142 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 



there is any risk of disturbance from 

 wind." 



The above gives Mr. Hewitt's " How 

 to grow mammoth squash " nearly in 

 his own words, and but slightly con- 

 densed. — Charles E. Brown, in Yar- 

 mouth Herald. 



BLACKBERRY NOTES. 



Among the blackberries, the Snyder 

 holds it own as the hardiest. It is very 

 prolific, but the berries are not large. 

 The Taylor is also quit^ hardy, though 

 less so than the Snyder. The berries 

 are larger. The Early Harvest seems 

 to be the earliest of standard black- 

 berries — but there is a doubt as to its 

 hardiness. The berries are small and 

 jet black ; the drupes small and uni- 

 form. The Wilson Junior is a large 

 berry of fair quality and productive. 

 Whether it is hardier than its parent, 

 the Wilson Senior, remains to be ascer- 

 tained. The Wachusett is nearly free 

 of thorns. The quality is good ; size 

 medium ; but the plants are very pro- 

 ductive. Stone's Hardy is with us en- 

 tirely hardy ; the berries of medium 

 size. The canes are large and some- 

 what dwarf, but they do not bear fruit 

 very abundantly. 



The Western Triumph is spoken of 

 in some catalogues as a new variety ; 

 but we have had it many years. It is 

 very hardy, but unproductive at the 

 Rural Grounds. 



Crystal White is a white blackberry 

 of good quality, but not hardy. The 

 Minnewaska is not introduced. It is 

 immensely prolific; the berries are 

 about the size of the Kittatinny, but 

 not so sweet. Its hardiness is yet to 

 *be determined. 



The Lucretia Dewberry is as early 

 as the Early Harvest. The berries 

 are large and, when full ripe, of good 

 quality. It runs over the ground or 

 may be trained to a stake or trellis. 

 It is quite hardy. — Rural New Yorker. 



THE LARGEST GRAPE VINE. 



Though the largest Grape vine in the 

 world is claimed to be at Hampton 

 Court, England (a vinifera variety), 

 and another is claimed by Santa Bar- 

 bara, Cal. (a Mission Grape vine), yet 

 I believe the farm of Jesse Tarlton, 

 seven miles from Lexington, Ky., has 

 the best right to the honor of possessing 

 the largest Grape vine, at least in size 

 of body. I measured it at six feet from 

 the ground and found it 66 inches in 

 circumference. It is of the cordifolia 

 (Frost or Winter Grape) species, and is 

 probably 200 or more years old. It is 

 supported by an Elm nearly three feet 

 in diameter, which it entirely covers, 

 and shows vigorous growth in many 

 branches, though partly dead on one 

 side near the ground, caused by ex- 

 posure to the sun and trampling of 

 stock. 



A vine of the same species, reported 

 in newspapers of Fla. a few years ago, 

 having a circumference of 69 inches, 

 has always been regarded by botanists 

 as a '"fish story," so Kentucky must 

 now bear the palm till good authority 

 from elsewhere shows a circumference 

 of body over 66 inches, six feet or more 

 from the ground. — T. V. MuNSON, in 

 Am. Garden. 



FREESIA. 

 The Freesia refracta alba is one of 

 the most desirable of recently introduc- j 

 ed bulbs, and is very certain to become ; 

 a favorite among all classes. It was in- 

 troduced here years ago by, I think, 

 Mr. Hovey of Boston, but was soon lost, 

 so that it may in a sense be called a re- 

 cent introduction. The Freesia is a 

 small bulb, easily grown, and bears 

 white flowers of the most delicious fra- 

 grance. The flowers last a long time, 

 even after being cut. It may be forced 

 early in the hot-house, but will come 

 into bloom in January and February in 

 the ordinary green-house temperature. 



