52 



THE CANADIAN HORPICULTUKIST. 



to the depth of six inches with dry, 

 clean liay. 



And now little can be done but wait 

 for the mushrooms to appear, which 

 niMj be expected in about six weeks. 

 AVlien they begin to appear a nice 

 moist atmosphere should be maintained. 

 iSome do this by sprinkling tepid water 

 on tlie hay covering from a very fine 

 rose, just sufficient to moisten it, as it 

 by a heavy autumnal dew; while others 

 distribute ])ans of water sufficient to 

 kee]) up the requisite degree of moisture 

 by evaj)oration from the pans. When 

 a considerable crop of mushrooms has 

 been harvested, and the bed shews 

 symptons of exhaustion, a good water- 

 ing witli tepid water, just once applied, 

 will start the mushrooms again, and in 

 this manner the bed may be kept yield- 

 in o- mushrooms for about three months. 



o 

 To THE Editor of the Canadian Horticulturist. 



Will yoa be so good as to inform us 

 in next Horticulturist as to which 

 stiM wherries combine productiveness, 

 sweetness and fitness for growing in 

 hedvy clay soil. 



I have a Concord grape, ten years 

 old, which neither grows nor fruits 

 (does not cover four feet of trellis), 

 wliile Salem and Creveling either side 

 grow luxuriantly and fruit reasonably 

 well. What is the matter 1 Had I 

 not better dig it out % And will it do 

 to replant angther grape in the same 

 spot 1 



As elsewhere, apples were a short 

 crop in this region last season. But 

 Ji assets and Baldwins stood out con- 

 spicuous for full bearing amid other- 

 wise scantily fruiting orchards. 



Rustic. 

 Goderich, Feb. 3, 1883. 



Reply. — You will find Charles Down- 

 ing, Triumph de Grand, President 

 Wilder, Jucunda, Forest Rose, Sharp- 



less and Springdale to thrive on rich 

 clay loam. Surely among these you 

 will find some that will suit your taste 

 for sweetness. 



There is surely something wrong at 

 the root of your Concord vine. Dig it 

 up and see what you can find. It may 

 be the soil is not suitable, or insects are 

 preying on the I'oot. You might try 

 the vine in another spot, and see if it 

 will do any better j this more as a 

 matter of curiosity than profit, for a 

 young healthy vine will be worth more 

 than this stunted plant. Yes, try 

 another variety in the place where the 

 Concord now stands, and see how it 

 will behave. — Ed. Can. Hort. 



THE CURRANT- WOKM. 



To THE Editor of the Canadian Hokticultorist : 



I notice the remedy recommended in 

 your January number for the cabbage- 

 worm pest, and mean to try it, as I 

 have been obliged to give up growing 

 cauliflower on account of the ravages of 

 the worm. For years past, however, I 

 have kept my currant and gooseberry 

 bushes clear of the worm by li}>erally 

 mulching the bushes with tobacco-stems 

 as early in the spring as the gi-ound 

 will work, first spading in some com- 

 post, and, after levelling off, laying a 

 thickness of about fifteen inches of the 

 stems under each bush. This mulch is 

 beneficial to the bushes, keej>ing the 

 ground moist, while the potash con- 

 tained in the stems serves as a ferti- 

 lizer. My bushes make vigorous growth, 

 bear well, and are under this treatment 

 proof against the worms. I get any 

 quantity of stems I want from a local 

 tobacco factory without charge. 

 Yours truly, 



H. Primrose. 

 Pictou, Nova Scotia. 



[Note. — We trust that our corre- 

 spondent will give the result of his 

 trial to the readers of the Canadian 

 Horticulturist.^ 



