The Canadian Horticulturist. 33 



How to Treat Rex Begonia. 



774. Sir, — I have some Rex Begonia five years old. They did well for four years, 

 but after that they lost the leaves, £ind almost stopped to grow. What is the best way to 

 treat them and what soil is the best ? 



JcsTCS RoEDLKR, MUton, Ont. 



Answered by H. L. Hiitt, O. A. C, Guelph. 



It is not advisable to try and keep Rex Begonias after they are three or 

 four years old. Propagate new plants from leaf-cuttings, and have enough of 

 these coming on every year to take the place of the old ones. The begonia 

 thrives best in a soil in which there is good admixture of leaf-mould and sand. 



% ©per? Lettepc?. % 



Strawbeppies in Novembep. 



Sib, — At the meeting held November 30th, to consider the feasibility of organizing a 

 horticultural society, Mr. C. Curtis, a noted grower of strawberries in this town, exhibited 

 a small box of strawberries which had been gathered in his garden on the previous after- 

 noon. The berries were Wilson Albany, of mir size and in good condition. This speaks 

 well for this locality as a fruit growing district. The berries were grown in the open air 

 without protection. 



Thos. Beall, Leamington. 



A New Peap, 



Sib, — I wish to bring before your notice a new pear. Seeds were planted 

 twenty j-ears ago and when they were large enough they were grafted, but one of 

 those not grafted turned out to be the finest pear we ever saw. Two fruit growers who saw 

 it said the flavor is the very best, and think it ought to be introduced. Probably I will 

 send you a sample next season. I think it originated from the seed of either Flemish 

 Beauty or Bartlett. It resembles the former somewhat in shape, but is longer and a 

 trifle more watery. It ripens about the 20th of September. The color on one cheek is 

 deep red aud shades out to a rich yellow on the other side. We have no better pear for 

 cooking. 



W. H. Shoup, Cheapside. 



Out Plant Distpibution fop 1896. 



Sir, — With regard to your next distribution of trees and plants, I will discuss the 

 subject with Mr. Craig, but I doubt if we shall have anything in i^uantity this year which 

 would be of value to you. We have some young cotoneasters, such as Acutifolia and 

 Vulgaris, but they are only one year old seedlings, and would, I fear, be too small. 1 hey 

 would, however, come in another year. We have a few Acer glabrum from British 

 Columbia, but could not spare more than 25 or 50. We might also spare 3'ou 50 to 75 

 Picea pungens. We could let you have 100 to 150 of a dense form of Rhamnus frangula, 

 if you thought that was suflBciently ornamental. We have grown them for hedge purposes, 

 and the plants we have are strong two year seedlings. We could also spare 100 plants of 

 Bignonia radicans raised from seed ripened at Windsor, Ont. I expect these seedlings 

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