The Canadian I lorticnllnrist. 



325 



cognized as the same variety. There 

 was ahnost no siiiiihirity in flavor. 

 One tree bearing poor fruit stood in 

 a thick grass sod ; the other, with 

 excellent pears, was kept well culti- 

 vated. Early pears as well as early 

 peaches, on crowded trees, which 

 ripen first on the tree, are much 

 inferior in flavor to those which come 

 later. The first are grown so thickly 

 on the branches that they cannot 

 sufiiciently mature. Tiiose which 

 ripen later, after the early portion 

 of the crop has been removed, have 

 plenty of space to develop their fine 

 quality. Hence the great advantage 

 of early thinning. Take the Summer 



Doyenne pear, for instance. Those 

 which are first ripe on densely 

 crowded limbs are about half the 

 size of those which ripen last, 

 and strikingly inferior to them in 

 (jualit}'. So with early peaches ; 

 the last scattered ones on the tree 

 are commonly observed to be greatly 

 superior in flavor to the first which 

 rip>in. These facts teach the im- 

 portance of good cultivation, and of 

 thinning the fruit on crowded trees, 

 both of which operations will always 

 repay the grower in large, beautiful 

 and excellent fruit, instead of small, 

 knotty and flavorless specimens. — 

 Alhanx Cultivator. 



* FLORICULTURAL + 



Soot Water. 



Soot water is highl)' recommended 

 for plants. It is claiuied that when 

 made sufficiently strong and used in 

 a clear state there is no other fertili- 

 zer, either solid or liquid, that is so 

 well suited for amateurs' use as soot 

 water, as it is gentle in its action and 

 sustaining in its nature. This is not 

 the case with the majority of concen- 

 trated manures, for if they are used 

 slightly in excess, serious conse- 

 quences are often the result. 



When a regular supply of soot 

 water is required there should be two 

 barrels, says the writer who so 

 strongly recommends it, or other re- 

 ceptacles, in which to make it. A 

 cask holding about thirty gallons is 

 suitable. In one of these place one 

 peck of soot, and then fill up with 

 water, and keep it stirred twice a 

 day for a week. In ten days it should 

 be ready for use, but it is necessary 

 that it should be quite clear before 

 using it or there will be a settlement 

 of the solid matter on the soil. A 

 better plan is to put the soot into a 

 coarse hessian bag and place it in 

 the water. Tie a strong piece of 

 string to the mouth of the bag, and 

 have one end of it fixed on to the edge 



of the barrel ; the bag can be moved 

 about in the water, for the purpose 

 of mixing it with the greatest ease. 

 As soon as one lot is ready another 

 should be in course of preparation, 

 so that with a little forethought a 

 regular supply may be obtained. 



Closing an article upon the subject 

 a writer says : "As regards how and 

 when to use soot water, as an old 

 practitioner, I can only say that when 

 given regularly when the plant is in 

 active growth I don't know the plant 

 that it would harm, but I have known 

 it benefit a vast number. Even such 

 delicate-rooted plants as Erica and 

 Epacris I have kept in splendid 

 health in the same pots for seven or 

 eight years by the aid of soot water, 

 and such plants as callas, camellias, 

 azaleas and roses, may have regular 

 supplies the whole year round. Such 

 subjects as fuchsias, pelargoniums, 

 cyclamens, primulas and ferns are 

 gently benefited by it while they are 

 in active growth. Plenty of soot 

 water, whenever the soil about the 

 roots is dry, will send green fly and 

 other enemies to the roundabout ; 

 therefore I say, use it, and keep your 

 plants healthy and your mind at rest. 

 — ]]'i stint Rural. 



