allowing them to grow as long as pos- 
sible. Even then, they will not flower 
as freely as newly imported bulbs, be- 
cause they are only allowed to flower 
until the bulb has reached a size desired 
by the grower. Bulbs generally have 
the flowers plucked out, until they have 
reached the size desired.—Mechans’ 
Monthly. 


ONTARIO FRUIT CROP REPORT. 


Prepared by the Ontario Fruit Growers’ Association, June, 1899. 


Trenton — 

W. H. Dempsey. .............. 
Georgian Bay District—- 

J. U. Mitchell, Clarksburg. . 
Ontario Co,— 

R, L. Huggard, Whitby.. ..... 
Middlesex and Perth— 

T. H. Race, Mitchell,.......... 
Victoria and Peterborough— 

Phos, Beall, Lindsay........... 
Burlington District— 

A. W. Peart, Freeman.......... 
St. Joseph’s Island— 

Chas. Young, Richard’s Landing 
Frontenac and Addington—- 

Geo, Nicol, Cataraqui.......... 
Grenville and Dundas— 


eonee 


Apples. 


fair to 
poor... 


good..... 
poor..... 


good..... 


felt 65:5 
good..... 


fair.” 5.8 


very poor| . 


Apricots. 


se eee wens 
ey 


eeeee 


W. A. Whitney, Iroquois......./very good|........ 
Lincoln— - 

A. M. Smith, St. Catharines....|poor.....}......... 
Simcoe— fair to 

G. C. Caston, Craighurst.......} good...|......... 
Durham— 

E. C. Beman, Newcastle ....... |poor.....]........ 


Grey— 

J. I. Graham, Vandeleur. .... 
Grenville — 

AA. Jones, Maitland..:....... 
Ottawa District— 

R. B Whyte, Ottawa .... .... 
Oxford— 

J, S. Searff, Woodstock........ 


poor to 


a, Be RCS ee 
..|very poor|......... 
1 ery Sele wae 


ROIP Ses nies Pilcdsce eat 


) 
Blkberries. 


poor..... 
very good 
very good 
LORE 30> hose 
TRIES es 

very good 


Taits sec. 


a 


poor .... 


Cherries. 


good..... 


eee ere wes 


good to 

very good 
aeit.c) 22 
DIES RL 
very poor 


STEEN a os hare 


../very good 


fair vc. 


..|good..... 


very poor 


good,.... 


Currants. 


good .... 
faites... 's 
good..... 
very good 
fair to 
poor... 
Poors 33% 
fair...... 
very good 
very good 


TAINS. Se0s 


very good 


fAIT ac; 


Grapes. 


good..... 
none..... 
very good 


FOIT hse 


good,.... 
very good 


Seah ES Re 


A nae 


eo 


ee 


very good 


good..... 


SERRE S xs orcts 


RAL \ ag eee 


Pears. 


very good 
TAR 2s os -% 
poor..... 
EADS iscsi 
poor. ... 
poor. ... 


poor..... 


fair to 
good... 


Scale-- very good—good—fair—poor—very poor. 


Peaches. 


poor,.. 


re ed 


fits. 3s 


Pe ee 


eee weer 


Plums. 


Pt 
air to 
good... 


fale eho 


. |good. 


none..... 


-|good.... 


poor..... 
very poor 
no bloom. 


good..... 


.|poor..... 


..|poor..... 


faie..t7 


see eee eee 


poor..... 


very good 


Raspberries 


fair. \.25% 
good..... 
very good 


poor..... 


good..... 


good,.... 


eee eene 


good.... 
TRIES 2s <2 
very good 


faliyize 2 


er 


Vt 
very good 
poor..... 


fain. s. 53. 


good... 


...|good. . 


very good 


et apa er 


Remarks. 


Orchards 


suffered much 
from worms 
and other in- 
sects. 


Raspberrries 
winter killed. 


Tent cater- 


pillar very 
destructive. 


Tent cater- 


pillar des- 
tructive. 


Blackberries 
winter kille 


* Open Letters. % 


Caterpillars, 


Srr,—I find my. orchard is badly infested 
with caterpillars. They are as yet very small 
but working industriously and I see have 
done a good deal of damage to leaves and 
blossoms which are pretty for adornment. 
Have sprayed all my trees twice thoroughly 
so far, first spray with blue stone, second 
blue stone, Paris green and lime. What an 
effect it has on other things it does not appear 
to bother the caterpillar. We had them last 
year but scraped them off and killed them on 
the trunks and big branches and burnt the 
ones higher up with coal oil torch. We hada 
good deal of work doing it but got rid of them 
in that way. This year however, they are 
apparently going to be even worse than last, 
at least their ravages are showing up worse 
than so far last year. Is there nothing can 
stop them? Was thinking of kerosene but am 
afraid it will hurt the leaves and blossoms. 
If { knew the formula of mixing it I would 
try it. If we cannot get rid of them in some 
way they will ruin our orchards up here any- 
way. 

W. B. SrepHens, Owen Sound. 


EDITOR: See article on this subject, page 
120 We would advise a thorough spraying 
with Paris green water, 4 ounces to 40 gallons 
of water, separate from the Bordeaux mixture. 


That Fumigation Business. 


Srtr,—In the April number you publish the 
recent amendment of the San Jose Scale Act. 

Clauses 3 and 4 prohibit the removal or sale 
of any plant from any nursery without fumi- 
gation in a manner prescribed. The last 
clause prohibits the removal of any plants 
from any nursery where the inspector finds 
scale, ‘“‘until the inspector reports to the 
minister that it is safe in the public interest 
to permit the said nursery stock to be re- 
moved after fumigation.” How is this? 
Why restrict the nursery business to those 
able to furnish fumigating plants, if it is in- 
efficient? I am also curious to know how the 
possibly scaley stock of the last clause is ren- 
dered harmless if fumigation won’t do it. 


ApAM RussELL, Malvern, Ont. 


A Seedling Apple. 


Srr,—I sent you last week by mail a seed- 
ling apple of our own production to see what 
you thought of it; I believe it will turn out 
to be fine winter apple. 

It is a good keeper. I had about six last fall 
and I just put them on a plate in the cellar 
and they kept fine. I tried one or two at 
different times through the winter and [ find 
they are not fit to use till toward spring. 


I had about a peck the fall of 97; the tree 
bears early and is a very rapid grower, and 
to all appearances is going to be a good bearer. 
Jouy STEWART, 
Per G. Stewart, 
Benmiller. 


Apple Inspection. 


Str:—I have followed with very much 
interest your articles in the May and June 
numbers of the ‘‘ HortTicuLTuRIsT,” with 
regard to dishonest apple packing in which 
you certainly are on the right track in advo- 
cating that the apples be subject to inspection, 
and also to confiscarion when not up to grade. 
That this evil has grown to such enormous 
dimensions as to require legislative interfer- 
ence is evident, but why limit the inspection 
to apples for export only? Is the Canadian 
consumer of no account ? 

I bought a barrel of exceeding fine Jooking 
Northern Spy apples from a dealer in Mont- 
real about the ss pa of April last, paying 
him $4.75 for them. ‘he top two or three 
layers were as fine Spys as you could wish to 
see ; below that the barrel was simply filled 
with rubbish. I kept the head of the barrel 
which I send you by prepaid express to- 
night along with the paper cover over the 
apples, and four of the apples which I have 
managed to keep from decaying. You will 
see by the packer’s name and address being 
upon the head and thus certifying the apples 
to be ‘‘ choice Canadian apples” ‘* Gilt Edge” 
and ‘‘X X X,” that the intention was well 
calculated to deceive. The apples in this 
barrel were not worth over $1.00 to any one 
who would have bought them atall. 

I assure you in all seriousness that if the 
Ontario apple growers do not speedily devise 
some means to remedy such contemptible 
theiving, that their pockets will very soon 
suffer. I, for one, intend to boycott all 
Ontario apples in future unless some reason- 
able system of inspection is devised to protect 
the Canadian as well as the British consumer ; 
do you think I will be the only one to do so? 

Now, I am not a fruit grower, but it seems 
to me that a thoroughly efficient system of 
inspection could be instituted which would 
render such detestable work practically im- 
possible, but I think the scheme should first 
be formulated by the apple growers and 
packers themselves rather than wait for the 
Government to do so. : 

What would you think of forming an 
‘*Ontario Apple Growers’ and Packers’ 
Association,” to be incorporated with exten- 
sive powers? The character of such associa- 
tion to be granted to say 10 or 20 of your best 
growers and packers, whose reputation is 
unquestioned. Admission to the Association 
to be secured by filling up a form of applica- 
tion, agreeing to abide by the rules and regu 


288 


OPEN LETTERS. 


lations, by-laws, ete., of the Association : such 
application to be accompanied by a recom- 
mendation signed by at least two reliable 
persons. The by-laws should of course set 
up the standard required for ‘‘ Gilt Edge ” or 
‘*X X X” apples etc. : each member specially 
agreeing that all fruit not passing inspection 


be confiscated, as well as to have that fact 


published in the ‘‘ Horticunturist” and 
other papers. 

One of the main advantages to the shipping 
members would be the adoption of a uniform 
and elaborately engraved and copyrighted 
design, printed upon special waterproof paper 
of circular shape, just right to cover the out- 
side head of each barrel. These should each 
be indelibly numbered, and should be under 
the control of the Secretary-Treasurer of the 
Association, who upon application would issue 
them as required, first inserting upon each 
label the applicant’s name and address with 
stencil, together with his own signature and 
date in the blanks left for that purpose (leav- 
ing one blank for the name of the variety of 
the apple). A careful account of the number 
issued to each applicant should be kept, and 
should it be found advisable, any applicant 
might be required to report to the Secretary 
what he had done with his labels. All un- 
used labels to be returned at the end of the 
shipping season to the Secretary and new ones 
issued the next season : the year to be in very 
large (but light, open work) figures across the 
center of the label, which should also bear 
the words: ‘‘ This label is only valid for use 
over apples grown in the year... .and its use 
is specially forbidden by the rules of this 
Association any year after that time.” This 
would prevent any unworthy member from 
fraudulently using old labels after having 
been expelled from the Association. 

If the standard of quality required by the 
Association was a high one and rigidly insist- 
ed upon by efficient inspection, and all offend- 
ers promptly expelled, and their fruit confis- 
cated, it seems to me the demand for apples 
bearing this design would very soon exceed 
the supply. Not more than 5 bbls in a 100 
would probably need to be examined after the 
first year. 

If you think this too crude an idea, please 
ive us a better one; but for the sake of the 
uture of the apple trade of Canada (of which 

I understand Ontario furnishes by far the 
largest share) something practical should at 
once be devised to prevent the trade from 
further falling into public disgrace and disre- 
pute. 


Danville, P. Q. 


Gro. 0. GooDHUE. 


The Plant Distribution. 


We have the most diverse opinions 
regarding the Plant Distribution. Some 
say discontinue and put the $600 it 
costs into the JOURNAL; others say it is 
most important, do not give it up. The 
following letter from Mr. C. B. Jackes, 
Toronto, takes a very moderate view of 
the whole matter : 


Srr,--In your last issue you ask an ex- 
pression of opinion as to the discontinuance 
of the bonus distribution of plants, etc. So 
far as I am concerned, I do not see how you 
can afford to distribute these plants and give 
the splendid value you do for the subscription 
price, and if the discontinuance of the bonus 
would enable you to increase the value of 
your periodical, by all means put the value of 
the plants there. 


The plant sent me was an Elzagnus lon- 
gipes. It came apparently in perfect order, 
carefully wrapped and covered. I at once 
puddled the roots and planted it same day. 
It never showed a sign of life until the Ist 
June, and I was a dozen times on the point 
of throwing it away. However, on scratch- 
ing the bark near the ground there appeared 
to be some sap in it, so [ allowed it to remain. 
On Ist June I observed signs of sprouting, 
and now there are half a dozen healthy 
sprouts making up for lost time. 

Of course, it is nice to get the plants which 
you send out, but I think the same object 
would be accomplished if you would occasion- 
ally, say in the September and February 
numbers, publish a list of desirable ornamental 
shrubs, hardy in the climate, for Fall or 
Spring planting, giving the common name as 
well as the scientific, and stating the prices at 
which they may be obtained, and finally, but 
most important, give the name and address 
of a reliable nurseryman from whom they can 
be obtained. The course now pursued by 
myself and many others is to order such plants 
through oue of the seed firms in the city, 
knowing full well that we pay their prices 
for the article, but preferring to do so if we 
get a good article, rather than order through 
plausible agents. 


eae 


289 


HINTS ON THE EASTER LILY. 


ULBS potted in August may 
be expected to bloom at 
Christmas time. Planting 


of bulbs late in October or 
early in November allows plenty of time 
for slow growth and for flowering by 
Easter time. Pots should remain in the 
dark at least six weeks so that roots 
may grow plentifully from the base of 
the bulbs. 

The Easter or Harris lily throws out 
a secondary group of roots a little above 
the bulb, soon after stem growth is pro- 
perly begun. For this reason, more 
soil should be heaped above the bulb 
from time to time till the pot is full. 
The first planting should be deep in the 
pot to allow room for the additional soil 
added later. 

Six. months will be required for the 
complete development of the plant from 
the time of planting. When first brought 
from the cellar a group of tips will be 
seen protruding from the earth. Water 
moderately, and gradually expose to the 
light. When tips turn green, increase 
the light but not the temperature. Slow 
growth, in an atmosphere moist and 
having a temperature ranging from fifty- 
five to sixty-five degrees Farenheit, is 
advised. A dry, hot atmosphere is fatal 
to success. 

To hasten the time of bloom bring 
into a warmer room, increase the sun- 
light, and keep the air moist by allowing 


water to evaporate more or less con- 
stantly from a dish on the stove or 
register. To retard growth, when de- 
velopment appears too rapid and bloom 
probable before the desired time, set 
pot in cool dark room and water 
moderately. 

‘If the soil is rich a profuse watering 
every third day will helo the roots to 
abstract the nourishment it needs. If 
lacking nourishment, as may appear by 
weak growth, a half-pint of liquid manure 
should be given the plant each week or 
half-pint of water having in it ten drops 
of liquid ammonia. So large a bulb as 
the Easter lily is a gross feeder, and 
appreciates any extra care. After the 
plant has bloomed, it should be moder- 
ately watered till the foliage turns 
yellow. This indicates that the bulb is 
ripe and ready for a period of rest. 
Withhold water altogether, and set pot 
away in some cool cellar till the follow- 
ing October. It is then planted out of 
doors and treated as other lilies. Hav- 
ing bloomed once in the house, it is not 
fit for a second forcing, but out of doors 
it will renew itself so as to bloom ina 
year or two. In the open ground it is 
desirable that this lily should have some 
protection for winter, such as is afforded 
by two or three inches of coarse stable 
litter, or a thick covering of leaves.— 
J. F. B., Vick’s Floral Guide. 


CHRYSANTHEMUMS. 


have been wintered in the cellar 
should now be brought to the 
light and given plenty of air and 
water ; and in a short time the light- 
colored: shoots will take on a green 


i chrysanthemum plants which 


healthy appearance. After they have 
become well established they should be 
separated from the parent plant, 
each containing a portion of the 
fibrous roots which are supporting it, 
and potted into a small pot, where if 


290 


CHR YSANTHEMUMS. 


given proper care it will continue to 
grow as if nothing had happened. If 
it is desirable to grow them in the 
garden during the summer, they should 
be hardened to the outdoor conditions 
by placing them in the open air during 
the warmer part of the day and protect- 
ing them during the night, till the 
ground has become sufficiently warm 
for them to be placed in the open 
garden. 

They usually give large blooms, and 
plants are more easy to handle, if 
they are grown in pots during the entire 
summer. When this is done, it will be 
best to repot them as they need it, till 
they have been placed into six or seven- 
inch pots. The pots should be kept 
plunged into some material, as coal 
cinders, which will assist in holding the 
moisture. They can be placed in some 
protected corner of the garden and 
plunged into the soil if coal cinders 
cannot be obtained; or they are put 
into a frame and covered with lath 
screens during the heat of the day ; but 
they must receive plenty of air and 
water if good healthy plants are expected 
The plants should never be repotted 
after the buds have begun to develop. 
An application of liquid manure should 
be made twice a week till the buds 
begin to open, then it should be dis- 
continued. A dressing of well rotted 


barnyard manure is often placed on the 
surface of the soil. 

The plants should be trained from the 
time they are about six inches high. 
If the bush form is desired, the top 
should be nipped off about six inches 
from the ground and the side buds be 
allowed to develop; if only from three 
to five buds are allowed to remain, the 
buds will produce large flowers on long 
stems. If the tree form should be 
desired, the central stem should be 
allowed to grow about two feet high ; 
then the tip should be nipped out, and 
the lower branches trimmed to the 
height where it is desired to form the 
head, and above this the branches 
should be pinched back whenever the 
top needs to be made thicker, When 
the buds are formed, the weak ones 
should be taken off to encourage the 
growth of large flowers. 

The plants which have been grown 
in the garden through the summer 
should be taken up before the buds 
begin to form and placed in pots or 
well drained buckets. The objection 
to the garden grown plants is that the 
roots have such a wide range that many 
of the best feeding roots are lost in the 
operation of taking up the plants, and 
thus the plants are reduced in size. 

W. H. Moore. 
Kansas Agricultural College. 


Yellowish Rose Leaves. 


Sir,—I duly received your letter of the 
20th ult, containing one from Mr. R. Cun- 
ningham, of Guelph with rose-tree leaves that 
had turned yellow. Though there was no 
insect on the leaves, there were under 
the leaves webs of the minute red spider, 
which is no doubt the cause of the trouble. 
Kerosene emulsion sprayed on the plants 
affected, well under the leaves has been 
found effectual, also water. containing finely 
powdered sulphur. A treatment which 
has given good results in California, even 
on trees, has been fine dry powdered sul- 


phur distributed on the foliage in the 
morning while the leaves were damp. The 
ro-e bushes should at the same time be fer- 
tilized so as to invigorate them and help them 
to withstand the attack. 

Without sample of the leaves ot the dying 
pine trees, it is impossible to speak positively 
as to a cause. It certainly cannot be the 
mulching with barnyard manure, but it 
might be winter killing, as has been the case 
in other places in Ontario. 


J. FLETCHER, Ottawa. 


291 


* Our Book Table. ¢ 


Among the subjects treated in Maynard’s 
‘* Landscape Gardening,” are: ‘* Landscape 
Gardening and Home Decoration,” ‘‘ Orna 
menting New Homes,” ‘‘ Preparation of Land 
Trees and Herbaceous Plants,” Walks and 
Drives, ‘‘Improving Established Homes,” 
“¢ Roads and Roadside Improvements,” ‘‘ Pab- 


lic Squares,” ‘‘ Parks,” ‘‘ Cemeteries and 
School Yards,” ‘‘ Description of Trees and 
Shrubs,” ‘‘ Evergreen Trees,” ‘* Ornamental 
Shrubs,” ‘‘ Hardy Herbaceous Plants,” ‘* Ac- 
quatic Plants,” ‘‘ Hardy Ferns and Ornamen- 
ted Grasses,” ‘‘ Insect and Fungi Injurious to 
Ornamentals.” 


HARDINESS OF JAPAN PLUMs.—We 
are inclined to think that this plum will 
endure more frost than is usually sup- 
posed. Mr. Hale says they will stand 25° 
below zero; and perhaps he is not far 
wrong, for at Day’s Mills, North Algoma, 
where the thermometer often goes low- 
er than that, we found both Abundance 
and Burbank in good condition after 
two years planting. 


3 REASONS | 


WHY YOU SHOULD 


SHIP YOUR FRUIT 


WHITE & Co. 


Se... L ORONTO, 
Merchants, 


1. We have one of the best connections in 
Toronto for the sale of all kinds of fruits and 
early vegetables, and always obtain highest 
prices. 


_ 2. We send account sales every night and 
wire quotations without extra charge. - 


3. We send remittances promptly every 
rege 6 and all consignments have our best 
care. Thanking you for past favors, 


We are yours for business, 


W iire,.6: (26,4 eat 


East, 
TORONTO. 


PLANT LICE OR APHIDS. 


If there is any group of insects that 
requires the constant attention of nur- 
serymen, green-house owners, orchardists 
and farmers, it is the family of plant lice 
oraphids. The season of 1898 has been 
unusually favorable for these vermin, as 
is always the case when the spring opens 
moist and cloudy, with very little hot 
weather early inthe season. Such wide- 
spread and well-known pests require 
very little description ; their small, pear- 
shaped bodies, rarely exceediug one- 
quarter of an inch in size, with the 
slender legs and feelers, are known to 
everyone. The life-histories of these 
plant lice are, however, not so well 
known, and in many cases they are as 
yet a mystery. Many species pass the 
winter in the egg stage, although a large 
number of species are not yet known to 
produce eggs. “The “winter eggs,” 
hatching in the spring, produce wingless 
females, which bring forth living youth 
without the intervention of the male. 
In some cases these young produce in 
turn winged females, in other cases 
wingless females (but these, whether 
winged or wingless, have the same power 
of producing young without pairing), 
and in the great majority of cases, if not 


Aphids are sucking insects, taking 
their food through a slender tube which 
is thrust deep into the tissue of the plant. 
For this reason any arsenical poison 
that may be deposited on the surface of 
the plant will do them no harm ; they 
will thrust their beaks clear through the 
poison into the plant and will suck the 
sap from beneath the surface. To kill 
these little robbers it is necessary to use 
contact poisons, such as kerosene emul- 
sion, whale-oil soap, to bacco-water, Pyre- 
thrnm, or some application which kills by 
closing upthe pores or byirritation, or else 
to use some vapor, smoke or gas, such as 
tobacco smoke or carbon bisulphid. 
in all, this method of reproduction is 
carried on until fall. Then in some 
cases males and females are produced, 
which, after pairing, give rise to one or 
more eggs, which serve to keep the 
species over winter. In many instances, 
as with the black peach-aphias and the 
grain aphis, the aphids themselves live 
over winter. In some cases, as in the 
case of the hop-aphis (4pAzs humuz), the 
winter eggs are laid on one plant (in 
this case on the plum, while the young mi-: 
grate to some other plant in the spring. 
The hop-aphis migrate from the plum to 
hop-vines and passes the summer there. 


292 


MonTMORENCY. 


EarRLy RICHMOND. 


KENTISH CHERRIES. 


THE 


CANADIAN HorticuLTurIsT. 


Vous SOx: 


Leo: 


No. 8 


KENTISH 


HE classification of cherries 
; is very unsettled, and unsat- 
isfactory, being founded too 
much upon form and color. 
The common American 
grouping is into I, Hearts and 
Bigarreaus, fruit heart-shaped, 
and II, Dukes and Morellos, fruit round, 
and III, Native Dwarf. But surely the 
Hearts and the Bigarreaus are sufficiently 
distinct for separate grouping, if only by 
reason of the difference in texture of the 
flesh, as for example the ‘Tartarian 
(Heart) and Yellowish Spanish (Bigar- 
reau). Again why class together the 
Dukes and the Morellos which are so 
totally distinct both in habit of trees 
and in fruit, as for example compare the 
May Duke, with its upright habit and 
fastigiate foliage, and very mildly acid 
fruit, with the English Morello, the fruit 
of which stains and is totally distinct in 
habit of tree and in flavor of fruit. 

Then why should the Morello and the 
Kentish varieties be put together, when 
the fruit is so distinct in color, flavor 


295 


CHERRIES. 


and texture. The former is well repre- 
sented by the English Morello, and the 
latter by the Early Richmond and the 
Montmorency. It is of these two varie- 
ties we desire to speak more particularly 
at this time. 

The EarLy RICHMOND is an Ameri- 
can name taken no doubt from Rich- 
mond, Virginia, where it has been plant- 
ed in early years, just as the Old English 
Williams Pear took on the name Bartlett, 
at Boston, from the first introducer. It 
is also called the Virginian May, 
although with us it does not color before 
the middle of June. It was not easy for 
a time to trace this variety to its identity 
in England and France, but from all we 
can learn it is the Kentish Pie cherry of 
England and the ative (Early cherry) 
of France (Le Roy). The cherry appears 
to be of French origin, and George 
Lindley supposed that it had been 
brought into England from Flanders in 
the reign of Henry VIII. 

The tree, like all the Kentish and 
Morello, is a slow grower and slender 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


in branch, but very hardy, and produc- 
tive in proportion to its size. Some 
trees five or six years old at Maplehurst 
produced about 30 quarts each, and since 
the trees may be planted about fifteen 
feet apart, the yield per acre would be 
excellent in a year like this. 

The fruit is not large, as is shown 
by our engraving which is the natural 
size, but it is free from rot, and not very 
subject to curculio. 

The form is almost round, though 
slightly flattened; the skin is uniformly 
of a bright clear red, becoming darker as 
it matures. The stem is slender, about 
one inch in length, often carrying the 
calyx, inserted in a good sized cavity. 
Apex set in a small indentation. 

The jesh is very tender in texture, 
yellowish, with abundant uncolored juice, 
flavor quite acid, pit small. 

Season, June 2oth, to July roth, 
(1899). 

Quality, poor for desert, but rst class 
for all culinary purposes. 

Value, very good for market. 

Adaptation, succeeds at all the sta- 
tions. 

THE Montmorency.— Of all the 
Kentish pie cherries this seems to us the 
most profitable. The tree is one of the 
most vigorous of its class, the fruit is large, 
and abundant. This and the Early Rich- 
mond cover the season very well, and are 
the two leading Kentish varieties for 
market. In France, this cherry has 
many synonyms, as for example MMozt- 
morency a longue queue, Petit-Gobet, etc. 


Origin Montmorency valley in France 
in middle of 17th century. 

Tree, healthy, fairly vigorous, 
productive, and hardy. 

Fruit attached in ones and twos, 
34 long by % of an inch broad, roundish 
almost flattened at apex, skin bright 
shiny red becoming darker red at ma- 
turity, easily detached from the flesh ; 
stem 1% inches long, in rather large 
cavity. 

Flesh, salmon yellow, 
juicy, sprightly acid. 

Season, July 1st, to roth in (1899). 

Quality, very good for cooking. 

Value, good for market. 

Adaptation, general. 

There are a good many other varieties 
of Kentish but the most common is 
the old Kentish Late which differs little 
from Montmorency except that it is 
smaller and less productive. 

In our experimental collection we 
notice Suda Hardy, Lutovka, Kings 
Amarelle and Spate Amarelle all of 
which seem to ripen during a season cov- 
ering the greater portion of the month of 
July. These are only two years planted, 
and are all bearing a few cherries each. 
The Early Richmond and the Mont- 
morency are about twelve years planted 
and are carrying between 30 to 4o quarts 
each. 

As the various kinds increase in size 
and age we shall be able to give our 
readers more definite information regard- 
ing their value. 


very 


tender very 


TomAToEs.—An Exchange _ says: 
Market gardeners do not often give 
away their ‘'snaps,” but one confessed 
not long ago that he had led the market 
in early tomatoes for several years by 
following two rules. He plants in north 
and south rows, and lays the stalk hori- 
zontally in a shallow trench, leaning the 
plant to the north and covering all ex- 


cept the top of the plant. This plan lets 
the sun strike the ground over the roots 
and buried stalk and hastens fruiting. 
His other rule is never to cultivate in 
any way which would wound the roots 
after the blossom has appeared. When 
wounded the plant stops feeding the 
fruit until it has repaired the damage. 


296 


JUNE 


FLOWER SHow, HAMILTON HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 


297 


HAMILTON 


HE exhibition held by the 
Hamilton Horticultural So- 
ciety on June 21st, was a 
decided success The display 
was first-class, the music excellent, the 
weather perfect and the attendance very 
good. In addition to the members 
several outside friends contributed fine 
specimens. Among the latter may be 
mentioned Mrs. Stuart, Inglewood ; Mr. 
A. E Alexander, Aberdeen Ave; Mr. 
Goodale, Asylum ; Mr. Morgan, Florist ; 
Dr. Russel, Asylum ; Senator Sanford, 
Wesanford, and Mr. L. Woolverton, 
Grimsby. 

The centre of the tent was occupied 
by a grand display of stove and green- 
house plants, among which were many 
magnificent specimens of hydrangeas, 
palms, pandanus, ferns, auracarias, clerio- 
dendendrons, ficus, coleus, fuschias, 
oleanders, sedums and amaryllis, ex- 
hibited by Dr. Russel, R. A Lucas, 
Thos. Horn, M. Skedden, A. Alexander, 
W. Hunt, gardener for Mr. John Stuart ; 
and S. Aylett, gardener for Senator San- 
ford. 

A very neat and clean collection of 
anthuriums, palms and other stove and 
greenhouse plants shown by E. G. 
Brown, florist, surrounded the orchestra 
in the rear, while the side tables were 
taken up by cut roses and herbaceous 
blooms, fruits and smaller pot plants. 
The following, in addition to above 
named, received special mention from 
the Judge, Mr. Roderick Cameron, of 
Niagara Falls Park. 

The order of mention is according to 
position occupied by exhibits. 


CUT ROSES IN VASES. 


Mr. J J. Evel, 10 varieties. 
Mr. B. E. Charlton, 10 varieties. 
Mr. S. Briggs, 4 varieties. 


ROSE SHOW. 


Mr. H. J. Healy, Baron de Bon- 
stetten. 

Mr. Adam Brown, 2 varieties, shaded. 

Mr. Wm. Hancock, Paul Neyron. 

Mr. E. Fisher, T. H. & B Ry., 9 
vases. 

Mr. Jas. Ogilvie, 16 varieties 

Mr. A. E. Alexander, 16 varieties. 

Mr. Wm. Hunt, Hybrid Teas. 

Mr. Goodale, (gardener, Asylum for 
insane), a very large collection. 

Webster Bros., a fine display of roses, 
paeonies, campanulas, delphiniums, 
aquilegias, cannas, etc. 

Messrs. John Knox, W. F. Burton, 
Geo. G. Brower and James Ogilvie, 
beautiful baskets of roses. 

Mrs. Stuart, Inglewood ; collection ot 
herbaceous cut-blooms. 

W.F Burton and John Knox, baskets 
of pinks, petunias and catalpas. 

Mrs. Thos. Horn, beautiful boquets 
of white carnations and asparagus 
plumosus. 

Mr. Morgan, florist, and Mr. James 
Ogilvie, collections of sweet williams, 
gaillardias, coreopsis, marguerites, etc. 

Master Harry ‘Tribe, a wonderful 
dahlia. ; 

A. Alexander and W. C. Brennen, 
single and double tuberous begonias. 

W. Hunt, S. Aylett and A. Alexander, 
adiantums and gloxinias. 

Walter Holt, Florist, marguerites and 
delphiniums. 

Mrs. Boyd, West Ave., amaryllis and 
oleander. 

Mr. A. Alexander, arethusa bulbosa. 

Mrs. Woodman, cocos, cactus and 
richardia. 

W. T. Miller, rubber plant. 

Mrs. Garson, ferns, palms and imanto- 
phyllum. 

Jas. Anderson, stag-horn fern, rhodo- 
dendron and orange, and last in the 


298 


HAMILTON ROSE SHOW. 


floral line, but not least, a fine;collection 
of cut roses, pentstemons and other 
blooms from Mr. L. Woolverton and 
Grimsby friends. 


FRUITS AND VEGETABLES. 


Geo. Wildes, cucumbers, very good. 

Master Frank Gage, potatoes, would 
be creditable to Southern States. 

Jas Patterson, cherries, strawberries, 
gooseberries and lettuce, very good. 

Wm. Farrar, strawberries and cherries, 
very fine. ; 

Geo. Wildes, strawberries and goose- 
berries, excellent. 


Mr. Samuel Aylett filled the rather 
trying position of Superintendent to the 
satisfaction of all. Osler’s orchestra 
furnished music during the afternoon 
and evening. 

Mr. Wm. Hunt, gardener at Ingle- 
wood, exhibited some grand specimen 
adiantums at the Hamilton flower show. 
Many were indeed surprised to learn 
that they could be grown to such per- 
fection. 


J. M. Dickson, 
See. 


COVER. FOR 


N handling berries it is important to 
keep them from the heat of the sun, 
and we found it difficult to get our 
fruit to market in good condition in 

an open wagon, and so last winter 
decided to build a cover. The accom- 
panying ,illustration represents the plan 
which we%adopted, and we have found 
it so convenient and beneficial that we 
would not be without it for many times 
the original cost, which was about $7. 

It has five 144 by 34 in. bows which 
set into staples made of strap iron bolted 
to the sides of the box. A 2 in. rave is 
put on the outside with the lower edge 
just below the top of the box so as to 
carry the water over. From this rave 
the sides and front are boarded up 2 ft. 
with 3g in. matched sheathing, on top 
of which is another 2 in. rave 7% in. 
thick. The sides are covered with can- 
vas the remainder of the way up. 

The seat is set back in the center, 
leaving room for one row of crates in 
front, which makes them handy to get 
at and evens up the load. ‘To support 
the seat an inch board is bolted to 
theinside of the bow withthe lower 
edge resting on the top of the box. 


BERRY WAGON. 


ee 


cc r 
ge i} i ec gah ; 
. ° ; how Z . AIG, FRury 
as Shae 2 en eee 

of "AH CARBENTERESONS | 
‘4 $f oo0R Lianstetie ei 
Ems Rem» — if 
eo, Be ie 
theme ff ; 
z 2, 
feZ q £0" 


Fic. 1627.—OoTLINE oF Berry WAGON. 


The seat is 12 in. wide and is fasten- 
ed with hinges at one end, so that 
it can be turned up out of the way when 
loading or unloading. The top is 
covered with 36 in. matched sheathing 
the same as the sides. The top is well 
painted and then covered with canvas. 
The canvas on both sides and top was 
first sized with hot glue to fill up the 
cloth and then painted with white lead 
and oil with a very little lampblack to 
give ita drab color. This makes the 
canvas water-tight and keeps it from 
shrinking. In this wagon we can carry 
50 crates and have them where we can 
easily get at them. When we wish to 
use the wagon without the top it can be 
set off out of the way. — American 
Agriculturist. 


299 


Fie. 1628.—CLIMBING HyDRANGEA. 


THE CLIMBING HYDRANGEA. 
(Schizophraga hydrangeoides ). 


HEN visiting the floral ex- 
hibit of the Hamilton 
Horticultural Society last 
June, we also visited the 

garden of Mr. John Knox, a prominent 
member, who has several rarities on 
his grounds as for example, a varie- 
gated maple, a variegated ash, a 
double-flowering peach, etc. But, per- 
haps, the most remarkable of all, isa 
climbing hydrangea, which has covered 
half the front and a portion of the side 
of his brick residence. We do not 
know of another specimen of this plant 
in Canada; Mr. Cameron, of Niagara 
Falls Park, who was with us, valued it 
so highly that he said, “If it were mine, 
I would not take $300 for that plant.” 


Our frontispiece shows this beautiful 
vine, as it appeared at the time just in 
full bloom, and showing off to best ad- 
vantage. We also secured a photograph 
of one of the flower cymes, which will 
give our readers a fair idea of its man- 
ner of blooming 

It is a fine climber for old dead 
trunks of trees, and does equally well for 
wooden or stone buildings, throwing 
out aerial root!ets, which cling quite as 
tenaciously as the Japan Ivy. The 
leaves are opposite, five inches across, 
nearly round, and toothed. The flower 
cymes are from six to ten inches in 
diameter, and are composed mostly of 
fertile flowers which, however, do not 
fruit. 


300 


mePLES IN NORTH 


1629.—A Maniropa DucHeE 


T would appear that our visit to 
Sault Ste. Marie did not reach the 
extreme northern of the 
apple. At a ineeting of the 

Western Horticultural Society in Winni- 
peg, in February last, a photograph was 
passed around showing a Duchess of 
Oldenburg apple tree, growing in the 
garden of Mr. W. L. Lyall, of Portage 
la Prairie, which had on it forty-five fine 
apples, and we are glad to be able to 
show our readers an engraving of the 
photograph. Mr. A. P. Stevenson, of 
Nelson, Manitoba, read a paper before 
the Society on ‘‘ What the past year has 


limit 


FARMER? ADVOCATE 
ss APPLE TREE. 


WESTERN ONTARIO. 


taught us,” from which we 
take the following regarding 
apples. 


‘*Qur most prolific crop is the 
Transcendant, one tree alone 
yielding fully two barrels of 
apples. This is the first variety 
to bleom in spring ; on that ac- 
count there is some danger in 
certain localities of injury to 
the blossom by frost. 

Mulching around the roots of 
the trees with half rotted straw, 
above the snow during winter, 
has been tried to retard in early 
blooming, but without any ap- 
parent advantage, 

Sweet Busnett is the name 
of another variety deserving of 
special mention on account of 
its fair cooking qualities, very 
little crab flavor being notice- 
able. Ten varieties of Russian 
apple trees carried fruit to ma- 
turity last summer. — Blushed 
Calville, a summer variety, 
bore rather better than a bushel 
of apples of good size and of fair 
dessert quality, and were ripe 
on the 25th August. <A weak- 
ness of this variety, more notice- 
able than in previous years, was 
its tendency to drop its fiuit 
with every high wind. 

The following fall varieties 
also carried full crops of large 
to extia large apples, suitable 
for cooking purposes :—Lieby, 
Ostrekoff, Silken Leaf, and 
Russian Gravenstein. The lat- 
ter variety is, in quality, size, 
colming and appearance, sec- 
ond to none of our eastern 
grown apples. One of the lessons learned 
among the apple trees the past s»mmer is 
from the flat headed apple tree borer. Their 
work was first noticed last fall, when they 
worked considerable damage. They are de- 
tected by the borings or sawdust-like castings 
found at the root of the tree. When this is 
noticed the parts should be cut into with a 
knife until the borer is found. 

Three years ago the first attempt at top- 
working the large apple on the crabapple was 
tried. So far as noted it has been a success. 
A number of the scions first inserted bearing 
heavily the past summer. The benefit of this 
work consists in the fact that top-working a 
half hardy scion on a hardy stock increases 
the hardiness of the scion. Such varieties of 
crabapple- trees as Transcendant, Hyslop, 
Sweet Russet and Virginia, are congenial 
stocks, and make a firm union with the large 


apple. 


301 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


Fortunately, we have now included 
among our fruit testing stations the 
Government pioneer farm at Dryden, 
and have forwarded them a good col- 


lection of hardy trees of various fruits, 
and we hope the results may be helpful 
to our friends in Southern Manitoba. 


THE PEACH ‘CURL, 


Fic. 1630.—TREatTED LEAF. 


HE nature of this fungus and its 
life history, has been several times 
fully described in these pages, but 
it remains to instance another 

clear case of successful treatment of it 
by spraying. Mr. W. M. Orr, in 1898, 
was the first in Canada to try white- 
washing his peach trées in winter season 
‘with a view of preventingthe curl. His 
success was very marked, and was 
given to the public in his annual report. 

This. spring, Mr. A, H.. Pettit, ‘of. 
Grimsby, sprayed his large peach 
orchard, first in February, and then 
again in March, using for first applica- 
tion one peck of lime to 4o gallons 
Bordeaux mixture, and the second 
time, one half bushel. One row right 
through the orchard was left unsprayed 


—embracing nearly every variety. As 
the growth began the result became 
more and more apparent, every other 
row being free from curl leaf except the 
one unsprayed, on which the foliage was 
very considerably affected and the 
ground beneath was strewed with dead 
leaves, while under the others none 
could be seen. Numerous visitors 
studied effects of the treatment and 
were convinced of its effectiveness, and 
believe that, had the season being a wet 
one, the difference between the treated 
and the untreated trees would have been 
still more marked. Our engravings are 
taken from the leaves of the treated 
(fig. 1630.) and untreated (fig 1631.) 
trees. 


Fic. 163].—Untreatep Lear. 


Oo 
tu 


APPLE INSPECTION AGGEN: 


HIS is a perplexing question, 
and no wonder we get so many 
opinions concerning its practi- 
cability. Parker* of Berwick, 

N.S., says ‘‘ This is a question that has 
engaged the attention of this (N.S.) 
Association more or less for ten years, 
and is yet unsolved.” In his paper 
before the Society he proposes XXX to 
denote the standard grade, to include 
“only perfect fruit, well developed, 
averaging in size, good in color, sound, 
free from blemishes such as rot, bruise 
or spot, possessing its own variety. The 
second quality ‘he says” shall be known 
as XX grade, which shall consist of 
good, well natured sound fruit, not worm 
eaten, though in size, form and color, it 
may fall below the standard grade” A 
grade above XXX he would denote as 
extra XXX. 

These grades closely correspond with 
the grades proposed by us, under differ 
ent marks our A No. 1 corresponding 
with his XXX; No. 1 to his XX, and 
extra A No. 1 to his extra XXX. We 
think the marks we propose better 
because such marks as XXX have been 


so much abused, and the use of the grade - 


marks proposed by us will not prevent 
any packer adding as many X’s or other 
private marks as he chooses in addition. 

So far then we all practically agree, 
but the President of the Nova Scotia 
Association objects to a minimum speci- 
fic size for each grade, as applied to all 
varieties. He thinks No, 1 Spy and 
No. 1 Fameuse would be quite different 
True, but should azy apple be called 
No. 1 that falls below 2% inches in 
diameter? And if no Crab, Lady apple 
or Swazie Pomme Grise would ever 
reach grade A No. 1, 234 inches in 
diameter, why not denote its excellencies 


with X’s or some other special mark as 
is done at present? It would be very 
easy to make exception in the case of 
the three or four varieties to which the 
proposed grade sizes would not apply. 

However, we might possibly yield in 
this, providing it be a rule to add a size 
mark tothe grade mark, so that the buyer 
may know what he is buying. This 
would accomplish the same purpose, 
viz., of preventing fraudulent packing, 
giving a basis for inspection; and it 
would enable a distant buyer to purchase 
with confidence at a given price. Al- 
ready for example, the writer has made 
a contract with an English buyer for a 
shipment of Northern Spys in this way, 
making certain prices for apples 2% 
inches in diameter or over, and a higher 
price for those 234 inches or over in 
diameter. 

There is no difficulty in sizing apples» 
for if it is not convenient to use 
a Wartman grader, which is the first 
Canadian machine for sizing apples, one 
can get a number of sheets of heavy 
card board, and have holes of various 
diameters cut in the same. All apples 
that will zo¢ go through a 2¥% inch hole, 
for example, would go for size 2% or 
upwards. 

We have just received from Ottawa 
some copies of the general inspection 
act, and find that sections 10g and 110 
refer to apples, but in a way that makes 
the provisions quite a dead letter. The 
following is the text :— 


From GENERAL INSPECTION ACT. 


7. The said Act is hereby further amend- 
ed by adding the following sections thereto :— 


°* APPLES. 


109. In the inspection of closed packages 
of apples, the inspector shall open not less 
than one package in every five ; and if the 
manner of packing is found to be fraudulent 


See report N.S., F.G.A. Association 1899, p. 121. 


393 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


or unfair, then he shail open all the packages 
put up by the shipper of such package : 

‘©2. Kvery package found to be fairly and 
properly packed he shall brand as ‘ No, 1 
Inspected Canadian Apples,’ or ‘No. 2 
Inspected Canadian Apples,’ as the case may 
be, if fit to be so branded : 

‘*3. The inspector shall also examine the 
varieties of apples submitted for inspection, 
and shall correct the nomenclature if incor- 
rectly marked or if the name of the variety is 
not marked he shall cause it to be marked on 
the package : 

‘*4. The inspector may charge a fee of 
ten cents for each package inspected by him, 
and such charge shall cover the cost of open- 
ing and closing the package. 

““810. No. 1 inspected Canadian apples 
shall consist of well-grown specimens of one 
variety, of nearly uniform size, of good color, 
sound, free from scab, worm-holes and bruises, 
and properly packed. 

“2. No. 2 inspected Canadian apples 
shall consist of specimens of one variety, 
reasonably free from the defects mentioned in 
class No. 1, but which, on account of inequal- 
ity of size, lack of color, or other defects, 
could not be included in that class.” 


We propose that this be amended 
somewhat as follows :— 


APPLES. 


109. The Inspector, appointed for 
that purpose, shall have power to open 
any closed packages of apples intended 
for sale in home markets or for export, 
which are marked No. 1, A No. 1 or 


Extra A No. 1, and if, on examining one 
barrel in every ten of the lot being for- 
warded by any shipper, he finds them 
fraudulently packed, he shall have power 
to erase the grade marks, and to expose 
the name of the offender. 

Every shipper of closed packages of 
apples is required to place his name and 
address either upon the inside or the 
outside of the same, and the inspector 
may detain from shipment, at the cost 
of the owner, any packages not so 
marked. . 

tro. No.1 grade of Canadian apples 
shall consist of well grown specimens of 
one variety of nearly uniform size, 
sound, reasonably free from scab, worm 
holes and bruises, properly packed and 
having a brand (marked on the head) 
showing the minimum size of the fruit 
contained. 

2. A No. 1 Canadian apples shall 
consist of specimens of one variety, of 
fairly uniform size, of good color, sound 
and free from scab, worm holes and 
bruises and properly packed, and having 
the minimum size marked at the head 
along with the grade mark. 


THE BLACK? CURRANT. 


HE fruit of the black currant is 

very valuable in its season, al- 

though the skin of the fruit contains 

essential oil—which renders it dis- 
agreeable to many persons—still the 
fruit is in much request for preserving 
and making wine. On the whole black 
currants are important objects of cul- 
tivation, esgecially in the neighborhood 
of towns, where the fruit, during the 
long period of season in which it is fit 
for use, is always in demand, and gen- 
erally pays well for good cultivation. 
Having noticed quite recently in many 
districts of Shropshire the bushes of the 


black currant suffering from want of 
moisture, and unless supplied by rain 
or by hand (artificially), the fruit will be 
small and consequently will be more 
acid. My practical advice to those who 
would like to grow the fruit of the 
black currant well, and get the fruit 
large and good, is to mulch with long 
stable or farmyard manure, putting it 
over the top soil over the roots, and 
then water with pond or other water 
that has been exposed to sun heat, 
giving each bush or tree sufficient to 
moisten all the roots of the tree operated 
upon, say ten or twenty gallons. 


304 


MELONS AND THEIR CULTURE. 


HE melon belongs to the order 
Cucurbitacee of which there are 
over three hundred species, 
most of which have long slen- 

der vines and tendrils by means of which 
they climb, but some have neither vines 
nor tendrils, and are bunchy and bush- 
like in appearance, 

“The melon is an annual with pal- 
mately lobed leaves, and bears ten- 
drils. It is moncecious, having male 
and female flowers on the same plant. 
The flowers have deeply five-lobed 
campanulated coroleas and three sta- 
mens. Naudin a French botanist 
observed, that in some varieties (e. g. of 
Cantaloups) fertile stamens sometimes 
occur in the female flowers.” 

It is a native of the South of Asia. 
It is found growing wild from the foot 
of the Himalayas down South to Cape 
Comorin, but is now cultivated in the 
temperate and warm regions of the 
whole world. It is excessively variable 
both in diversity of foliage and habit, 
but much more so in the fruit, which in 
some varieties is no larger than an olive, 
while in others it rivals the ponderous 
fruits of the gourd (Cucurbita Maxima). 
The fruit may be globular, ovoid, 
spindle-shaped, or serpent-like, netted 
or smooth skinned, ribbed or furrowed, 
various coloured externally, with white, 
green, or orange flesh when ripe, scented 
or scentless, sweet or insipid, bitter or 
even nauseous. Hence it is said to be 
‘a most polymorphic species.” It em- 
braces all the numerous varieties of 
pumpkin, squash, vegetable marrow, 
gourds and melons. 

Cucurbitaceze embraces many vari- 
eties which are used in medicine; and 
chief among these is the Colocynth 


gourd, about the size of an orange, or as 
it is sometimes called, bitter apple, or 
bitter cucumber. The Colocynth of 
commerce is made from the dried pulp 
of that gourd, which is grown in Asia, 
Africa and Spain—the latter place sup- 
plying the largest quantity to the trade. 

The species, Melon, of which we would 
speak is not a disagreeable medicine, 
but a delightful fruit, which is used in 
large quantities in nearly all warm coun- 
tries, and grown as an expensive luxury 
by artificial means in the colder portions 
of our earth. 

As already stated it came originally 
from Asia. It is supposed to have been 
brought from there to Rome in the 16th 
century. The origin of some of the chief 
modern races, such as the Cantaloup, 
etc., and probably the netted sorts is 
due to Persia and the neighboring Cau- 
casian regions. It is supposed to have 
been brought to America by Columbus 
—so it should have become pretty well 
naturalized during these four hundred 
years. The date of its cultivation goes 
away back almost to pre historic times. 
It was one of the good things of Egypt 
for which the Israelites mourned in the 
wilderness. About 3400 years ago they 
said :—‘‘ We remember the cucumbers 
and the melons.” 

The melons raised in this country 
are chiefly of two kinds musk and 
Water melons with many sub-varieties 
of these. Probably the latter is more 
largely grown, because of its good keep- 
ing and shipping qualities ; and certainly 
it is cooling and refreshing during the 
warm weather. 

But we shall chiefly treat of the cul- 
tivation of the Musk meion as it is by 
far the finer of the two and perhaps 


395 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


somewhat more difficult to grow to per- 
fection. 
Soi, AND PREPARATION. 


The soil best adapted for their 
growth is a rich gravelly loam, or warm 
rich sandy soil with a well drained, or 
dry sub-soil. 

It must be made very rich—no fear 
of the ground being too rich, if the 
manure used be not too hot or fiery. 
In the fall, dig into your land a large 
quantity of strong cow manure, or better 
still, if you are where you can get it, 
manure from a hog pen. In the follow- 
ing spring dig your melon plot over 
again, say about the end of April. 
Then in May prepare for sowing. There 
are two ways of planting followed—one 
in hills, and the other in rows. I prefer 
the row system because in that way you 
can have manure more evenly distribut- 
ed under the plants. 

Dig good deep trenches about seven 
feet apart, throwing the earth out to 
each side. Then fill into these trenches 
a large quantity of good horse manure 
mixed with old leaves. Throw on some 
soil and mix all with a fork. This will 
prevent the fermentation being too rapid, 
and by this means the bottom heat will 
be continued for a longer time, etc. 
Put a little finely pulverized guano or 
hen manure on top, and fill in earth on 
top of this about 4% inches deep and 
make all fine and smooth with a rake. 
Your row will then be slightly higher 
than the level of the ground. 

Sow your seed along the center of this 
drill, or row, about one inch deep, and 
about two inches apart. Don’t sow too 
soon, as melons are very easily injured 
by frost. Wait till you see the leaves 
pretty well started on the trees, which of 
course will vary with the season, but 
will generally give a most reliable indi- 
cation of the advancement of vegetation. 


When your plants are up, look out for 
cut worms and other pests. When your 
plants have become strong, with five or 
six leaves, and are past the danger of 
worms, thin out, leaving the best plants 
about 15 inches apart. Then care- 
fully remove the dry earth from about 
the stems and bring up some fresh 
moist earth from the sides and put this 
round the plants right up to the leaves, 
making up the row from both sides 
about 4 feet in width—a little lower at 
the plants than out from them—leaving 
the surface pretty rough. Keep down 
weeds, and water occasionally if the 
weather be very dry. 

When the vines begin to run, nip off 
the main vine, as it seldom bears any 
fruit, and the strength of the plant will 
be thrown into the fruit-bearing vines. 

When the runners stretch out, the 
roughness on the surface will help to 
steady them. Don’t let them get twisted 
about, and turned over with the wind, 
better steady them with little pegs till 
they are long enough to reach out their 
little tendrils and take hold on each 
other with these wonderful hands. 
Keep the vines so spread that they will 
evenly cover the ground, and not be 
thick in some spots and thin in others. 

Your plot of melons should be so 
situated as to get the sun all day. They 
will do even better if the land slopes 
towards the west, so that the soil will be 
well warmed by the evening sun, and so 
remain warm well on throughou: the 
night. 

RIPENESS 


When the musk melon is ripe the rich 
fragrance of the fruit will generally give 
warning, and generally the color changes, 
(but not always) and the stem will crack 
around where it joins the fruit, and the 
fruit will separate quite easily from the 
stem. 


306 


SIZE OF THE APPLE BARREL. 


In regard to water melons none of 
these marks will aff/y._ For it does not 
change color, become fragrant, nor sep- 
arate any more easily from the stem. 
How then can you tell? By two very 
small things which are frequently over- 
looked, if you look closely where the 
fruit stem joins the vine you will see a 
very small leaf, not more than half an 
inch in length, and a small tendril just 
like what grows on other parts of the 
vine. When this little leaf and tendril 


dry right up then the melon is ripe and 
fit for the table. , 

All melons are better to be fully 
ripened on the vine. For lack of 
attending to this, many a tough insiped 
customer has to be dealt with that ought 
to have been free and luscious. 

I have not treated of transplanting 
melon plants for I find that they do 
better to be sown just where they are to 
grow, etc.—A. McLaren, before Hamil- 
ton Horticultural Society. 


SIZ OF slo APPLE BARRE E. 


HERE are several sizes of apple 
barrels in use in the United States 
and Canada, and it is certainly 
most desirable that uniformity 

be attained in this regard. The Nation- 
al Apple-Shippers Association of the 
United States have adopted the following 
size barrel, and have resolved not to buy 
or ship in any other : Head, 17 % inches; 
croe to croe, inside, 28% inches ; bilge, 
64 inches, outside. This is about the 
same as our flour barrel, so much used 
in Western Ontario, but much larger 
than the usual apple barrel of New York 
State, and larger than the legal barrel of 
Ontario. The amendment to the 
Weights and Measures Act of Canada, 
as now proposed, provides slightly dif- 
ferent measurements, but giving cubic 


contents nearly the same. The follow- 
ing is the proposed text : 
1. On and after the day of 


one thousand eight hundred and ninety- , 
section 18 of the Weights and Measures Act, 
chapter 104 of the Revised Statutes, shall be 
repealed and the following shall be substi- 
tuted therefor : 

‘18. All apples packed in Canada for sale 
by the barrel shall be packed either in cylin- 
drical veneer barrels having an inside diam- 
eter of eighteen inches and one-third, and 
twenty-seven inches from head to head inside 
measure, or in good and strong barrels of 
seasoned wood twenty-seven inches between 
the heads, inside measure, and having a head 
diameter of seventeen inches and a middle 
diameter of nineteen inches, and such last- 
named barrels shall be sufficiently hooped, 
with a lining hoop within the chimes, the 
whole well secured with nails. 

‘2. Every person who exposes for sale, or 
who packs for exportation, apples by the 
barrel, otherwise than in accordance with the 
foregoing provisions of this section, shall be 
liable to a penalty of twenty-five cents for 
each barrel of apples so offered or exposed for 
sale or packed.” 


BLUE RosEs GROWN IN BULGARIA. 
The blue rose, which, with the black, 
has so long been a subject of horticul- 
tural research, has quite unexpectedly 
made its appearance in a continental 
garden. Kilanlik, in Bulgaria, whence 
the rarity is reported, is a district re 
nowned for its attar of roses and conse- 


3°97 


quently the flowers are grown on a very 
large scale. Samples of the soil where 
this rare plant is grown have been sent 
to the chemical laboratory of Sofia to be 
minutely analysed. It is known to be 
rich in lime, ammoniac, salts of copper 
and oxide of iron. 


THE ART OF PROPAGATING. 


ANN 
PAHO 


UDDING performs the same 
duty that grafting does, the 
one done in Winter or Spring 
before the young buds have 

started, while the other is reversed, and 
can be done only when the subject is in 
a growing state, so that the bark peels 
readily from the wood. 

Budding, as the name imports. is the 
insertion of a bud of one kind of tree 
into the bark of another. It is an ex- 
peditious way of increasing any improved 
variety of fruit to an almost unlimited 
extent, as every bud from grow:ng shoots 
is, as it were, available, from which an 
independent plant can be grown. In 
this respect, it is similar to raising 
plants from cuttings, where, in many 
things, every eye may be made to pro- 
duce a new plant. Grafting has to have 
two or more buds. 

Without one or other of these meth- 
ods, there is but one way of increas- 
ing many kinds of fruit, that of Jayering 
Hence, were it not for the methods of 
increase, fruit of improved kinds would 
be exceedingly scarce, whereas, by its 
means, any new apple, peach, pear, or 
the like, may be increased very rapidly. 

In the old country much is done by 
budding or grafting in raising ornamen- 
tal trees, roses, and other shrubs, and to 
a more limited extent by the nursery- 
men of this country. Even the florists 
find it to their interest to grow many 
kinds of roses this way now, as some 
fine kinds appear to do better budded 
or grafted on another kind as a stock. 

Sometimes the object sought is to 
dwarf the growth, as for example, an or- 
dinary apple worked on to a Paradise 
stock, itself a small growing kind, dwarfs 
the growth down to an ordinary sized 
bush ; so with pear on quince. 

Tn other cases very superior fruits or 


Fig. 1632.—BuppiNe. 


flowers are sometimes of weakly growth ; 
these worked on to the wilding of its 
kind increases its vigor, but preserves 
the character of the fruit. 

In the apple, pear and peach, the 
stock usually used is the produce of the 
respective fruits raised from seed In 
the rose in Europe, the common dug 
rose, Manetti and other strong growers 
is the general stock. Any person having 
a vigoruus climbing rose of the Queen of 
Prairie, can easily inoculate it by insert- 
ing buds of other choice kinds of 
rose. 

The Time to Bud is when the bark 
wil peel from the stock, and is in a 
half ripe state, the sort from which the 
bud is obtained being also in the same 
condition, the bud itself being fairly 
formed and plump and round in ap- 
pearance. If budded early in the sea- 
son, some things will push the bud into 
growth at once. The general practice is 
to bud so that the bud remains dormant 
until Spring, so that the bark will peel 
freely. Secondly a proper time ; not too 
early, when there is a little cambium, or 
mucilaginous cement between the bark 
and the wood, for the adhesion of the 
bud,—nor too late, when the bark will 


308 


EXPERIMENTS IN ENGLAND WITH COLD STORAGE. 


not peel freely, nor the subsequent 
growth sufficiently cement the buds to 
the stock. Thirdly, buds sufficiently 
mature. Fourthly, a keen, flat knife, 
for shaving off the bud, that it may lie 
close in contact upon the wood of the 
stock. Fifthly, the application of a liga- 
ture with moderate pressure, causing the 
bud to fit the stock closely. 

The stock and bud being in a vigor- 
ous growth, and in condition, an incision 
is made lengthwise through the bark of 
the stock at the right angles, forming 
the letter T. A bud is then taken from 
a shoot—each leaf having been cut a 
short distance above the bud as shown 
in our illustration. (Fig. 1633.) The 
bud is shaved off the scion an inch or 
inch and a half in length —- with a 
small part of the wood directly be- 
neath the bud. This wood is left in 
by the best budders in this coun- 
try, but removed in the old—but their 
moist climate favors this better than 
ours. The edges of the bark are then 
raised a little and the bud pushed 
downwards under the bark. A bandage 
of bass, soft string or other substance is 
wrapped around, covering all but the 
bud. 


Rosarians generally 
use woolen yarn for 
string, as less likely to 
cut and wound the 

tender shoots. To pre- 
vent the bud drying up 
the leaf is cut, leaving 
but little exposed to 
wither — which would 
be fatal. Usually in 
ten days to two weeks 
the junction is sufficiently formed 
to sever the bandage. When in vigor- 
ous growth, if this is not attended to, 
the tie is apt to cut into the stock. An 
examination will readily show if the junc- 
tion is formed, or if the ligature is cut- 
ting into the stock. (See Fig. 1632.) 
If everything is in shape, in the 
Spring the stock is cut off a couple of 
inches above the inserted bud. This 
causes the bud to push. If on young 
stock, no other bud is to be allowed to 
grow, itself finally “forming the tree or 
bush. If it is a fancy of inserting 
another kind into a growing bush or 
tree, then that particular branch will 
have to be given up to the new comer. 
—Prairie Farmer. 


A\ 


Fic. 1633. 


EXPERIMENTS IN ENGLAND WITH COLD 
STORAGE. 


attained from the observations of 
W. P. Wright, Superintendent of 
Horticulture of Kent County, on 
the cold storage experiments for fruits 
at the works of J. & E. Hall, Dartford, 
England The cold chambers were 


|| “assine om results have been 


fitted with brine walls and cooled to any ~ 


desired temperature by means of car- 
bonic anhydride machines. 

The fruit being placed upon tiers of 
galvanized wire shelves under three 
different conditions. 


1. Exposed on the shelves. 

2. Enveloped in grease-proof paper. 

3. Surrounded or covered by cotton 
wool. 

It was found that strawberries can be 
kept for three weeks in a temperature 
of 30°, but it was necessary to surround 
the fruit with cotton wool, or in the case 
of fruit in sieves, to place a pad of that 
material over the top. Without this 
precaution the fruit became dull and 
lost the fresh, marketable appearance, 
although perfectly sound. 


2 309 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


Black currants shriveled after ten 
days’ storage, but filled up and freshened 
when again exposed to ordinary tem- 
perature. The best temperature for 
this fruit proved to be 32°. Red cur- 
rants remained sound for six weeks and 
retained their freshness for 16 hours 
after being taken out of the refrigerator. 
This fruit seemed to be best in a tem- 
perature of from 32° to 36°, and covered 
by paper to shut off currents of air. 
Cherries kept sound, fresh and clear for 
four weeks in a temperature of 30° when 
covered with wool. After that the fruit 
began to shrivel. 

With all these fruits it was found that 
the best results were obtained when they 
were placed in storage in advance of 
dead ripeness. They should not be 
injured in any way. 

The apples and pears tested were of 
the English variety, so that a descrip- 
tion of these tests would not be of much 
value to American growers. The 
severest tests were of the early market 
varieties which would not keep under 
ordinary conditions of storage. Sound 
fruit of this sort generally came out in 
nearly perfect condition in February. 
The apples were divided in three differ- 
ent chambers, kept at 30°, 32° and 
36° respectively. The lowest tempera- 
ture did not prove harmful nor was any 
advantage derived from it. Of the 
dozen different varieties tested, 36° 
seemed to be the most suitable. Little 
difference was found whether the fruits 
were exposed, covered with cotton wool 
or grease-proof paper. The best result 


was from fruit not fully ripe and not 
bruised. 

A dozen varieties of pears were tested, 
among them the Williams of England 
or the Bartlett of the United States. 
All kept satisfactorily, there being little 
choice between 30°, 32° and 36. If 
anything a lower temperature for pears 
is better than for apples, although for 
all practical purposes the two fruits 
agree. 

The plums of England and the United 
States are so much alike that the tests 
will be interesting here. Green gages 
kept sound for ten weeks, proving to be 
the hardiest variety. The popular plum 
of England, Victoria, remains sound 
nine weeks ; the Golden Drop stood the 
test for eight weeks. The best tempera- 
ture was found to be from 32° to 36°, 
although the plum does not do as well 
as other fruits in cold storage. 

The tomato experiments were not 
completely successful, but the best tem- 
perature was found to be 36°. 

Grapes covered with grease-proof 
paper stood the test for nine or ten 
weeks at a temperature of 32°. 

The peach trials were rather conflict- 
ing, some remaining sound for two 
months at 32, one variety rotting at 
BGs 

Mr. Wright says that cold storage for 
fruit growers on a small scale would not 
pay, but that the future probably would 
see in all large market centres chambers 
provided in warehouses for fruit.—Cold 
Storage. : 


AMMONIA FoR House P.iants.—It 
is simply astonishing that amateurs suc- 
ceed as well as they do with house 
plants, when they are so neglectful of 
fertilizing the soil. The simplest ferti- 
lizer for increasing the ‘growth of plants 
is the household ammonia, which every 


housekeeper keeps at hand for kitchen 
or bedroom uses. For the plants add 
three drops to a cup of water, and use 
to water the plants about twice a week. 
For a larger quantity twelve or fifteen 
drops to a quart of water. 


310 


STOCKS FOR BUDDING. 


HERRIES §are _ generally 

worked on Mazzard stocks. 

All varieties are readily 

worked upon it. When dwarf 

trees are desired the Mahaleb is used as 
a stock. This stock, which is imported, 
is adapted to heavy clay soils. Prunus 
Pennsylvania and Prunus pumila have 
been used to some extent. The former 
is the common wild red, pin or bird 
cherry; the latter the dwarf or sand 
cherry. Cherry stocks are worked both 
by budding or grafting. Budding is the 
common method. The stocks should 
be in condition to work the season they 
are transplanted,- the second summer 
from the seed. Any that are too small 
for working may be allowed to stand 
until the following year. In the West, 


where great hardiness is required, the | 


varieties are crown-grafted on Mazzard 
stocks in winter. Yearling stocks are 
used and the scions are ftom six to ten 
inches long. When planted, only the 
top bud should be left above the ground. 
The scions produce trees on their own 
roots. 


The budding season for pears usually’ 


begins late in July or early in August in 
the North. If the stocks are small they 
may stand over winter and be budded 
the second year. Pear trees do not suc- 
ceed well when root grafted, except 
when a long scion is used for the pur- 
pose of securing own-rooted trees. Dor- 
mant buds of the pear may be used 
upon large stocks early in spring, as 
upon the apple, and buds may be kept 
upon ice for use in early summer. 
Pears are dwarfed by budding them 
upon the quince. Tne Angers quince 
is the best stock. The pear can also be 
grown upon the apple, thorn and Moun- 
tain ash. 

Plums are worked in various ways, 
but ordinary shield-budding is usually 
employed in late summer or early fall, 
as for peaches and cherries. In the 


North and East the common plum is 
usually worked upon stocks of the same 
species. The Horse plum is a common 
stock. St. Julien and Black Damas are 
French stocks in common use. The 
Myrobolan is much used in California 
for standards, but in the East it makes 
dwarf trees. Plums are sometimes 
worked upon peach, almond and apri- 
cot stocks, according to locality. Japa- 
nese plums are worked upon peach, 
common plum or natives, preferably 
Marianna. Prunus Simoni works upon 
peach, common plum, Myrobolan and 
Marianna. ; 

The peach is perhaps the easiest to 
propagate of all northern fruit trees. 
Peach trees are always shield-budded. 
Grafting can be done, but as budding is 
so easily performed, there is no occasion 
for it. The peach shoots are so pithy 
that in making scions it is well to leave 
a portion of the old wood upon the 
lower end to give the scion strength. 
Peaches are nearly always worked upon 
peaches in this country. Plums are 
occasionally employed for damp and 
strong soils. Myrobolan is sometimes 
used, but it cannot be recommended. 
all plums dwarf the peach more or less. 
The hard-shell almond is a good stock 
for very light and dry soils. The Peen- 
to and similar peaches are worked upon 
common peach stocks. 

Apple stocks are either grafted or 
budded. Root-grafting is the most com- 
mon, especially in the West where long 


 scions are used in order to secure own- 


rooted trees. Budding is gaining in 
favor eastward and southward. It is 
performed during August and early 
September in the Northern States, or 
may be begun on strong stocks in July 
by using buds which have been kept on 
ice. Stocks should be strong enough 
to be budded the year they are trans- 
planted. — Prof. Bailey in American 
Gardening. 


311 


THE NEW PEACH SCALE. 
(Diaspis amygdali Tryon). 


Fic. 1634.—Pracu Scant, c MALE, B FEMALE. 


How to detect it.—This scale. is readily 
distinguished from the San José in that 
the female is a little larger, of a lighter 
gray color, with the elongated exuvial 
point ridged and located at one side of 
the centre, and the male is smaller, 
elongated, with parallel sides and white. 
The exuvial point is similar to that of 
the female, but located at the anterior 
end. A tree badly infested has a white- 
washed appearance from the color of the 
male scales. Where only females occur, 
however, a grayish brown appearance is 
produced. 

It is the habit of these insects to 
cluster about the trunk and the lower 
parts of the larger limbs of a tree. 

The original home of this insect is 
probably either the West Indies or 
Japan. From its probable West Indian 
origin it gets one of its popular names, 
“ West India” scale. It is now known 
to exist in the United States, at Washing- 
ton, D. C.; at Los Angeles, Cal. ; in 
one locality in Ohio; at Molina, Fla. ; 
at Bainbridge, Thomasville, Irby and 
Ashburn, Georgia. The case at Irby, 


AR 
AN 
Ay 
\ BD 
RRND 


Ga., involves two peach orchards ; one 
of about 7,000 trees and the other 
25,000 trees. About 10,000 trees have 
been utterly destroyed at this place by 
this scale. 

It attacks the plum, peach, apricot, 
cherry, pear, grape, persimmon, and a 
few other plants. 

Treatment.—The winter treatment for 
this insect is about the same as that for 
the San José scale. The females pass 
the winter in the mature and partially 
mature state, and can be killed by the 
twenty percent. mixture of kerosene and 
water, or by the whale-oil soap treatment 
at the rate of one pound dissolved in one 
gallon of water. In Georgia there are 
three or four broods from eggs, which 
appear at more or less regular intervals; 
the first appearing about the middle of 
March, if the season is favorable. These 
broods should be watched for and ten 
per cent. kerosene or whale-oil soap at 
the rate of one pound to four gallons of 
water should be applied at the time of 
their appearance.— Georgia Entomologi- 
cal Bulletin, No. 1. 


312 


* OU R GARDENS.”* 


HIS new book by Dean Hole, 
on * Our Gardens,” is a charm- 
ing work. Printed on the best 
of paper, in faultless letter- 

press, illustrated by elegant’ and costly 
colored garden scenes, it captivates the 
lover of the beautiful in nature the mo- 
ment he opens it. 

The book combines in a wonderful 
way the amenities of the garden with the 
latest information on gardening and 
landscape art. Some of the headings 
of chapters will show what may be ex- 
pected in the book by our readers: 
Ch. v, On the formation of a garden ; 
ch. vi, The component parts of a gar- 
den; ch. vii, The herbaceous border ; 
ch. viii, The rose garden; ch. ix, The 
rock garden ; ch. x, The water garden ; 
ch. xi, The wild garden; ch xii, The 
town garden. 

The following selections from chapter 
v, on “The formation of a garden,” 
will interest our readers and give a fair 
idea of the style of the writer: 

“There was a time when the archi- 
tect. was an obtrusive and persistent 
poacher ; when, not content with his 
edifices of brick and stone, his terraces, 
pagodas, colonnades and cupolas, urns 
and tubs in front of his houses, he in- 


sisted on a repetition of walls, towers, 
domes, and spires done. elsewhere in 
evergreen shrubs : and when it was writ- 
ten by one of the brotherhood that he 
should not trouble his readers with any 
curious rules for shaping and fashioning 
of a garden or orchard, how long, broad, 
or high the beds, hedges, or borders 
should be contrived, every drawer, em- 
broiderer—nay, almost every dancing- 
master, may pretend to such niceties, in 
regard that they call for very small in- 
vention and less learning. Now we 
shall be justified in associating such an 
utterance with ‘an out-patient of a 
lunatic asylum’ (the description given 
to me many years ago, by a sarcastic 
rural policeman, of a neighbor whom he 
despised), but then, when the gardeners 
themselves followed the same straight 
lines in their walks, copied the same 
fantastic forms in their knots and beds, 
which squirmed and wriggled like the 
poor worm pricked by the hook, when 
they mutilated vegetation, and gloried 
in their shame, there was too much 
truth in the satire. The garden was re- 
garded as a mere appendage to the 
house, and it was a condescension and 
work of supererogation on the part of the 
architect to superintend its formation.” — 


*By S. Reynolds Hole, author of ‘‘ A Book about Roses,’’ ‘‘ Memories of Dean Hole,” etc. 
don. J M. Dent & Co.; New York, McMillan & Co. 


Lon- 
Price $3.00. i 


3t3 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


“The idea of superiority is not extinct. 
I have heard complaints from builders 
that we gardeners trespass upon their 
work, and disfigure it with our ampelop- 
sis, wistaria, jasmine, roses, and ivy; 
but no one outside their fraternity sec- 
onds the proposition. Has not the 
Great Architect of the Universe clothed 
His mountains and rocks with moss, 
and lichen, and flowers? And yet with- 
in a few years an architect has informed 
us that a garden should be laid out in 
an equal number of rectangular parts ; 
that everything therein should be sim- 
ple, formal, and J/ogica// and that he 
should have no more hesitation in ap- 
plying the scissors to his trees and 
shrubs with a view to their transforma- 
tion into pyramids and peacocks, cocked 
hats and ramping lions, than he should 
experience in mowing his grass. Should 
this gentleman secure the sympathy of 
the public with his rectifications of 
Nature, it will only remain for che Gov- 
ernment to invite contracts for the fulfil- 
ment of the Quaker’s suggestion that 
the world should be painted a good, 
cheap, universal drab.” 

“There must be in every garden-— 
The grace of Congruity. There 
must be unity without uniformity, a 
pleasing combination not only of sepa- 
rate parts of the garden, but of the 
garden itself with the scene around. 
Every instrument in the great orchestra 
must be in tune.” 

“T have watched with great interest 
attempts to improve Nature. I remem- 
ber an under-gardener, who carved 
flowers with his pocket knife out of 
turnips, chiefly the ranunculus, the 
camellia, and the tulip, and colored 
them with stripes and spots of the most 
gorgeous hues ; and I recall a day when, 
passing by the potting shed, in which 
he was exhibiting his splendid achieve- 
ments to a friend, I heard him say, 


314 


‘They whacks natur’, don’t they, Dobbs?’ 
And Dobbs replied, ‘They whacks her 
ea-sy.’ 

** Congruity means the adaptation of 
Art to Nature, the conformity of a gar- 
den with its environs, the study of the 
soil.” 

“Et quid quaque ferat regio et quaque 
recuset.’ It means not only the selec 
tion but the setting of the jewels, not 
only the painting of the picture, but the 
placing in the frame.” 

“This then should be the primary 
endeavor to the true gardener, to collect 
all the most beautiful specimens which 
he can obtain of trees, and shrubs, and 
flowers, and to arrange them with all the 
knowledge which he possesses of their 
habit, colour, and form, in accordance 
with the simplicity, the graceful outlines, 
the charming combinations of the natu- 
ral world beyond, 

‘ When order in variety we see, 
And where, though all things differ, all agree,’ 
Working under these rules, copying this 
model, obeying Pope’s edict, 
‘First follow Nature, and your judgments 
frame, 
By her just standard, which is still the same,’ 
he will make but few mistakes, and these 
will suggest their own rectification, 
whereas all the endeavors of wealth and 
self-conceit to follow their own imagina- 
tions, without regard to these immutable 
laws, and to obtain the admiration of 
their neighbors by the mere costliness 
of their novelties, or the heterogeneous 
locations of their plants, inevitably fail. 
Again and again I have seen such re- 
sults of lavish expenditure and _ stolid 
arrogance as have almost induced oph- 
thalmia and softening of the brain, with 
an intense longing for the wings of a 
dove ; whereas the same eyes have gazed 
with a delight, which could not tire, in 
many a garden where the means were 
scanty, but the love was large.” 


THE MATTER OF NAMES. 


Of course there must be variety. It 
might be inferred from an inspection of 
the majority of our gardens, that no 
novelty had been introduced into this 
country for the last sixty or seventy 
years, and that straight walks through 
huge clumps of evergreens, chiefly 
laurels, and their boundless continuity 
of shade, left nothing to be desired. 
The true gardener will thankfully avail 
himself of all the beneficent gifts which 
reward his patient study and science in 
the production of new varieties. 

In every garden there must be, 
wherever there may be, seclusion, quiet 
retreats for for rest and retirement, for 
contemplation made. Our garden 
should be our Jerusalem, “the vision 
and possession of peace.” I must have 
a place to flee unto, when I know that 
the great landau of the Wopperton- 
Wickses is in my avenue, because one 
of their gigantic horses, a little touched 
in the wind, is loudly expressing his 
disapproval of a sudden rise in the 
ground, and because I catch a glimpse 
the trees of the gorgeous liveries, the 
cockades, and the calves, and the elab- 


orate amorial bearing of the Woppertons 
and the Wickses mixed. 

It is from these dissonant intrusions 
which confuse the brain, impede the 
digestive organs, and turn the tranquil 
waters into seething billows, like the 
storms of an Italian lake, that we would 
provide our haven of refuge. I would 
not make a single garden, which was 
worth seeing, into “a place of selfish 
solitude.” There is rarely need to ask 
the question now, 


‘© Why should not these great squires 
Give up their parks some dozen times a year, 
And let the people breathe?” ~ 


As a rule, where decent behaviour 
can be assured, the most attractive of 
our English homes are open to the pub- 
lic. At frequent intervals, the true 
gardener is never more happy than 
when he has the time for converse with 
those who can appreciate his work. 
What I mean is that all gardens should 
be secluded from supervision, and I 
think that even of show days there 
should be some small sanctuary unpol- 
luted by the bag of the sandwich, the 
peel of the orange, and the cork of the 
ginger-beer. 


THE MATTER OF NAMES. 


OW many gardens we see that con. 
tain fine and rare varieties of 
plants, from which the labels 
have been lost. How often a 

named collection of roses we shall say, 
is planted with the correct labels duly 
affixed, and after the growing season and 
the erasing effects of the winter, the 
labels which came from the nursery, 
convey no more meaning to the planter 
than the Egyptian hieroglyphics do to 
the ordinary scholar. You say, “ The 
nurseryman should supply more lasting 
labels,” but when you consider the short 
and busy season that is allotted to the 


nurseryman to get his orders dug and 
packed, it is obvious that he must use 
labels that are most quickly and con- 
veniently written, and for this reason a 
pine label is written with pencil and 
wired to one of the branches. 

The experienced nurseryman distin- 
guishes different varieties of fruit and 
shrubbery by their growth, and to the 
experienced florist the leaves, habit, 
etc., of most roses, geraniums, fuchsias 
and countless other plants, silently pro- 
claim the names of the particular varie- 
ties. It requires years of experience to 
become thus proficient in names, and it 


315 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


is surely not asking too much that the 
planters preserve the names more care- 
fully. A gentleman buys and plants a 
quantity of shrubbery, all correctly 
labelled. Oh! he will say, what need 
of me to preserve these dreadful Latin 
names and jawbreakers, why does not 
the nurseryman give his plants English 
names? and so in the course of the 
seasons the names one by one become 
lost. By and by one flowers, it is dif- 
ferent from the rest, it is different from 
anything in the neighborhood perhaps, 
some admirer inquires the name, the 
planter himself is seized by the same 
desire, but the label is lost and it entails 
perhaps years of enquiry before the last 
one is renamed. ’ 

It is a pleasure indeed to visit such 
grounds as those at Queen Victoria 
Park, Niagara Falls, where trees and 
shrubs from so many countries are grow- 
ing and apparently flourishing. Mr. 
Cameron, the head gardener, readily 


tells the name of any specimen in the 
collection, but says he intends to furnish 
all with conspicuous labels giving the 
correct botanical name, also the common 
or local name, for the information of 
the public. For herbaceous plants, or 
for plants like roses, that are pruned 
heavily each year, good stout cedar 
labels are the best, 20 in. long, 2 in. 
wide and 1 in. thick are the usual dim- 
ensions, point these, plane them on one 
side, rub the smooth surface with some 
light colored paint and write the name 
heavily and boldly, these labels can be 
read for several seasons, For per- 
manent names for trees, shrubs, etc., 
the best thing we have seen is a very 
thin piece of soft sheet copper, on which 
the name is written heavily with any 
sharp pointed tool, and as it is fastened 
to the tree with copper wire, there is no 
reason why it should not be legible for 
a lifetime. 


Hamilton. WEBSTER Bros. 


SNOWDROPS. 


OW that we are all planting bulbs 
N let me put in plea for the snow- 


drop. What other bulb have we 

that is so pure and dainty, so 
brave and early, so easily cultivated ? 
A little colony of the bulbs, planted in 
a sheltered nook will often surprise the 
owner with a handful of sweet, white 
flowers in January, notwithstanding the 
old hymn that 


‘‘ The snowdrop in purest white array, 
First rears her head on Candlemas day.” 


Scillas, chionodoxas, crocus and aco- 
nite bloom about the same time as the 
snowdrop ahd might be planted with it 
for variety, but I shall always want one 
little colony that is all white. Elwesii 
giant is the finest of the snowdrops. 


316 


The bulbs need only to be planted and 
then let alone. Uuder ordinary con- 
ditions they soon naturalize themselves. 
The individuality of the’.snowdrop— 
originality, if you will—has made it the 
subject of many poetical references. 
All are not equally accurate, however. 
Tennyson evidently noted the small 
white flowers, for he wrote: 


‘* Pure’ as the virgin tint of green, 
That streaks the snowdrop’s inner leaves.” 


For the snowdrop is not pure white 
as some poets would have it. They, I 
fear, love it better than our gardeners. 
To find snowdrops in Carolina gardens 
is the exception rather than the rule.— 
Vicks Magazine. 


A FEW POINTS ON ROSES. 


Fic. 1635.—ANNE DE DIESBACH. 


OUR Toronto correspondent 

asking for, a list of hardy roses 

places no easy task upon a 

‘Canadian rose grower, by her 
special requirement that they must have 
fragrance This requirement very much 
hampers the selection and bars out 
many of our finest appearing sorts 
which may be classed as hardy. There 
are, in fact, but a limited few among 
the fragrant varieties that can be classed 
as hardy enough for our climate north 
of Hamilton. 

Permit me to digress for a moment 
to say that your correspondent, M. E. 
B., in the July number, _testifies— 
together with a considerable number of 
private inquiries which I have received 
through the post on.the same subject— 


317 


to the gratifying interest that is taken in 
rose culture in this splendid province of 
ours. I had no idea that so many, even 
beyond our province, were looking for 
the fulfillment of that promise which I 
made in the December number of the 
HORTICULTURIST, to give a gilt edge 
list of really hardy roses in time for 
spring planting. I had to answer each 
one, as I must now explain to M. E. B. 
that I feared to give a list during the 
awfully severe winter lest there might 
not be many or any of those in exist- 
ence, when the spring opened, which I 
might have named. And it is well that 
I did fear and act cautiously, for the 
past winter has compelled me to reverse 
my list. ; 

Assuming that the climate at Toronto 
is only a trifle more severe than that at 
Hamilton, I will endeavor to give a list 
subject to my latest experience of ‘ Our. 
Lady of the Snows,” having regard as. 
far as possible to the requirement named 
by your Toronto correspondent. I can-. 
not, however, get a very dark, real 
hardy rose, with fragrance, to take the: 
place which must be given to Baron de 
Bonstetten, nor a next in shade to sub- 
stitute for Gen. Jacqueminot, which is 
only slightly fragrant. For fragance in 
the very dark shade Jean Liabaud will 
surpass the Baron de Bonstetten, but it 
is 20t so hardy nor quite so strong a 
grower. Then comes in order Alfred 
Colomb, with the only fault that it 
sometimes lacks in vigor and does not 
fully open all its blooms. It should, 
however, do well at Toronto. Next 
comes Francois Levit, Francois 
Michelon, slightly tender, Baron 
Provost, Leopold Premier, slightly fra- 
grant, Duke of Edinburgh, Magna 
Charta and Anne de Diesbach. This 
brings us into the lighter shades and we 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


have no choice except we depart from 
the hardy lines and take Mad. Gabriel 
Luizet, which is worth all the trouble of 
protecting. I lost all my bushes root 
and branch last winter, under 35 de- 
grees below zero, but intend to set out 
half a dozen plants again this fall. For 
a white rose there is none that will take 
the place of Mad. Plantier, and there 


does not seem to be much demand for 
a white out door rose. Mrs. J. S. Craw- 
ford is a charming rose, so is Ulrich 
Brunner, but neither is hardy. Dins- 
more is not a good rose, nor are several 
of those named by Mrs. Hoskin suitable 
to our climate. 
T. H. RAcE. 

Mitchell, July r&th. 


( 


IMPORTED BULBS AND THEIR CULTURE. 


eign growth, which have met with 

greatest favor, and are perhaps the 

most suitable. for mid winter 
flowering are: Hyacinth, Narcissus, 
Tulips, (Lilium Harrisii or Bermuda), 
Easter lily, Lilium longiflorum, Freesia 
and Crocus. 

These are imported in large quantities 
between July and November from 
_ France, Holland, Germany, Bermuda 
and Japan. 

The Black Calla or Arum Sanctum 
may also come under this head, as it is 
an importation from Asia Minor, but 
the Calla lily or White Calla is a pro- 
duction of California. 

Bermuda freesias are perhaps the 
earliest to appear on the market, some 
of which, grown this year, were with us 
as early as June 2oth, these were fol- 
lowed a few days later by L. Harrisii: 
Roman hyacinths from Aug. 5th to roth; 
narcissus, Aug. 20th; hyacinths, tulips 
and other Dutch bulbs, Sept. 5th to 
roth; a full supply of lilies during 
October, with Hamburg lily of the valley 
pips later, or about Nov. 5th to roth. 

Were I asked to name the most 
popular of these bulbous plants, or the 
one for which there is the greatest de- 
mand I would have to name thehyacinth; 
therefore, I shall confine my remarks to 
this special bulb, and feel, should these 


|[ eee bulbs, or bulbs of for- 


notes prove helpful to any readers of 
THE Hor TICULTURIST, I will be thoro- 
ughly repaid, and may, at a future date, 
give a short note on the cultivation of 
the others. Asa rule, we may say that 
bulbs require a rich loam soil, to which 
about one-fourth its bulk of sand has 
been added. In the culture of the 
hyacinth I would suggest a liberal addi 
tion of leaf soil, to fibrous loam, sharp 
sand and well decayed cow manure, it is 
important that the same be thoroughly 
mixed and allowed to stand some time 
before use. 

Roman and Dutch are the two im- 
portant classes by which hyacinths are 
known, Romans being the most used 
for forcing. 

When forced, this variety may be 


- brought to bloom between the 15th and 


zoth of December. Dutch hyacinths 
are commonly grown for bedding and 
decoration, and are not forced to any 
extent for their flowers. When culti- 
vating the hyacinth in pots, leave the 
top of the bulb a trifle exposed and let 
the soil be moderately moist. 

The pots should be placed outdoors 
on a bed of wet ashes, covered with six 
inches of the same material and left ex- 
posed to the weather. When the bulbs 
are well rooted and about an inch of top 
growth has been made they may be 
removed indoors, to force ; first into a 


318 


IMPORTED BULBS AND THEIR CULTURE. 


subdued light until the blanched foliage 
has attained its healthy green color and 
then to a sunny situation. 

Abundance of air and plenty of water 
at the roots is necessary for early well 
developed flower spikes. 

A dry or frosty atmosphere, or a 
draughty situation, will cause the flower 
buds to shrivel. Force gently in a tem- 
perature of about 70 degrees. 

If you prefer finely developed trusses 
of rich colors to early flowers, the 
hyacinth should not be forced, but left 
longer outdoors to develop and then 
removed to a mild temperature like that 
of a sitting room window, where it will 
also get the most sunlight. 

When cultivated in glasses the base 
of the bulb should at all times just 
touch the water in which a few pieces 
of charcoal have been placed. 

Keep in a cool, dark place until there 
is an abundance of root growth, they 
can then be gradually admitted to the 
light until they are placed in the sunniest 
situation. Avoid a too dry or frosty 
atmosphere. 

Bulbs that have flowered in water are 
of little use, and results of any account 
can be had only when planted out of 
doors. 

When done flowering cut down the 
flower stalk and continue watering, allow- 
ing the leaves to return their nutriment 
to the bulbs. When the leaves have be- 
come withered the bulb should be placed 


in a sunny situation for a. week to dry, 
and then placed in dry sand for next 
season. 

Quite often bulbs of the second year’s 
growth, or those which have not attained 
a sufficient supply of roots before being 
admitted to the light, will put forth their 

“buds away down among the leaves and 
refuse to elongate their flower stalks as 
they ought to, which is disappointing 
indeed. 

If you observe a tendency in this 
direction make some cones of thick 
paper and invert over the plant, cut off 
the apex of the cone making a hole about 
an inch in diameter for admission of 
light. The buds will reach up towards 
this opening in their eagerness to get to 
the light, and in this way the stalk can 
be made to lengthen itself properly. 
While hyacinths are in bloom it is well 
to remove them from direct sunlight as 
the flowers will last much longer in a 
cooler temperature. In conclusion, I 
‘might add that the bulb reports for this 
season are not at all promising, especial- 
ly from Dutch and French growers. 

Dutch growers will consider ihem- 
selves quite fortunate if their yield 
amounts to half their production of 
former years, the larger sized bulbs will, 
no doubt, advance considerable before 
the season closes. 


DoORLAND COLLIER 


319 


me WE 


culturist % 


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NEWSPAPERS.—Correspondents sending newspapers should be careful to mark the paragraphs 

i Editor to see. : 
tne ISON TINUANCES.—Remember that the publisher must be notified by letter or post-card 
when a subscriber wishes his paper stopped. All arrearages must be paid. Returning your paper 
will not enable us to discontinue it, as we cannot find your name on our books unless your Post 
Office address is given. Societies should send in their revised lists in January, if possible, otherwise 
we take it for granted that all will continue members. 


3 Notes and Pomments. & 


THE AppLeE Crop in Western New 
York is reported to be about one-half a 
full crop. 


THE OrriciaL Report of the Annual 
Fruit Growers’ Meeting of Prince Ed- 
ward Island for 1898 is at hand, and 
proves clearly that the people there are 
wide awake to their interests, and are 
planting apple orchards quite freely, in 
view of the excellent results obtained 
from their first trial shipment. 


AT the recent great International 
Horticultural Exhibition at St. Peters- 
burgh, the Wiboltts seed establishment 
in Nakskov, Denmark, was awarded the 
highest prize, viz., the largest silver 
medal for Danish grown cauliflower and 
cabbage seed. 


RASPBERRY PuLp.—A_ letter from 


Harrison Watson, Imperial Institute, 
our Dept. of Agriculture, give some en- 
couragement to ship raspberry pulp this 
season. The old couutry crop is very 
short, owing to drouth, and now is the 
most favorable time to forward some 
cases for a thorough trial of this indus- 
try. We hope our Committee will make 
preparations for this, and give us a com- 
plete and reliable report of the prospects 
of the trade, because, if a success, it 
would help the price of the fresh fruit 
in our country. 


THE Wickson PLuM.—On the a2ist 
of July we received a fine sample of this 
plum, from Mr. W. E. Wellington who 
has so much confidence in it that he has 
planted it quite largely to grow the fruit 
for profit. It is the largest of the Japan 
plums, a cross between Kelsey and Bur- 
bank, and is of such a fine bright red 


320 


NOTES AND 


color that it surely would sell like “hot 
cakes” in the market. The sample 
sent us measured 2 inches in diameter, 
the flesh was amber yellow, tender and 
juicy, and of very agreeable flavor. It 
will be remembered that this plum was 
originated by the eelebrated Luther 
Burbank, of Santa Rosa, California. 


THE GREEN Fruit Worm, Xy/ina 
antennata, was very abundant in Ontario 
orchards during the months of May 
and June, and did much destruction to 


Fic. 1636.— 


the young fruit, eating large holes in the 
sides of many of the finest samples. In 
1896 a bulletin was issued by Prof. 
Slingerland, of Cornell University, on 
this worm. It was calcuated that in that 
year, 25 per cent. of the apples in New 
York State were ruined by it. The 
insect was first noticed in Missouri and 
Illinois in 1870, eating holes in the fruit, 
and in 1877 they appeared in large 


Fig. 1637.— 


numbers about Lockport, N. Y.; on 
one young pear orchard 45 per cent. of 


COMMENTS. 


the fruit being injured. Collectors have 
found the moths in widely distant dis- 
tricts in Canada and the United States, 
so that they have now become widely 
distributed. 

Mr. SLINGERLAND Says: During the 
first week in June most of the cater- 
pillars get their full growth ard then 
burrow into the soil beneath the trees to 
a depth of from an inch to three inches. 
Here they roll and twist their bodies 
about until a smooth earthen cell is 
formed. Most of them then spin about 
themselves a very thin silken cocoon ; 
some spin no cocoon. Within the 
cocoon or the earthen cell, the cater- 
pillar soon undergoes a wonderful trans- 
formation which results in what is known 
as the pupa of the insect. Most of 
these insects spend about three months 
of their iife in the ground during the 
summer in this pupal stage. Some 
evidently hibernate as pupz, and thus 
pass nine months or more of their life 
in this stage. Usually about September 
15th, the moths break their pupal 
shrouds and work their way to the sur- 
face of the soil. Most of them emerge 
in the fall before October 15th, and pass 
the winter as moths in sheltered nooks ; 
some evidently do not emerge until 
spring. Warm spells in winter some- 
times arouses a few of them from their 
hibernation. 

During the first warm days of early 
spring, all the moths appear, and doubt- 
less the mothers soon begin laying eggs. 
No observations have been made on the 
eggs or young caterpillars in the North, 
but in a newspaper article published in 
the South in 1872, it is stated that the 
eggs are deposited in the spring on the 
underside of the leaves. They hatch in 
a few days, and the young worms begin 
at once to eat the foliage, or the fruit, or 
both. 


321 


' 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


There is thus but one brood of these 
green fruit worms in a year.. They work 
mostly in May, pupate in the soil in 
June, live as pupz during the summer 
and sometimes all winter, and most of 
the moths emerge in the fall and hiber- 
nate, laying their eggs in the spring. 

THe BEN Davis APPLE AND THE 
KIEFFER PEAR. — Considerable dis- 
cussion is being carried on in American 
papers regarding the merits of these two 
fruits. Some condemning them wholly 
because of their poor quality, and others 
claiming that they have great merits. 
W. H. S. says in the Rural New Yorker : 

“ The Ben Davis apple, as grown in 
northwest Missouri, is good in its sea- 
son, One reason why it is so often 
condemned is that it is put on the 
market as early as October as an eating 
apple, when in fact it is not usually fit 
to eat before the middle of January. ° It 
looks good at any time, is bought out 
of season, then condemned. I con- 
sider the Ben Davis apple as a fairly 
good eating apple in its season, that is, 
from January 20 and after, and would 
consider that my Winter supply of pro- 
visions was not complete if I did not 
have a good lot of Ben Davis in my 
cellar. After they get good, I notice 
that they are usually selected first when 
brought out with other apples, both by 
my own family and by visitors. Try 
some northern Missouri Ben Davis next 
year, but do not expect them to be good 
until their time comes. 

* As to the Kieffer pear, my trees 
have been bearing for a number of 
years. When properly ripened after 
being left on the trees as long as is safe 
from frost, they get mellow to the core, 
are juicy and good, and while they are 
a little coarse, the flavor is very fine. 
Last year, I had a surplus for the first 
time, and all were sold at the house at 


$2 per bushel, and many were called for 
after all were gone, so I conclude that 
there are others who like them. Perhaps 
climatic conditions have something to 
do with both of these fruits; but as 
grown here, both are good in their 
season, and both readily sell at the high- 
est price, which goes to prove that many 
people like them.” 


ONTARIO FRUIT EXHIBIT AT PaRiIs.— 
Mr. A. McD’Allan, Supt. of Horticul- 
ture for Canada at the Paris Exposi- 
tion of rg00, is busily engaged in 
planning out his work of securing a 
a creditable exhibit of Canadian fruits. 
He estimates that at least 1,000 bottles 
should be allowed our province for 
tender fruits, to be put up this summer. 
Then in the autumn many varieties of 
our best apples, pears and grapes are to 
be sent forward and held in cold 
storage at Paris. In this way a credit- 
able exhibit can be made from the very 
beginning. 

The object is to represent the fruit- 
growing interests of Ontario as a whole, 
and every part of the province will be 
invited to participate. The plan is to 
utilize the Ontario Fruit Grower’s Asso- 
ciation, asking each director to make 
such contributions as would best repre- 
sent the agricultural division he repre- 
sents. He will invite the co-operation 
of the affiliated Horticultural Societies, 
whose exhibits will be credited to the 
Society, and individuals contributing 
will also receive full credit The fruit 
experiment stations will also be invited 
to share in this work, and will be fully 
represented at Paris with the special 
fruits which they grow. 

In this way it is hoped that Ontario 
may be well shown to be a grand fruit 
growing country, and may win the atten- 
tion of many colonists; it may be also 
that special business openings for the 


322 


be hh aa 


NOTES AND 


sale of our fruits will result for the gen- 
eral good. We presume that similar 
schemes will be planned in the other 
provinces. 

We give a list of the agricultural 
divisions in Ontario, with names of 
directors, experimenters and secretaries 
of affiliated societies, 


Division I.—Stormont, Dundas, Prescott, 
Glengarry. 
Director.—W. A. Whitney, Iroquois. 
Horticultural Society.—Irequois, W. J. 
Forward. 


Drviston II —Lanark, Renfrew, Carlton, 
Russell, Ottawa. 
Director.—R. B. Whyte, Ottawa. 
Horticultural Society.—Arnprior, Geo. E. 
Neilson. 


Drvision II1{.—Frontenac, Leeds, Grenville. 


Director. —Geo. Nicol, Cataraqui. 

Experimenter.— Harold Jones, Maitland. 

Horticultural Societies —Brockville, Geo. 
A. McMullen; ‘Cardinal, E. E. Gilbert ; 
Kemptville, T. K. Allen; Smith’s Falls, 
W. M. Keith. 


Drviston 1V.—Hastings, Addington, Lennox, 
Prince Edward. 


Director. —Wellington Boulter, Picton. 

Experimenter.—W.H Dempsey, Trenton. 

Horticultural Sociéties.Betleville, W. J. 
Diamond; Napanee, J. E. Herring; 
Picton, W. T. Ross; Stirling, Davis 
Sager ; Trenton, S. J. Young. 


Division V.—Durham, Northumberland, 
Victoria. 


Director.—Thos. Beall, Lindsay. 

Horticu/tural Societies.—Campbellford, E. 
A. Bog; Cobourg, H. J. Snelgrove ; 
Lindsay, F. J. Frampton; Millbrook, 
W. S. Given; Port Hope, A. W. 
Pringle. 


Division Vi.—Ontario, Cardwell, York, 
Peel. 


Director.—E. C. Beman, Newcastle. 

Experimenter.—R. L. Huggard, Whitby. 

Horticultural Societies.—Whitby, R. L. 
Huggard; Brampton, H. Roberts. 


Division V1II.—Wellington, Waterloo, Went- 
worth, Dufferin, Halton. 


Director. —M. Pettit, Winona. Vice-Presi- 
dent, W. M. Orr, Fruitland. 

Experimenters.—M. Pettit, Winona; A. 
W. Peart, Freeman. 

Horticultural Societies.—Freeman, W. F. 
W. Fisher, Hamilton; J. M. Dickson, 
22 Bruce St ; Orangeville, Wm. Judge; 
Oakville, W. W. Paterson ; Waterloo, 
J. H. Winkler. 


Division VIII.—Lincoln, Niagara, Welland, 
Haldimand, Monck. 


COMMENTS. 


Director.—A* M. Smith, St. Catharines. 

Experimenter.—M. Burrell, St. Catharines. 

Horticultural Societies.—St. Catharines, 
W. C. McCalla ; Grimsby, E. H. Read ; 
Hagersville, S. W. Howard ; Port Col- 
borne, A. E. Augustine ; Niagara Falls, 
T. J. Robertson, Queen St. 


ee IX —Elgin, Brant, Oxford, Nor- 
olk. 
Director —J.S. Scarff, Woodstock. 
Horticultural  Societies.—Paris, Gordon 
Smith ; Simcoe, Henry Johnson; Port 
Dover, W. J. Carpenter; Woodstock, J. 
S. Scarff. 


Division X.—Huron, Bruce, Grey. 


Director.—J. I. Graham, Vandeleur. 

Experimenters.—A. KE. Sherrington, Walk- 
erton ; J. G. Mitchell, Clarksburg. 

Horticultural Societies.—Durham, Wm. 
Gorsline ; Seaforth, C. W. Papst ; Kin- 
cardine, Jos. Barker ; Meaford, A. McK. 
Cameron; Thornbury, A. W. Walker, 
Clarksburg; Owen Sound, A. McK. 


Cameron. 


Division XI.—Perth, Middlesex, London. 
Director.—T. H. Race, Mitchell. 


Division XII.— Essex. Kent, Lambton. 


Director.—A. McNeill, Walkerville. 

Experimenter.—W. W. Hilborn, Leaming- 
ton. 

Horticultural Societies—Chatham, Geo. 
Massey ; Windsor, A. W. Joyce; Leam- 
ington, E. E. Adams. 


Division XIII.—Algoma, Simcoe, Muskoka 
Parry Sound. 


Director.—G. C. Caston, Craighurst. 

Experimenters.—G. C. Caston, Craighurst ; 
S. Spillett, Nantye; Chas. Young, 
Richard’« Landing. 

Horticultural Sucietiés.—Midland, Miss M. 
Tully ; Orillia, C. L. Stephens. 


Witp MusrarD is one of the most 
troublesome weeds the Canadian farmer 
has to destroy, because it grows up and 
ripens with his grain crop and can only 
be got rid of by pulling it out one stalk 
at a time. Doherty, of O. A. C., Guelph, 
has tried spraying with different strengths 
of iron sulphate and those of copper 
sulphate on six plots. The application 
of 2 per cent. copper sulphate was en- 
tirely satisfactory, completely destroying 
the mustard and not injuring the oat 
crop in which it was growing. 


323 


4 Question Orawer. & 


Apple Trees Dying. 


11018. Srr,—I would like to have your 
advice as to what to do for my apple trees. 
The leaves are all turning brown and they 
are dying by the dozen. Most of them were 
planted four years ago and have done well ; 
they are mostly Yellow Transparents and 
healthy. Duchess and crab apples are not 
affected so bad. I thought the leaves faded 
off a little unnatural last fall, they have not 
looked very healthy all spring ; the weakest 
of them dying first. Now the whole orchard 
of 150 trees has a dusty brown shade, with 
the leaves curling up. I thought possibly it 
was the wet season, as part of the orchard is 
rather wet clay, but the trees on the dry 
light soil are going now as well as the others. 
A few of them have bark loosening on the 
south side from sun scald, but most of them 
have real healthy trunks. I have not done 
any spraying. What do you think is causing 
it, and what remedy can I apply ? 

L. Love. 
Port Sandfield, Muskoka. 


We fear there is no remedy for the 
trouble affecting your apple trees. The 
sample sent us has the appearance of 
apple twig blight, which has been a very 
wide scourge this season. It may, 
however, be the result of the recent 
severe winter which has injured the 
roots of orchard trees, especially of the 
peach trees, in such a large area. 
Strange to say, the vitality stored up in 
the tree enables it to put forth leaves 
in the spring, and even form some fruit, 
but alas, in time the enfeebled condition 
of the roots soon begins to show itself 
in a dead or sickly top, and the tree is 
past recovery. If the evil is wide 
spread, this latter would be the explan- 


ation ; if only a few trees, it is probably 
twig blight. 


Fruit in Cape Breton. 


1102. Srr,—I am sending you herewith, 
by parcel post, a box containing two Northern 
Spy apples ; a small vial containing beetles 
which I picked off my pears last autumn, 
and a few withered fruit spurs from a pear 
tree—the latter I took off the tree to-day. 
When the blossoms dropped off the tree the 
leaves on the fruit spurs withered up and are 
still clinging to the twig, while the other 
leaves on the tree seem to be perfectly 
healthy. ‘ 

Will you kindly say what you think of 
the quality of the apples? What are the 
beetles? Are they injurious to the pear? 
And what is the trouble with the pear tree ? 

Plums will be a good crop here ; apples 
fair only. The late cold weather of May and 
June probably was the cause of the fruit not 
setting well. 

Referring to a recent article in the Hortt- 
CULTURIST regarding Prunus Pissardi, I have 
one ten years planted which is beginning to 
show signs of failing health and is becoming 
rather unsightly, but it was a beautiful tree 
for several years. 

D. S. McDonaxp. 


Glendyer Mills, C.B. 


We should suppose from your descrip- 
tion that your trees are affected with 
the pear blight, which often begins with 
the fruit twigs. 


The samples of Spy apples are ina 
wonderfully good state of preservation, 
and if they have only had ordinary stor- 
age, their condition would go to show 
that apples with our correspondent are 
better keepers than those grown in 
Ontario. 


324 


* Open Letters. ¥ 


The Plum Crop. 


Srr,—The plum crop is a total failure with 
me. Apples are very, very light, and still 
dropping ; do not think this section will have 
more than two-thirds as many apples as last 
season, but they will be better quality, free 
of fungi. 

W. H. Demesey, Trenton, Ont. 


Plant Distribution. 


Sir,—In regard to plant distribution to 
subscribers to CANADIAN HortTIcuLturist, I 
feel something like Mr. C. B. Jackes, Toron- 
to. I may say also that very often plants 
arrive thoroughly baked in transit. This 
year you sent plum trees by express and 
really it is the first time plants have reached 
me in good order. 

Could the suggestion of publishing a list of 
hardy plants, and especially where to obtain 
them, be given, it would be of great benefit. 
You sometimes recommend, or rather parties 
writing recommend, especially hardy types of 
plants, but no nurseryman in Canada seems 
to have them, though they may be advertised 
by American firms. 

In regard to Eleagnus. I have Hleagnus 
Longipes and some other kind sent out by 
Steele some years ago. Both are half hardy 
here, and fruit seems about the same; not 
much for eating anyway. 

Hawke C. Guy, 
Dudley, Muskoka, Ont. 


The Tent Caterpillar. 


S1r,—Enclosed you will find some cocoons 
of the tent caterpillar and you will see that the 
insects are all dead ; not one in twenty can 
be found living.. In many of the cocoons 
there is a white larva. I witnessed the fly at 
work yesterday ; it eats a hole into the co- 
coon with its mouth and then inserts its ovi- 
positor ; but the one I saw at work failed to 


get a hole through the cocoon, owing to its 
toughness, time and again it would try with 
its mouth and then with its ovipositor. 

The fly resembles the wasp only much 
smaller ; the head, thorax and abdomen are 
black, with six white stripes across the abdo- 
men. It had six legs of a light red color and 
two wings almost transparent, with a black 
spot at the outside half way from the end. 
It had two (do you call them horns) (antenne, 
Editor) about half an inch Jong, and it had 
two ovipositors } of an inch long and it placed 
them both together when trying to perforate 
the cocoon. 

J. L. G. 


The Plant Distribution. 


S1tr,—I noticed in the June number of the 
HORTICULTURIST you requested an expression 
of opinion re plant distribution. I would be 
in favor of discontinuance, and devoting the 
$600 to the journal. 

I notice in the July number some 30 sub- 
jects treated on, I also find about one half 
that number is copy from American journals, 
etc. Now I don’t object to the American 
articles, as they are all good, but I do think 
that there ought to be far more Canadians 
giving their experience (Horticultural) through 
the columns of your valuable journal ; I would 
suggest that part of the $600 be devoted to 
giving cash prizes for the best articie or 
answers on any horticultural subject you may 
name from time to time in your journal. 

The above suggestion is made after reading 
Mr. C. B. Jackes remarks in the July number 
re the bonus distribution of plants to give a 
list of shrubs, etc., suitable for the Canadian 
climate. Now I think by giving a cash prize 
forthe best article on shrubs, etc., it might 
be the means of bringing ont more Canadian 
writers. Not for the sake of the cash, but 
for the honor of being first. 


Mar. McCreatuH, 
The Cemetery, Kincardine. 


Regarding the beetles, (referred to in 
question 1102) Dr. Fletcher, of Ottawa, 
says :— 

The insects found on pear tree at 
Glendger Mills, C.B., by D. S. McDon- 
ald, are specimens of a predacious there- 


fore beneficial bug. The gray soldier 
bug (Zuschistus tristigmus) which des- 
troys plant lice and caterpillars. With 
their proboscis, which when not in use 
is folded under the breast, they kill their 
prey and extract the juices. 


325 


PRESERVATIVES 


OR exhibition purposes it is 
well to preserve some of our 
finer fruits in bottles, espec- 
ially those which can not 

otherwise be kept. Our experiment 
station fruit exhibit in bottles at Toronto 
has always attracted a good deal of 
attention, arid will be of increasing in- 
terest year by year. The following 
formule have -been recommended by 
' Dr. Saunders for the use of those put- 
ting up fruit for the Paris Exposition, 
and we give them in full because so 
many are interested in trying the experi- 
ment for themselves : 


GENERAL DIRECTIONS. 


Select the finest specimens of the 
fruit both as to form and size. Handle 
them carefully to avoid all bruising and 
place them in bottles, arranging the 
specimens so as to show them to the 
best advantage. Fill each bottle to the 
neck with fruit, then pour on the fluid 
recommended, filling the bottles to with- 
in half an inch of the stopper so as to 
entirely cover the fruit. Then place the 
stopper in the bottle and run a little 
beeswax or parafine over the joint to 
make it air-tight. Tie the stopper down 
with a piece of strong cotton, and attach 
to each bottle a label containing the 
following particulars: Name of the 
variety of fruit, name and address of the 
grower, with the province in which the 
party resides. Write also in each case 
in one corner of the label the letter 
suggested to indicate the fluid which 
has been used. Wrap the bottles in 
paper to exclude the light, and preserve 
in a cellar or other cool place until re- 
quired for shipment. Strawberries and 
raspberries should be cut from the plants 
or bushes with a pair of scissors, leaving 
a short piece of stem attached to each. 


FOR BOTTLED. FRUITS. 


FLUID NO. I. 


Formalin (formaldehyde) one pound 
(16 oz.) ; water, 44 pounds; alcohol, 5 
pints. Allow the mixture to stand, and 
should there be any sediment pour off 
the clear liquid and filter the remainder 
through filtering paper. This two per 
cent. solution of formalin or formalde- 
hyde has been found very useful for 
preserving strawberries so as to give 
them a natural appearance. 

In each case where this fluid is used 
mark F on one corner of the label. 


FLUID NO. 2. 


A solution of boric acid in the pro- 
portion of two per cent. Dissolve one 
pound of boric acid (boracic) in 45 
pounds of water, agitate until dissolved, 
then add 5 pints of alcohol. If the fluid 
is not clear, allow it to stand and settle, 
when the clear upper portion may be 
poured off and the remainder filtered. 

In each case where this fluid is used 
mark B on one corner of the label. 


FLUID NO. 3. 


A solution of zinc chloride in the pro- 
portion of three per cent. Dissolve one- 
half pound of zinc chloride in 15 pounds 
of water, agitate until dissolved, then 
add 1% pints of alcohol. Allow the 
mixture to stand until settled, then pour 
off the clear fluid and filter the re- 
mainder. 

In each case where this fluid is used 
mark Z on one corner of the label. 

FLUID NO. 4. 

Sulphurous acid, 1 pint; water, 8 
pints; alcohol, 1 pint. Allow the mix- 
ture to stand, and should there be any 
sediment, pour off the clear liquid and 
filter the remainder. 

In each case where this fluid is used 
mark S on the corner of the label. 


326 


PRESERVATIVES FOR BOTTLED FRUIT. 


LIST OF FRUITS WITH THE NAMES OF 
PRESERVATIVES TO BE USED IN 
EACH CASE. 


(Where two fluids are named either 
may be used, but the first named is 
preferred.) 

Strawberries.—Solution No. 1, forma- 
lin. 

Raspberries, Red.— No. 2, boric acid ; 
No. 1, formalin. 

Raspberries, White.—No. 4, sulphur- 
ous acid; No. 3, zinc chloride. 

Raspberries, Black. — No. 2, boric 
acid. 

Blackberries.—No. 2, boric acid ; No. 
1, formalin. 

Cherries, Red and Black.—No. 1, 
formalin ; No. 2, boric acid. 

Cherries, White.—No. 4, sulphurous 
acid, 

Currants, Red.—No. 1, formalin ; No. 
2, boric acid. 

Currants, White.—No. 4, sulphurous 
acid ; No. 3, zinc chloride. 

Currants, Black.—No. 2, boric acid. 

Gooseberries.—No. 1, formalin; No. 
2, boric acid. 


Apples, Green and Russet.—No. 3, 


zine chloride. 


Apples, more or less Red.—No. 2, 
boric acid. 

Apples, White and Yellow.—No. 4, 
sulphurous acid. 

Pears, Russet.—No. 3, zine chloride. 

Pears, Green or Yellow.—No. 4, sul- 
phurous acid. 

Plums, dark colored varieties.—No. 
1, formalin ; No. 2, boric acid. 

Plums, Green or Yellow.—No. 4, sul- 
phurous acid. 

Peaches, Apricots, Nectarines or 
Quinces.—No. 4, sulphurous acid ; No. 
3, zinc chloride. 

Grapes, Red or Black.—No. 1, forma- 
lin ; No. 2, boric acid. 

Grapes, Green or Yellow.—No. 4, 
sulphurous acid. 


A FRUIT-LADDER. 


who can handle a brace and bit 

can make a ladder which is almost 
necessary in picking fruit. Its 
manufacture is so simple that a glance at 
the illustration will suffice to show how 
it isdone. Select a good straight cedar 
pole (cedar is very light, 

yet strong), peel it, and 

ring it near the small end 

Fie. 1638. 


fi: farmer or bright farmer’s boy 


or wrap it with strong gal- 
vanized wire. Line it off 
with a chalk line, and bore 
the holes for the rungs. 
Then rip it down to the 
ring; this must be done 
carefully. Complete the 
operation by making and 
fitting the rungs, using 
some tough wood, such as 
white oak. After it is fin- 
ished give the whole ladder 
a soaking coat of linseed- 
oil, after which it can be 
painted if desired. This 
will make a light ladder 
which can be inserted be- 
tween the limbs of fruit- 
trees and poked up under 
the trees where an ordinary’ 
ladder would be useless or 
would greatly injure the branches. 

The cedar pole will make the lightest 
and best ladder of this sort, but if it is 
not convenient to procure a pole, two 
strips of tough white oak one and one 
half by three inches, bound and screwed 
together at the top, will serve as sides 
for the same. In either case edges 
should be rounded off, to prevent injury 
to limbs of trees against which the lad- 
der may rest.—Farm and Fireside. 


PL TT 


327 


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GARDEN OF BOBOLI, FLORENCE. 


THE 


CANADIAN HortTicuLTUurIST. 


Vout. XXII. 


1899. 


No. 9 


WY lt > 
a Lhd 


Sf ‘© 


2 OTS. 


SOME GARDENS OF ENCHANTMENT AND 
RENOWN. 


‘* Nebassar’s Queen 
Fatigued with Babylonia’s level plains 
Sighed for her Median home, where Nature’s 
hand 
Had scooped the vale and clothed the mountain 
side 
With many a verdant wood; nor long she pined 
Till that uxorious monarch called on Art 
To rival Nature’s sweet variety. 
Forthwith two hundred thousand slaves up- 
rear’d 
This hill—egregious work, rich fruit o’erhung 
The sloping vales and odorous shrubs entwine 
Their undulating branches. 


, OME time between 590 and 
P5561 BC., would seem to 
have been the most prob- 
able date of the erection of 
the famous Hanging Gar- 
dens of Babylon. (Fig. 
1639.) The lowest stage of 
these gardens covered between three and 
four acres. It is not known what their 
height was. Two ancient writers agree in 
making their height that of the walls of 
Babylon, but there is much difference 


331 


of opinion as to what the height of 
these latter were. According to the 
lowest calculation found in the pages of 
ancient writers they were seventy-five 
feet high Whilst this estimate was 
probably much too moderate we must 
consider the statement of Herodotus, 
that they were 360 feet in height, an 
exaggeration. The mound Babel, which 
of late years has come to be generally 
considered their wreck, is still 140 feet 
high, though for centuries it has been 
used as a quarry by the Arabs, 


As to the general external appearance 
of the structure there seems to be two 
main opinions. One that it was like a 
lofty, wooded pyramid with several ter- 
races, each smaller than the one below ; 
the other, that as in the Roman amphi- 
theatre, the several tiers of arches were 
so built that the line of the outer wall 
from base to summit was perpendicular. 
All seem now of the opinion that arches 


THE 


Pie 
been i ae cm peat nearest a LO EAE LI TT re atari 


Fic. 1639.—HANGINnG GARDENS OF BABYLON. 


(Attempt at reconstruction. ) 


of brick formed the main support of the 
building. Probably some use was made 
of piers and columns too. Flights of 
stairs led to the summit of the building. 
Each flat contained stately apartments 
for all sorts of purposes. The walls of 
these were perhaps adorned with color 
glories—battle and hunting scenes glow- 
ing in yellow, red, brown, and blue. A 
great mass of earth covered the top of 
the terraces. When this soil was laid 
even and smooth it was planted with 
trees, shrubs and flowers, 

“* And Tie were gardens bright with sinuous 


Where blossomed many an incense-bearing tree, 
Aud forests ancient as the hills.”’ 


Not inappropriate as at first sight, would 


seem is the comparison of this plantation, 
in its later days at least, to a primeval 


CANADIAN HORTICULTORIST. 


forest. Quintus Curtius asserts 
that some of the trees grew to 
be more than twelve feet in di- 
ameter. In the days of Amy- 
itis the trees must have been 
smaller, but the ground was 
probably more profusely deck- 
ed with flowers. Aromatic 
plants most likely grew there, 
and if the native flora of the 
country was not denied a 
place among the vegetable 
novelties from abroad, the 
date palm with its crown of 
splendid leaves and charming 
amber clusters of fruit hanging 
down several feet in length, 
adorned the slopes. The 
pomegranate with its scarlet 
flowers, the graceful acacia, 
the mournful willow, the long 
feathery rods of the tamarisk, 
the cone-like cypress, the 
orange and the apple tree, very 
likely brightened its groves. 
In the burning climate of the 
country, the shade and cool- 
ness of the place was delicious. The 
water for the gardens was supplied 
from a canal from the Euphrates, 
and was raised by a screw hidden 
away in a room within the structure. 
Mr, Rassam a few years ago found, 
at the mound Babel, iour “exquisitely 
built granite wells,” still some 140 feet 
high, which he concludes were the pipes 
used in irrigating the Hanging gardens. 
Huge rocks were elevated to the gardens 
to give a mountain like appearance. 


Passing on to Roman times we find 
that this iron race delighted in their 
gardens, to show their mastery over 
nature by a display of engineering skill. 
Lucullus suspcnded hills upon vast tun- 
nels and brought in the sea for moats and 


332 


SOME GARDENS OF ENCHANTMENT AND RENOWN. 


fish ponds in the making of his pleasure 
grounds. Reproached by a stern moralist 
of the age for his degenerate indulgence 
in the luxury of a house for summer as 
well as a winter residence, this celebrity 
smilingly replied, “‘Do you think me 
less provident than the storks and cranes 
who have their summer abodes, as well 
as those suited for the cold weather.” 
The Topiarian art or the clipping of 
trees and hedges into representations of 
birds, beasts, vases, and even fleets of 
ships was another characteristic of the 
gardening of this age. The Emperor 
Hadrian’s villa with its grounds some 
seven miles in circumference was per- 
haps the most ambitious of Roman 
gardens. In one part of this park was 
an imitation of the lovely vale of Tempe 
in Greece, whilst another portion was 
designed to represent the lower regions 
described by the poet Vergil. 

During the dark ages garden craft had 
to find its home in the monasteries. 
Beauty had to be sacrificed to military 
ends in the medieval castle, and there 
was little room within its walls for such a 
luxury as a garden. When the use of can- 
non rendered the walls of these strong- 
holds useless, they were replaced by 
princely mansions and villas, with an 
ample setting of garden charms. The 
gardening art blossomed forth anew in 
the 15th and 16th centuries in the Italian 
cities, now treasuries of vast wealth, 
whose princes and cardinals found in 
this a congenial outlet for the display of 
their riches. Our frontispiece, taken 
from an old Italian engraving, repre- 
sents part of the Boboli gardens 
laid out about the year 1550, at Flor- 
ence. The quaint looking screens that 
figure so prominently in this are cut in 
greenery, and the tall spire-like trees 
marshalled in formal lines in the back 
ground, are not Lombardy poplars as 


we of this country would be likely to 
suppose, but cypress trees. 

The Italians took great pains to make 
their gardens harmonize with the archi- 
tecture of their palaces. The garden 
was a suite of open air apartments 
as much a part of the home as the 
house itself. The main features of the 
grounds were the terrace, the grove, 
the fountains, the reservoirs and the 
flower garden. They were places of 
greenery and water, commanding splen- 
did views, for they usually nestled 
against a hill side. The English horti- 
culturist Evelyn, visiting Boboli in the 
17th century, says that there was much 
topiary work there, and that he saw 
there a rose grafted on an orange tree. 

Splendid gardens were not found in 
this age in the old world only, but if we 
can give any credence to the very doubt- 
ful authority of Spanish waters of the 
time on our own continent also. These 
authors may have drawn very largely on 
their own imagination when they de- 
scribed the glories of the Coricancha, 
or Place of gold, the magnificent temple 
of the Sun at Cuzco, in Peru. The 
gleam of the soil of the garden there, 
in the rays of a tropical sun, must have 
been dazzling, for it was composed with 
small pieces of fine gold. The graceful 
stem leaves and tassels of Indian corn 
were imitated here in gold, the plants 
rooted so firmly that the strong winds 
prevalent there could not loosen them. 
Other plants with leaves of silver, and 
flowers of gold figured in some gardens 
of Peru, and doubtless were to be seen 
here. A flock of twenty sheep of pure 
gold was grazing in this fairyland, and 
the shepherds guarding them were of 
the same bright metal. 

Illustration Fig. 1640 is of a labyrinth, 
which up to the year 1775, existed in 
the gardens of Versailles in France. The 


333 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


Fic. 1640.—AncrenT LABYINTH IN THE GAR- 
DEN AT VERSAILLES 
winding path was flanked on either side 
with grotesque imitations of animals in- 
tended to represent the beasts of Aesops 
fables. The gardens of Versailles were 
extremely formal in character. They 
still exist, but modern critics who have 
written disparagingly of them should re- 
member that to form a just idea of their 
merits they should have been seen when 
thronged with all the splendid life of 
the court of the Grand Monarque Louis 
XIV. They were admirably adapted 
to the purpose for which they were to 
be used drawing-rooms for summer 
days for the gaily clad courtiers and 
ladies. ‘Ten thousand people lived in 
the palace, so the lawns could seldom 
have been deserted. Versailles was en- 
tirely the creation of Louis XIV. If he 
did not “ make the desert smile,” he at 
all events through his gardener, Le 
Notre, turned a pestilent marsh into a 
superb pleasure ground. He was ex- 
tremely fond of gardening, and at some 
periods of the year spent whole days in 
watching and superintending work in 
his gardens and his different buildings, 
and took as much interest in the minute 


detail of direction as if he had been a 
landscape artist or an architect. The 
cost of the palace and park of Versailles 
according to Voltaire’s estimate, nowcon- 
sidered the calculation most nearly ap- 
proaching the truth, was something like 
one hundred millions of dollars, and to 
this must be added the worth of the 
labor given by the peasants, who .were 
forced under the law of the corvee to toil 
without any pay. At Versailles and its 
adjoining parks of Trianon and Marly, 
there were at one time employed no less 
than 22,000 men and 6,000 horses. 

The making of Versailles was a trag- 
edy. A diary of a French notable con- 
tains, under date of 31st May, 1685, the 
following entry. ‘ There are now more 
than 36,000 peasants at work in and 


Fic. 1641.—Locis XIV.—From a rare por- 
trait in the Archives at Ottawa. 


about Versailles for the King. The half- 
starved and half-clad wretches die by 
dozens under the strain of the cruel 
tasks imposed on them.” In October 
of 1687, Madame de Sevigne wrote as 


334 


SOME GARDENS OF ENCHANTMENT AND RENOWN. 


Fic. 1642.—THE GarpEns at San Sovuct, GERMANY. 


follows: ‘The King wished to spend 
Saturday at Versailles, but it seemed as 
if Providence willed that he should not, 
for the buildings are in no condition to 
receive him, and there is a prodigious 
mortality of workmen so that carts full 
of the dead are carried off every night 
as they are from the Hotel Dieu, (a 
famous hospital.)” In contrast to this 
dark picture of a tryants oppression, we 
would place the story of the old wind- 
mill at Sans Souci the garden repre- 
sented in our next cut, which shows 
royalty ina brighter light This famous 
wind-mill stands close in 


century later the owner was forc- 
ed byadversity to think of selling 
the property and offered it to 
King William. The Crown still 
generous, settled on the owner of 
the mill a sum sufficient to 
maintain him on his property. 
Our last cut is of a landscape 
garden in Japan. The Japanese 
are very successful in making in 
their gardens imitations on a 
small scale of natural scenery. 
Miniature mountains, lakes and 
dwarf trees figure in their com- 
positions. A famous and novel concep- 
tion is the gardens of a Buddhist eccle- 
siastic which illustrates thelegend of the 
nodding stones which bowed down to the 
earth when they heard the words of the 
Monk Daito, an early missionary of the 
Buddhist religion. Some Japanese gar- 
dens such as Ginkakuji, or Silver Pavilion 
and Kinkakuji, or the Golden Pavilion 
are some three or four hundred years old. 
One will see there trees a century old 
not more than a foot high, and many 
other sights strange to Western eyes. 
Maplehurst. A. E. MICKLE. 


the rear of the palace 
erected by Frederick the 
Great of Prussia, and still 
belongs to the descen- 
dants of the sturdy miller 
who refused to surrender 
it to that monarch when 
the latter wanted to pull 
it down, and include the 
site in his own gardens. 
The original mill was a 
very small one, but Fred- 
erick having lost his law- 
suit with the miller, with 
great generosity built a 
larger mill for his op- 
ponent. More than a 


Fic. 1643,.—A JAPANESE GARDEN. 


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‘dO Laog “osy ‘NVHNHXOG ‘H ‘H AO AONAAISUY— HFO! “OT 


StiRe 


ext 


nn 


336 


A TOWN RESIDENCE. 


ORT HOPE with its diversity 
of hill and dale, its meandering 
stream and its. inclining streets 
with their wealth of shade 

trees on either side, has many fine resi- 
dences and grounds. One of the most 
attractive of these, and the most ob- 
served, perhaps, because situated on 
the main street of the town, and only 
three minutes’ walk from the central 
business portion, is the residence of H. 
H. Burnham, Esq., the President of the 
Port Hope Horticultural Society. 
Because so situated, the grounds, 
though by no means contracted, are not 
so extensive as they would have been 
had they been more suburban, but the 
best has been made of every yard of 
space. In fact, Mrs. Burnham, to 
whose fine taste, artistic skill, assidu- 


ous attention, and passionate love of 
flowers the grounds and house surround- 
ings owe their beauty, has success- 
fully solved the problem of garden 
decoration. By a well planned arrange- 
ment of walks, terraces, lawn space, 
parterres, and statuary—here a group of 
cacti, there a mass of bloom, here a 
creeper, there a climber, here wild 
bushes and a bank of ferns, there well 
trimmed shrubs, here a basket, there a 
vase, and taste and beauty everywhere — 
this villa attracts the attention and de- 
lights the eye of every passer-by. Seen 
by hundreds every day it no doubt 
exerts a silent influence in the interests 
of horticulture, which it would be hard 
to over-estimate. 
A. Purstow, Port Hope. 


PRINCIPLES OF PRUNING 


SHRUBS 


AS FORMULATED BY MR. CHARLES BALTET. 


1.—Prune when dormant plants of 
those species which flower during the 
growing season on the young, herbaceous 
shoots. This is Winter Pruning, or Dry 
Pruning 

2.—Prune in full growth, as soon as 
the flowering period ends, the plants of 
those species which, when the sap starts, 
expand their flowers on the branches of 
the year or older ones. This is Summer 
Pruning, or Green Pruning. 

In both cases the desired end is that 
the floral elements shall come well con- 
stituted at the blooming epoch Sum- 
mer pinching or shortening strengthens, 
or causes to branch, the long shoots 
which should flower in winter or the fol- 
lowing spring, and thus increase the 
show of flowers. 


Pruning is long when more wood is 
left on the plant, short when more is cut 
away, combined if the two operations are 
applied at the time on the same shrub, 
a system preferable to alternating. 

Without rules to follow, long pruning 
or the absence of pruning should be pre- 
ferable toexaggerated mutilations. Every- 
where and always the trimming of trees 
and shrubs is recommended by thinning 
the branches that grow too dense, their 
rejuvenation by the suppression of old, 
sterile, wornout stems, and replacing 
them with vigorous shoots, and, finally, 
the cares of neatness, clearing away scaly 
or mossy bark, the suppression of dead 
wood, broken pieces, suckers and the 
withered remains of flowers. 


337 


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338 


“a 


NOTES ON THE GRIMSBY FRUIT DISTRICT, 


O the enthusiast in horticul- 
ture the Niagara district offers 
an endless variety and an 

almost inexhaustible field of interest. 
Especially is this true when the enthu- 
siast is less favored than the fortunate 
dwellers of our sunny vineyards and 
happens to be a dweller in the north. 
To one of the latter who drops in upon 
you perhaps only once a year, or less, 
the progress you are making in your 
methods of cultivation, and general ad- 
vancement as a fruit district, are much 
more noticeable than to one of your- 
selves who are engaged in the opera- 
tion. I, for example, can see great 
changes for the better every successive 
visit I make to your district. If com- 
petition be the life of trade in commer- 
cial lines, so must competition and the 
spirit of rivalry tend to greater perfec- 
tion in the operation of fruit culture. 
Only a few years ago there were con- 
spicuously but a few model fruit farms 
and farmers between Hamilton and St. 
Catharines. Now there are many, and 
their number is increasing every year. 
There are yet a number of laggards to 
be seen, but the discriminating compe- 
tition in the fruit markets must in time 
drive them, if the spirit of rivalry does 
not shame them into better and more 
progressive methods. . 

Last December while making a visit 
to my old friend Mr. M. Pettit and his 
family and marking the great improve- 
ment which he had made in_ his 
fine fruit farm in the course of three or 
four years, I visited especially the home 
of Mr. W. M. Orr to note his methods 
of fall cultivation in the several depart- 
ments of his farm. A few weeks ago I 
made a second visit to observe, as far 
as they would show, the result. Mr. 
Orr is among the most systematic and 


thorough fruit farmers on the Grimsby 
road, but to a novice it is not easy to 
see how a beginner could adopt his 
methods and follow them until returns 
began to come in without considerable 
capital to start with. Mr. Orr does not 
demand two crops from his land at the 
same time, nor does he believe in tak- 
ing anything from the land during the 
years in which the orchard is in its pre- 
paratory stage, whether it be in peaches, 
pears, plums or apples; but on the 
contrary he believes in cultivating and 
feeding the soil from the time the trees 
are planted without taking any crop 
from it till the trees are in bearing. 
This belief he puts into practice, for we 
noticed on his farm orchard plots of 
both plum and pear trees two years, 
three years and so on up to thirteen 
years, all treated after the same fashion. 

Last fall Mr. Orr had nearly all his 
plots covered with a growth of rape. 
This served to arrest the leaves as they 
fell from the trees and they helped to 
thicken the covering. This covering 
Mr. Orr claimed protected the roots of 
the trees during the winter, besides act- 
ing as a mulch for the soil, and was 
ploughed under early in the spring. 
This ploughing was followed by a sow- 
ing of crimson clover, or some other 
green crop to be turned under early in 
the fall and treated as before. Mr. Orr 
is firm in his belief that the trees, in the 
increased quantity and superior quality 
of their fruit, pay for all this preparation 
after they come into bearing, and ina 
very few years more than make up the 
value of any root or other crop that 
might have been taken off the land. I 
stated in the HorTICULTURIST two years 
ago that the finest samples of plums 
that came into the northern market 
came from the farm of Mr, Orr, and 


339 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


looking over his farm this season I am 
convinced that his methods of cultiva- 
tion and care of his trees has much to 
do with it. Besides the labor that he 
puts upon the soil Mr. Orr gives due 
attention to washing, pruning and spray- 
ing his trees, and I never saw anything 
look finer or cleaner than all his orchard 
plots did a few weeks ago. All his plum 
trees six years planted, and from that to 
thirteen years and over, were as full as 
they could bear ; and a young pear or- 
chard five years planted, treated as 
above and looking fully as well as the 
plums, Mr. Orr says is already giving a 
fair return for labor and land value. One 
thing is certain that Mr. Orr has his 
farm as clean as it can be; is giving it 
a thorough system of cultivation and is 
taking nothing from it but his fruit crop. 
As to how well and how much the latter 
pays for expense, labor, and land value, 
and at what age the trees begin to pay 
a fair equivalent, and at what ratio they 
increase from the paying point, Mr. Orr 
alone may be able to say. 

Another matter of interest on Mr. 


Orr’s farm is his apple orchard planted 
on the mountain side where cultivation 
is impossible. Here the trees seemed 
to thrive well enough but did not ap- 
pear to be bearing very well. The un- 
der growth I suggested might be against 
them and we thought the situation an 
ideal one for sheep grazing. Mr. S. D. 
Woodward, of Lockport, places great 
value upon sheep in the apple orchard ; 
so do many farmers about here in my 
owncounty. But Mr. Orr’s reply to my 
suggestion was that he had tried sheep 
and could not protect them from dogs. 
This seemed to me a strange state of 
affairs in a civilization such as you enjoy 
in the Niagara peninsula. Such a state 
of things could not exist with us up in 
these back townships, and why should 
they with you. With that defect reme- 
died and Mr. Orr’s mountain side apple 
orchard stocked with sheep his fruit 
farm might well be considered an ideal 
one. 
ay dic RACE 

Mitchell, Aug. 15. 


THE EMERALD PLUM, 


late Warren Holton, of Hamilton, 

well known in fruit growing circles, 

sent us a sample ofa new seedling 

plum, which he called “ Early Green.” 

In an accompanying note he said, ‘‘ con- 

sidering its size, fair quality and in 

particular its early season (1st August), 

in ripening, I think it may prove worthy 
of cultivation.” 

About August Ist, 1899, ten years 


S long ago as the year 1889, the 


later, we received another sample of this 
plum under the name of Emerald, which 
we had little difficulty in identifying as 
the same. The accompanying engraving 
shows this plum in natural size, the color 
is greenish yellow, form roundish, of 
good size and excellent quality, coming 
in before the better varieties of Japan 
plums, and not being subject to rot- 
this plum will no doubt be of consider, 
able value. 


340 


Fic. 1646 —Tur EmeRELv PuivuM, (natural size). 


341 


FERTILE AND: STERILE GRAPES. 


ROF. S. A. Beach of Geneva 

Experiment Station, has been 

making a study of the self 

fertility of the grape. It has 
been noted that some varieties, when 
planted alone, failed toset fruit. Barry, 
Herbert, Brighton, Eumelan and some 
other varieties, when set alone in vine- 
yards, or in blocks remote from other 
sorts, proved shy bearers, producing 
only a few bunches of a straggling 
character, cr were complete failures. 
These same grapes, in vineyards not 
favorably located, but composed of 
mixed varieties, gave heavy yields of 
large and compact bunches. The cause 
of these results has heen the subject of in- 
vestigation for some time and has been 
under experiment. One fourth of the 
varieties have borne perfect compact 
clusters in the bags ; more than one-third 
produce clusters not quite perfect but 
still marketable ; about one-sixth of the 
varieties produce a few fruits, but not 
large enough to produce - salable 
bunches; and nearly one-fourth of all 
tested produce no fruit whatever where 
cross pollination is prevented. The 
following is a list of classes 3 and 4, as 
tested, which will not fruit well when 
standing alone, and should therefore be 
planted beside other grapes which 
bloom at the same time. 


Ciass 3. CxLustrrs UNMARKETABLE. * 
Adirondack Marion 
Alexander Nectar 
Amber Queen Noah 
Brighton Northern Musca- 
Canada dine (?) 

Daisy Norwood 
Denison Pearl 

Dracut Amber Roenbeck 
Eumelan tRoss (Gov.) 
Geneva Thompson, No. 5 


Gold Dust 
Hayes 
Lindley 


Cuiass 4.—SELF-STERILE. 


Thompson, No. 7 
Vergennes 
Weodruff 


No Fruit Dr- 


VELOPS ON COVERED CLUSTERS* 


Amber (?) 
America 
Aminia 
Barry 

Black Eagle 
Blanco 
Burnet 
Creveling 
Dr. Hexamer 
Eaton (?) 
Eldorado 
Elvibach 
Essex 

Faith (?) 
Geertner 
Grein Golden 
Herbert 


Hercules 
Jewel 

Juno 
Massasoit 
Maxatawney (7) 
Merrimack 
Montefiore 
Oneida 

Red Bird 
Red Eagle 
Requa 
Rogers No. 5 
Roscoe 
Salem 

White Jewel 
Wilder 
Wyoming 


The method used was simple but the 
amount of work required great. Vines 


of the different varieties in apparently 


healthy, productive condition 
selected, and two or more well formed 
flower clusters on each vine were in- 
closed, before the flowers opened, in 
manila paper bags, as shown in the 
figures. When the flowers open, as 


were 


Fig. 1647—-BaG IN POSITION OPEN. 


SKETCH OF THE WORK OF MR .H. H. STEWART. 


Fig. 1648.—RAG CLOSED WITH WIRE LABEL. 


they do perfectly although bagged, 
they can receive pollen from no other 
variety ; that is, they must become self- 
pollinated, not cross-pollinated. 


If they produce fruit under these 
conditions the variety is self-fertile ; but 
if, repeatedly, in different years and in 
different vineyards, the flowers bear no 
fruits or but a few straggling berries, the 


variety is self-sterile, or practically so. 


SKETCH Or THE WORK 


Fia. 


1649.—Mr. H. A. haga 


Hamivton, P. E. 
President P. E. I. F.G.A 


E have pleasure in reproducing in 
our columns this month the 
portrait of H. A Stewart, Esq, 
President of the Fruit Grower’s 

Association of Prince Edward Island. 
Mr. Stewart was bornat Hamilton, P E.T. 


OF MR. H.H.uSTEWART- 


on March 2oth, 1850, and is consequent- 
ly in the prime of life. He has always 
taken an active and prominent part in 
all movements in his native province, 
having for their object the advancement 
of agriculture, and the subordinate 
science of horticulture. Before a Pro- 
vincial F. G. A. was propérly launched, 
he was the President of the Prince 
Edward County Association, which did 
much good pioneer work for the general 
association. Mr. Stewart is one of the 
most advanced agriculturist and horti- 
culturists of his native province, where 
lately agriculture is followed with such 
success in all its improved phases ; he 
is also active in the organization which 
brings the cultivator within reach of the 
social, fraternaland economic advantages 
of the age. Since 1897 he has been 
President of the Agriculture Insurance 
Company of P. E. I. Mr. Stewart is a 
man of splendid presence, a good 
speaker, a clear and forcible writer, and 
a true lover of his country and Province. 
Under him the F. G. A. of P. E. I. is 
making a steady progress. 


343 


UNPROFITABLE PLANTATIONS. 


RUIT growers. are a long time 
in learning that the principles 
of success in other lines apply 
with equal force to their busi- 

ness. Every fruit farm has acres of 
orchard which yield no profit because not 
properly utilized. One of the first les- 
sons to be learned is, fhe soils that are 
suited to the various frutts. 

The apple is easily satisfied, and will 

grow on a great variety of soils—from 
heavy to light—but on light soil there is 
often too much wood growth and too 
little color. The best results so far as 
our observation goes, are obtained in 
clay, or where a clay subsoil is covered 
with a few inches of sandy loam. Such 
soil, if well tilled and enriched, gives 
highly colored and large sized Baldwins, 
Spys and Cranberry Pippins, which on 
light sand are irregular in size and 
quality, and the King, unproductive on 
the latter soil, was fairly productive on 
clay. The pear and the plum, especial- 
ly, demand a clayey soil, well tilled, for 
the best success, and in such soil they 
will be much more fruitful than on a 
light sand; and the pear especially will 
take on a finer color. This we have 
noted especially in the case of the Bart- 
lett, the Flemish Beauty, and the Clair- 
geau. 
It is astonishing what endurance the 
pear and the plum have of even poor 
soils. An apple orchard was planted at 
Maplehurst on a poorly drained clay 
soil, with ‘‘hard pan” subsoil. The 
apples were worthless—too small to 
pay for gathering. Pears planted in the 
same soil were a success. 

The cherry and the peach, on the 
other hand, most fastidiously demand a 
sandy loam, well drained, and will not 
thrive on clay. 

The cherry 


tree is particularly 


fastidious over soil. On _ sandy soil, 
well tilled, it makes extraordinary wood 
growth, young branches of the sweet 
cherry class, such as Napoleon or 
Spanish, often making two feet of stocky 
new growth in the months of June and 
July. In sod, if on sand, therefore, the 
growth is good, and many fooolishly 
allow their trees to go untilled, when 
cultivation would double their returns. 
On heavy soil the cherry is not usual- 
ly a success. | 
Peaches at Maplehurst planted on 
clay loam and well cultivated, made 
poor growth, and much sickly wood. 
The fruit was small, though highly 


-colored, and after one or two crops the 


trees began to lose their vitality and die 
by degrees ; while those on high sandy 
loam, grew with great vigor and lived to 
twenty and twenty-five years of age. A 
neighbor, Mr. George Smith, who keeps 
a Jersey herd and fertilizes heavily, has 
a fine Early Crawford orchard on sandy 
soil, which yielded an average of seven 
baskets per tree of magnificent highly 
colored peaches, and pay an almost 
incredible income per acre, while other 
orchards of the same variety, on unsuit- 
able soil, are an actual loss to the 
owner. The peach orchards of the 
Niagara and Essex districts also are 
planted on sandy soil. 

The grape will succeed on either 
sand or clay, but we have noticed that 
on sand there is more mildew, more 
wood growth, and less fruit than on 
heavier soil. Pattison, a grower on 
clay, claims that his Concords ripen a 
week earlier than others planted on 
sand, and are swéeter in flavor. 

On uncultivated land the grape is 
almost barren. It is a gross feeder, 
reaching out its rootlets eight or ten feet 
in every direction in loose soil, and 


344 


; 
J 


SPRAYING FOR MUSTARD. 


quickly responds to generous treatment. 

The currant grows vigorously on 
sand, but fruits more heavily on clay, if 
well tilled; and the gooseberry is 
almost a failure on sand, especially the 
finer varieties. On clay, especially if on 
a northern aspect, as for example on the 
north slope of the Niagara escarpment, 
where there is moisture, shade and 
drainage, even the large English goose- 


berries, such as Lord Dufferin, White-- 


smith, Crown Bob, etc., succeed remark- 
ably well, while on the sand on the 
level land below they are worthless. 
Raspberries and blackberries do best 
on deep rich, moist sand, which does 
not hold water in winter. On 
such soil the Cuthbert often grows 
canes eight feet high, and yields won- 
derful crops of huge berries. The same 
soil is most suitable for strawberries. 
With these data in view the young 


planter should plant wisely, and many 
who are making no money should con- 
sider whether the points here made do 
not explain the reason. 

Much of the best sandy loam in the 
fruit growing sections of Ontario is 
planted to apples, land that would 
bring a fine income if planted to 
peaches, cherries, raspberries, straw- 
berries or garden truck, such as toma- 
toes, cauliflower or celery, but which 
now rarely yields enough to pay the 
taxes. We kndéw Baldwin orchards on 
sand, which only average one crop in 
ten years, and one where the subsoil 
was hard pan that only yielded two or 
three good crops in forty years, and is 
being made into fire wood. Had the 
planter known something about soils 
suited to fruits, he might have saved 
himself a life of disappointed hopes. 


SPRAYING FOR MUSTARD. 


By Frank T. Shutt, M,A., Chemist, Dom. Expl. Farms. 


NE of the most persistent 
weeds that farmers in many 
parts of Canada have to con- 

tend with is Mustard, commonly known 
in Europe as Charlock. Though an 
annual, it is most difficult to eradicate 
from fields in which it has become 
established, owing to the fact that the 
seeds—of which a large number is 
formed —are endowed with a strong 
vitality and are preserved, by the oil 
they contain, from decay until favour- 
able conditions for sprouting occur. 
Pulling the Mustard when it appears 
among the grain, or keeping the weed 
from seeding by working the land (as 
under a hoed crop) are the two methods 
which have hitherto been in vogue to 
exterminate this pest, and when the 


work is done thoroughly they may be 
considered satisfactory and_ efficient. 
The former, however, is always costly, 
and the latter is sometimes not con- 
venient. When, therefore, it was an- 
nounced in the Agricultural Press that 
spraying with certain solutions of sul- 
phate of iron and sulphate of copper 
had been tried successfully in England 
and France, it was deemed advisable to 
make similar experiments here. We 
should then be in a position to furnish 
information at first hand on this sub- 
ject. 

The fields of the Experimental Farm 
being free from this weed, it became 
necessary to make the trials upon an 
adjoining farm, and for this purpose a 
field of barley was selected which showed 


2 345 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


a considerable amount of Mustard. 
The size of the plot treated in each 
case was one-tenth of an acre, and the 
quantity of solution uniformly supplied 
to each area was five gallons, or at the 
rate of 50 gallons per acre. The date 
of spraying was June 26th, the grain 
being from 15 inches to 20 inches 
high, and the Mustard practically the 
same height and just coming into 
flower. The chief data may be briefly 
stated as follows :— 


Sulphate of Iron, 5 per cent.: No 
effect upon barley. The leaves were 
practically all stripped from the stems of 
the mustard, but the weed was not killed, 
as evidenced by the new leaves subse- 
quently starting, the plant flowering and 
the seed-pods filling out and maturing. 
The leafless stems were quite green a 
fortnight after the spraying, and were 
apparently furnishing nourishment to the 
seed. 


Sulphate of Iron, ro per cent.: A 
slight scorching of some of the leaves 
of the barley was to be noticed. A 
fortnight after the spraying this was not 
discernable, and, though this spray may 


have s/ightly retarded growth, it is not, 


probable that the yield of grain was 
affected. 

Though the effect upon the mustard 
was more pronounced than in the fore- 
going instance, as noticed by the “ spot 
ting” on the stems, it was not suffi- 
ciently strong to prevent flowering and 
the ripening of the seeds, a large pro- 


portion of which proved, upon testing, 
to be vital. 


Sulphate of Copper, 2 per cent.: A 
certain amount of injury to the leaves 
of the barley resulted, evidently retard- 
ing growth to a somewhat greater degree 
than the to per cent. Iron Sulphate 
solution. At the end of two weeks, 
however, this effect had practically all 


disappeared, and it became doubtful if 


‘there were any permanent injury to the 


grain. The mustard very quickly and 
markedly showed the effect of the spray- 
ing, both the stems and the leaves dying 
without allowing the plant to seed. Two 
weeks after spraying, a few living mus- 
tard plants were found in the plot, but 
it is believed they had escaped the 
solution, owing to the height and over- 
shadowing of the barley. 


Sulphate of Copper, 5 per cent.: This 
solution damaged the barley in a much 
more pronounced manner than the pre 
ceding solution; in all probability it 
somewhat lessened the yield of grain, 
though, as the ground was very uneven 
in character, no comparative data on 
this point could be obtained. 

The mustard was all killed; an in- 
spection two weeks after the spraying 
did not reveal any living plants. 

In order to ascertain the effect of 
these solutions upon this weed at a 
younger stage of growth than that just 
reported upon, mustard seed was sown 
in rows in a plot upon the Experimental 
Farm. When the mustard plants had 
reached the height of six to nine inches 
they were sprayed, as follows: July 
2oth— Sulphate af Iron, 5 per cent.: 
Not all killed; the few survivors pos- 
sessed green stems and in time sent out 
new leaves. It is extremely doubtful, 
however, if the plants will have sufficient 
strength to flower, Sudphate of Copper, 
two per cent.: All the plants died within 
a few days. 

July 22nd—Further sprayings were 
made. Sulphate of Iron, 5 per cent.: 
The stems were stripped of all their 
leaves, but in the course of a few weeks 
fresh leaves had appeared on many of 
the plants. Sulphate of Iron, ten per 
cent.: ‘Though somewhat more severely 
attacked ‘than by the five per cent. 


346 


NOTES OF STRAWBERRIES. 


solution, there was sufficient vigour left 
in many of the plants to send out new 
leaves, after a few weeks. 

Sulphate of Copper, two per cent.: 
Only a very few of the older and more 
vigorous plants escaped destruction, pro- 
bably not more than three to five per 
cent. This solution is evidently strong 
enough to kill all mustard plants six 
inches in height and less. 


Sulphate of Copper, five per cent. fe 


All the plants killed. 

From the above data, I make the fol- 
lowing inferences : 

1. That a two per cent. (2%) solu- 
tion of Sulphate of Copper, (that 
is, 2 lbs. in ro gallons of water) is, all 
things considered, the most effective, 
safest (as regards the grain crop) and 
most economical to use. The spraying 


should be done thoroughly, and for that 
purpose 50 gallons per acre will be 
required. If a heavy rain follows the 
spraying within 24 hours, the operation 
will be required to be repeated, 

2. That, in order that the work may 
be effective, spraying should not be 
delayed after the mustard plants have 
reached a height of six to nine inches. 
If allowed to grow taller than this, 
stronger solutions would be necessary 
and in larger quantity, as the grain 
would then largely protect the mustard. 

For many valuable suggestions and 
much assistance in the work I am in- 
debted to Mr. W. T. Macoun, Horti- 
culturist of the Experimental Farm, who 
concurs with me in the deductions drawn 
from this investigation. 


NOTES OF STRAWBERRIES. 


CLYDE was as productive, fine form, 
uniformly large size and good quality as 
ever, but its continued great productive- 
ness from year to year is developing a 
weaker growing plant not exactly a weak 
plant but not enough foliage stalks for 
its great number of fruiting stems, and 
to bring this variety to its highest state 
of perfection it will need to be mulched 
with horse stable manure in the winter, 
or else have some nitrogenous commer 
cial fertilizer put on in the spring before 
fruiting to make a little heavier foliage 
to shade the enormous crop of berries 
that it carries. From some few soils this 
berry seems to be a little too light in 
color to please all markets, but for my 
own fruiting on a variety of soils and from 
general reports received, it is one of the 
most productive and satisfactory berries 
that has ever been grown. 

GLEN Mary is very vigorous in plant 


347 


growth ; dark green foliage and enor- 
mously productive of large size, deep 
red berries of high quality and is proving 
more satisfactory even than in former 
years. I have been fearful in the past 
that there would be too many irregular 
berries in this variety, but this year they 
were all of uniform, gobular shape and 
no mis-shapen ones at all, and it can be 
counted as A No. 1, either for home 
use or market. 

PRIDE OF CUMBERLAND, although a 
little later in ripening than Glen Mary, 
has the same vigor of plant, great pro- 
ductiveness, equally good, dark red 
color, perfectly globular, very firm berries 
of high flavor. I count it the most pro- 
ductive, fine appearing and firmest 
shipping, medium to late season berry 
for long distance markets of any we have 
in the country.—J. H. H. in American 
Gardening. 


NOTES ON 


THe NortH Star CuRRANT.—We 
have fruited this currant at Maplehurst 
since 1896. At first we were inclined 
to condemn it as being too small a 
berry, but during our four year’s acquaint- 
ance with it, our estimate of its value 
has been gradually growing higher, until 
in 1899 its great productiveness, bright 
beautiful color and lateness have given 
us a much more favorable impression of 
its value. Originating in Minnesota, it 
may naturally be expected to have 
greater hardiness than varieties origin- 
ating farther south. The plant is very 
vigorous and very productive, and the 
fruit grows in long compact bunches, 
with an inch or so of naked stem as a 
handle. The fruit hangs in fine con- 
dition as late as September 1st, a point 
in its favor for Southern markets. 


CurRRANTS.—On the subject of cur- 
rants, J. S. Stickney, speaking from 
twenty years’ experience, ‘‘ recommends 
deeply trenched soil ; would not manure 
too heavily ; too much wood, too little 
fruit ; prune severely in fall or spring, 
also in summer for renovating old plants ; 
eight acres of Prince Albert produced 


_ same. 


CURRANTS. 


goe bushels, that netted $200; long 
Bunch Holland not good—too dry and 
sour; Fay not good; is looking for a 
new variety ; Pomona recommended as 
good, better, best; Wilder highly re- 
commended.” Mr. Reed says Pomona, 
Wilder and Knight’s Improved are the 
Mr. Stickney and also Mr. 
Barnes recommend London Market. 
Berry boxes in sixteen quart crates re- 
commended for currants.—Report of 
Minn. Society. 

THE WHITE IMPERIAL CURRANT is 
about the most satisfactory white currant 
to be found. We consider it one of the 
most satisfactory fruits for table use. It 
lacks the sharp acid taste of the red 
currant, which is quite objectionable to 
some people, but has a mild, pleasant 
flavor, which is very enjoyable. Perhaps 
the finest of all currant jelly can be made 
by using White Imperial with just enough 
of the red currant mixed with it to give 
a light red color. It, probably, would 
not pay to raise white currants for mar- 
ket, but they are very satisfactory for 
home use.—R. N. Y. 


PicKLE MILDEW. — Bulletin 156, 
Geneva, gives some pointers of interest 
to pickle growers. A few years ago 
this crop was considered quite a profit- 
able one until the downy mildew ap- 
peared, and caused nearly all the 
growers to lose money. In 1897 it was 
proved by repeated experiments that 
repeated sprayings of Bordeaux mixture 


will prevent the mildew and save the 
crop. The spraying begins about July 
zoth, and continues every eight or 
ten days until frost, costing from 2% to 
3% dollars an acre for each application. 
This seems quite an expense, but since 
the yield is increased in value from 
$22.50 to $73.75 per acre by the out- 
lay, it is evidently a safe investment. 


so 


348 


THE SUMMER TREATMENT OF CACTI. 


— 


L2F 


With the exception of the 
phyllocacti, some forms of 
which are as graceful as 
any plant that grows, all 
cacti are stiff, prickly, curi- 
ous things, and a little round 
cactus planted in a little 
round pot has very much 
of a dumb-bell effect. 
In winter all cacti, 
except the 
very hardy 


ones, must be grown in pots or boxes, 
but in summer it is pleasant to relieve 
their stiffness by bedding them out in 
this picturesque mound fashion. ‘Thus 
they are more easily cared for, and that 
the mound is much prettier than the 
potted group will be shown by contrast- 
ing the two pictures. 

I have never been affiicted with the 
cactus craze, and perhaps this is the 
reason why so many complimentary 
plants, cuttings, etc., have been sent 


Fie. 1650.—OpuntIA. 


me. I am always glad to get the prickly 
things out of the way into some such an 
outdoor arrangement, and summer treat- 
ment of this kind seems to suit the 
plants well. 

The broad-leaved phyllocacti are 
handsome and harmless enough to keep 
at closer range, and they do not like the 
full, hot sun so well as most other sorts; 


349 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST 


sometimes it blisters, cracks or yellows 
the leaves. 

The secret of success with cacti lies 
in giving them thorough drainage, plenty 
of water when flowering or growing, then 
thoroughly resting and ripening them 
by withholding all water except what 
nature gives them, through the flower- 
less season. More cactus cuttings and 
plants fail from over-watering and lack 
of sunshine than for any other reasons. 


Most cacti are hardier, too, than we | 
think. Unless flowering, they can be | 
left in an unheated room through all ft 
The PN 


except our most severe winters. 
opuntias and some of the pretty red- 


berried echinocacti are entirely hardy | 


without protection out of doors here in 
Western Carolina.—American Garden- 
ing. 


DICENIRA SPECTABLIS is one of the 


finest of the hardy herbaceous perennial 
plants in cultivation and should be in 
every garden. Nothing is prettier than its 
graceful racemes of rosy crimson flowers, 
among its leafy stems in the early sum- 
mer, and indeed it has been largely 
planted in our Province. It is suitable 
for planting along the margin of shrub- 
beries, or on the borders of walks, along 
with other perennial flowers. Grows to 
a height of from 9 to 24 inches. 


In the Niagara district, on the moun- 


- tain side, there are two native Dicentras, 


which are very beautiful and are great 
favorites with school children, who call 
them ‘Boys and Girls.” Botanically 
they are: D. Canadensis (girls) with 
greenish-white fragrant flowers, and un- 
der ground shoots on which grow small 
round yellow tubes From: these it gets 
another common name, Squirrel Corn. 
The corolla is heart shaped but the 
spurs are very short and rounded, giving 
an excuse for likening the flower to a 
girl’s dress. The other is D. Cucudlaria 
(boys) of which the flowers are whitish, 
and have longer spurs, which so diverge 
as to remind one of boys’ clothes, and 
which gave rise to another common 
name, Dutchman’s Breeches The flow- 
ers are clustered on the raceme, and 
are much sought after in spring for table 
decoration. 


35° 


ORNAMENTAL ASPARAGUS. 


length, but should one prefer not to 
have a vine it can be easily made to 
grow in bush form by pinching out the 
ends of the branches. This is really 
the most ornamental way to grow the 
plant, as it is then a perfect mound of 
green, lace-like leaves, drooping on all 
sides of the pot. The leaves arch 
gracefully, and are from ten to fifteen 
inches long, tapering from a width of 


% ten or twelve inches down to a point. 


Fic. 1652.—AsPARAGUS SPRENGERI. 


HE Ornamental Asparagus open up 
a new line of ornamental plants for 
house culture. Unlike many such 
plants’ they do as well in the 
ordinary window as when grown ina 
greenhouse, making rapid growth, and 
holding their attractive green color well. 
They do not require a great deal of 
sunshine, but thrive best where begonias 
and primroses do well. For that reason 
a north or west window can be utilized 
which will be of little use to flowering 
plants. Like ferns a damp atmosphere 
suits them perfectly, but unlike ferns 
they will do well without it. A daily 
spraying with clear water will furnish 
just the dampness they need. 
Asparagus plumosus' nanus, also 
called the climbing Lace Fern, is usually 
considered the handsomest one among 
them. The shape and form of the 
leaves remind one of the fronds of the 
finest fern, the texture delicate and lace- 
like. It grows in the form of a vine, 
and the branches often grow to great 


* making one of the most beautiful plants 


for table decoration that can be found. 
The branches are fine for cutting, and 
remain in perfect condition for weeks if 
the water is changed frequently. I had 
several cut sprays for mantel decoration 
last season, and they remained in per- 
fect condition in an ordinary room for 
tive weeks. Hardly a leaflet fell during 
that time, and the color seemed as fresh 
and bright as when picked. Charcoal 
was kept in the water, which was re- 
newed every second day, and _ this 
probably helped to keep it so well. 

A. Sprengeri is adapted for a basket 
plant, being of drooping habit, and 
though the foliage is also fine. and a 
vivid green it is entirely unlike that of 
the other variety. The sprays grow to 
alength of four or five feet, but if a 
shorter growth is desired the ends can be 
pinched back and the plant will then 
grow bushy, often entirely hiding the 
basket in which it grows. If one has 
no place for a hanging basket, the plant 
can be grown in a pot placed on a 
bracket. This is often the better way, 
as it can then stand in a saucer and be 
sure to receive all the water it needs, 
while a basket often suffers for want of 
water. Both of these plants grow freely 
all the year round, and cannot fail to 
please everyone.—Park’s Floral Guide. 


35% 


CLIMING VINES. 


Fig. 1653,—CLimBiIneg VINES AT MAPLEHURST, 


T is time that our Canadian farm- 
ers began to study a little of land- 
scape art. They have long enough 

confined their attention to the plough 
and the harrow, and now surely they 
can spare a little time for the decoration 
of their lawns. It is a very simple 
thing to hunt up some of our native Vir- 
ginia Creepers, and plant them to cover 
the unsightly stables, or to trail over the 
back verandah. In some parts of our 
country they grow in great profusion, 
climbing up the old forest tree trunks, 
and hanging in festoons from tree to 
tree. They are easily moved, for roots 
spring out at every node, and a plant 
seldom fails to grow. Even cuttings 
made in August may be planted, with 
good hope of success. Figure 1653 
shows a side view of Maplehurst, with 
a Virginia Creeper, and Clematis Vir- 
giniana, another hardy native creeping 


1899. 


(From a Photograph by Miss Brodie.) 


up in company, and showing the pretty 
little cymes of white flowers of the latter 
sett off quite prettily by the dark pur- 
ple berries of the Virginia Creeper 
The effect is charming and_ the 
pretty creepers thus almost covering the 
wood: work seems to cause the house 
and the grounds to have a more living 
connection, and blend into a harmoni- 
ous whole. 

The Park and Cemetery says :— 

The work of improving the appear- 
ance of public grounds and private 
premises facing the railway rights of way 
is just as importart, perhaps even more 
so, as improving the station grounds 
proper, and is rather more difficult of 
accomplishment. This is especially 
true of private grounds, for there are 
more individuals to be dealt with. 

In the outset as many old buildings 
and fences as possible should be re- 


352 


AUTUMN WORK IN THE GARDEN. 


moved, and after that the greatest im- 
mediate good will follow a generous use 
of vines. A Virginia Creeper, Ampel- 
opsis Quinquefolia, set against the base 
of every building, no matter how old 
and delapidated, and at intervals along 
every fence, will alone do wonders in 
altering the appearance from passing 
trains, but the effect will be greatly im- 
proved by using a variety of hardy vines 
such as Clematis paniculata, C. Jack- 
manni, C. Virginiana, C. graveolens, 
Trumpet Creeper (Bignonia radicans 
and where hardy, B. grandiflora), Bitter- 


sweet (Celastrus scandens), wild Roses 
and wild Grapes. 

Small trees and shrubs should also be 
freely introduced to shield the grounds 
from the passing public as well as to 
screen unsightly objects. 

By this means a double good will 
have been accomplished, the general 
appearance of the place will be raised 
to a higher plane, and individual back 
yards transformed into habitable gardens 
while the chances are in favor of other 
good results following in the wake of this, 


as of every kind of unselfish movement. 


AUTUMN WORK IN THE GARDEN. 


work in the garden, while not so 
interesting as the work in the 
spring, is fully as important. 

The hardy border should first be 
cleaned up, by cutting and clearing 
away the stems and tops of all herba- 
ceous plants, and the beds given a good 
_ mulch of well-rotted manure or compost, 
made up of leafmold and manure. 
Where this cannot be had, street sweep- 
ings can be used, but must not be put 
on over two inches deep. 

Hardy roses may be protected by 
heaping leaves about them and over the 
ground around them, with a little soil 
thrown on top to prevent the leaves 
from blowing away. ‘Tender roses may 
be protected in the same way ; but in- 
stead of using earth to prevent the 
leaves from scattering away, better to 
have a lean-to, made of boards about 
eighteen to twenty-four inches high, 
which also sheds off the rain and snow. 
Care should be taken to leave it open 
at the ends, or one side, to admit air. 

Shrubs should be pruned by remov- 
ing such thin branches as will not bloom. 


le good results are desired, the fall 


Hydrangea paniculata should be heav- 
ily manured, and in the early spring all 
thin branches cut away, and the other 
wood of the past season’s growth cut 
back severely, fully one-half. This 
treatment will result in a vigorous growth 
and produce large clusters of bloom. 

All clematis can be cut back within 
two feet or less of the ground, and a 
covering of rotted manure and leaves 
placed around them and over the ground. 

Grapevines may now be trimmed to 
advantage, much better than late in the 
spring. 

Fruit trees should be pruned by re- 
moving all ‘‘ water sprouts” and inter- 
fering branches, always cutting them off 
close to the trunk or limb. All dead 
limbs should be removed from shade 
trees, and where the top is too dense 
remove some of the thin inside branches. 
Examine all trees for nests and larve 
that will produce caterpillars. 

The lawns should now receive atten- 
tion by topdressing with compost, old 
manure or street sweepings, spreading it 
over as evenly as possible 


The cannas, dahlias, gladioli and 


353 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


caladiums should now be safely housed 
in a dry, warm cellar not heated by a 
furnace. If your cannas and caladiums 
begin to rot during the winter, shake off 
all the dirt, and cut and scrape away the 


decaying parts Then dust over thickly 
with fine charcoal, which may be had 
from any tinner or cornice maker Cover 
with dry earth —Landscape Gardener. 


BASKET PLANTS AND VASES. 


varieties grown for hanging plants 

since 1850. The cultivation of 

many delicate kinds like Lobelia, 
Sweet Alyssum, Mimulus, Cupid sweet 
pea, Ivy geraniums, etc., have entirely 
succeeded the Dusty Miller and Straw- 
berry geranium, but the Oxalis is still 
grown, and properly cared for is fine for 
this purpose. Lobelias of any variety 
are admirable for both basket and vases, 
as are the above mentioned sorts. But 
few are cognizant of the Lobelia Erinus 
thriftily grown alone; for then it be- 
comes a mass of delicate green folage, 
interspersed with lovely blue flowers. 
Emperor’s star has a white centre, and 
each by itself is best. The double 
petunia grown with asparagus tenuis- 
simus, and Ivy geranium, Plumosus 
nanus, Abutilon Mesopotamicum with 


T times have greatly changed with 


centrosema and pilogen and climbing - 


meteor rose, make the most charming 
vase if rightly trained. 


The trailing lantana (de/icatissima) is 
worthy of a trial for baskets. It is of 
very compact growth, profuse bloomer 
of pinkish lilac. This too is fine to 
edge a vase on one side, with lobelia on 
the other. . 

Then the Japanese Fern Ball is an 
acquisition ; it may be so neglected as 
to entirely wither away, but water will 
revive it. It is unlike the resurrection 
plant in that it grows leaves. But this 


resurrection plant, so called because it 
spreads itself when wet, is of little use 
except to be strung up with moss and 
mimulus or some other plant to flourish 
in. I believe ina resurrection that is 
more permanent. Let us cultivate good 
roots to our plants, and expect corre- 
sponding results. 

I am of the opinion the Memorial 
rose will be of great ability and beauty 
grown in a vase. Somehow the tree 
rose gives one the impression little 
children do when over-dressed, be- 
frumped and befuddled with lace and 
ribbons. If we cannot purchase a vase, 
we can manufacture one. I found in 
my travels one day an old cover of a 
meat warmer, heavy Britannia ware, I 
took it home and gave it a coating of 
tar on the inside, sawed off a shapely 
round post, and made a circular bottom 
of two inch plank, nailed it together, 
gave another coat of tar, painted the 
outside, and have a vase that answers 
every purpose and looks like something 
better, when arrayed as even Solomon 
never was. By the way, this cover came 
from Montreal, I learned afterwards, 
and the bottom part I obtained and 
used for small pots, intersected with 
moss. Doubtless, more are to be found 
in the province of Quebec. 

M. A. HOsKINs. 

Newport, Vt. 


354 


THE AMARYLLIS AND SOME RELATIVES. 


ROM the time that, as a child, 

I stood in wonder before my 

mother’s king lily, I have 

loved the amaryllis. Not 

until many years later did I learn that 
the name of the king lily was Amaryllis 
Johnsoni, and it was after many experi- 
ments and repeated failures that I suc- 
ceeded in the culture of these rich and 
rare bulbs. I know of no specialty 
which gives so much satisfaction at so 
little labor as the amaryllis. I use a 
very rich compost of well rotted manure, 
black earth and sand. The large bulbs 
are set in sixinch*pots, and smaller 
bulbs in four-inch pots. Into the bottom 
of each pot goes a handful of charcoal, 
and then the mold. I set the bulbs so 
that about one-fourth shows above the 
soil ; then I water them and set them in 
a warm, light place. A good bulb will 
throw up leaves and flower stalk almost 
at once ; some send up the flower stalk 
first. As soon as they begin to grow 
thriftily I set them in the sun and give 
them plenty of water. New bulbs 
planted in the spring will bloom about 
August. After they have bloomed I 
gradually dry them off and set them in 
the cellar in the fall, to rest until 
November. I have found this the great 
secret,—the resting of the bulbs. When 
I bring them up I give them sun, plenty 
of water, and liquid fertilizer once a 
week. They will bloom twice during 
the winter for me, the last time about 
April or May. Then I gradually dry 
them off until in July they are put under 
the rose bushes to rest. In the fall they 
come into the house to bloom, and this 
year were put into the cellar along in 
March,—and so on, alternate rest and 
vigor. I only repot once in two years, 
but I give them much fertilizing and 
water when they are growing. Some 


bulbs will throw up two stalks, each 
bearing six flowers, and a grander sight 
cannot be imagined. 

The familiar Johnsoni is a rich red, 
with a white stripe. It isa good color, 
but is small in size of flower and bulb. 
It is almost universally called King Lily, 
although it is by no means king of the 
amaryllis tribe. Its mate is Amaryllis 
Regina ; it has short, stubby leaves, in- 
stead of the long ones of the king, and 
the flowers are large, pale red with a 
white centre. We call it Queen Lily. 
The King, because of its richness of 
color, rather kills the Queen if they 
stand in bloom side by side. But alone, 
Queen lily is beautiful. 

The Crinum ornatum is the real king 
of amaryllis. It has a big bulb which 
sets on top of the earth, with short, 
fleshy leaves and snake like roots. It 
will do well in the garden as a summer 
bulb, but I treat it as a pot bulb. The 
flowers are borne upon a stout stalk and 
are very large and numerous. The 
color is a lovely pink with a broad fiery 
band of scarlet through each petal. A 
grander lily can scarcely be imagined. 
It is the grandeur of lilies which makes 
them such favorites, and when you add 
fragrance to them, such as Crinum 
Moorei possesses, you have a wonderful 
combination. This crinum is white 
with a pink stripe, and very sweet. 

It is hard to select a favorite from the 
amaryllis, but my A. aulica, which is a 
tich deep red, almost black, is of such 
magnificent size and rich coloring it 
may well be termed a favorite. The 
color is seen in no other flower. 

The Empress of India is the costliest 
of all the amaryllis, but it repays its 
cost. The flowers are enormous, of a 
deep scarlet, banded with orange. It 
is a royal plant without question. 


355 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


Amaryllis formosissima is a rich vel- 
vety crimson with a green band through 
the centre, and it gives one a sense of 
luxuriant pleasure to look upon it. 

The pure white, fragrant amaryllis is 
called Ismene. Pale beside its more 
gorgeous relatives of royal coloring, it is 
nevertheless valued because of its frag- 
rant daintiness. 


The zephyranthes belong to the 


amaryllis family. I have a large pot 
filled with a dozen or two bulbs for 


summer blooming. The red, pink, 
white, and yellow flowers are very 
dainty. 


Some day I hope to see a clear yellow 
amaryllis. All shades of red and the 
white we have,—a yellow would be the 
touch of novelty in this wonderful 
family.—American Gardening. 


GERANIUMS FOR WINTER BLOOMING. 


than bulbs for me in the window 

in winter, and bloom almost con- 

stantly. Some of mine are five 
and six years old; others were slipped 
last summer. All intended for winter- 
blooming are kept in pots the year 
around. The six-year-old plants are 
now in quart pots. During the summer 
they stand on the east side of the house, 
where they get the sun a part of the 
day. I trim them well back, cutting off 
every bud, and do not allow a bud to 
remain on them during the summer. 
Late in July or early in August I repot 
. them, giving good but not rich soil, and 
using a size larger pot if needed. Trim 


(eee do very much better 


back again, giving them water enough 
to keep them in good condition. Early 
in September they are placed on the 
veranda. Late in September they are 
placed in their winter home. They get 
accustomed to the indoor air before the 
fires are started, and never lose their 
leaves, as is usually the case if brought 
directly from outside into a heated 
room. Mine bud and bloom at once. 
Experience has taught me that to bloom 
in winter a geranium needs a small pot, 
not too rich a soil, and a good summer 
rest—that is, a non-blooming period. 
Mad. Bruant is a lovely geranium.— 
Park’s Monthly. 


356 


GLADIOLUS FREAKS. 


EFERRING to the article on 
IX page 271 of your July number, 
oF I am pleased to ‘notice the in- 
terest of Mr. Latchford in the 
natural tendency to variation in plant 
form, due entirely to hybridity. 

Having originated by cross fertiliza- 
tion over 250,000 varieties of the Gladi- 
olus from the choicest parentage obtain- 
able, many curious variations have 
resulted from the blending of this mass 
of diverse chemical constituents. 

Duplicature of petal is not uncommon, 
nor is it confined specially to any variety, 
although there are varieties that show a 
greater tendency in this direction. 

Another form peculiar to some vari- 
eties in the Burbank section, is that of 
the flowers growing evenly around the 
spike like the hyacinth. 

One distinct hybrid between a red and 
and a white, divided the plant area 
between the contending forces, and 
bloomed all red on one side of the spike, 
and all white on the other. 

Another on the same line of influence, 
instead of opening regularly from the 
base of the spike, opened the alternate 
flowers, that is from one to three, and 


from two to four, the forces of develop 
ment clearly working on parallel lines. 

A most unique case of variation ap- 
peared in a variety of Lemoines novel- 
ties, the true ground color of which was 
an intense scarlet. The variations, con- 
sisted of a clear division of the flower to 
the mid-rib of the lateral petals, the 
upper half becoming a delicate cerise 
carmine, the lower remaining normal. 
The next season the whole flower 
assumed the new color. 

Gandavensis “ Tamerlan” has long 
been obtainable in America, but has 
been superseded by newer and more 
beautiful varieties carrying the same 
peculiar markings. The plants of the 
newer hybrids also have greater vitality 
and increase rapidly. 

** Multipliant ” is a beautiful variety, 
but like most Gandavensis is materially 
lacking in vitality. This variety gave 
me the only twin seedling I ever saw or 
heard of. The division showed the first 
season from seed, and the two plants 
have since proved to be one variety. 

H. H. Grorr, 


” 


Simcoe. 


THE JAPAN IRIS. 


iris will repay a little extra trouble 

in planting the roots. We have 

one splendid bed before us as an 
object-lesson. In preparing it last fall 
the soil was dug out for two feet and 
the trench filled nearly to the top with 
dry leaves. The rich loam spread above 
the leaves packed them down so that 
with about a foot of soil upon the leaves 
the surface of the bed was still several 
inches lower than the surrounding sur- 
face. Later in fall we spread five or 


T: glorious flowers of the Japanese 


six inches of fresh fertilizer from cow- 
stalls over the bed. Next spring before 
and during the time of flowers we kept 
the bed soaked with water. The leaves 
held the moisture below the light soil 
without allowing it to sour, and oh, what 
grand flowers we had! Near to this 
bed we have English and native iris in 
large clumps. The form of these I 
shall always like best. Kaempfer’s iris 
is bigger and brighter, but not bonnier. 
—Vicks Magazine. 


357 


PLANTING LILIES. 


CARDINAL point in the cul- 
ture of lilies is to keep them 
under ground. Order the 
bulbs early, so that they need 
not remain long in the importer’s storage 
room ; plant them as soon as they are 
received, and never in subsequent trans- 
planting allowed them to remain one 
minute longer above ground than is 
absolutely necessary. Frequent removals 
of lilies are to be deplored. The bulbs 
should not be disturbed so long as they 
‘flower satisfactorily. Root growth for 
another season begins as soon as the 
tops die down. ‘The hardiness of lilies 
is usually over-estimated. As a general 
thing they suffer from shallow planting 
and often the necessary winter mulch is 
forgotten. Lilies should be covered at 
‘least four inches in a heavy soil, and 
from six to eight inches in a light one. 
I plant my lilies in pure sand, and mulch 
them after the tops die down with cow 
manure, over which later on is spread a 
thick layer of half-decayed leaves. The 
lillies are planted along the shrubbery 
border, with special ‘‘ pockets” of sand 
hollowéd out for them here and there. 
The foliage of the shrubs protects the 
roots of the lilies, and their buds and 
flowers here have leaves enough to form 
a good background. The shrub-roots 
also drain the soil all that is necessary. 
—-Vicks Magazine. : 


In planting lilies, as everything else, 
white flowers must not be overlooked ; 
as Ellwanger says, ‘‘ White is the lens 
of the garden’s eye,” and in a class so 
generally conspicuous for its glowing 
colors we need the snowy purity of the 
Madonna lily (Z. candidum) or the state- 
ly waxen blooms of the tall annunciation 
lily (LZ. longiflorum). * * The use 
of tall-growing and showy bulbs is sin- 
gularly ‘effective in connection with 
shrubbery, the arrangement looks so 
delightfully natural, breaking as it does 
the monotony of similar sizes of shrubs 
or foliage. Certainly, the nearer we 
approach nature in arranging our gar- 
dens the nearer we are to actual har- 
mony ; it is rather hard to imagine how 
we ever could manage to reconcile our 
consciences to carpet-bedding. It should 
be a great comfort to the lily tribe to 
feel that they can never be tortured into 
an even mosaic, looking more like a few 
yards of linoleum than a flower-bed. 
But there are plenty of misguided people 
still living who admire this form of gar- 
den art (?) and until they wake to the 
error of their ways we shall continue to 
see bedding-plants misarranged after 
the model of carpets.—American Gar- 
dening. 


SwaInsoniA.—This plant delights in 
a compost of peat and loam, with good 
drainage. If peat cannot be obtained a 
fibrous soil will answer, prepared by 
piling sods, manure and sand, and allow- 
ing the pile to remain undisturbed until 
partially rotted, stirring well before using. 
Pot the young plants in this material, 
using three-inch pots, and pinch back 
the shoots and shift into larger pots as 


growth progresses. Shade in the heat 
of the day during summer, and syringe 
regularly to keep down the red spider. 
If aphides appear fumigate with tobacco. 
Give support as needed. With good 
drainage, regular supplies of water, and 
attention to the above cultural hints, 
none should have reason to complain of 
non-blooming.—Park’s Monthly. 


358 


FREE SINS: 


should be planted in August 

or September, as it takes them 
four or five months to reach biooming 
size. Freesias are seldom planted as 
early as they should be. I have been 
told by one who is very successful with 
freesias, that to keep the bulbs in good 
condition, they should never be thor- 
oughly dried out, as they easily loose 
vitality. Lhe soil cannot be too rich if 
one wants fine, large flowers. Soil 
which is composed of old, thoroughly 
decayed leaves and manure, with a very 
little wood ashes is good. Use deep 
pots, well drained. Put in bulbs about 
two inches apart, and cover fully an 
inch. Water sparingly until shoots ap- 
pear. You need not put them away in 


Fee to bloom by Christmas 


THE 


jonquilla, are popularly known as 
“ Jonquils ” and possess many 
points of similarity with the small 
flowered section of that very extensive 
genus. Although they do not present 
a great variety of colors, yet they are 
highly prized for their charming, golden, 
fragrant flowers, which are freely pro- 
duced. They are perfectly hardy, and 
may be successfully grown by anyone 
in either the flower border, greenhouse 
or window garden. And as the bulbs 
can be procured at a very moderate 
price, they well deserve all that can be 
said in their praise. 
The bulbs can be planted any time 
from September to December, although 
it is best to plant them as early as possible 


T° species and varieties of Narcissus 


309 


JO 


the dark for roots to form, but keep in 
any cool, shady place in yard or house 
After the shoots come through gradually 
bring the pots to the full sunshine, and 
you will have strong plants, standing up 
erect. Keep well watered and grow in 
the full sunlight, as they are much more 
fragrant when grown in a sunny position. 
Also be careful not to wet the blossoms, 
as that will lesson their fragrance. Rich 
soil is said to give highly colored flow- 
ers. 

To buy small inferior bulbs will only 
cause disappointment, as they cannot 
produce the fine blossoms that the large 
bulbs will. Put six or more mammoth 
bulbs in one pot, and you will be richly 
rewarded for all your trouble and ex- 
pense. 


NQUIL. 


In potting let three or four bulbs, ac- 
cording to their size, be placed in a 
four-inch pot, and if large masses are 
wanted, larger pots or pans, and more 
bulbs can be used. In potting let the 
pots or pans be properly drained, and 
use a compost consisting of two-thirds 
turfy loam, one-third well decayed 
manure and a fine sprinkling of bone 
dust. Mix well and use the compost 
rough. In potting fill the pots or pans 
to within three inches of the top, then 
set in the bulbs, keeping them a few 
inches apart, and then fill to within 
half an inch of the top. Water thorough- 
ly and place in a cool, dark cellar to 
make root, watering when necessary.—. 
Vick’s Magazine. 


+{ Our Affiliated Societies. & 


FLOWER SHOW IN CaPE BRETON.— 
Mrs. George Kennan, of Breton Cottage, 
Baddeck, sends the following account 
clipped from Halifax Chronicle, of a 
flower show in Baddeck managed by a 
young ladies’ club, which might do credit 
to the management of some of our 
affiliated Horticultural Societies. 


** With a view to encouraging the cultiva- 
tion of flowers and the ornamentation of 
homes and grounds with blossoming plants 
and shrubs, the Young Ladies’ ciub, of Bad- 

_deck, decided about a year ago to have a 
flower show, with prizes for the best speci- 
mens of cut flowers and potted plants. Al- 
though a flower show was then a new thing in 
our village, and our flower growers had made 
no special preparations for it, the display of 
blossoms and plants was so good and excited 
so much interest that the club decided to have 
another similar exhibition this year. Inviting 
the co-operation not only of the towns people, 
but of fiower lovers in all the surrounding 
country, the young ladies of the club went 
energetically to work in July, and on the 2nd 
of August had their show in complete readiness 
for public inspection. When the doors of 
Masonic hall were thrown open at two 
o’clock last Wednesday afternoon, the decora- 
tio s of the spacious room and the extent of 
the floral display were a complete surprise, 
even to those who had expected most. The 
upper part of each side wall was appropriately 
ornamented with gardening implements, 
arranged in tasteful geometrical patterns ; 
along the dado underneath ran a long shelf, 
banked with moss, which supported a dense 
fringe of blue speedwell, yellow Canada lilies 
and tail leafy perennials of various sorts. 
The stage was set with a garden scene, repre- 
senting a flower border with achillea, panther 
lilies, Siberian fox-glove, larkspur and aconite, 
growing against and half concealing a rustic 
fence. Upon narrow green terraces, under 
and in front of the stage, were massed a hun- 
dred or more blossoming house plants, flanked 
by huge clumps of larkspur and spiry fox- 
glove seven or eight feet in height ; and near 
the centre of the hall, in the shade of two 
leafy, white-stemmed birch trees, was an 
artificial pond, filled with blossoming water 
lilies and bordered by a dense growth of wild 
flag, interspersed with ferns, English and 
Japanese iris, the white and purple spikes of 
fringed orchis, and many other aquatic or 
moisture-loving plants. 

On green tables, set around the sides of the 
hall at acute angles to the walls, were hun- 
reds of vases and pots of cut flowers and 
blossoming plants, most of which had been 
entered in the competition for prizes. Among 
the flowers exhibited were roses of many kinds, 


annual poppies in great variety, phlox’ 
mignonette, eschscholtza, potentilla, calen- 
dula, alyssum, digitalis, ageratum, aconite, 
speedwell, white lupine, Young’s evening 
primrose, clematis, lychnis, cornflowers, 
Canterbury bells, mallows, aneniones, Cape 
hyacinths, nasturtiums, sweet peas, mari- 
golds, herbaceous, spiraeas, hollyhocks, da- 
hlias, annual chrysanthemums, and half a 
dozen or more varieties of lily, including 
elegans, Canaderse and auratum. 

Mr. J. H. Harris, of the Nova Scotia nur- 
sery, Halifax, who manifested a most cordial 
interest in the exhibition, not only sent a 
fine collection of cut flowers, including cannas, 
dahlias, Cape hyacinths and auratum lilies, 
but presented the club with a large number 
of small potted plants, to be distributed 
among people who had no flowers, the club, 
at the same time, offering a prize for the plant 
of this collection that should show the best 
care. 

Flowers and potted plants were also sent to 
the show from places in the country as far 
away as Middle River and St. Ann’s, and after 
having been carried twelve or fifteen miles in 
jolting wagons some of these country flowers 
took prizes. 

At four o’clock on the first day of the ex- 
hibition a procession of pretty and tastefully 
dressed flower girls marched with flower 
baskets through the hall and around the 
square in which stands the Telegraph house 
and the Bras d’Or house, and in the evening 
there was a floral tableau, arranged to illus- 
trate a poem read by Mr. Alexander Graham 
Bell, and written for the occasion by his 
father, Mr. Alexander Melville Bell, of 
Washington, D.C. 

On the evening of the second day the de- 
corated flower show posters, painted by mem- 
bers of the Young Ladies’ club and already 
used as advertisements were sold at auction, 
and the Hon. J. J. McCabe announced from 
the stage the names of the prize winners in 
the flower competition. 

Great interest in the show was manifested 
both by tourists and towns-people and the 
attendance on both days was very large. 


Pictron.—We must commend the 
energy of the directors at Picton, who 
have just completed their arrangements 
for a summer flower shower. The fol- 
lowing is the circular just sent out (Aug. 
oth) to the members. The idea of a 
promenade concert is an excellent one, 
for the flowers give topics for conversa- 
tion, and the music enlivens everybody. 
The plan of sending out a conveyance 


360 


OUR AFFILIATED SOCIETIES. 


to collect the flowers and plants, and re- 
turn them after the exhibition is a capi- 
tal one; when the money is equally 
distributed instead of giving special 
prizes, the Society must do this to en- 
sure a large exhibit. The following is 
a copy of the circular :— 


Proton, Ont., 9TH AUG., 1899. 


The Society propose holding a Flower Show 
and Band Concert, in connection with the 
Citizens’ Band, in the Crystal Palace on the 
Agricultural Fair grounds, on Tuesday cven- 
ing, the 15th inst. It is expected that three 
bands will take part in the Entertainment, 
making a promenade concert, which together 
with the exhibition of flowers should make 
the evening a very attractive one. 


The Directors respectfully request you to 
contribute all the cut flowers and potted 
plants you can, and ask your friends to do 
the same whether members of the society or 
not. 

The flowers and plants should be at the 
grounds not later than 3 o’clock Tuesday. 


If you will send an answer to the Secretary 
on the enclosed card, stating what you can 
contribute, a conveyance will call for your 
exhibit, if within the corporation limits, and 
will return same to you in good condition. 

There will be competent persons at the 


Crystal Palace during the day to arrange the 
plants and flowers. 


Please do what you can to make this Exhi- 
bition of flowers and plants worthy of our 
town. 

J. Rotanp Brown, President. 
Watrter T. Ross, Secretary. 


Picron.—The Picton Gazette gives 
the following account of the flower show 
held by the Picton Society, on Tuesday 
evening, Aug. 15th. z 


Whoever has studied the characteristics of 
the residents of Picton—and has noticed their 
love for flowers, and the care and pains taken 
by a large majority of them in adorning their 
dwellings and grounds with rare and beauti- 
ful flowers and plants—will not wonder that 
the first exhibition of the Picton Horticultural 
Society, on Tuesday evening, was in every 
sense a success—-was, indeed, a most pro- 
minent success. There were, probably, some- 
where about 700 people who availed them- 
selves of the opportunity to view the flowers 
exhibited, and expressions of delight and 
appreciation were heard on all hands. Pro- 
minent among the exhibits were the oleanders 
and hydrangea ‘shown by Mr. C. S. Wilson ; 
a 25 year old palm shown by W. P. Despard ; 


3 


a pomegranate shown by Mr. T.. Ross, Secre- 
tary of the Society ; and other beautiful and 
rare plants shown by several of our citizens. 
There were geraniums in abundance. The 
exhibit by Mr. A. M. Terrill, florist, was 
exceptionally fine. A feature of the show 
was a collection of flowers shown by members 
of the society from bulbs gratuitously supplied 
to the members of the Society by the pub- 
lishers of the CaNnap1aN HortTIcULTURIST. 

The exhibit was a very fine one. When it 
is considered that no prizes were awarded, 
the exhibition being simply a friendly display, 
largely as an educational object lesson, to 
cultivate a taste for the growing of flowers, 
and thus contribute additional attractions 
for the home and fireside, its success must be 
very gratifying to those having the matter 
in charge. As the inital exhibition the pro- 
moters have achieved as niuch success as they 
could reasonably expect. 


The officers of the Horticultural Society 
desire to thank the ladies, who so successfully 
and tastefully assisted in the arrangement of 
the exhibit ; Mr. Dobson and Mr. Turner for 
their valued assistance ; Mr. Carson for use 
of vases ; and the public generally for their 
splendid patronage, which the society feels is 
jndeed an incentive to future progress. 


The Citizens’ Band contributed a choice 
prograinme of music which was highly appre- 
ciated. 


A large excursion party came down from 
Trenton, accompanied by the Trenton Band, 
and the music supplied by the amalgamated 
bands was very fine. 


Woopstock.—Financially, artistically and 
socially the opening of the Horticultural 
Exhibition in the Graham St. rink last night 
was a brilliant success. An immense crowd 
gathered in the spacious building and enjoyed 
to the utmost the flowers, the music and the 
refreshments. There was perhaps but one 
drawback—the oppressive heat. It ° was 
warm—very warm—and at times the crowd 
became so congested in front of the platform 
as to make breathing difficult. But everyone 
was very good natured, even under such 
trying circumstances, and the closeness of 
the atmosphere did not perceptibly mar much 
of the enjoyment. Neither the ladies nor the 
members of the committee had spared any 
trouble to make the occasion an exceptionally 
pleasurable one and everything possible had 
been done to contribute to the evening’s suc- 
cess. The dreary old rink was transformed 
beyond recognition. The big, bare walls 
were covered with red and white bunting 
and Union Jacks hung round in glorious 
profusion. Across the ceiling, iron bars and 
wooden beams were ‘changed into things of 
beauty with tiny, fluttering flags, asparagus 
ferns and festoons of colored wreaths., A 
large platform had been erected at one end of 
the hall, the decorations about. which were 
particularly effective. Immense flags were 
hung across the back, conspicuous in the 


361 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


centre being that of Old Ireland. Strings of 
smaller pennants radiated from the centre of 
the platform to the sides, and in the back 
ground was a table laden with yellow flowers. 
A wheelbarrow covered with Japanese sun 
flowers, in the midst of which Miss Muriel 
Weir sat selling sweet peas, was a pretty 
sight. Indeed the artistic effect of the whole 
building did much credit to the ladies of the 
decorating committee, Mrs. W. C. Stewart, 
Mrs. Finkle and Mrs. Dugit. The flowers, 
plants and frait on exhibition were much 
admired. 

An excellent musical programme was ren- 
dered and was much appreciated by those 
who could hear it, and they were only those 
who were fortunate enough to crush some- 
where near the platform. D. W. Karn was 
the efficient chairman of the evening. 
Madam Hausch (lst violin), Miss Gurli 
Hausch (2nd violin), Mrs. Orr (harp), and 
Mrs. Gurnett (piano), gave several splendid 
selections. The quartette is well balanced, 
the artists playing with excellent taste and 
refinement of expression, extreme care mark- 
ing the variations of light and shade. Miss 
Powell’s solo, ‘‘The Jewel of Asia” was 
heartily encored as was the duet by the 
Misses Murphy. 
obligato by Mr. Tindale, rendered ‘‘ Doris” 
with great sweetness and responded to pro- 
longed applause with a piquant little encore. 
Everyone was glad of the opportunity of 
. hearing Mrs, Ridley of London, Eng., again, 
her clear soprano voice showing to excellent 
advantage in Dudley Buck’s ‘*‘ When the 
Heart is Young.” Miss Hogg sang ‘* Ma 
Honey ”—a piece well suited to her contralto 
voice, in an effective manner. Solos also 
from Mr, Sykes and Mr. McLeod, familiar 
favorites, were well rendered and well re- 
ceived. Miss Muriel Weir, in a sparklin 
spanish gown scored one of the successes 0 


Mrs. Merritt, with violin, 


the evening by her beautiful dancing. The 
little lady was exceedingly graceful. Miss 
Bushby and Mr. White were the very capa- 
ble accompanists. 

A pleasing part ot the evening’s entertain. 
ment was the dispensing of refreshments by 
the ladies. Candies, ice-cream, cake and 
lemonade were sold for the benefit of the 
hospital, and a rushing business was done in 
the sale of toothsome wares. 

The receipts of the evening amounted to 
about $50.—Sentinel Review. 


KINCARDINE.—The above Society has de- 
cided to hold its third Annual Exhibition in’ 
the Town Hall, Kincardine, during the day 
and evening of Friday, September 8th. To 
ensure success it is very necessary that you 
as a member should do your part towards the 
exhibition by a liberal display of flowers, foli- 
age and flowering plants. You will please 
note that any healthy plant will be gladly 
accepted for exhibition. There must be a 
large display. A collector will call upon you 
on Thursday, September 7th, so please have 
your exhibits in readiness for him. The 
greatest care will be taken of everything. 
Mark your pots for identification. On Fri- 
day evening a promenade concert will be 
given in connection with the exhibition. All 
members contributing plants or flowers are 
entitled to one ticket of admission to the 
hall. General admission, 10 cents. The di- 
rectors have decided that between the hours 
of four and five o’clock in the afternoon of 
Friday the school children will be admitted 
free. Some of the teachers must be in at- 
tendance with the children. 


S. W. PERky, 
President. 


JOSEPH BARKER, 
Secretary. 


THE rubber tree is a good pot plant, 
and it grows well planted out in the 
garden during the summer. As a rule, 
however, it is not advisable to remove 
it (rom the pot. A good soil for it may 
be composed of three parts good fresh 
loam, two parts leaf-mold, and one each 
of sand and well-rotted manure. This 
plant does well as a window plant, win- 
ter and summer, and is a good veranda 
or porch plant through the summer. It 


makes its growth mostly in the summer, 
at which time it needs a liberal supply 
of water, but the pot it is in should 
have good drainage. The leaves 
should be wiped or sponged frequently 
to keep them clean, and prevent red 
spider or mealy bug finding lodgment. 
The leaves are quite capable of sustain- 
ing themselves, and there is no danger 
of their falling off until they become old 
and yellow.—American Gardening. 


362 


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orticultural Societies likel 


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+{ Notes and Comments. & 


THE BRANTFORD SOUTHERN FAIR. 
Geo. Hately, Sec.-Treasurer, issues a 
fine prize list of $4,000 in cash, in a neat 
pamphlet form. The Horticultural De- 
partment is an especially full one. 


IN GRADING ASTRACAN APPLEs for 
experimental export we have made four 
grades, as follows :—(1) Small, meaning 
apples, measuring from 2 to 2% inches 
in diameter, which are the smallest that 
ever should be exported. These were 
perfect apples, of high color, and very 
choice for the dessert table. “This grade 
was packed in our regular half case, 
4% inches deep, and which contained 
just 120 apples. (2) No. 1, meaning 
apples, 2144 to 2% inches in diameter, 
in same case, containing just 80 apples, 
and (3) A No. 1, meaning apples, from 
2% to 234 inches in diameter, of which 


64 go ina case. The later and firmer 
varieties will go in bushel cases. 


THE Bosc is a favorite late autumn 
pear with some growers. Bassette 
writes in R. N. Y. he has set an orchard 
of them, because of an old tree 40 years 
of age, which bore annually two bushels 
of choice fruit. He planted Sheldon 
and top worked Bosc upon it,. because 
the Bosc is a poor grower. 


THE Kostoy MoreELLO CHERRY 
seems to be remarkably hardy. Prof. 
Macoun in his recent report, says that in 
1895-6, when cherry trees at Ottawa 
were killed out generally, this variety 
was an exception. It was sent out by 
the Ontario Fruit Growers’ Association 
in 1890, 24 trees having been sent 
out by Jaroslav Neimetz, Winnitza 


363 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


Podolie, Russia. Only five of these 
have failed, the rest have borne fruit 
for several years, and we consider it 
very valuable. 


A Very USEFUL LADDER in the 
peach orchard is one made after the 
model shewn in the engraving. Where 
the land is at all level it is quite easy to 
wheel this ladder about from place to 
place, even with two or three baskets of 
fruit, and it is always safe toclimb. So 
many of the step ladders in use are so 
heavy as to give one a back ache to 
carry them about, that it is a pleasure 
to find one which is easily moved. 


Fig 1654.—A Usrrct LADDER. 


THE ENGLISH Fruit Crop.—The 
Gardener's Chronicle, London, Eng- 
land, dated August 5th, gives very com- 
plete reports of the fruit crop, from 350 
correspondents. The general consensus 
is that this year sees one of the worst 
fruit crops on record. Apples are 
under the average and bad in quality ; 
and pears are worse still. The same 
may be said of the plum crop, one of the 
most important of the English fruit 
crops, no fewer than 199 correspondents 
out of 238 reporting the plum crop as 
' below the average, and only 2 as over. 


364 


This gives us ground to hope for 
good prices for apples, pears and 
plums. The difficulty with us in On- 
tario is that we have not planted vari- 
eties for export, but only for our home 
markets. We should have just one 
favorite variety of apples for each sea- 
son if we would succeed in our export 
trade in fruit, thus we could begin with 
the Astracan, and ship in succession 
Duchess, Tetovka, Alexander, or Wolf 
River, Blenheim, Crimson Pippin, 
Wealthy, Ontario and Spy, and thus 
cover the season with fancy apples. 

COTONEASTER VULGARIS is proving 
itself one of our most satisfactory 
shrubs at Maplehurst, with its loads of 
red berries, which hang well into the 


winter It deserves to be widely culti- 
vated. 
GRAPE YELLOWS.—A_ mysterious 


disease has appeared in the vineyards in 
some parts of the province, which 
seems to baffle the scientists. The 
leaves gradually turn white, the vine 
soon becomes unproductive, and finally 
dies away entirely. Several vineyards 
about Grimsby have been more less 
affected with it, and many theories have 
been advanced to explain the cause. 
No definite conclusion has_ been 
reached. 


GARDENING is an art too little under- 
stood by us in Canada. In the first 
place, we in Canada try to cultivate far 
too much land in proportion to their 
means, and therefore always a part is 
sadly neglected. We must learn some 
lessons from our foreign friends, who 
practice so-called “intensive” garden- 
ing, and who aim to make the most of 
every square inch of ground. 

Prince Krapotkine, who has made a 


NOTES AND 


careful study of the subject in France, 
gives a number of instances in the coun- 
try districts around Paris, where com- 
paratively ignorant farmers have made 
small market gardens enormously pro- 
ductive. One farm is mentioned by 
him of two and seven-tenth acres which 
produced annually 125 tons of market 
vegetables of all kinds. The owner of 
this farm, by building walls to protect 
his land from cold winds, by whitening 
the wall to secure all possible radiated 
heat, and by the constant and judicious 
use of fertilizers, has his little farm in a 
productive condition from the first of 
January till the last of December. By 
simple and inexpensive means he has 
practically located his farm in the 
tropics. 


Pror. RosBertson called on the 
Grimsby fruit shippers on Thursday the 
roth of August, to make plans for a 
continuation of the experimental ship 
ments of tender fruit. Notwithstanding 
our urgent pleading for it, no grapes 
are to be forwarded this season, but 
shipments of early apples and pears will 
be continued as freely as possible, 
because in these there is considerable 
encouragement. This season pears are 
especially in demand in Great Britian, 
because of the failure of the English 
and French crop. It is proposed to 
ship chiefly to Bristol, London and 
Manchester, for these are the finest 
markets for our produce; Glasgow 
would be included, but sailings are less 
regular from this latter port. 

It is advised that the cases be not 
filled too full, so as to avoid bruising 
the top layer in nailing on the lid, and 
excelsior or other packing is to be used 
to make the fruit tight. 

The grading for this trade will be A. 
No. 1, apples over 2% inches in diam- 
eter; No. 1, over 24% ; and “Small,” 


COMMENTS. 


2 inches or thereabout. Pears will be 
graded similarly, only using 214 and 2 
inch diameters respectively, while those 
over 2% inches will be extra. 

Some limited experiments with Craw- 
ford peaches may be tried in Veneer 
grape baskets, to hold one dozen each. 
They will be packed in cotton batting. 
Tomatoes are just now too cheap in 
England to be worth shipping. 


A CuEap HEATER.—So many of our 
readers are amateur horticulturists, with 
little or no convenience for keeping 
their plants safely through the cold 
parts of our severe winters, that many 
of them will be pleased to see repro- 
duced from American Garden, S. G.’s 
article and illustration of a cheap 
heater. 


Fie. 1655. 


The very picture of the enormous 
iron monsters advertised, with their 
many valves and doors, strikes terror to 
a timid soul, and she gives up the idea 
of having a greenhouse, for where is the 
money to pay even for a small heater ? 
But take courage and examine the pic- 
ture of my boiler, and see if your can’t 
take your beloved plants through zero 
weather. My conservatory, 6x 13 feet, 
with double windows, is connected with 
the parlor by a large arched door. In 


365 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


his room is an aldine grate. A register 
is in the chimney at the back of the 
conservatory, but the heat is not quite 
enough, so I have a small oil stove, 
called the Economist, and a tin tea 
kettle. After lighting the lamp and 
filling the kettle the water will boil in 
ten minutes. Moisture gathers on the 
glass, and there is a pleasant heat. The 
plants flourish. I have abutilons, 
geraniums, carnations and ageratums in 
bloom, and the chrysanthemums are 
splendid. Ferns, too, and lycopopium 
are doing nicely. You have only to be 
watchful that the lamp does not smoke 
and the water does not boil out of the 
tea kettle, and your plant will flourish 
as well as in a more aristocratic green- 
house. 


CONDITIONS FOR WINTER KILLING. 
—A heavy peach crop in the Niagara 
District is rather strange after such a 
severe winter which killed the roots of 
the trees themselves in many cases. 
Sometimes the peach buds all succumb 
at a temperature of 10° or 12° below 
zero, while the trees themselves are un- 
hurt, but this last winter they have 
endured 18° below zero without injury 
to the blossom. Bailey thinks that the 
099q spnqme less hardy in proportion as 
they are more developed. This ex- 
planation is generally concurred in, so 
much so that of late it is becoming a 
practise to whiten the buds with lime in 
early spring to prevent their swelling 
under the influence of the sun which 
often shines with considerable power 
even in winter. 

The winter killing of the trees them- 
selves last February was no doubt due 
to the severe cold which continued 
steadily for about three weeks, without 
any protection for the roots of snow or 
other material. Evidently, the wise 


thing is to mulch our tender trees well 
in the fall, or else sow a cover crop in 
mid summer, to be plowed under the 
following spring. This latter method is 
doubly remunerative, for besides the 
winter protection it is the surest method 
of enriching the soil and promoting 
wood growth. At Maplehurst we sowed 
Crimson clover three years in succession 
in the month of July, and ploughed it 
under in May, with a light dressing of 
wood ashes and bone meal. The por- 
tion treated was planted to Spy, Bartlett 
and Imperial Gage, trees which had a 
record for being unproductive, this 
season the finest apples and plums are 
being produced on these very trees. 


APPLES were last year exported to 
Helsingfors, on the Gulf of Finland, by 
the Imperial Produce Co., Toronto. 


FINE Prize Lists have been issued 
by the Industrial Fair, Toronto, H. J. 
Hill, Secretary; the Western Fair, 
London, Thos. A. Brown, Secretary ; 
the Prince Edward Agricultural Society, 
Thos. Bog, Picton, Secretary. 


THE SEASON OF Fairs is close upon 
us, and no wideawake fruit-grower 
should fail to inspect the exhibits of 
fruits whenever possible. Comparing 
notes in this way is the surest method 
of learning about the best and most 
profitable varieties. This is the especial 
duty of the intending planter, who has 
not had much experience, and who 
would make most serious blunders in 
planting if he did not first inform him- 
self upon the characteristics and quali- 
ties of the kinds which he proposes to 
set in his orchard. 


366 


NOTES AND 


SMITH’s SEEDLING PEACH, NO. 1, re- 
ferred to on page 367 of this Journal 
for 1898, continues to make a favorable 
impression. Ripening between the 
15th and 25th of August, just between 
Hales and Crawfords, it fills a gap not 
filled with any dessert peach of equal 
quality and size. Samples brought us 
August 23rd from the original tree, 
which is growing in Mr. R. T. Smith’s 
garden at Hamilton, averaged 214 
inches in either diameter. The skin is 
cream, beautifully dotted and shaded 
with red, and may be peeled off with 
the finger ; the down is very fine, soft 
and velvety ; the suture is distinct and 
terminates in a small black apex. The 
flesh is white, tender, juicy, rich and 
delicious ; the stone is perfectly free. 


Our Report. After long and pa- 
tient waiting cur subscribers are now 
receiving our report for 1898. But we 


COMMENTS. 


are confident that their patience will be 
rewarded when they review it, for it well 
possesses exceptional value. Combin- 
ing four reports in one volume, (1) the 
Fruit-growers ; (2) the Entomological 
Society; (3) the Fruit Experiment 
Station ; (4) Supt. of Spraying; all 
bound in cloth, it certainly forms a 
volume of great value, well worthy a 
place on the shelves of the best selected 
libraries. The descriptive work on 
“Fruits of Ontario” is but in its initial 
state ; it is a work that must take years 
to complete, if indeed it ever is com- 
pleted. It is evident that we must have 
personal knowledge of each variety, 
both as to characteristics of fruit, and 
habits of tree, in order to give anything 
like an accurate description, that will 
also be of use to others. The writer 
invites the criticism of the readers of 
the CANADIAN HorTICULTURIST in re- 
spect to his work. 


FRUIT DRYING. 


There is a large shrinkage in curing 
green fruit, and comparatively few grow- 
ers are advised of the actual loss by 
evaporation. The shrinkage varies with 
the quality of the fruit and also accord- 
ing to the humidity of the atmosphere 
in the localities where the drying is done. 
In the Sacramento and San Joaquin val- 
leys and the foothills of California the 
following tables are approximately cor- 
rect, as to the number of pounds of green 
fruit required to produce one pound of 
dried fruit : 


Apricots, Moorpark, 5% tor 
Apricots, others, . ‘ 6 tor 
Peaches, Muir, 354-434 to 1 
Peaches, Crawford, 514-6% tor 
Peaches, Salway, . 4%-5% tor 
Peaches, Cling, .. 64-656 tor 


The general average may be approxi- 
mated as follows : 


Apricots, all varieties, 5% tor 
Peaches, all varieties, . 6 to I 
Pears, all varieties, . 7% tor 
Prunes, French, . 234 tor 


The general cost of curing fruit ranges 
from 1 to 2 cents per pound. In the 
large plants where the investment is con- 
siderable and help is hired, the average 
cost of preparing and curing apricots is 
2c. per pound, and on peaches 1c. 
per pound on the cured fruit. The cost 
of cured fruit per pound at different cost 


price for fresh fruit per ton, allowing for 
varying shrinkage, is as follows : 


FRUIT, FRESH. CURED. 

Peaches, 20 6% to 7c. 
. : 25 734 to 83% 
re - 30 9 to 934 

Apricots, 20 74% to 84% 
s ; 25 8% to of 
a - 30 1% to 97% 
= ; 40 10% to12% 


—Fruit Trade Journal. 


367 


4{ Question Orawer. & 


Shaffer and Columbian. 


1103. Srx,— What is the difference be- 
tween Shaffer’s Colossal and Columbian rasp- 
berries? Is the parentage of this variety 
known ? J. M. B. 


Shaffer originated with George Shaf- 
fer, of New York State, in 1869, and 
was introduced by Chas. Green, of 
Rochester. The late T. T. Lyon thought 
it a hybrid between our two natives, 
Occidentalis and Strigosus. 

Columbian resembles Shaffer very 
much both in fruit and foliage. It is 
said to be a seedling of the Cuthbert, 
grown near Gregg. 

Both these varieties are vigorous grow- 
ers, and the berries very large, purple, 
in color, and excellent for canning. 


Aphis on Honeysuckle. 


41104. Srr,—I enclose a leaf from an 
English ‘‘ Honeysuckle.” The plant is in- 
fested with a bug of some kind and we find 
it covering the vine. Will you please inform 
me what it is and how to get rid of it ? 


The insect is a plant-louse, which has 
produced the honey-dew noticeable on 
the leaves, and the remedies recom- 
mended on the C. E. F. spraying calen- 
dar for the apple aphis will be effectual 


for this one. 
J. FLETCHER. 


Central Experimental Farm. 


Oyster Shell Booklouse. 


1105. Srr,—I am sending you a twig cut 
from a neighboring orchard. Can you tell me 
whatitis? Is it or is it not the dreaded San 
Jose scale? The tree from which the twigis cut 
is literally covered with parasite. If it is as 
destructive as it is ugly, and I presume it is, 
will you please tell me how tv destroy it? 
Will anything short of burning the tree de- 
stroy, and how can I prevent its spreading ? 

H. H. Kine, 
Port Hope. 


This is not the San Jose scale, indeed 
it has very little resemblance to it, being 
of an entirely different shape, the latter 
is round with a tiny dent in the centre, 
the former is the shape of an oyster 


shell. Then, too, the San Jose scale '§ 
almost microscopic. 

This is the Oyster Shell booklouse, 
unfortunately only too familiar to On- 
tario apple-growers. Indeed very few 
of the older orchards are free from it, 
and some of them are almost ruined by 
it. Under each of these oyster shaped 
scales will be found masses of eggs, 
varying from 20 to 100, which hatch 
out in early June, and creep forth toa 
fresh part of the bark, where they begin 
sucking and soon become fixed, sub- 
sisting upon the sap of the tree. The 
best means of destroying these scale 
insects is by spraying with kerosene 
emulsion. Perhaps the best time to 
apply it is about June rst, when the 
young lice are moving about. 


Woolly Aphis. 


1106. Srr,—Would you kindly give me 
a remedy to extinguish the woolly aphis, 
through your valuable paper. I have tried 
pure coal oil No. 1 spray (lime, sulphur and 
salt), also Paris green in bordeaux mixture, 
but they are thriving better and spreading 
more every year, and I do not wish their 
company whatever, although it is very lonely 
here. 


N. ButcHART. 
Port Moody. 


This insect, known to entomologists 
as schezoneura lanigera, is of the same 
species as the apple root louse. It very 
commonly affects the common thorn 
bush in Ontario, from which it spreads 
to various other fruit trees. Under 
each patch of white down will be found 
one large female with her young, and 
late in the autnmn she deposits eggs for 
the following spring, which are almost 
microscopes. Both young and old de- 
rive their nourishment from the sap of 
the tree, thus weakening its growth. An 
excellent wash is made of soft soap re- 
duced to the consistence of paint by the 
addition of a strong solution of washing 
soda in water ; spraying with kerosene 
emulsion will also be found efficaious. 


368 


* Open Letters. ¥ 


Gooseberries. 


Srr,—I should think this would be a good 
section of the country to raise gooseberries 
fur market. I have a very large gooseberry 
growing in my garden, I have had it for over 
twenty years and it never fails to give me a 

ood crop of berries. Mildew is a thing un- 
nown to me, I have never seen it, I do not 
know the name of the berry in question. I 
sent you six of them by mail in July, to see 
if you could give me the name of them. I 
don’t know if you received them. I am also 
testing some other varieties, viz.: The 
Downing, Pearl, Whitesmith, Triumph and 
Industry. I intend to give these all a fair 
trial. I don’t raise any fruit for market, but 
I am testing several kinds of fruit. 
A. BripeGE, 
West Brook, P.O. 


Hardy Roses. 


Smr,—In July number of the Hortt- 
CULTURIST, rose growers are invited to give a 


list of hardy roses suited to cold districts. I ~ 


am able to speak from experience, having 
wintered about fifteen varieties through last 
season, which was the coldest for many years, 
the thermometer going down to 28° or 30° 
below zero. 

The following have proved very satisfac- 
tory tome; Madam G. Luizet, Jacqueminot, 
Paul Neyron, John Hopper, Magna Charta, 
Earl of Dufferin, Marshal P. Wilder, King of 
Sweden, and Gen. Washington. This list 
Mag a variety in shade and delicacy of per- 

ume worthy of a place in any garden. All 
roses are the better for winter protection and 
will repay the grower for the trouble of lay- 
ing down. I bend them down, lay a sod on 
the tops and cover with straw. I would ad- 
vise amateurs to purchase H. P, roses on 
their own roots, they prove less troublesome 
as you are always sure the new growth is 
flowering stock. I have wintered tea roses 
outside here with fair success, but they need 
more care and should be completely covered 
with sods. I have added some new plants to 
my list which I may be permitted to report 
on in the future. 

W. A. BROWNLEE. 


Report of Plants. 


Str,—I will, in the following give a short 
report of some of the plants and trees re- 
ceived since the year ’73. 

"79. Salem grape still living, bears well, 
rather late for this section, still ripens fairly 
well. 

75. The F. Beauty pear is doing well, get- 


ting to be a large tree, bears heavy, but 
black spots and cracks open badly. 

"76 The Glass plum is a fine smooth bark, 
thrifty tree, hearty, and is a moderate 
bearer, ripens late. 

77. The purple raspberry is still on the 
place, a good bearer, the yellow one is thrown 
out as worthless. 

78. The hybrid grape (Burnet) is a farce 
at the best, though strong grower, too late, 


coarse, sometimes bearing two kinds of ber- 


ries on the same bunch, divided into two 
periods of ripening. The small berries are 
about the size of a Delaware, ripen about a 
week earlier than the remainder of the 
bunch, which are a large berry ; no use. 

"79. The Canadian Hybrid apple is a 
splendid winter apple ; lust my tree ; mice 
girdled it, though it bore a few good crops. 

’80. Congres Pear; tree did not grow, but 
from grafts taken from it I now have a lot 
of big bearing trees, extreme bearers every 
year, fruit enormous size, high flavored, little 
tart. 

From the year 1880 I will only report in 
bulk The winter St. Lawrence apple tree 1s 
dead, too weakly to live, caused by having 
bad, dried up roots. but from grafts taken 
from it I now have a large bearing tree of 
excellent winter fruit. The remainder of the 
trees and berry plants, and so forth, are 
nearly all dead or thrown out as worthless, 
excepting the two last plumsareliving. The 
Improved Lombard plum of this spring is the 
best tree I got for a long while ; it’s making 
a good growth; I hope to have good luck 
with it. 

Report on fruit in general apples in our 
section are a very light crop. Pears ditto. 
Early cherries such as Richmond, were well 
loaded, but the trouble is, people don’t plant 
enough of that kind of trees, cherries would 
again do well if more trees were planted. 
Plums are a small crop, still enough for home 
use. All kinds of berries are plentiful. 


D. B. Hoover, 
Almira, Ont. 


The Plant Distribution. 


Str,—I would say discontinue the plant 
distribution amongst the members or readers 
of the CanapIAN HorticuLturRist, and lay 
out the money to something that will make 
the Journal more showy by adding well got 
up lithographs of the best new as well as old 
fruits ; our aims should be in the interest of 
fruit culture, the plants are very often worth- 
less by being qrineies and dried up before 
they reach their distant receivers. 


D. B. Hoover, 
Almira, Ont. 


369 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


A Report From Ireland. 


S1r,—I do not think much of the Gault 
raspberry you sent me. It seems to bea 
small, poor blackberry, inferior to what we 
have wild here in our roadside hedges. I 
should much like to hear your opinion or 
that of some of your correspondents who 
have tried them, on the Honeyberry. Now 
I think setting fruit in my garden, and the 
Iceberg White blackberry, which I think is 
one of Luther Burbank’s raising,? though I 
did not have it from him. 
: W. E. GuMBLETON. 
Belgrave, County Cork, Ireland. 


Fruit in Lake Huron District. 


Srr,—The very cold weather we had the 
latter part of February and first part of March 
did a great deal of damage to the wheat fields, 
but no injury to the fruit, large or small, that 
I can see in this section. I see that Mr. Race 
of Mitchell states that raspberries were win- 
ter killed in that part; here no harm was 
done to any varieties We had a good crop 
of strawberries, gooseberries, currants and 
raspberries ; also a fair crop of cherries, but 
the birds take a lot of the early sorts ; in fact 
we cannot get any to ripen. I find the Rock- 
port is exempt from their attacks Plums 
are a very good crop and very free from the 
curculio; pears are a very light crop, and 
apples, the most valuable of all fruit, are of 
fine quality. This year they are very clean 
and free of the codling moth. I think the 
severe cold must have settled them and the 
cureulio. Apples are not so very plentiful, 
but good in quality. A number of the trees 
had no blossom. The King of Tompkins I 
have found hitherto shy bearers, but last 
year they bore heavily and again this year are 
yielding well. The grape vines were dam- 
aged to quite an extent. The hard frost we 
had gave my boxwood a sad scorching, and 
injured the Baltimore Belleso badly that there 
was no bloom. The Deutzia crenata suffered 
severely. 1 see by the reports that the Tent 
Caterpillars have been numerous down east ; 
I find in this section they have been compar- 
atively scarce. Our spring grain of all varie- 
ties is a heavy crop ; potatoes also will turn 


out well. The bugs are not very numerous ; 
likely the cold affected them also. We had 
I might say no spring ; it turned from winter 
to summer suddenly. Although vegetation 
was late in starting, the growth was rapid 
when it began. While east of us rain was 
much needed, in these parts we had an abun- 
dance of it, enough and to spare; several 
heavy raln falls: that damaged some of our 
early potatoes and peas, which together with 
hot weather caused the weeds to grow ram- 
ae and we could not keep them down or 
illthem. I am sorry to say that farmers 
generally don’t try to do it, seemingly, not 
thinking that the weeds rob the soil toa very 
great extent—so much so that not more than 
half a crop can be grown on a good many 
places. It is really disgraceful to see some 
farms, actually covered with weeds of every 
description, which are constantly on the in- 
crease, 


WALTER HIcK. 
Goderich. 


The Export of Peaches. 


Srr.—In talking to Mr. Davies Allan com- 
missioner of Cape Town south Africa, on 
Saturday last, I found out that they ship 
fruit from there to England in first class con- 
dition, although the fruit is double the time 
on the voyage that ours are. He told me 
that the secret in shipping peaches was never 
to let the hands touch the fruit. They have 
pinchers made for the purpose that fits round 
the joint of the peach fruit when they give it 
a gentle twist and the fruit seperates from the 
tree and it is placed into a shallow box or 
crate and they never commence to pick until 
about four o’clock in the afternoon and each 
box or crate as it is filled is placed into 
refrigerator cars on sidings run from the 
main track into the orchards, when filled they 
are sent on their long journey in cold storage 
and it takes eighteen days for the peach to 
reach London England, when they get good 
prices for the same. Would not a trial of 
this kind be of much interest to our fruit 
growers in Ontario. 

R. CAMERON. 
Niagara Falls South. 


DESTROYING Ants.—Make holes with 
a crowbar or convenient stick, from six 
inches to one foot deep and about fifteen 
inches apart, over the hill or portion of 
the lawn infested by the ants and into 
each hole pour two or three teaspoon- 
fuls of bisulphide of carbon, stamping 
the dirt into the hole as soon as the 
liquid is poured into it. The bisulphide 


of carbon at once vaporizes and, perme- 
ating the ground, destroys the ants but 
does not injure the grass. One should 
remember while using this substance 
that it is highly inflammable and should 
not bring near it a flame or even a 
lighted cigar. Mass. Exper. Station, in 
Minnesota Horticulturist. 


37° 


SELECTING FRUIT FOR THE PARIS EXPOSITION. 


The following circular has been sent 
out by the U.S. Department of Agri- 
culture, and may give some useful hints 
for us also: 


To call special attention to the great variety 
of fruits now procurable in the United States 
in quantities sufficient for the export trade, it 
is proposed to install and to maintain during 
the entire period of the Exposition, a repre- 
sentative exhibit of American fresh fruits, To 
accomplish this it will be necessary to provide 
a supply of choice specimens of the more dur- 
able fruits (such as winter apples, pears, citrus 
fruits, cranberries, nuts, etc.), of the crop of 
the present season (1899) for display at the 
opening of the Exposition and until specimens 
of the crop of the year 1900 are available. It 
is intended that all the more important fruit 
growing districts of the United States shall 
be represented in this exhibit and the active 
co-operation of growers and other persons 
interested is therefore solicited. 

You are cordially invited to participate in 
this exhibit by contributing specimen fruits 
of the crop of 1899, grown either by yourself 
or others in your section, and to prepare to 
send choice specimens of such varieties as you 
may desire to exhibit of the crop of 1900 as 
they mature. The exhibit will be collective, 
but each contributor will receive the fullest 
credit for what he shows and the same con- 
sideration from the Jury of Awards that he 
would have if individual space were allotted 
him. Collections made by States, horticul- 
tural societies, boards of trade, shipping asso- 
ciations, railroad companies, etc., will have 
the same consideration as those from indi- 
viduals. 

KINDS OF FRUIT DESIRED, 


1. As the kinds of fruit grown in the dif- 
ferent parts of the country differ widely in 
number, season and character, it is suggested 
that for the opening exhibit (of the crop of 
1899) only such varieties be chosen as possess 
special merit as market, dessert or culinary 
fruits in your section. Special attention 
should be given to standard varieties that are 
likely to keep well and be adapted to the 
requirements of the export trade. 

Small lots of choice specimens of promising 
new or little known varieties are also desir- 
able and may be included. 


SELECTION OF SPECIMENS. 


2. All specimens for exhibition should be 
selected early in the picking season, as it is 
of great importance that the specimens be 
not over-ripe when shipped. Symmetrical, 
well-grown specimens that are characteristic 
of the variety in the region. should be given 
preference to such as are over-grown or ab- 
normal in other respects. Apples and pears 
should be picked as soon as the seeds turn 


brown, even if they have not attained full 
color. All specimens must be hand-picked, 
preferably into padded baskets and must be 
free from bruises. They must have their 
stems attached and be free from insect in- 
jury or fungous disease, to be entitled to 
shipment to Paris. In no case should speci- 
mens be rubbed or polished. 


QUANTITY, 


3. To allow for loss in storage and in 
transit, a-quantity of specimens of each va- 
riety should be provided of the crop of 1899. 
In general not less than one peck of a stand- 
ard variety of apples or one-half peck of a 
standard variety of pear, should be sent by 
an exhibitor. In case of a promising new 
sort or a little known variety, as few as ten 
specimens may be forwarded, if in perfect 
condition. Where collections are made in 
localities that grow but few varieties and 
those on a large scale, at least one barrel of 
each variety should be provided, though the 
fruit may be in small lots furnished by dif- 


‘ferent individual exhibitors. 


CARE AND PACKING OF SPECIMENS, 


4, After being picked the fruit should be 
handled with the utmost care and shielded 
from exposure to heat or frost. When the 
collection of specimens is completed, they 
should be double wrapped with paper and 
carefully packed in layers in clean, new ap- 
ple barrels or boxes. The several lots in 
each package should be separated from each 
other by large sheets of paper and each 
should be labeled with the name of the va- 
riety, the locality, and the name and address 
of both giower and collector. 

Labels and wiapping paper will be fur- 
nished to intending exhibitors without charge, 
upon application. . 

SHIPMENT. 


5. Each package should be plainly marked 
with name of shipper and nature of contents, 
and forwarded by express or fast freight to 
such storage point as shall be hereafter desig- 
nated. It is probable that exhibits of this 
character will be assembled at two or more 
storage centres, to be held until date of final 
shipment. In this case your exhibit will be 
ordered shipped to the most accessible point. 
Shipping labels, properly addressed, will be 
furnished. 

In order to complete the necessary arrange- 
ments for the forwarding and reception of 
exhibits, it is important that you indicate at 
an early date the probable number of varie- 
ties and quantity of specimens that you will 
desire to contribute and the approximate 
date when they will be ready for shipment. 

Photographic exhibits that illustrate char- 
acteristic features of the horticulture of your 
region are also desired, and circulars of infor- 
mation concerning such will be sent on appli- 
cation. 


37? 


THE APPLE CROP. 


UNITED STATES. 


Messrs. Duncan Bros., New York 
City, report concerning the. U. S. apple 
crop as follows : 


ONTARIO AND Nova Scorra.—A full aver- 
age crop, the quality been the best known 
for several years. 


New Eneuanp Srates.—A light crop. 


WEsTERN NEw YORK AND Hupson River 
VaLLEY.—More apples than last year, of 
good quality and consisting largely of Green- 
ings. 

3 Micuigay.—More than last year and ot 
much better quality. 


ARKANSAS, ILLINoIs, MissouRI AND KAn- 
sas.—From one-quarter to one-third of an 
average crop. Quality in some sections good, 
and in others only fair. 


Vircinia.—A half crop of fair quality. 


Ca.trorni4.—A larger crop than last year 
and of better quality. 


These conditions indicate the necessity of 
great caution in buying this crop. Buyers 
should use great care in buying and packing 
and grading, exporting only fine clean fruit, 
carefully packed and at moderate first cost. 
The purchase of inferior and carelessly 
packed fruit, will almost surely be followed 
by unsatisfactory results. 


The following estimate is given by Mr. 
Arthur P. Fowler, August 5th. 


Arkansas 60% NewJersey 75% 
California 75" New York 404 
Corado 50 4 Nebraska 40" 
Illinois 45 Ohio 654 
Iowa 50 «4 Pennsylvania 45" 
Kansas 45" Viginia 65 
Kentucky 25 0 West Virginia 60" 
Marylannd 60 « Wisconsin 354 
Michigan 454 Washington 50" 
Missouri 40 Canada, Ont 654 
New England 254 Nova Scotia 90" 


New York State.—The Rural New 
Yorker says: 


The apple crop of western New York 
largely determines the price for that fruit in 
the eastern markets. The condition of the 
Baldwins decides the matter, for that variety 
is in an immense majority. Baldwin has had 
a hard season this year, and reports are all 
one way. Taken as a whole, the apple crop 
from this great section promises to be less 
than half, and the chief loss is in red apples. 
Greenings are in better condition, but few 
people appreciate them. Nature packed 
some of her riche:t sauce inside the skin of a 
Greening apple, but there is a craze for a red 
skin, and this fine fruit is often neglected. 
Early apples are promising, but buyers are 
likely to part with considerable money when 
they buy their late Fall and Winter fruit. 
Ben Davis may come to the front as usual, 
but reports indicate that even this hardy 
citizen feels the rheumatism in his twigs and 
branches, as the result of last winter’s free7e. 


PROPAGATION OF THE GOOSEBERRY.— 
Seeds for the raising of new varieties, 
says Professor Bailey, should be sown 
as soon as well cured in loamy or sandy 
soil ; or they may be stratified and sown 
together with the sand in the spring. 
Cuttings six to eight inches long, of the 
mature wood, inserted two-thirds their 
length, usually grow readily, especially 
if taken in August or September and 
stored during winter in the same way as 
currant cuttings. Single-eye cuttings 
may be used for rare kinds. Stronger 
plants are usually obtained by layers, 
and the English varieties are nearly 


always layered in this country. Mound- 
layering is usually employed, the Eng- 
lish varieties being allowed to remain in 
layerage two years, but the American 
varieties only one. Layered plants are 
usually set in nursery rows for a year 
after removal from the stools. Green- 
layering during summer is usually prac- 
ticed for new or rare varieties. Strong 
plants may also be produced by tip- 
layering, as in the black raspberry.. If 
it is desired to train the weaker goose- 
berries in tree form, they may be grafted 
upon the stronger growing varieties. 


372 


SWEET PEAS’ IN’ POTS. 


lar or useful annual than this ; its 

fragrance and beauty, combined 

with the diversity of color to be 
obtained, renders it useful for all kinds 
of decorative work. Yet how seldom 
one sees blooms out of season! Many 
other subjects less beautiful and useful 
are forced. Yet none are more amen- 
able to forcing or yield a better return. 
As they are much appreciated here for 
dinner table and other room decoration I 
grow a batch in pots, and generally get 
them in bloom a month before those 
outside. I have now been picking flow- 
ers for a week from plants grown in 
unheated houses. My method is to 
sow five seeds in a 60-sized pot about 
the first or second week in February. 
These placed in a peach house will 
germinate and grow steadily and strong, 
and in due course are shifted into 32’s, 
keeping them as near the light as pos- 
sible, and supporting the plants with 
twigs. This year I gave some more pot 
room, using 16’s but so far I have 
observed no better results than from 
small pots. Growth is stronger, but 
they are not so floriferous. When about 
to Lloom I remove them outside and 
stand them in front of a greenhouse or 
fence. They produce plenty of bloom 
till outside ones are ready. If I had 
much conservatory work to do I should 
use these, for I think a group of Sweet 
Peas pretty, graceful, and light, and 
always command admiration. 

The dwarf Cupid, both pink and 
white varieties, have been much abused 
since their introduction a few years 
since; but I like them very much as 
pot plants notwithstanding their little 
eccentricities such as dropping their 
blooms when on the point of expanding, 


i SUPPOSE there is no more popu- 


and the very short peduncle. Three 
plants in a 32-sized pot make a nice 


- bushy little specimen, and for edging of 


stages and walks and if allowed to grow 
naturally, without any stakes, they are 
very effective, and remain in bloom 
several weeks. Careful watering and a 
shady and airy situation, when in bloom, 
will prevent many of the flowers falling. 

I have tried most of the best varieties 
and find them all very amenable to pot 
culture. I have, this year, in addition 
to the dwarfs just mentioned, Mars, a 
brilliant red ; Venus, very delicate straw 
color, a charming flower ; Black Knight, 
one of the best darks I have yet grown ; 
Duke of Sutherland, a dark claret stan- 
dard with bluish wings; Duchess of 
Sutherland, pinky-white, blooming pure 
white when fully expanded ; Lady Mary 
Currie, a delicately shaded bronze-pink, 
a lovely color ; Prince of Wales, bright 
rose-self, richly colored; Chancellor, 
orange-pink; Lady Nina Balfour, a 
beautiful mauve, very effective where 
this shade is favored ; Colonist, a rosy- 
lilac, very good. These are all pro- 
duced on long stems and are of a good 
form. 

Copious supplies of water are needed ; 
and weak manure and soot water aid the 
production of fine blooms, 

A very pretty and light arrangement 
of cut blooms for dinner table decora- 
tions may be made by using small, 
developed growth of Asparagus—now 
in plenty on outside beds as foliage— 
associated with the tendrils of the pea 
itself, interspersing small sprays of Gyp- 
sopbila elegans. ‘The prettiest possible 
effect may be produced by the judicious 
use of these very simple materials.— 
Gardening Illustrated. 


373 


BAKED APPLES FOR BREAKFAST. 


HE true, not the new, should 
be the motto of those who 
write or speak about the apple 
—the fruit longest in use by 

our branch of the human race. There 
are certain simple principles that must 
be given, line upon line, precept upon 
precept, to every fresh generation of 
men, or rather should be given just 
about that time that the generation is 
beginning to lose its freshness and to 
call on the doctor for remedies. Every 
well-to-do man of good digestion and 
appetite tends to eat too much meat 
every day after his twenty-fifth birthday, 
and one of the values of fruit, the apple 
above others, is the ease with which it 
may be made an “‘anti-meat-for-break- 
fast” article. With baked apples and 
cream and good roast potatoes on the 
breakfast table, the dish of cold or hot 
meat becomes subordinate, even if it is 
not entirely abolished. Men of forty, 
the age when every man not a fool is 
supposed to have acquired the right to 
give medical advice, at least to himself, 
will relate their various wonderful dis- 
coveries and remarkabie self cures just 
as they had given up all hope; and in 
general these reduce themselves to this : 
*“T ate less meat, but I did not know it, 
and I took a great deal more fruit, 
especially apples.” 


Baked apples for breakfast tend to 
reduce the amount of meat eaten, if we 
are inclined to eat too much, and to 
supply the system with mineral foods 
and the digestive tract with acids. People 
who eat too much food are not to be 
advised to eat baked apples as a mere 
addition to-the breakfast, and those who 
need a substantial meal must not let the 
baked apple interfere with the taking of 
solid food. As a rule those who eat 
three meals per diem will wisely have 
the nicest dish of baked apples obtain- 
able for breakfast. It is a piece of 
simple wisdom worth pages of ordinary 
medical literature. The digestion of 
milk is somewhat delayed by sour fruits, 
but pure rich cream is not milk, and 
taken with a juicy baked apple, what 
dish can be more tempting and whole- 
some ? 

If you are twenty-eight or thirty-five, 
inclined to ring the doctor’s bell and 
talk with your druggist, try this prescrip- 
tion. You may put sugar on the apples, 
but we shall not sugar coat the remedy 
with any mystery or any claim to 
novelty ; we merely turn to your good 
wife or your housekeeper, and ask 
whether she is careful to give you nice 
roast apples and cream, and to make 
the breakfast meat dishes as little tempt- 
ing as may be.—Amer. Garden. 


* Our Book Table. # 


SouTHERN Farr, Brantrorp.—We are 
pleased to notice that the Directors of the 
Brantford Southern Fair are giving promin- 
ence to the Horticultural Department in their 
prize lists, a copy of which is now before us, 
and from which we see that they are offering 
over $4000 in cash prizes for excellence. We 
would recommend fruit growers, florists and 

- market gardeners to write to the Secretary, 
Mr. Geo. Hately, Brantford, for prize lists. 
The Ladies’ Board of Directors, which has 


been a feature of Brantford Fair for some 
years, is again in charge of that department. 
This year the prizes are all cash with the 
exception of a high grade lady’s bicycle, 
valued at $75, which is given to the exhibitor 
taking the most prizes in the Ladies’ Depart- 
ment. 

Special arrangements have been made with 
the Railway Co’s. for carrying passengers and 
their exhibits, Particulars are to be an- 
nounced in the regular weekly papers. 


374 


et 
a 
> a ty 


2 


‘NOILISOdXH TWINLSNGNI AHL LV LIGIHXd 


THE 


CANADIAN Horticulturist. 


Vou. XXII. 


1899. 


No. t0 


FRUIT AT THE INDUSTRIAL. 


HE Industrial Fair is about one 
week too early for a fruit exhibit 
to be at its best, for while it has 
the advantage of taking in plums 

and peaches, it shows our best apples 
and grapes at a great disadvantage. The 
best Rogers grapes, for example, have no 
color, and the finest winter apples, such 
as Spy and King, are still very green. 

The change in the tables to raised 
shelves instead of flat is very helpful 
to a display and breaks the monotony 
of the fruit exhibit ; but the shelves 
should be nine inches wide instead 
of twelve, and four set of them in- 
stead of three, so that there would be 
no waste of space. The risers also are 
at least an inch too high. 

On the whole, the fruit exhibit never 
showed to such advantage ; thanks to 
our President, who is chairman of that 
department. 

Our experimental exhibit is beginning 
to be of real use to fruit growers, and 
will be more so every year, as the new 
varieties come into bearing. 


This year our apple specialist, W. H. 
Dempsey, Trenton, shows 140 varieties, 
labelled in alphabetical order. 


Of the older commercial varieties, 
his Alexander, Stark, Ben Davis, Falla- 
water and Kentish Fillbasket were ex- 
ceptionally fine, the last two, Falla- 
water (though a showy variety) never 
pays, because not productive enough ; 
and Fillbasket. drops too early to be a 
paying. summer variety. His Primates 
were exceptionally fine, so large and 
highly colored. They hang. from July 
to October, and no variety of its season 
is a greater favorite for eating. 


Among the newer varieties shown by 
Mr Dempsey we notice : 


Golden White, not a white apple, but 
striped, large in size, a Russian fall 
apple, very desirable for its hardiness, 
as well as good appearance. 

Rochelle, another large apple, red 
striped, very promising. 

Winter Banana, a deep red streaked 
apple, of good size and much promise. 


377 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


Starr, of good size, yellow with red 
cheek. 


Winter Red, a kind much in favor in 
Illinois, but which does not show suffi- 
cient color, nor possess such quality as 
to hold its friends. 


The Zyenton is an entirely new var- 
iety, which originated some years ago 
with Mr. P. C. Dempsey, near Trenton, 
having some of the Fameuse blood in it. 
It is a fine dessert apple, both on ac. 
count of its deep red color, and its good 
quality for eating. 


Fie. 1656.—THE WaLtTER APPLE. 


The Walter (Fig. 1656) is also a fine 
apple, striped red, large and productive. 
It was named after Mr. Walter H. Demp- 
sey, our fruit experimenter for the Bay 
of Quinté District. 

Mr. Murray Pettit, of Winona, con- 
tributed a fine exhibit of 102 varieties 
of grapes, prominent among which were 
fine samples of Moore’s Early, Worden, 
Delaware, Moyer and Clinton. The 
bunches were well grown, under average 
conditions. 

Mr. A. W. Peart, of Burlington, con- 
tributed a fine collection of bottled black 
and red currants, preserved in acids by 
the Secretary. He also showed twelve 
pyramids of commercial varieties of 
pears, intended to give to the public reli- 
able information as early as_ possible. 
The twelve varieties thus exhibited as 
worthy of planting are Goodale, Louise, 
Vicar, Bartlett, Sheldon, Howell, Duch- 
ess, Boussock, Kieffer, Anjou and Clair- 
geau. 


Mr. Mr. Burrell, of St. Catharines, 
showed a mixed collection of 62 varie- 
ties of fruits, and among them the fol- 
lowing desirable kinds of peaches, viz. : 
Early Crawford, Garfield, Foster, Reeves, 
Mountain Rose, Barnard, Champion, 
Old Mixon, Carlisle, Yellow St. John, 
Elberta and Crosby. He also showed 
the Augusta grape, a seedling of Con- 
cord and Rogers 4, raised by Mr. J. 
Broderick. The Champion peach is 
very showy, large and fine cheeked. It 
also fruited this season first at Maple- 
hurst, and we were much captivated by 
its beautiful appearance. 


Mr. Caston, of the Simcoe Station, 
showed 54 varieties of apples, including . 
nine of Crabs, all the latter small, but 
one or two very showy, especially the 
Florence, so regularly striped with bands 
of red about the whole surface. His 
Duchess were fine, a favorite market 
variety with him ; his Gideon, Baxter, 
Alexander and Wealthy were also all 
fine samples. One would think the 
County of Simcoe especially suited to 
apple growing. 

Mr. John Mitchell, of Georgian Bay 
Station, showed a very valuable exhibit 
of 40 varieties of plums, including Cha- 
bot, Satsuma, Tage, Abundance and 
Burbank—Japan varieties, also Shippers’ 
Pride, French Damson, Brunswick, Wea- 
ver, Hammer, etc. 


Mr. Huggard, of Whitby Station, 
showed 83 varieties of mixed fruits, 
including some very fine Clapps, Bart- 
letts, Louise and Clairgeau. 


The first prize for Horticultural So- 
ciety exhibit was taken by Burlington, 
which showed 225 varieties of fruit, and 
the second by Louth fruit growers, who 
showed 125 varieties. 

On the whole, the fruit exhibited in 
classes for prizes was well up to the 
mark. There were some wonderfully 


378 


A FRUIT EVAPORATOR. 


fine bunches of grapes among the single 
plates, the largest bunches of Concords 
we have seen —weighing about two 
pounds each, and Brightons_propor- 
tionately large. The former were grown 
by F. G. Stewart, of Virgil. 

It may interest our readers to know a 
few of the first and second prize lots of 
fruit, so we give a few samples : 

GRAPES, 12 varieties —lst prize and silver 
medal :—J. Haines, St. Catharines. Kinds: 
Concord, Rogers 44, Agawam, Worden, Pock- 
lington, Brighton, Catawba, Vergennes, Nia 
gara, Lindley, Velaware, Moore’s Early. The 


Lindleys in this collection were exceptionally 
fine. 


ApeLEs, 20 varieties.—lst prize :—Frank 
Onderdonk, Albury (silver medal) ; 2ad prize: 
—H. Marshall, Hamilton. 

5 varieties for export.—I|st prize:—P. Mc- 
Culloch, Burlington. Kinds: Spy, King, 


Baldwin, Ribston, Greening ; 2ad prize :—A. 
R. Brechen, Toronto. 


~ 


5 varieties for cooking. — 1st prize: — H. 
Marshall, Hamilton. Kinds: Duchess, Spy, 
Greening, Alexander, Fall Pippin. 

5 varieties for dessert,—|st prize :—P. Mc- 
Culloch, Burlington. Kinds:—Spy, Ribston, 
Spitzenberg, Gravenstein, Swazie. 


PuiuMs, 6 varieties, Red or Blue.—1st prize: 
—E. A. Wilson, St. Catharines. Kinds: Ponds- 
Glass, Lombard, Burbank, Duanes Purple and 
Bradshaw. 

6 varieties, Green or Yellow.—lst prize :— 
A. Glass, St. Catharines. Kinds: General 
Hand. Coe’s Golden, McLaughlin, Washing- 
ton, Yellow Egg and Imperial Gage. 

PgacHEs, 10 varieties.—lst prize : — John 
Stevenson, Niagara-on-the-Lake. Kinds: 
Wheatland, Late Crawford, Mountain Rose, 
Early Crawford, Fitzgerald, Elberta, Henry’s 
Golden, Reeve's Favorite, Foster, Old Mixon. 


A, FRUIT EVAPORATOR. 


HE G. H. Grimm Manu- 
facturing Co., has_ in- 
vented an_ evaporator, 

especially for fruit and vege- 
tables ; a low priced machine 
which any fruit grower could 
safely invest in. We always 
grieve over the amountof fruit 
which wastes in our orchards 
and many times we are tempt" 
ed to invest in a fruit evapor- 
ator of some kind. to save it, 
but the price of the evaporator 
is the bug bear. The cooking 
stove size has six trays, giving 
7 square feet of drying ser- 
vice, and affords a capacity 
of two pecks of apples in 12 
hours. No. 1 has capacity of 
2 to 3 bushels of apples per 
day, Noz, 3 to 5 bushels, No. 
3, 10 to 15 bushels, and No, 4, 
18 to 25 bushels. 


Fic. 1657. 'Rurr EvappoRAtTor. 


379 


Fic. 1658.—GIANT SPRUCE IN STANLEY PARK, VANCOUVER. 


380 


SOME NOTABLE .TREES IN CANADA. 


Fic. 1659.—FReNcH THORN ON THE BASTION AT Fort ERIE, 


I’ll take a branch of it he said, across the 
v juui Stormy sea, 
That roars between NewFrance and Old, and 
Yi jWHeplant it solemnly. - 
It will remind and teach mankind 
Of pains that blessing bring.” 

O cries Count Bois le Grand as 
in the poet’s Idyll he stands 
beside cross and holy thorn 
tree in Old France and swears 

fidelity to his fair, angelic wife. From 
Palestine the tree had come, a plant 
from that which supplied the crown of 
thorns of sacred memory. 

Commandant of the Fort at Niagara 
the Count plants the thorn on the plain 
hard by. The English begin a long 
forest march to seize Niagara Ere 
they arrive ‘‘a dame of charms most 
radiant, the queenflower of the gay capital 
Quebec, enthralls his heart. 


‘“* He loves again despite the pain 
And stinging of the thorn.”’ 


A hunting party rides gaily along. 


The thicket stirs before the fair dame. 
She shoots and finds her victim, no wild 
animal, but alas! her soldier lover. 
Tenderly she nurses him but as justice 
would have it, the thorn spray she wears 
as a token of contrition, estranges him 
from her, reminding him of his far-off 
spouse 

Niagara is taken A bitter life des- 
troying thorn it is to the disabled 
warrior to see the flag of England rise. 
The cry “O thorn of penitence ” bursts 


from the dame. 


““She kissed his mouth, 
Fell by his side. 
And both lay dead as stone ” 


The most enduring monument of the 
French occupation, a group of these 
trees, though a century and a half has 
elapsed since their planting, still stands 
near the Grove of Paradise at Niagara. 
Our illustration is of one of their pro- 
geny on the South Western bastion, Fort 
Erie. 


381 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


Fic. 1660.—Historic WILLOW oN DUFFERIN 
IstanpD, NIAGARA FALLS. 


Overhanging the water, there is on 
Dufferin Island, near Niagara Falls, a 
weeping willow, a descendant of the 
trees that kept vigil by Napoleon’s tomb 
and formed a feature of the landscape 
of which it occurs to us the great com- 
mander would have fully approved. For 
intensely practical and military though 
his mind was, he had yet enough appre- 
ciation for the beautiful and venerable 
in Nature, to make him, when he was 
laying down the plan for a great road in 
the Alps, actually to turn aside its 
course to avoid an ancient representa- 
tive of that other grave-yard tree, the 
Cypress. This tree it may be of in- 
terest to remark, was that which a de- 
feated monarch, some three hundred 
years befores, struck with his sword in 
childish petulance 

There are on the banks of the Detroit 
river, some pear trees, old and weird of 
aspect, planted by the French before 
the year 1760. One of the oldest is 
said to date from 1705. There is a 
story that a settler brought from France 
three seeds in his vest pocket and plant- 
ed them near Amherstburg. The old 
trees there now are the children of those 
which sprang from these trees ‘‘ The 
trees are productive,” says Professor 


Craig, to whose writing we are indebted 
for information about them, ‘‘ but the 
fruit is not valuable.” 

In the famous apple-growing country 
of the Annapolis Valley in Nova Scotia 
there are also apple trees still bearing 
that were planted about the middle of 
last century. Prince Edward Island 
can also boast apple and cherry trees 
set out in old French times 

Plum growing, according to Mr. Craig, 
has been a special industry for a hun- 
dred or more years in L’Islet County, 
some seventy miles north-east of the 
City of Quebec “Reine, Claude de 
Montmorency is delicious and peculiar 
to this region. The Damson plum 
trees grow in stocky form and produce 
out of all proportion to their size. The 
Kentish cherry has through heredity 
developed hardy forms well adapted to 
its new home and ripens a month later 
than the same variety grown at Ottawa.” 

At the home of the editor of the 
HortTICULTURIST an apple tree was cut 
down five years ago, whose limbs had 
98 rings, showing its age to be as many 
years. A Rhode Island Greening here 
has a record of having one season pro- 
duced twenty barrels of marketable ap- 
ples. A thirty year old Yellow Spanish 
cherry tree on this farm once yielded a 
crop of 360 quarts The apple tree at 
Waterloo shown in Fig. oo00, was grown 
from seed bought from Pennsylvania in 
1800. It is the oldest apple tree in 
that locality. It measures at the base 
three feet in diameter and at a distance 
of five feet from the ground two anda 
half feet. 

Of interest are some rare specimens 
of southern trees found within our 
borders. There are a few bearing fig 
trees to be found here and there. They 
have been successfully cultivated at 
Niagara, Winona and even as far north 


382 


SOME NOTABLE 


as Goderich. The Custard ap- 
ple, the Sassafras and the Sour 
Gum grow in the mild spray 
laden atmosphere of Niagara 
Falls. Queen Victoria Park, at 
the Falls, contains some rare 
trees under cultivation, among 
these are the Paulownia, the 
Chinese Cypress and a fine 
specimen of the Umberella 
Magnolia. This is perhaps the 
only magnolia of its kind in 
Canada and has beautiful white 
flowers from four to six inches 
across in June. At the resi- 
dence of Mr. Suckling, College 
street, Toronto, there is a Mag- 
nolia which when clothed in its 
glory of pink and white flowers, 
attracted a great deal of atten- 
tion. A tulip tree, some sixty 
feet in height, grows close to 
the road on the grounds of the 
Leslie Bros. Nursery, East To- 
ronto. Hundreds of blossoms 
which are somewhat like green 
tulips, make it a sight worth seeing in 
eaily summer. ‘Though large for a cul- 
tivated specimen, this tree is small in 
comparison with forest representatives of 
its species along the Niagara River. 

The forest trees of Eastern Canada 
are not particularly remarkable for their 
size or age. ‘They have their rise, pro- 
gress, and decay in a much shorter time 
than European trees, and a tree two 
hundred years old is a rarity. Here 
and there, however, are trees solitary or 
in groups, that are worthy of note. On 
the road between Cobden and Beach- 
bury, in Eastern Ontario, stands a huge 
elm ; near Windsor there are some large 
ash trees; a great maple, the largest 
specimen of our national tree of which 
we know, is a feature of the road from 
Picton to the sand banks. 


TREES IN CANADA. 


Fic. 1661.—AN Otp AppLe TREE ar WATERLOv. 


The wild cherry, though not a native 
of this continent, sometimes attains a 
large size, though to vie with the great 
specimens some 14 feet in circumference 
that Pennsylvania boasts, we can only 
instance in our own country one about 
three feet in diameter that formerly grew 
on the shores of Balsam Lake. The 
oldest Black Walnut in Ontario, of those 
grown by man is on the farm of Mr. W. H. 
Dempsey at Trenton and was planted 
about 1800. Of mature trecs in Canada 
the smallest perhaps is a dwarf evergreen 
in the Horticultural Gardens, Toronto ; 
though some forty years of age this is 
only about a foot in height. It was 
brought from Japan some years ago by 
Mr. Geo. Anderson a commissioner of 
the Dominion Government. Japanese 
gardeners make a large use of dwarf 


383 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


Fic. 1662.—MAGNOLIA. 


trees to blend with the minaiture moun- 
tains and lakes they are so fond of in 
their landscape compositions. 


A great contrast to this tiny conifer 
is the Douglas spruce of our frontispiece, 
standing in Stanley Park, Vancouver. 
Some distance from the ground a fairy 
like balcony of Licorice ferns relieves 
the gaunt expanse of its trunk. The trees 
of this park are in general tall and 
majestic and in some places rise from 
luxuriant thickets of bracken higher 
than a man’s head. A fine view at the 
end of the drive in Stanley Park is the 
subject of our next illustration (Fig. 
1663.) 

The Rocky Mountain region and the 
Pacific slope of our Continent have 
always been remarkable for the size of 
their trees. There is a story of a gigan- 
tic fossil tree alleged to have been found 
by a party of gold diggers in Nevada 
in 1860. It lay on the ground and its 
trunk was 666 feet in length. The 
‘Monarchs of the Mariposa,” sustain 


in later ages the claim of the west to 
majestic trees. 

British Columbia has species of large 
cone-bearing trees. One of the most 
interesting of these is the Sugar pine 
(Pinus Tambertiana)so called because 
its resin, when half burned by the pas- 
sage of a fire is sweet. Ford notes a 
fallen tree of this species 215 feet in 
length and 57 feet 9 inches in diameter. 
The same writer speaks of pines of a 
certain species growing on the Colum- 
bian river that attains the height of 
240 feet. 

In running the boundary between 


- British Columbia and the United States 


the axe-men had in one locality the her- 
culean task of hewing out the line 
through patches of gigantic Douglas 
spruce, many of which were 30 feet in 
circumference and from 200 to 250 feet 
in height. 

In Eastern Canada some years ago 
two old pines of remarkable size enjoyed 
a local fame as the Old Man and Old 
Maid of Kempenfelt on the shores of 
the bay of that name. 

There is an Indian legend that shows 
very well how the aboriginals the chil- 
dren of the forest esteemed the pine 
and cedar for their size, stability and 
length of life. Glooskap was a divinity. 
‘‘ Hearing that they could win the de- 
sires of their hearts there went forth 
men unto him; and all got what they 
asked for in any case, but as for having 
just what they wanted that depended on 
the wisdom with which they wished and 
acted. 

Three brothers journeyed from afar 
to the isle of enchanting beauty where 
in three wigwams dwelt Glooskap with 
Cuhkeo, the Earthquake and Cool-pig-ot 
a man without any bones. The first of 
the brothers who was very tall and was 
vain of his comeliness asked to become 


384 


SOME NOTABLE 


TREES IN CANADA. 


Fic. 1663.—ScENE IN STANLEY PARK, VANCOUVER. 


taller than any Indian in all the land. 
And the second wished that he might 
ever remain where he was, idly gazing 
on the beauty of the scene. The third 
wished to live to an exceeding old age, 
and ever be in good health. 


Then Glooskap called Earthquake 
and bade him place them with their feet 
in the ground and as he did so they 
became, as one tradition declares, pines, 
and another, cedars. The head of the 
first now rose above all the forest and he 


who listens in the wood may hear him 
murmur, 


‘“‘ Oh, Iam such a great man! 
Oh, I am such a great Indian! 


The second too, has his wish, being fast 
rooted in the ground and obliged to 
stay there, whilst the third, who wished 
for long life, is still standing as of yore. 


A. E. MICKLE. 
Maplehurst. 


We ‘ny 


HON ee BY 


ae 


<< 


Fic. 1664 —GLooskae TURNING A MAN 
INTO A CEDAR-TREE. 


385 


THE MOYER GRAPE. 


Fic. 1665.—Mover GRAPES. 


N December 1888, we gave our 
readers a colored plate and a 
description of a new red grape, 
called the Moyer after the intro- 

ducer, Mr. Allen Moyer, of Jordan. 
This gentleman had purchased the right 
of propagation’from Mr. W. N. Read of 
Port Dalhousie, who had originated the 
grapes about ten years previous by cross- 
ing the Delaware with Miller’s Burgundy. 
Mr. Moyer brought us a basket of his 
grapes which impressed us most favor- 
ably as to quality and earliness. Now 


386 


after ten years more of general experience 
with this grape, we are able to confirm 
most of the statements there made con- 
cerning it, and being of Canadian origin 
we are all the more glad that it has 
made so good arecord, and that it holds 
so good a place in the estimation of the 
public. 

We do not commend it for the com- 
mercial vineyard because the vine does 
not seem sufficiently productive to give 
large crops to the acre, but no one who 
is planting a collection for his own table 


PAN AMERICAN EXPOSITION. 


should omit the Moyer, for, unless we 
except Campbells Early, a variety this 
year bearing for the first time with us, 
we know of no grape of its season to 
compete with it in flavor. It is not 
the equal of its parent the Delaware, in 
this respect but it comes only a few 
points behind that excellent variety. 
One quality of the vine is its freedom 
from mildew, a disease which so often 
ruins our finest Roger grapes. 

The bunches of the Moyer are about 
the same in size as those of the Dela- 
ware, usually shouldered, and sometimes 
double shouldered ; it is fairly compact, 
though much looser than Delaware. 

The berry is very irregular in size, 


varying from half an inch’ to three 
quarters in diameter, which is not a good 
point. The color is amber, or where 
ripe, a dark wine color ; pulp is tender 
and juicy and the flavor sweet, rich and 
excellent. 

One great point which gives the 
Moyer a chance for propagation is its 
early season. A vine in our experi- 
mental plot ripened its fruit this season 
about the 2oth of August, along with 
the miserable Champion, which has done 
more harm to the grape industry than a 
dozen fine varieties can help it forward. 

We notice several other varieties col- 
oring just after Moyer, viz., Janesville, 
Marion, Early Victor, Pearl, and Ohio. 


RS ANY 


Wwe ast 


SPs = Te RERN = 

. A . —= 
SSN RES Ss" es laa} 
SSS Sass 


Fic. 1666.—Sirre oF THE PAN-AMERICAN Exposition, to be held at Buffalo in 1901 ; 
View across North Bay of Park Lake, from near the Country Club, (from Farming.) 


THE PAN AMERICAN EXpPposITION, by 
the colonies and republics of the Ameri- 
can hemisphere, to be held in Buffalo, 
N.Y., from the rst of May, to the 1st of 
November, 1901. At this exposition 
Canada should be very prominent, and 


we hope that energetic measures will be 
taken to make a most creditable exhibit. 
It is said that the management is well 
prepared financially to make the fair a 
grand success, having at their disposal 
$5,800,000. 


387 


BIENNIAL 


MEETING OF THE AMERICAN POMO- 


LOGICAL SOCIETY, 


HE 26th biennial meeting of 

the American Pomological 
Society was held in Philadel. 

phia on the 7th and 8th inst. 

The city was in gay attire as the G. A. 
R. encampment took place during that 
week. The weather was fine, the at- 
tendance good, and taking everything 
into consideration this was thought to 
be one of the most successful meetings 
in the history of the Society. Nearly 
150 delegates were sent by the various 
State horticultural societies, chosen 
from among their most successful men. 
Many of the professors of horticul- 


ture of the several experiment sta- 
tions were also present, and other 
prominent men. Seldom has there 


come together at one meeting so many 
and well known horticulturists. 

The exhibition of fruit while good 
was not representative, the chief ex- 
hibitors being the New Jersey State 
Horticultural Society and Ellwanger 
and Barry of Rochester, N.Y., the latter 
firm exhibiting about too hundred vari- 
eties of pears. 

The papers and addressses were all 
of a high order and showed the rapid 
advance that horticulture has made 
during the past few years. 

The programme was carried out 
almost as advertised and the chairman 
kept the audience strictly to business. 


Thursday morning was devoted to 
the addresses of welcome and response, 
followed by the President’s address, 
which was very encouraging for the 
future welfare of the society. Prof. 
Thos. Meehan in his address on “ Phil- 
adelphia’s Contributions to the History 
of American Pomology were very in- 
teresting, as he told of the introduction 


388 


and origin of many well known fruits. 
The talk on “Culture” by Mr. J. H. 
Hale was such as one would suppose a 
man of Mr. Hale’s force of character 
would be supposed to give. No half 
way measures please Mr. Hale, and the 
striking examples he gave of the 
advantages of thorough cultivation, 
were ample proof of the wisdom of his 
practice. 

On Thursday afternoon there were 
several instructive papers. All who 
were interested in fig culture were well 
pleased with Dr. Howard’s address. 
Prof. Waugh’s address on ‘‘ Nomencla- 
ture and Systematic Pomology,” or in 
other words, the advisability of some 
change in the rules regarding nomencla- 
ture,” received the attention it merited 
and a committee was nominated to dis- 
cuss the matter and report at the next 
meeting of the society. The results of 
Prof. Lazenby’s studies on “ The origin 
and development of buds in certain 
fruit plants,” showed that there was a 
wide field for research in this direction. 
Prof. Whittens experiments in the 
whitening of the buds of trees to retard 
the swelling of the flower buds in late 
winter and early spring, were explained 
in a very clear manner and listened to 
with great attention. 

Thursday evening, Mr. H. J. Webber 
by means of lantern slides illustrated 
some of the important work he is doing 
in plant breeding, especially in relation 
to the orange cotton plant, and Indian 
corn. Mr. W. T. Sivinglis’ slides illus- 
trating ‘‘ Horticulture along the Medi- 
terranean ” were also interesting. Two 
other papers were given by Prof. G. H. 
Powell and Prof. W. M. Munson. 
Prof. Powell’s paper on the “Importance 


BIENNIAL MEETING OF THE AM. POMOLOGICAL SOC. 


of the plant individual in horticultural 
operations ” showed that the individual 
characteristics in fruit were, as a rule, 
constant, thus proving that it was im- 
portant to propagate from plants of trees 
with the best characteristics. Prof. 
Munson’s paper showed the possibilities 
in growing of blueberries, which is an 
important industry in some parts of 
Maine. 

On Friday the election of officers 
resulted in returning the same men as 
had been in office for the past two years. 


President, C. L. Waltrous, Des Moines, 


Iowa; Secretary, Wm. A. Taylor, Wash- 
ington, D. C.; Treasurer, L. R. Taft, 
Agricultural College, Michigan. 

In his paper on “‘ American Horticul- 
ture at Paris in 1900, Col. G. B. Brack- 
ett emphasized the necessity of prepar- 
ing an exhibit worthy of the United 
States, and of the importance of the fruit 
industry. Mr. J. W. Kerr, Denton, was 
very severe on dishonest packers and 
commission men but did not seem very 
hopeful that they would do much better 
in the future. We favoured selling 
direct where possible, and also trying to 
induce purchasers to come and buy 


rather than to sell through commission 
men. 

Prof. Wm. B. Alwood gave some 
interesting facts regarding fruit growing 
in Virginia, but lack of time prevents 
him from fully covering his subject. 
Prof. John Craig read a paper on the 
effects last winter on fruit trees in the 
west. He said that when the roots were 
protected in some manner there was 
not so much injury. He _ strongly 
recommended cover crops. 

On Friday afternoon, Prof. S. A. 
Beach addressed the meeting on the 
“Improvement of the Grape,” a subject 
of much interest to many present. The 
improvement in the native grapes dur- 
ing the past fifty years has been remark- 
able. 

While the papers were all instructive, 
it was felt by many present that if there 
had been fewer papers and more discus- 
sion from the delegates who had come 
from widely different climates and vary- 
ing conditions, more imformation of a 


practical nature would have been 
obtained. 

W. T. Macoun. 
Ottawa. 


BRITISH PREJUDICE AGAINST OUR 
GRAPES is absurdly strong, and we have 
a task before us to overcome it. Un- 
fortunately all attempts thus far made 
to introduce Canadian grapes have been 
with mixed varieties, of which Concord 
and Niagara were prominent, and these 
are extremely poor in quality when com- 
pared with the English hot-house grapes. 
From these our English friends have 
judged all Canadian grapes unfavor- 
ably, and the wholesale fruit men en- 
tirely discourage any further attempts to 
introduce this fruit. Nevertheless we 
still intend to persevere, but on a differ- 
ent line. The Ontario Fruit Experi- 


ment Station Board have authority from 
the Hon. John Dryden to make an ex- 
perimental shipment of Rogers grapes 
to Manchester, and we will forward 
these about the end of September, This 
is a kind that is sure to win favor and 
overcome the present prejudice. At 
the fruit building of the Industrial, we 
had a visit from two educated Scotch- 
men, and we asked them what about 
sending over our grapes. “Oh,” they 
said, “they are a bad flavor.” We 
handed them a bunch of Rogers 9, and 
asked them totest them. ‘‘ Why,” they 
said, “those are fine!” One instance 
of prejudice overcome already ! 


389 


THE UNPRODUCTIVE ORCHARD: 


NE of the most discouraging 
features of fruit growing is 
unproductiveness on the part 
of orchards of bearing age of 

apples. The Baldwin has developed this 
fault to an alarming extent in some fine 
orchards in the Niagara peninsula which 
have been planted twenty-five or thirty 
years. The Kitchen orchard for example, 
over thirty years planted has never given 
more than three or four real good crops 
and is now being taken out root and 
branch. The E. J. Wolverton orchard is 
following after much the same fault, 
although in 1896 it yielded a tremendous 
crop. As we remarked in our last article 
(p- 344) on unproductive orchards, this 
evil may result from soil uncongenial to 
the apple; viz., a sandy loam, of such 
natural depth and fertility that the wood 
growth is stimulated rather than the 
fruit production. This is substant- 
iated to some extent by the produc- 
tiveness of the same variety on clay soil 
under good cultivation, where the fruit 
is also better colored. Bailey suggests a 
startling possibility in his Principles of 
Fruit Growing, namely that after years of 
unproductiveness, trees may perhaps be- 


come so fixed in this bad habit of unpro- 
ductiveness that no amount of good treat- 
ment can make them bear satisfactorily. 
Another explanation may be in the propa- 
gation of the variety. We all know that 
certain trees in an orchard have a tend- 
ency towards scanty fruit bearing, and 
cions cut from such a tree would perpetu- 
ate the fault. Nurserymen seldom con- 
sider this, and cut their scions indiscri- 
minately, and possibly this may explain 
the wide spread unproductiveness of the 
Baldwin. 

Now fora remedy. First let us say 
we would recommend digging out the 
orchard unless it is comparatively young. 
There is too much value in the fine 
trees of fifteen or twenty years growth, 
to throw it away in a brush heap and 
then begin de novo with new plantings. 
We would advise top grafting with a 
variety that is productive. The Ontario, 
for example, has all the excellence of 
Spy as winter export apple, and is almost 
over productive of large even sized fruit. 
If the unproductive Spy was top grafted 
with it or some other first class produc- 
tive variety no doubt the result would 
be most satisfactory. 


THE REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONERS 
on the San José scale has just been 
published. The following are the sug- 
gestions made :— 


‘*That the utmost care be taken to prevent 
the scale from spreading. 


That valuable trees be not destroyed when 
it may seem possible to save them without 
serious risk of infesting neighboring orchards. 

That the owners of orchards, especially 
those who are directly interested by infesta- 
tion or exposure, be enlisted as far as possible 


by and with the official workers in the effort 
to exterminate the scale. 

That a brief circular of instruction in re- 
gard to the most important facts in the life 
history of scale-insects, and of the San José 
scale in particular, and the approved methods 
of treatment be prepared at once and sent to 
every orchardist in the infested areas. 

That a plan, something like that submitted 
herewith, be adopted, to encourage every 
owner of an orchard in the Province to make 
a careful inspection of his orchard next win- 
ter, with a view to discover whether or not 
there is any San José scale in it.” 


39° 


REASONS OF FAILURE IN SPRAYING. 


BY JOHN B. PETTIT, FRUITLAND, ONT. 


apples that was put on exhibition at 

the Toronto Industrial Fair by Mr. 

W. M. Orr, Superintendent of spray- 
ing experiments for the Province of On- 
tario, could not be anything but a most 
excellent educator to the agriculturists 
of the Province and more especially to 
those being engaged in fruit growing. 
While there were thousands who appre- 
ciated it as such, there were many, who 
claimed to be up-to-date fruit growers, 
declared that it was not an honest ex- 
hibit and that they had personally proved 
the art of spraying to bea failure. While 
we do not mean to say that all who have 
carried on the work have experienced 
benefit therefrom, it is almost unneces- 
sary to state that the reason of this is 
not because there is no efficacy in the 
work, but that the work has not been 
properly carried on. 

There are several reasons why spray- 

ing has proved a failure in some instances 
in the past, the principal ones being :— 
(a) The use of wrong mixtures; (0) 
uneven distribution ; (¢c) applications 
made at improper time; (d) lack of 
thoroughness in work. 
_ In the various papers that have in 
the past devoted space to the subject 
of horticulture, there have been many 
formulas printed, some being correct, 
while others again have been decidedly 
wrong. When we consider the success 
that has attended the efforts of the Gov- 
ernment in experimental spraying, we 
would naturally conclude that the solu- 
tion used was a proper one, or nearly 
so. The use of the same has also been 
advised by most State experimental 
stations. 

That this solution may be evenly dis- 


[= display of sprayed and unsprayed 


tributed, the ingredients must be dis- 
solved and kept agitated. It is a mis- 
taken idea with many farmers, and not 
a few fruit growers, that as long as the 
Paris green and water meet in the bar- 
rel everything will turn out satisfactorily, 
and accordingly the poison is weighed 
(or, what is a very bad practice, mea- 
sured by guess) and then it is thrown 
into the barrel. This is the careless, 
lazy man’s method, and worthy of noth- 
ing but condemnation, as much of the 
Paris green will float on the water and 
never become dissolved, and as a result 
the insects would sustain no injury. To 
properly dissolve the Paris green, it 
should be put in a cup or bowl and a 
few drops of water added to it. Then 
stir until the water is taken up and add 
a few more drops. Keep this up until 


‘you have a thin paste, which will be but 


a very short time, and every particle of 
the poison will be thoroughly dissolved. 
Then put it in the barrel of water. 

To. dissolve the copper sulphate, it 
should be put in a coarse. cloth or leno 
and suspended in ot water. Keep it 
hot, and it will take but a few minutes 
to get it ready. Be sure it is dissolved 
in a wooden receptacle, as the sulphate 
would ruin any metal vessel. When 
these ingredients are thoroughly dis- 
solved and lime is slaked, all are mixed, 
passed through a screen into the barrel 
and kept thoroughly agitated, and even 
distribution of the poison is assured. 

As to the time.of spraying, the orchard- 
ist should give considerable thought. 
Many insect eggs hatch before the buds 
burst and the young feed upon the swell- 
ing buds. As these worms are more 
easily killed when small than when they 
have attained full growth, it is advisable 


2 391 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


to give one or two applications before 
blooming time. This is also the best 
time to combat fungus. To be effective 
against the Codling moth, the» apple’s 
worst insect enemy, the applications 
should be made immediately after the 
bloom has all fallen, and then again 
ten or twelve days later, before the 
calyx cavity has closed up, as it is in 
this cavity the most of the worms are 
killed. Care should be exercised to 
select a time when the air is quite still, 
and when appearances point to at least 
two or thrée fine days to follow, and 
spray with the greatest care. 

But of all the reasons of failure in 
spraying, the last mentioned—“ lack of 
thoroughness in work ”—is the most 
prevalent. Some men appear to think 
that as long as the solution is thrown at 
the tree the work is done, but it must 
be remembered that ‘‘ whatever is worth 
doing is worth doing wed/.” Every part 
of the tree should be covered, from the 
point where the soil encircles the trunk, 


to the tips of the longest and highest: 


limbs. The trees should not be drenched, 
but sprayed. If one holds a piece of 
glass over the mouth of a teakettle, it 
soon becomes covered with what ap- 
pears like a heavy fog or dew. Hold it 
.few seconds longer and the dew will 


drop off in the form of water drops 
Just so will the solution act upon the 
leaves of a tree. When the leaves and 
branches become coated with the spray 
the tree should be left, as but a very 
little more will cause the solution to 
begin to drip; it will then run to the 
edges of the leaves and drop off, and 
they will simply have had a wash, and 
the insects will eat away unharmed. 
That this may be done successfully, the 
spray must be broken up into very fine 
particles. ‘To thoroughly spray trees, it. 
is necessary to have a good spraying 
outfit. The pump must have great 
power, the hose and extension must be 
of good length, and the nozzles must 
break the spray into very minute parti- 
cles. At this work one should act as at 
voting time—“ early and often.” 

With the exercising of more care in 
the preparation of solutions and apply- 
ing the same, better results would fol- 
low, and many who now condemn spray- 
ing would be loud in its praise. 

Note.—The writer has had charge of 
the Government spraying experiments 
in the “ Eastern” division for two sea- 
sons and has had ample oppurtunity to 
prove the effectiveness of thorough 


spraying. 


392 


THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY OF 
ENGLAND. 


HE Royal Horticultural Society 
of England being very old and 
most favorably located, is very 
strong. There are now about five 

thousand members. These pay in 
membership fees and in special funds 
about $30,000, or $6 apiece yearly; 
something like $15,000 more is realized 
as receipts at their shows, making an 
annual income of $45,000. 

Amateur science is a great fad in 
England. Many wealthy men take up 
science for science’s sake and make 
much out of it. Numerous men of 
comparatively small incomes also make 
a specialty of some line. Preachers, 
bankers, merchants and even prominent 
brewers have their specialties, in which 
they have gained more or less eminence. 
Many of these men have been interested 
in botany, entomology or some other 
line associated with horticulture, and 
they naturally sought the congenial 
atmosphere of the horticultural society 
and of the various gardener’s clubs, 
which abound in England. While 
these scientific men form a very inter- 
esting group of the membership, the 
society is made up largely of growers of 
flowers, fruits and vegetables. 

There are not so many professional 
scientists in England as one would ex- 
pect to find, especially in the sciences 
related to industries. Private enter- 
prise having assumed to develop, direct 
and control things scientific, parliament 
and the lesser legislative distributors of 
the moneys accruing from public taxa- 
tion have not undertaken to build up 
great government schools, experiment 
stations and scientific laboratories. We, 
coming after them and seeing the great 
need of scientific development, have 


393 


begun to push these institutions with 
public moneys. While our people are 
still in the stage of hastily getting 
riches, and individuals are not ready to 
take up all the burdens of higher edu- 
cation and of research, our states’ taking 
hold of these affairs has tended to curb 
private enterprise. I wish we might do 
more to encourage amateur scientific 
research of a high class. Numbers of 
these English amateurs have done won- 
ders in making new flowers. What 
could some of our bright young business 
men or professional men do to make 
their spare moments pleasant and of 
use, better than to work up something 
useful? The country homes of these 
wealthy amateur scientists are places of 
joy to the visitor. 


We have much to learn from English 
life. They live more. They are not in 
such haste to leave the country for the 
city. I trust that the entrance of girls 
into our superb agricultural high school 
is a most important step looking towards 
better living in our farm homes. 


Besides holding meetings and shows, 
the Royal Horticultural Society issues 
many reports and does much to promote 
the work of horticultural scientists. It 
has trial grounds where new things are 
tested, and if found of superior merit 
given certificates. Certificates and 
prizes are awarded at the shows also. 
Horticultural schools and horticultural 
professorships are much in the back 
ground, that field being occupied by the 
amateur workers. What little govern- 
ment aid there 1s doled out is in the 
main given in small parcels to various 
general educational schools. We are 
bound to lead them in horticultural 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


pedagogics, and their best men sorrow- 
fully admit the fact. 

While we may be able to push ahead 
of them in the science of horticulture, 
we cannot hope to do so in its practice. 
Their long training, their cheap labor, 
their more salubrious climate, their 
larger markets and their long experience 
with the things they are growing, give 
them the lead. Then, too, they are 
here near this great centre where the 
libraries, the botanic gardens, the large 
meetings and the much communication 
permissible by their short distances, 
enables the individual to learn much 
from others. As I listened to the ven- 
erable men of their society tell of the 
growth and achievements of the organi- 
zation, I thought of the reminiscences of 
our older members. Taking everything 
into account, the Minnesota Horticul- 
tural Society has done a wonderful work 
for the people of the state. If Uncle 
‘Harris and his elderly fellow members 
of the Minnesota Society could be in 
the meetings and shows of the Royal 
Horticultural Society, they would go 
home feeling none the less proud of 


having led in the growing of apples, 
plums, small fruits and flowers in the 
north star state. Peter Gideon would 
have felt at home in the international 
conference of plant breeders.. His in- 


tensely practical work would have inter- 


ested these men, many of whom see 
only the scientific principles involved. 

The Royal Horticultural Society did 
a good thing in calling this conference. 
The American representatives have their 
heads together for a similar meeting on 
our side. I only wish we might have it 
in Minnesota. Plant breeding is in a 
great boom. The Americans were 
complimented for their keen sense of 
the practical. Later on I hope to 
present to the society a brief report of 
the plant breeders’ conference. 

The English people constantly express 
their warm feeling of friendship for 
America. They did this constantly in 
the meetings and banquets and before 
the representatives of other nations, I 
sometimes feared to the discomfiture of 
the latter.—Prof. Hays in Minnesota 
Florticulturist. 


POTATOES. 


small, the long, the round, the 

black, the purple, the red, the 

yellow, and other colors ; and 
in flavor, the acid, the rough, the smooth, 
the sweet, and the rich, fine Gages. 
Varieties to please: the eye, suit the 
purpose, and the palate. 

And so with our Pears — varieties 
for all, from the hard, perry-making, 
to the scarcely less hard baking Pear ; 
the musky, the vinous, the sugary, the 
buttery, and juicy ; some large, some 
small, some round, some oval, and 
some pear-shaped ; but, like the Plum, 
each so differentiated from the other 


() Plums, we have the large, the 


as having among them something to 
suit the most fastidious. _ : 

And again in the Apple, what a mul- 
titude of sizes, colorings, shapes, and 
textures ; some semi-sweet, some semi- 
acid, some with just “a thought” of 
bitterness, some soft, some crisp, some 
hard (so much so that they might well 
be called the Dentist’s Favorite), some 
rough to the eye, as Russets, with a 
pineous flavor ; some smooth and bril- 
liant in skin, pleasant to look at, but 
only just a little good, and some with 
not much quality but beauty. This 
is the “‘ eye-¢aster,” and these are called 
good market Apples ; as though the 


394 


i 


POTATOES. 


public bought twice when they had 
been taken in by appearance once. _ 

Now, this brings me to my subject. 
If with all these varieties, fine, luscious, 
and delightfully-enjoyable fruits, differ- 
ent form, color, and flavor to suit all 
eyes, palates, and tastes is offered, and 
fruit-lovers are not made to eat all 
sours, all acids, or all sweets, either 
one or the other, with no change or 
interchange ; but such is the pomolo- 
gist’s catering, that it must, indeed, be 
a continuous indulgence to the fruit- 
lover in trying to select amongst the 
many, where no two are alike, that 
which pleases him the most. 

But with the Potato, how changed 
is all this! We are told, but I am 
loath to believe it, that one that boils 
to ‘‘a ball of flour” is the right thing, 
and it must be white, and not yellow ; 
why, I know not. I was praising a 
Potato a short time since to a grower, 
when he said, “Yes, it is pretty good ; 
but it won’t sell, mind you, for it is 
yellow fleshed.” ‘ Oh!” said I, ‘then 
color has something to do with it?” 
* Just so,” said he; “they (the Pota- 
toes) must boil white, and be ‘balls 
of flour.’” “Oh,” said I—‘“ but why ? 
I hate a mere tasteless ball of flour in 
my mouth. I want a Potato with some 
flavor.” 

Why not have different flavored Pota- 
toes as we have different flavored fruits ? 
I own in the shape of the Potato there 
is an advance, but the texture, taste, 
and flavor, are gone. Why is the “ball- 
of-flour” man to be catered for entirely, 
to the exclusion of those who will not 
have such a kind of Potato on their 
table? Why are yellow Potatoes not 
“the right thing ?” When I was young, 
and that is a very long time ago, my 
brother, John Jenner Weir, F.L.S., etc., 
and myself, used to look forward to the 
coming of the new Potato. .How we 
longed for the time. How eagerly we 


looked for “the coming dish” of the 
then bright yellow new Potatoes ; and 
for our dinner we wished for, wanted 
not anything else but these, and — 
butter; firm in texture, but slightly 
mealy, and then there was a flavor— 
a flavor that was not in any other vege- 
table ; a genuine, fine mellow Potato- 
flavor. Oh! how we and others used 
to enjoy them with a never satiated 
appetite. ‘ Oh, those were the days!” 
But now for some time I have asked 
for my table some new Potatoes ; yes, 
and have had them! They, “the 
young” of ‘the balls of flour” outvie 
their parents in their want—tastiness. 
Some were like pulp of an undistin- 
guishable kind in one’s mouth, with 
only the knowledge that it was “nasty ” ; 
others with a sort of semi-transparent, 
sickly, tallowy-look like a consumptive’s 
cheek, and these were at the ‘“im- 
proved” price of 4¢. a pound. No, 
there has been nothing nice or “ pota- 
tory” about them! Who eats these I 
do not know, nor do I care, so long as 
they are not put hefore me again as— 
food. I daresay they are very good 
croppers, so are called ‘‘good market 
Potatoes.” 

Not they. A good tradesman must 
now cater for the public’s appreciable 
taste ; rubbish may be bought once or 
twice, but not often. As it is with me, 
so with my friends. We will zt eat 
the present sort of Potatoes when— 
“ new.” What I ask is, let us have 
a variety of flavor, flesh, or what not ; 
let us enjoy our different textures, tastes, 
and not be “ jumped upon,” as it were, 
when we say we do not like insipid, dry, 


_ tasteless, powdery, balls of flour. We do 


not want such hot flour, but Pofatoes, and 
the real quality of the Potato, with a fine 
and delicate though slight perfume, giv- 
ing a pleasureable feeling on the. palate 
—that from a tasteless ‘‘bali of flour’ 
is non-existent.—Gardener’s Chronicle» 


395 


CENTRAL EXPERIMENTAL FARM 


ORTICULTURE is a promi- 
nent division of the work 
at the Central Experimental 
Farm, as a result of which 

there are many objects there to interest 
lovers of trees, shrubs, fruits and flowers ; 
and it seems unfortunate that so few 
have the opportunity of seeing them. 
Thinking it might prove profitable and 
acceptable to readers of this magazine 
who are unable to visit the Farm, or 
who, if they do visit it, come but rarely, 
it is proposed to contribute monthly 
such notes on matters relating to Horti- 
culture as may be deemed the most in- 
teresting and seasonable. 

Unlike Western Ontario, there was 
comparatively little winter- killing of trees 
and shrubs at Ottawa last. winter; nor 
have things suffered so much from dry 
weather this summer, as in some other 
parts of the province. July was excep- 
tionally wet, nearly 10 inches of rain fall 
ing during that month. August was dry 
and warm and by the beginning of Sep- 
tember rain was again much needed. 
On account of so much rain falling when 
the season’s growth was nearly finished, 
followed by warm weather, some trees 
blossomed the second time this year. 

The Experimental apple orchard, now 
containing more than 600 varieties of 
apples, furnishes abundant data of inter- 
est to fruit growers. The apple crop 
was light this year, but there was about 
150 varieties which fruited. A few valu- 
able varieties which are thriving particu- 
larly well, and which are producing good 
crops this year, are: McIntosh Red, 
Shiawassee Beauty, Gano, Malinda, and 
Patten’s Greening. The indications are 
that Shiawassee Beauty is going to be a 
valuable tree in this section of the 
country. It is a heavy bearer of medium 
sized, highly coloured fruit, which hangs 


Ulm, Bicksley, and De Soto. 


NOTES.—I 


well on the tree, there being few wind- 
falls. The quality is very good. Mc- 
Intosh Red needs no words of praise, it 
is one of the finest appearing and best 
dessert apples grown. While not bear- 
ing as heavily as some varieties, there 
are so many points in its favour that it 
will probabiy prove in some districts one 
of the most profitable apples grown. 

The Ben Davis seems quite hardy at 
Ottawa ; but the Gano, which resembles 
it very much, is, I think, the better tree 
to plant in this part of Ontario. The 
Gano is much more highly coloured 
than Ben Davis, though no better in 
quality. ‘The trees are vigorous and 
and appear perfectly hardy. 

Malinda and Patten’s Greening are 
two promising hardy varieties from the 
Western States The former is an al- 
most sweet apple, keeping in good con- 
dition until April or May ; the latter is 
a large green cooking apple: season, 
October. Its hardiness, productiveness, 
and the uniformly large size of the fruit 
will probably make this a valuable apple 
in the colder parts of the country. 

The collection of plums is now quite 
large, there being about 130 varieties 
growing in the orchard, most of which 
are improved American sorts, especially 
desirable for certain parts of Canada. 
Although there were but few plums of 
any kinds at Ottawa this year, 35 varie- 
ties fruited at the Experimental Farm ; 
most of the trees, however, bore but 
light crops <A few of the American 
varieties which are the most promising, 
are: Cheney, Wolf, Stoddard, New 
Wyant 
and Hawkeye are two large varieties ; 
the former, however, is not as good in 
quality as any of those previously men- 
tioned, while the latter is not perfectly 
hardy here. 


396 


CENTRAL EXPERIMENTAL FARM NOTES. 


There are now 169 varieties of grapes 
being tested. Last year more than 100 
varieties ripened perfectly here; this 
year there will not be many more than 
25 varieties ripen, as the season has not 
been favorable The first variety to 
ripen was Florence, a grape of inferior 
quality, followed by Champion, which 
is not much better. 


A catalogue of the trees and shrubs 


tested in the Arboretum has been issued 
this month, in which may be found the 
names, with synonyms, of all species 
and varieties of trees and shrubs that 
have been tested here, with notes on 
their hardiness. This list should prove 
very useful to those interested in trees 
and shrubs, and should also prove a 
guide to nurserymen as to what should 
succeed in the colder parts of the toun- 
try. This list may be obtained free on 
application to the Director of the Ex- 
perimental Farms, Ottawa. 

Very few shrubs bloom in September, 
and it should not be out of ‘place to 
again draw attention to that now very 


popular and widely planted variety of 
Hydrangea, H. paniculata hortensis (. 
paniculata grandiflora). Beginning to 
flower about the rst of August, this fine 
shrub is a mass of attractive bloom 
until October. To have this shrub 
bloom to perfection, it should be se- 
verely winter pruned and given an 
abundance of water during the summer. 
It has been freely planted at the Ex- 
perimental Farm, and at this season of 
the year is very attractive, a large bed 
of them being particularly so. A shrub 
which is not so well known as the Hy- 
drangea, but which is very attractive in 
the latter part of September and early 
October, is Lespedeza Sieboldi ( Desmo- 
dium japonicum; D. pendulifiorum). 
It is killed to the ground every winter, 
but makes a vigorous growth of about 
four feet during the summer, and is 
covered with spikes of bright, purplish- 
red, pea-shaped flowers in autumn. 


W. T. Macoun, 
Florticulturist, Cent. Exp. Farm. 


SPIRAA VAN HOUTEI. 


If further testimony is needed to in- 
sure the p'anting of this shrub in every 
garden, its behaviour this year should 
be recorded, for hereabouts it has been 
a wonder. Four plants, catalogued as 
“3 feet” and set out in the spring of 
1896, were so wreathed with bloom 
as to nearly hide the foliage, and others 
noted flowered quite as profusely. 

In an old garden filled with a greater 
and better variety of plants than the 
average garden, this Spiraea was _par- 
ticularly noticeable for its lack of prun- 
ing. Old wood that should have been 
cut out years ago, not only failed from 


lack of vitality to bloom well, but ob- 
structed the egress of light and air that 
would have perfected the struggling 
younger growth that should have been 
in its prime, so that no part of the 
shrub was able to do well; yet both 
old and new wood “did what they 
could” to make the world flowery and 
prove the excellent intentions of this 
shrub of the people. 

If only one shrub is grown, Spir. 
Van Houtei is a safe selection ; and if 
a shrubbery plantation is to be made, 
Spirea Van Houtei may well head the 
list. —Gardening. 


397 


+{ Garden and Lawn &% | 


Fic. 1667.—Mr. KermAn’s RESIDENCE WITH CRIMSON RAMBLER. 


Fic. 1668._-Crimson RAMBLER FLOWER. 


ASSING Mr. Herbert Kerman’s 
one day in June we were so 
charmed with his Crimson 

_ Rambler roses that we stopped 
for a view of it to show our readers. 


He has eight or ten others climbing 
beautifully over arches in his garden, 
and covered with wonderfully large and 
fine trusses of pretty roses, but the one 
climbing the verandah best illustrates 
our present theme, and shows the ex- 
cellent effect which may be had in two 
or three years by its use. Figure 1669, 
shows one of the many trusses of roses 
which hang in such profusion from every 
plant and attracted the attention of 
every passer by, One lady passing in 
the electric car, in her enthusiasm said 


to another, “Oh look at them cocks- 
combs climbing up trellises !” 

In order to give our readers a correct 
idea of the rose, we have photographed 
one single rose out of the many in a 
cluster (Fig. 1668). We have said a good 
deal in praise of this rose when promis- 
ing it to our readers as a part of our 
plant distribution, but really we have not 
said enough in its praise, and we hope 
all our readers may have as good satis- 
faction with it as Mr. Kerman has had. 


Fic. 1669.—A Truss oF Crimson RAMBLER 
FLOWERS (reduced). 


398 


J 


THE FLORAL EXHIBIT AT THE INDUSTRIAL. 


4 


Fic. 1670.—Brp or CANNAS AND RECINI AT THE INDUSTRIAL. 


T is not often that such a fine col- 
lection of choice exotic plants are 
to be seen at any exposition, as 

were on show at the Industrial this fall. 
The fixing of an exhibition at one cen- 
tral place, in proximity to so many florists 
and gardeners, and to so many fine public 
and private collections makes it possible 
for the Industrial to greatly excel in this 
respect. The very approach to Horti- 
cultural Hall was a triumphant success, 
bringing much credit upon Mr. Cham- 
bers the gardener in charge at Exhibition 
Park. Our illustrations were taken in 
1898, but will serve quite well to show 
the excellent effects secured by the use 
of palms, cannas, ricinus, etc., on the 
lawn outside. 

The exhibits inside the Floral Hall 
were arranged with unusual skill, and 
won much admiration. The following 


is a partial list of those collections to 
which our attention was directed. 

12 foliage plants in ro iuch pots, 1st. 
prize, Mr. Chambers, Exhibition Park, 
Deffenbachia, Dracena Lindeni, Maranta 
Zebrina, Cocos Weddeliana, Pandanus 
Veitchii, Ficus elastica var., Croton, 
Anthurium crystallinum, Cissus discolor, 
and three others. 

The second prize went to Mr. Hous- 
ton, gardener at the Central Prison. 
We noticed in this collection a fine 
sample of Livingstonia rotundifolia 
aurea, Cocos Weddeliana, and several 
varieties of palms. 

50 foliage plants, 1st. prize, Reservoir 
Park collection, in which we noticed a 
rarity in a fine specimen of Cycas revo- 
luta (sago palm) in bloom, a Strobilan- 
thus, and an Ophiopogon. 

The second prize went to Mr. Cham- 


399 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


bers of the Exhibition Park, in whose 
collection we noticed some splendid 
palms, crotons and marantas. 

The third prize went to Mr. Housten, 
gardener at the Central Prison. In this 
collection there was a most remarkable 
plant of Cissus, aud the best variegated 


collection we noticed fine blooming 
plants of Erica hiemalis, and numerous 
lilies, album and rubrum. 

Mr. Rennie showed a fine collection 
of gladioli bloom, and took the rst prize 
for 10 varieties, and Mr. Houston took 
the first prize for collection of twelve 


Fig. 1671.—At THe INDUSTRIAL. 


croton, viz., Dracena doucethi, probably 
the only one in Canada. 

A pretty feature in Floral Hall was 
the groups of plants for artistic arrange- 
ment, and much credit was due for the 
- success attained. 

The rst. prize was given the Horti- 
cultural Gardens exhibit ; the second to 
Messrs. Manton Bros., florists, in whose 


blooms of Waterlilies ; Messrs. Manton 
Bros. took tst for display of fifty cut 
flowers, and R. Cameron the rst prize 
for 50 hardy plants. 

One or two fine specimens of Acal/pyha 
hispida were shown, and attracted consid- 
erab!e notice with its long cord-like floral 
appendages. This is an old plant, re-in- 
troduced under the name of A. Sanderi. 


400 


PLANTS FOR THE DWELLING AND CONSER- 
VATORY. 


Fig. 1672.—Ficus, Evastica, 


HE flower-loving public is ever 
on the watch for something 
new, something wonderful, 
something they have not seen 

before, and immense is the capital that 
at one time or another has been made 
out of the fact by unprincipled growers 
in foisting upon the market worthless 
novelties or old re-named plants and 
advertising the same with the greatest 
vigor till the flower buyers have found out 
the fraud. 

True novelties there is always a place 
for, but it is not always the new that 
give the greatest satisfaction; in many 
classes of plants the very old varieties 
are equally as good as the newer ones 
that appear each year. We will endea- 
vor to give a short list of plants that are 
‘suited to growing in either conservatory 
or dwelling house. The selection must 


necessarily be carefully made, for an 
almost endless variety of plants that 
flourish in the moist, congenial air of 
the greenhouse, utterly refuse to do 
themselves justice in the drier air of a 
dwelling house. Palms are always 
among the first plants to be chosen, but 
they do not always give entire satisfac- 
tion on first trial, their culture in the 
conservatory hardly needs noting, shad- 
ing should be carefully looked after 
from April rst to October, or the sun 
may burn the foliage, which is a great 
defect. Excepting the presence of coal 
gas, there is no reason why palms may 
not be successfully grown in any window 
where geraniums will grow. Choose a 
soil as nearly all leaf-mould as you can 
procure, put a few pot-sherds at the bot- 
tom of the pot for drainage and then 


Fie. 1673. —ARAUCARIA EXCELSA. 


401 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


Fic. 1674 —BEGONIA HAAGEANA. 


pot the palm firmly ; there is more in 
firm potting than is usually credited ; 
plants well firmed in potting require less 
water than if potted loosely, and such 
plants will make a sturdier and morecom- 
pact growth. The foliage should be kept 
free from dust and the roots neither too 
wet or dry. These plants are impatient 
of extremes. The greatest insect enemy 
of palms is scale, and unless a brush is 
used to displace them, insecticides seem 
to take no effect; the scales seem to 
stick so close to the leaves and stems 
that even powerful remedies do not seem 
to take effect. For years we have used 
a solution of whale oil soap and cheap 
tooth brushes to rub it in and remove 
the scales. The plants when cleaned 
receive a spraying with clear water. Fir 
tree oil would be equally effective as the 
whale oil and of decidedly more pleas- 
ant odor. 

The Rubber Plant, Ficus elastica, is 
a good plant.; indeed, very.few seem to 


fail to grow it to their entire satisfaction. 
For table and mantel plants the most 
enduring of the Ferns will do real well. 
Nephrolepis Exaltata, the Sword fern, 
is a very fine plant for the house or con- 
servatory, so are nearly all the Nephro- 
lepis. The new variety, N. Bostonien- 
sis, is particularly fine ; its strong, quick 
growth and the fact that with age it at- 
tains added beauty, recommends it. 
The Adiantums are rather difficult ferns 
to manage in the house unless you have 
provided a special fern window. The 
same may be said of the beautiful Se/a- 
ginella emeliana,—it revels in a shady 
place in the conservatory. 


At this time when fern dishes are in 
such favor, a few words on the subject 
will be appropriate. Some of the china 
and silverware dishes that one sees seem 
to be made for show rather than for use, 
as no drainage is provided. If you get 
your florist to fill such a dish, be easy 


Fie. 1675. —SELAGINELLA EMELIANA, 


402 


PLANTING HARDY BULBS. 


on him if the plants begin to sicken at 
an early date. With the exception of 
water plants nothing will do well in a 
vessel where water stagnates about the 
roots. 

Sanseveria Zealanica is one of the 
most enduring plants we have ever 
come across; it will stand extremely 
dry air, and getting dry at the roots 
does not seem to bother it much either. 
On the other hand we have seen fine 
large specimens destroyed and rotted in 
three weeks by overwatering. Avauca 
ria excelsa, the Norfolk Island pine, is 
one of the most ornamental of all Coni- 
fers; it grows quickly and holds its 
charming tree-like form surprisingly. It 
is not hardy. The dwarf Otaheite 
Orange is a beautiful pot plant; _ it is 
hardly ever without flowers, and when 
the pigmy plants bear a load of their 
bright, small-sized fruit they are always 
admired. Geraniums are old-time fa- 
vorites because of their easy manage- 
ment and persistent fiowering. 

Cuttings rooted last month and grown 


along as rapidly as possible will make 
far better plants for the winter than the 
bare ungainly plants lifted from the 
flower beds. 

Flowering Begonias are among the 
most satisfactory plants we can mention. 
The variety of flowers and foliage is very 
great ; in fact, one might fill a green- 
house with specimen plants, one of a 
kind, and still not include them all. 
The old variety, Metallica, is the pro- 
genitor of a large family of seedlings 
and hybrids. Velutina, which is per- 
haps the most magnificent of these, bids 
fair to be eclipsed by the new variety, 
Haageana, the subject of the photo en- 
gravure. ‘The leaves of this variety are 
larger and more handsomely shaded, 
and the growth is more compact. Er- 
fordii is another new gem among the 
Begonias ; a neat compact grower, pro- 
ducing its loads of pretty pink flowers 
almost incessantly. 

WEBSTER Bros. 
Hamilton, Ont. 


PLANTING HARDY BULBS IN THE FALL. 


HERE is no other class of 
flowering plants that gives as 
little trouble or can be so suc- 
cessfully managed by the ama- 

teur flower-lover as the bulbous class. 
The culture is extremely easy, as through- 
out their growing time they require no 
more care or labor than does a potato 
to bring it to maturity, and during their 
time of rest no attention whatever is 
necessary. 

Of all the bulbous plants, the spring- 
flowering bulbs are most to be desired. 
These, which are generally called 
“hardy” or “ Holland” bulbs, come 
into bloom early in the spring, some of 
them even showing their dainty flowers 


while the streamlets are still frozen in 
the woodlands and the snowdrifts hang 
along the mountain’s brow. After 
months of intense cold, cloudy days and 
seeming endless nights, there is nothing 
more pleasant to the eye or that gives 
more genuine pleasure to the heart than 
to see the dainty spring-blooming bulbs 
forcing their heads through the recently 
frozen earth, and defying the ice king to 
again venture on his death-dealing mis- 
sion. They come at a time when it is 
impossible to have any other plant out- 
of-doors. The house plants cannot stard 
the frosty nights, the perennials are just 
beginning to grow, and the seeds of 
the annuals have just been planted in 


403 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


somé pan or box in a sunny window. 
The fact that plants giving bloom at this 
very desirable time are of such easy 
culture, and that the different kinds of 
bulbs can be secured at such a moderate 
price, should induce everyone to plant 
extensively. 

To have a succession of bloom from 
the time when snow is still to be seen 
until the last of June, one should plant 
scillas, snowdrops, crocus, hyacinths, 
narcissus, crown imperials, pzonies, 
daffodils, tulips, etc. 

Bulbs will thrive in any kind of soil 
and in any situation, so no one should 
be without them. While this is a fact, 
better results are obtained when more 
care is exercised in the selection of soil 
and location. A good deep sandy soil 
gives best satisfaction, located where 
the bed may receive at least a part of 
the forenoon sun. In preparing the 
bed, it should be spaded up deep and 
made fine. The bulbs should be planted 
from two inches to six inches deep, and 
from three inches to six inches apart. 
The bed should be slightly raised above 
the surrounding soil, so that water will 
not settle around the roots and bulbs. 

Although most of the Holland bulbs 
are perfectly hardy, they do much better 
if they have some protection through 
the winter. A covering of stable 
manure over the bed after it is planted 
in the fall, to the depth of from four to 
six inches, is the proper thing. This 
will keep the bulbs from being repeatedly 
thawed out and frozen up, should the 
winter be an open one. Besides this, 
the strength is washed out of the 
manure down into the soil by the 
autumns rains, and annually enriches 
the soil. By this annual covering the 
flowers are made much larger and of a 
more brilliant color. Of course, it 
must be removed as soon as the frost 
is out of the ground in the spring. 

All these hardy bulbs should be 


planted in the fall, and the earlier they 
are put in the better. While they may 
be planted on'into November, if the 
ground is not frozen, far more satisfac- 
tory results are obtained from earlier 
plantings. The bulbs have to make the 
most of their roots in the fall, before 
the ground becomes frozen, for as soon 
as the frost is gone in the spring the 
bloom makes its appearance, and there 
is no time for the bulbs to make roots, 
as, instead of that, the roots must be 
feeding the flower and producing a new 
bulb. The sooner they are in the bet- 
ter, as more time is given for root 
growth, and the stronger the root the 
larger the flower the following spring. 
The first of September is the time when 
bulbs should be planted to give most 
satisfactory results. 

In planting bulbs, do not mix the 
different kinds in the same bed. Keep 
the tulips in a bed by themselves, and 
the hyacinths by themselves, and the 
same with the other varieties of bulbs. 
Nothing gives more displeasure than to 
see a bed of all kinds and sizes mixed. 
Hyacinths of dwarf growth and tulips 
with long stems do not look well to- 
gether. Keep each kind by itself. 

Many people take their bulbs up 
annually, after they have ripened up in 
the summer, and replant them again in 
the autumn. This is useless. They . 
should be left in the ground three or 
four years, and then the clumps should 
be taken up and divided and replanted. 
By leaving in the ground year after year 
finer flowers are produced, and the 
labor of replanting is done away with. 
They also multiply more rapidly when 
left undisturbed for some time. 

Every lover of flowers should plant 
freely of these hardy bulbs, the culture 
of which is so very simple, and whose 
brilliant bloom is produced at a time 
when most desired, —-Farmers’ Advocate. 


404 


ROSES—CHOICE OF VARIETIES, AND WINTER 
CARE. 


amateur gardener to see the 

amount of interest which has 

developed during ,the last few 
years in the cultivation of the Rose, 
more especially as there seemed to be 
a prevailing idea that roses could not 
be grown successfully in this northern 
climate I have been trying for the 
past three or four years to awaken a 
more lively interest in the propagation 
and growth of this the Queen of flow- 
ers, and think J may add, with some 
success. 

It is from the standpoint of ar ama- 
teur pure and simple (what I mean by 
amateur is one whose hothouse is the 
open garden, and old Sol furnishes the 
heat) that I beg to offer a few sugges- 
tions :— 1st, as to choice of varieties ; 
2nd, their care through the winter. 

Hybrid Perpetuals (so-called) are roses 
that will stand this northern climate 
with slight protection, even the hardiest 
is better with a little covering. 

I have given considerable attention 
to the gilt-edge list of Hardy~- Roses 
which Mr. Race kindly furnished in 
last month’s HoRTICULTURIST, and to 
say the least, I was somewhat Gisap- 
pointed. 

With your kind permission, I will 
name the following, which I know from 
experience are worth cultivating : 


Il" must be very gratifying to the 


DarRK HyprIDs. 


* Duke of Edinburgh,” “ Fisher 
Holmes,” ‘‘ Louis Van  Houtten,” 
* Prince Camille De Rohan,” ‘‘ Charles 
Lefebre,” ‘‘ Earl of Dufferin,” ‘ Gen- 
Jacqueminot.” . 

LIGHTER REDs, 


“ Marie Bauman,” “ Capt. Heywood,” 


M. P. Wilder,” “John Hopper,” “ Sir 
G. Wolseley,” ‘‘ Lady Helen Stewart.” 


PINK. 
**'Mrs.:, J. . Laing,”- “La Rrances: 
“Magna Charta,” ‘“ Madame Gabriel 
Luizet.” 


WHITE. 


‘* Margaret Dickson,” ‘*‘ Mabel Mor- 
rison,” ‘ Merveille de Lyons,” ‘‘ Mar- 
chioness of Londonderry,” ‘ Perle des 
Blanches.” 

The above list, taking all things into 
consideration, I believe to be as near 
gilt-edge as you can get. 

I do not claim all this list will stand 
a temperature from 10° to 30° below 
zero ; but I do claim, that ifa few hand- 
fulls of long straw are placed lengthwise 
and bound to the bush, and the roots 
banked up with leaves or long manure, 
no fatal results will follow. 

I would like to say a word in defence 
of that grand old rose, ‘‘ La France.” 
Some time ago I remember reading an 
article in the HorTICULTURIST, which 
I think did not do justice to this lovely 
flower. I would like to ask, what are 
its faults? As a pink rose, I doubt 
very much if it has an equal; as a con- 
stant bloomer, it is as near perfection 
as you come. There has not been a 
week during thts summer I could not 
cut the grandest blooms from it. And 
for fragrance, it certainly is not lacking, 
To those who have not got this variety 
in their collection, I would strongly 
advise to procure soon as_ possible. 
Let me add, all my roses are ‘‘ dormant 
budded.” I would like to give my plan 
of protecting “Tea” roses, and may 
possibly do so next month. 


J. G. Jackson. 
Port Hope. 


405 


THE INDIA RUBBER PLANT. 


ICUS ELASTICA (the India 

rubber plant), is popular as a 
decorative plant for rooms and 

windows, as a good specimen 

from one to three feet high, with thick 
stem and dark rich green glossy leaves, 
presents an attractive appearance. With 


proper treatment they remain some time 


in this condition, and if grown in a cool 
shady room the plants succeed better 
than in a dry and heated atmosphere. 
One point which helps to maintain 
them healthy is frequent sponging the 
leaves so as to free them from dust. 
This is an easy matter with Ficus 
elastica Both sides of the leaves 
should be sponged, using soapy water. 
The most likely insect to attack the 
leaves is that little black insidious pest 
known as thrips, which soon does 
damage. 

The growth of Ficus elastica has the 
tendency to extend as one stem only, 
and very handsome plants are formed 
while they remain within a length of 
four feet. Young stock may, however, 
be topped at an early stage, and this 
will cause lateral growths to break, two 


or three of which can be allowed to ex-. 


tend for forming plants of a more bushy 
habit. This is chiefly a matter of taste, 
and adapted in cases where numbers of 
plants are grown. 

Suitable sized plants may be grown 
in from five to eight-inch pots. These 
are useful for room and window decora- 
tion, and for the side stages in the con- 
servatory. Turfy loam, leaf soil, sand 
and charcoal, with the addition of a 
little peat, form an excellent compost. 
Plants that have been growing freely 
the last few months may now require a 


406 


shift so that they will become established 
before winter and the pots filled with 
roots. Pot firmly, making the fresh 
material as substantial as the ball of 
roots. The pots ought to be clean and 
well drained. 

Watering is not a difficult matter with 
these plants, but it is often mismanaged 
in the case of house plants What is 
wanted is regular attention, not exactly 
at stated periods, but some time every 
day or every other day. Apply water 
in sufficient quantity to pass right 
through the ball of roots, and wait until 
more is needed. Just after potting one 
good watering will suffice for some time, 
but when the pots are becoming well 
occupied with roots water is needed 
oftener. A fairy light, but not a sunny 
position, suits the India rubber plant 
best, and if the house or window is hot, 
shade should be afforded during the 
hottest portion of the day, Sour soil 
caused through errors in watering is the 
chief cause of the lower leaves turning 
yellow before they ought to do. It is 
natural for the lower leaves to fall, but 
when they do so the leaf-stalk separates 
readily from the stem. 

Another course which will throw the 
plants into bad health is allowing them 
to become very dry when the pots are 
full of roots. If temporarily this should 
occur, the best course to rectify it is to 
plunge the plant into lukewarm water in 
order to moisten the soil and roots com- 
pletely. When well-established and 
growing freely cool treatment is the best, 
but in spring, after repotting, or when 
propagating, heat and moisture are 
essential for encouraging new growth.— 
Journal of Horticulture, 


HYDRANGEA PANICULATA GRANDIFLORA. 


peared in your columns in relation 

to Hydrangea Hortensia lead me 

to refer to another most useful 
species, H. paniculata grandiflora This 
one is probably of more value to the 
florist than H. Hortensia, producing, as 
it does, its large panicles of white flow- 
ers during August and later, when flow- 
ers of this color are usually scarce. 

It is pretty well understood that, un- 
like H. Hortensia, this species may be 
pruned as severely as desired, with no 
loss of flowers. The result of close 
pruning is to lessen the number of 
shoots and increase the size of the heads 
of flowers. The florist will consider 
whether it suits him better to have a few 
large heads or a greater number of 
smaller ones, and regulate his pruning 
accordingly. 

Left to grow naturally, we get our first 
flowers in early August, but it may be 
a useful hint to some to say that a partly 
broken branch will bloom earlier than 
others. A slight twist or break given a 
branch will cause the flower heads to 
expand sooner, and in this way flowers 
can be had two weeks before the perfect 
ones. ; 

To prolong the season, cut back some 
of the young shoots when about a foot 


[= notes which have recently ap- | 


in length, which, with us, is about the 
first week in June. New shoots will 
form, which will flower about the time 
the others are over. Still another way 
is to set out plants very late in spring. 
By the time their growth is well advanc- 
ed the earlier ones will be well ahead 
of them, and this difference will be kept 
up throughout the season. 

Of the typical form, H. paniculata, 
not H. paniculata grandiflora, there are 
two well marked varieties, and one of 
these, at least, should prove of value to 
florists. I refer to the early and the 
late flowering ones. The early one is 
through blooming before H. panicu- 
lata grandiflora comes in The late 
one comes in with H. paniculata grandi- 
flora. Neither makes the fine display 
the latter does, but where white flowers 
are desired the early flowering H. pani- 
culaia would be found useful. 

The hydrangeas are easily propagated 
either by green cuttings in greenhouses 
in summer or by layers in the open 
ground, the cuttings and layers rooting 
readily. By these means immense 
quantities are raised without much ex- 
pense, which accounts for the low rates 
at which they are generally sold.— 
Joseph Meehan, in Florist. 


‘SOIL FOR: POT PLANTS. 


Any good, rich. open, garden soil will 
answer for most plants, but a soil that is 
suitable to grow nearly all species of 
plants usually grown in houses is made 
by cutting sods from an old field or 
pasture, about four or five inches thick, 
piling them up in a compact heap, grass 
side down, placing between each layer of 
sod one-quarter in bulk of manure (cow 
manure is best, but good stable manure 
will answer. This compost if kept moist 


will be fit to use in a few months. When 
well rotted, cut it down and store it for 
use ; do not sift it, except for fine-rooted 
small plants, but use it in rather coarse 
form. ‘The sods can be rotted as above 
and well'rotted manure added when 
used. This compost will grow almost 
any plant, and is what is generally used 
by all plantsmen. If sod is taken from 
a stiff clay, add a little sand to the com- 
post.—H E. Gould, Sussex, N. S. 


3 497 


+ Our Affiliated Societies. & 


Fic. 1676.—NortH AND Sour. 
Photo. by A. H. Dingman. 


NorTH AND SoutH.—One of the trees in the 
above photo is a hardy apple named the Bis- 
mark, said to be a native of New Zealand; 
the tree is about three feet high, and about 
four years old. The other tree to the right 
of the picture, is a Southern Florida Orange, 
about six years old, grown in a pot There 
are three apples on the apple tree, the size of 
a large Northern Spy, and also three oranges 
‘on the orange tree, weighing about half a 
pound each. ; 

These trees were grown by Mr. Walter T. 
Ross, Secretary and Treasurer of the Picton 
Horticulturai Society, and are indeed a curi- 
osity. 

We think a good name would be North and 
South, as the fruits of these two extremes, 
are brought together in this unique picture. 


KINCARDINE —Friday, Sept. 8th.. the third 
annual exhibition under the auspices of the 
Kincardine Horticultural Society was held in 
the opera house. There was a profusion of 
flowering and foliage plants, all neatly ar- 
ranged upon tables extending along three 
sides of the hall, while the stage was artistic- 
ally set out with beautiful specimens of the 
florist’s care and attention. A pyramid of 
well arranged flowering plants occupied the 
centre of the hall. A fine portrait of noble 
Queen Victoria, draped with British flags, 
contributed by E. Miller, one of the directors 
of the society, made a fine setting in the 
centre of the platform. The work of the 
Horticultural Society is a good one. It has 
done more in three years to encourage the 
cultivation of plants, flowers and fruit, than 
any other means would have accomplished 
in a quarter of a century. Although cash 
prizes are not offered, there is k3en competi- 
tion among the members numbering about 
one hundred, to bring everything to as near 
perfection as possible. The money expended 


by the Horticultural Society, goes for litera- 
ture dealing with horticulture, and securing 
the best stock from the nurseries. In the 
afternoon the school children were admitted 
free. In the evening an excellent program 
was presented tu a good audience. Mr. S. 
W. Perry, President, occupied the chair. 
An instrumental duet was given by Misses 
L. Smith and Ada Gentles; piano solos by 
Misses Mackendrick, Alberta Murray, Mabel 
Wilson and Myrtle Huffman ; vocal solos by 
Miss J. Malcolm and Jno McDonald, of 
Chicago. Mr. McDonald has a splendid bari- 
tone voice and he is an accomplished vocalist. 
He responded to an enthusiastic encore. 
Miss Miller and Mackendrick were the 
accompanists. Rev. Dr. McDonald gave a 
thoughtful and interesting address, closing 
with a Gaelicsolo The Horticultural Society 
is a flourishing institution. 


Port CoLporne.—The first Flower Show 
in Port Corborne was held under the auspices 
of the Horticultural Society, in Mathews’ 
Hall, recently. The hall was granted free 
for the occasion. 

The centre of attraction was the Children’s 
table of Asters. Such a magnificent collection 
was never seen in Port Colborne. Early in 
the summer the Society distributed packets 
of aster seeds to the children in the Public 
Schools of both villages. There were six 
prizes offered in each room for the best blos- 
soms and plants. There were sixty entries, 
and considering the extra dry summer, this 
was considered a large number. In foliage 
plants there were seventy-seven entries, and 
in fruit and vegetables thirty-five entries. 

The exhibition opened to the public at four 
o’clock and continued till ten pm, From 
four to six the children of all the schools 
were admitted free and were entertained 
with two gramophones, operated by Mr. Cas- 
sels and Mr. Kanold. 

In the evening a slight charge was made, 
and the afternoon programme was repeated. 

The judges were, for the children’s flowers, 
Mrs. DeWitt Carter and the Rev. J. M. 
Smith ; for foliage plants, Miss Henshaw and 
Mr. Samuel McCoppen ; for fruit and vege- 
tables, Mr. Edwin Boyle and Mr. John Rich- 
ardson. The competition was keen and many 
bouquets deserved notice. 

The Society ought to feel encouraged to 
attempt something the same on a larger scale 
next year. Much credit is due the following 
members of the committee for their untiring 
faithfulness and -energy in the matter: the 
Rev. J. M. Smith, chairman ; Miss Henshaw, 
Messrs. E. Boyle, J. McCoppen, E. Milleken, 
Otto Kanold and S. McCoppen. 

No prizes were offered in any department 
except for the children. In their case a first 
prize is three hyacinth bulbs, a second prize 
two, and a third prize one. These will be 


408 


OUR AFFILIATED SOCIETIES. 


got immediately, and the children will see in 
the papers the date on which they are to 
apply for them. 


CANADIAN HORTICULTURAL ASSOCIATION. — 
The second annual convention of the Canadian 
Horticultural Association began Sept. 19th, 
in Goldsmith’s Hall, Spark street, Ottawa. 
The chair was occupied by the President, Mr. 
Wm. Gammage of London, and the other 
officers present were as follows :—Vice-Presi- 
dents, OU. S. Crim, Ottawa; J. McKenna, 
Montreal ; Treasurer, J. H. Dunlop, Toronto ; 
Secretary, A. H. Ewing, Berlin Executive 
Committee—H. Dale. Brampton; T. Man- 
ton, Eglinton; O. Johnston, Kingston; J. 
Bennett, Montreal. 

Shortly after the meeting opened his Wor- 
ship Mayor Payment and the Givic Reception 
Committee waited on the session and gave 
the visitors a welcome to the city. The 
address was responded to by Mr. J. McKenna, 
Montreal. 

The President, Mr. Wm. Gammage of Lon- 
don, delivered his annual address, Among 
other things he said :—‘‘ The past season has 
been one of unusual activity, and we look 
with pride upon those who since our last 
meeting have placed upon the market new and 
worthy varieties of roses, carnations and 
other plants. A certificate from the society to 
worthy and meritorious introductions would 
be a curb to over-zealous introducers and 
unscrupulous advertisers, and a guarantee to 
the purchaser that the article had been passed 
upon and endorsed by competent judges.” 
The report was lengthy, and contained sug- 
gestions as to the re-adjustment of the tariff, 
and expressed the hope that the members 
would all work with experimental farms, 
colleges, horticultural societies and park com- 
mittees to make these a success. All support 
should be given to exhibitions. 

The Secretary’s report showed a good 
membership, but no change from last year. 
There were no deaths during the year. The 
report of the Treasurer showed the finances 
to bein a healthy state, although the associa- 
tion was only in its infancy. 


Picron.—We have several times written 
the Express concerning the tropical plants 
cultivated by Mr. Walter Ross, of H. M. 
Customs, Picton, and after visiting his gar- 
den a few days ago, we cannot refrain from 
mentioning them again. The one great 
curiosity that is attracting the attention of 
many fruit growers in the county is a New 
Zealand apple tree. This tree seldom attains 
a greater height than three or four feet. 
Mr. Ross’ is about three feet and has several 
apples about the size of the Northern Spy 
variety. Another attraction is a fig tree 
with about sixty large green figs. Then we 
noticed magnolias, pepper trees, mimosa 
plants, South Carolina fly-traps, banana tree, 


and besides many others an orange tree with 
five or six large half ripened oranges. All 
these Mr. Ross manages, and brings to per- 
fection without a greenhouse, His collection 
is ever varied and intensely interesting. 


CaRDINAL.—The Floral Exhibition given 
in the town hall, last Friday afternoon and 
evening, by the Horticultural Society of 
Cardinal, was a great success and was ad- 
mired by all who visited the hall. To our 
Reeve, Mr. R. B. Dowsley, the members 
ascribe the success of the exhibition, for he it 
was who had the management of the exhibit. 
All the members of the society took a keen 
interest in the display and many who are not 
members contributed to the exhibit. The 
town hall was most tastefully arranged and 
the display in the evening was very beauti- 
fal, all the different colors and effects showing 
up most vividly in the brilliant electric light. 
To most of our citizens the display was a 
great surprise and the admiration and interest 
shown by all who visited the exhibit well 
repaid the exhibitors for their trouble. The 
school children were admitted after school on 
Friday and it was a charming sight to see 
the little ones wandering in speechless ad- 
miration among the beautiful flowers. In 
the evening the hall was visited by nearly 
the entire population of our town as well as 
by many from the neighboring country. The 
two special prizes were both won by Mrs J. 
Brennan whose exhibit was unusually fine and 
testifies to that lady's love for Howers and 
her energy and skill in caring for them. The 
special prize given by Mr. R. B. Dowsley 
for the largest and best exhibit was a beauti- 
ful and costly vase. 

The president of the society, Mr. Wm, 
Beddie, gave a special prize, a very handsome 
jardiniere for best collection of house plants. 
Among the plants and flowers that attracted 
the most attention was a magnificent palm 
from Mrs. Benson’s conservatory, a very fine 
fuchsia exhibited by Miss Monaban, and an 
extremely fine rex begonia exhibited by Mrs. 
Gow. The collection of sweet peas exhibited 
by Mrs. Gow was the most beautiful the 
writer ever had the pleasure of seeing, and 
the pansies shown by Mrs. J. Brennan were 
exceptionally dainty, and most artistically 
arranged. We have not space however to 
enumerate all the beautiful flowers that were 
exhibited. We hope that the society will 
flourish ; for nothing conduces more to the 
good of a town and the elevation of our youth 
than the successful work of such a useful 
society. The work accomplished already has 
been wonderful, and the society deserves 
great credit for their unselfish and ‘energetic 
work in the interests of our town, in culti- 
vating the taste for the beautiful and artistic. 
Their first exhibition has been successful 
beyond the fondest hopes of its promoters 
and we hope the next one will be still better. 


409 


at The Canadian Forti 


culturist 


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we take it.for granted that all will continue members. 


+{ Notes and Pomments. 


THE COLUMBIAN RASPBERRY origi- 
nated with Mr. J. T. Thompson; 
Oneida, N. Y. 


EXPERIMENTAL Farm Notes will be 
a new heading in this Journal. Begin- 
ning with October, Prof. Macoun, the 
horticulturist at Ottawa, will write articles 
treating of the results attained at the 
farm, of most interest to fruit growers. 
This will form a pleasing addition to 
the subjects’ treated on by THE Cana- 
DIAN HORTICULTURIST. , 


CHERRIES. AND MILK if taken 1to- 


gether are counted unwholesome, owing © 


to' the: amount of prussic acid con- 
tained in the former. Especially should 
over ripe cherries be taken in milk with 
caution, lest they cause fermentation 
and much pain. Even poisonous effects 
might result if taken too freely. 


WoMEN are usually found to be the 
best packers of fruit. Their fingers are 
nimble, and they have good taste in 
arrangement. At Maplehurst the apples, 
pears, peaches and pluins are gathered 
by men, and brought to the packing- 
house, where the women do the princi- 
pal part of the assorting, grading and 
packing. Miss J. L. Buchan is spoken 
of in the Fruit Trade: Journal as the 
pioneer fruit packer of grapes at Southern 
Pines, N. C. She has a corps of ex- 
perienced girl-workers trained by her- 
self, who pick the grapes, trim the 
clusters, line the baskets with paper 
lace, and her success is largely due to 
the attractive get up of the fruit. Miss 
Buchan also superintends the shipping. 


A New Apple Case.—The Depart- 
ment of Agriculture at Ottawa is said to 
have adopted a new case for the export 


410 


NOTES AND. 


of Canadian apples. It is a wooden 
box 10 x 18 x 12 inches, with four sets 
of card board divisions, so arranged 
that the whole case will hold twelve 
dozen apples. The same. principle has 
previously been used by Mr. R. W. 
Shepherd, of Montreal, in the Cochrane 
case, which he has used in shipping 
tender summer apples to Great Britain. 
We gave cuts of the Cochrane case on 
p. 115, CANADIAN HorTICULTORIST for 
1893. Such a package will insure uni- 
formity of size, but. the same object is 
secured by use of an apple grader, and 
the ordinary bushel box, 12 x 12 x 24, 
can then be used with results, in our 


Opinion, quite as good. __, 


Pears In Lonpon.—So early as July 
27th, French pears were coming into 
the London market, and Williams (our 
Bartlett) were making 6s. to 7s. per box 
of 48, and the California Williams 6s. 
6d. to 7s. 6d. per half case, and the 
Souvenier du Congres from 6s. 6d. to 
7s. 6d. 


THE ALICE GRAPE is a new red var- 
iety, originated about ten years ago 
and now being placed on the market. 
The quality is excellent, and the season 
alittle in advance of Concord. It isa 
good shipper and long keeper. 


THE CARRIAGE OF OUR APPLES in 
transit to Great Britain, in the past, 
has certainly been extremely faulty, and 
has resulted in thousands of dollars loss 
to our Province. The agitation for 
honest packing and careful selecting and 
grading is a vain effort, unless’ the 
steamers are better fitted up so as to 
carry our apples in ventilated chambers 
instead of locking them in the oven like 
holds in which they have been stowed 
in the past. Mr. Robertson in his evi- 
cence on the ‘‘ Apple Trade,” given 16th 
of May, 1899, says: 


COMMENTS. 


“ Taking the shipments on, Canadian 
Apples last fall which are Ontario main- 
ly, a few perhaps from Quebec, sold in 
Liverpool by two different sets of sales- 
men ; taking a quantity of 14,416 barrels 
going by 17 different steamships and 
sent forward, as near as I can make out 
from the brands, in abont 185 different 
lots, the brand is sometimes so much 
like another brand that it may have been 
the same—but that is a very wide range 
you see of data from which to make a 
calculation. There were nearly 15,000 
barrels on 17 steamships sent forward 
in 185 different lots. The account sales 
show this that out of the total quantity 
there were only 5,928 barrels sold as 
tights. There were 2,793 _ slacks, 
2,446, slightly wet, 1,997 wet, and 
1,252 wet and slack. That is to-say 
rather more than one half of the apples 
shipped in these lots were sold as slack, 
slightly wet and:wet. The difference in 
price realized by these apples is very 
great. The only way to get any fair 
information on this is to take a lot of ap- 
ples sent by one ship and pick out the 
apples of the same class: sold ‘as tight, 
and the others of that variety sold as 
slacks or wet. Going over the list and 
taking out the apples of the same variety 
under these conditions the slacks on the 
average sold for two shillings and seven 
pence less than the tights. The slightly 
wets, for three shillings and eight pence 
less than the tights, the wets for seven 
shillings and three pence less than the 
tights, and the wet and slacks for nine 
shillings and eleven pence less or nearly 
ten shillings and of these wet and slacks 
there were 1,252 barrels.” 

- We are promised by the Department 
at Ottawa, that a special inspector will 
be provided at the great shipping ports 
to see after the proper storage of our 
apples and shipboard, and we can there- 


411 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


fore expect a vast improvement in our 
returns this season. 

DISHONEST PACKING is so crying an 
evil that our association must not let it 
drop until the evil has been done away. 
The subject will be again debated at our 


next meeting, which will be held at, 


Whitby, next December. ‘The Superin- 
tendent of the Government Cold Storage 
building at Calgary, last year, bought a 
barrel of Canadian apples for himself, 
and found two rows of good apples at 
each end of the barrel, and the rest 
made up of windfalls and other rubbish. 


SAUNDERS is the name of a new seed- 
ling gooseberry, originated by Dr. Saund- 
ers, Ottawa, the best of quite a number 
of his hybrids. A cut of the gooseberry 
appears in the report of the Horticul- 


turist for 1898 and it is described as: 


follows :. Bush, a vigorous grower and 
a moderate bearer; fruit, very large, 
nearly round, sometime slightly oval, 
brownish-red, smooth; pulp _ sweet, 
sprightly and of fine flavor ; quality very 
good. Ripe 22nd of July. Free from 
mildew. Our readers may secure this 
report by writing (postage free) to W. 
T. Macoun, Horticulturist, Central Ex- 
perimental Farm, Ottawa. 


THE PROGRAMME of the meeting of 
the American Pomological Society at 
Philadelphia, last September, showed a 
feast of good things. The following 
are a few of the papers and writers: 
“Nomenclature of Systematic Pomol- 
ogy,” Prof. Waugh, Burlington, Vt.; 
“Origin and Development of Buds in 
certain fruit plants,” Prof. Lazenby, 
Columbus, O. ; “Relations of Cold to the 
Flower buds of the Peach,” Prof. Whitten, 
Columbia, Mo.; ‘The Blue Berry, its 
Past, Present and Future,” Prof. Mun- 
son, Maine; ‘“ Systematic Plant Breed- 


412 


ing,” Herbert J. Webber, U. S. Depart 
ment of Agriculture; ‘“ Evils Attendant 
on Providing Methods of Marketing,” — 
J. W. Kerr, Denton, Md.; “ Relation of 
Commercial Fertilizers and Soiling Crops 
to Fruit Culture,” H. E. Vandeman, 
Parksley, Va.; “ Improvement of Ameri- 
can Grapes,” Prof: Beach, Seneca, N.Y.; 
‘American Fruits for America,” Prof. 
E. S. Goff, Madison, Wis. 


San JosE ScaLE.—We trust the De- 
partment of Agriculture, Toronto, may 
be sustained by fruit growers generally 
in their efforts to clear the country of 
this pest, while the infested area is 
confined to a few square miles which is 
definitely known to the inspector. Let 
every tree and bush in that area be des- 
troyed, at whatever cost, rather than 
allow it to spread. 


Tuomas F. Rivers, the eminent hor- 
ticulturist, of Sawbridgeworth, Herts, 
England, died August 17th. We know 
him in Ontario as the originator of the 
Early Rivers peach, Czar and Grand 
Duke plums and many other fruits 
Mr. Rivers was the recipient of the 
Victorian Medal from the Royal Horti- 
cultural Society, and is widely known as 
a contributor to the horticultural press. 


THE Binc CHERRY is reported in 
the Northwest Horticulturist as being 
most successful in the Puget Sound dis- 
trict, Washington. Trees in an orchard 
at Buena yielded 60 lbs. this season. 


LEGAL SMALL FRUIT PACKAGES have 
been adopted in New York State; 
fruits are to be sold by the standard of 
a quart package, containing even full 
67 cubic inches; the fruit package 
therefore being 33% and the half pint 
1634 cubic inches. Any package of 
less capacity must be plainly marked 


NOTES AND 


“ short,” or the owner will be subject to 
a fine of $5 to $25. This law comes in 
force January Ist, 1900. 


-Liguip Air may yet take the place 
of ice as a refrigerator. Mr. Bobrick of 
Los Angeles, writes in the California 
Fruit Grower, concerning his visit to 
Prof. Tripler’s laboraty in New York 
City, as follows : * 


** I spent almost twenty-five days with Mr, 
Tripler in his laboratory. What I have seen 
would take pages to describe. As a refriger- 
ant there is no doubt that liquid air will re- 
place ice just the same as gas and electricity 
have replaced the old kerosene lamp, and the 
cable and electric cars have replaced the old 
horse car. It is only a question of time.” 

Oranges were put into liquid air in m 
presence. ‘They were frozen solid, then pul- 
verized like a piece of marble. After thaw- 
_ing somewhat the juice was extracted by 
squeezing then concentrated by cold pro- 
duced by liquid air, in the following manner. 
First Tripler froze the water contained in 
the juice and removed itasice. Certain acids 
contained in the juice froze at a lower tem- 

rature and these, too, were removed in the 

orm of ice, Subsequently the pure juice it- 

self froze at a still lower temperature, leaving 
an acid, which required an even still lower 
temperature for freezing. The acid was 
poured off and the frozen syrup, absolutely 
pure in a concentrated state, was used for 
making ice cream, etc. 


Crop Report.—Bulletin 70 of the 
Bureau of Industries is just to hand, 
from which we make the following ex- 
tracts : 

Fruit.—There is likely to be a scar- 
city of fruit this season owing to various 
causes. The severe winter destroyed a 
larger proportion of the fruit trees in 
some seetions, and appears to have 
injured many which survived Heavy 
rain during the blossoming season 
greatly interfered with fertilization, as 
did frost in some neighborhoods. The 
tent caterpillar, curculio, codling moth 
and other injurious insects have also 
made great havoc among the orchards, 
except where they have been kept in 
check by systematic spraying. The ap- 
ple crop is very light, but as a rule the 


COMMENTS. 


quality is good, and the fruit fairly free 
from scab. The winter varieties promise 
better than the earlier kinds. Plums 
have done rather better than apples, 
though greatly subject to attacks of the 
curculio. The. yield in most localities 
where they are grown is poor, but they 
will be abundant in some places. The 
peach crop is practically a failure owing 
to the general destruction of the trees, 
which suffered more severely from the 
winter than did the other varieties. 
Those which remain have borne fairly 
well in some neighborhoods, but the 
total product is small. Pear trees have 
not been so prolific as usual, and the 
supply will be light. There was about 
an average crop of cherries, though some 
damage from worms and _black-knot is 
specified. Reports concerning the vine 
yards are highly encouraging, the vines 
being healthy and well laden. 

Potatoes.—There promises to be a 
good yield of potatoes, though in many 
quarters rain is badly needed, and in 
consequence of long-continued drouth 
the early potatoes have been somewhat 
small in size. Reports as to the present 
appearance of the late potatoes are gen- 
erally favorable, one especially encour- 
aging feature being the decrease in the 
numbers and destructiveness of the 
potato bug, caused by the severe frosts 
of last winter. In some neighborhoods, 
however, this pest is still as active and 
injurious as ever, and on low-lying lands 
a good deal of damage was occasioned 
by excessive wet in the early part of the 
season. 


Jupcinc aT Fairs. — One of the 
most difficult duties facing the Board of 


_Fair Managers is the securing compe- 


tent judges. Of late some of fairs are 
referring the selection to the various 
associations for lists of suitable persons. 
In this connection the following on 


413 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


grape judging from the Gardener’s 
Chronicle, may be of interest : 

““Your correspondent seems to be 
of the opinion that no man can be a 
proper judge of anything he has not 
grown. His proposition is very much 
like the old saying “He who would 
breed fat oxen should himself be fat,” 
It far from follows that because a man 
is a grower, good or indifferent, that he 
is therefore the best judge of the merits 
of the thing as presented in competition. 
One of the great needs for a judge is a 
capacity to determine merits readily—in 
fact, to have a thoroughly judicial mind. 
Then he should have no bias, and none 
is so likely to have bias for or against 
certain products, kinds or varieties, as a 
grower of them. How many of our 
best judges are there who are other than 
growers ; or if they have been growers, 
have not been so for years, yet have 
judicial capacity to determine merit in 
the highest degree? Why, in the case 
of grapes, growers like to surround the 
question of judgment with a halo of 
sacred limitation, but the man in the 
street, in this case the crowds in the 
tents, are as keen to distinguish points 
as are the smartest of growers. If there 
are judges who entertain such egotistic 


notions with respect to their own ex- 
clusive capacity, let them mix, when a 
show is thrown open, with the crowd, 
and listen to the people’s comments. It 
will do much good in helping to tone 
down complacency. I have, in a wide 
experience of shows, extending over 
some forty years, found more mistakes 
of judgment made by pure growers than 
by those not so, and having far wider 
general knowledge and more liberal 
ideas. After all, it is the general and 
not the specific judge who brings to the 
consideration of his labors, as such, the 
least biased mind. 

THE CoLumBiA.—In response to our 
inquiry about the origin of the Columbia, 
the originator, Mr. J. T. Thompson, 
Oneida, N. Y., writes: 

“Tt is not a chance berry but I saved 
the seed of Cuthberts, near a Gregg 
black cap, fourteen years ago, as stated, 
and with the results as shown in the 
Columbian. I first put the plants on the 
market in the fall of 1894, and since 
then have sold 458,000 plants, the 
larger part of them transplants. I have 
received orders already for the coming 
fall and spring, for more than my present 
stock. 


414 


= Question Orawer. & 


Blair’s Seedling. 


4107. Str,—I am sending you a peach a 
boy took off my seedling tree, it is evidently 
a new one; a stranger among later kinds. 
Hard yet; will come in about September 
20th ; seemingly of fine texture and likely to 
be pretty; small pit and perfectly free. 
This is one of five; only four left; one of 
which is very much larger, the other three 
fully equal, if not better than this, as it was 
the lowest one on the tree and the boy 
reached it as easy as Eve. They will be large 
when ripe. Give us your opinion and oblige, 

Yours truly, 
JOHN BLATR. 


The sample is very pretty in appear- 
ance, and has a well colored cheek, 
and white flesh. The size is only 
medium, but large enough for a dessert 
peach. The specimen was scarcely ripe 
enough to judge of the quality. 


Millionaire Peach. 


18408. Sir.—I am sending you a sample 
of my Millionaire Peach which you will see 
ripens immediately after the Early Crawford. 


E. D. Smrru. 
Winona. 


We are in receipt of a very beautiful 
sample of peach to-day from Mr. Smith 
(Sept. 12th), which well deserves notice 
providing the tree is hardy and produc- 
tive, and the fruit should average any- 
thing like this specimen. ‘It very much 
resembles a fine sample of Early Craw- 
ford, but the form is rounder, the 
cavity and suture deeper, and cheek a 
darker red. The flesh is a beautiful 
yellow, of tender texture, juicy and 
highly flavored, quite equal to that of 
the Early Crawford, while the pit is 
smaller. Coming in at the season of 
the late Crawford, it has no competitor 
that we knew of unless it be the Won- 
derful, which is also of about the same 
season. It precedes Elberta, apparent- 

ly by about a week. 


415 


Seedling Grapes. 


1109. Srz,—I am sending you by maila | 
bunch of grapes to. see if you can give me the 
name of them. It is a pure seedling. 

JoHN Dov@Las, 
Newcastle. 


A seedling grape has no name, it is 
not a known variety at all, but a new 
variety produced by growing a plant 
from seeds. When it is given a name it 
is no longer called a seedling. The 
sample was crushed in the mail being 
packed in a pasteboard box. 


Mr. Penny’s Bill Regarding Fruit 
Packages. 


1180. Sre,—I should like to know whe- 
ther Mr. Penny’s bill relating to the size of 
fruit packages is now, or likely to become 
law ? 

D, J. STEWART, 


: Aitken’s Ferry, P. HK, I. 


No, Mr. Penny’s bill has not become 
law; but the amendment to the Weights 
and Measures Act, of which the text 
was given on page 307, has become 
Jaw. This regulates the size of the 
Canadian apple barrel, making it 27 
inches between heads, inside measure ; 
head diameter 17 inches, and middle 
diameter 19 inches. The barrel must 
be head lined and sufficiently hooped. 
Anyone shipping apples in barrels not 
in accordance with the Act is liable to 
a fine of 25 cents for each barrel. 

It will soon be necessary for the Act 
to be still further amended, so as to 
regulate the. size of bushel boxes and 
other cases for fruit. 


Shaffer or Columbia. 


ULUL. Srr,—Which is the best raspberry, 
Shaffer or Columbia? I want a kind that will 


not sucker. 
F, HEpBgL. 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


There is little difference between these 
two varieties of raspberry. Probably the 
latter is a little stronger grower of the 
two ; neither are inclined to sucker, but 
root from their tips the same as Black 
Caps. do. Any nurseryman will supply 
them. cy 


Mealy Bug. 


4112. Srr,—I should be glad to know 
how to deal with mealy bug on house and 
greenhouse plants ? 


ny bs LA. R., 
Chateauguay Basin, P. Q. 


In case there are only a few mealy 
bugs, try brushing the parts affected 
with alcohol ;. if bad, try kerosene emul- 
sion, applied with Mitchell’s hand 
sprayer. 


Miller Red and Marlboro’. 


BLU3. Srr.—How many days earlier are 
the Miller Red and Marlboro’ raspberries 
than Cuthbert ? 

How do these varieties compare with Cuth- 


bert in productiveness and shipping quali- 
ties ? 


D. J. Stewart. 
About ten days These are not nearly 


as productive as Cuthbert, but on ac- 


count of their earliness they are pro- 
fitable. 


Early Blackberry. 


2084. Srr,—Can you name a hardy pro- 
ductive blackberry, earlier than Taylor’s Pro- 
lifice? Ihave Taylor’s Prolific, which is not 
very productive and is too late. 


D. J. STEWART. 


The Snyder is an equally hardy var- 
‘iety with the Taylor and more produc- 
tive, but the berries are usually smaller, 
and about the same season. 
Agawam is hardy, though perhaps not 
equal in that respect to either of the two 
last, but it is earlier, and of superior 
quality. . 
Early Harvest is of good quality, quite 
early, but not very productive. 


The Spaulding Plum. . 


2415. Sir,—What do you know about 
the Spaulding plum? Rie 


Aitken’s Ferry, P. H. I. 


This plum belongs to sub-section 
Prunus domestica, which includes the 
European varieties. The tree is of 
Pennsylvanian origin, a strong vigorous 
grower. The fruit is large, round, yel- 
lowish green, with delicate white bloom ; 
flesh pale yellow, firm, sweet and good, 
especially for canning. Succeeds in 
Canada and New York State, how far 
north in Canada, we have not yet deter- 
mined. 


Glen’s Arborine. 


A146. Srr,—Have you tested an article 
called Glen’s Arborine, manufactured in Mon- 
treal, a tree paint for all sorts of fruit trees? 
Can you recommend it ? 

H. Kutprert, 


Slayner, Ont. 


We have never tried this preparation 
for any purpose. Who of our readers 
can reply ? 


416 


* Open Letters. * 


Annual Plant Distribution. 


Srr,— As an example of the value of the 
annual premium plant distribution, I may 
say that from the two Conrath Raspberry 
plants you sent me I will have 525 tip plants 
and 50 one-year plants this fall, which at $5 
per 100 for tips and $8 per 100 for one-year 
plants amounts to a snug sum. 


Yours truly, 
D. J. STEWART. 
Aikens Ferry, P.E.I. 


Japan Plums in Simcoe County. 


Srr,—As there is much interest taken in 
the Japan plums at present in Ontario and 
~ many doubts expressed as to their ability to 
stand our climate in this northern section of 
the province, allow me to give my experience 
with the two varieties of these plums. Three 
er ago I sold a number of Abundance and 

urbank trees in this neighborhood, being 
doubtful about their hardiness. I sold only 
two to each person, and after selling to six 
farmers stopped recommending them. 

I have watched these trees closely and have 
to report favorably. Last year they all bore 
a dozen or so of fine plums and made a won- 
derful growth of wood. 

This spring I was almost afraid to visit 
them, but did so and found the buds all right, 
and better still, they not only came through 
the hardest winter on trees ever experienced 
here, bat have made a splendid growth dur- 
ing the summer and have borne fruit. A 
gentleman told me a few days ago that his 
trees gave a nice little crop and that he was 
delighted with the quality. 

I have set out a couple of Wickson, Wil- 
lard, Abundance and Burbank so as to test 
them at home. 

S. SPEEDWELL. 


The Church in its Relations to 
Horticulture. 


Str,—One of the primary and standard 
dogmas of the church militant is the fall-of 
man as recorded in the inspired account of the 
creation and subsequent banishment of man 
from his gegen surroundings The one side 
only of that dogmas has been dwelt upon by 
the church from its very earliest days down 
to the present time, while the other side is 
scarcely ever touched upon. The condition 
to which man fell with his weary toiling and 
his sweating, his physical burdens and his 
mental suffering have been pictured to him, 
without stint and without end. The primi- 
tive condition from which he fell and the 
desirability of returning to them is scarcel 
ever moated from the pulpit or in the Sabbath 


School room. Surely it is a more attractive 
and pleasing theme to contemplate—the 
happy condition from which man fell than 
the miserable state to which he descended. 
Why not dwell more upon man’s surrounding 
in his harmonious relations to his Creator 
than upon his fallen state? In his first con- 
dition man was perfect in his moral relation 
to his God, and his surroundings were in 
keeping with his perfect moral nature. He 
dwelt in a paradise. This was his estate, the 
condition to which he was created. When he 
fell through transgression he was driven from 
his surroundings. The bare and naked earth 
was good enough for him in his degenerate 
nature and he had to toil for a living. But 
he had a means provided for him whereby he 
might renew his moral relations to his maker 
and again bring hims+lf into harmony with 
his Creator. This the church has preached 
to him throughout the ages and endeavored 
to lead him back to God. But what about 
his outward surroundings when he does come 
back ? 

If God intended man to dwell as a perfect 
creature amid perfect-and beauteous surround- 
ings what does he expect of him when he 
seeks to be restored to his higher condition 
in his moral relations? If the fruit of the 
vine and the fig tree were necessary to his 
perfect life, and the paradise of flowers and 
shubbery were his natural surroundings, 
why are these things not essential to his 
social, moral and physical happiness in his 
regenerated nature? In accepting the attone- 
ment in order that’ he may bring himself into 
moral harmony again with his Creator as he 


- performed more than half his obligation to be 


performed—that is to surround himself with 
the fruits and flowers and all the beauties in 
nature which God had given him—where does 
the obligation of the church lie? 

Has it not been the experience of every 
horticultural lecturer to hear the excuse given 
for the small attendance at local society 
meetings that there is something going on in 
some of the churches? Has it not been the 
experience of every horticultural society that 
they caunot get the people, and especially the 
young people, to attend their flower shows 
because of some, perhaps unimportant social 
function in some of the churches? If there is 
a circus coming to town, or a horse race, or 
any other manner of entertainment of suspic- 
ious morals or questional influences the 
church will naturally feel it its duty to preach 
against it and exhort its people to keep away. 
This is the duty of the church universally 
acknowledged even by those who heed not its 
exhortations. But when the people of a com- 
unity provide an attraction that is really 
refining, socially and really elevating, and in 
every sense instructing, by collecting together 
an aggregation of fruit, and fiower and plant 
and shrub, the best and most beautiful in 
nature the church cannot lift their voices 


417 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


against it, or exhort their people to stay away 
but they can and often do provide—unthink- 
ingly perhaps—some trifling social function to 
keep them away. Is the church fulfilling its 
mission to man, to the world, in neglecting 
the cultivation of the outward adornments of 
regenerated mankind and teaching the value 
of beauteous and attractive home surround- 
ings ? . 

If there was a little more time devoted by 
the church to teaching God through nature 
and a little less given to dogma, creed and 
the catechism, it would have built up a bright- 
er, broader and bettter manhood and woman- 
hood in our fair land. Not that I disbelieve 
in either dogma or creed, but I hold just as 
firmly to the doctrine that the professed 
Christian man or woman, who neglects to 
cultivate the outward surrounding to harmon- 
ize with the regenerated moral nature has 
prriorned half only of the obligation. And 

hold it the duty of the church, in the per- 
formance of its full mission, to cultivate in 
all communities the best side of life by its 
teachings, its influences, and its examples, 
Let it continue to preach moral and spiritual 
regeneration through Christ ; let it continue 
to exhort againt the circus and the horse race. 
but it can well atford to forego some of its 
trifling social functions to encourage the love 
of nature among its young people in the cul- 
tivation of fruits, flowers and all manner of 
refining home surroundings. 

Where there is a local Horticultural Society 
every clergyman in the place should be an 


active member of that society. If he lack 
taste, natural inclination, or fail to fully 
appreciate his whole obligation to the Divine 
ideal, he should be made an honorary mem- 
ber and prevailed upon by constant solicita- 
tions to give his encouragement to nature 
study ; and to stimulate in the hearts of his 
young people especially, a deeper interest in 
the charm of attractive home life and a great- 
er love for the cultivation of thcse things 
which tend to the social and moral elevation 
of mankind. As an association of horticul- 
turists we need the co-operation of the 
churches in our work, 


T. H. Race, Mitchell. 


Cardinal Horticultural Society. 


Str,—We had our exhibit on the 15th ult., 
and I may say it was a success, as it was a very 
much better display than I had any idea we 
would be able to get up. We gave the mem- 
bers full swing in getting up their exhibits, 
t, e., we did not keep them to plants, etc., of 
their own raising. Next time each exhibitor 
will have to show their own product. Iam 
afraid our subscription list next year will 
swell too high for our grant if the people feel 
about it.as they do now. I enclose you a 
clipping from the local. I may seem a little 
flowery but I think it expresses the general 
feelings. The writer of the article is nota 
member of the society. 

E. E, GitBert, Sec. 


CULTURE OF 


To have a fine display of large fiower 
clusters upon the Hydrangea, as soon as 
the old clusters begin to fade cut them 
away, taking with them a large part of 
the branch upon which they are pro- 
duced. New. vigorous sprouts will then 
push out from the base of the plant, and 
these can be left untouched till spring. 
The plants will drop their leaves in the 
autumn, and should be kept in a. cool 
but frost-proof place through the winter, 
watering, however, without interruption, 
as the plants are injured even in a rest- 
ing state, if allowed to become dust-dry 
at the roots. As the buds begin to swell 
toward spring again, cut back to a few 
eyes, and encourage the growth of new, 
vigorous sprouts from the base, each one 
of which will produce a fine large flower- 
cluster. To promote a vigorous growth 
use manure water while the plants are 


HY DRANGEAS. 


developing, but when the buds andflow- 
ers appear avoid it if you wish flowers 
of a clear, bright color. Iron filings may 
be used then to give a bluish color, and 
bone-dust to brighten the pink color. A 
six-inch pot will answer for the same 
plant for several years, if treated in this 
way. 

Hydrangea paniculata when grown 
out-doors should be vigorously pruned 
in the spring. Some persons recommend 
cutting the plant every year almost to 
the root—apparently cutting the entire 
top away. For a grand display of bloom 
this vigorous pruning is worth adopting. 
The panicles are not so numerous, but 
are far larger and show finer flowers. 
For autumn-blooming this is one of our 
best shrubs. It is alike useful for either 
garden or cemetery. It likesa rich, moist 
loam and sunny exposure. —Park’s Mag. 


418 


- rot. 


PLUMS-—-A COMPARISON OF VARIETIES. — 


HE following list of plums con- 
tains some of the most desir- 
able for the State. Those 
varieties which are denomi- 

nated as American are natives of this 
country, and, as a rule, are hardier than 
either European or Japanese varieties. 
The American sorts are subdivided into 
several classes, but no classification is 
attempted here. Because of reliability 
most of them may be safely planted, but 
they are less salable than the European 
varieties, hence as an orchard venture, 
the planting of American sorts could be 
easily overdone. 
Successful orchard culture of plums 
must, in the future, depend very largely 


upon the selection of the best varieties 


for market. As a rule these must be 
those bearing the largest and most 
showy fruit, and must be so selected as 
to cover as long a period of ripening as 
possible. All of those named, and 
many more, have been grown at the 
Ohio Experiment Station, but the con- 
clusions drawn are not merely from the 
Station tests but from observations else- 
where as well. 


German Prune—A reliable variety, especi- 
ally valuable for market. Fruit medium to 
large ; dark purple; of good quality, season 
medium to late. Rather a weak grower and 
succeeds better if top worked on some free 
growing sort. 

Pond’s Seedling—Fruit large to very large, 
of medium quality; bright red ; tree vigor- 
ous and prolific, but fruit inclined to rot. 
Not regarded as a very profitable market 
sort, and not high enough in quality for 
dessert. Season late. 


Grand Duke—A very fine, large, late varie- 
ty ; dark blue in color and very attractive in 
appearance. A slow grower and ought to be 
grafted on some other vigorous hardy variety. 

Lombard—An old standby. Reliable and 
valuable, although considerably inclined to 
Medium size; coppery red ; fair qual- 
ity. Inclined to overbear and needs close 
pruning. 

Bradshaw—Tree a fine grower and prolific, 
but rather long in coming into bearing. Fruit 


large, purple and of good quality, -The 
earliest of the large sorts and one of the best 
for all purposes. 


Wolf—One of the best of American varie- 
ties, but inclined to overbear. The trees 
begin bearing early and need close pruning to 
thin the fruit. ; 


Spaulding—A yellowish green plum of 
excellent quality. Choice for home use but 
may not be sufficiently prolific for market. 
The claim of the introducer that it is curculio 
proof is unfounded. 


Yellow Egg A fine large yellow plum, 
suitable for canning, but not of first rate 
quality. Season medium to late. Inclined 
to rot on the tree. 


Coe’s Golden Drop—A large, late ripening, 
yellow variety. Tree a slow grower and 
should be top worked on some free growing 
sort. 


Tatge—Said to be very hardy but can 
hardly be distinguished from the Lombard. 


Weaver—One of the best of the midseason 
American sorts... Rather dull in color but 
excellent for culinary purposes. 


American Eagle—One of the best of the 
American sorts because of large size and 
good quality. 

Imperial Gage —A greenish yellow plum of 
the best quality. Especially desirable for the 
home garden. 


Richland—A reliable midsummer variety, 
but tov small for market purposes. 


Missouri Green Gage—A greenish yellow 
plum, similar to Green Gage, but a little 
larger. Of the very choicest quality. Season 
medium to late. 


Reine Claude de Bavay—Greenish yellow ; 
late in ripening, of the best quality and very 
prolific. One of the best either for home use 
or market. 


Arch Duke—A large dark purple, late 
ripening sort and very promising, but not 
fully tested. 

Reed-—A wonderfully prolific American 
variety. Fruit of medium size, bright scarlet ; 
very beautiful and with very much of the 
Damson flavor when cooked. Very orna- 
mental in foliage, flower and fruit 


Golden Beauty—A very pretty yellow 
fruited American sort. Suitable for canning. 

Prairie Flower—A medium to large Ameri- 
can sort of good quality with but little 
astringency. Does not drop as badly as some 
varieties of this class and appears to be very 
promising. 

Hawkeye—One of the largest and best of 
the American varieties, but with rather too 
much astringency next to skin and stone. 

Forest Rose Improved—A little later and 
larger than Forest Rose and more attractive 
in color as well, ; 


419 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


Chabot—One of the best of the. Japanese. 
varieties. Medium to large yellow, nearly 
covered with scarlet, and of good quality- 
Later, hardier and less inclined to rot then 
Burbank. 

Bailey—Appears to be much like Chabot, 
but as we have it it seems to be hardier. 

Gold—aA prolific and early bearer ; fruit a 
clear yellow, partly overspread with red ; 
medium to large but not of first rate quality. 

Lincoln—Fruit large to very large, copper 
red and of good alley: Valuable for fae 
use or market, but slow in growth and should 
be worked on some other variety. 

Red June—One of the hardiest and best of 
the Japanese sorts. Especially valuable be- 
cause of earliness. 


Abundance—Tree upright in growth and 
rolific ; fruit medium to large and of excel- 
ent quality. Desirable. 

Burbank—-Tree a vigorous grower; very 
prolific and begins bearing when very young. 
Fruit medium to sete. OWT and of good 
quality, but much inclined to rot. 

Gueii—A reliable dark purple variety. Al- 
though much inclined to rot it should be in- 
cluded in the list of profitable orchard sorts, 

Moore’s Arctic—Rather too small for mar- 
ket but the fact that it is hardier than most 
other varieties of its class makes it valuable. 

Wild Goose—On account of earliness, great 
prolificacy and extreme hardiness this must 
be ranked as a valuable variety.—Ohio 
Agricultural Experimental Station. 


POTS AND POTTING. 


All new pots should be well soaked 
in water before using, and all old pots 
well washed and soaked also. In pot- 
ting plants from seed flats, or plants 
that have been grown in boxes, use 
as small pots as will comfortably hold 
the roots. In re-potting plants, use 
only one size larger pot than the one 
the plant is removed from. In re-pot- 
ting, instead of digging the ball of soil 
out of the pot with a knife or stick, 
simply place one hand over the top of 
the pot, turn the pot upside down, give 
the edge of the pot a sharp rap or two 
on any hard substance, and the ball 
of soil and roots will come out whole ; 
having drainage in your larger pot, 
place a little soil over it, place the ball 
on that and fill in around it, pressing 
the soil down, as you place it in, with 
a thin stick so as to leave no air spaces 
around the old ball. Fill within an 
inch of the top, water once thoroughly, 
afterward as needed.— H. E. Gould, 
Sussex, N. B. 


DRAINAGE FOR HOUSE PLANTS 


This is of the utmost importance, for 
no plant, except true aquatics, will 
thrive unless free egress is provided for 
the surplus water given. The best ma- 
terials are broken pots, charcoal and 
coke ; any other material that is suffi- 
ciently firm and porous will answer. 
From one half to one inch of this should 
be placed over the drainage hole in all 
pots above three inches in size that are 
used. If saucers are used under pots, 
place a handful of gravel or coarse ma- 
terial in them under the pots. Make 
sure of good drainage, and each time of 
watering all plants (other than aquatics) 
be sure to empty all surplus water out 
of the saucers that may drain into them; 
water remaining in saucers under plants 
is a fruitful source of disease and death. 
Plants do not usually need re-potting 
until the soil is crowded with roots. All 
boxes in which plaats are grown should 
also be well provide with drainage.— 
H. E. Gould, Sussex, N.B. 


THE WINTER MEETING of the Ontario Fruit Growers’ Association will be 


held in Whitby during the first or second week in December. 


Suggestions for 


topics and speakers will be gladly received by the Secretary. 


420 


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FHE 


CANADIAN HorTiCuLTURIST. 


Vou. XXII. 


Lees. 


No. itt 


THE- SHELDON \PEAR. 


HIS pear is an American seed- 
ling. It was propagated acci- 
dentally, on the farm of Norman 
Sheldon, in the town of Huron, 

Wayne County, N. Y., and has borne 
several synonyms, as, for instance, Hu- 
ron, and Wayne, from the places above 
mentioned ; but, properly enough, the 
name Sheldon prevailed, as being the 
name of the originator. 

With regard to its adaptability to the 
climate of Ontario, our reports show 
that it is perfectly hardy in the Coun- 
ties of Lincoln, Brant, Essex, Kent, and 
even Huron, along the borders of the 
lake, but in the County of York it is 
not considered quite hardy. The con- 
clusion, therefore, to be drawn is that 
this pear is not suitable for planting 
north of Toronto, except under some 
particularly favorable circumstances. 

The pear ripens in October and No- 
vember; but it must be gathered in 
good time, or a large portion of the 
crop will need to be gathered from the 
ground ; and it must be used just at the 


423 


hour it becomes mellow, or it will be 
found too far gone for use. In this 
respect it bears a worse character than 
even the Bartlett. We esteem its qual- 
ity very highly; and a writer in the 
Country Gentleman says that he thinks 
that, when well grown and properly 
ripened, it excels all other pears in 
deliciousness of quality. It is as melt- 
ing as ice cream, and its flavor is su- 
perb. The pear, however, is variable in 
quality and sometimes, when badly grown 
and poorly ripened, might be called 
poor. As a market pear the Sheldon 
cannot be ranked high, first, because of 
its russety appearance, which, however, 
yellows up finely when ready for the 
table, and, second, because the tree is 
not sufficiently productive. 

A tree at Maplehurst, about thirty 
years old, bears some years a few strag- 
gling specimens, and other years possi- 
bly a bushel or so ; certainly far below 
the average yield of many other varie- 
ties, as, for instance, the Buffum, Tyson, 
Bartlett and Howell. But, whether 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


the crop of Sheldons be large or small, 
we always save it for home use; for 
none of its compeers, the Duchess, the 
Anjou, nor the Lawrence, though all 
are delicious, are as desirable. No mem- 
ber of the family would select one of 
the latter for eating when he can have 
the Sheldon. 


The Committee on Pears, appointed 
by the Ontario Fruit Growers’ Associa- 
tion, gave the Sheldon ten marks, the 
maximum number to indicate its value 
for dessert, and seven for market; but 
they have ranked the Anjou equally 
high, and, in our opinion, this might 
justly be amended to make the latter 
variety at least one point below the 
Sheldon. 


The following description of this pear 
is given in ‘‘ Fruits of Ontario,” Tree 
vigorous, erect, not very productive, late 
coming into bearing. Fruit above me- 
dium in size, roundish, obtuse, obovate ; 
skin yellowish green, covered with thin 
light russet, brownish crimson in sun, 
russet dots ; stalk short, stout in a nar- 
row cavity; calyx nearly open, in a 
broad basin. Flesh creamy white, but- 
tery, juicy, sweet and aromatic. Season, 
October, One of the most delicious of 
dessert pears, if eaten just at the proper 
time. Worthy of a place in every home 
garden, but not productive enough to 
be planted for market. 


Two or three reports concerning this 


pear have been sent in, which we here 
insert : 


W. Boulter, of Picton, Prince Ed- 
ward Co., writes: ‘* My experience. with 
this variety has been poor. I planted 
ten years ago, seventy-five of them, and 
lost every one of them, perhaps due to 
the winters’ cold. I gave them the 
same cultivation as the Clapp’s Favorite 
and the Flemish Beauty, some three 
hundred of which I had by the side of 
them, and lost none. I think it will 
not endure the climate of this county.” 

Thos. Beall, of Lindsay, says: “I 
have not grown this pear, but I had two 
trees planted, which died before the 
bearing age. I do not know of its 
being grown in this locality.” 

The late Warren Holton, of Hamilton, 
said: ‘I have fruited the Sheldon for 
several years and think very highly of it. 
It is with mea moderate bearer when 
young, but improves with age. I con- 
sider it the best quality and it always 
commands the highest price and a 
ready sale in the local markets.” 

T. T. Lyon, of South Haven, Mich., 
once wrote: ‘“ The Sheldon pear is con- 
siderably grown for market in Michigan. 
It is a vigorous, healthy variety ; a little 
variable in quality and somewhat un- 
certain in bearing. Aside from Bosc 
and Anjou, this and Howell may be 
said to range next to the Bartlett in the 
estimation of the mass of commercial 
planters of this fruit.” 


Proressor S. T. Maynard says that 
the old varieties of apples are running 
out and cites the Baldwin as an example. 
The varieties which he calls new, and 
which he says are coming more into 
vogue, are Sutton, Palmer, McIntosh, 
Wealthy and Gano. None of these, 


except possibly the last, are in reality 
new. All are good, says the Country 
Gentleman. Palmer, is little known, 
except locally. We suppose that this 
is the same as Palmer Greening, or 
more properly, Washington Royal. 


424 


LHe. EXPORT OF PREACHES. 


T seems well proven that we cannot 
export the Early Crawford peach 
with any certainty of success. One 
lot that was safely landed sold for 

$3.75 per bushel and clearly showed 


safe carriage. Not only is each peach 
being wrapped with cotton batting, but 
it is laid on a cushion of the same, and 
a pad of this material separates each 
row of fruit, as shown in our illustration. 


Fic. 1677.—TrRAY FOR PEACHES. 


that our peaches would bring a long 
price in England, if only they could be 
landed in good condition, for the qua- 
lity is most excellent and the color is 
exquisite. But for the most part this 
peach has arrived in a soft and worth- 
less condition, and brought loss upon 
the shippers. The package first used 
was very clumsy and very expensive, 
but of course if it were successful we 
could stand the cost. It was a box holding 
a little more than a bushel, having 8 trays, 
each of which contained one layer of 
fruit, and had to have a separate cover 
nailed on it. The peaches were each 
wrapped in tissue paper and tightly 
packed. The labor of packing in this 
way was most wearisome. ‘This season 
the same case is being used, but still 
greater care is being taken to ensure 


(Fig. 1677). Then a cushion covers the 
whole, so that there is no possibility of 
bruising, and if carried at a temperature 
of 36° F., we see no possibility of failure 
even with the Early Crawford. 

Two trays of them so packed were 
left over at our cold storage building 
at Grimsby, and three weeks later opened 
at the Town Hall, at our Horticultural 
Socicty Exhibition, and although of this 
tender variety, they were in perfect con- 
dition, with no perceptible change since 
packing. 

The surest success in exporting peaches 
will come about by the use of some bet- 
ter shipper than the Early Crawford, and 
we believe that in the Elberta we have 
found such a peach. It is about as 
large as the Early Crawford, longer and 
flatter lengthwise, not quite equal in 


425 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


» = 
QS 


NSE 


ty 


Zi, 

Z 
Z 
AA 
AA. 
| 
: 
VA 


Fig. 1678.—Case FOR PEACHES AND PEARS. 


color, but a fine yellow peach with a 
fairly well colored cheek, not very juicy, 
but rather firm in flesh, and a free stone. 
For such a peach as this, our pear case 
(Fig. 1678) would answer an excellent 
purpose and be far less expensive. It is 


I ft. x 2 ft. x 4% or 5 inches, and holds 
two layers of fruit, wrapped in tissue 
paper, with packing ad libitum. <A 
small shipment of this peach has gone 
forward and we hope to hear encourag- 
ing results. 


UNFERMEN TED “GRAPE “JUICE, 


HE manufacture of unfermented 
grape juice assumes considerable 
proportions in many localities, 
but difficulty is often experienced 

in preparing a product which will 
“keep,” ze. does not ferment. Fer- 
mentation is due to the presence of 
micro-organisms in the juice or cider, 
and may be prevented by sterilizing the 
latter as well as the vessels used in con- 
nection with the bottling of the product. 
Heating is the simplest, safest and most 
effective means of sterilizing, but great 
care is necessary in order to so control 
the temperature as to secure thorough 
sterilization without injuring the flavor 
of the product. 


426 


A report of the Canada experimental 
farms gives an account of a series of ex- 
periments on the juice. The conclusion, 
which probably applies to sweet cider 
as well as to grape juice, was that “the 
nataral flavor of grape juice may be 
preserved intact by raising the tempera- 
ture of the juice gradually to 170 degrees 
F., keeping it at this point for ten 
minutes and then quickly bottling it, 
taking care to use absolutely air-tight 
and thoroughly sterilized vessels. These 
vessels should be taken from a tank or 
kettle of boiling water, immediately 
filled, and corked or covered with the 
least possible delay.” 


AMONG OUR 


OTH Canada and the United 

States have reached a period 

in their history when the art 

of the landscape gardener is 

much in demand. Thirty years ago our 
foremost cities had but the smallest ex- 
cuse for parks or artistic cemeteries. 
Hamilton had a little enclosure on King 


NEIGHBORS. 


lar taste is demanding that our city 
parks be thoroughly up to date. 

Passing through Buffalo recently on 
the way to Nova Scotia we were most 
cordially received by Mr. J. C. Graves, 
superintendent of the parks of that city, 
who gave us a carriage ride of two hours 
through them, explaining numerous 


Fig. 1679.—ARNoLD ABORETUM—West Entrance. 


Street called the ‘“ Gore,” still an inter- 
esting feature of the city ; Toronto had 
her Queen’s Park, reserved in the in- 
terests of her University seat, and Lon- 
don and Kingston similar small plots, 
but anything like a system of public 
parks was hardly thought of, much less 
planned out. In New York State, the 
“commercial metropolis had her elegant 
Central Park, but Buffalo, with her 
large population had nothing worthy of 
notice. During these years a change 
has come over all these cities and popu- 


points of interest by the way. The 
parks of Buffalo have been the growth 
of the last thirty years until now they 
embrace about 1100 acres, and cost the 
city from $150,000 to $250,000 per 
annum. The plans for improvements 
were made by that able landscape archi- 
tect, Mr. J. C. Olmstead, of Boston, 
who planned the World’s Fair Grounds 
at Chicago, and they really include 
about forty smaller parks connected by 
artistic boulevards. Every class of citi- 
zen is considered—the boys with a wad- 


427 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


Fig. 1680.—Acassiz Bripce—Back Bay Fens. 


ing pond in which several hundred boys erica has the same extent of Park as 
may at times be seen, sporting people _ this old and refined City of Boston. It 
with a golf field, the horsemen with a_ seemed like classic ground to pass the 
fine speedway of half a mile, and all) homes of such noted men as Prof C. S. 
lovers of the beautiful in landscape, Sargent, so well known as editor of The 
with beautiful lawns and trees and water Garden; Charles Downing, author of 


in most excellent combinations, American Landscape Gardening and 
At Boston, Mr. W. H. Manning, Francis Parkman, the historian. 
landscape architect and secretary of the The Arnold Arboretum is beautiful 


Park and Outdoor Association, was ex- and the group of hickories, oaks, coni- 
tremely courteous and obliging to us. fers, etc., show a good beginning of an 
Though over-burdened wi:h office work, important collection but it seems to 
and the superintendance of park designs have never realized the ideal of the 
in many different States, he yet found founder, for it has no labels and is ap- 
time to engage a carriage and accom- parently incomplete in its collection of 
pany us through the magnificent park species. 

system of Boston, which now covers an In order to give our readers an idea 
extent of 12,000 acres, of which the of some features of these parks we give 
Metropolitan Park embraces about two- views of the Arnold Arboretum, Agassiz 
thirds, and the Bay Fens, the Arnold Bridge and in Back Bay Fens, and some 
Arboretum, Franklin Park and others ribbon bedding in the Public Gardens 
the balance. Probably no city in Am- Mr. W. H. Manning has most kindly 

428 


AMONG OUR NEIGHBORS. 


Fig 1681:—Ripson Bep IN PUBLIC 


consented to answer questions on 
“Landscape Gardening,” in our journal, 
if such are forwarded to him, and we 
shall be glad to take advantage of his 
kind offer. 

At the old Quincy Market we saw 
quinces in barrels and crates, apples in 
barrels in endless quantity, especially 
Colverts, Vandeveres, Greenings and 
Baldwins. These were of course mostly 
No. 2, and were bringing from $1.25 to 


GARDENS, Boston. 


& 


about the same as this stock 
in Montreal. Canadian Snow 
were much wanted. Concord 
grapes were almost all in five pound 
baskets at 13 cents each. California 
grapes were offered in four pound veneer 
baskets—four of these crated together, 
the Tokay being the prominent variety. 

In another article we give some ac- 
count of the gardens and orchards of 
Nova Scotia. 


$2.25, 
brings 
apples 


140 VARIETIES OF PEARS were ex- 
hibited at the Syracuse State Fair by 
Messrs. Ellwanger & Barry, of Roch- 
ester ; and 235 plates of plums by Mr. 


S. D. Willard, of Geneva, N.Y., the 
latter included some samples of the 
Wickson, described as large, brilliant 
red, very juicy, sweet and pleasant flavor. 


429 


CENTRAL EXPERIMENTAL FARM NOTES—II. 


Fie. 1682 —STRAWBERRY PLANTATION, CENTRAL EXPERIMENTAL Farm. 


ia : 
ae first frost to seriously 
check vegetation occurred 
at Ottawa on the 23rd of 
September, when the to- 
matoes, cucumbers, mel- 
ons, squash and other tender things 
were killed. This frost was followed on 
the 2nd of October by one much more 
severe. The thermometer only showed 
four and a half degrees of frost, but the 
ground was frozen about three fourths of 
an inch deep ; the leaves on the grape 
vines were killed, and the fruit, of which 
there was a large quantity unpicked, 
was much injured. While it was 
thought that not more than twenty-five 
varieties of grapes would ripen thorough- 
ly, more than 50 sorts have matured. 
The Moyer grape, of which mention is 


made in the October number of THE 
CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST, iS cer- 
tainly a very desirable variety to plant 
for home use in the colder parts of the 
country. This year, it ripened on the 
23rd of September, while Delaware, one 
of its parents, was not ripe until the 
5th of October, and then unevenly. Of 
white grapes, the first to ripen was 
Golden Drop, on the 17th of September. 
This is a small sweet grape, lacking in 
character, but a sure ripener here. 
Moore’s Diamond, a grape of high 
quality, is, however, probably the best 
white variety to plant. It usually ripens 
early, but owing to the unfavorable 
season this year it did not mature until 
the 5th of October. It was interesting 
to note the order of ripening of the dif- 


430 


CENTRAL EXPERIMENTAL FARM NOTES. 


ferent varieties, as some kinds which 
ripened early last year were among the 
latest to ripen this year. 

The Walter apple fruited this season 
for the first time on trees planted in 
1895. The apples are very large and of 
fine appearance ; quality about medium ; 
season, appears to be October and Nov- 
ember. If it continues to thrive, this 
variety may be a valuable aquisition to 
our list of hardy fruits. Two trees of 
the Milwaukee apple, planted in 1895, 
bore heavily this season. The fruit is 
large and is striped somewhat ~like 
Duchess, of which it is a seedling. Its 
season is said to be from December to 
March. The trees seem quite hardy. 
also, is a promising variety and will 
prove valuable if it is a good keeper. 

In the year 1890 an orchard was 
planted containing about 3000 trees 
raised from seeds imported from Riga, 
Russia. These trees were reduced by 
blight, winter-killing, and other causes, 
to about 1000 trees before they began to 
fruit. Up to the present time, about 
150 trees have borne. ‘The greater part 
of these have produced fruit ranging 
from medium to large in size. They 
are nearly all summer varieties and none 
of them are especially promising. Al- 
though there are many of them which 
appear just as good as some of the 
named varieties of Russian apples. 

A building for curing tobacco in has 
been erected this autumn from plans 
prepared by one of the most practical 
tobacco growers in Canada. The sys- 
tem of ventilation is well planned, and 
good results should be obtained. One 
and a half acres of tobacco, consisting 
of three varieties, namely, White Burley, 
Little Oronoko,'and Havana Seed Leaf, 
were grown, and the plants are now cur- 
ing in this building. Besides the three 
varieties mentioned, there were 45 varie- 
ties grown for comparison. 


The potato crop was good this year 
in the Experimental Plots. Most of 
the varieties which usually yield best 
will again be near the head of the list 
this year. Among the most productive 
and best in quality are: American 
Wonder, Everett, Carman No. I, and 
Empire State. 

The leaves of the trees and shrubs 
are, with few exceptions, not highly 
colored this autumn ; the weather being 
cloudy and wet has not offered favorable 
conditions. Three of the exceptions 
are: the Ginnalian maple ( Acer tartari- 
cum Ginnala), Thunberg’s Barberry 
(Berberis Thunbergi) and the Fragrant 
sumach (Rhus aromatica), The first 
of these is a little maple from Amurland 
whose deeply cut, pretty leaves, and 
ornamental fruit are very attractive in 
spring and early summer, while in 
autumn there is no maple yet tested here 
which surpasses it in the brilliant color- 
ing of its leaves ; the season appearing 
to make little difference. It is perfectly 
hardy at Ottawa, but apparently does 
not live to be more than fo or 12 years 
old, by which time it reaches a height 
of about 13 feet. Thunberg’s barberry 
is a compact little shrub which does not 
usually grow more than from three to 
four feet high, but it is a perfect blaze 
of color in autumn. Its scarlet fruit 
also makes it quite ornamental in win- 
ter. It is avery desirable shrub. The 
Fragrant sumach is a native shrub of 
spreading habit. Not specially orna- 
mental in early summer, but it should 
have a place where there is much shrub- 
bery, on account of its high coloring in 
autumn. 

The perennial border, which is half a 
mile long, contains about 1200 species 
and varieties of herbaceous plants, and 
is very attractive to visitors from early 
spring until late in autumn. The severe 
frost of the 2nd of October this year 


431 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


Fic; 1683.—Topacco PLANTATION WITH ORCHARD IN BACKGROUND, CENTRAL 
EXPERIMENTAL FARM. 


destroyed all the flowers except the very 
hardiest. Among these were the Mich- 
aelmas daisies or Wild asters, and Bo/- 
tonia asteroides. Some of the improved 
asters are beautiful flowers and, on ac- 
count of their lateness in blooming, are 
very desirable. 


Boltonia asteroids, a tall aster-like 
plant, is a profuse bloomer and very 
noticeable during the month of October; 
when there are so few flowers. 

W. T. Macoun, 
Horticulturist, Cent. Exp. Farm. 


NOVEMBER IN 


HE rush of the fruit harvest is now 
over, and the fruit grower can have 
a few weeks to clear up many 
duties necessarily postponed. 
Where cover crops have been sown in 
the orchard for winter protection, of 
course fall plowing will not be in order, 
but where root killing is not a danger, 
nothing will so improve the texture of 
the soil as turning it up to the action of 
the winter’s frost. This treatment will 


THE ORCHARD, 


also be a better protection than leaving 
the uncovered ground unplowed, for the 
fine earth at the surface will itself be a 
sort of mulch. Last winter immense 
numbers of peach trees were either root 
killed or so weakened at the root by the 
continued cold of February, that they 
have been slowly dying ever since, and 
in most such cases we have noticed the 
ground was naked or unplowed; while 
orchards which were protected by crim- 


432 


NOVEMBER IN 


son clover, grass, chickweed or finely 
cultivated surface soil, escaped with 
little injury. 

The fact is our orchards must have 
better cultivation ; owners usually have 
too little time for this work and, if. we 
discourage fall plowing, the evil is the 
greater. 

The soil should not be left rough 
. plowed, as in the open, but about trees 
it should be harrowed to fine the soil 
for the protection of the roots. Care 
must also be taken to plow up to the 
trees and not from them, for nothing is 
more injurious than water standing 
about the roots. 

Our old enemy, the mouse, must be 
carefully guarded against. A simple 
method is to heap fine earth against the 
trunk, or a bit of veneer may be tied 
about the tree. Of all things, 1ubbish 
about the trunk must not be allowed ; 
it is an invitation to a mouse to build 
his house in it. 

Pruning is also in order, a job usually 
left until spring, but too often neglected 
entirely in that brief season. The pear 
and the plum tree need thinning out, 
the limbs which are inclined to cross, 
and a shortening in of those inclined to 
sprawl. The dwarf pears should be 
trained in pyramidal style, and severely 
shortened in to bring them into shape. 
The lower limbs should be encouraged 
near the ground, the leader shortened 
and intermediate branches cut to a line 
from their extremities. Spur pruning of 
the bearing shoots, much as we practice 


THE ORCHARD. 


in grape pruning, will also be helpful in 
securing good sized fruit. 

The vineyard should also be pruned 
in November and December, while the 
sap is perfectly dormant, if possible ; 
leaving the spurs a little longer than 
one would do in spring pruning. It is 
a cold job in March, and if left till 
April, it is sometimes neglected. 

The apple on rich land grows rapidly, 
and, if neglected, the head soon becomes 
a thicket of brush wood. Annual prun- 
ing is the only proper treatment, and in 
the end the most economical. 

Dead trees should be dug out of the 
orchard with the roots; it is untidy to 
cut them off and leave the stump in the 
way of the plow. All rubbish should be 
gathered and burned, for nothing more 
encourages mice. Thrift is economy, 
and it actually pays in hard cash to be 
tidy. 

The house yard should be an index 
to the character of the whole farm, and 
not only be kept free of weeds, but laid 
out with taste and artfully planted, that 
it may bring the owner what is of more 
worth than money, the possession of a 
home, with the sweetest possible associa- 
tions, and a rich inheritance to those 
who follow after him. 


Plans for planting should now be 
made, and lists of fruit and ornamental 
stock needed should be made out and 
ordered in advance, in order that they 
may be on hand in spring when planting 
season comes. 


433 


HOW TO KEEP GRAPES. 


A paper by W. Mead Pattison, of Clarenceville, Que., before the Quebec Hort. Soc. 


N seasons of abundance, like the 
present, the question is often 
asked: ‘How can I keep grapes?” 
Much has been written on this 

subject, and different methods to attain 
this object have been recommended and 
adopted during the past few years, with 
varying success. When grapes are in- 
tended for keeping, care should be taken 
that all cracked or bruised berries are 
removed, with long pointed scissors, 
made for the purpose, for if such are 
left they will mould, rot aud destroy 
others. One obstacle to guard against 
is the weight of the fruit, as stored in 
baskets or boxes. The grapes con- 
tinually settle, exclude the air, and 
finally mould. The question is how can 
we obviate this in packing? Two 
methods -have been found successful in 
the grape-growing region of Central 
New York. ‘Ten-pound baskets are 
used, a layer of dry oats or sawdust is 
placed in the bottom, and then a layer 
of grapes, then a layer of oats or saw- 
dust, and so on till the basket is full. 
Bran should never be used in packing 
fruit, as it heats. The objection to this 
method is that the grapes cannot be 
readily looked over during the winter, 
and mouldy or rotten ones removed. 
My own experience has been, that for 
all practical purposes, the ordinary cot- 
ton wadding in sheets is the most satis- 
factory ~packing, cut into pieces, to cover 
the layers in shallow grape or peach 
baskets with wire handles, which allow 
of their either being piled on tables or 
hung on nails to the beams in the fruit 
cellar. Line the sides and bottom of 
the basket, place a layer of grapes, then 
a layer of wadding, and so on four or 
five layers at most. With proper per- 


caution and attention the best keepers 
will remain in good condition till May 
or June, although somewhat wilted at 
the last. 

Unripe, poor and watery grapes, will 
not keep under any condition. In 
gathering grapes a dry day is prefer- 
able, and great care in handling is 
necessary. A bruised grape, like a 
bruised apple, is sure in time to decay, 
and affect others in proximity. Hence, 
in a basket of grapes as we buy them in 
market from the south and west, from 
long carriage and solid packing, many 
bunches are more or less bruised and 
require all injured berries cut out before 
packing. Grapes should not be packed 
away till the excess of moisture in the 
stem has dried off. This can be accom- 
plished in fine weather in a few hours 
by placing them in single layers in 
baskets or on tables. 

The most important requirement after 
packing is to keep the grapes in a con- 
tinued low, dry and even temperature, 
in very cold weather, as near freezing 
point as consistent with safety. This 
requires some watchfulness, as in the 
fall we often have some very warm 
days, requiring their removal to the fruit 
cellar fora time. It is preferable to 
store the baskets on a verandah or in 
an airy out-building till hard frost, even 
if they have to be covered with a blanket 
at night. When permanently removed 
to the fruit cellar it should be kept as 
near the freezing point as possible during 
the entire winter to attain that object 
and ensure dryness. Raise the windows 
during the day rather than the night. 
As to varieties to select for keeping, the 
rather thick skinned ones are the best, 
like Salem, and others of Roger’s hybrids. 


434 


HOW TO GROW GRAPES. 


The Vergennes, originated in Vermont, 
is the best keeper of all, though it rarely 
finds its way out of the home garden, 
as it is essentially a keeping grape, 
whereas Rogers’ hybrids, Concord and 
Delaware are plentiful on our markets. 
The Duchess, a rather small white grape, 
is a good keeper, but efforts to keep 
extra early varieties like Champion and 
Hartford, do not pay for the trouble. 
In a trial of some forty selected varieties 
in the winter of 1883-1884, I found 
Concord, Worden and Dela ware to 
keep in fair condition till December. 
Duchess, several of Rogers’ hybrids, 
and a black wine and table grape given 
the name of Pattison at the Experi- 
mental Farm at Ottawa, till January ; 
and Vergennes, Salem, Wilder, Herbert, 
Rogers’ No. 30, El Dorado, Gaertner, 
Mary and Owaso through February. 
These grapes were packed with paper 
between the layers, but since the adop- 
tion of wadding, I have kept most of 
these till June, at which season it is not 
possible to keep the cellar in proper 
temperature and dryness. Ifa system 
of cold storage could be adopted for 
our fruit cellars, better results could be 
attained. In warm weather close cellars 


induce dampness and mould in our 
fruit. 


USE OF GRAPES AS FOOD. 


The highest medical authorities claim 
that the grape is a potent remedy for 
the prevailing derangements, having 
their origin through the alimentary sys- 
tem. On the continent of Europe, in 
the world-famed “grape cures” for 
dyspepsia and its sequel, consumption, 
the diet during the season consists al- 
most exclusively of ripe grapes. The 
patients stroll about the vineyards and 
make their meals as appetite dictates. 
During the balance of the year the diet 
is composed chiefly of fruit with coarse 
ground cereals. With the permission of 
any medical man, who may be present, 
I will venture to give, without charge, a 
prescription for indigestion and want of 
appetite, namely, make breakfast or 
supper entirely of grapes or other fruit — 
nothing else, neither coffee nor tea. I 
have endeavored to show how we may 
enjoy the grape nearly the entire year, 
and contend that if the apple is re- 
cognized as the “king of fruit,” the 
grape, the autocrat of the garden, is en- 
titled to be called the queen. 


PRAISE OF 


The old Scandinavians believed that 
the gods subsisted wholly upon apples, 
and that it was through the peculiar 
properties communicated by this queen 
of fruits that they acquired the wisdom 
which they imparted to men. 

The acids of apples are exceedingly 
useful through their stimulating influ- 
ence upon the kidneys, whereby poisons 


THE APPLE. 


are removed from the body, and the 
blood and tissues purified. The acids 
of apples are all highly useful as a 
means of disinfecting the stomach, since 
the ordinary germs that grow in the 
stomach, producing biliousness, head- 
ache and other troubles, will not grow 
in fruit juice or fruit pulp.—Editorial in 
Good Health. 


435 


PRUIT EXHIBIT AL. HALIPA. 


Fic. 1684.—Appres at N.S. PRovinciaL Farr 


HE exhibit of fruit at the Nova 

Scotia Provincial Exhibition, 

held in Halifax, September 

23rd to 30th, while not quite 

so large as that of last year, impressed 

one as being better in quality and as 

illustrating better the capabilities of the 

province along commercial lines. There 

was a splendid exhibit of the leading 

sorts of market apples, there being nine- 

teen entries of Gravensteins, which were 

magnificent, and the other most popular 
sorts being equally well represented. 


It is perhaps to be regretted that more 
prominence was not given to barrels of 
apples packed for export, since this sub- 
ject is of so much importance to grow- 
ers, and anything which can be done to 
encourage better methods in this res- 
pect, ought to be done. 


At present the prize offered is only 
$4, for the best barrel of the different 
sorts, the fruit to become the property 
of the Commission, and this is scarcely 
the cash value of some of the better 
varieties, when sorted as carefully as 
these prize barrels have to be. If grow- 
ers could only be brought to realize how 
much more valuable a prize they are 
competing for when they pack a barrel 


of apples for export, we might look for 
an improvement in the general practice 
of packing. 

The value of modern methods of cul- 
ture and spraying was well illustrated 
by some Burbank plums exhibited by 
Mr. Ralph S. Eaton, of Kentville. They 
were almost a third larger than any 
others of this variety exhibited ; and 
Prof. John Craig, who acted as judge of 
the fruit, pronounced them the finest 
Burbanks he had ever seen. 

Mr. Eaton practises thinning his fruit, 
which is doubtless in part accountable 
for the superb character of these plums ; 
but cultivation, spraying and fertilizing 
are also largely responsible. If Nova 
Scotia can grow such plums as these, 
and if cold storage can be developed 
sufficiently to land them in perfect con- 
dition in the London market, there is 
no reason why this branch of fruit grow- 
ing should not become of great import- 
ance commercially. 

Peaches again formed an interesting 
part of the exhibit, and enough were 
shown to prove that Nova Scotia can 
grow them for the home market, though 
they may never be of commercial value. 
Some really creditable plates were shown 
of such sorts as Alexander, Crawford's 
Early and Hill’s Chili. 

A very valuable feature of the exhibi- 
tion, to those who were fortunate enough 
to hear it, was a short address given in 
the Horticultural building ty our old 
friend, Prof. John Craig. After com- 
plimenting the fruit growers upon the 
splendid exhibit of fruit, on the merits 
of which he had just had the pleasure 
of passing judgment, Prof. Craig called 
the attention of those present to some 
of the lessons to be learned from the 
exhibit. He wished first to impress 
growers with the importance of raising 


436 


FRUIT EXHIBIT AT HALIFAX. 


Fic. 1685.—ProvincraL Fruit EXatsBit At 
HALIFAX. 


only those varieties of fruits of the dif- 
ferent classes which reach especial ex- 
cellence in Nova Scotia. 

With the present transportation facili- 
ties, growers the world over come into 
competition with one another in the 
world’s markets ; and it is useless for 
growers in one district to grow those 
sorts which can be better grown in some 
other district. For example, the Gray- 
enstein and Ribston Pippin reach a 
higher state of perfection in Nova Sco- 
tia than anywhere else in America, while 
the Ben Davis can be grown much bet- 
ter in the Ozark region of Missouri and 
Arkansas. Nova Scotia growers should 
therefore confine themselves largely to 
the former sorts and avoid those varie- 
ties which reach only mediocre quality 
here. 

Again, it is a well recognized fact 
that where a plant of any kind reaches 
its highest perfection, there it will be 
most likely to vary from the type. It 
therefore follows that varieties, or even 
sorts of the varieties first named, are 
very likely to be found in Nova Scotia, 
and Prof. Craig urged that growers 
should pay more attention to this 
matter, noting those trees, or even 
branches, which give the best fruit and 
the most of it, and propagating from 
them. 


Continuing, he said that in his opinion 
the fact that it is possible to ripen Alex- 
ander and Early Rivers peaches in Nova 
Scotia, is a strong indication that chest- 
nuts might also be grown there. There 
is no question as to their hardiness, and 
by selecting the early sorts of Spanish. 
and Japanese chestnuts, there should be 
no difficulty in ripening the fruit, 

Nova Scotia ought also to grow her 
own grapes. With the proper varieties, 
grown on the warmest soil, in a sheltered 
location, and trained upon a trellis, 
there should be no question as to sup- 
plying the home demand. But we must 
abandon such old and late sorts as 
Catawba and Isabella, and select in 
their stead, Lady, Moyer, Winchell and 
Moore’s Early. These are not commer- 
cial sorts, but are the ones most likely 


to succeed in this climate. 
F. C. SEARs. 


Mr. Chas. E. Brown, of Yarmouth, 
writes as follows regarding their exhibi- 
tion. 

Among the miscellaneous sorts was 
one dish of Wolf River, shown by J. 
Adolphus Hatfield, of Tusket, the most 
brilliantly colored specimen on the 
table, very large in size, and perfect in 
shape and cleanliness, meriting a spe- 
cial prize. Clearly Wolf River should 
be propagated wherever it does well. 
It is thought to be a seedling of the 
Alexander, but ‘it is of better quality, 
and less liable to black spots. 

It has become / uite solidly establish- 
ed that to grédw fine, clean apples, 
spraying several times during the sum- 
mer is imperative. Neighbors might 
club together and procure a spraying 
outfit of a more effective make than 
each might care to afford for himself, 
while about town, in the vicinity of 
orchards, the owners of haying machines 
might add a spraying outfit to their 


2 437 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


plant with confidence of profitable em- 
ployment. 

Equally with our own country, the 
writer was struck with the large number 
of barren trees and orchards through the 
fruit counties on a recent visit to Hali- 
ax ; andin some cases of young orchards 
where the trees are planted in sod, with 
no subsequent cultivation. Fruit can- 


not in these degenerate days be so 
grown ; in young orchards the soil must 
be cultivated and made as near like gar- 
den soil as possible, while in old trees the 
superfluous wood must be removed. 
Often three-quarters of the crowding 
branches taken off would result in a 
fruitful tree, where now is only barren- 
ness. 


BIG APPLE CROPS 


ENTVILLE Advertiser gives 
the following idea of the big 
apple crops being harvested 
in King’s County. 

The fertile and pleasantly situated 
tract of King’s County called Starr’s 
Point has always been noted for its pro- 
ductiveness. Large crops of potatoes 
have always been raised there, and 
interest was taken in horticulture many 
years ago by members of the Starr 
family and also by Mr. Prescott. This 
year Providence has smiled upon this 
favored section and large root and grain 
crops and well laden apple trees are the 
result. 

The orchard of Mr. A. C. Starr will 
produce the largest quantity this year— 
about 2000 barrels. He has eleven 
acres in full bearing, five acres more 
twenty years old, which has not come 
into full bearing before, on account of 
being top grafted. Mr. Starr also has 
twenty-seven acres of young orchard 
growing nicely and another strip of 
land will soon be cleared and set out 
which will make a block of fifty acres 
altogether. 

It requires a great deal of care to look 
after this large orchard, but the owner is 
equal to it, and besides has raised this 
year twenty-seven acres of potatoes. 
The crop is heavy on most all of this 
acreage, and fully six thousand bushels 
of potatoes will be the result. 


. Exposition. 


IN NOVA SCOTIA. 


It is seldom that one sees such fine 
fruit. Gravensteins, Blenheims, North- 
ern Spys and Fallawaters, were a full 
crop and of excellent size and color. 

Mr. J. E. Starr on the farm adjoining 
has a good crop of all kinds this year. 
His orchard will produce fifteen hundred 
barrels this year, nearly double that of 
last year. The trees are very thrifty 
and the quality of his fruit excellent. 
Gravensteins were a fine crop and Kings 
were very large and well colored. Some 
of the largest Baldwins ever seen could 
be found in this orchard. Mr. Starr 
and his son George are packing ten 
barrels of choice fruit for the Paris 
The fruit will go to Mon- 
treal and remain in cold storage there 
until next spring, and then be shipped 
to Paris. Mr. A. C. Starr will also send 
five barrels all packed like oranges. 

There are three other farms in this 
vicinity which will produce about one 
thousand barrels of apples. They are 
Richard Starr, 1200 ; Percy Starr, 1000 ; 
and Joseph Starr, 900 bbls. We thus 
find that in five Starr families, all living 
as neighbors, about six thousand six 
hundred barrels of apples will be raised. 
With the price of apples ranging from 
$2 to $3 per barrel, our readers can 
realize from the product of this small 
section we have referred to, the amount 
of money that will reach King’s County 
this year for fruit. 


438 


VLADIMIR AND KOSLOV MORELLO CHERRIES. 


Sir,—I have received the thirtieth 
report of the Fruit Growers Association 
of Ontario, which gives the fifth annual 
report of the Fruit Experiment Station 
of Ontario under the joint control of the 

Ontario Agricultural College, Guelph, 
and the Fruit Growers Association of 
Ontario, for 1898, and on page 41, of 
‘the last mentioned report, I find a plate 
of the Vladimir cherry, giving experi- 
ments from the stock which was sent 
out by your Association in 1887, which 
was anything but satisfactory and rating 
it at fourth rate for either home use or 
market. 

Having had some experience with 
this variety of cherry, I write to say that 
with your permission I will contribute 
my knowledge of the same for publica- 
tion with the hope that it may somewhat 
rectify the mistaken opinion which is 
likely to be formed by the readers of 
said report and with the hopes of estab- 
lishing the fact that a variety of cherry 
under the name (Vladimir) is one of the 
most profitable varieties grown in this 
section either for home use or market. 

Some thirty years ago there was an 
American Nurseryman by the name of 
Carpenter established a nursery at Peter- 
boro’, Ont , and about twenty-five years 

‘ago he sold a large orchard to Mr. Lewis 
Gleason, of Haldimand Township, and 
among these trees he got two cherry 
trees which thrived well and soon com- 
menced to show fruit of very superior 
quality in abundance, which attracted 
the attention of the people in that neigh- 
borhood who were anxious to get trees 
of this variety ; but as Mr. Carpenter had 
failed in his undertaking and has since 
died none knew the variety of cherry or 
where he got this stock from. However, 
in the summer of 1891 our salesman, 
Mr. J. L. Knapp, called upon Mr. Glea- 


son, who told him that if he could 
furnish this particular variety of cherry 
true to kind and exactly the same as his 
two trees, without a doubt, he would 
take 50 or 100 trees and many others 
who lived in the same neighborhood 
told Mr. Knapp that they would also 
order if sure of getting this particular 
and profitable variety. Therefore, Mr. 
Knapp picked some of the fruit which 
was not fully ripe and also brought in 
some of the wood and foliage to me to see 
if I knewthe variety, but not knowing it I 
sent it over to a leading Rochester, N.Y., 
Nursery Company, believing they would 
know it, but the result was the same, 
they could not name it. Therefore, Mr. 
Knapp returned to Mr. Gleason and 
secured more fruit and foliage and sent 
it to Prof. J. L. Budd, of Iowa Agricul- 
tural College, Department of Horticul- 
ture, Ames, Iowa, and herewith ! give 
you a copy of bis reply. 

Ames, Iowa, Aug. 17th, 1891 
Mr. J L Knapp, 

My Dear Sir :—Yours with cherries at 
hand. {In leaf and fruit the samples closely 
resemble the ‘‘ Vladimir ” cherry found in 
Poland and North Germany as well as in 
Russia. It isa small tree and has been grown 
so long from pits that it is exceedingly vari- 
able. The leaf is like the variety of ‘* Vladi- 
mir” we got from Warsaw, Poland. I believe 
two hundred varieties of this dwarf morello 
can be found in the North and East Europe, 
hence the difficulty of naming. Planted 
along the highways of East Europe we can 


find in two miles fifty slight variations from 


seeds and sprouts. 
(Signed,) J. L. Bupp. 


Taken from the Iowa State Register, 
Newspaper, of Friday, September, 1891, 
Weekly edition : 

VALDIMIR CHERRY. 


Mr. J. L. Knapp, of Colborne, Ont. Canada, 
writes Prof. J. L. Budd, Ames, Iowa. 

Enclosed in box sent by mail is a sample of 
an unknown cherry. No one here knows its 
name and they cannot name it in Rochester, 
N.Y. I found it in Western Ontario on a 
farmer’s place and they were so hardy, such 
excellent bearers, and so fine in quality, that 


439 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


additional trees are wanted. The trees are 
free from black knot so common here. 


(Signed) J. L. Knapp. 


ANSWER.—The variety is the typical Vladi_ 
mir, (25 orel). This variety we found in 
North Germany and in Poland, but its home 
is North Central Russia, where it is grown 
by the train load. It is a wonderful bearer 
at the North, and a medium sized, colored, 
juicy black cherry, nearly sweet when fully 
ripe. It has a slight bitter flavor which is 
liked by nearly all who have tasted it, 


(Signed) J. L. Budd, 
of Iowa Agri. Col. Dept. of Horticulture. 


I have had a good many trees propa- 
gated from the original trees found on 
- Mr. Gleason’s place, and now there are 
several others who have the young trees 
bearing in this section and who can tes- 
tify to the superior quality of the fruit, 
which is of good size, as well as to 
the hardiness of the tree which is 
so well adapted to this country, and 
which I believe will be extensively 
planted when better known. It can be 
readily understood from what Prof. Budd 
says, that the varieties are so numerous 
that care must be exercised in starting 
from a tested tree otherwise in nine 
cases out of every ten the fruit will be 
worthless. 


Hoping I have not imposed too far 
upon your valuable space, I remain, 
Respectfully yours, 


JAMES McGLENNON. 
Colborne, Ont. 


NOTE BY THE EDITOR.—We have to 
thank our correspondent for his letter 
and criticism of our description of the 
Vladimir cherry, for this is exactly what 
we desire in order to reach the truth 
about each variety described. A com- 
parison of this letter of Mr. McGlen- 
non’s, and our description of the cherry 
there referred to, plainly shows that we 
cannot be speaking of the same variety. 
Possibly the Vladimir we have growing 
at Grimsby is not true to name, or it 
may be that the cherry propagated by 
the Chase Bros. as Vladimir is some 
superior variety, such as Koslov Morello. 
This latter variety is grown as a bush 
fruit by the peasants in Russia, and 
would be a most profitable variety for 
market. The most probable solution of 
the whole matter is, that the Koslov 
Morello and the Vladimir Morello are 
one and the same cherry in a general 
way, only being all propagated in Rus- 
sia by the seed, our Vladimir is a worth- 
less seedling, and our Koslov Morello 
is a valuable one, and possibly nearly 
identical with Chase Bros , Vladimir. 


THE BRILLIANT GRAPE, 


E_ have two vines of the Brilliant 
grape, which is certainly a very 
beautiful and showy variety. Its 
bright red color, from which it 

takes its name, makes it noticeable even 
by the side of its parents—the Lindley 
and Delaware. It was originated by T. 
V. Munson, in 1883, and he says of it; 
—‘ The Brilliant ought to be a great 


grape in Canada. It is double the size 
of Moyer, better in quality, and twice 
as heavy a bearer. The vine is much 
stronger, and seemingly just as hardy. 
It is perhaps a few days later, and clings 
to the cluster better; besides this has a 
perfect flower, and the Moyer is practi- 
cally pistillate. 


440 


WINTER PROTECTION OF THE STRAWBERRY 
PLANTS. 


HERE should always be a dis- 
tinction between winter protec- 
tion and summer mulch, for it 
will not always do to get the 

two things mixed. A good summer 
mulch can be made use of more or less 
as a winter protection ; but the best 
winter protection is wholly unsuitable 
fora summer mulch. Nature’s protec- 
tion — snow—is most decidedly the 
best of all as far as the nature of sub- 
stance is concerned, and if it could 
be depended upon to come early enough 
and stay late enough to do its perfect 
work it would be all the heart could 
reasonably desire. But unfortunately, we 
cannot depend upon it, so we are obliged 
to look out for a substitute. As being 
the most available material we make use 
of small evergreen trees, the fir being the 
best. Trees that are from 8-12 feet high 
are the best ; the boughs trimmed off 
from the lower side so that they will lay 
where they are placed. Moss, straw, 
and salt hay are also largely used here 
as a winter protection and summer 
mulch. Whatever material that is most 
available which contains no, poisonous 
matter, and is of a coarse nature so that 
it will not pack down so close as to ex- 
clude the air and smother the plants, 
will do. . 

The time to apply the protection de- 
pends much upon the locality, and 
-somewhat upon the season and material 
used, the coarser the material the earlier 
it can be applied with safety. It will 
not do to cover closely till the season of 
dormancy approaches, which begins here 
about the middle of November, but is 


not fully on with the strawberry till well 
into December. The hackneyed advice 
that goes the rounds of the small fruit 
department of the press, “As soon as 
the ground is frozen hard enough to 
bear a horse and cart so that you can 
drive over the patch without injury to 
the plants,” etc., is not good or practi- 
cal. While the ground might many 
times be frozen hard enough to bear a 
team during the early morning hours of 
November this state of things would not 
last long after the sun is up; and then 
again, it is not advisable to drive over 
the patch with a heavy cart at any time 
when the ground is bare. When the 
time approaches that the ground freezes 
nights and thaws days the strawberry 
patch should receive its covering. It is 
a good plan to put on a light covering 
at first, and then later a more complete 
covering. 

There are winters when apparently 
the plants will pull through without 
injury ; that is the foliage may be all 
killed and the weak plants heaved out, 
but all the strong plants will start a 
strong healthy growth again. But when 
such plants are compared as to their 
fruiting side by side with those that 
were well protected, you will see a mark- 
ed difference greatly in favor of the lat- 
ter. I am well satisfied from the results 
of careful experimenting that by far the 
greatest cause of the so-called “ barren- 
ness” among strawberries of varieties 
that are usually productive, and also the 
deformity of the fruit, is due to the 
effects of severe winters and improper 
protection.—American Gardening. 


441 


TOP-GRAFTING—ITS ADVANTAGES AND 
POSSIBILITIES. 


HE use of top-grafting in the 
propagation of the apple is very 
general in Nova Scotia, where 
conditions seem to be especially 

favorable for its success, and my object 
in the discussion of this is to call atten- 
tion to some of the advantages to be 
secured by this method of propagation, 
but which might, perhaps, be overlooked 
by the orchardist. 

Top-grafting as usually practised has 
this advantage over other methods of pro- 
pagation, that we know the character of 
the stock on which we are grafting, and 
can therefore tell something of what the 
effect of this stock will be on the variety 
we are propagating. 

That the stock used does influence 
the scion cannot be doubted, and in 
proof of this let me cite one or two 
instances. A most interesting case of 
this kind was related to me by my friend, 
Mr. Robert Starr. Briefly stated, it was 
this: Some years ago Mr. Starr bought 
a dozen Baldwin apple trees, and when 
they came into bearing it was noticed 
that one of the trees bore apples a year 
in advance of any of the others, and the 
fruit was so highly colored and ripened 
so early as to be scarcely recognizable 
as Baldwins ; yet the true Baldwin flavor 
was there, though somewhat intensified, 
leaving no doubt as to their identity, 
The last tree of the lot to come into 
bearing produced very large, light 
colored apples that ripened very late 
indeed, and though, when they finally 
did ripen, there was no doubt as to 
being Baldwins, yet the flavor was 
exceedingly weak, by no means as pro- 
nounced as the typical Baldwin flavor. 
A few years after sprouts came from be- 
low the graft on both trees, and were 


allowed to grow in order to determine 
what characters the original stocks had 
It was found that these sprouts exhibited 
shown the same differences which had 
characterized the apples. In one case 
they were small and short jointed, reddish 
in color, both leaves and twigs, and ripen- _ 
ed early in the autumn, the leaves falling 
before frost. In the other case the 
sprouts were coarse and green, long joint- 
ed, and did not stop growing in the fall 
until nipped by frost. Without prolong- 
ing further this phase of the discussion 
I may say that numerous similar in- 
stances might be given, showing con- 
clusively that the characters possessed 
by the stock are shown to a greater or 
less degree by the fruit borne on the 
tree. 

Accepting this as true, let us see what 
practical application can be made of the 
principle involved in securing desirable 
qualities in our fruits, more particularly 
in apples. First, we recognize that 
more highly colored fruit is, as a rule, 
desirable. Is it not possible then to 
profoundly modify the color of any of 
our fruit by top-grafting them upon trees 
of more highly colored sorts? For ex- 
ample would not Gravensteins be im- 
proved in color if they were worked 
upon Ben Davis trees? Undoubtedly 
they would. From our present know- 
ledge it cannot be accurately predicted 
to just what extent this influence would 
be shown, but enough has already been 
stated to show that whatever influence 
is exerted by the stock will be toward 
making the fruit approach in color to the 
fruit borne by the stock. 

Again, as to season of ripening. If 
so variable and elusive a character as 
color of fruit is likely to be transmitted, 


442 


TOP-GRAFTING ITS ADVANTAGES AND POSSIBILITIES. 


is it not reasonable to expect that the 
period at which a certain variety ripens 
might be changed by varying the stocks 
upon which the variety is grafted? In 
this connection Prof. Bailey says: 
“Grafting often modifies the season of 
ripening of fruit. This is brought about 
by different habits of maturity of growth 
in stock and scion. An experiment 
with Winter Nedis pears showed that 
fruit kept longer when grown upon 
Bloodgood stocks than when grown 
upon Flemish Beauty stocks. The lat- 
ter stocks in this case evidently com- 
pleted their growth sooner than the 
others: Twenty-ounce apple has been 
known to ripen in advance of its season 
by being worked upon Early Harvest. 
If all this has been done, is it not reason- 
able to suppose that if the Gravensteins 
were grafted on the Ben Davis, as was 
before suggested, not only would the 
color be improved, but the result would 
be Gravenstein apples with better keep- 
ing qualities? Some one may object 
here that if the Gravensteins be thus 
grafted on the Ben Davis it will not 
only partake of the characters of the 
latter in color and season of ripening, 
but in other qualities as well, and we 
Shall have our Gravensteins, the pride 
of Nova Scotia, tending to become as 
dry and tasteless as is proverbially the 
case with the Ben Davis. In answer to 
this objection I would say that there 
might be some ground for it; yet it is 
not a real objection, since in the com- 
mon practice of root grafting we graft 
the Gravenstein on to seedlings, not one 
in ten thousand of which would pro- 
bably be equal to the Ben Davis. 

One other point in this connection 
is worthy of the most careful considera- 
tion, and that is the importance of select- 
ing scions from the best and most pro- 
lific trees in propagating any variety. 


Every observant orchardist knows that 
certain of his Gravenstein trees, for 
example, bear more and better fruit than 
certain others do, and the same is true 
of other varieties. Not only this, but 
certain branches of a tree bear better 
than others. As a proof of this fact that 
even all branches of the same tree are 
not alike, I need only to cite the case of 
the Red Gravenstein, which originated 
on a single branch of Gravenstein tree. 
With these facts before us it is scarcely 
necessary to state the conclusion that 
the selection of scions for grafting de~ 
serves greater consideration than it 
usually receives. What would be 
thought of a stock breeder who paid 
absolutely no attention to the individual 
characteristics of the animals he bred 
from! Why, even in an ordinary dairy 
herd, kept simply for milk, we recognize 
the importance of individuality and save 
the heifers only from the best cows: 
And yet when it comes to plant breed- 
ing we take scions from any tree and 
from any part of the tree—suckers, 
water sprouts, anything, so long as it is 
the desired variety. ‘The time has come 
to make a decided change in this respect, 
and top-grafting offers the most simple 
remedy, since it gives an opportunity 
for each man to select his own scions 
from his best trees and set them in 
whatever stocks he prefers. 

That in this discussion we are tread- 
ing upon ground not quite so fully 
understood as some other fields of 
horticulture, I am quite well aware ; yet 
it seems to me that we do know enough 
to warrant the belief that with sufficient 
care in the selection of stocks and scions 
we may greatly improve, not only the 
productiveness of our trees but the 
color and keeping qualities of the fruit 
as well.—Prof. Sears before Nova Scotia 
Fruit Growers. 


443 


CONCLUSIONS. 


variety of plums to plant. This sea- 

son, the writer determined to keep 

strict tally of an orchard planted 
in 1894 with the following result :— 

From 49 trees of Abundance plum 73 
baskets were sold, realizing $29.82 or 
4oc. per basket. Season from Aug. 2nd, 
to Aug. 15th. 

From 94 Geuii plum trees, 93 baskets 
were picked which sold for $55.11 or 
59c. per basket. Season Aug. 6th, to 
Sept. 3rd. 

From 97 Lombard trees 211 baskets 
of plums were picked which sold for 
$78.34 or 37¢. per basket. Season 
Aug. 28th to Sept. gth. 

From 107 trees of Reine Claude 227 
baskets of plums were picked which 
sold for $98.26 or 43c. per basket. Sea- 
son Sept. 11th to 21st. 

The same proportionate amount of 
Ponds Seedling and Yellow Egg made 
no creditable showing and if this season 
can be taken as a test, the varieties 
come in order asa money-maker ; Reine 
Claude, Lombard, Geuii, Abundance. 
All were very carefully sprayed with 
Bordeaux and Paris green, which did not 
seem to have any beneficial effect for 


() vse it is a puzzle to know which 


the Cuculio Beetle which seems to show 
that jarring the trees in early morning 
would have a better effect on the theory 
of “catch them and kill them.” 

The season of harvest is over and 
what do we learn from it. The packing 
and grading has been better carried out 
and in many cases after a brand has be- 
come know, good prices have been the 
result: but ‘the first hill is the hardest 
climbing” for when starting grading 
grapes— which is done when picking off 
the vine—the writer had the mortifica- 
tion of the inferior 2nd grade selling*for 
from 4 to 7c. more on a Io Ib. basket 
than the 1st. That was to a commission 
house but it righted itself in time. The 
commission man to whom they were 
sent openly acknowledged, that some 
sellers will put.a man’s good grade in 
with a poor grade lot, as an inducement 
to the purchaser, but said in time a 
man’s good grade soon became known 
and the store keeper came repeatedly to 
buy fruit bearing that brand and would 
have no other; it will always pay to 
make two grades, stamp them as such 
instead of putting the two grades in one 
basket. 

JUNIOR. 


JAPAN TEA 


EN miles south of Kyoto are the 
T famous tea gardens of Uji. They 
produce the finest teas in Japan, 
which often command from five to 
seven dollars a pound. ‘Tea was intro- 
duced into Japan from China in A.D. 
805, and the gardens of Uji have existed 
for about eight centuries. Two kinds 
are grown: a small-leaved variety which 
yields two pickings a year,—the first 
about the second week in May and the 
second about the end of June. The 
other sort, which has larger leaves, yields 
one crop about the middle of June. The 
small-leaved sort is the most esteemed, 


GARDENS. 


and the first picking is considered the 
best in flavor. 

It is now well known that the color 
of tea depends entirely on the treatment 
of the leaves after being picked. If 
green tea is desired, they are fired im- 
mediately ; while for black, they are 
spread out on mats or trays, the sap 
being allowed to ferment in the same 
manner as we observed practised with 
indigo, and then fired. The curl or 
twist is imparted to the leaves by turn- 
ing end shaking them while in the firing 
pans.—Rept. Mass. Hort. Soc. 


444 


4{ @arden and Bawn & 
CALADIUM ESCULENTUM. 


Fie. 1686.—Catapium EscuLentuM. 


Srr,—I enclose photograph of blossom of 
Caladium esculentum. I find that many, like 
myself, have never seen the blossom of this 
plant. We have grown them for their foli- 
age for a number of years, but have never 
known them to develop blossom before. The 
flowers are from twelve to fifteen inches in 
length, and in color orange yellow, inside 
lighter or cream yellow. The bulbs were 
medium sized, started in hot-bed early in 


March and planted June 3rd in a dry situa- 
tion. 
Gro. NIcoL, 
Cataraqui. 


We are much pleased to receive so 
excellent a photograph of this well known 
foliage plant. Although commonly 


445 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


known as Caladium esculentum, it is 
strictly speaking another genus of the 
same order (Aroidee) viz:—Colocasia 
esculenta. It was brought to England 
from the Sandwich Islands in 1739, and 
has been much used in the southern 
counties in beds of tropical plants. It 
grows toa height of about two feet under 
favorable conditions. Even in England 
it is not planted out until early June, 


for liké the Caladiums proper it will not 
endure cold much lower than 55° or 60° 
Fahr. In the heat of summer, these 
plants need plenty of water and in early 
fall, before danger of frost, the tubers 
must be stored away in a cellar until 
March, when they may be started in a 
hot-bed as practised by our correspon- 
dent. 


FALE BUGS: 


SUGGESTIONS AS TO PLANTING 


AND CULTURE. 


planted in a 4 inch pot, and 

treated like the hyacinths and nar- 

cissus ; that is, by being watered, 
and put away ina cool, dark cellar or 
shed, or put out of doors and covered 
by several inches of some material (not 
fresh manure) until the pots are full of 
roots. They must be kept from frost 
and not allowed to get dry after root 
growth has begun. If thoroughly water- 
ed when potted they will not require 
much afterwards until they are brought 
to the light. The hyacinths and Easter 
Lily will not be ready to leave the cellar 
unti! about the first of January. The 
Narcissus about a month earlier. 

If desired, all these bulbs, except the 
Liliam Harrisii, will do quite well if 
planted in the garden. In that case, 
they should be planted in good soil, and 
at least three inches below the surface. 

The best soil for the potted bulbs 
would be rotted sod, leaf mould and 
sand, in equal parts, or very old friable 
manure in place of the leaf mould. Let 
the pots be clean and well drained, to 


rk desired, snowdrops can be 


allow the surplus water to pass Out at 
the bottom. This is best accomplished 
by putting a handful of beach gravel or 
broken potsherds in the bottom, with a 
little moss or half decayed tree leaves 
broken over this, to prevent the soil 
being washed into the drainage. On 
this fill in the soil for the hyacinths to 
within two inches of the top, when the 
soil has been shaken down (not pressed) _ 
by jarring the pot on something solid. 
Then set the bulb in the centre of the 
pot and fill in the soil around it so that 
when gently pressed there is an inch 
left to permit of effective watering. 
When finished, half the bulb will be 
above ground. The Narcissus should 
be just out of sight, and the lily two 
inches below the surface. Any good 
garden soil will do if the rotted sod is 
not at hand. 

If preferred, three hyacinths might 
be placed in one 6-inch pot, but the 
bulbs should not touch each _ other 
when planted.—Mr. A. Alexander, be- 
fore Hamilton Horticultural Society. 


- 


446 


FERNS AND. PALMS. 


Fiv. 1687._-A CLusteR oF Pa.tms. 


R. W. HUNT, gardener to 

Mr. John Stuart, “ Ingle- 

wood” Hamilton, sends us 

the accompanying photo- 

graphs of plants shown at the Floral 
exhibition. Two, says Mr. Hunt, are 
Adiantum or Maidenhair, and the other 
a large palm, growing in the conserva- 
tory. According to Mr. Stuart, the 
owner, the palm was 75 years of age 
when he purchased the place, 26 years 
ago. By estimating the first few years 
growth, and the tiers of fronds since, I 
make it over ninety years of age. The 
following are some of the dimensions of 
this palm (Cycas revoluta) ; height from 
base to tip of leaves 1o ft. 4 inches; 
circumference of trunk at base 3 ft. 6% 
inches ; diameter of scales upon which 
flowers and seed pods appear, 22 inches 
when fully expanded; the scales are 
light brown in color and before expand- 
ing resemble (in shape only) a monster 
cabbage on the top of the stem (Fig. 


1688.) The length of a single frond is 
five feet, and the width ten inches. 

Of the two 
Maidenhairferns, 
A. cuneatum is 
the older form, 
and was brought 
from Brazil,1820; 
it takes its name 
from the cuneate 
or wedge shaped 
fronds of the low- 
er pinnae at their 
base; it is a favor- 
ite. The scale of 
measurement is 
1ft. to the inch. 

The other fern, 
A. gracillinumisa 
form of A. cuneatum, and is the most 
delicate and charming of greenhouse 
ferns. These plants do credit to the 
gardenerwho grewthem and to the artists 
who madeit possible for us to have such 
good photographs. See cuts 1689-1690. 


Fic. 1688.—Fronp. 


447 


HARDY 


HERE are no more lovely and use- 
ful plants for decorative purposes 
than our Hardy evergreen ferns 
For rooms too cool to sit long in 

as a general thing, these plants luxuriate, 
as they will endure every change of tem- 
perature, even beyond freezing. 


FERNS. 


needs protection from the sun, and does 
best in a pot by itself. Edging this box 
were the dwarf species: A. ruta-muraria, 
Asplenium ebeneum, A. trichomanes, 
Camptosorus rizophyllum and Polypo- 
dium incanum and vulgare. 

No collection of house plants is com- 


- 


AT Feel 


rs 


Fic. 1689.—ADIANTUM GRACILLINUM.—Photo. sent by Mr. Hunt. 


Exotic ferns require the Wardian case, 
or bell glass ; but they cannot compare 
with the intense green, and freshness of 
the hardy sorts. A handsome box I 
once saw, contained, for the centre, 
Aspidium acrostichoides, A. cristatum, A. 
lonchitis, A. spinulosum, and the climber 
Lygodium palmatum, surrounded by the 
Maiden Hair( Adiantum pedatum), which 


plete without the fern. The Boston is 
a good one to raisé, and is so close a 
relative to the florid fern, that it is 
thought by many to be one and the 
same. The Lady fern (Asplenium filix- 
Femina) is a splendid pot fern, elegant 
and vigorous. 

Then there is the Rattlesnake fern, 
largest of its genus. The Ostrich, of 


448 


HARDY FERNS. 


Fic. 1690.—ApIANTUM cUNEATUM.—Photo. furnished by Mr. Hunt. 


majestic port, attaining five feet in 
height, with feathery graceful frond. 
The Royal (Osmunda rega/is), that may 
grow in pots, with care, and the Hart’s 
Tongue (Scolopendrium vulgare), with 
simple glossy-green fronds, both curious 
and very interesting. 

All these will grow luxuriantly in fresh 
loam, one-fourth sand, one-half leaf- 


mould, mulched with well rotted man- 
ure. These and the Asparagus species 
are fine for window gardening. Give 
your little daughter one or more on her 
birthday, until she has a fine collection. 
Include the little ball Horizon fern. 


M. A. HOskKINs. 


Newport, N. #1. 


SOME DESIRABLE BULBS. 


The Roman hyacinths and Bermuda 
lilies (Z. Harrisiz), which were potted 
in September, and stored in the dark 
pit or cellar, should now be rooted and 
ready to bring to the light, if they are 
wanted for early blooming. It is best 
to keep the main stock of winter flower- 
ing bulbs in the dark as long as possible ; 
nothing is gained by bringing them for- 
ward before the root system is well 


developed, as the result is almost invari- 
ably imperfect blooms, tardily produced. 
While most of forcing bulbs have passed 
their prime by November, some vari- 
eties, such as the hyacinth and narcissus 
may still be potted with good results, 
but the tulips, crocuses and freesias 
should be let alone, as the probable. 
result will be a crop of leaves without 
the blooms.—R. N. Y. 


449 


GLADIOLUS CULTURE. 


HE gladiolus I consider the 
most beautiful and, at the 
same time, the easiest raised 
of all tender bulbs. By ten- 

der bulb I mean those butbs that have 
to be taken up and housed over winter. 
Last summer I had in bloom one 
hundred bulbs, and thirteen different 
varieties. This is the collection of 
years, for I have been a gladiolus 
“crank” for many years. I have all 
shades of pink, red, orange, cream and 
pure white, although white is the most 
difficult to raise. 

In the fall, after quite a hard frost, 
I take a fine, dry, warm afternoon and 
arm myself with a sharp spade and 
dig up my gladiolus bulbs. Taking care 
not to injure any of them. [f take 
them and shake all the earth off and 
cut the tops off about two inches above 
the bulbs, with a sharp knife. Then I 
take a box, put in a layer of dry clean 
sand, then a layer of bulbs, and so on 
until the bulbs are all packed. On 
the top I put about two inches of sand. 
Then I bid my bulbs a long good bye 
and put them to rest under the cellar 
stairs. But the cellar must be dark and 
frost proof. 

The first fine weather in May I set 
out my bulbs. The most of them will 
be sprouted, but that does no harm— 
does not injure the sprouts. The larger 
the sprouts, the sooner the gladioli will 
be up. 
table garden, for you cannot raise 
gladioli successfully and crowd them. 
That is one thing to be remembered. 
I plant in rows four feet apart, and ten 
inches apart in the rows, setting about 
two inches deep. 

What a joy when in about ten days 
the first tinge of green shoot peeps out ! 
Some may not come up for weeks, but 


I plant them out in the vege- © 


just have patience, and they will .all 
come up if the bulbs are sound. My 
experience has been that if a bulb doesn’t 
look perfectly healthy, it doesn’t pay to 
plant it; it will only be a puny plant 
all summer and die when the heat of 
August comes. The terrible heat of 
last summer destroyed some of my 
choicest bulbs. Some small worm will 
also get at the roots sometimes and kill 
a plant, but not often. Cut worms 
have cut some for me, but very seldom, 
and cut worms are easily destroyed 
before they have done much damage. 
But the gladiolus is free from all de- 
structive flies, bugs, spiders, etc. 

I cultivate with a horse and a com- 
mon garden cultivator, and hoe them 
often. I plant the bulbs all at one 
time, but they will not begin to put out 
their spikes at once; so I havea suc- 
cession of bloom for weeks and weeks. 
Mine begin to blossom the last week in 
July and keep up until killed by the 
frost. Some of the spikes on mine, last 
summer, were eighteen inches long ; but 
then I have the heaviest soil and I 
fertilize besides, with barnyard manure. 
The manure must be free from straw 
or the heat will kill the plants, use no 
manure of a heating nature; I would 
rather use none. 

Now I will tell you how to increase 
your stock of bulbs. Last summer I 
had one hundred flowering bulbs, but 
more than two hundred little ones, some 
of which will blossom this year, and 
somé won't. A bulb that has been 
blossoming once will never blossom 
again, but instead several new bulbs are 
formed close around it, and they are the 
ones which will blossom the following 
year. So there is an increase of blos- 
soming bulbs of, perhaps, two, four 
or six, sometimes even more than 


450 


POVERTY STRICKEN GARDENS. 


that. I always leave the old bulbs 
attached until spring, when I set them 
out. 

So much. for the flowering bulbs. 
Now for new bulbs which are not ready 
to flower for a year or two, ‘These are 
attached to all gladiolus bulbs when 
you take them up, numerous small 
bulbs in size from a pin head to a pea. 
These leave attached until spring, when 
separate them and plant them by them- 
selves. Some of the larger ones will 
blossom, perhaps the first summer, 


but that won’t happen often, I tend 
carefully, and by fall most of them will 
be fine, robust bulbs, ready for fine 
bloom by the next summer. Gladioli 
can also be raised from seed, but I have 
never tried it. 

In my opinion there are few flowers 
to compare, in beauty in the garden and 
also for cut flowers, with the gladiolus. 
All labor expended on them will be 
more than repaid, if a person is a lover 
of the beautiful.—Minnesota Horti- 
culturist. 


POVERTY STRICKEN GARDENS. 


OW strange that with the great 
wealth of easily grown, inex- 
pensive material which is pos- 


sessed in the hardy flowering 


shrubs as home-adorning material, any- 


thing like fair collections of these should 
be so rarely met about country houses. 
Shrubbery groups are among the most 
fascinating and ever-changing plant 
adornments that can possibly be em- 
ployed on the home grounds, and the 
shrubs are no more trouble than the 
same number of currant bushes. Here 
is a list of what we consider the best 
hardy flowering shruos for common cul- 
ture. April Flowering.—Mezeron Pink 
(Daphne mezerum), Golden Bell (For. 
sythia) May Hlowering.—Japan Quince 
(Pyrus), Flowering Plum (Prunus tri 
loba), Flowering Almond (Prunus), 
Thunberg’s Spirzea (Spir@a Thundergt ), 
Plum-leaved Spirzea ( Spirea prunifolia ), 
Lilacs, many sorts; Rough-leaved Vi- 
burnum (V. rugosum), Lantana-leaved 
Viburnum (V. lantanoides), Bush Ho- 
neysuckles, Tree Peony. /umne Flower- 
ing.—Silver Bell Shrub ( adesia ), Lance- 
leaved Spirzea (S. danceolata), Josika’s 


Lilac, Garland Mock Orange ( Philadel 
phus coronarius ), Double-flowering Mock 
Orange, Large-flowering Mock Orange 
(P. grandifiorus), Dwarf Snowball ( V7- 
burnum plicatum ), Graceful Deutzia (D. 
gracilts ), Double Deutzia, in several va- 
rieties; Weigela Rosea and varieties, Red 
Branched Dogwood, White Fringe ( Chz- 
onanthus). July Flowering.—Alder-leaved 
Clethra (C. alnifolia), Billiard’s Spirzea 
(S. Billiard), Fortune’s White Spirza- 
(S. callosa alba), Fortune’s Spirza (S. 
callosa), Japanese Spiraea (S. species Ja- 
ponica), Oak-leaved Hydrangea (H. guer- 
cifolia). Flowering in August and later. 
—Altheas, Double and Single (Hidiscus ), 
Large-panicled Hydrangea, Purple Fringe | 
(Rhus cotinus). Variously Attractive.— 
Moneywort-leaved Coteneaster, hand- 
some fruit; Prunus Pissardi, beautiful 
dark red foliage, all seasons; Purple- 
leaved Berberry, violet purple foliage ; 
Variegated Cornelian Cherry, handsome 
white-blotched foliage ; Silver-leaved Cor- 
chorus, white-edged foliage ; Holly-leaved 
Mahonia, evergreen; Box, in varieties, 
evergreen.—Popular Gardening. 


451 


TULIPS. 


E have endeavored for years 
to make the growing: of 
tulips more popular, by 
showing how easily they 

can be grown, and at the same time not 
sacrifice any room, which is a great 
object in small gardens. But what is 
more important still, to have by their 
assistance a constant display of bloom 
from April until November. 

When the time for planting arrives, 
which should not be later than the 
middle of September, if we are to expect 
the best results, the flower garden is a 
mass of bloom which we do not wish to 
disturb to make room for the tulip, con- 
sequently they do not get planted. The 
general impression is that they should 
be planted annually, which is an error 
of judgment at the expense of a loss of 
flowers in May that cannot be afforded 
and which need not be. : 

One September we had sent us a 
thousand bulbs of the late flowering or 
show tulips, for which we immedi- 
ately made room. We planted them 
in rows lengthways of a bed fifty feet 
long, placing the bulbs six inches apart 
in the rows which were eight inches 
apart; but between every third row 
we left a space of fourteen inches. 
When planted we had twelve rows of 
tulips with three broad spaces between. 
There were filled with petunias that had 
been grown in pots, and very soon after 
the tulips were out of the way the 
petunias completely covered the ground, 
and a more showy mass cannot be 
imagined. This not only utilized the 
space but it shaded the ground so per- 
fectly that the bulbs were not injured by 
the summer’s heat. After the frost had 
completed its work of destruction, the 
bed was cleared and covered to the 
depth of four inches with coarse litter 


from the stable This was raked off 
early in April, by which time the tulips 
were well above ground, and now, where 
we planted a single bulb we have a 
clump of from four to eight flowering 
bulbs. So rapid has been the increase 
with this treatment that we shall take up 
the bulbs soon after flowering and pre- 
pare a similar bed for them again in 
autumn, which will require to be at least 
eight times the size of the present one. 


Our early tulips, planted in the same 
manner, are a mass of flowers, and 
do not show the least sign of neglect. 


It is well here to remark that while 
we consider the tulip to be a perfectly 
hardy bulb, capable of enduring any 
amount of freezing without injury, in our 
changeable climate there is, however, 
some danger of injury from contraction 
and expansion of soil caused by freezing 
and thawing. It is, therefore, better to 
protect the bulbs by a liberal mulch of 
coarse manure or newly fallen leaves. 
This not only affords protection against 
injury from the action of the frost, but 
it allows the bulbs to do much of their 
spring’s work during the winter, which 
they will do if the ground is not frozen. 


HYACINTHS. 


In the border these come on rapid- 
ly, and soon will make a grand display. 
They were amply protected against 
freezing by a heavy mulching of 
coarse litter from the stables, which 
they must have because hyacinths 
are not hardy. These may be planted 
in the same manner as we do the tulips, 
and, if second size bulbs are planted, 
they will flower well for three years, if 
the bed is well covered with some 
annual during summer. 


452 


TULIPS. 


THE CROCUS. 


If there is one early spring flower we 
admire more than another it is the crocus, 
and our admiration for this flower is in 
proportion to the care we give it. It is 
one of the many forms that fully appre- 
ciates good attention, and will amply 
repay all the kindness shown it. We 
plant these in every warm, cozy corner 
where the sun delights to linger, and 
not infrequently we have them in flower 
the first week in March. But if we 
expect this result good strong bulbs 
must be planted in September. Our 
best display is from bulbs planted three 
years ago, and from that time frost has 
not touched them. Not so, however, 
with the flowers, as they have been so 
hard frozen several times that they were 
as hard as ice and as brittle to the 
touch. But the moment the sun came 
out the frost departed, leaving the 
flowers uninjured. We put these in 
clumps, the bulbs four inches apart 
each way, and they completely fill the 
spaces that were between them. We 
shall let these remain at least another 
season and as long as they do well, then 
separate and plant out anew. 

SCILLAS AND SNOWDROPS. 


These should be planted in alternate 
rows, or in mixed clumps a foot or more 
in diameter. As an edging, or for fill- 
ing small beds, if planted sufficiently 
thick the effect is matchless. The azure 
blue of the one contrasts beautifully 
with the pure white of the other. These 
can remain for years without removal 
and seemingly do better the closer they 
grow. Both remain long in flower, 
coming the first in spring and remaining 
until the tulip and hyacinth overshadow 
them. 

THE ANEMONE AND RANUNCULUS. 


These were not born for our climate, 
as they come into flower during winter 


or early spring. But with little trouble 
they can be grown in frames and amply 
repay the labor they cost. As the tubers 
are easily kept, it is best to plant them 
about the first of February in a frame 
where they can be protected, both 
against frost and sun. In their native 
element they flower during the rainy 
season, when there is but little sun or 


heat, producing a mass of very gorgeous | 


flowers. A frame filled with these flowers 
in April has no peer in the garden. 


CROWN IMPERIAL. 


Fritillaria Imperialis is an object to 
be admired. There is nothing particu- 
larly striking in the flower, but its 
arrangement in clusters on the top of 
the naked stalk about a mass of clean 
luxuriant leaves, makes it an object of 
beauty. While it is not a hardy bulb, 
when growth commences in spring it 
seems to defy frost and forces its way 
through frozen ground. It is pleasing 
to watch its growth, we see the heads an 
inch in diameter, coming through the 
ground one morning, and the next they 
are fast frozen in, but the moment the 
ground softens they push themselves for- 
ward and are in blossom while yet the 
ground freezes. Ours were in full flower, 
(April 15) while during the week previ- 
ous ice to the thickness of half an inch 
formed near them. 

These we planted early in September, 
as should always be the case if they are 
to succeed, as the bulbs are so tender 
they suffer if long out of ground. Every 
bulb and plant has its marked peculiar- 
ity. This in having a hole through the 
entire length of the bulb, when it gets 
to be of flowering size. In buying the 
bulb, select only such as have a hole 
through them, as none others will flower. 
Protect ‘against frost during winter and 
the bulbs need not be disturbed for a 
number of years.— American Gardening. 


3 453 


AUTUMN AND WINTER NOTES FOR THE 
AMATEUR. 


HE beautiful autumn tints 
that so recently appear- 
ed on tree and shrub, 
shedding a glowing 
radiance of crimson and 

gold over the surrounding landscape 
but which now have almost disappeared 
leaving little but blackened foliage or 
bare leafless stems to remind us of their 
past beauty, were only the last brilliant 
tokens of summer sent to warn us of 
the approach of the keen nipping frosts 
and winds of winter ; compelling lovers 
of floriculture to ascertain if they have 
made due preparation for brightening 
up their windows with plants and flowers 
during the dreary days that intervene 
before the approach of spring, as well as 
making provision for beautifying the 
lawn and flower garden for coming sum- 
mer. Possibly a few remarks relative to 
these matters may be acceptable, and I 
trust instructive, to the readers of THE 
HORTICULTURIST. 

It is expected that ere now (Novem- 
ber) all tender plants are in their winter 
quarters, and will require careful atten- 
tion as to watering, keeping safe from 
frost, and free from the various insect 
pests that infest and injure them ; such 
as scale, aphis or green fly, thrip, mealy 
bug, and last, and possibly least so far 
as size is concerned, but by no means 
the least destructive, the pernicious 
little insect generally known as red 
spider, but which entomologists teli us 
is not really a spider. It suffices, how- 
ever, to .know that it causes sad havoc 
amongst our plants, very few being 
entirely free from its voracious and 
subtle attacks, the dry warm atmosphere, 
generally prevailing in our dwelling 
houses, being a perfect atmospheric 


paradise for these tiny little pests. Its 
presence is soon made apparent by the 
brown or rusty appearance of the under 
side of the leaves; lantanas, fuchsias, 
roses, and carnations being special fav- 
orities for its attacks. The last named 
plant when attacked presents a sickly 
looking whitened appearance and the 
three others mentioned commence drop- 
ping their leaves and if not attended to 
quickly will soon be devoid of foliage 
altogether. The tiny pests can not be 
seen at their work of destruction with the 
naked eye, but with the aid of a small 
microscope they are easily seen by ex- 
amining the under side of the leaves of 
the plants attacked. 

The best preventive of their attacks 
is to induce as moist an atmosphere as 


. possible around the plants by syringing, 


especially on the under side of the 
leaves, with tepid water. Small rubber 
sprinklers can be purchased at most 
florists or seed stores which answer the 
purpose splendidly for house plants. 
In greenhouses the hot water or steam 
pipes may be sprinkled, the vapor so 
raised making their stay on the plants 
uncomfortable and less harmful ; sprink- 
ling the floor of the greenhouse frequent- 
ly will help to keep them down. Several 
other good remedies have been pub- 
lished from time to time in THE Hor- 
TICULTURIST which it is needless for me 
to repeat. 

Scale can be kept down by sponging 
the plant with a wash made from whale- 
oil soap, one ounce of the soap dissolved 
in a gallon of hot water, allowed to cool, 
and applied as often as required. This 
will generally be effective. I prefer 
moderate applications frequently ap- 
plied, rather than severe applications, 


454 


AUTUMN AND WINTER NOTES FOR THE AMATEUR. 


as whale-oil soap is injurious if carelessly 
used. The plants should be rinsed or 
syringed with clean tepid water after 
the operation, to remove all traces of the 
soap. 

For the small green or black fly, thrip 
or similar pests, the easiest applied and 
most effective remedy is tobacco water, 
made by placing a handful of raw 
tobacco, or tobacco stems in a pail and 
filling the pail up with boiling water. 
After being allowed to cool, the liquid 
can be strained off into bottles or jars, 


and when required can be diluted with , 


equal quantities of water. It can be ap- 
plied with a small brush or rubber sprink- 
ler and will generally destroy these pests ; 
fumigation by burning tobacco stems 
that have been dampened or evaporation 
from tobacco stems are really the most 


effective remedies, but neither of these . 


methods are so readily adaptable for 
house plants. Mealy bug is not so 
destructive to plants as the insects 
before mentioned, but, if not kept under 
check, gives the planta very dirty appear- 
ance. Constant syringing and picking 
out the bugs with a small sharp pointed 
stick and destroying them is the best 
method to get rid of these floury dusty 
looking visitors. 

Information is often asked as to water- 
ing growing plants in winter. It is not 
easy to give advice on this matter, to 
meet the requirement of each and every 
plant, but a few general remarks on this 
important subject may perhaps be use- 
ful. It is best to water your plants 
early in the day, with water about the 
same temperature as the room where 
the plants are growing, giving sufficient 
water to well moisten all the soil in the 
pot, and watering only when required 
which can only be ascertained by close 
observation. Always water or syringe 
your plants on fine warm days if pos- 
sible. 


Should any of your favorites unfortun- 
ately get touched with frost, the best plan 
to save them, is to at once remove them 
from near the window or glass, and 
place them on the floor of the room and 
cover closely with sheets or table cloths 
to effectually exclude light and air with- 
out allowing the cover to touch them, 
and raise the temperature of the room 
gradually. The covering must be kept on 
for several hours, and the plants gradu- 
ally introduced to the light and heat, 
when if not too badly frozen, they will re- 
vive. I prefer the above plan to the cold ~ 
water cure sometimes recommended, 
being far easier than the latter method. 

Hydrangeas, oleanders, clivias, agaves, 
fuchsias, crinums, agapanthus and 
similar plants require very little attention 
in winter, and can be stowed away un- 
der the greenhouse bench, or in a base- 
ment or cellar, providing the temperature 
is a few degrees above freezing, 40° to 
45 suiting them very well, as they 
require to be kept in a dormant or semi- 
dormant state until early in the spring, 
when they can be brought out into more 
light and a higher temperature, watered 
more frequently and grown on for sum- 
mer flowering. They require very little 
if any water during the winter months. 
I have often wondered that the 
several varieties of the Agapanthus or 
African lily are not more extensively 
grown and used on lawns for summer 
decoration, as they succeed admirably 
in large pots or tubs, their long, arching, 
glossy green leaves and large showy 
umbels of blue or white flowers, borne 
on stout stems well above the foliage, 
making them very attractive. Their 
flowering period extends over several 
weeks, usually at a time when flowers 
are scarce, the blue flowering varieties 
being probably the most showy and re- 
munerative. A shaded position with 
plenty of water and perhaps a little weak 


455 


THE CANADIAN HORTIC ULTURIST. 


liquid manure, meets their requirements 
in summer. They can be kept in a 
semi-dormant condition during the 
winter as before described. 

Winter flowering plants suchas freesias, 
cyclamens, winter flowering begonias, 
primulas, Callas, Bermuda and other 
kinds of lilies should be well started into 
growth by this time. The Bermuda or 
Easter lily often suffers from attacks of 
aphis or green fly which appear chiefly 
at the top of the plants just as the buds 
are showing, or perhaps earlier. Tobac- 
“co water or tobacco dust are the best 
remedies. A little dust from tobacco 
stems sprinkled on the plants where 
affected, will generally destroy the in- 
sects without injury to the plant and 
can be washed off before the plants are 
in flower. 

Holland or Dutch bulbs should soon 
be ready to take from the cool, dark 

positions they have been started in 
Roman hyacinths especially should be 
showing good growth and may be 
brought into the house at intervals so 
as to have succession of them in bloom 
from Xmas, and even as late as Easter, 
their beautiful waxy white spikes of 
flowers being particularly suited for 
Easter decoration. The different varie- 
ties of hyacinths, including the pink and 
blue Romans which are very similar in 
habit to the Dutch varieties, as well as 
narcissus, tulips, crocus, etc., require to 
be well rooted in their pots before 
growing them on to flower. A cold 
frame or the sides only of a box of the 
required size, and about ten or twelve 
inches deep, is a splendid place in which 
to start the bulbs. Pot the bulbs in 
good loamy potting soil and water 
thoroughly, place the frame or box out- 
side in the garden, dig out a sufficient 
quantity of the soil inside the box, so 
that the pots when set in will be about 
level with the surface of the ground ; 


cover the pots with about an inch of 
sandy soil and spread over this some 
straw or long manure, sufficient to pre- 
vent frost from penetrating. A few 
boards over the top of the box to keep 
out the snow is advisable. The pots will 
require no morewater until theyare taken 
from the frame, which will be in three _ 
or four weeks from the time they were 
potted. They can be left as long as 
desired if kept from severe frosts and 
brought in as required, when water must 
be given them freely whilst growing. A 


-cool dark cellar, shed, or room, will 


answer as well as a frame for starting 
bulbs in. 

Dahlias, Cannas, Caladium esculen- 
tum, etc., ought now to be indoors, 
packed in sand away from frost. The 
last named bulb keeps best packed in 
dry sand in a warm room with a tem- 
perature never below 45°; dahlias and 
cannas can be kept in a warm cellar or 
root house free from frost. The latter 
also keeps well laid under the benches of 
a greenhouse, and can be brought out in 
April or May, potted and grown on for 
planting out in the beds in June. By 
this method the plants are in good con- 
dition when planted out, and at once 
make a display without having to wait 
for several weeks, as one often does if 
they are planted out direct from their 
winter quarters. It is best to stand them 
outside in a sheltered position for a few 
days before planting them out. 

For geranium plants that have already 
done good service in beds or borders, 
and which are often allowed to rémain 
and freeze, some favorite oftentimes 
being lost entirely, as the cuttings that 
have been taken from it may fail to 
root. Possibly a few words as to the 
method I have successfuly followed for 
years in keeping old plants over winter, 
may be acceptable to our readers. 

I have often seen geranium plants, 


456 


AUTUMN AND WINTER NOTES FOR THE AMATEUR. 


Fic. 1691. —-GeRANIUM CUT BACK IN THE FALL. 


special favorites particularly, dug up 
from the beds in their full vigor, potted 
with great care, with foliage and flowers 
complete ; the result being, if they grow 
and survive the winter at all, that only 
tall, lanky, almost leafless specimens are 
secured, and which by bedding out time 
in May or Juneare such miserable look- 
ing objects thatone feels tempted to throw 
them on therubbish pile ratherthan plant 
them near nicely grown plants. The 
method I follow is to procure a flat wood- 
en box without a cover, of the size requir- 
ed, and about three inches deep, with a 
fewsmall holes bored throughthe bottom 
to secure drainage, dig the plants up 
from the beds before frost, and prune the 
tops back severely. The large roots also 
may be cut back, leaving all of the small 
fibry roots possible. The accompany- 
ing small photo of a plant cut back, 
ready to plant in the box, will give a 
good idea how to perform this operation. 
Place the plants rather deep and close 
together in the box without crowding 
too closely, filling the box nearly to the 


top as you proceed with’ fine sand. 
Rinse sand from a stone road will 
answer, but lake or river sand is prefer- 
able. The plants should be a little deeper 
in the sand than they were in the soil in 
the garden. Water the plants once thor- 
oughly, place the box near the window 
in a warm place, and water only when 
the sand shows signs of dryness, avoid- 
ing keeping the roots too wet. After 
the plants have started growth well, re- 
move the box to a rather cool position 
near the window so as to avoid a rapid, 
sappy growth. The plants can remain in 
the box undisturbed until spring, except 
to pick out any decayed or too crowded 
foliage, when they can be taken out and 
potted singly into ordinary potting soil 
and grown on for use in beds or borders ; 
they will produce nice stocky, dwarf 
plants that will reward their owner with 
a wealth of flowers that cannot be ob- 
tained from young plants, and will 
amply repay for the time and attention 
given them. A box twelve inches square 
of the depth mentioned will hold a 
dozen or more ordinary sized plants 
easily. 

Cuttings of ger- 
aniums taken in 
August orearly in 
Septembercan be 
grownin a similar 
way tothatrecom- 
mended for the 
old plants except 
that a box two 
inches deep will 
be better for 
them than adeep- 
er one. Cutting 
prepared ready to 


Fic. 1692.—S.Ip. 
plant is shown in the photograph. 


W. Hunt. 


Hamilton. 


457 


‘ 


THE PEACH-LEAFED BELLFLOWER. 


Fig, 


1693.—PEACH-LEAFED BELLFLOWER. 


HE Peach-leaved Bellflower, Cam- 
panula persicifolia, whether grown 
in the garden or window. There 
are two colors, white and blue, and 

they may be had in either the single or 
double form. The former is generally 
considered the more graceful of the two, 
and a plant in full bloom, as represented 
in the engraving, is a source of great 
admiration. The seeds should be sown 
in the spring, and the plants set out 
where they are to bloom, as soon as 
they are large enough to bear transplant- 
ing. They will then become well estab- 
lished the first season, will endure the 
winter safely, and make a fine display 
the second year. In a severe climate 
protect with evergreen boughs when 


ROSES FOR 


Sir,—I would like to remind my 
critics of the gilt-edged list of roses that I 
was asked to give, that they are over- 
looking three very significant considera- 
tions : (1) that I was restricted to one 
dozen varieties ; (2) that they were to 
be really hardy ; (3) that they must be 
fragrant. 

One thing to avoid in recommending 
the cultivation of the rose is, discourage- 
ments to the beginner. With that aim 
as a primary object, I would never 
advise more than a dozen varieties to 
begin with. Nor would I ever encour- 
age the new beginner to start out with 
such doubtful varieties’ as Margaret 
Dickson, Perle des Blanches, Merveille 


cold weather comes.—Parks’ Floral 
Guide. 
BEGINNERS, 


de Lyons, and a number of others given 
by one of your correspondents. These 
are well enough for faddists or enthu- 
siasts, but they are not calculated to bring 
much encouragement or enthusiasm to 
new beginners. 

But this rose question is now threshed 
out ; for after all one may, say it is still 
a matter of experience ; and each year 
brings its own experiences; and with 
the same individual the favorites of one 
year may not be the favorites of the 
next. Observing a few general principles, 
each rose grower will be guided in his 
choice of varieties by his own experience. 

T. H. Race. 

Mitchell. 


458 


31 Our Pffiliated Societies. & 


GrimsBy.—The exhibition by the Society 
in the Town Hall, Thursday, 21st Sept., was 
one of the best that it hasever given. The new 
departure in showing fruits and vegetables in 
addition to flowers and plants, proved a de- 
cided success and ‘will be carried out in the 
future, as it was found that it created a much 
wider interest in the annual display ; and it 
is not to be wondered at, as everyone here is 
interested in the production of fruit—and 
probably the finest fruit grown in Canada is 
produced in this district. The exhibit of 
fruit proved so good, that it was decided to 
send the whole exhibit to Guelph, to be pre- 
pared for the Paris Exposition, as the Grims- 
by Horticultural Society’s contribution. Par- 
ties who had seen the fruit at the Toronto 
show, said that there was nothing there to 
beat our exhibition here. A striking feature 
at the show was an exhibit of fruits prepared 
for exhibition in England by Linus Woolver- 
ton, who kindly lent the exhibit for the occa- 
sion. Very few vegetables were shown, but 
they were of the best. The show of flowers 
was large and varied, proving that the influ- 
ence of the Society is being felt. Messrs. 
Cole and Terryberry were the largest exhi- 
bitors of flowers and plants. 

The Grimsby Band turned out in full force 
and did their part in contributing to the in- 
terest of the occasion. 


E. H. Reap, Sécretary, © 


NapaNneEE.—The annual flower carnival of 
the Napanee Horticultural Society has now 
become quite the event of the year, looked 
forward to with pleasure, and patronized 
freely by the citizens. The turn-out on 
Thursday evening, the 21st September, was 
the largest in the Society’s history, repaying 
well the arduous work devolving on the mem- 
bers in decorating the large building and in 
‘the arrangement of plants and flowers. The 
_ceiling was hung with gay bunting and lan- 
terns, and the walls with much bunting and 
numerous English and American flags. Ever- 
green trees were placed against the walls, and 
the whole building illuminated with electric 
lights, transforming it into a bower of beauty. 

Down the centre the tables were arranged, 
holding alternately plants and cut flowers. 
Some beautiful specimens were shown of as- 
ters, dahlias and gladioli. Many beautiful 
and rare foliages were exhibited. The chief 
attraction in the building was perhaps. the 
floral suspension bridge, designed, built and 
pushed to successful completion under the 
direction of Mr. W. S. Herrington. The 
design, along the west side of the ‘building, 
represented a suspension bridge over a river, 
showing boats sailing, and a panorama of 
country on which could be seen roads, houses, 
flower beds, camps, swan pond, cattle, the 
farmer in his democrat travelling along, ham- 
mock, rustic seats, avenues, trees, etc. The 


contour of country was first built of sand 
and covered with moss. The contrast of the 
greens with the bright flowers of the bridge 
was very beautiful. The whole work was a 
great success and admired by all. 

The Klondyke scene, showing the mouth 
of the shaft, with the bucket, was another 
striking success. The color scheme in this 
design was charming, reflecting the greatest 
credit to the ladies who had the work in hand. 

The spinning wheel, with all its parts gaily 
decorated with flowers, was another great 
attraction, and was continually surrounded 
by people watching the lady in charge, 
dressed in the garb of the olden days, go 
through her patient work. 

The management were greatly disappointed 
over the non-appearance of the ‘‘ Harpers.” 
This talented company had been engzged at 
Toronto, and were expected to take part in 
the Kingston show, but for some unaccount- 
able reason they failed to make connections. 
There was no dearth of music, however. A 
number of Napanee’s accomplished musicians 
were present and gave instrumental solos and 
duets on a piano from Mr. W. A. Rockwell’s 
warerooms. Among those who thus favored 
the audience were Mrs. O. L. Herring, Miss 
Lineau, Miss O’Brien (gold medalist of the 
Toronto Conservatory of Music), Miss Ward, 
Miss Georgie Herring and Miss Edith Dafoe. 

The architect and builder of the suspension 
bridge was ably assisted by Mrs. J. A. Shib- 
ley, Mrs. W. S. Herrington, Mrs. George 
Napier (Montreal), Miss Harshaw, Miss Ste- 
phanie Harshaw, Miss Templeton and Miss 
Lake. 

Those responsible for the creation of the 
Klondyke were Miss Harshaw, Miss Temple- 
ton, Mrs. J. A. Shibley and Mr, George 
Perry. 

The spinning wheel was the work of Mrs. 
W. H. Boyle and Mrs. James Harmer. 

After the carnival was over the cut flowers 
were distributed among the churches, and the 
sick around town were remembered with 
choice bouquets. 


THE Winpsor Hort. Society issued 
a fine prize list for their exhibition, in 
the Curling Rink, Oct. 11 and 12, 1899. 
The following is a copy of the rules gov- 
erning exhibitors :— 


Entries must be made to the Secretary 
upon printed forms furnished, not later than 
the 7th October. 

Forms may be obtained from the Secretary. 

All exhibits to be placed, and during the 
exhibition cared for, by a Committee of the 
Society ; and must be in the building not 
later than ten o’clock on the morning of the 
11th of October. 


459 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. . 


No plants, fruit or flowers can be removed 
from the building until the close of the Exhi- 
bition, without the consent of the Committee 
of arrangements; but cut flowers injured 
from any cause may be replaced by others of 
the same kind. 

Exhibitors may attach their names to ex- 
hibits only after the judging shall have been 
completed. 


Pot plants of exhibitors will be collected 
and delivered by vans engaged for the pur- 
pose by the Society, but the Society will not 
be responsible for injury to such plants from 
weather or other causes during such trans- 
portation. 

A disinterested professional Florist will be 
engaged to judge the plants and flowers, and 
an experienced Pomologist to judge fruit. 

All exhibits must be the growth of exhi- 


bitors within the county, and correctly lab- 
elled. 


SALE oF PLANTs, Fruit, ETc.—At 8 o’clock 
on the evening of the 12th October a sale of 
pot plants and fruit will be held under the 
direction of the officers of the Society ; and 
exhibitors wishing to dispose of surplus stock 
will be afforded an opportunity of doing so. 


Instead of money premiums, a handsome 
lithographed Certificate will be issued, which 
the directors have been assured will prove 


much more acceptable to exhibitors than cash, 
as it may be preserved indefinitely. 


Port Hopre.—A short time ago, the direc- 
tors of the Port Hope Horticultural Society 
met in the Secretary’s office. Among other 
business, the question of plant distribution 
was discussed. 

The feeling of the meeting was decidedly in 
favor of the present system of premium dis- 
tribution as being ‘‘the greatest good to 
the greatest number.” I am afraid that 
it would be a hard blow to the Horricut- 
TURIST, if the suggestion of one of your 
contributors in August Number was ad- 
opted—viz., the offering of a prize for the 
best essay on ‘‘shrubs, etc,” This would 
result in concentrating the amount (which is 
at present equally divided among the subscri- 
bers) in the hands of a few who have had the 
privilege of a good education, while the bulk 
of those, equally entitled, could not possibly 
enter into competition. I am quite sure that 
your correspondent is desirous of furthering 
the interest of horticulture, but I have no 
doubt, that after careful consideration, he 
will find that his suggestion will not meet 
with the approval of those who are now 
enjoying the present system of distribution. 


J. C. Jackson (acting Secretary. ) 


PEACH CULTURE. 


WELL drained, naturally dry soil 
is best. Thorough drainage is 
necessary ; peach trees will not 
grow with their feet wet. We have been 
growing peaches of the Persian family ; 
also varieties from South China. An- 
other type from North China, which we 
are just getting acquainted with, seems 
to be more hardy than the Persians. 
The most notable among the North 
China peaches is the Elberta. The 
Early Rivers is one of the hardiest 
peaches. Some think that Mr. Rivers 
really had a seedling of a North China 
peach without knowing it. The Craw- 
ford will thrive better on a clayey soil 
thanvon a sandy loam. The best soil, 
all things considered, is a light, sandy 
loam. 
The peach industry tends to increase 
the value of land. Let ordinary farm 


land be developed into a peach orchard, 
and all the land in that vicinity will 
immediately command $200 or $300 an 
acre. 

The land about the average home is 
rich in nitrogenous matter, and peach 
trees planted in this soil will make rapid 
growth and produce splendidly for one 
or two crops. But such rapid growth 
makes soft wood, and the trees will 
soon die. If we want our trees to live 
long and be happy we must not give 
them too much nitrogen. I would pre- 
fer poor soil to a very fertile one, and 
would feed it, but would avoid stable 
manure. Fertilizers rich in phosphate 
acid and potash give ripe, hardy wood, 
and may be used freely. Potash adds 
to the color and quality of the peach.— 
Rept. Mass. Hort. Soc. 


460 


SUBSCRIPTION PRICE, $1.00 per tit : c ‘ 
Growers’ Association of Ontario and all its privileges, including a copy of its va 
Report, and a share in its annual distribution of plants and trees. ; ‘ 

REMITTANCES by Registered Letter or Post-Office Order are at our risk. Receipts will be 
acknowledged upon the Address Label. 

ADVERTISING RATES quoted on application. Circulation, 5,000 copies per month. 

LOCAL NEWS.—Cortespondents will a oblige by sending to the Editor early intelligence 


of local events or doings of 


orticultural Societies likel 


ear, entitling the subscriber to meee of the Fruit 


uable Annual 


to be of interest to our readers, or of any 


matters which it is desirable to bring under the notice of Horticulturists. 
ILLUSTRATIONS.—The Editor will thankfully receive and select photographs or drawings, 
suitable for reproduction in these pages, of gardens, or of remarkable plants, flowers, trees, etc.; but 


he cannot be responsible for loss or injury. 


NEWSPAPERS.—Correspondents sending newspapers should be careful to mark the paragraphs 


they wish the Editor to see. 


when a subscriber wishes his paper stopped 


ISCONTINUANCES.—Remember that the publisher must be notified by letter or post-card 
All arrearages must be paid. Returning your paper 


ill not enable us to discontinue it, as we cannot find your name on our books unless your Post 
Office address is given. Societies should send in their revised lists in January, if possible, otherwise 


we take it for granted that all will continue members. 


+j Notes and @omments. & 


THE CHARLTON GRAPE.—We have 
received to-day (September 27th) three 
bunches of the new Charlton grape. 
Messrs. John Charlton & Sons, of 
Rochester, the introducers, say, “We 
send you a sample of our new grape 
which we allow to speak for itself”; and 
certainly if the vine is healthy and pro- 
ductive the qualities of the fruit are such 
as to ensure it a place among our very 
best varieties. A cross between Mills 
(Muscat Hamburg x Creveling) and 
Brighton, (Concord x Diana) two 
varieties themselves possessing most 
excellent qualities, we would expect 
nothing less than a first-class hybrid. 
The bunch is large, about five and a 
half inches in length, shouldered and 
very compact. The berry is large, skin 
tough, light red turning dark maroon 
and almost black at maturity. Covered 
with a thin lilac bloom; flesh meaty, 


tender, pulp breaks up readily from 
seeds, flavor sweet, fairly juicy, sprightly, 
aromatic, very pleasant. 


CorRECTION. — Height of Japanese 
pine (p. 383) should be two feet and 
its age 52 years ; and instead of Douglas 
spruce having two companion trees it 
has only one. 

Mr. C. W. Hartman, of Clarksburg, 
sends us a freak of nature in two samples 
of a plum, one yellow and one dark 
red, grown on the same graft. The 
specimens seem to be the same in every 
other respect except color. 


THE SOUTHERN Fair at Brantford 
has been a decided success this year 
financially, the receipts being about 


$3000. 


461 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


THE CHARLTON GRAPE has_ been 
awarded the Wilder medal at the recent 
meeting of the American Pomological 
Society. Chairman F. M. Hexamer of 
the native fruit committee of the Ameri- 
can Pomological Society, reported as 
follows on the Charlton grape at the 

_ Philadelphia meeting of the society: 
“A cross between the Brighton and 
Mills, raised by John Charlton, Roch- 
ester, N.Y. The original vine has 
fruited the last six years, and its fruit 
seems to increase each season. ‘The 
berries are globular in shape, and me- 
dium to large in size, moderately com- 
pact, and sometimes shouldered ; color 
red, similar to Catawba, quality best, 
flesh tender and melting, juicy, sweet 
and vinous, separating readily from the 
seeds of which there are but few. Skin 
thin, but firm enough to ensure good 
keeping and shipping quality. Season 
early, showing color before Concord, 
but the fruit is in eating condition be- 
fore it is fully colored. The vine isa 
strong, healthy grower and _ prolific 
bearer.” 


TEN THousAND ACRES OF LAND of 
Manitou Island, Lake Michigan, was 
purchased by a Chicago fruit firm, with 
the intention of planting it to one great 
apple orchard. The plan has been 
abandoned, owing probably to the 
decline of apple values, and the property 
will be converted into a summer resort. 


THE NATIONAL APPLE SHIPPERS 
ASSOCIATION complains loudly against 
the custom in the large English markets 
of allowing the buyer to return fruit 
once bought in the auction room. It 
seems the purchaser has thirty hours 
after the sale in which to accept or 
reject his purchase, and very often 
goods are returned for some show of a 
reason that they are not as represented 


‘ Robertson will speak on 


and such goods must of course be then 
sold at a sacrifice. The calculation is 
that the sale in the auction should be 
final, as is customary in other lines. 

THE WINTER MEETING of the On- 
tario Fruit Growers’ Association is to 
be held in the Music Hall at Whitby, 
Ont., on Tuesday and Wednesday, the 
5th and 6th of December. Prof. J. W. 
“ The Com- 
merce in Large Fruits,” a most important 
topic for Ontario Fruit Growers to con- 
sider at the present time. 

All the prominent fruit men are 
expected to be present. Representa- 
tives will be on hand from the Central 
Experimental Farm and from the 
O.A.C., Guelph. 

Mr. A. W. Campbell, of the Dept. of 
Agriculture, will give an address on 
Good Roads and Cold Storage for Fruit 
Growers. Mr. E. C. Beman, one of the 
best pear growers in Ontario, will speak 
on Varieties of Pears for the Home 
Markets Mr. Lick, Mr. J. E. Farewell, 
Q.C., Dr. Waugh, and Dr. Hare will 
give address. Music will be furnished 
by the Ontario Ladies’ College. These 
are but a few of the good things before 
us. We hope for a large and enthusi- 
astic meeting. 

THE AMERICAN PARK AND OUT 
Door Association will hold a meeting . 
of its officers and of others interested in 
its work at Chicago, on the 4th of Nov. 
The Secretary, Mr. W. H. Manning, may 
be addressed at the Auditorium, Annex 
Hotel, during and before the meeting. 

This Association is an important one 
and should have the encouragement and 
support of all those interested in land- 
scape improvements. 


FORMATION OF New Loca. SOCcIE- 
TIES.—This is the month to consider 


462 


QUESTION DRAWER. 


the formation of new Horticultural Soci- 
eties. Mr. Thos. Beall, of Lindsay, one 
of our directors, is to be sent out by our 
Association to assist in forming local 
Societies, wherever his services are re- 
quired 


MontTHiy MEETINGS of our Affiliated 
Societies should begin at once and be 
continued throughout the winter. One 
paper read and fully discussed, a few 
flowers on the table for comparison and 
a little music, will make a delightful 
evening. The Hamilton Society meets 
the first Monday evening in each month. 


RosEs, CHOICE OF VARIETIES AND 
WINTER CarkE, is the subject of an in- 
teresting article by Mr. J. C. Jackson, 
acting Secretary of the Port Hope Hor- 
ticultural Society, which will appear in 
our November number. 


THE HampurG APPLE MARKET 
seems to be a good one for fancy colored 
varieties, which are quoted at $7 a barrel. 
Ordinary stock would not be worth the 
freight. 


THE ANNUAL MEETING OF THE ON- 
TARIO FRUIT GROWERS’ ASSOCIATION 
will be held in Whitby, Ont., Tuesday 
and Wednesday, 5th and 6th of Decem- 
ber, “The Commerce in Large Fruits,” 
will be the subject of Prof. J. W. Rob- 
ertson’s address, and “ Beautifying 
Country Homes,” will be treated by 
Prof. Hutt. The best talent in the 
country will be present and the pro- 
gramme willbe spicy. Everybody wel- 
come. Copies of the programme, which 
is now being prepared, may be had on 
application to the Secretary, L. WooL- 
VERTON, Grimsby, Ont. 


+ Question 
Canadian Apple Barrel. 


1417. Srr,—Would you please give us 

through the Journal the size of 

adian apple barrel ? 
3 A SUBSCRIBER. 


The following is taken from an ad- 
vance copy of the amendment to the 
Weights and Measures. Act, which has 
since become law. 


2. On and after the first day of July, one 
thousand nine hundred, section 18 of the 
The Weights and Measures Act shall be 
repealed and the following shall be substi- 
tuted therefor :— 

18. All apples packed in Canada for sale 
by the barre] shall be packed either in 
cylindrical veneer barrels having an inside 
diameter of eighteen inches and one-third, 
and twenty-seven inches from head to head 
inside measure, or in good and strong barrels 
of seasoned wood twenty-seven inches between 
the heads, inside measure, and having a head 
diameter of seventeen inches and a middle 
diameter of nineteen inches, and such last- 
named barrels shall be sufficiently hooped, 
wita a lining hoop within the chimes, the 
whole well secured with nails 

‘©2. Every person who offers or exposes 
for sale, or who packs for exportation, apples 
by the barrel, otherwise than in accordance 


the legal Can-— 


O®rawer. & 


with the foregoing provisions of this section, 
shall be liable to a penalty of twenty-five 
cents for each barrel of apples so offered or 
exposed for sale or packed.” 


Cutting Back the Clematis. 


1118. Srr,—Should Clematis Jackmanni 
be cut back to root, that is each season’s 
growth taken off, so that the next year’s 
growth will be entirely new ? 


W. S. G. WALKERTON. 


The treatment should vary with differ- 
ent varieties of clematis. Some varieties 
die back sufficiently, as for example, 
those of the Lanuginosa type ; but with 
a strong grower like Jackmanni it is 
quite safe to remove the whole top and 
cause the growth to break forth fresh 
from the crown. If, however, even this 
variety is needed to cover some bare 
trellis pole, or old tree trunk, time in 
spring is lost by cutting back, for it can- 
not so clothe the bare wood with ver- 
dure. 


463 


* Open [eetters. ¥ 


Notes from St. Joseph’s Island. 


Str,—I thought perhaps it might be inter- 
esting to you to know just how our fruit 
trees came through a winter here in Algoma, 
when the thermometer got down to 44 below 
zero. We know that in Manitoba that de- 

ree of frost means not only no fruit, but no 
ruit trees, with perhaps the exception of 
that one tree that appeared in a late number 
of the Horricutturist. Without attempt- 
ing any explanation, it is a fact that we ex- 
perienced that degree of cold, and that the 
loss by trees being killed tu the ground would 
not exceed one per cent. among apples, and 
ten per cent. in pears. I saw a statement in 
an American paper the other day, that Japan 
plums would not stand more than 15 to 20 
below zero, without being killed root and 
branch ; but this summer I have examined 
several trees of Abundance, and cannot see 
that they have sustained the slightest injury, 
one tree in particular with a north and west 
exposure clear through to Lake Superior, 
although like other trees in the smal] orchard 
—leaning away frem the cold--was making 
good growth. Of course, we had little fruit 
on cherries or plums ; the trees bloomed, but 
the fruit never set, owing, I think, more to 
the long continued rain when the trees were 
in bloom in the spring In my own orchard, 
the only tree that I can say sustained any 
injury from the cold, was a Yellow Spanish 
cherry, part of last year’s growth being killed 
and all the fruit buds. 

We have had considerable rain during the 
summer, which perhaps will account for our 
apples being not so highly colored as usual, 
still the specimens to be seen at the different 
Fall shows would be hard to beat even in 
your highly favored district for anything 
except size. Fall apples were good, trees of 
Duchess and Wealthy had in most instances 
to be propped up as usual. Of long keeping 
winter apples we have a poor crop, in fact we 
are yet looking for a long keeper. Scotts 
Winter is perhaps the best so far, but is too 
small and too much of the cast metal order. 
Give us something better if you can. 

Our summer boarders, the Forest tent 
caterpillars, have come and gone. Next year 


we will have few or none, at least they them- 
selves have made no arrangements for next 
summer. A neighbor of mine says they ate 
off every, green leaf before they were full 
grown, aad died of starvation before they 
could spin their cocoons. 

I believe their visit has done us some good. 
You see it is hard for a man who makes the 
growing of fruit a kind of side show, to 
understand the first injunction on your spray- 
ing calendar, spray before the buds open, but 
when he sees the young caterpillars, he sees 
an urgent necessity for Killing them quick. 


Cuas. Youne. 
Richard’s Landing, Ont. 


Japan Plums. 


S1r,—In your October issue I note the let- 
ter of S. Speedwell under the heading of 
‘Japan Plums in Simcoe County;” now 
‘* Simcoe” is a very large county, and there 
may be doubtless some favored portions of it 
where the Abundance plum tree will do well 
and bear fruit ; but it is not anywhere about 
this locality. It would add much interest to 
Mr. Speedwell’s letter to know from what 
section of the county he writes, say his near- 
est post office, I have twice procured Abun- 
dance and other Japanese plum trees and 
given them the best of care; at most they 
lingered for three or four years, blossomed 
onve or twice and then died without ever 
having yielded any fruit. 

C- L. STEPHENS. 

Orillia. 


The Chureh and Horticulture. 


Srr,—Will you permit me to say to the 
readers of THE Horticu.tTurist that I am 
not responsible for the errors abounding in 
my contribution to the October number. 
Apart from the use made of that article, the 
clauses omitted from it and the errors left in 
it, the October number is an exceptionally fine 


number. 
T. H. Racg. 
Mitchell, Oct. 9. 


At Covent Garden Market the first 
arrival of Canadian apples and pears 
were sold on Wednesday (yesterday) by 
Messrs. W. N. White & Co. (Limited). 
The Howell pears made 5s. 3d. to 5s. 
gd. per case, and Bartletts from 2s. 6d. 


to 7s. 6d. Messrs. Elder, Dempster & 
Co., are dealing with these Canadian 
supplies at Bristol, and the North of 
England Fruit Brokers (Limited) at 
Manchester.—Fruit Grower, Sept. 21st. 


464 


Jhe Markets. 


Apple Reports. 


Messrs, JAMES ADAM, Son & Co., Liver- 
pool, write :— 


Although still very early, the shipping 
season may be said to have commenced in 
earnest, a fair quantity, mostly from New 
York, having already come to hand, as will 
be seen from the figures given below. 
Whether results have given satisfaction, how- 
ever, is more than we can say, as owing to 
the more or less faulty condition of the fruit 

rices obtained have been very irregular, de- 
ective barrels making from 7/ to 15/, and 
tight up to 23/ per barrel. In many in- 
stances the stock was very tender, and ought 
never to have been shipped, especially at a 
time when English-grown fruit is available ; 
indeed, considering this, we have been sur- 
prised that such high prices were paid for the 
better samples of American, and are conse- 
quently inclined to take a favourable view of 
the out-look for winter stock. So far, of 
course, it has been impossible to form any 
opinion as to what the quality is likely to be, 
but we hope, as reports indicate, it will be 
good, and that shippers will exercise every 
possible care in the selection of fruit for ex- 
port, and keep back anything not likely to 
carry in good condition. 


Mxssrs. DickuutH & Sonn, Hamburg, 
write :— 
In shy a to the prospects for the sale of 


apples from your side in our market, we can 
only confirm what we said in our last circu- 


lar, that is for table apples we shall have en- ~ 


tirely to depend upon shipments from your 
country, and we can strongly advise you, to 
make regular shipments of first grade best 
keeping winter-apples. 


The Trade Bulletin, Montreal, says :— 

The heavy shipments of common grades of 
apples in different markets of the country has 
had the effect of glutting most markets and 
of forcing prices to a much lower scale. This 
condition at market points has very materi- 
ally changed the situation in the country. 
Buyers are not anxious for stock and are 
inclined to hold off, and farmers who have 
been holding out for higher prices are now 
offering fruit more or less freely at lower 
figures, $2.25 being about the top price ina 
general way for No. 1 stock with some very 
good fruit to be had at $2 per barrel. The 
market in this city is somewhat congested, 
principally with lower grades of fruit, and 
would propably be even more so had the 
growers'in Jersey and Up-river points been 
able to have sacured help to pick and send in 
fruit, which in lack of these has had to go to 
the evaporator and cider maker, or else 
wasted. Stock in store and in transit has 


ripened very rapidly, owing to the warm 
weather, and much fruit originally intended 
for export has for this reason been thrown on 
the market. The general range of prices here 
is from $1.50 to $2 per barrel, although fancy 
soft, table fruit commands a higher price. On 
good, sound fruit, well packed, there is a 
airly good shipping trade and a moderately 
good export demand, and on this quality of 
stock the market is holding fairly steady. 


The New York Fruit Trade Journal says:— 


Apples.—About all the apples that came 
forward the past week for market purposes 
were of such quality as would not do for 
storage or export. The best of these met 
slow sale while, very poor stock was hard to 
move and accumulated. Prices quoted are 
for fair to choice stock, while undergrades 
were often sold as low as 50c. per barrel. The 
following are quotations : 


King, per d-h, bbl............ $2 00 to $2 75 
Twenty Oz. d-h bbl .......... 2 00 to 2 50 
SHOW; Gens Ole cate oo «dekelne sale 2 00 to 2 75 
Ben Davis, d-h. bbl.......... 1 75 to 2 00 
Fall or York Pip. d-h. bbl.... 1 50 to 2 00 
Baldwin, d-h. bbl............. 1 50 to 2 00 
Pelican, d=d2 DDE, |i... ioscan ce 1 50 to 2 00 
Smith Cider, d-h. bbl......... 1 50 to 1 75 
Greening, d-h. bbl............ 1 25 to 1 75 
Open heads, bbl ......... .... 50 to 1 00 
Crab apples, small, bbl....... 1 50 to 2 00 


Pears.—The demand was smaller than for 
some time past. Even fancy Bartletts, which 
are very scarce, met slow sale at $2 to $3 per 
box. All other varieties were scarce, except 
Keifers which were quite plentiful with prac- 
tically no demand. They were quoted at 
$1.50 to $2 per double-head barrel, but prices 
were frequently shaded as demand required. 

Quinces.—Receipts of Quinces were quite 
liberal, but fancy stock was scarce. Demand 
was small at $2.50 to 3 per barrel for fancy 
and $1.75 to 2.25 per barrel for other grades. 

Grapes.—Fancy table grapes were very 
scarce and wanted. Offerings were poor and 
hardly worth the price paid, 13 to 14c. per 
basket. The bulk of grapes coming on the 
market are for wine purposes, the frost hav- 
ing rendered them unfit for table use. 
Receipts were heavy and offerings were not 
all disposed of, Prices were quoted at $25 
to 28 per ton for Concord ; $25 to 30 per ton 
for white ; $45 to 50 per ton for Delawares 
and $25 to 28 per ton for Catawba. At the 
end of the week these figures were shaded 
considerably. 

And further De carp hic the grape situation : 

The grape market has been sadly congested 
the past week. Owing to the heavy frost the 
early part of the month, shipments of wine 
grapes have been rushed very much and the 
market has had more of this kind of stock 


465 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


than it could properly absorb, and prices 
show weakness with a further decline in 
sight. It is estimated that four-fifths of the 
crop on the vines at the time of the frost were 
destroyed as far as use for table purposes is 
concerned ; but they are being shipped for- 
ward for wine grapes, and the growers will 
probably do equally as well as though they 
had been shipped for table grapes. This 
applies to the black and while varieties only. 
Catawba were almost a complete loss in the 
frosted district, as the berries had not ripened 


sufficiently to make wine, and were so badly 
frozen as to cause them to drop from the 
vines. Table grapes are not so plentiful, 
though in sufficient supply to meet the 
demand. Many of the larger concerns are 
holding their stocks of table grapes for later 
markets. The warm weather has been un- 
favorable for the keeping of grapes, being 
especially hard on those,in transit or in cars 
waiting to be unloaded, and we advise lighter 
shipments for a while, as the only remedy 
against a glutted market and lower prices. 


THE, SCILLA SIBERICA. 


Fie. 1694.—Scrnua SIBERICA. 


HE Scilla Siberica is one of the 

loveliest of the small flowered 

bulbs. Its blossoms are of the 

purest blue, of the most exqui- 

site shade you can imagine. . They grow 

on slender stems and are frail and deli- 
cate in appearance. 

One fall I put a lot of these little 
bulbs out of doors, and early in the 
spring they began blooming, the tiny 
bulbs seemed rather to outdo themselves 
in sending up flower stalks and the 
dainty, delicate blossoms were very fair 
to look upon. 


It will pay any flower lover to invest 
in a few (or a good many) of these bulbs ; 
they cost but a trifle and they make an 
ideal border for a bulb bed anywhere. 
They are much finer if set in rows of 
half a dozen wide or even more. The 
bulbs may be set closely and should not 
be covered too deeply. Set them per- 
haps three inches apart and as many 
inches under cover. Mulch the bed 
after setting, or before cold weather 
comes on too severely. Still they are 
hardy, perfectly so, but a little protection 
given even to the hardiest bulb, will 
make itself shown in the size and quality 


of the flowers. 


The scilla makes a pretty bulb for 
forcing, as it blooms so early it may 
easily be had in blossom for the winter 
holidays. A dozen or more of the little 
bulbs may be set in a six inch pot 
After setting, put away in the dark to 
root, for some six weeks, then bring to 
the light and you will soon be rewarded 
by the shooting up of slender green 
stalks and the blossom stem almost at 
the same time. They continue in bloom 
for quite a length of time, and while 
they cannot compare with some other 
bulbs for size, their dainty exquisiteness 
may, to some, make up for such lack.— 
Vick’s Monthly. 


466 


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"SMOTIIAA PARIJOd Youss4 pjo Surmoys ‘yWowseA 1e93U ‘peoy puog— S691 *314 


THE 


CANADIAN HorticuLTurIsT. 


VOL. XXII. 


L3so2. 


No.f12* 


YARMOUTH GARDENS. 


NWaVe [FTEEN hours on the old 

If Atlantic brings us from Bos- 
ton into Yarmouth harbor, 
the most southern part of 
Nova Scotia. Beautiful 
scenery and cool summers 
make this a favorite resort 
from the heat of New York and Boston, 
and thousands take advantage of this 
feature. The summer fogs are also very 
constant, making the climate to resemble 
closely that of Eng- _ 


and baking as they do with us in 
July and August. In some gardens 
we saw beautiful specimens of Lilium 
rubrum in the middle of October, and 
any quantity of dahlias, gladioli, tube- 
roses and begonias, still in the height of 
their beauty. In Mr. Caie’s garden we 
saw also sweet peas 6 feet high on a 
summer house, full of bloom at this 
date, no uncommon thing. One re- 
markable feature of Yarmouth is her 


land. This condi- 
tion of things explains 
why it is that straw- 
berry growing has 
lately been found so 
remunerative, so that 
thousands of crates 
are sent in their sea- 
son to the Boston 
market. Roses grow 
here in the greatest 
perfection, and in- 
deed the gardens are 
a; perfect wealth of 


bloom, never drying Fic. 


1696.—HAwtTHorN Hence, 60 years planted. 
469 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


Fic. 1697.—HawtTHoRN HEDGE AT YARMOUTH. 


hawthorn hedges, which will not enduré 
the hot dry climate of Ontario. Here 
they grow most luxuriantly, and are used 
in place of fences around all the best 
places. One of which we took a snap, Fig. 
1696, is 60 years planted, and well worthy 
of especial notice. Even in the cemetery 
many lots are surrounded with haw- 
thorn hedges, some with white spruce, 


which is much more enduring than the 
Norway, and one we noticed was en- 
closed with a fine beech hedge, the first 
we ever saw in Canada. This Yarmouth 
Cemetery was very pretty, but the 
enclosing of the lots with hedges is, in 
our opinion, a mistake, spoiling the 
unity of design, and giving stiffness of 
effect. Another fault, if we may criti- 


Fic. 1698.—ReEsipENcE oF Mr. Wyman, YARMOUTH, N.S. 
47° 


YARMOUTH GARDENS. 


cise what is really a place of many 
attractions, is the numerous walks and 
drives, which make gravel almost more 
conspicuous than greensward, and an old 
fashioned habit of raising mounds over 
the graves instead of simply marking 
with a low head and foot stone, which 
makes it such a difficulty to keep the 
lawn well mown. Another thing that 
reminds one of English conditions is 
the English ivy which also grows here 
most luxuriantly. Climbers are in com- 
mon use here, the Japan ivy on the 


year for wood, and still their health and 
vigor is not impaired. ur frontispiece 
shows this road, with Yarmouth in the 
distance and Pond Lake on the right, 
a fresh water lake only separated by a 
few feet at one end from the salt waters 
of the great Atlantic. 

Any mention of Yarmouth from a 
horticultural standpoint would be in- 
complete without some reference to Mr. 
Charles E. Brown, a graduate of Har- 
vard and one of Yarmouth’s most public 
spirited citizens. He received us with 


Fie. 1699.—YarmoutH Hargor, SHowinG LANDING oF D.A.R. STEAMER, AND THE 
OLD CEMETERY IN THE FoREGROUND, 


churches, and in addition the honey- 
suckle, the climbing rose, and the Vir- 
ginia creeper on the houses. 

The trees used in the streets are hard 
and soft maples, Sycamore maples, elms, 
beeches, Balm of Gilead, Silver popiars, 
etc., and here and there a fine hawthorn, 
allowed to develop its full size and beauty. 

Along the old road from Yarmouth to 
Hebon numerous old Pollard willows 
are growing, planted a century ago by 
the French. The tops are cut year after 


that extreme cordiality so common 
among horticulturists and others of con- 
genial tastes, and lost little time in 
making us acquainted with his garden, 
which is well described by the old Latin 
phrase, ‘‘multum in parvo.” Almost 
every apple tree has several varieties top 
grafted upon it, and over seventy varie- 
ties have in this way been tested and 
reported on for Southern Nova Scotia. 
He finds the following worthy of plant- 
ing, viz., Duchess, Primate, Keswick 


471 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


Codlin, Gravenstein, Wolf River, 
Wealthy and Ontario; the Primate 
especially for a fall eating apple, the 
Keswick Codlin for cooking, and the 
Ontario and Duchess for market. The 
Spy is small and inferior in quality all 
through the Province. At Yarmouth 
the apple tree is not vigorous; it is 
much subject to moss and fungus, and 
especially to the old English apple tree 
canker. Mr. Brown’s gooseberry bushes 
do well; he has tried English varieties, 
e. g., Yellow Amber, Industry, White 
smith, White Champagne, Red War- 
rington, and has never been troubled 
with mildew. 


In the vicinity of Yarmouth neither 
plums nor grapes will ripen in the open, 
and no one attempts to grow them ex- 
cept under special conditions. The 
former Mr. C. E. Brown says he has 
ripened trained espalier style on the 
side of his house. We saw an espalier 
at the home of Mrs. P. D. Kinney, a 
Washington plum, well trained to nearly 
cover one end of her house, and which 
has yielded about one bushel in a single 
season. 


Grapes may be ripened under glass 
without heat as in England, and there 
are about twenty of these cold graperies 
about Yarmouth, all well filled with such 
varieties as Black Hamburgh, Red 
Chasselas, Tokay, etc. 


During our tour in Nova Scotia we 
met some of the progressive appie 
growers of that province, from whom we 
gained much information. The Anna- 
polis valley is justly famed as an apple 
growing country, and has already gained 
a good name for Nova Scotia apples in 
the great markets of the world. Owing 
to the moister climate of this province 
the fruit ripens later than in Ontario, 
so that the Ribston and the Wealthy 
are counted winter apples, and the Spy 


472 


and Baldwin keep longer than the same 
varieties grown in Ontario. 


Red Astracan and Duchess are grown 
a little, and shipped to Newfoundland 
via steamer, but the commercial orchards 
are chiefly winter apples, such as we 
grow in Ontario. The one grand ex- 
ception is the Gravenstein, which has 
been largely planted, and is freely ex- 
ported to England. This apple is wor- 
thy of a larger place in Ontario orchards ; 
the tree is one of the most thrifty grow- 
ers, and quite productive of the very 
finest apples. The Blenheim closely 
competes with it in favor, and it is ques- 
tionable which is the more to be com- 
mended. 


Three well-known varieties have been 
condemned in Nova Scotia as well as in 
Ontario, viz.: the Fall Pippin for spot- 
ting, the Ribston and the Spitzenberg 
for want of vigor in tree. Another is on 
the black list for spotting, viz. : the Mc- 
Intosh Red. Two most worthy varie- 
ties seem too little known, viz.: the 
Wealthy and the Ontario. Both these 
varieties have been tested by Mr. Chas. 
E. Brown, and have succeeded even at 
Yarmouth. For several years he has 
been reporting on them most favorably, 
as varieties of the highest excellence for 
all purposes, but as yet they have not 
been much planted. 


The Baldwin is a great favorite among 
winter sorts, bearing great crops each 
alternate year, just as it once did in On- 
tario; but perhaps it would fail if they 
were to plant whole orchards of this one 
variety as we have done. The King, 
they tell us, bears very well and is 
counted a profitable variety, as are also 
the Spy, Ben Davis and Nonpareil. 
The latter closely resembles our Rox- 
bury Russet, but is larger and darker 
colored. 

Nova Scotia apple growers have an 


VARMOUTH GARDENS. 


especial advantage over their Ontario 
brothers, in comparative immunity from 
Codling moth. In orchards at Berwick 
it is estimated that not more than ten 
barrels in one hundred are affected, 
while in some of our Ontario orchards, 
this season, forty out of one hundred is 
not too high an estimate. 

The best Nova Scotia orchards are 
the cultivated ones, and those which 
also get an occasional dressing of pot- 
ash. Mr. Chute, of Berwick, says he 


seldom crops an orchard after it is over 
ten years of age, but cultivates and 


manures his orchard as the only crop. 
Apple packing is commonly done in 
the orchard as the picking progresses, 
but some bring all apples to a central 
packing house. No. 1 are large perfect 
apples, No. 2 are small perfect apples, 


but no attempt at grading to definite . 


sizes has yet been made. 

It would certainly be well if Nova 
Scotia and Ontario could agree in this 
matter, so that grade No. 1 would mean 
everywhere apples not less than 2% 
inches in diameter, excepting possibly 
the Fameuse, which should be allowed 
_ No. 1 not less than 24% inches. No. 2 


would then mean apples’ below these 
sizes respectively, or otherwise inferior. 
The prices of winter apples are from 
two and a-half to three dollars a barrel, 
or about the same as in Ontario, and 
the buyers have little advantage over us, 
having about 15 cents a barrel to get 
them to the seaport of Halifax, while 
we have from 30 to 45 to Montreal, 
the ocean freights being about the same. 
Apple barrels are cheaper than ours, 
the common kind being made of spruce, 
fir or pine, with half-rounds of young 
birch trees for hoops, the price being 
about 18 cents each. The size is 2% 
bushels, the old American pony barrel, 


_ but this will soon have to be discarded, 


for in 1g0c the new Dominion regula- 
lations will compel the use of a standard 
barrel. 

Plums, grapes and even peaches are 


‘grown to some extent in the Annapolis 


valley, but the black-knot has largely 
cleared out the former. When properly 
looked after, such varieties as Bradshaw, 
Arctic, Lombard and the Japans, Bur- 
bank and Abundance, have proved very 
successful. 


THE Meaty Buc. — 
What is know as the 
Mealy bug is a flat, 


of the form shown in 
the engraving, and is 
covered with a white, 
mealy substance, from which the com- 
mon name is derived. It is especially 
troublesome to Coleus, strobilanthes 
Dyerianus, and manysoft-wooded plants. 
It is not difficult to eradicate. Remove 
and destroy all that may be found, then 
syringe the plant two or three times a 
week with soapsuds to which has been 


tender, yellowish insect, . 


added a little kerosene, say two table- 
spoonfuls to a gallon of suds.—Parks’ 
Floral Guide. 


HeENs AND AppPpLEs. — L. Cook, of 
Mass., says he enclosed a half dozen 
unproductive canker worm infested ap- 
ple trees as a chicken yard, and as a 
result the insects were cleared and the 
trees produced good crops of fine fruit. 
R. N. Y. says, ‘The hen has a golden 
claw. She is a professor of Agriculture 
too, and teaches clean culture and lots 
of it, with high feeding for a fruit 
orchard.” 


473 


APPLE GROWING IN THE ANNAPOLIS 


VALLEY, 


NOVA -SCOTTIA. 


Fic. 1700.—CLeAN CULTIVATION in an orchard. set fifty years ago. 


HE first beginnings of apple 
orchards in Nova Scotia seem 
to have been made as far back 
as the days when the French 

Acadians occupied the lands of the An- 


napolis Valley, for no relics of old times _ 


are so common as the old French apple 
trees which stand, either singly or in 
groups, in almost every locality where 
French settlements are known to have 
existed. Later the English settlers from 
New England brought seeds and scions 
and planted them about their homes, but 
it was not unul about 1850 that anything 
was planted which would now be con 
sidered as an orchard. Even as late as 
1870 the whole valley exported only 
about 17,000 barrels and the largest 


part of the orchards now beating were 
set within the last twenty-five years. So 
that in reality this industry has been of 
especial importance only in compara- 
tively recent years. 

Unquestionably natural conditions of 
soil and climate are important factors in 
producing the peculiarly fine apples 
for which Nova Scotia is noted, yet to 
growers themselves is also due a large 
measure of credit, for they practice 
the latest and most approved methods 
in every department of this busi- 
ness. Young orchards are cultivated 
from the time they are set until they 
reach a bearing age, the most common 
practice being to grow some root crop 
between the rows for a number of years 


474 


APPLE GROWING IN THE ANNAPOLIS VALLEY, NOVA SCOTIA. 


and each year to grow less and less 
giving more room to the extending roots 
of the trees. Among the best grow- 
ers this cultivation is continued each 
year even after the orchard has grown 
old in the service, the cultivation be- 
ginning as early as possible in the 
spring and continuing till the latter part 
of July, when usually some cover-crop 
is sown. Buckwheat is the one most 


up earlier in the spring, which is an im- 
portant consideration in.a climate where 
the season is so short as in Nova Scotia. 
On the other hand spring plowing gives 
much less danger of winter killing 
through the roots being exposed to the 
frost, and if the orchard is sown to a 
cover-crop all the leaves are retained on 
the land as well as_ the snows of winter. 

Spraying has become a regular part of 


Fic. 1701.—Pick1nc APPLES AND SORTING IN THE ORCHARD. 


used though clovers are coming into 
favor.. In the matter of plowing of 
orchards growers are divided in opin- 
ion, some favoring fall plowing, while 
others prefer to spring. 
There are unquestionably advantages to 
either method. Fall plowing covers in 
the decaying fruit and leaves, thus lessen- 
ing the danger of infection from such 
sources and it causes the land to warm 


wait until 


the season’s work in most orchards and 
though there are still those who are 
skeptical as to its value, it is every year 
becoming more general. Most growers 
spray from three to five times using 
Bordeaux mixture and Paris green, and a 
few have tried winter spraying, Another 
practice which is becoming more pop- 
ular each year is the use of a solution 
of potash applied to the trees either as 


475 


2HE.;CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. ~*~ 


Fie.—1702.—A Youne GRAVENSTEIN TREE, fifteen years set. 


a wash or a spray. It is particularly 
valuable in destroying bark lice and 
clearing up the trees generally, but just 
what its effect is upon fungous pests 
has not been definitely determined. 
There are some indications however, 
that it is equally as effective as Bordeaux 
mixture in fighting the black knot of 
plums and the black spot of apples. 

Of the varieties of apples grown in 
Nova Scotia none are more popular 
than the Gravenstein, it is generally 
healthy, comes into bearing fairly early 
in life, and continues to give large 
biennial crops as long as it is cared for, 
and even longer. The only possible 
objection to it is its season, for a winter 
apple of equal quality would soon dis- 
tance all our present winter sorts. The 
Banks or Red Gravenstein, a bud varia- 
tion from the orthodox Gravenstein, is 
gaining in popularity because it com- 


bines with the superior quality of the 
ordinary Gravenstein, the bright red 
color which people demand who judge 
an apple by its appearance alone (and 
this includes about nine tenths of those 
who buy apples.) Other deservedly 
popular sorts are King, Ribston, Blen- 
heim, Baldwin, Golden Russet, Nonpa- 
reil, Northern Spy, Fallawater,and Rhode 
Island Greening ; while Wagener, On- 
tario, Stark, Wealthy, Mann and Ben 
Davis are, for the present at least, gain- 
ing in popularity. 

In gathering apples baskets are used 
almost altogether, and the fruit is either 
sorted and packed in the orchard or 
taken to the apple house and stored un- 
til it is ready to be shipped when it is 
packed. In disposing of their apples 
growers are about equally divided be- 
tween selling to buyers here in the val- 
ley or shipping for themselves to the 


476 


COLD STORAGE MATTER. 


English markets. The great bulk of the 
apples of Nova Scotia go to London and 
are consumed there though many go to 
Liverpool and a few find their way from 
these two ports to other large cities of 
England. 

Throughout the valley there are now 
numerous large warehouses along the 
railroad line, built either by speculation, 
by co-operation companies of the growers 
themselves or by English commission 
firms, in which growers may store their 


apples for the season or deposit them 
while waiting for cars to take them to 
Halifax which is especially convenient 
in handling winter varieties. 

Nova Scotia has, no doubt, much to 
learn concerning apple growing, but it 
cannot be denied that there has been a 
wonderful advance in all lines since the 
advent of commercial orcharding in the 
province. 

F. C. SEARS. 


Wolfville, N.S 


Fic. 1703.—Picaine BALDWwINs which are taken to the Apple House and Stored to be 
Repacked later. 


COLD 


HE accompanying table shows the 
temperature in degrees Faren- 
heit for preserving some of the 
most common horticultural pro- 

ducts, and indicates the packages in 
which they should be expected to keep. 


STORAGE’ MATTERS: 


Product Temperature Package Time 
Apples, sum’r.38 to 42 Boxes 2 to 4 mos 
Apples, win’r..32 “* 35 Bbls. or bxs. ira Lael 
POATS ox <s)nice 33 “* 38 Boxes ae 5, nse 
Peaches........34.°* 38 Crates 2to4 wks 
GIADECS. «s60 5s 38 ‘* 40 In sawd’t bxs. 6“ 8 * 
PIMIAG <o0 cece 35 ** 40 Crates aS tan 
Berries & cherries 40 Quart boxes Sh ab 
Tomatoes..... 38 ‘* 42 Crates a SF ign *s 


477 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


Fic. 1704. -Sortinc anp PacktneG RiestTons as they come from the orchard. 


The length of time fruit and vege- 
tables will keep differs in different 
sections and the degree of cold may 
vary. Some varieties of California fruit 
will keep in cold storage longer than the 
same varieties grown’in the East. Fruit 
grown at low altitudes and near the 
coast keeps longer than fruit grown in 
the interior. Ice temperatures of the 
same degree will not do in preserving 
fruit ; in practical cold storage other 
conditions must be reckoned with, viz., 
humidity, circulation of air and the 
quantity of nitrogen present, and of the 
latter the less the better. 

Fruit should be in as small a package 
as possible. Each piece should be 
wrapped. Winter varieties keep longer 
in cold storage than summer varieties. 


Where practicable let apples remain in 
the packing houses a few days before 
packing for cold storage and imme- 
diately before that operation go over the 
fruit and cull out all unsound fruit. 
After the “sure decays” have been re- 
moved, wrap and pack the balance. 

Cold storage does not and cannot 
improve the condition of fruits or other 
products. At best it can only hold 
them at approximately the condition 
they were in when put in the cold 
rooms. It cannot save from decay fruit 
which is imperfect or unsound. A few 
decaying specimens are liable to ruin 
the whole package. Sound fruit only 
will keep in cold storage.—California 
Fruit Grower. 


478 


CENTRAL 


EXPERIMENTAL FARM NOTES—III. 


Fic. 1705.—Variety Test of CeLery at Central Experimental Farm, 1899, 
with offices, chemical laboratory, and buildings in background. 


HE weather has been very 

changeable during the past 

month — at one time bright, 

then overcast, and quite fre- 
quently wet. While occasionally there 
was frost at night, it was not until the 
12th of November that the temperature 
sank low enough to interfere materially 
with outside work. On the nights of 
the 12th and 13th, there were 15 and 
18 degrees of frost, respectively. It 
may, however, be some days before the 
final ‘‘ freeze up.” It is when severe 
frosts begin to occur that one realizes 
the importance of having a good cover 
crop in the orchard. At the experi- 
mental farm a fine covering of common 
Red Clover may be seen in most of the 
orchards. Experiments were tried in 
sowing the clover seed weekly in dif- 
ferent parts of the orchard, beginning 


on 1oth May, and continuing until 31st 


May. ‘There was a good catch from the 
first three sowings, but that sown on the 
31st did not do well. Sowing was then 
discontinued until July 4th, and from 
that time until the 16th August clover 
was sown at intervals. ‘There is a good 
cover crop of common Red clover from. 
seed sown as late as 25th July, except 
on sandy !oam, where it did not make 
sufficient growth. There was a very dry 
time after that, lasting about a month, 
the result being that the seed sown later 
than 25th July did not germinate until 
September and then only a small pro- 
portion grew. ‘This land has been given 
a top dressing of manure which will af- 
ford somewhat the same protection as 
the clover would have done. To be 
certain of a good cover crop, clover 
should not be sown later than the mid- 


479 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


dle of July where the conditions are 
somewhat like those at Ottawa. Twelve 
pounds of seed per acre, sown broad- 
cast have given good satisfaction. No 
nurse crop has been found necessary, as 
a rule. In one of the higher parts of 
the orchard where the soil is light, Lu- 
cerne or Alfalfa seed was sown broadcast 
on the 25th of July at the rate of 15 
pounds to the acre, the land was then 
rolled. The succeeding days were very 
hot, the soil—which is quite sandy—was 
almost burning to the touch, yet the seed 
germinated and did not appear to be in- 
jured. Just as a few young plants were 
beginning to appear there was a severe 
wind storm which blew the surface soil 
in clouds of dust, yet the Lucerne, 
though thinned considerably, continued 
to grow, and it is now from 7 to 12 
inches in height ; a little thin, perhaps, 
for a good cover crop, but sufficiently 
thick to hold the snow well. In this 
instance, where the land was very ex- 
posed, a nurse crop might have proved 
beneficial. Lucerne stands considerable 
frost without injury and grows until late 
in the season. 

Some replanting was done in the 
forest belts during the past month. In 
several places the trees which were 
planted nine years ago did not make 
satisfactory growth, owing to winter 
killing and unsuitability of soil. These 
were removed this autumn, and replant- 
ing with other kinds was started. The 
trees have been planted much closer 
than they were before, being now 2% 
by 2% feet apart, A large proportion, 
however, are only intended to serve the 
purpose of shading the ground and kill- 
ing the side branches of the permanent 
trees: Rose-Mary-leaved willow, Nine- 
bark (Weillia opultfolia), Box elder and 
Sugar maple being used for this pur- 
pose. The permanent trees will be 
mainly composed of White Pine, Black 


Walnut, and White Ash, although others 
will be planted in the spring. It is ex- 
pected that by this system of planting no 
cultivation will be necessary after two 
years. 

The grape vines have already been 
pruned and covered for the winter. Con- 
siderable attention. was given to the 
pruning of the vines both this year and 
last, and as soon as possible ali the 
old arms will be removed and the “ high 
renewal ” system or a modification of it, 
adopted. In order to have as thick a cov- 
ering of snow in the vineyard as possible 
the canes, when cut from the vines, are 
allowed to remain on the wires all win- 
ter. These break the force of the wind 
and drifting snow and cause the latter to 


settle, thus affording greater protection 


to the vines. 

Celery did very well here this year. 
Market gardeners in the neighborhood 
complained of Celery rust, and the crop 
of one in particular was ruined by it. 
The celery at the Experimental Farm 
was covered with the Bordeaux mixture 
until autumn, and although no_ un- 
sprayed plants were left as a check, yet 
there is no doubt but that the Bordeaux 
mixture prevented it. About 50 so- 
called varieties were tested. Of the 
the earlier sorts, the Golden Self Bleach- 
ing, Paris Golden Yellow, and improv- 
ed White Plum are the best. 

The annual note taking on the hardi- 
ness and growth of the trees, shrubs and 
herbaceous perennials in the Arboretum 
and Botanic Garden is now almost con. 
pleted. There are over four thousand 
specimens of trees and shrubs alone 
growing there, and to examine each one 
and make the necessary notes takes con- 
siderable time. The information gained 
however, is valuable ; for instance, trees 
and shrubs which were not injured 
by the winter of 1897-98 may have been 
by that 1898-99, and, after several years’ 


480 


ished een 


Fic. 1706.—GuLimpse oF ARBORETUM at Central Experimental Farm, 1899. 


481 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


records are taken, the average will give 
and has given, a fairly accurate idea of 
the hardiness of the different species 
and varieties. It is interesting to note 
‘the greater degree of hardiness of indi- 
vidual specimens of some trees and 
shrubs which, when first planted, killed 
back one half or more each year and 
which appear to be getting hardier every 
year. Illustrations of this are the Smoke 
tree (Rhus Cotinus), Flowering Dogwood 
(Cornus florida), English hawthorn 
(Crategus Oxyacantha), a few individ- 
uals appearing to get hardier each year. 


A specimen of the Cucumber tree ( Wag- 
nolia acuminata) on the ornamental 
grounds, broughtf rom London, Ont., 
by the director twelve years ago, killed 
back badly until last winter when it was 
hardy to the tips. When possible, seeds 
are obtained of these hardier specimens 
and sown, and we have now young seed- 
lings of some of them, among which 
will doubtless be individuals hardier 
than their parents. 


W. T. Macoun, 
Florticulturist, Cent. Exp, Farm, Ottawa 


APPLE 


ROPER storage for fruit is an 
| important adjunct of the apple 
growing business. In certain 
circumstances it is indispens- 
able. For this reason apple growers 
have given considerable attention to the 
construction of storage houses and to 
learning the best methods of keeping 
the fruit. From information collected 
and sent out by the horticulturist of the 
Vermont Experiment Station it seems 
that apple storage houses are becoming 
rather common in the principal apple 
growing sections of Vermont, particu- 
larly in Grand Isle County. 

These houses are built without means 
of artificial refrigeration. They can be 
kept cool enough from the outside 
atmosphere ; and can usually be kept 
warm enough if the walls are carefully 
built. A small stove is usually kept in 
the storage house and is called into use 
on specially cold nights. 

Old barns or granaries are sometimes 
converted into apple storage rooms. A 
good cellar is occasionally used to ad- 
vantage. Adequate protection from the 


STORAGE. 


cold’ weather and suitable ventilation 
are the principal requisites. 

The most important condition in 
storing apples is the temperature. The 
storage room should be kept very near 
the freezing point, ranging preferably 
from 33 to 35 degrees Fahr. Evena 
degree or two below freezing will ordin 
arily do no damage. Temperatures 
which will ruin potatoes and other vege- 
tables are entirely favorable to apples ; 
and, conversely, temperatures which are 
suitable to potatoes are too high for 
apples. 

This last consideration explains why 
a great many folks have difficulty in 
keeping apples in their cellars. The 
same cellar which keeps vegetables per- 
fectly will not give best results with apples. 

This is something to which every 
farmer especially ought to give attention. 
For every farmer certainly ought to raise 
apples enough for the family. Even if 
there is no. fruit to sell, there ought to 
be enough to furnish a full supply 
throughout the winter.—Vermont Ex- 
periment Station. 


82 


PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND. 


NOTES ON THE Past SEASON’S WorRK. 


LTHOUGH our sister Province 
of Nova Scotia is rejoicing in 
a bountiful fruit crop, perhaps 
the largest in years, this would 
be considered in the true sense of the 
term “an off year” in Prince Edward 
Island. There will, therefore, be but 
little fruit for export to the British 
market, which gave our trial consign- 
ment of last year such a hearty recep- 
tion. But although we have not a great 
deal of fruit to show this fall, this im- 
portant industry has none the less occu- 
pied the attention of our people. Con- 
siderable planting out of new orchards, 
top grafting, replacing and fitting-up of 
old ones has been done. Then more 
attention than ever has been given to 
the all-important work of spraying. We 
have, too, with the assistance of that 
excellent work ‘“ Fruits of Ontario,” and 
by the aid of experienced horticulturists 
within and without the Province, come 
to have the most of our apples identi- 
fied, and this is a very important matter 
and one not so easily accomplished as 
amateurs imagine. The various names 
given to some one variety by a half 
dozen experts would soon convince the 
incredulous that some apples at least 
are difficult enough of identification. 
This work of naming is particularly 
practical just now with us, because the 
fruit industry is comparatively ‘new, and, 
as I said in a former article, the trees 
sold here, as well as being inferior from 
many other points of view, were in few 
cases true to name. Only the other 
day was it discovered that a farmer in 
the eastern portion of the Province, who 
had bought and planted Baldwins and 
Russets, had now an orchard bearing 
the most beautiful Starks and Kings. 


His case was one of the happy mistakes 
which are made by those of us who take 
stock on faith, but I fear for one. like 
this, we have ninety-nine in which only 
the veriest trash replaces the well-known 
good apples desired. This mistake has 
emphasized the fact, however, that 
Prince Edward Island can grow splendid 
Starks. In our shipment last year some 
of those apples were forwarded as Bald- 
wins, and the British merchant, in re- 
turning a top figure for them, declared 
them the best Baldwins on the market, 
and held the demand for them to be 
unlimited. Mr. McLaughlin, a most 
efficient graftsman from New. Brunswick, 
put on quite a number of Stark grafts 
here last year, which we are hoping will 
shortly put us in possession of the fruit 
which the British merchant: so much 
wants. 

For the first time I heard the other 
day from Senator Ferguson, who had 
been attending the exhibitions in Nova 
Scotia and New Brunswick, that the 
Ben Davis tree was regarded as slow 
growing, delicate and of short duration 
in Nova Scotia, and that in the eastern 
part of our Province it was not vigorous. 
1 send you a sample of my own Ben 
Davis this year, an off year, when I 
have taken a barrel of this same sample 
off a tree but seven years planted. And 
the Davis has so out grown all other 
trees in my orchard as to make the 
casual visitor believe that it was 
planted many years previously. It is 
a grand grower here, and what is still 
better, a grand bearer, neither lice nor 
spot affect it at all; as tothe duration of 
the tree itself, we will have to ask some 
Ontario orchardist, who has the experi- 
ence and a place for the Davis in his 


2 483 


aN 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


affections. I am inclined to the belief 
that it will live long here and do well 
in any part of the Province. 

As you know, the Federal Govern- 
ment sent us a man last year to prune, 
spray, graft and pack, we thought. 
Well, very little practical good came out 
of the mission. We had not the right 
man and instead of being in the charge 
of the Association, which has an interest 
in fruit raising only, he fell into the 
hands of the politicians. I need not 
tell you the result. His mission has 
been a complete blank. He only 
attempted to spray, anyhow, and it has 
come to this, that a man with a proper 
machine and the formula can spray 
after one attempt, if he understands his 
machine and is possessed of ordinary 
intelligence, as well as the best of them 
And the orchardist who attempts to raise 
fruit now without spraying is a back 
number. All then must learn to spray 
for themselves. 

As to grafting, our Association se 
cured a very considerable number of 
good scions from Nova Scotia and else- 
where last fall, and expected that the 
specialist sent down from Ottawa would 
put them on a number of orchards 
throughout the Province at a minimum 
of cost. He never touched them, and 
consequently the most of them were 
lost. A Mr. McLaughlin came over to 
us later, and some of them he secured 
and put on for us at 3 cents a piece. 
This was perhaps a little dear, but many, 
knowing they were growing unprofitable 
trees, were glad of his assistance at any 
cost. He is a good man, knows his 
business, and while we are not able to 
see yet whether his scions are true to 
name, we believe him to be thoroughly 
honest. Iam told that he put on some 
30,000 scions. That ought to effect 
much good. The season was too far 
advanced when he came, and, therefore, 
he could not get all around. 


wu 


There can be no doubt but that prun- 
ing is an important matter in orchard- 
ing. An amateur will never cut out 
enough wood. All our Island trees are 
not half pruned. We expected the ser- 
vices of an experienced man to show us 
how to pruneand leave us his own work 
for an object lesson. We were again 
disappointed. 

As to packing fruit, this year there is 
little or none of it to be done. The 
Lake Huron, our first cold storage (and 
dear only knows what kind of cold 
storage) steamer this season sailed for 
England last week. She took only 
about roo bbls. of ‘apples, shipped by 
_Mr. Sharp, our Vice-President. The 
government man, we don’t know what 
he is doing at all, or if he is in the 
Province. At any rate, his mission was 
a frisco, and pity it was too, when the 
right man in right hands could have 
done so much. The moral is: keep 
politics a thousand miles away from 
experimental work, whether agricultural 
or horticultural, if you want to do any- 
thing serviceable. © 

Those of us who sprayed this year 
found the greatest possible benefit from 
it. Unfortunately we desisted too soon. 
Seeing the crop to be small, many let 
the last spraying slip, and but for that 
the result would have been perfect. 
The fruit, however, was comparatively 
clean and well-sized, the foliage bright 
and verdant till the frosts came. Hence- 
forward everybody who wants a crop of 
good fruit will have to get his pump out 
in the early spring, and follow the spray- 
ing calendar to the letter till the end of 
the season. This is the only law to 
follow for success. It is a hard enough 
law, but it is imperative. Dura lex 
sed lex. 

With the next a good year, the fruit 
industry will go on here with leaps and 
bounds. Many good orchards are being 
planted out; the people are caring for 


484 


SAN JOSE SCALE. 


those planted out better; all are getting 
a more intelligent knowledge of horticul- 
ture through your excellent publications 
and the Fruit Growers’ Associations, 
and now all we want is capable and 
honest nurserymen to fill the growing 


orders. Unfortunately Prince Edward 
Island, which ought to raise at least its 
own trees, is deficient in thoroughly 
equipped nurseries. 
A. E. BURKE. 
Alberton, Oct. 27, 1899. 


SAIN. JOSE SCALE. 


MEETING of prominent fruit 
growers was held at Grimsby, 
on Friday evening, 27th Oct- 
ober, 1899, to discuss the re- 

port of the San Jose Scale Commission. 

.A communication was read from Mr. 
Owen of Catawba Island who has had 
much experience in treating trees for 
San Jose Scale with whale oil soap, two 
pounds to the gallon. This he said 
could be applied in the winter to trees 
that are hardy, but not to peach trees, 
which must be treated just before the 
buds open in the spring. 

One hundred and fifty trees per day 
is all that can be properly treated with 
the whale oil soap. Every part of the 
tree must be thoroughly drenched. 

Even eggs of insects can be largely 
destroyed by applications of whale oil, 
and the leaf curl of the peach is totally 
destroyed by its use. 

Previous to spraying, the orchard must 
be thoroughly pruned as a preparation. 
The trees must be severely cut back ; all 
dead and weakly limbs, and superfluous 
wood must be removed, and in cases of 
badly affected trees leave only four or 
five feet of the limbs should remain. 

Insect parasites are not to be relied 
upon for the destruction of the scale so 
well as whale oil soap. 

A communication was also read from 
Professor Webster, who says he attaches 
much importance to the application of 
whale oil soap. He has found that it 
so cleans up orchards that they are very 
much more vigorous and healthy, and 
able to throw off all fungous diseases. 
The result is so evident that it would 
pay to apply the whale oil soap even if 
there were no San Jose Scale. 


To entirely destroy the scale, it might 
be necessary to continue the treatment 
for several years. 

He also states that one hundred and 
fifly to two hundred trees per day is all 
that can be treated in a day with a good 
pump with two lines of hose and two 
nozzels on each. 

Healso said that an ordinary tree will 
require 1% gallons of the mixture, con- 
taining about three pounds of whale oil 
soap, at acost of three cents a pound, 
or nine cents per tree for the soap alone. 

After considerable discussion the fol- 
lowing resolution was unanimously 
adopted : 


‘* We desire to express our great satisfac- 
tion with the efforts made by the Department 
of Agriculture to destroy that most serious 
enemy of the fruit grower, the San Jose 
Seale. We regret exceedingly that any sus- 
pension of the working of the Act shonld 
have taken place thus allowing the pest to 
spread with great rapidity. 

‘*In view of the uncertain results of the 
work of the Experiment Stations in the 
United States in the treatment of orchard 
trees with whale oil soap for the destruction 
of the scale, we recommend, 

‘* That there be no relaxation of the inspec- 
tion of orchards or of the destruction of 
infested trees, but that the work proceed 
with all vigor, while it is possible to prevent 
the spread of the pest ; 

‘That in case of valuable orchard trees 
only exposed to infection, the owner have the 
choice of having his trees destroyed with 
compensation, or of having them treated for 
a certain length of time for the destruction of 
the insect, and in case of failure, of having 
them destroyed without compensation ; 

‘That the owner of an infested orchard, 
who wishes to kave exposed trees treated in- 
stead of destroying, be required to thoroughly 
prune the orchard trees exposed, in such a 
manner as may be required by the inspector, 
as a preparation for the spraying ; 

That all nursery stock be thoroughly fumi- 
gated with cyanide of potassium gas, under 
the eye of an inspector, before it is allowed 
to be sent out.” 


485 


COW PEAS. 


ROTATION of cow peas and 
potatoes may be followed among 
the trees, while they are growing 

to bearing size. 

We started the use of cow peas in one 
corner of the farm on a poor, thin, 
sandy field. It was so notoriously poor 
that the-neighbors selected it as a place 
for burying their dead horses. Our first 
work was to chop this field up with the 
Cutaway harrow; it was covered with 
briers and dried mullein stalks. We 
applied at the rate of three hundred 
pounds of kainit and five hundred 
pounds of basic slag per acre. The same 
quantity of dissolved phosphate rock 
would have answered as well, except that 
the slag contains a large amount of lime, 
which we find very useful on poor thin 
soil that has been exhausted of organic 
matter. After Cutawaying this field, we 
broadcasted five pecks to the acre of 
Early Black cow peas, which were 
worked in with the Acme harrow ; in 
August we cut a part of this growth and 
used the vines for mulching strawberries, 
but most of the growth was permitted to 
die down on the ground. A small 
amount of nitrate of soda applied to the 
cow peas will quicken up and improve 
their growth, but too much nitrogen 
would be unprofitable. The cow pea is 
one of those plants that absorb nitrogen 
from the air. My conviction is that 
when you sow this crop on land that is 
very rich, or where you use a large 
amount of nitrogen in your fertilizer, the 
plant will, from choice, take the nitrogen 
out of the soil, and will not prove so 
valuable as a soil improver. We are now 
raising the second crop of sweet corn 
after that crop of cow peas, and there is 
no question in my mind that the growth 


of vines was fully equal to twenty loads 
of stable manure per acre. Where the 
vines were worked into the ground the 
corn has a better color and is far better 
able to withstand the drouth. I have 
noticed both in corn and potatoes that 
where a thick mat of cow peas was 
turned into the ground the crop was far 
better able to withstand a drouth. In 
this respect I think green manures are 
superior to stable manures, as the latter 
appear to dry out more quickly and are 
not so useful for holding moisture. The 
objection to the cow pea is that it re- 
quires practically the whole season to 
make its best growth. I have, however, 
sown the peas after a crop of early pota- 
toes and secured a fair growth before 
frost. We have also sown the cow 
peas among the currants, raspberries, 
and other bush fruits, with very fair 
results. The first sharp frost, however, 
kills the cow pea, and in order to make 
it most useful it is necessary to give it 
an entire summer for its growth, although 
it may be sown after such crops as early © 
peas or lettuce. My advice, however, 
would be to'use the cow pea on the 
poorer lands of the farm. Where one 
has considerable idle land, it would be 
safe to keep one-fifth of the farm con- 
stantly in cow peas, which would be a 
cheap and effective way of manuring. 
My advice would be to use at least 
seventy-five per cent. of the potash and 
the phosphoric acid on the cow pea 
crop, with perhaps a small amount of 
nitrogen. ‘The balance of the fertilizer 
I would use on the crop following the 
cow pea, and in my experience potatoes 
or sweet corn have given the best results 
for this purpose.—Report Mass. Horti- 
cultural Society. 


486 


MELONS FOR MARKET. 


OCATION AND So1L—While mel- 
ons can be grown on almost 
any kind of soil, they cannot be 
grown successfully as a field 

crop unless the soil and location are 
favorable. 
is the best and it must be full of humus, 
or decaying vegetable matter in some 
form, to secure the best results. Do 
not be afraid of the soil being too dry 
or too light, but in such cases use extra 
care to provide an abundant supply of 
humus in the soil, which is most easily 
supplied by plowing under a good clover 
sod ; or the field can be sown with rye 
in September and the whole plowed 
under in the spring. The melon isa 
lover of drouth, and while it attains a 
large size in a moist season or situation 
it will not be of as good a quality. I 
always raised a big crop and the best 
melons when ‘the season was hot and 
dry. The field should be high enough 
to secure good drainage, and if level is 
the most easily cultivated and least liable 
to washing by heavy rains. 

Melons can be successfully grown on 
slopes, as this not only insures a good 
drainage in a wet season, but the crop 
grown on a southern slope is materially 
assisted in early ripening thereby. If 
the land is rather wet on level soil, it 
can be made better for melon culture 
by back-furrowing a strip of land two or 
three rods across. This will make the 
land slope gradually to both sides. If 
the soil is too heavy, melons can be 
grown successfully, for a small patch, by 
mixing sand in the soil in the hill, or by 
covering the surface of the hill before 
planting with about three inches of sand. 
Freshly broken woodland is very good 
for raising melons, as such svil is usually 
very light and full of leaf mold. I have 
also had great success in growing mel- 


Light, porous, sandy loam ° 


ons on land used for hog pasture, as the 
hogs had worked the ground well over, 
which made the soil loose and friable, 
and it was well enriched by their drop- 
pings. 

Manuring.—When stable manure is 
used broadcast before it is well rotted it 
should be plowed under in the fall or 
early spring for best results, so that it 
may become well composted with the 
soil. I manure mostly in the hill, for a 
limited amount of manure will go farth- 
er that way and also give good results. 
Well rotted manure should be used for 
enriching the hills, as this tends to 
give the vines a strong, quick growth 
from the start, and it aids them in 
resisting the attacks of insects and rip- 
ening the crop early in the season. For 
very light, sandy soil I would advise 
using some rich manure, as of cattle, 
hog or poultry, for making the compost 
for the hills. As stated before, a good 
clover sod, plowed under, makes one of 
the best manures for the melon crop. 

Preparing for Planting.—The ground 
should be thoroughly prepared. Where 
plowed in the fall, it should be plowed 
again in the spring and worked fine with 
the harrow and roller. If not fall-plow- 
ed: it should be worked with a disc or 
common harrow until the surface is well 
pulverized for three or four inches. 
This is most important where coarse 
manure has been spread broadcast in 
the spring, for it will then be well mixed 
with the soil Then plow deep and 
finish again with the harrow and roller. 
Mark both ways, seven feet apart be- 
tween the rows for watermelons and 
three and a half by seven for musk- 
melons. If hill manuring is necessary, 
dig a hole eight inches deep and eigh- 
teen inches across for each hill and put 


‘in one or two shovelfuls of manure. 


487 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


Then some earth should be mixed 
with the manure, and the hill leveled 
with some fine soil so that it will be 
about two inches above the surface. 
On a large piece of ground of several 
acres the hills can be made more easily 
by plowing a deep furrow one way along 
the mark made by the marker. 
will remove enough soil at the intersec- 
tions for making the hills, if not, double 
furrows can be made, and a wagon load 
of manure following, the amount needed 
for each hill is placed at each intersec 
tion of the furrow and the crossmark. 
Planting. —For success, seed must be 
pure. If several varieties are planted, 


each kind should have an alloted strip’ 


of ground with a driveway separating it 
from the rest. In this way melons will 
be pure and not mixed as when several 
kinds are planted without separation. If 
the soil is very loose and dry it should 
be packed with the foot. This is very 
important in a dry season, but if wet or 
heavy this is not necessary. Round off 
the hills so that it will be about a foot in 
diameter, then shove the spade down 
into the centre of the hill, slanting, so 
that it will be about two inches beneath 
the surface and cover an area of eight 
inches by the width of a spade. Now 
lift out the spade with the soil upon it, 
scatter from a dozen to twenty seeds 
over this inclined space and throw in 
the soil, patting it with the back of the 
spade. The seeds will be covered from 
one and a half to two inches deep. 
This is the best method I have ever 
tried for planting melon seeds, for some 
of the seeds are sure to grow, whether 
the season be wet or dry, and if the first 
plants are spoiled by insects, more will 
appear in a few days. Melon seeds 
should never be planted immediately 
after a rain, as the soil will bake and 
form a crust. Where it is desired to 
prolong the ripening season of some 


This | 


early melons, successive plantings should 
be made every two weeks until the mid- 
dle of June. In some seasons this late 
planting will be cut off by frosts in the 
early fall, but, as a general rule, in two 
seasons out of three, it will produce a 
good crop. 

Picking and Marketing. —Watermel- 
ons should not be picked until ripe. 
Picking green melons is both a net loss 
to the grower and spoils further sales. 
It is better to be patient and leave the 
fruit on the vines until they are ripe. 
Let your competitor sell the green 
melons, and keep your reputation up 
for growing good, sweet-flavored and | 
large sized melons ; for then your sell- 
ing is half done. ° 

To be able to tell when a melon is 
ripe requires close observation and some 
experience. I will give some of the in- 
dications I use in telling this, but it 
must be borne in mind that not all of 
them are always present in every melon, 
and there is also a difference in the ap- 
pearance of different varieties, and then, 
also, the indications may vary in dif- 
ferent seasons. Note carefully the 
sound, color and stem of the melon. 
When struck lightly a ripe melon sounds 
somewhat dull, as your boot does when 
tapped lightly with the fingers. Another 
test is to press on the melon with the 
thumb ; if it is unripe the rind will be 
soft, if ripe the rind will be hard. Pres- 
sing lightly with the palm of the hand is 
another test ; if ripe it will yield slightly 
to the pressure and a sharp cracking of 
the flesh is heard. Melons turned yel- 
low on the under side are usually ripe. 
When the little curl at the stem of the 
melon is dry, it sometimes indicates ripe- 
ness, but not always. ‘The color of the 
melon should be carefully noted. When 
the color turns dull and roseated on the 
top of the melon, it is surely ripe. The 
color is always glossy on a green melon. 


488 


THE ABUNDANCE PULM. 


Melons should be picked in the morn- 
ing when they are cool and before the 
sun has made them warm, for they can 
then be kept longer and in better condi- 
tion. 

In marketing melons [ have found it 
the best method to sell to the retail 
dealer. Ifthe melons are warranted to 
him to be good and ripe, and he can 
rely on the grower to replace them if 
green or bad, he will be a staunch 
friend of the grower. Always patronize 


home industry instead of sending your 
product away to some distant whole- 
saler, for you run the risk, after paying 
the freight, of getting some of your ship- 
ments classed as bad and in a long run 
losing a good share of your expected 
profits. It also gives your home dealer 
an opportunity to dispose of some of his 
goods in trade for melons, as the grower 
can conveniently take such goods in ex- 
change as he has present need of.— 
Rept. Minn. Hort. Soc. 


THE ABUNDANCE PLUM. 


UT of the great company of 
plums the public has sorted 
the two Japs, Abundance 
and Burbank, as some one 

neatly puts it. There may be nothing 
specially new to tell about these, yet 
there are two interesting items which a 
Country Gentleman correspondent says 
he has never seen in print concerning 
the Abundance plum, and these he 
gives as follows : 

The first is that the crop does not all 
mature at once.. In fact, in looking 
over the tree while the fruit is yet green 
it will be found that the plums vary 
greatly in size. This seems to be a 
difference in age because it is main- 
tained to the full period of maturity. 
Hence the crop of a single tree never 
ripens all at once or anything like it. 
While some of the specimens are fully 
ripe others will be hard, green and not 
even grown out. While this may be an 
objection to it as a market variety, 
because of the increased labor of gather- 
ing, it certainly is a most valuable feature 


in the family orchard or garden where 
the entire crop is not wanted at once. 
Another point which, if it has been 
noted, has escaped my attention is that 
in order to secure the, best flavor and 
the highest coloring in the Abundance 
plum it must be picked early and ripened 
in the house like a Bartlett pear. If 
allowed to become soft and fully colored 


on the tree, half the flavor is gone, and 
the bees and wasps will often be found 

garnering the little which remains. It 
may be gathered while yet green, and if 
placed in a dark drawer it will color up 
beautifully with a delicate bloom and 
reward you with a flavor of surprising 
excellence. It is very juicy, sweet and 
rich, and I can compare them with 
nothing so well as the old genuine 
Green Gage, which I have always re- 
garded as the standard for flavor and 
quality. While the flesh does not part 
so readily from the stone, which is very 
small, it does not cling to it as tena- 
ciously as others of this species. Like 
the Green Gage, it is breaking and 
buttery in the mouth. And I have often 
seen specimens of that grand old variety 
ripened in the full sun that were colored 
much like the Abundance. In the 
Abundance I think we have its full 
cousin at least as to flavor, while the 
brilliant coloring is more attractive, and 
its general vigor and_ productiveness 
make it more desirable. 


The litte knight of the crescent calls 
around on time, of course, and leaves 
his well-known autograph. But that is 
the last of it for this thick skinned 
Japanese member of the Prunus family. 
The plums grow right along and ripen 
up sound and perfect without either 
eggs or larvee of any foe. Why not 
plant the Abundance plum? 


489 


STRAW may show which way 
the wind blows, so little 
pointers indicate character. 
An untidy yard about a home 


indicates a slovenly habit of the owner, . 


while well kept grass and _ tastefully 
grouped trees and shrubs reveal the 
abode of cultured taste. The archi- 
tecture of a house is an important 
feature, but in my opinion, better a plain 
house, devoid of Corinthian, Doric or 
Ionic touches and showing neither 
Elizabethian or Queen Anne style of 
architecture, than a lawn of no interest- 
ing features. The setting of the home 
on a velvety lawn, among grand old 
trees and shrubs with pleasant views, 
will far outvalue the architectural fea- 
tures of a house. 

We in Ontario, especially the middle 
classes, are away behind in this study, 
and it is time that an interest was 
awakened in it. Here is work for our 
Horticultural societies, and we hope 
they will in time prove leading spirits 
in all that is good in horticulture and 
landscape art. 

First in importance is a first class 
lawn. This is the back ground of the 
picture and the very making of the 
place. It should be of as great breadth 
as possible, and not cut up with road- 
ways, flower beds or ribbon beds. Let 
the paths and drives circle about the 
lawn, and be half concealed by clumps 


Plower Garden and oan. & 


of shrubbery, and not make one’s eyes 
sore with a dreary waste of gravel right 
in front of the best windows. Nor isa 
bed of scarlet geraniums in good taste 
in the middle of a good lawn. They 
should be rather on the side or the rear, 
half hidden among green trees. Indeed, 
a flower bed of any kind is not in place 
on a front lawn, for during more than 
half the year it is bare earth, a mere ~ 
blot on the landscape. 

Prof. Bailey of Cornell University, 
gives some good hints in Bulletin rat. 
He says, “The trouble with home 
grounds is not so much that there is too 
little planting of trees and shrubs, but 
that this planting is meaningless. Every 
yard should bea picture. That is, the 
area should be set off from every other 
area, and it should have such a character 
that the observer catches its entire effect 
and purpose without stopping to analyze 
its parts. For myself, I had rather have 
a bare and open pasture than the com- 
mon type of yard with bushes and trees 
scattered promiscuously over the area. 
Such a yard has no purpose, no central 
idea. It shows plainly that the planter 
had no constructive conception, no 
grasp of any design, and no appreciation 
of the fundamental elements of the 
beauty of landscape. Its only merit is 
the fact that trees and shrubs have been 
planted ; and this, to most minds, com- 
prises the essence and sum of the orna- 


499 


THE GARDEN AND LAWN. 


mentation of grounds. Every tree and 
bush is an individual, alone, unattended, 
disconnected from its environments, 
and therefore meaningless. And, if a 
landscape is a picture, it must have a 
canvas. This canvas is the green-sward. 
Upon this, the artist paints with tree 
and bush and flower, the same as the 
painter does upon the canvas with brush 
and pigments. The opportunity for 
artistic composition, and structure is 
nowhere so great as in the landscape 
garden, because no other art has such 
a limitless field for the expression of its 
emotions. It is not strange, if this be 
true, that there have been few great 
landscape gardeners, and that, falling 
short of art, the landscape gardener too 
often works in the sphere of the artisan. 
There can be no rules for landscape 
gardening, any more than there can be 
for painting or sculpture. The operator 
may be taught how to hold the brush, 
or strike the chisel, or plant the tree, 
but he remains an operator ; the art is 
intellectual and emotional and will not 
confine itself in precepts. 

The making of a good and spacious 
lawn, then is the very first practical 
consideration of a landscape garden. 
This provided, the gardener conceives 
what is the dominant and central 
feature in the place, and then throws 
the entire premises into subordination 
with this feature. In home grounds 
this central feature is the house. To 
scatter trees and bushes over the area 
defeats the fundamental purpose of the 
place, the purpose to make every part 
of the grounds lead up to the home and 
to accentuate its homelikeness. Keep 
the centre of the place open. Plant 
the borders. Avoid all disconnected, 
cheap, patchy and curious effects. 

Planting to increase the apparent size 
of a lawn is also a worthy object. This 
may be done in several ways. The 


trees and shrubs should be so placed so 
to hide the boundary fences and un- 
sightly buildings, and at the same time 
leave in full view any interesting object, 
especially such as a lake or mountain, 
a park or distant landscape. Then 
trees should not be out of harmony 
with the surroundings. An immense 
Norway spruce, beautiful as it may be, 
is out of keeping when it almost fills a 
small lawn. A heavy belt of dark hued 
evergreens makes a small lawn look 
shut-in and contracted, when, if lighted 
up with a quantity of light green de- 
ciduous trees and shrubs, the effect 
would be quite different. 

I am not a lover of the old geo- 
metrical square and rule gardens, where 
all lines are at straight lines, and all is 
stiff conventionality. I believe we can 
find harmony in variety, and beauty 
in artful disarrangement. I dislike 
the straight walk from the gate to the 
front door, and prefer to come in at a 
corner and approach the door along a 
path half screened by trees. I do not 
like to see a yard like a grocer’s balance, 
where, if the owner has a cut-leaved 
weeping birch on one side, he must 
always plant another opposite to balance 
up; nor a front yard like one I once 
saw where all the trees and shrubs in 
the front lawn were disposed in four 
straight rows like an apple orchard. 
I like to see groups of such shrubs as 
will harmonize placed here and there, 
and thickets planted near the gates, and 
along the boundaries. For this purpose 
both trees and shrubs must be employed, 
the former to give height and breadth 
to the mass, and the latter to fill in and 
give completeness to the base and 
nearer portions. 

The frequent practi¢e of shearing 
shrubbery and trees is, as a rule, to be 
condemned. Hamilton shows quite a 
number of remarkable instances of these 


491 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


deformities. The gardener has been 
trying to improve on the master who 
gave the trees their forms, and to my 
mind he has not improved them. - In- 
stances can be seen at many of the rail- 
way station gardens of shrubs and trees 
thus sheared, and I remember seeing 
many years ago near Hamilton city, a 
whole yard full of sheared Norway 
spruce, looking like so many barrels set 
down in the yard and painted green. 
True, some very curious gardens of this 
kind are to be seen in Europe, which 
are marvels to behold, but their beauty 
is only in their queerness. 

To show that I am not alone in this, 
I quote from Bailey. He says: “The 
pruning knife is the most inveterate 
enemy of shrubbery. We have not the 
slightest objection to the shearing of 
trees. The only trouble is in calling 
the practice art, and in putting the trees 
where people must see them. If the 
operator simply calls the business shear- 
ing, and puts the things where he and 
others who like them may see them, 
objection could not be raised. Some 
persons like painted stones, others like 
iron bulldogs in the front yard, and 
the word ‘‘ welcome” worked into the 
door mat, and others like barbed trees. 
So long as these likes are purely per- 
sonal, it would seem to be better taste 
to put such curiosities in the back yard 
where the owner may admire them 
without molestation.” 

With regard to the massing of shrubs, 
he says, “‘ Be sure that the main plant- 
ings are made up of hardy and vigorous 
species, and have lots of them. Then 
get the things which you like. I like 
bull-thistles, lilacs, hollyhocks, burdocks, 
rhubarb, dogwoods, spireas, elders and 
such careless things. But others have 
better tastes. There is endless merit in 
the choice of species, but the point I 
want to emphasize is that the arrange- 


ment or disposition of the plants is far 
more important than the kinds. In 
most home grounds in this state, the 
body of the planting may be very 
effectively made by the use of bushes 
taken from adjacent woods and fields. 
The masses may then be enlivened by 
the addition here and there of culti- 
vated bushes, and the planting of flowers 
and herbs about the borders. It is not 
essential that one know the names of 
these wild bushes, although a knowledge 
of their botanical features will add 
greatly to the pleasure of growing them. 
Neither will they look common. when 
transferred to the lawn. There are very 
few people who know even the com- 
monest wild bushes intimately, and the 
bushes change so much in looks when 
removed to rich grounds that few people 
recognize them. I have a mass of 
shrubbery which is much admired, and 
visitors are always asking me what the 
bushes are; yet I dug the roots in the 
neighborhood. 

A word should be said about just 
how to make a group. Dig up the 
entire area. Never set the bushes in 
holes dug in the sod. Spade up the 
ground, set the bushes thick, hoe them, 
and then let them go. If you do not 
like the bare earth between them, sow 
in the seeds of hardy annual flowers, 
like phlox, petunia, alyssum and pinks. 
The person who plants his shrubs in 
holes in the sward does not seriously 
mean to make any foliage mass, and it 
is likely that he does not know what 
relation the border mass has to artistic 
planting.. I have said to plant the 


‘bushes thick. This for quick effect. It 


is an easy matter to thin the plantation 
if it becomes too thick. I should gener- 
ally plant all common bushes as close 
as two feet each way, especially if I get 
most of them from the fields so that I 
do not have to buy them.” 


492 


THE GARDEN AND LAWN. 


What trees shall I plant, is a question 
so often asked, we must give a few hints 
in reply. For clumps and thickets 
where you wish to hide any ugly barn, 
or other objectionable features, nothing 
is better than the well-known Norway 
Spruce, Hard Maple, or if you choose 
some of the quick growing willows or 
poplars. 
great variety of trees and shrubs can be 
added, and at little expense, if you will 
go to the country and ask permission to 
take home some of the many excellent 
natives that grow so freely in our woods. 
You will find the White pine, Hemlock 
spruce, White spruce and Arbor Vitz 
very common along the Niagara Escarp- 
ment, and of deciduous trees, not only 
the ones referred to, but also fine young 
elms, beeches, oaks, basswoods, ashes, 
hickories, birches and poplars. Besides 
these, you will find some interesting 
trees for special planting, as, for example, 
Cornus florida, with its showy dress of 
large snow white flowers appearing about 
the first of June, and its shrubby sister 
Cornus stolonifera, with its bright red 
twigs, beautiful even in winter. 

Another striking native is Platanus 
occidentalis, commonly called the But- 
tonwood, with its peculiar bark of white 
and drab. Another, a smaller tree, is 
Amelanchier Canadensis, or Juneberry, 
with early white blossoms and edible 
fruit. Liriodendron tulipera, called the 
Tulip tree from the shape of its flowers, 
is also a native, not uncommon in the 
Niagara district. It grows to a height 
of upwards ofa hundred feet. Sambucus 
pubens, the Red berried elder, is beauti- 
ful in fruit and well deserves a place in 
the outside boundary of the lawn. 

For single specimens there are a good 
many beautiful trees, such as Wier’s 
Cut Leaved maple, Scarlet oak, Catalpa 
speciosa, Cut leaved Weeping birch, 
Copper beech, Purple birch, Maiden 
Hair tree. 


For thickening up a border, a' 


Among the evergreens, the dwarf 
Arbor Vitzs are very good, as Thuja 
siberica, globosa, Tom Thumb ; but for 
single specimens in a small yard, we 
know of none prettier than pyra- 
midalis, a beautiful upright grower 
which needs no pruning to keep its 
pyramidal form. It is beautifully adapted 
to prominent positions near the house, 
at the corner of a path or near the 
porch. Similar use can be made of 
some of the upright Junipers, e.g., those 
known as the Swedish and Irish Junipers. 
Juniperus Virginiana is pretty for its 
berries, but the color is almost too dark 
a green to suit me. 

Pinus Cembra, a Swiss pine, is a 
pretty, slow-growing conifer for the small 
lawn. 

Of the spruces, I believe I would 
prefer our own White spruce, Picea 
alba, to the grand, but too rapid grow- 
ing and less durable Picea excelsa (Nor- 
way Spruce, which is too rampant for 
small yards, and yet we often see these 
giant plants as a hedge for small lawns, 
close along a narrow walk, by people 
who never realize that it will grow to an 
enormous size, and unless cut back 
annually, cover an area on the ground 
of thirty feet in diameter. 

Of exotic shrubs valuable for Ontario, 
the following are hardy in the latitude 
of Hamilton, Viburnum opulus, Syringa 
vulgaris, Persica and others, Philadelphus 
Coronarius (Mock Orange), Rhus Co- 
tinus (Purple Fringe). The Spiraeas, 
Diervilla Japonica Weigelia rosea Pru- 
nus nana (Flowering almond), Forsythia, 
Hydrangea paniculata grandiflora, Paul’s 
Double Red and White Thorn, ?+unus 
Pissardii (Purple leaved plum), Zonicera 
Tartarica (Tartarian honeysuckle), Sym- 
phoricarpus racemosus (Snowberry), 
Viburnum plicatum (Japan Snow Ball), 
Ligustrum vulgare (privet), Mahonia 
aquifolia (Dwarf holly evergreen), Pyrus 


493 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


Japonica (Japan Flowering Quince), 
Caragana arborescens (Siberia Pea tree), 
Cotoneaster Vulgaris. 

Of climbers, Tendril, Ampelopsis quin- 
quefolia (Virginia Creeper), Ampelopsis 
Veitchit (Japan Ivy), Akebia quinata, 
Clematis Virginiana, Clematis Coccinea, 
Clematis Jackmant. 

Twiners, Lonicera Halleana, Celastrus 
scandens. 

I have thus indicated several lines 
of study which each one of us who has 
a lawn, large or small, may pursue with 


absorbing interest and delight. There 
will be no money reward, but the health 


’ and the pleasure derived, and the in- 


creased vitality and inspiration for other 
duties accruing to you in thus coming 
in touch with some of Nature’s pets, 
will. be a richer reward than any one of 
you has ever imagined, especially if he 
has been thus far solely occupied with the 
hard lines of business life. 


L. WOOLVERTON. 
Before Hamilton Horticultural Soctety. 


THE. BABY. 


ria. 1707..—PRIMULA FORBESI. 


of the most charming and useful 
house and garden plants in cultiva- 
tion. In its various species, which 
are widely distributed throughout both 
hemispheres, there is a diversity of hab- 
its and growth hardly: excelled in any 
other genus. While some of the best 
known species have been in cultivation 


Te primrose genus furnishes several 


PRIMROSE. 


for centuries, new ones are discovered 
and introduced from time to time. The 
latest of them, the Primula Forbesi, or 
Baby Primrose, is shown in the accom- 
panying illustration. 

Its blossoms are very dainty and 
graceful, not quite one-half inch in dia- 
meter, and of a pleasing rose-color, with 
eye or center of pale gold-yellow. ‘They 
are borne in tiers on erect and delicate 
stems ten to twelve inches long, and re- 
main in bloom for several weeks, fresh 
buds opening from day to day. For cut 
flowers they are particularly valuable on 
account of their great staying qualities. 
The plants begin to bloom when quite 
small and continue to throw up dozens 
of flower spikes from a dense clump of 
foliage. The plant requires about the 
same treatment as the Chinese primrose 
and will thrive in any cool house or 
ordinary window garden. Those who 
have grown this new plant are enthu- 
siastic in praise of its good qualities, and 
consider it one of the most desirable 
introductions for many years. — Floral 
Guide. 


494 


CALADIUM. 


Fie. 


Srr,—As a subscriber to the Hor- 
TICULTURIST I am sending you a view 
of a Caladium bed containing eight 
plants. My admiration for this plant is 
my reason for sending it. As a lawn 
plant it has, in my judgment, no equal. 
Easy to raise, free from enemies, re- 
quiring little care, it recommends itself 
to the florist, and should be better 
known and appreciated. The plants 
were placed in a bed situated in the sun, 
about the middle of June and attained a 
height of six feet. The bed was given 
a heavy mulch of leaf mold in July and 


1708.—CALADIUM. 


watered about three times every week. 
Had the plants been placed out a month 
earlier the growth would have been 
much greater. Difficulty is experienced 
in keeping the bulbs over winter, but 
even counting the expense of buying 
plants every year one is well repaid. On 
large grounds some splendid effects can 
be had by grouping Caladiums with 
other plants. Before the photo was 
taken Jack Frost had paid us a visit and 
wilted the plants. 
E. A. MCCLUNGHAN. 
Woodstock. 


495 


THE BRIDGE AT EDGEMOOR. 


Fie 1709.—TuHkr Brince at EDGEMOOR, 


ATER always forms a charming 
feature of a park or private 
pleasure grounds ; it gives such 
variety and rest to the land- 

scape and affords such opportunities for 
landscape art. We take from Garden- 
ing a fine view of a bridge at “ Edge- 
moor,” the beautiful summer home at 
Oconomowoc, Wis., of Mr. John Dupee. 
It is an instructive picture in showing 
what may be done in grounds where 
sufficient water is obtainable, or where 
a stream naturally flows through it. Too 
often these opportunities are overlooked, 
and small streams that might be made 
attractive aré allowed to remain with un- 
sightly banks. Fortunately for that part 


of Lake La Belle, Mr. Dupee is a man 
of taste, and an enthusiastic lover of all 
matters pertaining to ornamental horti- 
culture. The luxuriant growth of the 
cut leaved willow in the centre, show 
unusually intelligent care and attention. 

We should have more of this kind of 
planting. Many large estates possess 
considerably area of low lands requiring 
drainage, where a wide ditch would not 
only reclaim considerable land, but 
could be so planted as to become quite 
ornamental. The spot here illustrated, 
before Mr. Dupee took hold of it, was 
only unattractive, but intelligent appli- 
cation of time and money has produced 
a great change. 


496 


FLOWERING SHRUBS FOR LAWNS. 


Fie. 1710 —WIGELIA VARIEGATA (SPRAY). 


HE introduction to the notice 

of horticulturists of some that 

are now considered as being 

amongst our commonest flow- 
ering shrubs, dates as far back as the 
16th century ; the Philadelphus corona- 
rius, better known as Mock Orange is 
among the first spoken of in_horti- 
cultural records, being brought from 
South Europe about the year 1596. 
The Aibiscus Syriacus, or as sometimes 
erroneously termed A/thea Syriacus, was 
introduced from Syria at about the same 
period ; the many beautiful varieties of 
this plant, with their glossy green foliage 
and showy flowers, that brighten up our 
lawns during the scorching hot days of 
August when most other shrubs look 
bare and desolate, are, with few excep- 
tions, hybrids raised from this variety. 
The ‘small but free flowering Syringa 
Fersica, or Persian lilac, is supposed to 
have been brought from Persia about 
the year 1640. By some authorities 


Syringa Persica and Syringa Chinensts 
are thought to be identical with each 
other, the latter being introduced from 
China about a century ago. Notwith- 
standing the lapse of centuries interven- 
ing since these varieties were intro- 
duced, they still hold a place amongst 
the many beautiful varieties of these 
useful shrubs that have been more re- 
cently introduced. The lovely Japanese 
and Chinese lilacs as well as the beau- 
tiful hybrids brought into notice by 
British and Continental growers, with 
their showy spikes of single and double 
flowers varying in color from pure white 
to deep purple, combined with their 
compact habit recommend them strong- 
ly as being more suitable for ornament- 
ing lawns than some of the older varie- 
ties ; many of these latter, being of a 
more loose, straggling growth are not 
as well suited for planting on small 
lawns. 

The Berberis Canadensis and Diervilla 
or Wigelia Canadensis were introduced 
about 1796, the Lonicera tartarica, bet- 
ter known perhaps as the Tartarian 
Honeysuckle, was brought into notice 
at about the same date. The present 
almost completed century has been very: 
productive in adding to the now almost 
innumerable list of flowering shrubs ; 
the gradual opening up of comparatively 
new countries, principally in Asia, hav- 
ing given us by far the greater propor- 
tion of the new varieties now seen grow- 
ing on lawns. China, Japan, Burmah, 
the Himalaya mountains, as well as the 
states of Nepaul and Bhotan adjoining 
Northern India have contributed the 
most varieties, and in some cases the 
entire genus of some that are now con- 
sidered almost common varieties, such 
as the Hydrangea paniculata grandi- 


497 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


Fie -1711.—Seray oF SpigeA’s Douerasir 
AND BUMALDA. 


fiora, Forsythia, Deutzta, Spirea, Ta- 
marix, Viburnums, Exochorda grandt- 
fiora and many others almost too 
numerous to mention. Many hybrids 
of these plants have also been added to 
the list by enterprising nurserymen and 
florists. The colder latitudes of Siberia 
and Northern Europe have contributed 
a few varieties worthy of notice, amongst 
others being the pretty, sweetly per- 
fumed Daphnes, most of which flower 
very early in spring, their dwarf and un- 
obtrusive habit making them particularly 
suitable for planting on lawns. The 
Halesia tetraplera or Snowdrop tree is 
a native of N. America, and is quite 
hardy, its pretty silvery white bell-like 
flowers, which have given it the name of 
Silver Bell or Snowdrop tree, are pro- 
duced in May or June before the leaves 
appear, giving the plant a novel and 
unique appearance. The variety Haz- 


sta hispida is a very pretty and more 
recent introduction from Japan, but 
does not appear to be as acceptable as 
the native variety. Some of the hardy 
Azaleas, known as the Ghent or Ameri- 
can Azaleas, have been successfully 
grown in this locality, such as Azalea 
viscosa and A, nudifiora, but the Azalea 
mollis of Chinese and Japanese origin, 
as well as Azalea pontica from the Cau- 
casus, including hybrids of these varie- 
ties, which are classed as being hardy 
in this section, have not proved to be 
sO, partaking as they do, both in flower 
and habit, more of the nature of those 
gorgeously beautiful Asiatic shrubs, the 
Rhododendrons, which are seen in such 
numbers on lawns, more particularly in 
the south and west of England as well 
as in Southern Europe. It is to be 
regretted that these latter are not entirely 
hardy here; even in England, severe 
winters and extreme drought in summer 
often destroys whole beds of these much 
admired plants. 

Mention might be made of many 
more species and varieties of flowering 
shrubs, many of them being better 
adapted for planting in large shrubber- 
ies, or margins of plantations, or to hide 
some objectionable feature of the land- 
scape than for planting on lawns for 
decorative ‘purposes. The planting of 
shrubs is of importance especially as to 
the requirements of position and sur- 
roundings ; the method of actual plant- 
ing being the same as applied to all 
small trees and shrubs requires no ex- 
planation, as these particulars have been 
so often given in horticultural journals. 

Sufficient attention is not often given 
to these plants regarding position and 
surroundings, as with few exceptions 
they require an open sunny situation, 
with a free circulation of air, without 
being fully exposed to sweeping winds ; 
the partial shade of a tree or building 


498 


FLOWERING SHRUBS FOR LAWNS. 


during the scorching midday sun, would 
probably benefit some varieties such as 


the Japanese Spireas, and a few others 


that flower during the hot days of July ; 
care must be taken however to keep 
the plants a sufficient distance from 
these, so that the plants are exposed to 
the sun and air during the greater part 
of the day. The height and habit of 
growth of the plants must be taken into 
consideration as well as the probable 
growth of trees and shrubs growing near 
to them, and the suitability of the plant 
as to color, so as to have a variety of 
color and form ; nor must we forget the 
habit of growth of the plant as adapted 
for the position selected, for some com- 
paratively dwarf growing shrubs have 
a loose spreading habit, such as For- 
sythia, spirea van Houttii, S. lanceolata, 
and others of similar growth which re- 
quire more space to produce the long 
arching branches that make these Spi- 
reas so attractive when laden with their 
hawthorn like flowers in early summer. 
Most varieties of the Deutzia, Prunus 
or double flowering Almonds, Spirea 
prunifolia and S. bumaldii and a few 
others are of more compact and upright 
growth, requiring less space than the 
stronger growing varieties, the dwarf 
growing Deutzia gracilis, D. parvifiora 
and the newly introduced variety Dewt- 
zia Lemoinei are specially adapted for 
planting on small lawns, where the 
space is limited, or near the edge of 
walks. : 

Pruning flowering shrubs is a very 
important point in the successful growth 
of these plants, so as to produce a 
natural looking shapely plant and still 
leave sufficient of the young growth, as 
nearly all flowering shrubs produce 
their wealth of bloom on the growth of 
the preceding season; there are a few 
exceptions to this rule, the Hydrangea 


Fie. 1712.—Spray or ‘*‘ SprrEA VAN’ 
Hoorttt.”’ 


paniculata grandiflora being one of 
them. This plant requires severe fall or 
winter pruning, cutting back the young 
growth to within about an inch or two 
of the older growth of the plant. 

The far too common method of clip- 
ping, or to use the proper term, mutila- 
tion of these plants cannot be too strong- 
ly condemned. This unnatural and 
disfiguring process usually takes place 
annually in July or August, before the 
plants have completed the season’s 
growth, and it entirely destroys the 
young growth necessary to produce the 
bloom of the following season. Many 
of the most beautiful of our flowering 
shrubs can be seen on lawns entirely 
ruined by this mistaken system of clip- 
ping ; unsightly looking plants of the 
Forsythias, Weigelias, Spireas, and even 
the double flowering Spirea prunifolia 
can be seen, clipped of all the growth 
so necessary to produce the beautiful 
minaret like spikes of snow-white blos- 
soms, that make this plant so valuable 
in spring and early summer for lawn 
decoration. The best time for pruning 


3 499 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


Fie. 1713.—Centre Spray Dervurzia ‘‘ PRIDE 
OF ROCHESTER.” 


flowering shrubs is late in autumn or 
early winter ; a sharp pruning-knife, or 
a small pair of grape pruning-scissors is 
all that is necessary for this purpose. 
The method usually adopted by success- 
ful growers of these plants is termed the 
“thinning back” or “thinning out” 
system, which is carried out practically 
by cutting out the most prominent 
branches or shoots, that project beyond 
the tips of the growth that is to form 
the general outline of the plant, so that 
when the pruning is finished it leaves 
the plant of a natural looking uniform 
shape. The branches or shoots should 
be severed at a point near to or below 
the base of the young growth it is 
necessary to remove, thinning out all 
parts of the plant equally, so as to leave 
the plant evenly balanced, and natural 
looking. 

A correct eye for form, and a little 
study of the growth necesary to give the 


best results to produce bloom the fol- 
lowing season, will soon enable anyone 
to become proficient in what is some- 
times thought to bea difficult operation. 
Many varieties of flowering shrubs can 


‘be kept in good shape and a supply of 


cut flowers obtained from them in sum- 
mer for indoor decoration, by judicious- 


«ly cutting out the most prominent 


branches or spikes of flowers; this can 
be easily done without any injury to the 
plant, if care is taken not to cut too 
much of the plant away in any one par- 
ticular place. 

To be successful in growing flowering 
shrubs, this system. of pruning, as ex- 
plained, must be commenced when the 
plants are young, as when once they are 
allowed to get overgrown and out of 
shape, it is difficult to successfully bring 
them into proper shape, to produce a 
supply of flowers. 

The selection of flowering shrubs for 
small lawns is often a difficult matter, 
not only from the large variety there is 
to select from, but for other reasons. 


“The highly colored, deceptive plates 


sometimes seen in catalogues and cheap 
horticultural papers, as well as the glow- 
ing and sometimes inaccurate descrip- 
tions given of plants, are some of the 
difficulties encountered in making a 
selection ; the omission, in some cases, 
altogether of any particulars as to the 
size and habit of the plant does not im- 
prove matters in this direction. It is 
pleasing to note however, that reproduc- 
tions from actual photographs of plants 
and flowers are being much more gener- 
ally ‘used to illustrate catalogues and 
horticultural periodicals. These, if well 
executed, give faithful representations 
of the subject they are intended to illus- 
trate ; at least, so far as form of flower 
or habit of plant is concerned. Their 


-deficiency in coloring is at any rate not 


500 


ROSES—CHOICE OF VARIETIES AND WINTER CARE. 


deceptive ; this defect can be much 
more easily described than the form or 
habit of growth of a plant, the latter 
being far more essential to success than 
high colored illustrations which often 
cause disappointment and failure. The 
pamphlet recently issued by the Central 
Experimental Farm, Ottawa, and which 
was mentioned in the October number 


of the Horticutturist, is a valuable 
paper, giving as it does reliable informa- 
tion in many ways as to the growth and 
hardiness of a large numher of trees | 
and shrubs, being of especial value to 
localities where the winters are pro- 
longed and severe. 
Wm. Hunt. 

Before Hamilton Horticultural Society. 


ROSES—CHOICE OF VARIETIES, AND WINTER 
| CARE. 


“TEA” OR EVERBLOOMING MONTHLIES. 


this variety is very tender, requir- 

ing, probably, a little more care 

and attention than the amateur 
feels disposed to bestow upon them ; 
although they will amply repay for the 
time and the labor that is necessary for 
their protection through the winter 
months. 

The following varieties I have grown 
and wintered out-doors: ‘Catharine 
Mermet,” ‘‘ Madam Cochet,” “ Jean 
Ducher,” “ Marie Van Houtte,” ‘ Mad- 
ame Lambard.” 

If any readers of this Journal are 
desirous of cultivating the ‘‘ Tea” rose, 
and will adopt the following method of 
planting and protecting, I venture to 
say they will be well rewarded. 

In the first place, secure good, strong 
two-year-old plants (I prefer budded 
stock), select a sheltered situation facing 
south, and in planting, see that the bud 
(or the place where the bud is inserted 
in the Manetti stock) is about three 
inches under the ground. If any prun- 
ing is required, do it sparingly. Towards 
the end of November, or as soon as 
winter sets in, tie up the bush to a 
stake and bank up the roots with cow 
manure and leaves; take a nail-keg, 
knock out the bottom, and bore three 
or four holes in the side, about midway, 


| T must be distinctly understood that 


for ventilation ; place it so that the bush 
is in the centre and fill in thoroughly 
with dried leaves. Do not pack too 
tightly, or mildew will follow; let the 
stake project above the keg from four 
to six inches, and this will act as a cen- 
tre pole. Then take a piece of factory, 
or anything of that nature, cover the 
keg so as to assume the shape of a 
military tent, and tack the factory (or 
whatever is used) to the top edge of 
the keg, so as to be thoroughly water- 
proof. 

It must be thoroughly understood 
that the secret of protecting ‘“ Tea” 
roses is to keep them dry, especially 
towards spring. Another point, which 
cannot be too strongly emphasized, is 
this: it is the warm days and freezing 
nights in the spring that prove so disas- 
trous to the rose; hence the necessity 
of keeping them covered until all ap- 
pearance of frost is gone. 

In the list of dark Hybrids, which 
you kindly published last month, I 
omitted to mention “ Pierre Notting” 
and ‘Alfred Colomb.” Although old 
roses, for color and fragrance I doubt 
very much whether any rose of recent 
production is superior to the above 
named. 

J. G. Jackson. 
Port Hope. 


501 


HYACINTHS. 


and the experience of others I 

believe the Hyacinth to be about 

the best bulb for winter window 
culture, and among the different classes 
of Hyacinths none are more fitting for 
that purpose than the sweet and grace- 
ful Roman varieties. The bulbs of 
these are somewhat smaller than those 
other kinds, yet their flowers are pro- 
duced in greater abundance, and last 
much longer than those of other sorts. 
Bulbs planted in September or October 
ought to come into bloom by Christmas, 
and nothing is daintier to give to one’s 
friend than they, either cut or still on 


J me from my own experience 


Fic. 1714.—Hyacintus. 


the plant. The bulbs delight in a rich 
soil, composed mainly of thoroughly 
decayed manure, garden and woods 
mold; also a judicious supply of 
moisture—in the air rather than at their 
roots—and a temperature of about sixty 
or sixty-five degrees. They do not exact 
any sunshine to speak of, and will bloom 
very successfully in a north window. It 
has been my custom for years to plant 


only one bulb of these (and all other 
Hyacinths except the Grape) in one 
jar, although this is not absolutely re- 
quirable. A four-inch jar about suits 
an ordinary-sized bulb; larger named | 
sorts will require a receptacle a size or 
two larger, while three bulbs of the little 
Grape Hyacinths may be set in a four- 
inch pot. I generally surround each 
bulb with coarse sand to ward off decay. 


After introducing my bulbs to their 
dark box down cellar I let them remain 
there from six weeks to three months, 
and find that those left longest are much 
the finest, all told. Let me say if all 
bulb growers would make this all im- 
portant fact their own and act upon it, 
there would not be one-half so many 
failures in making these bulbs come 
into successful flower. Experience, that 
hardiest yet kindest of teachers, has 
convinced me of that. 

Among the named single Dutch Hya- 
cinths I can unhesitatingly recommend 
the following: Amy, medium spike of 
rich carmine flowers, one of the best ; 
Gertrude, fine spike of rose bells slightly 
with lilac, has carmine stripe on each 
petal ; Gigantea, immense truss of deli- 
cate rose ; La Reine des Jacinthes, rich, 
glowing, dark red ; La Grandesse, dense 
spike of snowy blossoms ; Mimosa, dark 
rich blue, nearly purple; Ida, fine 
canary yellow ; L’Amie du Coeur, fine 
spike of mauve-lilac blossoms. 


I have said nothing about the double 
named sorts. Perhaps it is just as well, 
as I never feel safe in recommending 
them to those. who are beginning bulb 
culture.—Benj. B. Keech, Park’s Floral 
Guide. 


502 


THE SNOWDROPS. 


NOWDROPS are one of the easiest 
bulbs to grow. All they require is 
to be planted and left alone; they 

will grow stronger from year to year and 
make a fine show if planted in a mass in 
some corner of the lawn or amongst de- 
ciduous shrubs where hardly anything 
else will grow. They are also charming 
if planted near the house where they can 
be seen from the windows ; in this way 
they can be associated with other bulbs 
that flower about the same time, namely 
the winter aconite, Scz//a stberica, crocus 
and chionodoxas or planted in the 
hyacinth or tulip beds ; in this way beds 
in the vicinity of the house are kept gay 


% oe 


Uf; AN pe wba 


ecfes 


ty. tie 
Mi, 1 ‘i Lin ye Ni, 
eS KC Mi td he fh Ned r a HF 
ve 
“ f 


vay d 


a longer period, and the foliage of the 
snowdrops makes a nice groundwork 
for the hyacinths or tulips. But these 
early spring flowers are not much:seen 
in gardens. They are noticeably absent 
from the grounds of the country homes 
of those who live in the city in winter, 
but the gardener in charge should see 
that there is a patch of snowdrops, for 
in March, when the greenhouses are full 
of bedding plants and flowers are scarce, 
a colony of snowdrops will help to swell 
the flower basket and may be more 
prized than the choicest rose or orchid 
the greenhouse can produce.—American 
Florist. 


cid tae 
Wily fou) tee Sa 
re wie 7 HOP ren Ey 


Fie. 1715.—Rustic Lamp Posts anp TRELLISSES. 


Rustic Lamp Posts AND TRELLISES. 
—In Tuxedo Park, along the drive bor- 
dering the lake, is a handsome rustic 
fence, of which not the least interesting 
feature is that at appropriate distances 
the posts of the fence extend above the 
rail several feet to form lamp rests. 
Our illustration presents a modified form 
of this method, showing how other posts 


may be run up and used as trellises for 
clematis and other climbing vines. We 
don’t believe in fences except as ‘safe- 
guards against positive danger or real 
encroachment, and where necessary we 
do believe in making them as useful or 
beautiful, or both, as the case will per- 
mit.—American Gardening. 


593 


+{ Our Alfiliated Societies. & 


THORNBURY.—At a meeting of the 
Thornbury Horticultural Society held at 
the office of Dr. Hurlburt, on Friday 
evening last, it was resolved to expend 
the surplus Government grant in pur- 
chasing trees and flower bulbs to be 
delivered to the members at once. 

It was moved by Mr. M. Snetsinger, 
seconded by C. W. Hartman, that hav- 
ing examined the results of the spraying 
experiments under direction of Mr. Orr, 
Superintendent, we heartily endorse the 
practice of the department in conducting 
systematic experiments. The results in 
Mr. George Lambert’s orchard shows 
conclusively that it is the only known 
method securing sound large fruit and 
of keeping the trees healthy. 

In moving the resolution Mr. Snet- 
singer stated that although an extensive 
dealer in apples for many years, he was 
never until this year thoroughly convin- 
ced of the immense value of spraying, 
This year he had purchased the crop of 
apples from Mr. John Mitchell at the 
experimental station, where systematic 
spraying had been conducted for some 
years, and the fruit was so perfect that 
it could be packed without culling. 


Linpsay.—This Society has already 
made up the following list of plants and 
bulbs to be given each of the first one 
hundred members paying in his subscrip- 
tion for the year 1go0o: 


Package No. 1, containing Kentia 
palm, chrysanthemum and four hya- 
cinths, and package No. 2, containing 
Bismark apple tree, Prunus triloba, and 
four hyacinths. 


GUELPH.— Years gone by there was a 
flourishing Horticultural Society in the 
city, but latterly the interest flagged and 
the society dropped out of existence. 


On Tuesday evening, Nov. 14th, a 
meeting was called in the City Hall to 
re-organize a society. Although there 
was not a large attendance, those present 
were most sanguine of being able to 
form a strong society, and the meeting 
on the whole was a success. 


Mr. James Goldie was appointed 
chairman. He explained very fully the 
objects and aims of the society, and the 
benefits that would be derived by such a 
society, not only to the members, but 
the public at large. 


Messrs. Lyon, R. Cunningham and 
Prof. Hutt were also strongly in favor of 
the formation of the society. 


After a number of questions had been 
asked and answered, the ladies—of 
whom there were quite a few present— 
formed themselves into a committee to 
canvass the city for members. They 
seemed most enthusiatic, and are confi- 
dent of securing a large membership. 


OuR JOURNAL FOR 1900 will be still 
farther improved. The columns will be 
wide, the page larger and the exterior 
will be decorated with an entirely new 
cover and cover design. We are 
promised special articles from Prof. W. 
T. Macoun, of Ottawa; Mr. S. H. 
Mitchel, St. Marys; A. E. Mickle, 
Toronto ; A. E. Brooke, Alberton, and 
many others. 


Our HorrTIcuLTuRAL SOCcIETIES will 
be interested in knowing that in place 
of the Tea rose offered them in a special 
circular, we can give them Francois 
Levet, one of the hardiest and best of 
Hybrid Remontants. It is cherry-rose 
in color, medium size, somewhat of the 
style of Paul Verdier. 


504 


‘ear, entitling the subscriber to membership of the Fruit 


SUBSCRIPTION PRICE, $r.00 per 
Growers’ Association of Ontario and all its privileges, including a copy of its valuable Annua) 
Report, and a share in its annual distribution of plants and trees. 

REMITTANCES by Registered Letter or Post-Office Order are at our risk. Receipts will be 
acknowledged upon the Address Label. 

ADVERTISING RATES quoted on application Circulation, 5,000 copies ner month. 

LOCAL NEWS.—Coriespondents will greatly oblige by sending to the Editor early intelligence 


of local events or doings of Horticultural Societies likely to be of interest to our readers, or of any 
matters which it is desirable to bring under the notice of Horticulturists. 

ILLUSTRATIONS.—The Editor will thankfully receive and select photographs or drawings, 
suitable for reproduction in these pages, of gardens, or of remarkable plants, flowers, trees, etc.; but 
he cannot be responsible for loss or injury. 

NEWSPAPERS.—Correspondents sending newspapers should be careful to mark the paragraphs 
they wish the Editor to see. 

DISCONTINUANCES.—Remember that the publisher must be notified by letter or post-card 
when a subscriber wishes his paper stopped. All arrearages must be paid. Returning your paper 
will not enable us to discontinue it, as we cannot find your name on our books unless your Post 
Office address is given. Societies should send in their revised lists in January, if possible, otherwise 
we take it for granted that all will continue members, 


3 Notes and @ommentse. & 


Dr. SAUNDERS has recently returned 
from an extended tour to the Pacific 
Coast, visiting the experimental farms on 
the way. He reports that extended pre- 
parations are being made fora complete 
display of the agricultural horticultural 
products of the Great West at the Paris 
Exposition. 

PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND APPLES.— 
Father Burke, of Alberton, P. E. I. 
forwards us three fine samples of apples 
grown in that Province, and if we may 
judge by them, the little island may well 
be encouraged to plant apple orchards. 
The largest one is about three inches 
in diameter, and resembles Stark in 
form, but is more deeply colored with 
dark red. The second is about 23 
in widest diameter and resembles Cran- 
berry Pippin in markings, and Can- 
ada Red in form; the the third, is 


oblong, about 3 inches by 2%, green 
with a very dark red cheek, some- 
thing like a Géillyflower, but more 
obtuse, brighter red, and heavier. Pos- 
sibly these are all local apples, and if so, 
may be more suited to the conditions 
than varieties which have originated 
elsewhere. 


MANITOBA-GROWN AppLE.—Prof. W. 
E. James of the Manitoba College, 
Winnipeg, sends us a sample apple 
grown in Manitoba by the Archbishop 
of Rupert’s Land, in his garden at 
Bishop’s Court, Winnipeg. The apple 
resembles the Yellow Transparent, but 
comes to hand when this variety is en- 
tirely out of date in Ontario. No 
doubt in Manitoba it would be later in 
season than here. Mr. James adds that 
he believes that one day Manitoba will 


595 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


be able to supply in a large measure her 
own needs in the way of apples. 

Pan-AMERICAN.—The Buffalo Cou- 
rier, is quite jubilant over the assurance 
received at the head quarters of the exhi- 
bition, that Canada would make a 
splendid exhibit, and takes it as a fur- 
ther evidence of the friendly feeling 
existing between England and the United 
States. 

EXTRAORDINARY RETURNS.—We are 
often asked how much per acre may be 
expected as the net returns from a peach 
orchard, and such questions are the 
most perplexing, for everything ‘“ de- 
pends upon the man.” 
right location, right methods of growing, 
packing and marketing make a man 
rich, while neglect of these make a man 
poor. 

It has been stated that Mr. Roland 
Morrill, of Benton Harbor, Michigan, 
the President of the Michigan Society, 
gathered 12000 baskets of peaches from 
50° acres of peach orchard, which sold 
at prices ranging from $2.00 to $7.00 
per bushel! His returns from fifty acres 
were $35,000!! 

The explanation is due to cultivation, 
potash, manuring, sensible pruning, and 
unmerciful thinning, as a result of which 
many of his peaches measured three and 
a half inches in diameter. 


COMMERCIAL FERTILIZERS, according 
to Prot. Vanslyke are much more satis- 
factory when used in conjunction with 
humus, than when used alone. 


THE CANADIAN FIELD PEa is consid- 
ered in California the most satisfactory 
to sow for green manure. They allow 
from 85 to 100 pounds to the acre. 


CORRECTIONS. — On page 428 it 
should read, “homes referred to by 


Right varieties, 


Charles Downing in his Landscape Gar- 


~dening” ; his own home was on the 


Hudson. Also Prof. Sargent was editor 
“Garden and Forest ” not The Garden. 


On page 447 Fig. 1688 should read 


“Scale and ovule,” not frond. 


THE Koonce Prar is favorably re- 
ported upon by Mr. E. P. Powell, of 
New York State, as being large and hand- 
some, of bright yellow color, with crim- 
son cheek, and flavor equalling Sheldon. 


VERMONT Beauty pear originated 
on Grand Island, Lake Chaplain, about 
1887. It isa pretty red cheeked pear, 
of fine quality, ripening in October. 


Princess Louise.—Samples of this 
apple have been received by the R. N.Y. 
and described as highly colored, bright 
red and whitish ground, flesh white, fine 
texture, spicy, pleasant, and full-flavored, 
higher quality than Shiawassee Beauty. 


THE CANNED FRUIT JELLIES in com- 
mon use are said to be mostly made of 
apples boiled down in diluted suphuric 
acid, and flavored to resemble the vari- 
ous fruits ! 


Opituary.—Peter M. Gideon, orig- 
inator of the Wealthy apple, died at 
Excelsior, Minn., October 27th, aged 
79. The apple was named after his 
wife, Wealthy Hall, whom he married 
in 1849. He was the first superinten- 
dent of the State Experimental Fruit 
Farm. 


- Tue MacIntosH RED APPLE was 
originated by Allen McIntosh, of Inker- 
mann, a Scotchman who served in Cap- 
tain Cripler’s company in 1837, and was 
present at the Battle of Windmill Point. 
He was also the originator of the Golden 
Sweet. 


Jounson’s Ear.y is the name of a 


506 


NOTES AND 


new strawberry from Somerset County, 
Maryland and was originated by Mr. O. 
Johnson, from seedling of Crescent and 
Hoffman. It is said to be as productive 
as Crescent and as early as Michell. 


ENCOURAGING TO CANADIAN SHiP- 
PERS. The Fruit Grower in a recent issue 
says: We have received some samples 
of Maiden’s Blush apples and Williams 
(Bartlett) pears which formed part of 
the late shipment of Canadian fruit sold 
in Covent Garden. 

From the specimen to hand it is clear 
that there is a big opening for these 
Canadian fruits, and that they will with 
careful shipment, packing and distribu- 
tion secure ready sales at good prices. 
We are much impressed with the quality, 
that is the size, color, and flavor of the 
fruits, and we shall take an early oppor- 
tunity of dealing with them and this 
branch of the trade in an early issue. 
The Canadian growers and _ shippers 
may face the future development of 
their export fruit trade with the greatest 
confidence. 


In pears, the California samples, 
Beurre Hardy, in cases of 60 to a case, 
sold from 7s. 6d. to 8s. 6d. each; these 
fruits were fine, as may be gauged when 
we state that many of them have been 
retailed at 3s. and 4s. per dozen fruits ; 
Clairgeaus sold from 6s. to 7s. 6d. per 
four dozen count, and Duchess from 
5s. to 6s.; these contained the same 
quantity as the Clairgeaus. 

In plums, California made from 7s. 
to 8s. per twenty pound net. Some of 
these have been retailed at 2s. a dozen 
fruits. Golden Drops went out from 6s. 
to 7s. 

BEURRE Harpy.—Speaking of this 
pear in England, the same authority 
says :—This is a fine variety of pear and 


COMMENTS. 


one which may be raised with the 
utmost confidence. In the fruit shops 
at the present time it is well to the fore, 
though the major portion of the fruits 
thus exhibited have been sent us from 
California. It is a large pear, oblong, 
obovate in shape, it has a fine appear- 
ance, and is well suited for market 
work ; it is at its best in October. The 
quality of this pear is beyond dispute, 
for it is unique in its way, and the flesh 
possesses a very marked perfume. Why 
it has not been raised in this country in 
sufficient quantities to satisfy the mar- 
ket need is a mystery. Possibly its 
claims have not been brought home 
clearly to the majority of growers. What- 
ever the cause may be there can be no 
doubt as to the quality and suitability 
of this fine pear for commercial pur- 
poses. We should not hesitate our- 
selves even to make its production a 
special feature, for when well grown it is 
a pear from which money can be made. 
The skin is yellowish green, but it car- 
ries a lot of russet markings on it, and it 
is this which makes it a conspicuous 
fruit whenever it is on show. It is an 
admirable all-round pear, particularly 
suitable for sale amongst the best class 
of buyers. 

Cogs’ GOLDEN Drop is also com- 
mended as one of the best plums for 
the London market; and it is stated 
that this plum has been sold in the 
English fruit shops at 1s. ld. or about 
36 cents a dozen. These were from 
California, large, well colored, and in 
excellent condition. 


Fruit GRowING IN NATAL is be- 
coming an important industry. It is 
said that the road from Durban to Pieter- 
maritzburg is lined with numerous fruit 
plantations. The district of Malvern, 
nine miles from Durban has soil and 


5°7 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


climate well fitted for growing sub-tropi- 
cal fruits. - Bananas are a staple’ produc- 
tion’; the Natal pine apple is a superior 
variety ; lemons and oranges are both 
commonly grown, the latter coming into 
bearing in the fifth year, and wespesscan 
until their thirteenth. » 


we have been noting Black Victoria at 
Maplehurst, and this year especially it 
is showing up well in productiveness. 
The same good quality is also shown by 
plants growing at Mr. Peart’s, Freeman, 
who is experimenting with all varieties 
of currants. Branches sent us for putting 


Fig. 1716.—THEe GarpeNn Crry Apricot. 


_ THE.GARDEN is Apricot is a new 
variety, which,has recently originated at 
St. Catharines, and is very promising, 
both by reason of its. beauty of appear- 
ance, excellent quality, and fine size. 
The cut shows the natural size of some 
of those apricots, which were. sent in to 
this office last summer... They seem to 
be also hardy and productive. 


Biack Victoria. — Black currants 
have. been planted quite. largely’ for 


profit in the Niagara district, chiefly of 


the Naples and Lee’s Prolific variety, 
because their rarity in our markets 
made them a good price. But alas! 
they are usually so unproductive in this 
section that there was nothing in them 
for the grower, and they have ‘been 
rooted out. The black currant is one 
of the fruits that seems to succeed well 
in the north, if we may judge by what 
we saw in 1898; for on St. Joseph’s 
Island we found garden rows of Lee’s 
Prolific, that were loaded down with 
magnificent fruit. For two years now 


508 


up in bottles were heavily loaded, and 
the bushes seem to be very vigorous. 
The bunches appeared three and four at 
each node, and measured from 1¥% to 
1% inches in length, and the berries %4 
by 5% inch in diameter. The season is 
from July r5th to 3oth. 


THE Boston FERN, which is on our 
list for distribution in the spring of 1900 
is a-valuable house plant. Its long 
gracefully drooping fronds hanging 
down on all sides from a jardiniere 
stand are a real source of satisfaction, 
and although we can send only a small 
plant by mail, it will soon grow to a 
thing of beauty. The Florist says of 
it:—‘“ The Boston fern owes much of 
its popularity to the ease with which it 
adapts itself to house culture. Fre- 
quently we see in sitting-room windows 
specimens equal to the finest conserva- 
tory-grown plants and of better color 
than the average greenhouse product. 
This would indicate that this plant pre- 
fers the deficient light of the dwelling 


NOTES AND 


house to the glare of the greenhouse, 
and that shade is an essential for its 
best development.” 


Tue Louise is one of the finest -ex- 
port pears, providing a first-class sample 
is produced. On well cultivated sandy 
loam, well enriched, well pruned, the 
tree yields a fine crop, of large. fruit 
with. a’ beautifully colored. cheek ; and 
such stock brought the highest price 
in the British market, of any pear we 
sent over in 1898. 

A writer in the “Fruit Grower ” writes 
as follows of it: We put Louise Bonne 
first, and in spite of the claims of 
several others, we think that we: are 
justified in doing so. Why? , do you 
ask ; well, simply because it is a most 
luscious variety, puts ona grand color, 
comes to a good salable size, and is ex- 
quisite when fully matured. We really 
wonder if a well-ripened English Louise 
Bonne has any thing that can be com- 
parable to it as pears go. It is a grand 
fruit for marketing in boxes, and on that 
account cannot be too freely grown. 
We have seen these pears marketed 
thus going out to the order of the best 
buyers in the retail'trade without having 
being opened for general view at all, 
and this proves very clearly that it is an 
excellent one to grow for profit. 

As often grown, however, in Ontario, 
on soil that is poorly cultivated, and 
poorly fertilized, the pear is small, and 
scabby, and unfit for market. It suc- 
ceeds far better as a dwarf than as a 
standard. 

Goop Prars. — The Fruit Grower 
gives the following list of desirable pears, 
viz: Doyenne de Comice, Beurre 
Hardy, Pitmaston Duchess and Wil- 
liam’s Bon Chretien (Bartlett). 


Wormy AND Spotrenp fruit filling the 


doing this- season. . 


COMMENTS. 


English market. It is surprising that 
our apple shippers will follow the suici- 
dal policy of shipping to the foreign 
market such rubbish as they have been 
It would appear 
that the warnings given in this Journal, 
and in the reports of our meetings have 


‘been wholly without effect in hindering 


this evil of fraudulent packing. Ship- 
pers go. about the country buying up 
orchards, and do not hesitate to use the 
good fruit for facing up the ends of the 
barrels, and the rubbish to fill in the 
middle. James Adams, Son & Co., 
Liverpool, write, November 4th : 

The position of things this week has _ 
been disappointing in the extreme, the 
excessive supply of inferior and faulty 
conditioned fruit having so completely 
demoralized the market that, to. effect 
sales, wretchedly low prices have had.to 
be accepted. Indeed, hundreds of bar- 
rels have been sold at prices that will 
little more than, if in fact, fully cover 
freight and charges, and it goes without 
saying, therefore, that shippers all round 
will lose heavily. Why the stock should 
have gone off so suddenly we cannot 
possibly understand, but seeing that ar- 
rivals from all sources have been simi- 
larly affected, we are inclined to the 
belief that the weather must have been 
too warm when packing operations were 
in progress, a theory which is amply 
justified by the very heavy shrinkage 
seen in so many of the barrels. In 
spite of all this, we do not wish ship- 
pers to be altogether discouraged, as 
the trade is still able to appreciate fruit 
of good quality when it is available. 
Even this week some few lots brought 
fair prices, and the buyers’ complaint is 
that they cannot get sufficient to meet 
their requirements, so that as soon as 


“reliable stock comes along there is no 


doubt that things will brighten up again. 
Fruit that is wormy and spotted, like 


5°9 


THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 


that we have been receiving lately, gives 
little or no satisfaction to anybody, and 
seeing that the charges are the same as 
on better stock, we are surprised that so 
much common stuff has been sent for- 
ward. 

THE CoMET CURRANT is considered 
in the Fruit Grower, London, England, 
as very productive, as many as twenty- 
six berries having been counted on a 
single bunch. The berry is of superior 
size, and it is claimed that such a sam- 
ple should bring about a new era in cur- 
rant culture. 

Risston Pippin.—Four samples of 
this fruit from a very old tree, a sucker 
from the original tree, were recently 
sent the editor of the Gardeners’ Chron- 
icle, England, by J. McLellan, of Rib- 
ston Hall, Gardens, Sussex. The origi- 
nal tree was raised here from a pip sown 
in 170g, and it was blown down in 1734. 
The sucker has never been moved. 


Tue Princess LouisE. Mr. Green 
of Rochester writes as follows, concern- 
ing this variety, which originated on our 
fruit farm at Maplehurst years ago, a 
chance seedling of the Fameuse :—We 
are greatly pleased with the Princess 
Louise apple as fruited here this season. 
It is a reddish apple, somewhat flattened 
in shape, good size, very handsome, and 
of fine quality, resembling Shiawasse 
Beauty but darker. It is a fine apple if 
it is correctly named. 


THE PLANT DisTRIBUTION. Our re- 
quest for the views of members regard- 
ing the best use to make of the $600 or 


$700 now spent in distributing plants, 
has brought in a large amount of corres- 
pondence, many preferring that it be 
spent in increasing the size and useful- 
ness of our journal, for which it would 
work great changes; and others, perhaps 
the majority, preferring that we continue 
the present system of giving each mem- 
ber some new or valuable sort of fruit or 
flower plant. We shall not therefore 
make any change in the custom without 
further consideration. 


THE JOURNAL FOR 1900 will appear 
in improved form, with wider columns 
and larger page. We hope to give our 
readers much better value for their 
money than in any previous year. We 
solicit letters, notes, comments, articles, 
and illustrations (photographic or other) 
for January number, and bespeak the 
hearty co-operation of all, whether pro- 
fessional or amateur gardeners. 


ORCHARDS IN ENGLAND.—Of the 
224,000 acres of orchard in Great Bri- 
tain returned to the Board of Agriculture 
as arable, or grass land used for fruit 
trees, all but 3 per cent are situated in 
England. These acres are chiefly grass 
land planted with apples and pears and 
a large proportion is not producing half 
as much fruit as it might under proper 
cultivation and care. 

“ This state of things,” says the jour- 
nal of the board, “has been caused by 
various forms of neglect and mismanage- 
ment, the primary being the selection 
of unsuitable varieties of fruit trees and 
indifference with regard to origin, size, 
vigorous habit and healthy appearance 
of the young fruit trees planted.” 


er a 


510 


+{ Question Orawer. K 


Huggard’s Seedling Pear. 


LLL9. Srr,—I send you a seedling pear 
for your opinion. It is a cross between Clair- 
geau and Anjou. 

R. L. Hueearp, Whitby. 


This pear is worth testing. In a 
warm room it has ripened for eating 
this 1st November, but in the cool it 
would no doubt keep till Christmas. It 
is large in size, obtuse, pyriform, skin 
yellow, with bright red cheek, stem stout 
with peculiar raised fleshy insertion, 
calyx half closed in a moderately deep 
basin, flesh creamy white, tender, juicy, 
with some granules like the flesh of 
the Duchess; flavor sweet and very 
agreeable. 


——— 


Weakened by Frost. 


1120. Srr,—I planted a number of pear 
trees in the spring of 1898, they all grew well 
that season, but this spring the trunks of most 
of them were dead on one side, the branches 
were budding some but have died since. 
Would like to know if such young trees 
would have the blight, if the cold winter has 
done it, or if the disease has come from the 
nursery, some trees are growing from the 
roots. D.N 


No doubt the severe cold weather of 
last February weakened the life of many 
of our fruit trees, some of which suc- 
cumbed at once and others have been 
gradually dying. Sometimes the sun 
coming out suddenly upon frozen bark 
after a severe cold spell, causes sun 
scald, or portions of bark to die and in 
time peel off, thus seriously injuring the 
tree. 


Choice of Apple Trees. 


Ai2s. Sre.—I am thinking of planting 
out three or four hundred apple trees (winter 
fruit) assorted, as follows: Baldwins, Ben 
Davis, Mann, Kings, and Cranberry Pippins. 
Would you kindly let me know what you 
think of the assortment ? 

A. McK. Cameron, 
Meaford. 


The selection of apple trees made by 
our correspondent is a very good one 
for a list of winter varieties for export, 
with one exception, viz., the Mann ap- 
ple. This variety drops badly from the 
tree, and its color is not favorable to its 
ready sale. It is productive and fairly 
even in size but can hardly be classed 
among the best commercial varieties. 
We would substitute Ontario for Mann 
in the list proposed by our subscriber. 


Turnips as Green Manure. 


15322. Srr,—If not too much against the 
rules of your journal, I wish you would reply 
to the query as below at your earliest con- 
venience. I have a crop of turnips in my 
plum orchard—trees planted five years next 
spring. Would it be good for tree or fruit 
or both to plow under turnips now ? 

EPHRIAM CooKE, 
Norwich, Ont. 


Reply by H. L. Hutt, O. A. C., Guelph. 


We would not advise plowing under 
a good crop of turnips. It would pay 
better to sell the turnips and buy wood 
ashes or manure, or if possible feed the 
turnips to stock and apply the manure 
to the orchard. 


Second Crop of Flowers after 
Bulbs. 


18123. Srz,—In your October issue in an 
article taken from the Farmer’s Advocate, I 
observe it is recommended that bulbs should 
remain unmoved in the ground for three or 
four years, or longer. Will you kindly tell a 
subscriber if any use can be made of the ground 
after the plants have ceased to bloom ; and if 
so, what is the best thing, or things to use in 
the vacant or bare earth ? 

JAS. CAUFIELD, 
Woodstock. 


Seeds of annuals may be sown to suc- 
ceed the early spring flowering bulbs. 


Regulations of Fruit Packing. 


Srr,—The answer to question No. 
1110 is really satisfactory as far it goes, 


511 


QUESTION DRAWER. 


but to buyers at least there are two other 
questions referring to fruit packages that 
require attention. One you have ham- 
mered at until it is almost headless, viz., 
the quality of fruit put into the packages. 
Is it possible to establish a standard ? 
If so why is it not done? Why is it not 
made law that in packing fruit of all 
kinds, the name of the packer, and the 
of the fruit and the quantity (net) shall be 
put upon every package. Of course a 
brand is a brand by law, but take grapes, 
pears, peaches, plams, raspberries, straw- 
berries, etc., and there is more fraud 
than righteousness. I, go to,-market and 
buy, say, a ten pound basket, if I do not 
get a nominal seven pound one, I do get 
only nine pounds. Then there are 15, 


17, and 20 lb baskets and a buyer must 
be an expert to detect the fraud. The 
only cure for these miscellaneous pack- 
ages is the one above suggested, viz.: 
Make it an act (of the Ontario Legisla- 
ture I think) that every package of fruit 
offered for sale shall be labeled 

| Put up by; .) ow 

Containing oo lbs net. 
i -) 11 #udPeaches 

or whatever there is in it. 
_ Then ‘perhaps fruit will be correctly 
and honestly put up. These are’ sug- 
gestions for your winter meeting. ‘See 
page 420. 


: G. H. Fawcett. 
Ottawa. 


- The Colored Plates. 


Sir,—I notice of late some few giving their 
opinion about the plant distribution, but we 
hear nothing about those beautiful colored 
plates we used to have in each number. They 
would ‘make a fine show in the bound volume, 
even one on he first page like 1897. I have 


mine set in frames, ten in each frame and 


think they are a good decoration for a fruit 
growers home. hey are also some help in 
getting subscribers in this part, so I would 
rather see the plants discontinued than the 
colored fruit plates. Now why not make the 
December number a kind of a Christmas 
number, as it is the last; volume for this 
century, and I believe it would be much 
better for agents at least, than the spring 
plant distribution. 

D. N. ANDERSON. 
Wyoming, Ont. ote 


Tue AppLe Crop of the United 
States in 1898 amounted 28,570,000 
barrels, and this was counted an un- 
usually short yield. This year, also a 
short yield, the amount is estimated at 
35,100,000 barrels. The following is a 
showing of the 


APPLE CROP OF THE UNITED STATES. 


Year Barrels 

F804 2532. FL SR. Bae ee Sea 57,630,000 
SOG e)... PNS R eoeee 60,540,000 
S068 30.2005. a ee eee 67,570,000 
TOOT TL eC ie ee 41,537,000 
POO8 S205 OL a ee ae 28,570,000 
7800 o> SS FRE eee oe 35,100,000 


The exports of American and Cana- 
dian apples, for the seasons given, are 
shown in the second table with this 
article. Liverpool was the largest re- 
ceiver, that port being credited with 
689,036 barrels; London coming next 
with 271,347 barrels, Glasgow 180,336 
barrels and Hamburg 22,861 barrels 
following, all other receiving ports being 


credited with 57,512 barrels. 
APPLE EXPORTS 


Year Barrels 
| 32) ) CE ee rs ee 1,450,336 
PBBORU SEs. 56 oo sae. ook eee 1,203,538 
MESA . . . 5 aie sisted clone ainlen GEG 174,841 
PREM MNN eave 15 5. sre sods bec ee vlale Woah 1,438,155 
NRC Sais, 5. cleo so ppd fe nwemaline 756,414 
Tt (Ra See RE Ss BO 2,919,846 
DR Maas uses be pam e dishes cobbalest cup et eee 
NOLES |) a ree ari 54 . 1,221,087 


512 


STORAGE 


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