272 The Canadian Horticulturist. 



At Maplehurst, on sandy loam, this variety has mildewed badly, but for 

 two years past we have controlled it by spraying with the Bordeaux mixture. 

 Mr. Brodie, of Montreal, says in our report of 1888, page 92, that the Whitesmith 

 is the principal variety grown for market about Montreal, but a Mr. Mathewson 

 of that vicinity stated that on light, dry soil it had failed with him. The average 

 yield of a goosberry plant is placed by several growers at from 12 to 14 quarts, 

 and the average price 6 cents a quart. 



The Whitesmith is described as large, roundish oval ; color, yellowish 

 white ; skin, slightly downy ; of first quality. The berries shown in our colored 

 plate are larger than the average as grown in Ontario. 



Do not Cut Asparag'US. — There is no need of it. It is economy not to 

 do so. The bed should be gone over every day and all shoots that are four 

 inches above the surface the soil should be broken off. If allowed to grow 

 taller than that, it means only so much waste. We wish only the tender, edible 

 part. The white portion is not edible. Why, then, use a knife ? why wait until 

 the old, white portion of the stem has made a growth of several inches above 

 the soil ? The white part takes as much food from the soil as do the tender, 

 green tips. If, then, we permit the shoots to grow six inches or more above 

 the soil, we make a needless demand upon the vitality of the roots and the food 

 of the soil, merely to collect a waste, worthless product. 



The green, tender parts of asparagus should not be sent to market in 

 bunches at all, but .should be sold by the pound as fresh mushrooms are sold. 

 If the writer of these notes lived in a village, or even in a city, and owned or 

 controlled a " yard " as large as 25 x 100 feet, a portion — if but 25x10 feet — 

 would be devoted to an asparagus bed. The plants themselves are beautifully 

 feathery and graceful and may be used for boquets or masses of green, as well 

 as the " ornamental " asparagus plumosus or tenuissimus. 



Growing Aquatics. — Once upon a time the writer of this paragraph was 

 invited to a nursery celebrated for its large business in connection with the 

 growing of water plants, or, as they are commonly called, aquatics. As the 

 locality was far away from lakes or ponds, much curiosity was felt as to how the 

 large quantity of plants was cared for. It was found that nearly everything was 

 being raised in old kegs or barrels, sunk deep into the earth, and where water 

 could be led into them by a hose or other methods. The hint may be taken 

 advantage of by those who read of the beauty of aquatics, but do not have 

 lakes or ponds of their own to grow them in. Old paint kegs, or any vessels 

 that will hold water, can be buried partly in the earth, filled with water, and 

 seeds sown, or young plants planted in mud placed at the bottom of the water. 

 Many of the smaller kinds of water plants can be grown in this way without any 

 serious difficulty. The vessels need not be water-tight. — Meehans' Monthly 

 for July. 



