94 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 



fruit in September so badly that they had all 

 to be cut off, and as a result, the following 

 season I had a magnificent growth*of young 

 wood, and now I have a splendid tree with 

 all the vigor of youth." 



The writer remarked that he had practised 

 shortening back his peach trees for twenty 

 five years, and always found increased vigor 

 as a result. He had noticed the Essex 

 peach growers going over their orchards in 

 July with their pruning shears, and cutting 

 back the young wood at that time. They 

 claimed that they could thus accomplish a 

 double purpose, first, the shortening back of 

 the wood growth and so keeping it more in 

 bush form, and, secondly, thinning out the 

 young fruit which was then well formed and 

 set. 



Climbers. — After Mr. L. Woolverton's 

 paper on the Garden and Lawn, the discuss- 

 ion turned upon the best climbing vines for 

 the verandah. He instanced the Virginia 

 Creeper as one of the most vigorous and 

 satisfactory for old houses, when it was 

 desirable to cover up as much as possible, 

 and to afford dense foliage ; but to his taste 

 it was too rampant for a good house, it 

 covered everything, and although very pretty 

 in autumn with its colored foliage, it was of 

 late years badly infested with a sort of thrip, 

 which was very objectionable, and rendered 

 the foliage unsightly in summer time. He 

 commended the Akebia Quinata as a most 

 excellent climber. It was a little slower in 

 growth, and its flowers were very small and 

 inconspicuous, but after a few years i^ 

 became quite vigorous, and the foliage was 



of a beautiful dark, glossy, green color. 

 It was hardy in the region of the peach. 

 For stone or brick walls no climber equalled 

 the Japan Ivy. Hall's Honeysuckle was 

 another climber which he preferred to the 

 Virginia Creeper, it was not a very strong 

 grower, but it was almost evergreen, and 

 very pretty. Clematis Virginana was a very 

 hardy climber, which he had found away 

 north in Algoma growing wild, but it was 

 rather too vigorous ; and required too much 

 attention to keep it within bounds. C. 

 Jackmanni and C. Coccinnea were two of 

 the finest ornamental kinds, but the wood 

 of those was renewed every spring from the 

 root. 



" I think," said Mrs. A. G. Pettit, "that 

 the Cobea Scandens is the best annual 

 clipiber. It was given the members of our 

 society last year and everyone was delighted 

 with it." 



"I think," said Mrs. J. W. G. Nelles, 

 "that the Wistaria, given by our Society two 

 years ago, is a most satisfactory climber. 

 A vine several years old in a neighbor's 

 house produces great bunches of beautiful 

 flowers every year." 



A Song. — A pleasing feature of the even- 

 ing was the singing of Annie Laurie by Mrs. 

 Dr. Clark of Hamilton. This old song w^as 

 rendered so beautifully that everyone was 

 charmed with it. 



We commend monthly house meetings to 

 all our affiliated Societies as one of the most 

 delightful way« of increasing the interest in 

 their work, and at the same time giving the 

 members both pleasure and profit. 



Peach Curl is caused by a fungus, Exoas- 

 cus deformans, a fungus which is much 

 more serious if rains or cold weather prevail 

 at the time the trees are leafing out. 



The efficiency of sprays in checking the 

 curl is due to the fact that the spread of this 

 fungus is due to the spores, and not to a 

 perennial mycelium, as was at first supposed. 



