M Q^^^tioQ i)paLo<"p. ^ 



695. Sir, — The Western Fair gives a prize for tlie Oaw ego Beauty pear. Is it the 

 same as Oswego Beurre erf " Downing " ? 



G. H. Nixon, Hyde Park. 



So far as we know, there is no pear called Oswego Beauty. No doubt the 

 Oswego Beurre is the pear intended by the prize list. 



Wild Goose Plum. 



626. Sir, — Are the Wild Goose phim and the Japan plum the same ? Sixteen years 

 ago I planted five trees o^' the Wild Goose, they blossomed every year, but never bore a 

 pint of plums, and last year I cut them down. If the Japan plums are different, would 

 you advise my planting any of them in this country ? 



G. H. Nixon, Hyde Park. 



The fruit of the Japan plums is very much superior to that of the Wild Goose. 

 The latter is a native American, and not worthy of cultivation where the finer 

 varieties of English plums can be grown. The Botan and Abundance are two 

 varieties of Japan plums which are highly recommended for extensive trial in 

 southern Ontario. 



I privation. 



627* Sir, — Would it be profitable to irrigate for small fruits ; plenty of water being 

 available by raising it a distance of twenty feet from the bottom of a stream to the level of 

 the field. What would be the best means of raising and distributing it, and the cost for 

 ten acres, the land being sandy, nearly level. 



G. H. BucKRELL, Springford. Out. 



In the older countries, as India, Germany, Italy and Spain, irrigation has 

 long been practiced, and so advantages is the practice that it is being more and 

 more adopted. The same would no doubt be true in Canada, could we work it 

 without too great expense. The usefulness of irrigation needs no proving, for 

 not merely moisture, but fertility also comes thereby. In our correspondent's 

 case the water could no doubt be pumped by a windmill, a steam pump, or a 

 hydraulic ram. A reservoir might also be necessary, which would add to the 

 expense, but if a pond of puddled clay could be constructed at the highest point 

 in the ten acre field, the undertaking would be simplified. The water might be 

 distributed by shallow furrows, so arranged as to give the ground a good soaking. 

 A writer in the Indiana Farmer says : — A stream of water one inch in diameter, 

 flowing at the rate of four miles an hour, will cover one acre of land one inch 

 deep in about 30 hours. 



The cost of irrigation of course depends mainly upon the ease with which 

 the supply of water can be obtained. It has frequently been shown that where 

 wells can be had of sufficient capacity the profits of irrigation are large in com- 



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