138 



Currants. 



Eed and white currants gave satisfactory returns the past season. In poiut of 

 productive'ness the principal red varieties ranked in the following oidei-: Victoria, 

 Raby Castle, Cherry, Fay's Prolific, Red Dutch, Red Grape, London Red, Prince 

 Albert. White: White Grape, White Dutch. 



Black currants iu low situations were a total failure on account of late frosts. 

 A large number of seedlings of this class on higher ground fruited very freely. 



Gooseberries. 



Were unusually free from mildew during the early part of the season, but the- 

 disease developed considerabl}' on unspra3'ed plants later in the summer. 



Downing yielded twice the number of boxes per plant of any other variety. 

 Houghton, though health}^ and fairly productive, is small. Pearl gives increasing 

 satisfaction, and without doubt will take a leading place among native gooseberries.. 



III.— VEGETABLES. 



A large amount of data has been collected bearing upon various phases of suc- 

 cessful vegetable growing, as well as facts regarding varieties, but for the present it 

 is thought best to confine a report to the enumeration, with brief descriptive notes,, 

 of the most reliable and satisfactory varieties in each class, based upon our 

 experience during the year. The soil upon which tests were conducted is a 

 sandy loam in good condition, having been previously used for growing straw- 

 berries. 



Cut-worms were kept in check by the use of poisoned traps, made by soaking^ 

 clover hay or freshly-cut weeds in a strong mixture of Paris green in water. This 

 method of destroying cutworms has been advocated at length by Mr. Jame& 

 Fletcher, the Entomologist of the experimental farms, and is well worthy the careful 

 attention of amateurs aud market gai-deners. Hellebore was also used with a fair 

 degree of success in checking the injury caused by the cabbage root maggot, as was 

 pyrethrum when applied as a specitic for the cabbage worm. 



Beets. 



A comparative test of thirty-one varieties was made the past season, including- 

 a number of the best French and English sorts. 



The following list covers the most valuable of those tested, given in order of 

 maturity. 



Blood Turnips. — Eound, smooth, dark red, maturing earl}^; strain well selected ;^ 

 inclined to become hollow late in the season. 



Eclipse. — Turnip-shaped, dark red, reaching edible maturity shortly after the 

 preceding. Tops large ; may be used for greens. 



Lentz. — Eound, medium in size and season, very even and regular. Foliage 

 green with red veins ; a desirable medium early sort. 



Covent Garden .Serf,— rHalf long, light red, fair size; very even and desirable. 



A few varieties usually grown for greens deserve special mention as ornamental 

 plants. In bedding they might be used with good effect. Among these may be 

 mentioned Dells Black Leaved, Eeines des Noires, and Swiss Chard. 



Cabbage. 



Out of 60 varieties included in the experimental plots, the following will, for 

 home use or market, probably prove most satisfactory: — 



EARLY. 



Early York. — An old and well-known variety ; generally a sure header ; oval 

 in shape ; very solid, varying in weight from 2 to 9 pounds. 



