THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 



of a thousand can extend its culture to 

 acres. 



The only question is, can the bee-keep- 

 er afford to furnish his bees with addi- 

 tional forage in this sweetest of flowers, 

 blooming as it does at a time when flow- 

 ers are limited. We say, that planting 

 the Clethra Alnifolia is not a doubtful 

 experiment, and certainly not an expen- 

 sive one. 



It is a neat, upright growing shrub 

 as an ornamental plant. Its fragrance 

 in a bouquet is as strong and enduring 

 as the Lilium Auratum or the Tuberose. 

 I predict its coming popularity so that 

 no collection of shrubs will be complete 

 without it. 



Its abundance and lasting fragrance 

 suggest its use for a new perfumery. 



Following is an extract of a letter by 

 Charles Downing, the Horticulturist, 

 whose opinion is of as much weight as 

 that of any man in America : — 



" The Clethra has always been a favorite 

 shrub with me, flowering at a time when 

 there are but few shrubs in bloom , the 

 fragrance is delightful. It is not so much 

 planted as it should be." 



Jacob W. Manning. 

 Reading, Mass. 



THE LOMBARD PLUM. 



This plum holds about the same posi- 

 tion among other varieties that the 

 Baldwin does among apples, the Bart- 

 lett with other pears, and the Wilson 

 among strawberries. Although moder- 

 ate in flavor, the hardiness, free growth 

 and great productiveness of the tree, 

 and the beauty of the brilliant fruit, 

 render it one of the most valuable sorts 

 for market. Nelson Bogue of Batavia 

 gives special attention to the cultivation 

 of this variety, and when on his grounds 

 two years ago, we saw many trees, then 

 in the third year of their growth from 

 transplanting, bearing by estimate not 

 less than half a bushel of plums, the 

 2 



centra] branches being covered with 

 dense masses of brilliant violet-red 

 plums. He now imforms us that the 

 product of the ninety trees which we 

 then saw, was forty -six bushels, being 

 slightly over half a bushel each as an 

 average. Last year, or the season fol- 

 lowing, he had only twenty-tive bushels; 

 present season the crop is estimated at 

 seventy-five bushels, this being tlie fifth 

 year from transplanting. The trees 

 receive the best cultivation, and from 

 some cause which we cannot explain, 

 the fruit is not attacked by the curculio. 

 The branches are kept clear of the black 

 knot by prompt excision, the laborers 

 being directed when they see any ap- 

 pearance of it on any tree, to drop all 

 other work immediately, cut off the 

 diseased portion and burn it. — Country 

 Gentleman. 



THE BLACK WALNUT. 



An address delivered last winter by 

 W. H. Rag AN, secretary of the Indiana 

 Horticultural Society, on cultivating the 

 black walnut for profit, contains so much 

 that is valuable that we are induced to 

 refer on the present occasion to some of 

 the facts which it presents, and to add a 

 few further suggestions. Mr. Ragan 

 thinks the black walnut the most valu- 

 able of all trees for artificial plantations 

 and timber belts. He states that a man 

 in Wisconsin planted " a piece of land" 

 twenty-three years ago with this tree. 

 We are not informed the extent of the 

 land covered with it, but that the trees, 

 sixteen to eighteen inches in diamet?r, 

 were sold for $27,000. He adds that 

 walnut lumber now commands from $75 

 to $100 per thousand feet in the cities^ 

 for parlor decoration and other purposes. 

 The tree bears nuts at an early age, ami 

 annually thereafter, which have aix im- 

 portant commercial value. 



In raising the trees, it is of utmost 

 importance to do everything ia the best, 



