The Canadian Horticulturist. 405 



We do not quite understand why Montreal men should report so gloomy 

 an outlook, unless because they want to buy at the lowest prices, and ship on 

 their own account. True, there is every possibility of our apples overcrowding 

 the British market, but as things are going just now, there is no danger, for very 

 many of our growers are afraid to ship at all, and are allowing the fruit to waste 

 upon the trees. 



Sierra Crimson Plum. 



Sir, — There has been discovered in the Sierra Nevada mountains, a very valuable 

 plum It is on account of its wonderful flavor, that brmgs it into great prominence ; it 

 is collected in laige quantities, and made into jelly and jams, and for this purpose it 

 cannot be excelled. The jams and jellies manufactured from it have a most peculiar and 

 delicate aroma, which charms all who taste it. Our best cultivated plums must take a 

 back seat when this vaiiety is offered for sale, as it outsells them every time. It is about 

 the same size as the (Ireen Gage plum, a brilliant red in color, and most dt-liciously 

 flavort- d ; there is no acid in the skin, as in most varieties of plums. It is quite a good 

 yielder. The trees never attain a large size, but are quite dwaif. Their native home is 

 high up in the Sierras, where the snow falls twenty feet deep in the winter. They are 

 readily propagated by seeds, as they come true, and there are no varieties. 



S. L. Watkiss, Grizz'y Flats, Cal. 



New York City as a Fruit Market for Ontario. 



Sir, — I purchased to-day, at the comer of Wall and Williams streets, some Fameuse 

 or Snow apples, which came from Montreal. The price was two for five cents. Twenty 

 apples weighed five pounds, so that the retail price is equal to ten cents per pound. Tiie 

 man from whom I purchased them has sold fruit from that corner year out and year in, 

 for the past seventeen years, and is an experienced gardener or horticulturist. Very few 

 nurserymen are as well informeil as he is in horticulture. He told me this morning that 

 he paid §{.50 for the barrel of apples, and that ic contained five hundred. Of the smaller 

 ones he sold three for five cents, and two f'jr five cents of the larger ones. Within five 

 rods of him I could buy just as handsome Snow apple ■» from Mar viand, Xew Jersey, Penn- 

 sylvania and Ohio for one cent each. These facts prove what I wrote you in June, that 

 the quality of the Canadian apple, when its character is known, will create a demand 

 which will exceed the supply. 



To-day I can purchase seven-pound baskets of Tokay grapes, of txtra qnaliiy, grown 

 in California, for 40 cents, or less than six cents per pound. A few days since I purchased 

 three of the handsomest and most perfect Beurre Hardy pears, grown in California, for ten 

 cents, I ever saw, and took them to the Hon. Charles A. Dana, Editor of the New ^"ork 

 Sun. At the same time, I purchased twi of the finest Beurre D'Anjou for five cents, also 

 grown in California. A few days since I purchased a 7^ pound basket of Damson plums, 

 at Washington Market, for 75 cents, or at the rate of $6 per bushel, and at that price they 

 are scarce. Nearly one-half million barrels of apples have already been shipped to Europe 

 from American ports, or more than ten times the amount shipped last year at this date. 

 This market will gladly sell Southern and Western Snow apples to exporters at $1.50 and 

 $2.00 per barrel, and buy Canadian Sno>v apples for home consumption for $H.50 per 

 barrel. 



Just as I wrote you in June, the scarcest fruit in this market is apples of high quality 

 and Damson plums for preserving. 1 can buy crates of tine Concord grapes at 1^ centis 

 per poun<l. Five-pound baskets of Dela wares and Niagaias at 15 cents each, and five- 

 pound baskets of ConcofflB at 8 cents. If your prime fall apples are sent here and put in 



