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THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 



FAMILY SUPPLIES OF FRUIT. 



The Country Gentleman replies to 

 those who wish to know how they can 

 obtain an early supply of fruits for 

 their families, and for what portion of 

 the year these sujDplies may be obtained 

 by means of a suitable selection, as fol- 

 lows : — 



In the Northern States, the first 

 ripening sorts begin early in June with 

 strawberries. Of these there will be a 

 dijfference of about a month in theii' 

 season, the earliest productive sorts 

 being the old Wilson, and the newer 

 Crescent, Duncan, and not always pro- 

 ductive Crystal City. These are fol- 

 lowed by the Cumberland, Seth Boy- 

 den, Sharpless, Kentucky, &c. As far 

 north as New York City, these different 

 sorts should give a good supply every 

 day for the table, from the first of June 

 until early in July, with beds well cul- 

 tivated, covering three or four square 

 rods of ground. Half a dozen or more 

 of cherry trees will begin to furnish 

 ripe fruit from the middle of June till 

 the middle of July, if they can only be 

 allowed to remain on the trees till ripe — 

 which, between the birds and the family, 

 is rarely done. Early Purple G-uigne 

 and Belle d'Orleans are the earliest; 

 then Coe's Transparent, Black Tartarian 

 and Bockport; and later the Dukes and 

 Morellos. Early Bichmond is generally 

 reckoned an early sort, but if allowed 

 to hang a month it is greatly improved. 



Then come the currants and goose- 

 berries, the raspberries, and blackber- 

 ries ; but before these are all ripe the 

 early pears and apples are on hand, and, 

 where they will succeed, those delicious 

 early fruits, the apricots. The first 

 peaches and plums are not much behind, 

 jtnd the first grapes ripen before the end 

 of summer. 



Plenty of delicious fruits run through 

 the entire autumn. We have peaches 

 and plums till frost ; and apples, pears 



and grapes throughout. There are so 

 many sorts, and of such ranging quality 

 and character that every person may be 

 suited. Grapes and pears may be kept 

 through winter, and apples into June. 

 No one who has an acre or two of land 

 to plant need be without a plentiful 

 supply for a single day in the year. He 

 will need, however, to observe three re- 

 quisites — first, to make a good selection 

 of sorts for his particular locality, much 

 of which may be learned from his suc- 

 cessful or experienced neighbours, if he 

 has any; secondly, to give his garden 

 and orchard the right cultivation ; and 

 thirdly, and very important, to have a 

 good, cool fruit room to keep his winter 

 sorts and long keepers in. Carelessly 

 thrown into a common cellar, apples 

 may all rot by the first of April ; in a 

 carefully attended fruit room (without 

 ice) we have kept such common sorts 

 as the Baldwin fresh into July. 



It will be borne in mind that while it 

 is necessary for profitable marketing on 

 an extensive scale, to select the most fa- 

 vorable localities for soil, aspect and 

 other influences which shall gi^^e uni- 

 formly good crops, a good home-garden 

 may be had almost anywhere, which 

 will give satisfactory returns, with a 

 proper selection of kinds adapted to it, 

 and with good cultivation. It is always 

 safest to choose dry upland, and to 

 avoid low or mucky soil. If necessary, 

 it must be well underdrained, and be- 

 fore planting, especially for small fruits, 

 it should be made mellow by previous 

 cultivation, in order that the young 

 plants may be easily set and kept clean. 

 Some enriching by manure is nearly al- 

 ways essential, but at least a part or the 

 main portion may be applied afterwards 

 by successive autumnal top-dressings. 

 For standard fruit trees, this top-dress- 

 ing is better than trying to make the 

 ground very rich on the start, a clean 

 and mellow surface being the great re- 

 quisite for young or newly set trees, 



