132 



THK CANAirVN Hf)RI"l(;ULTURIST. 



all, tor lie stfws to cheer ns all the 

 dreary winter. Surely we slionhl not 

 grudge him a little grain from horse 

 dr-oppings. with the addition of a few- 

 crumbs from tlie table cloth. So [ 

 sincerely hope those gentlemen will re- 

 c insider their decision, and spare the 

 poor little emigrant for the good he 

 does, and lay nothing to his (jharge but 

 what they actually know he is guilty of. 

 So, hoping you will excuse me for 

 occu{)ying so much of your valuable 

 sjjace, 



I remain, yours, 



S. Hunter, 



Hawthorn Place, Scotland. 



April ISfch, 1884. 



TO PROTKOT TREIvS FROM Mir'E. 



As you plead for short articles from 

 your readers bearing on horticulture, 

 allow me to give you my experience of 

 a very sim})le and effectual way of 

 saving young apple trees from the 

 attacks of mice in winter. I take strips 

 of cedar bark about eighteen inches 

 long, and a Ijiist them round the tree, 

 putting one end on the ground and tying 

 the upper ends with a piece of twine so 

 that the strips lie close to the tree. I 

 just put the .strips in my wheel baiTOw 

 and go round before the snow falls and 

 attach the (irinoar to each tree ; and 

 then in spring [ go round again, cut 

 the string and gather up the cedar strips, 

 as they will last for years. At first I 

 used bits of shingles, but the bark is 

 better. 1 rub down my trees with soft 

 soap every s[)ring. applied with the foot 

 of an old worsted sock, and as far up 

 the tree as I can reach. 1 daresay a 

 piint brush would do, but the other is 

 more effective. I like Tke Horticul- 

 turist very much, and hope all good 

 gai'deners will help it to the best of 

 their ability. 



Yours truly, 



An Old B.xckwoodsman. 

 Fergus, l-ith April, 1884. 



ANNUAL REPORT. 

 PINE GK'SBEAK. 



Thanks to Mr. T. Mcllwraitli for his 

 insti'uctive letter on the above class of 

 Ini-ds. It is quite evident it was wrongly 

 nanied, though I sent specimens to 

 'i'oronto for that |»urpose. At the same 

 time there is no mistake iibout the 

 hnvoc they committed on my peach and 

 cherry trees which was witnessed by 

 many others besides niy.self. We had 

 fully as many specimens of the male as 

 the female birds, and for their beauty 

 and their gentle, confiding habits I 

 would like their society ; V)ut I am 

 satisfied any fruit grower who.sc tiees 

 sufiered from their ravages as mine did 

 the winter of lt>Sj!-.'i, would have as 

 little compunction destroying th<mi as 

 they would do a robin. 



The Annual Report is to hand, a 

 l)onderous book of valuable suggestions, 

 which will be worlii many times the 

 annual subscription. 



J. BiSSELL, 



Thedfor.l, April '26th, 188f. 



XORTH SIMCOE. 

 Mr. FiDiTOK, — Yo\ir Hirticnltuyist is 

 a valuable work, and it only wants to 

 be known among the farming com- 

 munity to be pro lerly appreciated I 

 should feel it a gi-eat lo.ss to be deprived 

 of the informaMon it imparts, after en- 

 joying its pages so many years ; and 

 the Report, which is full of good news 

 and instruction for the fruit grower. 

 The information cannot be sur|)as.sed. 

 I fullv enjoy the articles contained in 

 the IIorticuhiiriM. es))eci;dly when it 

 comes from the North. The two articles 

 written from North Simcoe were saiis- 

 factory. with the exception of that part 

 tliat referred to the apples, which were 

 denounced by each writer. While our 

 correspon<lent s|)ea,ks of the value of 

 one kind of .ipple too highly, he runs to 

 the extivuie in denouncing the others. 

 He speaks of his limited expei'ience of 



