442 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 



about the base of the trunks, taking care 

 first to remove all rubbish. 



Drainage of orchard land may be done 

 in open weather of the fall and winter, and 

 is most necessary where the water is level 

 and is not below the tree roots. 



Fig. 2666. The Kniffen System of Grape 

 Pruning. 



The Kniffen System of grape pruning 

 is the simplest and least laborious, and may 

 be easily understood by a study of the ac- 

 companying diagrams. Only two wires are 

 needed in making the trellis. We will de- 

 scribe fully if our readers desire. 



Fig. 2667. The Kniffen System. 



Dwarf Pear Trees should be well cut 

 back, especially the new wood, in order to 

 keep up plenty of young growth, for on this 

 the finest fruit is produced. 



THE COUNTY FAIKS. 



THAT our County Fairs are sadly ia 

 need of some radical improvements 

 is quite evident to any one who is 

 at all familiar with them. The old un- 

 painted building, often misnamed " the 

 Palace," is enough to give " sore eyes " to 

 visitors, while the grounds are no improve- 

 ment upon the barest and most uninviting 

 country field, without shrub or shade tree for 

 shade or ornament. This criticism applies to 

 the Bruce County fair grounds at Walker- 

 ton, spoken of on page 402 ; to the Welland 

 County fair grounds at Welland, all of 

 which we have recently visited, and no doubt 

 to many others. 



The fakirs, who swarm to thes2 fairs, are a 

 disgrace, and should be routed out by the di- 

 rectors. At Welland the game tables were 

 surrounded by green country youths freely 

 putting up their money in the vain hope of 

 winning a pile of dollars. 



THE MODEL FAIRS. 



Our Ontario Department of Agriculture 

 has this year ofifered to aid those fairs 

 which so consent, in several ways ; as for ex- 

 ample, the appointment of expert judges, 

 the giving of demonstrations in domestic 

 science, in apple packing, and by having 

 experimental plots, right on the very fair 

 grounds. Nor is this all, for demonstrations 

 are also given in chicken feeding, and in the 

 killing, plucking and packing of fowls for 

 shipment to market, in the handling of bees, 

 and in various other interesting and instruct- 

 ive diversions which are a means of educa- 

 tion to the young farmers, and which should 

 easily take the place of the fakirs. These 

 offers, made by Mr. G. C. Creelman on be- 

 half of the Department, have been adopted 

 in six places, and their names are : Walker- 

 ton, Simcoe, Owen Sound, Brantford, Whit- 

 by and Renfrew. 



