The Canadian Horticulturist. 187 



The Ontario Apple. 



642. Sir, — Is the Ontario api)le hardy ? Would it stand our climate ? Is it a good 

 bearer? V\' hat is its size ? Ira N. Burtt, Keswick Hidge, N.B. 



Reply by Mr. A. McD. Allan, Toronto. 



The Ontario apple tree is, as far as tested, quite as hardy as Spy, and I 

 think should succeed in York Co., N.B. It is a biennial medium bearer, the 

 fruit being always well distributed over the tree, and generally of uniform size 

 (which compares well with a good-sized Spy). Ontario comes into bearing early, 

 and taking one year with the other, alongside of Spy in full bearing age, will 

 produce much better results than the Spy. I think you will find it is success- 

 fully grown in parts of Nova Scotia, and I have never heard complaints of 

 tenderness in the tree. 



Best Varieties. 



643. Sir, — Please name earliest and best of each of the following: Yellow, free- 

 stone peach ; pear ; plum ; red, white and black grapes. 



O. F. W., Fort Erie. 



These kind of questions cannot be satisfactorily answered, because best in 

 one place is not always best in another. In general we would name following 

 in order : (i) Early Crawford or Foster peach ; (2) Giffard and Bartlett pear ; 

 (3) McLaughlin and Imperial Gage plums ; (4) Lady, Niagara and Diamond, 

 white grapes; (5) Delaware, Lindleyand Brighton, red; Moore's Early, Concord, 

 Worden and Wilder, black grapes. 



The Apple Tree Bark Louse. 



644. — Sir, — I am much troubled with the bark louse on my apple trees. Can you 

 suggest a wash to kill them, giving the cjuantity of each ingredient to, say a pailful of 

 water. I have tried a number of the solutions advised, but don't find them any good. 



J. Murray Smith, Montreal. 



The apple tree bark louse, known as the Oyster Shell bark louse, from the 

 shape of the mature insect, is a very common and a very troublesome insect. 

 Many orchards throughout the country are dying on account of its ravages, and 

 the owners are not even aware of its presence. The only time in the year when 

 it can be effectually destroyed by any wash is about the first of June, when the 

 young lice hatch out. Being tender at that time, an alkaline wash, such as 

 washing soda and water, is effective, using as much of the former as can be 

 dissolved. The best remedy is spraying the whole tree with kerosene emulsion, 

 a formula for which may be seen on page 161. In order that the liquid may 

 have the better effect, the rough bark should be scraped off with an old hoe, 

 previous to spraying. 



