414 The Canadian Horticulturist. 



with purplish crimson ; the flesh is mild, subacid with a brisk pleasant flavor. 

 Season, September and October ; some say it can well be kept till February. 

 The apple is large and handsome, and its peculiar shade of color commands 

 ready attention. 



This variety, among others, was shown by the Province of British Columbia, 

 at the World's Fair, last year, and attracted constant attention. One sample 

 weighed a pound and a-half avordupois, and measured nearly sixteen inches in 

 circumference. 



We have not yet grown this apple at Maplehurst, and therefore we would 

 be glad to hear from anyone who has grown it in Canada. 



NOTES ON THE NOVEMBER NUMBER OF THE 

 HORTICULTURIST. 



General Grant Crab. 



QUITE approve of the remarks made under this heading refer- 

 ring to Siberian crabs in general, but think the selection of the 

 frontispiece unfortunate. In my experience, and I have known 

 it for fifteen years. General Grant is one of the poorest of the 

 whole class. It is true that the tree is vigorous, productive and 

 decidedly ornamental when in full bloom, but the quality of its 

 fruit is, to my taste, simply execrable ; indeed such a combination of astringency 

 and bitterness is rarely to be met with. I cannot account for Downing's esti- 

 mate of its quality. In this respect it ranks next to its American cousin 

 Soulard, which is a true variation of Pyrus coronaria. When such fine 

 varieties as '' Whitney No. 20," " Martha," "Orange " and " Gibb," can be grown 

 with equal ease, there seems little reason for cultivating General Grant. The 

 report of the Montreal Horticultural Society for 1884, contains an exhaustive 

 paper on Siberian crabs, by the late Charles Gibb, of Abbotsford. He says of 

 this variety, " It might be useful further North. I do not seem to want it 

 either for home use or for market, and have cut all my trees down." 



Note by Editor. — Mr. Craig's remarks are quite in place regarding the 

 reading matter on the colored plate of General Grant crab which describes it as 

 of good quality. The Lithographic Company always print these descriptions on 

 the plates, but we never allow them on our work. This last order of 18,000 

 when it came to our binders had this blemish, by some mistake of the Company, 

 and it was too late to refuse them. Our readers will, please pay no attention to 

 the descriptions printed on the plates. 



Talman Sweet in British Columbia. 



Mr. Starret's experience with Talman Sweet raises an interesting question 

 regarding the adaptability of certain varieties to difl"erent soil and climatic con- 

 ditions. 



