I20 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 



Des Moines, la., summarizes briefly the 

 advantaj^e of parks to a city as follows : 

 "Thev preserve for all time beautiful land- 

 scapes that would eventually be mutilated 

 or destroyed by private ownership. They 

 provide a place where the native flora and 

 fauna may be preserved and perpetuated. 

 They have a sanitary value in removin«f 

 noxious gases from the air and in prevent- 

 ing the contamination of water courses. 

 They promote public health by providing a 

 place where nervous and sick people can 

 frequently go to enjoy quietly a complete 

 change of scene and surroundings, as well 

 as a place where energetic and youthful 

 persons can frequently engage in all active 

 forms of recreation. They have an educa- 

 tional value by providing a place where 

 growing plants and animals, geological, 

 topographical and soil conditions and meth- 

 ods of propagation and cultivation may be 

 studied. They add to the value of adjoining 

 private property by giving an assurance of 

 permanently attractive conditions. They 

 make a city more beautiful and desirable as 

 a place of residence, conditions that add to 

 the pleasure and comfort of all citizens, and 

 tend to keep in and draw to a city people of 

 wealth, influence and leisure." 



Fig. 2023. Flemish Beaitv Pears. 



Our friend, Mr. W. G. Ross, of Picton, 

 the energetic Secretary of the Picton Horti- 

 cultural Society, kindly sends us the accom- 

 panying photograph, showing two Flemish 

 Beauty pear trees raised in the Custom 

 House garden. The two trees bore, last 

 fall, about fourteen bushels of fine fruit. 



l^yEiTBOM P^AUi^' 



The Best New Grape. 



1202. Sir, — Please say what you consider the 

 best and newest grape out for size, flavor and 

 earliness of ripening. 



Henry Lambert, Ottawa. 



The finest grape of those" recently intro- 

 duced is the Charlton, so far as quality and 

 the size of fruit is concerned. It is being 

 introduced by John Charlton & Co., Roches- 

 ter. We do not know how how hardy or 

 productive the vine itself is. Campbell's 

 Early is another excellent variety of the Con- 

 cord type, as early as Moore's Early and 

 superior to that variety. The vine is a 



strong grower and hardy. It ma\' be pur- 

 chased from anv oi our nurser\ men. 



Trees For a Small Lot. 



1203. Sir, — Please advise me as to how many 

 plum, pear and cheny trees and grape vines I can 

 plant on a city lot fifty feet wide and two himdred 

 feet deep. The house and shrubtery would take 

 about one-half, leaving about 50 x 100 for trees. 



M. E. B., Toronto. 



In a city lot the trees could be kept well 

 headed in and planted a little closer than in 

 the country orchard, but for standard pears, 

 and for plums and cherry trees, twenty feet 

 apart is close enough. If our correspondent 



