THE CANADIAN H0BTICDLTUBI8T. 



283 



of many fruits indigenous to the soil, 

 and suited to the climate; and that 

 these grow there in considerable abund- 

 ance. Wild plums are reported from 

 84 townships, wild cherries from 104, 

 wild grapes from 11, blueberries from 

 40, cranberries from 136, and June 

 berries from 3. 



Now here is a field for the enter- 

 prising and scientific horticulturists in 

 the North- West. Here is a chance for 

 them to take those hardy bushes and 

 vines, placed there for them by a kind 

 Providence, and by high cultivation, 

 and by hybridizing, to succeed in pro- 

 ducing varieties of great excellence that 

 will at the same time endure the 

 climate. 



We have even more confidence in 

 this course for our cousins in the North- 

 West than in Russian importations. 



A NEW FRUIT PICKER. 



A good many tools have been in- 

 vented to lessen the arduous labor of 

 climbing up and down trees in gather- 

 ing fruit. However, for the general 

 work of gathering our heavy crops of 

 apples and pears, we do not think any 

 instrument can equal that old-fashioned 

 one invented, about six thousand years 

 ago, for gathering the fruit in the Gar- 

 den of Eden. A man, with 'his two 

 hands is about the best and most reli- 

 able of all instruments yet invented. 



But there are cases in which one of 

 these tools may be used to great advan- 

 tage and save much|labor. For instance, 

 in gathering choice specimens of fruit 

 for exhibition, such a tool is almost in- 

 dispensable. And, where the fiiiit is 

 somewhat scattered upon the tree, the 



use of an apple picker would save much 

 climbing, and moving of a heavy ladder. 



Again, in case of early apples and 

 peaches, which must be picked as they 

 ripen or get their color, where a great 

 amount of climbing is made necessary 

 and consequent injury to the tree, to- 

 gether with the knocking off of much 

 green fruit, some such tool would save 

 many times its cost in a single season 

 to the professional fruit grower. 



Most of the fruit pickers, that have 

 been invented have a linen bag, with a 

 mouth of wire so arranged as to catch 

 the apple by the stem, or having a cover 

 to open and close by means of a small 

 iron rod running down the handle. 

 Such kinds are veiy convenient for 

 gathering single specimens ; but, as one 

 hand is required to pull the iron rod, it 

 is evident that to gather much fruit in 

 the bag at one time would be very tire- 

 some. Another objection to the bag, 



A A /^ ]fi\ ^^ ^"^ opinion, is 

 ir\ M r\fl1 the danger of bruis- 



IfMlll'JilW 



ing the fruit against 

 the limbs in work- 

 ing the picker. 



The cut shows a 

 new fruit picker, 

 just invented by 

 Mr. Walter Bur- 

 gess, Parkdale, Ont. 

 Having tried it in 

 poiNBKR FRDiT picKBR. Qyr qwu orchard, 



we note the following advantages which 

 it has : — 



(1) It is so aiTunged that it wilt 

 catcli the apple or pear on any side by 

 the stem, and bring it off with the 

 slightest twist of the pole. 



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