$ ®pef? L)etters. $ 



The Plum Crop. 



Sir,— The plum crop is a total failure with 

 me. Apples are very, very light, and still 

 dropping ; do not think this section will have 

 more than two-thirds as many apples as last 

 season, but they will be better quality, free 

 of fungi. 



W. H. Dempsey, Trenton, Ont. 



Plant Distribution. 



Sir, — In regard to plant distribution to 

 subscribers to Canadian Hortrcltukist, I 

 feel something like Mr. C. B. Jaokes, Toron- 

 to. I may say also that very often plants 

 arrive thoroughly baked in transit. This 

 year you sent plum trees by express and 

 really it is the first time plants have reached 

 uie in good order. 



Could the suggestion of publishing a list of 

 hatdy plants, and especially where to obtain 

 them, be given, it would be of great benetit. 

 You sometimes recommend, or rather parties 

 writing recommend, especially hardy types of 

 plants, but no nurseryman in Canada seems 

 to have them, though they may be advertised 

 by American firms. 



In regard to Eleagnus. I have Eleagnus 

 Longipes and some other kind sent out by 

 Steele some years ago. Both are half hardy 

 here, and fruit seems about the same : not 

 much for eating anyway. 



Hknry C. Guv, 



Dudley, Muskoka, Ont. 



The Tent Caterpillar. 



Sir, — Enclosed you will find some cocoons 

 of the tent caterpillar and you will see that the 

 insects are all dead ; not one in twenty can 

 be found living. In many of the cocoons 

 there is a white larva. I witnessed the fly at 

 work yesterday ; it eats a hole into the co- 

 coon with its mouth and then inserts its ovi- 

 positor ; but the one I saw at work failed to 



get a hole through the cocoon, owing to its 

 toughness, time and again it would try with 

 its mouth and then with its ovipositor. 



The fly resembles the wasp only much 

 smaller ; the head, thorax and abdomen are 

 black, with six white stripes across the abdo- 

 men. It had six legs of a light red color and 

 two wings almost transparent, with a black 

 spot at the outside half way from the end. 

 It had two (do you call them horns) (anttnnit. 

 Editor) about half an inch long, and it had 

 two ovipositors \ of an inch long and it placed 

 them both together when trying to perforate 

 the cocoon. 



J. L. G. 



The Plant Distribution. 



Sir, — I noticed in the June number of the 

 HoRTictJLTrRisT vou recjucsted an expression 

 of opinion re plant distribution. I would be 

 in favor of discontinuance, and devoting the 

 §600 to the journal. 



I notice in the July number some .30 sub- 

 jects treated on, I also find about one half 

 that number is copy from American journals, 

 etc. Xow I don't object to the American 

 articles, as they are all good, but I do think 

 that there ought to be far more Canadians 

 givingtheirexperience(Horticultural)through 

 the columns of your valuable journal ; I would 

 suggest that part of the $600 be devoted to 

 giving cash prizes for the best article or 

 answers on any horticultural subject you may 

 name from time to time in your journal. 



The above suggestion is made after reading 

 Mr. C. B. Jackes remarks in the July number 

 re the bonus distribution of plants to give a 

 list of shrubs, etc., suitable for the Canadian 

 climate. Now I think by giving a cash prize 

 for the best article on shrubs, etc., it might 

 be the means of bringing out more Canadian 

 writers. Not for the sake of the cash, but 

 for the honor of being first. 



Mat. McCbeath, 



The Cemetery, Kincardine. 



Regarding the beetles, (referred to in 

 question 1102) Dr. Fletcher, of Ottawa, 

 says : — 



The insects found on pear tree at 

 Glendger Mills, C.B., by D. S. McDon- 

 ald, are specimens of a predacious there 



fore beneficial bug. The gray soldier 

 bug ( Euschistus tristigmus) which des- 

 troys plant lice and caterpillars. With 

 their proboscis, which when not in use 

 is folded under the breast, they kill their 

 prey and extract the juices. 



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