The Canadian Horticulturist. 239 



Mk. John" Craig, of the Central Experimental Farm, writes : The prospects for a 

 good crop of apples in this district are very encouraging. Native Canadian and American 

 plums have set very well and are at this time carrying a full crop of young fruit. Blue 

 plums, (European type) however, were badly injured, last winter both wood and fruit buds, 

 and consequently will yield but lightly. Cherries will also not exceed a medium crop. 

 Raspberries were badly injured in some districts and with the exception of young planta- 

 tions will probably be a medium to light crop. Plantations three or four years old were 

 much lessinjured than those which were five, six and seven years of age. Uoses, bulbous 

 plants, perennials and the tender shrubs all show the efiect of an unusually severe winter. 

 The low temperatures f)f late December and earh" January without snow on the ground 

 carried the frost to an unusual depth and wrought considerable injury to fruit trees and 

 tender plants. I have noticed many instances of root killing among apples, pears, cherries 

 and plums. Trees of Duchess and Wealthy have been injured, and in some cases killed, 

 in this district owing to the loss of the seedling roots on which they were budded, while 

 the tops were quite xminjured 



Strawberries on the Experimental Farm will give us a fair crop unless extremely dry 

 weather intervenes. Most varieties have come through in fair condition. Reports have 

 come to us of Woolverton having winter killed badly in this section. In our three year 

 old plantations of 100 varieties there is no variety more vigorous than the Cresent at the 

 present time. 



York, Ontario asd I'eel — Mr. W. E. Wellington reports: Apples, about 75 per 

 cent., except Northern Spy a failure ; Pears, 20 ; Plums a failure except common red 100 ; 

 Cherries, 25 ; (jooseberries, 75 ; Red Currants, 30; Grapes, 25 ; Blackberries, 100 ; Rasp- 

 berries, 100. 



Durham, Northumberlasd, Peterboro axd Victoria. — Mr. Thos. Beall of Lindsay, 

 writes : The apple crop this season promises to be about average taking it altogether. 

 That is the summer and fall varieties will be rather above average, and the winter vari- 

 eties rather under. Pears will not average more than from five to ten per cent, of average 

 crop. Plums, practically none. Cherries, about ditto. Grapes promise an average crop. 

 Gooseberries, Currants and Strawberries will each give a full average. There is no " Scab " 

 in this neighbourhood and there is but little injury being done by the usual insect pests. 



KssEX, Kext akd Lambtox. — Mr. Alex. McNeill, of Windsor, writes : The prospects 

 for fruit in Essex could hardly be better. As will be seen from the following estimate, 

 there are no failures and only a few kinds below a full crop. Apples, J 00 (full crop) ; 

 Pears, 95 ; Plums, 100; Peaches, 100 ; Cherries, 75; Gooseberries, 70; Strawberries, 100; 

 Raspberries, 100 ; Currants, 100. There is no indication of any unusual attacks of insects 

 or fungus. 



Shrubbery Borders and Beds should be frequently hoed and raked, to 

 give them a tidy appearance. Gravel walks and drives which are made with 

 materials that become very loose during dry weather should be watered and 

 rolled. Keep them clean from weeds by hand weeding, or by application of a 

 weed-killer, which is a much cheaper process in the end than using hoe and rake 

 to them, especially where large gravel is used. The watering of trees and shrubs 

 that were planted late in the season should be continued during dry weather. — 

 Gardeners' Chronicle. 



We next proceed to cultivate the soil beneath, and between the trees, until 

 they arrive at their complete size, as the quality, excellence, and maturity of the 



fruit will, in a great measure, depend upon its proper culture In 



fact, it has been ascertained by experience and observation, that apples, pears, 

 peaches, etc., attain to their highest perfection only when the soil about the 

 roots is kept open, and frequently manured. — James Th.\icher, The American 

 Orchardist, ist Edition, 1822. 



