•] 



AND HORTICULTURIST. 



.79 



been found which are undoubted. For instance, 

 the fact that a new tree placed in the spot where 

 one has been killed, and yet thriving perfectly 

 afterwards, shows that the evil was not in any way 

 connected with the soil. And then the fact that in 

 some districts where the disease did appear, there 

 were often many trees wholly uninjured is against 

 any idea of general climatic influences against the 

 success of pear culture. It is no serious cause for 

 discouragement, even should any one believe that 

 there has been nothing learned about the origin of 

 the trouble. He may yet have pears, if he will 

 but set out trees. Those who believe that fungus 

 spores enter through the bark and cause the 

 trouble, will continue to wash the bark of trees 

 if they can get time or opportunity. 



Whitewashing the stems of orchard trees has a 

 very beneficial effect in clearing away old bark 

 and destroying the eggs of innumerable insects. 

 The white color is bad ; throw in a little soot or 

 some other matter to make it brown. In green- 

 houses sulphur has been found of benefit in keep- 

 ing down mildew. Possibly if mixed with the 

 whitewash in tree dressing, it might do good 

 against fire blight, and such like fungoid troubles. 



In fruit growing, remember that fruits are like 

 grain and vegetable crops, in this, that they must 

 have manure to keep up the fertility. Unlike 

 vegetables and grain, however, their feeding roots 

 are mostly at the surface. It is best, therefore, an- 

 nually to top-dress fruit trees. If manure cannot 

 be had, any fresh earth from ditches or roadsides, 

 spread a half inch or so under the trees, will 

 have a wonderful effect. Indeed, we do not know 

 but that for the pear tree a thin layer of road sand 

 is one of the best of manures. We have seen 

 apples thrive amazingly with a coating of coal 

 ashes. 



The gooseberry and currant also do well in par- 

 tial shade. In fact, if you would have the goose- 

 berry and currant in great perfection, get a lot of 

 old brushwood and cover the rows closely, so that 

 the plants will have to push through, and you will 

 be astonished at the growth and healthfulness of 

 the bushes. The decaying wood also furnishes an 

 excellent manure for them. The finest currants 

 ever grown can be had by mulching with old 

 chestnut burrs, or even saw dust. 



It has been noted that the grape vine thrives 

 amazingly when it gets into an asparagus bed. 

 These are generally elevated, and are thus dry, 

 while the rich soil necessary for asparagus, is also 

 good for grapes. 



In planting fruit trees aim to have them so that 



the hot dry sun will not have full effect on the 

 ground about the roots. The great heat in this 

 way injures the trees. Many who have trees in 

 gardens plant raspberries under them. The partial 

 shade seems to be good for the raspberries, and 

 helps the trees. Blackberries would no doubt do 

 well in the same situation ; and strawberries it is 

 well known, do not do badly, grown in this way. 



COMMUNICATIONS. 



CELERY CULTURE. 

 BY A. D. MYLIUS, DEIROIT, MICH. 



I wish to endorse what Peter Henderson says in 

 [ the January number about Celery sowing. At 

 I least one-third of the sowings of the ist of March 

 I with me goes to seed. But still there is profit for 



me, at least, in the venture. I get more than 

 } double the price for this early celery than for that 

 j which I sow in April. But it must be understood 

 ; that only a small lot is sown in a hotbed ; for the 



call for celery comes only when the weather is 

 j getting cool. The advantage in early celery is 



that it is all sold in July, which gives time to plant 

 I a second crop of celery on the same ground. 



Celery pays me better than any crop I can raise 

 i on the same amount of land. My soil is just 

 1 suited to this crop. I grow from 200,000 to 300,000 

 I every year. Of course the price is generally but 



one-half that sold in New York city, being but 



25 to 50 cents per dozen for extra good, and 



second quality 1 5 to 30 cents per dozen. 



EXPERIENCE WITH PHYLLOXERA. 



BY D. RHIND. G.\RDENER TO MR. F. F. THOMP- 

 SON. CANANDAIGUA, N. Y. 



On the west shore of Canandaigua Lake, Vine 

 Valley and Naples, are to be found extensive vine- 

 yards, where are grown hundreds of tons of grapes 

 annually. On visiting the owner of one of these 

 vineyards he was very anxious to show me what 

 he supposed to be a new discovery. First he 

 drew attention to an odd plant here and there 

 among his Catawbas, the fruit of which was ripe, 

 while the others were about three weeks back- 

 ward. I suggested digging to see how the roots 

 looked, which was done. We did not find any 

 Phylloxera, as they had taken all the bark off and 

 moved on, leaving the roots cankered, dead or dy-,f;(| 

 ing. We then examined an older plantation of 



