388 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 



not worth growing. It was probably the 

 variety known as Wistaria brachybotris' or 

 the short clustered variety. 



A good specimen of the white Wistaria 

 is seldom seen, the only one that I know of 

 in this section is a plant growing on the 

 verandah of a house at the northwest cor- 

 ner of Herkimer and Macnab streets, Ham- 

 ilton. This specimen could be seen flower- 

 ing beautifully every year in July, and was 

 a pleasing and conspicuous ornament to the 

 residence. 



PLANTING PEONIES. 



Sir, — I am planting some peonies in the fall, and 

 as the soil is very poor and sandy, would you kindly 

 tell me whether I should replace the sand with some 

 other good soil that would be better for peonies. If 

 not, what kind of fertilizer would you advise me to 

 enrich the soil with, and how deep should I plant the 

 tubers. 



London, Ont. Suscriber. 



Answered by Wm. Hunt, O. A. C, 

 Guelph : 



If the soil is very sandy, it would be best 

 (to remove it to about a spade's depth and 

 replace the same with a good admixture of 

 well rotted manure thoroughly mixed with 

 it. Fertilizers would be of very little use 

 in very sandy soil. Each plant should have 

 a space of ground prepared for it in the 

 manner I have -mentioned at least two feet 

 equare. 



The tubers should ue planted so that the 

 tips of the young crowns are about half an 

 inch under the surface of the soil. A 

 mulching of long strawy manure about two 

 inches in thickness placed over the plants 

 in November would benefit them. Remove 

 the mulch in early spring. 



OPENING FOR EUROPEAN MARKETS. 



Will you kindly permit me to use the columns of 

 your valuable paper to call attention to a number of 

 lines in which I believe an excellent opportunity is 

 offered for the extension of our trade with Germany, 

 Belgium and Holland. 



At the present time there appears to be a good 

 opening for trade in fresh, dried and evaporated ap- 



ples in Germany, where the latter pay a duty of $1 .2r> 

 per 1 10 pounds and the former enter duty free. It 

 is true that an act has been passed imposing a duty 

 on fresh fruit from Canada, but it has not been 

 brought into force, and will only become operative 

 by Imperial proclamation. Large quantities of evap- 

 orated apples from the United States are sold an- 

 nually in Germany, and as the quality of the Cana- 

 dian goods is admitted to be better, there is no ^ 

 reason why we should not be able to com{)ete with 

 the Americans. 



In Holland only fancy evaporated apples are 

 wanted. The duty is 5 per cent, ad valorem for both 

 fresh and dried fruits. 



Belgium will take considerable quantities of both 

 dried and fresh fruits, particularly Spy, Baldwin and 

 Greening apples in boxes. Fresh apples are free of 

 duty, but 10 per cent, ad valorem is collected on 

 dried and evaporated goods. Canadian cheddar 

 cheese, if mild, will sell even in competition with the 

 best Holland. It would bring about 20 cents per 

 pound retail, leaving an ample margin for profit af- 

 ter paying freight and commission, and the duty, 

 which is slightly over one cent per pound. It is par- 

 ticularly to be noted that only a mild cheese is want- 

 ed. Belgium takes annually 23,000,000 to ,32,000,000 

 pounds of Dutch cheese, 6,500,000 pounds of Swiss 

 Gruy^re, and 2,100,000 pounds of fine cheese from 

 France. Practically none is made in Belgium. 

 Tinned meats, game, poultry and tinned tomatoes 

 are also in demand. 



If Canadians are to secure a share of this trade 

 they will have to get out and " hustle " for business. 

 The merchants as well as the consumers of Belgium 

 and Germany are very conservative in their tastes 

 and methods, a statement that we often hear but do 

 not fully appreciate. Americans and Canadians will 

 buy and test a new article simply because it is new, 

 but with the European consumers the opposite is the 

 case. The merchants over there have their trade 

 established and are content. Why should they 

 change ? We must show them that it would be to 

 their advantage to do so. In this connection I desire 

 to emphasize particularly the advisability of Cana- 

 dian shippers sending over liberal samples of their 

 food products for distribution. They will find it 

 profitable to do so, and to quote prices freely. At 

 first goods would have to be shipped on commission, 

 but when a footing is gained business can be done on 

 a cash basis. It is, of course, necessary above all 

 things that goods shipi)ed shall be carefully packed 

 and true to sample, as this is the only way to gain 

 and hold the confidence of the merchants. 



It may be mentioned that the Canadian agent in 

 Belgium, Mr. D. Treau de Coeli, 75 Marche St. 

 Jacques, Antwerp, will be glad to answer inquiries 

 and to give all the assistance in his power to enable 

 Canadian shippers to make satisfactory connections 

 in that country. If liberally supplied with samples, 

 he will see that these are properly stored and dis- 

 tributed to the best advantage as occasion offers. 

 Among the firms who may be consulted, and who will 

 handle consignments on a reasonable commission, 

 might be mentioned Alfred B. Steffens, Hamburg & 

 Luisenhof, Germany, and J. Tas, Ezn, and the 

 North Atlantic Trading Company, both of Amster- 

 dam, Holland. 



W. A. MacKinnon, 



Chief, Fruit Division. 



