I02 The Canadian Horticulturist. 



" Where manure from the house stables is used — which is excellent, except 

 where it is full of weed-seed or from timothy — there is little danger of its blow- 

 ing away, because it is so moist. The same is true of the litter from poultry 

 houses, which is also good because, like the horse-manure, it contains such 

 valuable fertilizing material as well as being a good mulch. 



" Where clean straw is used, it may be put over the entire patch to a depth 

 of four inches, and if it is likely to be blown away, a little brush, and an occa- 

 sional clot of earth or stones can be put on, until the straw has been wet by rain 

 or held down by the snow. 



" The mulch may be put on at any time after growth ceases, but usually 

 after the ground freezes, because at this time less injury is done to the plants by 

 the wagon and horses running over them. 



" A good mulch has a fourfold benefit : ist. To protect the crowns from 

 freezing and thawing. 2nd. Holds buds back from late frosts in the spring. 

 3rd. Makes a fine protector for the fruit, keeping the berries from getting sanded 

 when rains come during the picking season. 4th. It serves to retard the growth 

 of weeds, and also conserves moisture during the drouth. 



"It will be necessary in the spring to loosen up the mulch, and let the 

 plants push up through. If this is not done, the plants may be unduly retarded 

 and perhaps smothered out entirely. 



Barn Manure. 



804. Sir, — Is barn manure good for raspberries ? T. H. A, 



Yes, the best possible fertilizer. 



Gooseberry Mildew. 



80«S. Sir, — What is best to keep mildew off gooseberries ? T. H. A. 



Persistent spraying with Bordeaux mixture, made with four pounds of lime, 

 four of sulphate of copper, and forty gallons of water. Give four applications, 

 two before blooming and two after. Mr. Morton, of Wingham, has excellent 

 success with even the English varieties, by this treatment. 



Summer Pruning of Grape Vines. 



6O6. Sir, — Should grape vines be cut back in June or July, and if so how much? 



T. H. A. 



Summer pruning is little practised in Canada. If the vines are properly 

 pruned in fall or spring, little more is needed than to rub off useless sprouts to 

 direct growth, and to stop the ends of bearing branches just beyond the last 

 bunch of grapes. 



