2TS 



THE CANADIAN H0ETICULTURI8T. 



sent it as an Earthly Paradise from 

 which disapointnient, loss, and suffer' 

 ing are excluded. Failures have arisen, 

 and will arise, for men bring upon them- 

 selves here, as elsewhere, the results of 

 their own imprudence and lack of per- 

 severance, but these constitute an ex- 

 cessively small proportion of the cases 

 existing in Canada, and they are quite 

 exce[)tional in their character." 



NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR SANI- 

 TARY AND RURAL IMPROVE- 

 MENT. 



This Society has for its object the 

 establishment of local societies for the 

 purpose of effecting both sanitary and 

 rural improvements, and the issuing of 

 publications on these subjects as well as 

 the holding of annual conventions for 

 discussion and conference. 



The Secretary is very desirous of ob- 

 taining the address of any such socie- 

 ties existing in Canada, or of any per- 

 sons who are interested in forming such 

 organizations. If any of our readers 

 can give the desired information they 

 will p]ease address Mr. Chas. M. Win- 

 gate, Secretary, 1 [\) Pearl Street, New 

 York. 



AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION. 



The Council of the Agricultural and 

 Arts Association of Ontario have issued 

 a circular, setting forth that they have 

 decided to inaugurate a scheme of 

 annual examinations in subjects bear- 

 ing directly upon the work of the farm, 

 somewhat similar to those in vogue in 

 England and Scotland, accompanied 

 with the granting of certificates of 

 merit. Only second and third class 

 certificates will be issued at the first 

 examination, for which the required 

 courses of reading are indicated in the 

 circular. Money prizes will also bo 

 given to the three candidates for second 

 class certificates obtaining the greatest 



number of marks of |25, $20, and $15 

 respectively ; the same to those who 

 have never attended any agricultural 

 school in Canada or elsewhere ; and to 

 the four candidates for third class certi- 

 ficates who have not attended any agri- 

 cultural school, $30, $25, $20, and $15 

 respectively. The examinations will 

 be held in connection with the High 

 School intermediate examinations of 

 next July, and candidates are retjuired 

 to send in their names and desired 

 place of examination, stating whether 

 they have attended any agricultural 

 school, to Mr. Henry Wade, Secretary, 

 Agricultural Hall, Toronto, before 

 April 1st, 1884, of whom copies of the 

 circular containing full information can 

 be had on a})plication. 



PLUMS, RASPBERRIES, GRAPES. 



To THB KdITOR or THB CaNaDIaN HORTICULTURIST. 



Mr. Editor, — I have seven trees of 

 the Fellenburg plum, from two to five 

 years old To the present none of 

 them have shown any of the black 

 knot, while some 40 other plum trees of 

 several varieties have all been badlv 

 affected by it, more or less, for the last 

 five years. If such is the case with 

 others who have the same kind, I have 

 no doubt but that quite, a number of 

 our members would like to know it. 



Fruited two bushes of Shaffer's Col- 

 lossal raspberry ; have taken off berries 

 one inch in diameter ; average size J 

 and ^ of an inch. It is also a heavy 

 bearer. 



I have pruned about 50 grape vines 

 of several kinds, some of which show 

 most of this year's growth of wood to 

 be dead ; others not quite so bad, but 

 all more or less so. What is the cause ? 



Did not ripen any grapes this year, 

 even the Champion did not get a chance 

 to ripen through our early frosts. 



Have a tree of the American chesnut, 

 planted about eight years ago. Our 



