THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 333 



This paper, referring to the fruit growing capacities of our county, 

 ^vould be more imperfect even than it is were I' to abstain frdm noticing 

 the climatic influences to which we are subjected. Now, our climate 

 cannot compare favorably with the climate experienced, as I imagine, 

 by the majority of the more active and energetic members of the 

 Association, who reside south and west of Peterborough, and who are 

 subjected, more oi^less, to the influence of our inland sea — an influence 

 that tends greatly to modify the winter frosts and the summer heat. 



I may, perhaps, be permitted to introducer a few thermometrical 

 readings. During the last winter the mercury, or rather the spirit, 

 which is more reliable than the mercury, ran down to or below zero 

 on tM'enty-eight nights, the lowest temperature having been 29° below 

 zero on the 28th of February, 



Now, although most apple trees can endure this amount of frost if 

 protected, as our fruit trees are, by a thick covering of snow, from the 

 time it makes its first appearance until spring once more " unlocks the 

 flowers," some of the more tender varieties cannot withstand the 

 attacks of the late frosts in the early summer, and the constant and 

 severe alterations of temperature. To give but two instances of late 

 frosts in this town : — On the 27th of last May the mercury ran down 

 to 30°, and on the 7th of June to 34°. With respect to the variations, 

 I will trouble you with but one example : On the 9th of last April 

 the lowest reading of my self-registering thermometer was .23", and the 

 highest 68° — a difference of 45° in 24 hours. 



And this I conceive to be the reason why we cannot grow peaches, 

 or some of the choicer varieties of pears and plums, with any prospect 

 of a satisfactory result. For instance, Clapp's Favorite is a much 

 admired pear, but I cannot hear of an instance in which it has 

 succeeded in this county, or the neighboring county of Victoria, where, 

 I believe, it has been frequently tried by skilled orchardists. 



Our exhibitions, however, prove that some pears, plums and grapes 

 succeed with us under proper treatment. A member of this Associa- 

 tion residing within a very short distance of the town, speaks highly 

 of the Flemish Beauty and Bartlett pears. The same gentleman has 

 grafted four hundred pear trees this year. He has also been successful 

 in cultivating the Apricot Plum, the Peach Plum, the Bradshaw, the 

 Lombard, the Washington, Glass' Seedling, with many others. Green 

 Gage's and blue plums, with the names of which he is unacquainted. 



