126 



THE CANAPIAN HORTICDI/rURIST. 



I have spent a good deal of money 

 buying Pear trees, and have only two 

 living now, one Yicar of Winkfield and 

 one Sheldon. They would live and 

 thrive well for three or four years, and 

 just when blossoming out would die. 

 My soil is a sandy loam, which does 

 not seem to suit Pear culture. One of 

 the Pear trees living is growing on clay 

 taken out of the foundation of the house 

 when I built it, and bears a good crop 

 every year. 



By answering the abov€ in the. next 

 number of Horticulturist, you will much 

 oblige yours, 



J. Lawless. 



Reply. — The Plum tree is suffering 

 from some cause, probably the soil is 

 too wet, and therefore cold. What is 

 the condition of the subsoil into which 

 the roots have penetrated? If that 

 be very cold and usually saturated with 

 water, it will account for the death of 

 your Plum tree. 



It is very evident that your sandy 

 soil does not agree with Pear trees. 

 You had better get some clay and make 

 a border of it, into which you can plant 

 Pear trees with some hope of their 

 yielding fruit. 



OYSTER-SHELL BARK LICE. 



Can you please answer the following 

 questions : 



Enclosed you will find a piece of bark 

 taken from one of my Apple trees. 

 What is the insect attached to the bark, 

 and what can I do to kill them? I 

 have washed my trees with soft soap, 

 and just water enough to make it 

 spread, is that any good ? 



J. Lawless. 



Reply. — The insects are bark lice, 

 Soft soap will kill them. 



STRIKING DAHLIA CUTTINGS. 



How do you strike Dahlia cuttings 



in the spring and summer? 



Grainger k Duke. 

 Deer Park. 



Reply. — We place the dry tubers in 

 moist soil with sufficient warmth to 

 start the eyes into growth. When the 

 shoots have attained to a couple of 

 inches in length we cut them off, insert 

 them in a shallow box of pure sand and 

 put them on a gentle bottom heat. As 

 soon as they have struck root they are 

 potted off into thumb pots. Sometimes 

 we put the cuttings into thumb pots 

 having a large proportion of clean sand 

 mixed with the soil that is in them, 

 and place the pots on bottom heat. 



SALTED FISH AS MANURE. 



What use can we make of a large 

 quantity of salt herrings which have 

 got stale? Would they make good 

 manure for grapes ? How can we pre- 

 pare them so as to get the best results 

 from them ? 



Grainger & Duke. 



Deer Park. 



Reply. — If you have an asparagus 

 bed spread the fish, brine, and salt on 

 the bed between the rows of plants and 

 dig them in sufficientl}'' deep to cover 

 the fish completely so that no odor will 

 escape from them. If you have not 

 such a bed of asparagus, the fish can be 

 composted with stable manure in alter- 

 nate layers, and the heap covered with 

 soil until the fish are absorbed into the 

 compost. Use the same as any com- 

 post wherever wanted, in the grape 

 border or elsewhere. If the proportion 



