OPEN LETTERS. 



205 



cheapest. I think a personal interview at 

 the outset might prevent a great many mis- 

 understandings. — The Editor. 



Cherry Aphis. 



1388. Sir, — I propose to try the crude petroleum 

 for cherry aphis. When should I apply it ? Is it 

 useful for any other purpose ? A Subsciber. 



In treating trees for aphis I think the 

 treatment should be late, when here and 

 there a blossom is open is the time. Crude 

 oil is useful for many purposes. It is good 

 to paint tools with to keep them from rust- 

 ing. Whale oil soap applied very late has 

 reduced aphis very much. 



Freeman. Geo. E. Fisher. 



Ferns and Insects. (See question 1277). 



Sir, — No doubt the insect destroying the foliage 

 of the ferns belonging to Miss E. P. Battersey, is 

 the fern thrip ; an insect not easily got rid of. I 

 thought that some might be glad to know the fol- 

 lowing receipt for destroying this insect ; take one 

 ordinary tea cup full of whale oil soap, dilute the 

 same in a patent pailful of hot water, when cool, 

 dip or spray the plants ; this will kill the scale, 

 green fly and red spider. Before using test a 

 branch of your plants in it, for fear that it might 

 lie too strong. I use it on all plants, even on 

 coleus. 



Niagara Falls South. R. Cameron. 



The Laburnum. (See question 1274). 



Sir, I have no doubt that your answer as to the 

 tree not being hardy in the province of Quebec is 

 quite correct, but in the vicinity of Niagara Falls 

 it grows and blooms beautifully. This tree is 

 belter planted in the shade, in a heavy loam, well 

 drained. 



Niagara Falls South. R. Cameron. 



©PlIHl LiTTEii 



Apple Boxes. 



Sir, — In the January number of your valuable 

 journal page 35, Mr. N. J. Brandrith, Secretary 

 B. C. F. G. Association, writes regarding apple 

 boxes, suggesting uniformity. 



This question is of importance throughout the 

 Pacific slope fruit growing region, and has at- 

 tracted the attention of the fruit growers and 

 handlers, as well as the box makers for some time. 



At the meeting of the Northwest Fruit Growers' 

 Association in Portland, Ore, in February, igoi, 

 the matter was up for consideration during a part 

 of two days, and after careful deliteratiop of a 

 representative committee, of not only orchardists, 

 but also commission men, railroad men, express 

 men and box makers, they reported recommending 

 two sizes, or rather two forms of boxes for apples, 

 which report was unanimously adopted. 



One box, the "Standard", to be 1 8 inches long, 

 11^ inches wide, and 10^ inches deep. Another 

 the " Special " to be 20 inches long, 1 1 inches wide 

 and 10 inches deep, all inside measure. It was 

 recommended that' end material be \ inches thick 

 and the sides f inches. 



At the recent meeting of the Association, Janu- 

 ary 28th, 29th, 1902, at Walla Walla, Washington 

 Ty., the matter was reviewed at length and the 

 action of a year ago affirmed, to adopt and use 

 these sized boxes These boxes are destined to 

 become the standard in the states of Oregon, Idaho 

 and Washington, and as British Columbia is in- 

 cluded in the territory covered by this Association, 

 it should be the standard in that Province as well. 



Hon. J. R. Anderson, Deputy Minister of Agri- 

 culture tor B. C, is an active member of the N. W. 



F. G. Association, and Vice-president for the B.C. 

 Association, was present when the action was 

 taken in 1901, and would, I have no doubt, render 

 the B. C. F. G. Association valuable assistance in 

 settling this troublesome question. I would advise 

 Secretary Brandrith to put himself and the Asso- 

 ciation he represents into communication with Mr. 

 Anderson, and use their best endeavors to bring 

 about a uniformity in apple packages throughout 

 all our territory. Hoping to see this accomplished. 

 Nampa, Idaho. Robert Milliken, 



Sec'y Idaho Station Hort. Soc. 



We cannot see the wisdom of recommend- 

 ing two sizes of apple boxes. Here is the 

 great fault with our fruit packages, now that 

 we have so many sizes, that no longer can we 

 tell what we mean when we quote the price 

 of box or basket ? And when it comes to 

 loading a car for distant shipment, how in 

 the world can we pack to advantage, with so 

 many different sizes ? And again, when 

 engaging space on the steamship in a cold 

 storage compartment, how can we reckon 

 how many cubic feet we need for, say one 

 thousand packages of different sizes? If, on 

 the other h^nd, a box is say 10)^ x 11^x22 

 outside measurement, we can, allowing for 



