44 



The Canadian Horticulturist. 



by some application of fertilizers. The 

 intelligent, practical horticulturist can 

 not fail to ask himself the following 

 question: "Wherein is my soil origin- 

 ally deficient and upon what elements 

 have the largest drafts been made by 

 subsequent cropping ? " Can chemis- 

 try help us to an answer ? Let us 

 consider. We may not have much 

 to hope from the analysis of soils, 

 and it is doubtful if this will ever do 

 much more than furnish hints as to 

 what may or may not be required. 

 On the other hand we have much to 

 hope from the analysis of plants and 

 fruits. To illustrate : The stems, 

 branches and leaves of different fruit 

 trees contain comparatively large 

 quantities of lime and potash, sub- 

 stances that are not infrequently 

 lacking in our soils. 



Chemistry also tells us that our 

 fruits, especially those that bear 

 large quantities of seed, contain a 

 considerable amount of phosphoric 

 acid. An average of several trust- 

 worthy analyses of the seeds of the 

 grape give in every loo parts of the 

 ash, 2g parts of the ash, 29 parts of 

 potash, 34 parts of lime and 24 parts 

 of phosphoric acid. 



From this it seems plain that 

 the roots of our fruit-bearing plants 

 must be dul}^ supplied with these 

 mineral ingredients. The txn'se sub- 



stances named above, together with 

 nitrogen, which is taken up by the 

 roots in the form of ammonia or 

 nitrates, must be in some w^ay fur- 

 nished to all growing plants. The 

 farmers', gardeners' and fruit cul- 

 turists' partiality for barnyard manure 

 in preference to most, if not all, com- 

 mercial fertilizers, is because when 

 well made and well preserved it is an 

 almost complete plant food, a large 

 portion of which is in an immediately 

 available condition. Next to farm- 

 yard manure, according to the 

 teachings of chemistry, unleached 

 wood ashes is probably the best fer- 

 tilizer for fruit gardens and orchards. 

 Lime probably stands next, where 

 the soil is deficient in this element, 

 and phosphates or fine ground bone 

 whenever the soil has become des- 

 poiled of phosphoric acid. 



As a remedy for grape rot, Mr. 

 Geo. M. High said that after careful 

 experiments, he has concluded that 

 the best remedy is the following : 

 " Dissolve one pound of sulphate of 

 copper (blue vitrol) in two or three 

 gallons of hot water. When cold 

 add one pint of spirits of ammonia. 

 Pour ofT the clear liquid and 

 add to what remains 20 to 25 

 gallons of water. Begin spraying 

 about 10 days before blossoming 

 time." 



NEW FRUITS. 



AT the last meeting of the New 

 Jersey Horticultural Society, 

 Dr. J. B. Ward, as a member of the 

 special committee on trial of new 

 fruits, mentions the following : 



Golden Queen raspberry very pro- 

 lific, a strong grower, of excellent 

 flavor. Its wonderful suckering ten- 

 dencies, and its color are against it. 

 Not good for market. The Crystal 

 raspberry is four or five days earlier 

 and handsomer, and of bright yel- 

 low or straw color ; perhaps it is not 

 quite so prolific. Introduced by 



Caywood. TheCohanzick strawberry 

 is a complete failure. Fruit hard 

 and very acid, and not to be recom- 

 mended. The Minnewaski black- 

 berry holds its own, and even im- 

 proves on acquaintance. It ripens 

 with the Wilson. Fruit larger, 

 very sweet ; vines very prolific and 

 hardy even in exposed locations. No 

 rust or double blossoms noted about 

 it yet. Holds its color well. Mr. J. 

 T. Lovett says the market rejects all 

 but a bright red variety. Fashion 

 in a measure controls the market. 



