HORTICULTURE. 145 



Besides the statistical matter given the bulletin contain- a large amounl of useful 

 Information relative to the besl methods of cultivation, pruning, spraying, etc. 



The breeding- of crossbred apples for the Canadian Northwest, W. Bai \- 

 WgBB ' anada Expt. Farms Rpts. 1904, pp. '<' 11, pis. ?). All of the improved Amer- 

 ican varieties of apples have failed or have been killed \>\ cold when grown in the 

 Canadian Northwest, more especially at the experiment stations al Brandon, Mani- 

 toba, and Indian Head, Northwest Territories. 



The Siberian crab I Pyrus baccata I has proved entirely hardy at both these stations 

 during a trial of 14 or 15 years, and has fruited abundantly. It- fruit is very amall 

 and suited onlj for jelly. The flowers have been cross-fertilized with pollen from 

 many of the hardies! and best sorts of apples grown iu Ontario, and from the seed 

 thus obtained a number of seedlings have been grown, which have produced frail 

 touch larger than the crab and greatly improved in quality. Many of these seedlings 

 fruited the fourth year from seed. 



Roof grafts of some of the more promising sorts have been made and have shown 

 no indications of tenderness even when planted in exposed situations. Some partial 

 failures have occurred in grafting on /'. baccata. Budding gives hotter results and 

 forms a better union with the stock, and also admits of the trees being multiplied 

 more rapidly. 



Other crabs which are being used are /'. prunifolia and the wild apple of Europe 

 (/'. mill us ). These are likewise crossed with pollen from the hardiest of our improved 

 sorts and a number of promising seedlings have been obtained. Both of these species 

 have proved hardy for several winters at Brandon and Indian Head. 



Some of the best crosses produced on /'. baccata and /'. prunifolia have been 

 gecrossed, thus introducing a second quota of the blood of the larger and hotter apples. 

 with the hope of improving the size and quality of the fruit. 



Ahout L'o of the mosl promising seedlings obtained by crossbreeding are described. 

 A considerable amount of stock of these sorts has been distributed in different dis- 

 tricts of the Northwest for further testing. 



Apple culture, II. L. Hrrr (Ontario Agr. Col. and Expt. Farm Bui. 144, pp. ■■'<• 

 mas. 7). — Popular directions for the planting and management of apple orchards, 

 Deluding a paper by W. Lochhead on insects injurious to the apple. 



Observations on the fertilization of peach orchards, K. II. Jenkins ( Connect- 

 icut State Sta. Rpt. 1904, pt. 5, />/>. 444-447). — An experiment on the fertilization of 

 peach orchards, which was begun at the station in 1896 and has been continued each 

 year since ( E. S. R., 16, p. 52 ). 



Plal A has received annually 65 lhs. of muriate of potash and 160 lbs. of acid phos- 

 phate; plat P> these same fertilizers and in addition 170 lhs. of cotton-seed meal; 

 plat ( ', <>■"> lhs. of muriate of potash and 160 lbs. <>f acid phosphate; plat D, 130 lhs. 

 muriate of potash and 160 lhs. of acid phosphate: plat E, 260 lhs. of muriate of 

 potash and 160 lbs. of acid phosphate; and plat F, 260 lhs. of high-grade sulphate of 

 potash and Hit) lhs. of acid phosphate. 



The number of trees that have died during each year since the orchard was set out 

 and the crops produced in each of the years 1899 to 1904 are given, hut conclusions 

 relative to results obtained are reserved until further data have been accumulated. 



The shipping of fruit to Winnipeg- by freight, .1. B. Reynolds (Ann. Rpt. 

 Ontario Agr. ('"I. and Expt. Farm } SO (1904), /»/'■ -'■'■ SO . -Much of the data given in 

 this article has been abstracted from another source \ E. S. II., hi, p. S76). 



Borne notes are given on the dimensions of fruit packages in relation to cooling. 



Fruits which ripen quickly must he cooled to a temperature of 40° or lower soon after 



picking if they are to he preserved in storage for any length of time. A few hours' 



delay in t ling down to this temperature greatly decreases their length of life. 



In the experiment reported 4 packages were tilled with apples and Ion;; thermome- 

 ters inserted so that the bulb would come in the center of the package. The packages 



