THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 



told what multitudes of these infinitesi- 

 mal creatures there are about us ; and 

 it is some comfort to know that they 

 are too small for our natural vision, and 

 that we need the most powerful lenses 

 in order to see them properly. 



Neither is it pleasant to be told that 

 many of our diseases are due to the 

 presence of these microbes in the blood, 

 as intermittent and typhoid fevers, 

 smallpox, measles, leprosy, erysipelas, 

 (fee. ; or that there are kinds which in- 

 fest the human teeth, causing decay, 

 and the scalp of the head, causing bald- 

 ness, and the saliva, causing madness. 

 Other kinds, again, are useful, as, for 

 instance, those causing fermentation in 

 wine or in yeast. 



But it is the chapter on Parasitic 

 fungi that most interests the fruit 

 grower. There we are told that the 

 grape vine is attacked by at least one 

 hundred different kinds of these minute 

 organisms. 



Among them is the Oidium or White 

 disease imported into England and 

 France from America, and which has 

 nearly destroyed the vineyards of 

 Madeira. 



Another is the mildew^ only too well 

 known among us, and to which the 

 technical name Peronospora Viticola 

 has been given. This also was imported 

 into Europe from America. There are, 

 it seems, both summer and winter spores 

 of the mildew, which are the means of 

 its dissemination. The white filaments, 

 or hyphae, bear numerous summer 

 spores which are diffused through the 

 air ; while the withered leaf which falls 

 in the autumn contains the winter ones. 



These latter are oospores, or Qgg spores, 

 and will germinate the following spring. 



Therefore it is evidently wise to des- 

 troy the leaves in the autumn, and with 

 them these oospores ; and in the sum- 

 mer the vines should be early dusted 

 with sulphur, from which sulphurous 

 acid is gradually set free to the total des- 

 truction of the summer spores. 



Sulphate of iron mixed with lime, 

 and dusted on is also effective in burn- 

 ing up this minute form of vegetable 

 life. It should be mixed in the pro- 

 portion of four parts sulphate of iron 

 to twenty parts of lime. 



^ebitto. 



We will gladly give our candid opinion of any hooks, 

 magazines or catalogues received, especially if they 

 are likely to interest or benefit Canadian fruit 

 growers, but will not insert cut and dried reading 

 notices in favrjr of any publication whatever. 



REPORTS OF OTHER SOCIETIES. 



Montreal Horticultural Society, E. J. Max- 

 well. Secretary, Montreal P.O. — The 

 Eleventh Annual Report of this society 

 has just come to hand. It includes the 

 report of the Fruit Growers' Associa- 

 tion of Quebec for the year 1885, and 

 is of great value. It is about double the 

 sizeof their report for 1884, and contains 

 ably written papers upon such subjects 

 as "Grape C/ulture in Quebec," ''Win- 

 dow Gardening," " Ornamental Trees," 

 Garden Roses," "Apple Culture," "How 

 to Grow and Flower Chrysanthemums," 

 &LC. It also contains reports of local 

 societies. 



About fifty copies have been kindly 

 sent to this oflBce for the benefit of the 

 Fruit Growei-s' Association of Ontario. 



