64 



THT; (CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 



on stiff, hard clay, witliout manure or 

 cultivation. Of course they are only a 

 common wine grape, not much better 

 than the Clinton. The two varieties 

 resemble each other very much, but 

 there is difference enough to see that 

 thev are two distinct varieties. 



Yours truly, 

 West Brook. A. Brii>ge, P. M. 



STRAWBERRY CULTURE. 



My experience with strawben-ies is 

 that many different sorts require differ- 

 ent treatment to obtain the best crop. 

 For instance, the Wilson is not profit- 

 able with me now ; if grown in the 

 matted row S3^stem. 



My mode of growing the bulk of 

 Wilson, the last three years, is to get a 

 sharp spade, go to an old slashing, the 

 roadside will do if the sod is rich ; cut 

 sods four or five inches square, I make 

 u.se of them the same as pots for pot 

 grown plants. I plant early in August, 

 pinch off the runners and cultivate. 



As soon as the crop is off turn the 

 sod upside down. One may plant on 

 it late potatoes. Between the rows of 

 these, strawberries may be again set in 

 Autumn and treated as before. 



I grow the Crescent on the matted 

 row system, it is the cheap way as to 

 labor. The Crescent is vigorous, healthy 

 thus far exempt from mildew on its foli- 

 age ; will flourish where the Wilson 

 will starve, two years crop taken. 



The Sharpless is the Jumbo of straw- 

 berries. The plant is subject to one 

 serious criticism, it does not give its 

 best yield until the .second year. I 

 grow on the row system. If set out in 

 Spring let no runners grow for two or 

 three weeks ; if the plant is bushy let 

 two or three runners grow from each 

 plant. If pot grown plants are set out 

 in August pinch off all the runners. 

 Second year I cultivate, when they are 

 allowed to run. Two years crop taken. 

 One may have two strings to his bow. 



With me a favorite plan has been to 

 plant late in September by taking them 

 up with a ball of earth around the 

 roots. 



There is one little secret conducive 

 to success, especial'ly in a dry time, 

 leave four or five inches of runner at- 

 tached to each side of the plant, bend 

 these down and bury with the roots ; 

 j ust before winters freeze up, cover each 

 plant with a hoefull of earth ; next 

 April, late, scratch off this earth. 



George Sutherland. 



VALUABLE SUGGESTIONS. 



It gives me i)leasure to testify to the 

 increasing interest and value of the 

 Horticulturist. It is of special value I 

 think, as giving the only reliable, origi- 

 nal matter suited to our peculiar cli- 

 mate and circumstances that I at least 

 am able to obtain, and I would suggest 

 the encouragement of correspondence 

 and questions for the better develop- 

 ment of this feature, and the giving of 

 experience, especially when failures 

 have followed and the reasons can be 

 given ; such experience if authentic 

 usually conveys a lesson. 



Peterborough. G. M. Roger. 



THE GROSBEAK. 

 Dear Sir, — It will be interesting to 

 know if the Grosbeak (C occothraustes 

 ludoviciana), has made its appearance 

 in any part of Ontario this winter. 

 I have only observed two very fine 

 specimens so far, this season, feeding 

 on the berries of the Mountain Ash ; 

 but last winter a very large fiock of 

 them settled down in our immediate 

 neighbourhood, and did very coaisider- 

 able damage t) the buds of our })each 

 and chei-ry trees ; they stri])ped the 

 latter so completely that we had not a 

 pint of cherries from three or four good- 

 sized trees, though they were very full 

 of buds, and the tops of our peach 

 trees were covered with dead wood, so 



