^ (D^p fr^liW Table. ^ 



THE JAPANESE WINEBERRY. 



Sir, — I send you by this mail two bunches of the Japanese Wineberry. The bush 

 from which they were taken is four years old, and has only two canes, on one of which 

 there are forty-nine bunches of fruit, the majority being as good as the samples sent you. 

 They have had no special care, except ordinary cultivation and a dressing of barn-yard 

 manure. In the fall we lay down the canes and cover them with straw, for winter pro- 

 tection. They are very attractive, being universally admired, and in demand for planting 

 on the lawn for ornament. H. L. Bryant, Mohawk. 



This is an interesting novelty. The branches sent us Aug. 2nd carried 

 about fifty berries each, all very attractive looking. It has, no doubt, been over 

 lauded by advertisers, and the plants have been sold at very high prices. It 

 will probably have little value as a market berry, but for dessert purposes it may 

 become popular, because of the peculiarly pleasant flavor of the fruit. Prof. 

 Georgeson, late of the Imperial College at Tokio, Japan, collected the seed in 

 that country, and sent it home to the United States. The canes are large, and 

 stout, covered with purplish red hairs ; the leaves are large, tough, dark green 

 above, and very grey beneath. Each berry is at first enclosed in a mossy calyx, 

 which turn back as the fruit matures. Berries are of medium size compared 

 with the ordinary raspberry, of a pretty bright crimson color ; flavor sprightly, 

 mild acid. 



The reports which we have received concerning this Wineberry are con- 

 flicting, so that we are not prepared to state anything definite concerning it. 



An experiment station in Minnesota reports having tested it, and that it is 

 unproductive ; that the berries are small, and sour, and that it is hardy with 

 protection. 



Bulletin 88, Michigan, says the plant increases too rapidly by suckers to be 

 very desirable for the lawn. The flowers are large and showy ; but the fruit is 

 of no practical value. 



These statements seem hardly applicable in every respect to the samples 

 sent us by Mr. Bryant, for the fruit was of medium size, good flavor, and quite 

 abundant. 



This plant will be planted for trial at the Ontario Experiment stations next 

 spring, and will be fully reported on thereafter. 



Blighted Apple Trunk — Mr. J. H. McGregor, Gait, writes that a Duchess 

 of Oldenburg has its bark dead about a foot up from the ground, as if it had 

 been scalded. Since the spring it has spread further up ; he also sends a sample 

 of the bark. Such blighting of the apple trunk often occurs, and arises from so 

 many causes that without seeing the tree and knowing all the conditions one 

 cannot reply. It may be the effect of the borer, of sun-scald, of wet, or of 

 injury from frost, or whiffietrees. 



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