NOTES AND COMMENTS. 



overloaded trees, excepting from a few 

 left for comparison. Now that we are 

 gathering the crop (Aug. 4th) we find 

 not only larger and finer peaches on the 

 thinned trees, but much less rot. This 

 disease is one of the worst difficulties we 

 have to face in growing early peaches of 

 the Alexander and Hales' Early type; but 

 possibly with diligent thinning, and 

 spraying with Bordeaux mixture, we can 

 overcome it to a large extent. 



The failure of the Peach Crop 

 in Essex this season is a sad loss to 

 many, who are depending wholly upon 

 this fruit for their year's income. Mr. W. 

 W. Hilborn, of Leamington, who has 

 now about one hundred acres in peaches, 

 writes : — " I have no peaches, either 

 early or late, this season. I think I am 

 safe in saying there will not be one bas- 

 ket in this whole district. This is rather 

 hard on us poor fellows that grow peaches 

 only. We will have to live on porridge 

 and faith for the next twelve months." 



San Jose Scale. — Emergency Posters 

 have been sent out from the Central 

 Experimental Farm, warning fruit grow- 

 ers against the San Jose Scale. The 

 extent of distribution is given, and 

 sufficient description to enable anyone 

 to determine it. Under the head of 

 what to do the following advice is given : 

 — I Send specimen of suspected trees to 

 the Entomologist, Central Experimental 

 Farm, Ottawa. 2 Dig up and burn all 

 infested trees. 3 Cut back severely all 

 slightly affected trees, and burn all cut- 

 tings. 4 After cutting back, spray the 

 trees with kerosene emulsion once each 

 week until the middle of September. 

 5 As soon as the leaves fall, wash the 

 trees with strong whale oil soap mixture, 

 2 lbs in one gallon of water. Do not 

 delay, act immediately and decisively. 



351 



Kerosene Emulsion. —The same 

 poster gives the following directions for 

 making kerosene emulsion : — Kerosene 

 2 gallons, rainwater i gallon, soap ^Ib. 

 Dissolve soap in water by boiling, take 

 from fire and while hot turn in kerosene 

 and churn briskly for five minutes. 

 Dilute for use with nine parts of water. 



Duty on Nursery Stock. — The 

 United States has placed a duty on 

 Myrobalan plum, Mahaleb or Mazzard 

 Cherry stock, of 50c. per 1000 plants, 

 and 15 per cent, ad valorem ; on stocks 

 and seedlings of apple, quince and plum, 

 of $1 00 per 1000 plants and 15 per 

 cent, ad valorem ; rose plants, budded, 

 grafted or grown on their own roots, 2 '2 

 cents each ; other nursery stock twenty- 

 five per cent, ad valorem. 



The European Fruit Crop i.s esti- 

 mated as follows :— Apples — England, 

 fourth crop, will require large importa- 

 tions ; France, light crop in the south, 

 fair crop in the north, can export some ; 

 Belgium, third crop ; Holland, fair crop ; 

 Germany, fair; Italy, good. Pears — 

 England, worst crop for many years ; 

 France, good crop of late kinds ; Ger- 

 many, good crop of ordinary fruit. 



The Apple Crop in Ontario grows 

 less promising every day. At blossom- 

 ing time the outlook was good, but now 

 (August) the scab has spread alarmingly, 

 and many varieties will be worthless. 

 The great importance of spraying is 

 more evident this year than usual. 



The Bvrhank Plum is a magnificent 

 success in the Niagara district so far as 

 growth of tree and productiveness is 

 concerned. Mr. L. L. Hagar of Grimsby, 

 has some young trees breaking to the 

 ground with ropes of this beautiful 

 Japan variety. Mr. Hagar believes that 

 it will prove an excellent acquisition. 



