NOTES AND COMMENTS. 



133 



Fig. 2269. Tree Protectors at Central Experu 

 Farm, Ottawa. 



The Tree Protectors. — By some oversight 

 the cut representing the tree protectors used 

 at the Central Experimental Farm, Ottawa, 

 was omitted from the February number, 

 page 58. They were made of elm, and ap- 

 plied in the autumn. They were very satis- 

 factory in preventing sun scald and injury 

 from mice. The cost was $6.00 per 1,000. 



Fruit Harvesting, Storing, Marketing is the 



title of a new book by Prof. F. A. Waugh, 

 of Burlington, Vermont, which will very 

 much interest those who are turning their 

 attention to fruit culture, for we know of 

 no other book covering the same ground. 

 We are inclined to go further than the pro- 

 fessor in some particulars ; for example he 

 leaves it as a matter of preference whether 

 in harvesting apples they be packed at once, 

 piled on the ground or taken to a packing 

 shed. Now, in our opinion, the second 

 plan is never advisable, for in such a heap 

 exposed to sun and heat, the fruit will ripen 

 rapidly. A cold storage house where the 

 apples could remain until wanted, is ideal. 

 Apples should not be rushed upon the mar- 

 ket too fast, and this would avoid such an 

 evil. But if one has not such a store- 

 house, then there is only one thing next 



best, and that is to pack and 

 ship as fast as picked, and let 

 somebody else have the advan- 

 tage of storing the fruit before it 

 is over-ripe. * 



We would go further also in 

 the matter of grading. ^ He makes 

 the terms Select, First Grade and 

 Second Grade entirely relative, 

 having no reference to absolute 

 qualities. We would make First 

 Grade to have an absolute mean- 

 ing and include only apples prac- 

 tically free from worm holes, 

 scales or any other blemishes, 

 and 2^/^ inches in diameter or 

 upwards; excepting that for such 

 dessert varieties as Fameuse, 



Swazie and Jonathan, 2% inches should 



be the minimum diameter. 



Grading by machinery is not commended 



by Prof. Waugh. Now, we do not see 



how it is possible to secure uniformity ot 



size without a machine, and uniformity of 



size is of first importance. 



There is a promise of a great apple crop 



this autumn, and storage should at once 



be considered, if the best results are desired. 



Nor can we too early secure the sale of our 



fruit in such a season. 



A Useful Garden Barrow.— The accom- 

 panying illustration, which is taken from 

 American Agriculturist, shows a good way 



of enlarging a 

 common wheel- 

 barrow's useful- 

 ness. For cart- 

 ing away light 

 rubbish, vines 

 weeds, straw, 

 dead tomato and 

 ^SS plants, etc., 

 it is just the thing. The attachment is 

 simply a light rack frame fastened to the 

 barrow in any convenient and simple 

 manner. 



Fig. 2270. 



