212 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 



we received two years ago from Mis- 

 souri. It has a very strong growing 

 cane ; not quite hardy the past winter; 

 very prolific ; berries large, jet black 

 color, good quality, and ripens four or 

 five days after Souhegan. — J. H. Hale, 

 in Country Gentleman. 



Mr. Chas. A. Green, in same paper, 

 says : — I had it in full bearing this 

 season, and it distinguished itself as a 

 formidable rival to all other varieties. 

 It is perfectly hardy here (Monroe 

 County, N. Y.,) remarkably vigorous 

 and productive, is earlier than Doolittle, 

 and is of superior quality. In size it 

 approaches the Grregg very closely. It 

 is one of the few shining jet black 

 varieties, without bloom, which gives 

 it a fine appearance. It will, however, 

 dry away more than Gregg, being more 

 juicy, and will not endure shipment so 

 well. 



SCRAPING TREES. 



Do we approve of scraping trees'? 

 asks a friend of ours. Certainly we do, 

 provided they need it, and one can 

 rarely find an old tree that does not. 

 Aside from the fact that the removal 

 of the old bark scales breaks up a re- 

 fuge for various insects, including the 

 woolly-aphis, the increased beauty of 

 the tree repays the trouble. There are 

 scrapers made for the purpose ; one of 

 these has a triangular blade, another a 

 long blade with one flat and another 

 slightly concave edge. An old hoe is 

 quite as good a tool as any ; cut off the 

 handle to about 18 inches, and do not 

 grind the blade too sharp, as a cutting 

 implement is not needed — only a scra- 

 per. On a very old trunk some force 

 may be needed to detach the scales that 

 are partly loose, but on young trees be 

 careful not to wound the healthy bark. 

 The scraping may be done now, next 

 month, or later. When there comes a 

 moist, drizzly spell, go over the scraped 



bark with good soft soap, made thin 

 enough with water to apply with a 

 brush. Paint over a thin coat of this 

 soap and leave the rest to the rains. 

 Later in the season the trees will appeal- 

 as if furnished with mahogany trunks. 

 American Agriculturist. 



THE DOYENNE D'ETE. 



A. B. Allen, in the N. T. Tribune, 

 thus descants on the good qualities of 

 one of our summer pears. 



" The Doyenne d'Ete or summei- 

 Doyenne, is one of the earliest, and I am 

 confident if farmers knew now hardy, 

 thrifty and quick-bearing it is, every 

 one of them who care in the least for 

 good fruit would immediately set a few 

 trees. 



•' This summer pear begins to bear 

 the year after being set out, if the trees 

 are then four to five feet high, and they 

 bear more or less every year after. 

 Some of my trees, only nine to eleven 

 feet high, and with about the same 

 width of branch, had from 600 to 800 

 pears set on them the past spring. They 

 hung upon the branches like currants or 

 gooseberries. After about a month old 

 I cut ofi* one-half of these, and even 

 then when full grown they touched 

 each other. The fruit in early seasons 

 begins to ripen the middle of July, later 

 seasons 20th to 25th, and continues one 

 month. If picked just before ripening 

 and set in a dark closet, or put into a 

 box and placed in the ice house, it c:in 

 be kept several weeks longer. The 

 pears are of a roundish obovate shape, 

 one and a half to two inches long, and 

 the same in diameter in its broadest 

 part. It is yellow on one side and a 

 bright pink on the other — very pretty 

 to look at. The flesh is white, tender 

 and juicy — in fact, almost melts in the 

 mouth when eaten at the exact time of 

 ripening. The Doyenne d'Ete comes in 

 the season when such fruit is in request, 



