OPEN LETTERS. 



is as eti'ective as sixteen feet of one-inch pipe, 

 which cau at once be seen to be false In a 

 similar manner, the error of using the cubic 

 contents only in determining the radiation for 

 a conservatory, can be shown. 



L. R Taft. 

 A'jrku/lural Collnje, Michigan, 

 May 12lh, IS97. 



condition, at less expense. The groweis asked 

 for special R. R rates of 3.5c. per cwt. for 

 Montreal, in broken lots and 250. in car lots 

 in iced cars : and by express, 50c. to Mon- 

 treal. The answer of the Companies was 

 reserved. 



Exhibition of Fruit and Vegeta- 

 bles without Name. 



•SiK, — I forwarded a comiiiuuication to Mr. 

 Heyes, Secretary of the Ottawa Horticultural 

 .Society, last snnimer, as to tlie advisability 

 of each prize \\ inner writing a paper giving 

 the history of the exhibit, from seed or plant, 

 to the time of exhibit. 



Name of article. 



Seed, where grown. 



Plant, „ 



Fruit, M 

 Reason for asking the questions : — Mr. A. or 

 B , receiving a first or second prize, gives no 

 informatioii to the Society generally ; for in- 

 stance : at the exhibit for Cabbage Lettuce, 

 one will exhibit a Golden Queen another, 

 Hanson, etc. Those varieties are not named 

 by the exhibitor. The same on the trans- 

 planted Onion; one will exhibit a Prizetaker, 

 another, Rid Globe, some a Giant Rocca. 

 On self-blanching Celery, some will have a 

 white plume, some a pink, some a Golden, 

 self-blanching: The same occurs on Cauli- 

 flower ; one will show Sutton's first of all, 

 another Henderson's Snowball, another Kr- 

 furt, and so on, through the whole piece the 

 varieties are not named. I hold that if it is 

 uecesary to name fruits and flowers, it is 

 also necessary to name the different varieties 

 of vegetables and to give the points of merit 

 on each exhibit, as there is lonsilerable dis- 

 satisfaction with the judging. There are so 

 many varieties in one exhibit, that the judges 

 have no fair chauce of giving a fair decision. 

 I forward this communication for publication 

 in the Canadi.w Horticultdrist, if you see 

 fit to do so, for the puipose cf getting the 

 views of kindred societies. For instance, 

 _tht-re were tw'o first prizes given for White 

 Plume self- blanching Celery, in '9.5, one as an 

 early celery in the summer and one as a late 

 white or winter celery in the fall. A leading 

 member of the Society failed to see any dif- 

 fen-ncc between the White Plume self-blanch- 

 ing celery and the Winter White celery. I 

 claiiu that these are two distinct classes of 

 celery and ought not to be exhibited together. 

 Wm. Spendlow, 

 Jiil/ingsbridge, Out. 



Fruit Growers and Shipping- Com- 

 panies 



A meeting of the Lincoln and Welland 

 Fruit Growers was held in St. Catharines, 

 on .Saturday, '27th March. Iced cars were 

 commended for carrying fruits for the Mon- 

 treal market, for though longer than express, 

 they wriidd icach Montreal in i|uite as good 



Notes from Africa. 



Sir, — Plcrise send mc sample copies of 

 The Canadian Horticultctrist. I want to 

 secure .36 members in South Africa, and feel 

 sure I can do so with the influence I have here 

 among my old friends. The journal is much 

 improved, and I consider it very cheap with 

 the Report. I like it verj' much, and am wil- 

 ling to act as general agent for this part of 

 South Africa, a wide district. I shall always 

 take great interest in the journal, and in Cana- 

 dians who are so very loyal, and such warm- 

 hearted people. 



•Japan plums are doing remarkably well 

 here and making more wood than any other 

 kind. We have to dispense with all kinds of 

 apple trees here, except the Xorthern Spy, 

 on account of the blight. 



T. Rhodes, 

 Mokstad, Grigulavd East, -lonlh Africa. 



Fruit Prospects. 



Sir, — Thinking you would like to hear how 

 the prospects are for fruit fur this year in this 

 district Pears of all kinds are very heavy 

 with blossr.m, also cherries, and plums. I 

 had a D. Purple plum that yielde<l over six 

 bushels last year, now it is loaded with bloom, 

 and apple contrary to expectation, notwith- 

 standing the large crop last yetir are making 

 a fine show, especially the R. 1. (ireenings 

 that bore heavy the last season ; the Rib. 

 Pippin not much last year, are thick with 

 bloom ; the N. Spys I never saw such a 

 quantity of blossom ; Kirga that had a load 

 last year are not making much show while 

 others are thick, several other sorts are very 

 good if frost keeps away there will likely be a 

 good crop. Walter Hick, Godtrich. 



Gooseberry Mildew. 



Sir, — Referring to cures for gorseberry 

 mildew in a recent Hortku'lturist, I would 

 just like to say that I have been gawing 

 gooseberries for a good many yeais, includ- 

 ing all the leading English and American 

 varieties, with excellent crops every year, 

 and have yet to see a trace of mildew on my 

 bushes, of which I have probably 50, all told. 

 I think this is due to several causes— a warm, 

 dry. sandy .soil, plenty of wood asi.es, say 

 a patent pail to each bush every spring, 

 apre.id as far as the area of the branches, mid 

 forked in, and constantly pruning the bushes 

 to tree shape, where the habit of the variety 

 will permit it, allowing a free circulation of 

 air around and through the foliaee. Never a 

 chemical, except once in a while nitrate of 

 soda, and Paris green or hellebore for the 

 worms. 



C. W. Vot'NiJ, Coriiirall. 



25° 



