The Canadian Ilorticitltiirist. 



15 



most valiiiibk' iViiits iirt- not :iKv;iys those 

 wliich arc- most highly laiuU'd wlieii in- 

 troduced. This was strikingly tlie case 

 vvitli the Wilson strawberry, wliich its 

 oriKiiiator offered for sale when first 

 introduced at one dollar a liundred 

 plants, nearly at the same time that 

 other strawberries were advertised at 

 five dollars a dozen, and which were 

 ft)rf;otteii long before the Wilson was the 

 most popular berry in nearly every State 

 in the Union. On the whole, it is better 

 for planters to make their selections 

 according to proved merit, rather than 

 from high advertising praise. 



Two Excellent Pears. 



Thkke are two late pears, both remark- 

 able for their excellence, which we place 

 as high on the list as any, that are quite 

 unlike in appearance and character. 

 They are the Sheldon and Anjou; the 

 first a native, the other a foreigner. 

 The Sheldon originated in Wayne 

 County, N.Y. ; the Anjou is of I'^rench 

 origin. Well grown specimens of the 

 SheUk>n. when exactly at the right degree 

 of ripening, we have been inclined to 

 place above all others for delicious qual- 

 ity. It is strictly a melting pear, very 

 little pul]) remaining after it once passes 

 the lips, and the flavor is exquisite. The 

 Anjou, on the other hand, is both buttery 

 and melting. While the Shekk)n is 

 sweet, the Anjou has a slight and agree- 

 able acidity. The Sheldon must be taken 

 just at the right time to be at its best, 

 or as an amateur remarked, "it must be 



eaten iiy tin- chronometer." It is variable 

 in quality and sometimes poor. The 

 .•\uj()U has the remarkable quality of 

 keeping lor some time after it has be- 

 come mellow and fit for eating, which 

 gives it a great advantage. It has long 

 been afamous market variety antl twenty 

 years ago sold in some eastern markets 

 for twenty dollars a barrel ; now it brings 

 about one quarter that sum. The Shel- 

 don, less attractive in appearance to 

 most observers, and not as reliable a 

 bearer, has had but Httle place in mar- 

 kets until within a few years, and even 

 now it is not widely known. President 

 Wilder said that if he could have but one 

 pear it would be the Anjou, and he had 

 the satisfaction of knowing that he first 

 introduced it in this country. — The Coun- 

 try CicntUman. 



Excluding Rabbits from Trees. 



A NHWi.v proposed remedy for the 

 exclusion of rabbits from fruit trees in 

 winter, is to mix tincture of assafcetida 

 with liquid mud and apply it thinly with 

 a brush to the stems of the trees, or to 

 every portion which the rabbits are in 

 the way of attacking. A spoonful of the 

 assafcetida to a couple of gallons of the 

 mud is sufificient, but it may be well to 

 varv the quantity and observe the effect. 

 There must be enough to convince these 

 animals that to get at the bark they 

 must take in so disagreeable a dose of 

 the medicine as to prefer leaving it un- 

 touched. It may be necessary to repeat 

 the application as may be required. — Ex. 



