TflE CANADIAN HOETICFLTURlBT. 



18^ 



ruthless suckers. I have seen trees in 

 all parts of our State thus enfeebled or 

 destroyed. 



The old remedy, soft soap, or a strong 

 solution of the same, will surely van- 

 quish this enemy if it is applied in 

 early June, and again three weeks later. 

 I have proved the efficacy of this treat- 

 ment over and over again. The trees 

 at once put on new vigor, and in a 

 short time only dead lice could be found. 

 To apply this specific I know of no bet- 

 ter way than to use a cloth and scrub 

 by hand. To be sure we can, if dainty, 

 use a brush like a shoe brush, but I 

 like to go at it with a good cloth, when, 

 with sleeves rolled up, I make pretty 

 sure that no louse escapes. 



For the past few years I have changed 

 the substance by adding crude carbolic 

 acid, which T think improves it, especi- 

 ally if but one application is to be 

 made ; and we know that at this busy 

 season the second application is apt to 

 be neglected. 



I heat to the boiling point one quart 

 of soft soap to two gallons of water, 

 and while still hot thoroughly stir in 

 one pint of crude carbolic acid. This 

 may be applied as before. This carbolic 

 acid mixture retains its virtue, I think, 

 longer than does the soap alone, and so 

 is especially desirable when but one ap- 

 plication is to be made, as described 

 above. 



Like the ai-senites, so this carbolic 

 acid and soap mixture is of triple value. 

 Not only does it kill the dreaded lice 

 but it also keeps off the borers, which 

 are also serious pests in the orchards. 

 I have demonstrated beyond question 

 that these enemies are surely kept away 

 by the same treatment, applied at the 

 same time for which we use it to ward 

 off the scale lice. No wonder, then, 

 that our trees put on such new life and 

 vigor after this annual scrubbing. 



In each of these remedies, then, not 

 simply two but sevei-al birds are killed 



by the self same stone. It is to be 

 hoped that many of our fruit growers 

 will throw it, and thus secure fairer 

 fruit. — A. J. Cook : Bulletin of the 

 Entomological Department, Agricultural 

 College, Michigan, U.S.A. 



NOTES ON LATTER-DAY STRAW- 

 BERRIES. 



Prince of Berries does not ripen 

 evenly, and, though of good quality, 

 will not be the berry for the million. 

 Parry, its child, is earlier, larger, ripens 

 more evenly, and is more prolific, 

 though not so good in quality. Parker 

 Earle, though the foliage is variegated, 

 bears large berries and many of them. 

 It is firm and of good quality. Lida 

 offered this Spring at the modest price 

 of $1 each plant, is a rich, dark crimson 

 in color, of fine shape, ovate-conical, 

 generally pointed at the tip. It is of 

 fair quality. It is a berry of some 

 promise, if we may judge from spring- 

 set plants. Jewell, what shall we say 

 of this 1 In size of berry, in evenness 

 of ripening, in keeping up the size dur- 

 ing the season, in shape, in productive- 

 ness, in vigor of plant it is all that could 

 be desired. Could we add to its quality 

 and a trifle to its firmness, it would be 

 perfect. May King disappoints us as 

 to earliness. But the plants are vigor- 

 ous and productive, the berry of good 

 quality, shapely and firm. It resembles 

 the Crescent, but is larger. The Hen- 

 derson is at the Rural Grounds, a dis- 

 appointment. The plants are variable, 

 some being quite strong, others feeble. 

 They are not, at all events productive 

 as grown with us. The berries mature 

 as if protesting against ill-treatment, 

 being variable in size and shape. But 

 the quality is superb — in fact it is the 

 best berry for one of its si»? that we 

 know of. Were we to grow seedlings 

 with the view of |)roducing a perfect 

 berry, we should strike for the quality 



