OUR BOOK TABLE. 



33 



about the best all around fertilizer for the 

 lawn, and the effect in the rich dark green 

 growth is very soon observable. If this is 

 not convenient, excellent results may be ob- 

 tained by sowing the lawn (i) with wood 

 ashes, at the rate of from 25 to 50 bushels 

 to the acre, to furnish potash, an important 

 element in the formation of the stems and 



woody portions of vegetation ; (2) with 

 nitrate of soda, say 75 lbs. to the acre, to 

 promote vigorous growth ; (3) with bone 

 meal, about 200 lbs. per acre, which aids 

 the nutrition of the plant. 



The best time to apply these fertilizers is 

 in May when the growth is starting. 



@^(in l^^W^Ti 



The Edible Fungi. 



Sir, — Referring to the very valuable contribu- 

 tion of Dr. Hare in your November issue at page 

 454 on (let us say) "Edible F"ungi," I hope the 

 learned Dr. will give us some practical hints 

 whereby we may distinguish the poisonous va- 

 rieties. 



It would be very useful if some one competent 

 would give some hints as to how mushrooms may 

 be naturally ox quasi naturally produced in fields, 

 etc. We find them on old pasture fields and 

 places where cattle, etc., have been salted. In 

 this neighborhood we have had phenomenal crops 

 even where roots were being grown on land 

 originally known as black ash and water elm 

 ' ' swails, " first heavily salted. 



Is there any connection between the salt and 

 the fnushrootns, or between the salt on that par- 

 tictilar class of land and mushrooms? The mat- 

 ter is worth exploiting. W. 



Birds and Berries. 



Sir: — "As you have kindly helped me very much 

 by your answers to my questions, I take the liberty 

 to ask another, viz: — 'If you have much trouble 

 in growing Black Cap Raspberries from the birds 

 eating them.' Through the kindness of the Society, 

 I have some very fine kinds and bought one or two 

 more. I did not grow any for some time after 



starting gardening here, thinking the winters too 

 cold, but tried those you sent out and the first year 

 or two after they began to bear I had very good 

 crops, but the rust troubled me, and when I had 

 overcome that, the birds strippedthemol¥, although 

 the red raspberries close by were hardly troubled. 

 Do the birds make a dead set on yours? I wish to 

 note my experience with the Codling moth. As my 

 garden is small, I only grow one apple tree, which 

 is large enough to bear 2 to 3 barrels of fruit every 

 other year. It is a winter variety without a name, 

 large greenish with red markings, a good deal like 

 a spy. Four or five years ago it was infested with 

 the worm so as to be almost worthless, and I then 

 made a point to destroy or feed all apples that 

 dropped ; also tied a piece of sacking around trunk, 

 and destroying the larvae every two or three weeks, 

 and this year I had scarcely a wormy apple in the 

 whole lot, not more than were sprayed. I dug the 

 ground late in the fall, as I grow black currants 

 near it. I have a neighbor who has several trees 

 and takes no particular care of them and they are 

 badly affected. 



I noted in the December number of Horticultuist, 

 page 509, you speak in great praise of the high 

 bush cranberry, and while speaking of it so highly, 

 omit to mention one great advantage it possesses, 

 viz ; that the berries make an excellent jelly, which 

 with meats we find to be generally preferred to 

 any other. 



Listowel, Ont. A. J. Collins. 



OUR BOOK TABLE. 



Catalogue of Fruit Trees, under test at Experi- 

 mental Farm at Agassiz, B. C, Ottawa, 1900. 



This is bulletin 3 second series, which is to include 

 such as may be too scientific and technical for th6 

 common reader. 



This catalogue, however, is one that is of interest 

 to every fruit dealer in the Dominion, containing as 

 it does such an extended list of fruits, largely des- 

 criptive. It includes 1,217 varieties of apples, 36 



crabs, 557 pears, 311 plums, 154 cherries, 213 

 peaches, 53 apricots, 25 nectarines, 12 quince, 7 

 medlar and 6 mulbery trees. 



Reports, Experimental Farm, for 1899. The 

 work done at the Central Experimental Farm, 

 Ottawa, does great credit to the Director, Dr. 

 Wm. Saunders, and his ^ble staff. Copies of the 

 Report may be had on application. 



