lo The Canadian Horticulturist. 



Prof. C. C. Georgeson says : " that the common wild fox grapes of this 

 country, Vitis Labrusca^ grows wild in Japan." These plants are silent witnesses 

 which unmistakably prove that this continent was once connected by land with 

 Asia. The American Indian, with his high cheek bones and Mongolian features, 

 are strong evidence that they are of Asiatic origin. Here we have better proof 

 than the ancient legend of the " Lost Atlantis," that North America was once 

 connected by land with Asia. 



In closing, permit me to say if my conclusions, on the affinity of these fine 

 Japanese and our native plums, are true, it opens up a new era in plum culture; 

 for here we have introduced a fine /"ruit that, doubtless, is related to some of our 

 hardy Chickasas, or other natives. In their large size and fine qualities lies the 

 condensed improvement brought about by the scientific combinations of the 

 life forces of these Oriental plums. So, really, to the Japanese horticulturists 

 we owe much, for we at once can avail ourselves of these wonderful fruits which 

 it has taken, perhaps, thousands of years for them to develop, while our natives 

 were left for nature to improve under thejlaw, "the survival of the fittest." By 

 cross-breeding our natives with these fine Orientals, we gain these long ages of 

 improvement made by the Japanese horticulturists. Already, much has been 

 done by J. L. Normand, of Marksville, La., who has produced hundreds of 

 new seedlings, which are cross-bred with our natives, and many of them are said 

 to be fine, and I look forward for great results on my ground of these cross-bred 

 seedlings. 



Cedar Rapids^ Iowa. A. B. Dennis. 



Stick to It. — The New England Farmer says : " If we would make money 

 raising small fruits we must go into the business to stay, not for a year, but for 

 many years or for life. There will be bad years for fruit growers as well as for 

 producers of any other products, but those who learn the business most 

 thoroughly, and who establish a name for quality of products and for fair dealing, 

 will be the ones to succeed in the long run. They will have to sell with little 

 profit some years, when everybody else is in it, but they will make the money 

 when others fail from ignorance of the business or because of periodical under- 

 production. It is the earnest workers and steady plodders, after all, who come 

 out ahead in the struggles for existence." 



Eating Grape Seeds. — It is growing more and more the fashion — and a 

 good fashion it is — not to swallow the seeds of grapes. Appendicitis is more 

 and more feared as a result of swallowing grape seeds. The seeds lodge in the 

 vermiform appendix and the almost incurable disease follows. That appendi- 

 citis is more common nowadays than in times past may be owing to the fact 

 that more grapes are eaten, as production is greater, and the price reduced 

 accordingly. 



