DITISIOiN OF EORTICULTURE 887 



SESSIONAL PAPER No. 16 



be recommended are: Lilacs — Charles X, Charles Joly, Souvenir de Ludwig Spaeth, 

 Jacques Galot, Madame Fernande Viger. Congo and Boussingault. All blooming from 

 the middle of May on till about the middle of June. These are followed by Syringa 

 .villosa, a lilac which flowers when the others are past their best. Lonicera tatarica 

 grandiflora, L. alpina, L. grata, and L. Albertii, blooming toward the end of May. Phil- 

 adelphus, Manteau D'Hermine, and Fantaisie, blooming about the middle of June. 

 Cytisus triflorus and C. hirsutus flowering towards the end of June. Spiraea muUiflora 

 arguta blooming at the end of April. S. Menziesii triumphans blooming about the first 

 week in July. Caragana grandiflora, C. arborescens, C. frutescens and C pygmaea, 

 blooming from the middle of May. 



Experiments are being carried on with shrubs for hedges, 20 varieties being used. 

 Most of these are answering the purpose very well. For a hedge from 3 to 6 feet high 

 the following can be recommended: Caragana arhorescens (Siberian pea tree), pro- 

 bably the miost satisfactory of all, Crataegius Crus-GalU (Cockspur hawthorn), Syringa 

 Josikaea (Josika's lilac), PJiamnus Frangula (Alder buckthorn), L. cathartica, Cot- 

 oneaster sinensis, and Acer tatarica Ginnala. When taller hedges are required, 

 Native cottonwood, Manitoba maple, Elaeagnus angustifolia (Russian olive), and 

 Green Ash are suitable. For rapid growing windbreaks, the Native cottonwood. Sharp- 

 leaved and Laurel-leaved willows are good, also the Golden willow, although it is not 

 quite so hardy as the other two. 



The spruce and pine trees did very well this season making very good growth, 

 some of the trees making as much as 2 feet. 



SMALL FRUITS 



CURRANTS. 



Owing to the mild weather in Ai>ril the sap commenced to flow earlier than usual, 

 the currant bushes being in full bloom two weeks in advance of the usual time, but no 

 bad results followed. 



A few hints on pruning may be of interest to those who are not acquainted with 

 this necessary item of culture. Red and white currants are pruned by removing all 

 cross wood and weakly branches and most of the young growth or suckers growing 

 around the base of the bush. After this has been done the young shoots on the remain- 

 ing branches may be cut back to two buds but leaving the leading shoot about 6 inches 

 long. The fruit is borne on old wood. Black currants on the other hand bear their 

 fruit on young wood. This makes it necessary to leave plenty of young wood and only 

 cutting out the old wood of little value and suckers around the base of the bush, 

 although some strong shoots should be left to replace the old branches when necessary. 



Black currants. — Three bushes each of 17 different varieties were under test, all 

 giving excellent results, the yield being noticeably increased this year. The following 



are the varieties considered best: — 



Yield from 3 bushes. Yield per acre. 



Eagle 38 qts. Ipt. 15,515 qts. 1 pt. 



Saunders 37 " 1 " 15,112 " 1 " 



Merveille de la Gironde 34 " 1 " 13,903 " 1 " 



Ontario 32 " 1 " 13,097 " 1 " 



Red currants. — Three bushes each of 19 varieties were under test, all giving good 

 results this season. The following are among the best varieties : — 



Yield from 3 bushes. Yield per acre. 



New Red Dutch 46 qts. 18,538 qts. 



Cumberland 38 " 15,314 " 



Red Dutch 34 " 13,702 " 



Victoria Red 29 " 11.687 " 



16 — 60 Lethbridge. 



