144 



The Canadian Horticulturist. 



Last year I planted one-quarter pound seed 

 and gathered seventy-eight pounds of clean 

 peas : one single pea produced 627. — J, P. 

 Williams, Bloomfield. 



Direct Connection with English Fruit 

 Merchants. 



Sir, — We beg to acknowledge the receipt 

 of the last few issues of your interesting and 

 valuable monthly journal, and shall be pleased 

 to know your charge for a similar advertise- 

 ment to the one we enclose, which is a cut- 

 ting from the London Horticultural Times. 



We notice in your issue for February an 

 abridgment of a letter you have received 

 from Messrs. John Seed & Son, of Hull, 

 which we can endorse, and at the same time 

 we would supplement their remarks by bring- 

 ing before you and your readers the advisa- 

 bility of direct communications with the 

 English inland markets. Our market has 

 hitherto been supplied with Canadian and 

 American apples from Liverpool and Hull, 

 thereby, of course, adding expense to your 

 importation before they reach us, which ex- 

 pense certainly might be placed in the pock- 

 ets of Canadian and American growers by 

 direct shipments. Doubtless your readers 

 have already got their eyes open to the fact 

 that it is desirable that the grower and con- 

 sumer should be brought as near together as 

 possible, so as to avert all middlemen expenses 

 which are not absolutely necessary. 



We recognize the fact that it is now too late 

 to ask your subscribers to make us any 

 direct shipments this season, as it is too far 

 advanced, but we hope to bring our name 

 before them in your valuable paper before 

 another season comes round. Awaiting your 

 reply. — Buckoll, King & Co., Nottingham, 

 Eng., March 4, 1288. 



Liverpool Apple Market. 



Sir, — Your interesting publication for Feb- 

 ruary has been duly received and read with 

 great pleasure. Since our last, SS. "Sarnia" 

 has arrived, and the cargo she brings is, on 

 the whole, exceptionally good, which has 

 assisted materially in sustaining prices : 

 poor stock, however, can only be realized 

 at a considerable discount. We quote : 

 Baldwins, 7s. gd to 15s.; Russets, iis. gd. 

 to 27s. 6d.; Spies, iis. to 17s. 3d.; Various, 

 8s. gd. to 15s. gd. There is only a medium 

 demand, and heavy shipments would com- 

 pletely demoralize the market. Awaiting 

 vour further favors. — Williams, Thomas 

 & Co., Liverpool, Eng. 



sparcity of blossomed buds. Last season's 

 crop being in excess, a reaction is necessary 

 in order to restore vitality to the trees. 

 Pear trees make a better exhibit, and a fair 

 yield of fruit may be anticipated. I have 

 never seen a better show for plums ; the 

 trees are fairly crowded with blossom buds. 

 Last season the plum crop was a failure, but 

 this season is likely to make up for the defi- 

 ciency. Small fruits look well. Strawberry 

 plants, raspberry canes and grape vines have 

 all passed through the winter apparently 

 without damage. 



The past winter has been exceptional. 

 The lowest point reached was only 15' below 

 zero, and that only on two occasions, whilst 

 during the previous season it reached 30" 

 below zero, which was fatal to many vines 

 and canes not protected. — Simon Roy, Berlin. 



The Champion Grape 



SiR.^In 1887 my Champion grape vine 

 took a rest by coming out in leaf first June, 

 and bearing a very light crop. This year it 

 has regained its ascendancy by ripening 

 more than 150 pounds of grapes. — Franxis 

 Coleman, Hamilton. 



Fruit Prospects in and Around Berlin 

 for Coming Season. 



Sir, — As might naturally be expected, the 

 apple crop will be light ; indications show a 



Encouraging. 



Sir, — It is with much pleasure that I again 

 send you my annual subscription for The 

 Horticulturist, which I hope may increase 

 in circulation, as well as it has in usefulness, 

 for it is an honor to our Ontario Fruit 

 Growers' Association to have such a journal, 

 giving the fruit growers an opportunity to 

 communicate their experience in different 

 subjects enlightening one another in a very 

 friendly manner, and also encouraging every 

 attempt at fruit raising and home adornment. 

 The latter is needed badly enough in some 

 parts of Ontario, for in some places you 

 will find nothing but a few fruit trees, and 

 some currant and gooseberry bushes strug- 

 gling for an existence amongst grass and 

 weeds, with no attempt at making home at- 

 tractive by the addition of a few evergreens 

 or ornamental shrubs. Men who are very 

 well off and have fine houses, are as slow, 

 and some of them are slower, than they of 

 moderate means are in making beautiful. 

 A few dollars well spent each year, will soon 

 change the appearance of most farms, and 

 will add much to its value. If our farmers 

 generally could be induced to pay more at- 

 tention to small fruits, and even a good vege- 

 table garden, it would help to lessen the 

 doctor's bill in many a house, and I think 

 that for all the extra time that it takes to 

 keep a small garden in order, that the time 

 so spent pays better than buying your 

 supply from the fruit dealer. — J. M. Waters, 

 Maple Grove, Fernhill, Ont. 



