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THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 



about large enough for to plant six plum 

 trees. Is it suitable for them, and what 

 kind would you recommend. The land 

 is a high dry clay. 



Henry Deacon. 

 Belgrave, Feb., 15th., 1886. 



Reply. — Plum trees will grow in 

 almost any well drained soil, thriving 

 best in a strong clay. Whether they 

 will grow in the piece of land adjoining 

 your barnyard will depend upon 

 whether it is continually soaked with 

 drainage from the yard, certainly the 

 scratching of the fowls will not prevent 

 the trees from growing. The Yellow 

 Egg, Lombard and Bradshaw are well 

 Jsinown and reliable varieties. 



FLAT STONES FOR MULCHINC; 

 Please give your opinion of the use 

 of small flat stones placed over the roots 

 of newly planted trees, instead of litter 

 etc. as a mulching process. I have had 

 good success in the use of stones. 

 And oblige, 

 Toronto. J. S. 



[Will those of our readers who have 

 tried mulching with flat stones please 

 to send us the results of their experience 

 for publication. Never having tried 

 them, we have no opinion to express, — 

 Ed. Can. Hort.] 



HUBBARTON PIPPIN. 

 Mr. Editor. — Do you know an 

 apple the Hubbarton Pippin, a large 

 red striped apple, deep smooth cavity at 

 the blossom end, nearly as large as the 

 King, and twice or thrice as productive : 

 hardy, and a very strong grower. I 

 think of working this apple largely if 

 I can get scions on to my Snow apple 

 trees. It is generally shipped as the 

 Hubbardston Nonsuch, but is quite dis- 



tinct, far better grower and hardier, 

 bringing a. better price. I had very 

 good success this year shipping to Lon- 

 don. Pussets cleared $2A'l all round, 

 P. Pippins $3.26 per barrel. 



J. P. Williams. 

 Bloomfield P. E. Co. 



Reply. — We think, from your des- 

 cription, that you refer to the Blenheim 

 Orange, Blenheim Pippin, Blooming 

 Orange. See Downing's first appendix 

 page three. Without seeing the fruit 

 it is impossible to speak positively. 



What is the best thing to put with 

 a hard clay soil for flowers 1 

 Toronto. ARTHUR Hewitt. 



Reply. — The very best thing is rot- 

 ted turf taken from an old pasture field 

 of sandy soil. The turf should be 

 stacked over summer and allowed to be- 

 come well rotted. Manure from the 

 cow-stable, composted with straw, or 

 cornstalks, so as to incorporate with it 

 considerable vegetable fibre, will be 

 found very valuable for clay soils. 



Thorough drainage is essential to suc- 

 cess, without this there is nothing that 

 will make soil friable. 



IS THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST 

 DETERIORATING ? 



'* Some years ago I thought there 

 was no paper of its size so valuable as 

 the Canadian Horticulturist. Then 

 the Editor and a few men of experience 

 furnished the articles. Now all this 

 seems to be changed." R. L. 



Note by the Editor. — We are grati- 

 fied always to receive the kindly criti- 

 cism of our readers, and publish the 

 above extract from our friend's letter in 

 the hope that others will be thereby en- 



