152 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 



Geneva, who has been making some experi- 

 ments, has estimated the cost of thinning a 

 well loaded apple tree at 50 cents. In sea- 

 sons of heavy crops thinning was found to 

 heighten the color and to increase the size; 

 but in case of a small crop being set, it had 

 no appreciable effect. It would seem there- 

 fore that for growing fancy grades of fruit 

 that an advantage might be gained by thin- 

 ning. The work must be undertaken early, 

 within three or four weeks after the setting 

 of the fruit, even if the June drop is not 

 over yet. 



The Canker Worm 



^1^ HE usual method of fighting this in- 

 J. sect enemy, now so widely dis- 

 tributed, is by spraying with Paris green 

 about a quarter of a pound to 40 gallons of 

 lime water, early in May, or just as soon as 

 the young caterpillars appear, and by giving 

 a second application about a week la^er. 

 This is more certain in its effects than the 

 use of sticky bandages for preventing tlio 

 female from climbing the tree ; but the work 

 should be done while the larvae is still small, 

 because then it is more easily destroyed. 

 Experiments conducted by V. H. Lowe, of 

 Geneva, N. Y., indicate that arsenite of lime 

 is equally as effective as Paris green, when 

 properly applied, and has two advantages, 

 (i) its cheapness, and (2) trhe fact that it 

 will remain suspended in water much longer. 



Horticulture in Nova Scotia- 

 Valuable Plums 



Two 



THE report of the School of Horticul- 

 ture of Nova Scotia for 1903, F. C. 

 Sears, director, has just come to hand, and 

 shows good progress in the school work 

 during the past year. Owing to the simi- 

 larity of climate in Nova Scotia to that in 

 England, it is found that English varieties 

 are better adapted to the climate than Am- 

 erican. For example, two recently im- 



ported varieties of plums are very promis- 

 ing for market purposes, Cox's Emperor, in 

 season October i to 15, and Late Orange, 

 ripening about loth October, and keeping 

 until November. Both are yellow in color, 

 the former nearly covered with a deep red ; 

 the latter, larger, and all yellow in color, and 

 the fiesh is firm, fine orained and meaty. 

 Speaking of this latter plum, Mr. Sears 

 says : " Coming so late in the season when 

 plums for canning are in great demand, and 

 when most other varieties are gone, it must 

 certainly prove a valuable market sort, un- 

 less it develops some weak points after fur- 

 ther testing." We will have this plum 

 tested at our fruit stations as soon as possi- 

 ble, and see if it suits Ontario conditions. 



Misleading Instances of Profit 



SEVERAL times already in this journal 

 we have pointed out the evil of pub- 

 lishing remarkable instances of profits made 

 in fruit growing, without explaining that 

 the cases were unusual ; thus giving the 

 uninitiated exaggerated notions of the pro- 

 fits of our business. We could cite numer- 

 ous instances of persons who have given ijp 

 remunerative occupations to invest their 

 capital in a fruit farm, thinking they would 

 have a bonanza. Imagine the disappoint- 

 ment in many cases at finding the expenses 

 of labor, packages, express and commission 

 charges so nearly covering the gross pro- 

 ceeds that almost no income is left for :he 

 owner's time and investment ! Indeed, in 

 some instances, where the varieties are ill- 

 chosen, and the season unfavorable, there 

 is a positive loss, after a whole year's wait- 

 ing and expectancy! Why is it that ihe 

 dark side of fruit growing is concealed and 

 the bright side only advocated? Do our 

 fruit growers wish to have the whole coun- 

 try in fruit ? Do they invite so much com- 

 petition in their business that the markets 

 will be glutted and their fruit become un- 

 salable? Or do thev wish to boom some 



