148 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST 



July, 1909 



past fifteen years, five of which was in 

 connection with an experimental orchard 

 in eastern Nova Scotia, and in answer to 

 the oft-repeated question as to what vari- 

 eties for the 'average farmer to plant for 

 home use, and to sell the surplus in the 

 local market, I have no hesitation in re- 

 commending the following as among the 

 best : For early, Yellow Transparent, 

 Red Astrachan and Duchess, in order 

 named ; fall and early winter. Wealthy, 

 Longfield and Fameuse, with Wolf River 

 sandwiched in ; for winter. Golden Rus- 

 set, Spy and King, all good quality ap- 



ples, and if anyone is far sighted enough 

 to provide for a continued supply until 

 the new crop comes, let him plant Ben 

 Davis. 



' As to the prospect for the future, east- 

 ern Nova Scotia has the best local market 

 in the world ; a market that is not nearly 

 supplied with the home grown product ; a 

 market that is yearly growing and every 

 year demanding better apples and more 

 of them. Why do not our farmers rise 

 to the occasion and endeavor to supply 

 this market, and also provide for their 

 own table that most healthful of all 

 fruits, the Nova Scotia apple? 



A Nova Scotian's Experience with Cultivation 



Edwin J. Tucker, Middleton 



THE article in the May number of 

 The Canadian Horticulturist en- 

 titled "An Earth Mulch for Root 

 protection," by Mr. J. A. Johnson, of 

 Grimsby, Ontario, should be of special 

 interest to orchardists in Nova Scotia, 

 inasmuch as the methods of cultivation 

 advocated therein have, in part, been 

 followed for years by our farmer orchard- 

 ists. Shallow foil plowing has for farm- 

 ers the advantage of the cover crop in 

 that it is done when the rush of work 

 is over for the season. In my observa- 

 tions of the effect upon trees in this part 

 of Nova Scotia where climatic conditions 

 are different from Ontario, I haev seen, 

 so far as winter killing of trees is con- 

 cerned, no material difference in the two 

 methods. 



Whether cover crops are sown in the 

 orchard or not, I do not approve of a 

 later cultivation than the middle of July. 

 Having here an abundance of moisture in 

 most soils, too late cultivation induces 

 late growth which leaves tender wood not 

 fully matured or ripened and, in almost 

 every instance that has come under my 

 notice of August or September cultiva- 

 tions followed by an ordinarily severe 

 winter, there has been more or less win- 

 ter killing of trees so that the matter of 

 winter killing with us seems to be not so 

 much a question of "earth mulch" or 

 "cover crop" as it is of early or late cul- 

 tivation. 



In my own orchard I have followed 

 two methods of early cultivation, being 

 governed largely by soil conditions. 

 Whether fall plowed or not, cultivation 

 is always commenced as soon as the land 

 permits in spring, usually early in May, 

 and is continued at intervals of a week 

 or ten days, using disk and spring tooth 

 harrows until not later than the middle 

 of July, having first plowed the portions 

 sown to cover crops. If I intend to fall 

 fall, I then seed to buckwheat which is 

 mowed before ripening and left in the 

 orchard. This serves the purpose of a 

 cover crop during the fall months, name- 



ly, the taking up of excess soil moisture 

 and inducing early ripening of wood 

 growth, thus preventing winter killing. 

 In October or November, everything is 



A Convenient Spraying Outfit 



Planned and used by Mr. B. J. Messenger, 

 Bridgetown, N. 8. It can be placed as close to 

 the trees as the horse can go. A platform 

 around the barrel can be used tor spraying high 

 trees. This rig is a useful one for small 

 orchards. 



plowed under; and right here comes one 

 of the chief claims of the advocates of 

 fall plowing, that the leaves being plow- 

 ed under, the black spot and other fun- 

 gus, as well as numerous insect pests, are 

 the more easily controlled or held in 

 check. 



In the part of the orchard in which I 

 use cover crops, I sow clover or vetch 

 in July and polw as early as possible 

 the following spring, always puting them 

 on land deficient in humus or subject to 

 wash badly in winter and spring, which 

 explains why I practice two systems of 

 orchard cultivation. 



I can also see no appreciable difference 

 between the two methods, so far as win- 

 ter killing is concerned, but I fall plow 

 as much as is found practicable in order 

 that the spring's work may be lessened 



by just that amount. I would especially 

 urge thorough cultivation from early 

 spring until July, when all cultivation 

 should cease as, in my experience, I have 

 never lost a tree by winter killing when 

 either of the methods outlined has been 

 followed, while I have almost invariably 

 had some dead trees when cultivated into 

 August. 



Reclaiming a Cranberry Bog 



Would it be worth while to try and start 

 a cranberry bog from a wild patch that 

 appears to be well located? — R. M., Cann- 

 ing, N.S. 



It is quite likely that the wild cran- 

 berry patch could be utilized, but to get 

 the best results it would be necessary to 

 clean out the sod, shrubs and anything 

 else that is growing in the patch except 

 the cranberries. The quantity of cran- 

 berries should determine whether it 

 would be worth while doing the work 

 suggested or not. 



The Wonderberry 



Of what value is the Wonderberry that 

 is being introduced this season.'' — H. P., 

 Sherbrooke, Que. 



From its description, the Wonderberry 

 appears to be very similar to the so- 

 called garden huckleberry, which was 

 introduced a few years ago. The garden 

 huckleberry is a variety of the night- 

 shade. Solarium nigrum, a garden weed. 

 We have grown it at (he Central Experi- 

 mental Farm, and it is very productive, 

 The fruit is not palatable when raw 

 and was not relished when cooked, al- 

 though we understand that when cooked 

 according to other recipes the flavor is 

 good. However, it is not a fruit which 

 will be generally grown where other 

 well-known fruits succeed. — W. T. 

 Macoun, Central Experimental Farm, 

 Ottawa. 



Paying for Apple Trees 



Am I obliged to pay for apple trees that 

 nere delivered at my home that are not 

 first-class. They are inferior, crooked, scurf- 

 ed and one is dead. There were two variet- 

 ies ordered. One is Mcintosh Red ; the other 

 is AVolf River. The Wolf River package was 

 labelled, but from the other lot the labels 

 had been torn off, all but the wires. My 

 duplicate says "first-class" across the 

 face. — H.B., Lovett, Ont. 



The fact that all the trees are not 

 labelled, will not relieve you from liability 

 to pay, unless you can show that the 

 trees are not of the kind ordered. You 

 are, however, entitled to a good merch- 

 antable article, of such quality as dealer.^ 

 are accustomed to send out, and if the 

 trees are of an inferior quality, you will 

 not be liable to pay for them, unless (a) 

 there is some special provision in your 

 contract which relieves the vendor, or (b) 

 you have actually accepted the trees. — 

 Answered by our legal adviser. 



I 



Send articles on making and handling 

 a cranberry bog. 



