THE CANADIAN H0ETICULTURI8T. 



55- 



bark, and then, unless cut out at once, 

 increases from one tree to another until 

 the tree is destroyed. When the black 

 knot begins on the main trunk of the 

 tree it is difficult to arrest its progress. 

 I have a dozen or more very fine plumb 

 trees — all very superior — which I in- 

 tend to nui-se and cultivate so as, if 

 possible, to bi-ing them up to the stand- 

 point of fifty years ago. 



I have tried pears of various kinds, 

 but all have failed. A few year's ago 

 I obtained from New Hampshire six 

 young chestnut trees. They all died 

 the first year. 



To conclude, if any member of the 

 Fruit Growers' Association, or any one 

 else, can tell us why the Codlin Moth 

 lays its egg in the apple blossom — 

 whether it goes there to extract honey 

 or for any other purpose — I think we 

 could soon invent a scheme to circum- 

 vent him. Next spring I intend to try 

 the cotton rag and printer's ink on all 

 my apple trees, and if successful again 

 shall not fail to report. 



Yours very truly, S. B. Merrill. 



The above was received from Mr. 

 John Croil, who remarks that Mr. 

 Merrill's plan is this : — " Early in 

 February, with a three-quarter inch 

 augur, bore half through the trees 

 diagonally about two feet from the 

 ground, fill the hole with sulphur, and 

 cover the orifice with grafting wax or 

 with a wooden plug." 



BEST CODLIN MOTH TRAP. 



I set two traps on the 20th of last 

 August and caught over one thousand 

 moths in one night. The trap is a glass 

 lantern set in a tin pan of water an 

 inch or more deep. The light attracts 

 the moths and they fly around the 

 lantern, and when they strike the 

 water they are caught, as they are help- 

 less when they once get in the water. 



In trimming the lanterns use less or 

 more oil, according to the length of 

 time you want them to burn. They 

 should be set on something two feet or 

 more from the ground. 



I intend to use a number of the 

 traps tliis season, commencing when 

 trees are in blossom, for the moths are 

 numerous and destructive. 



W. C. Raymond. 



Dickinson's Landing. 



LETTER FROM THE HON. MARSHALL 

 P. WILDER. 



PRESIDENT OF THE AMERICAN POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



" The present number of the Cana- 

 dian Horticulturist is not only in- 

 creased in pages, but its contents are 

 of a very useful character. This may 

 be called the Grape Number, as it 

 illustrates in a very lucid manner a 

 system of training that any cultivator 

 may understand. Plan and system are 

 the foundations of success in every 

 well ordered effort in life. You have 

 done well to give us so much in one 

 issue on this important branch of 

 pomology, creating as it will even more 

 interest in the future than it has in the 

 past. I am glad to see that the Wilder 

 grape succeeds so far north as the 47th 

 parallel. I have ever had a good 

 opinion of it, and it was my choice 

 out of all Mr. Rogei-s' hybrids to have 

 my name affixed to. Also am glad to 

 see that the Champion is being properly 

 depreciated. We must keep up the 

 standard of quality, and when we can 

 have a grape as good and as early as 

 Moore's Early, we can dispense with 

 the Champion, as I have done. We 

 were very glad to see your President 

 Dempsey at Boston, and your honoi'ed 

 former President, Rev. Burnet ; also, 

 I am gratified that you thought well of 

 what I said in my addn^ss before the 

 American Pomological Society on the 

 Grape. No country luis such good 

 promise for its successful culture. 



