QUESTION AND ANSWER DEPARTMENT 



White Black Raspberry 



We have discovered a berry growing wild 

 in our garden which we believe to be of a 

 new variety, but would like to know if 

 others of its kind are known. It seems to 

 combine the qualities of the black and 

 white raspberry, the fruit being of a light 

 l.r-ownish shade but having the flavor and 

 -hape of the black raspberry. It is also 

 like the latter in growth, foliage and gen- 

 rral characteristic, except that the stems 

 lire somewhat lighter in shade. The bush 

 is very hardy and a fast grower, spreading 

 iiipidly. The fruit is greatly liked here for 



■anning and preserving, and as the bush 

 1 tears well, it is quite profitable. I am send- 



iig a sample of the fruit and a small 

 liranch.— B. W. S., Ontario Co., Ont. 



The brownish shade of color in evi- 

 dence on the fruit is entirely new to me. 

 i know of no varieties which even ap- 

 proximate this color. I have seen a yel- 

 low unnamed sport of the black rasp- 

 berry, but it would seem to be entirely 

 distinct from the one under discussion. A 

 \ ariety of this color could hardly become 

 of commercial importance, although 

 judging from your correspondent's de- 

 scription of the bush and fruit it might 

 be a valuable novelty. — J. W. Crow, O. 

 A. C, Guelph. 



Occasionally there is an albino form of 

 lie black cap found in the wild condition 

 tnd this is one of them. From time to 

 ime these albino forms have been intro- 

 iuced to cultivation under names, but 

 lave not been commercially valuable. 

 lome of the names which they have re- 

 leived have been American' White Cap, 

 laskell's Yellow, Yellow Pearl and 

 joldcn Cap. The flavor is usually infer- 

 Bor to the black cap. They vary from 

 /hite to golden yellow and often have a 

 brownish tinge which makes them unat- 

 tractive for market. — W. T. Macoun, C. 

 E. F., Ottawa. 



leaves and become open and straggly. 

 Prune them each year but never back of 

 the growing twigs. These trees have 

 no dormant buds the same as deciduous 

 trees, hence if they are cut back to 

 where the leaves disappear, no new 

 growth will be thrown out. If you pro- 

 pose trinmiing to a point in the centre, it 

 would not be well to produce that form 

 altogether the first time of shearing. 

 Plan to reach it in the course of two or 

 three years, or even more, pruning each 

 year more and more in accord with it. 



You will find directions for measuring 

 ground on page 146 of the July issue of 

 The Canadian Horticulturist. 



Pruning Hedges 



Would you advise me as to the best time; 



or clipping spruce and cedar hedges? They 



ijave been planted about two years. I want 



clip them to a point in the centre a,s I 



link it would be better in the snow than 



, flat top. Can you tell me how to set about 



It. I want to find also the size of a piece 



'of ground for sowing grass seed. How 



would I get it? — B. S., Island of Orleans, 



Que. 



Spruce and cedar hedges may be 

 primed either in spring or fall, but 

 spring is the customary time. Tliey 

 should be trimmed the second year after 

 they are .set, or sooner, although not 

 very clo.sely until they reach the desired 

 or permanent height. If the plants 

 are allowed to grow for a year or two 

 without trimming, they lose their lower 



Elephant Ear Plant 



Please tell me if I could lift an elephant 

 ear caladium and keep it in the house dur- 

 ing winter as a winter plant? — E. B., Water- 

 loo Co., Ont. 



The elephant ear plant {Caladium 

 esculentum) being a bulbous plant, does 

 not lift very well in the fall. By lifting it 

 carefully, it might be possible to grow it 

 indoors for a few weeks, but they are 

 seldom a success wl^n lifted. Keep the 

 plants during winter in almost dry sand 

 or soil in a temperature of about fifty 

 degrees. A wet, cold cellar does not suit 

 them. A moderately dry place is best. 

 They should be dug immediately after 

 the leaves are frosted and before ground 

 freezes. — Wm. Hunt, O. A. C, Guelph. 



Trouble with Elm Tree 



On one side of a very large elm tree the 

 bark is loose and coming off. Could one of 

 your tree experts tell me the cause, aLso 

 what he would advise to prevent further 

 damage? It is a very fine tree in centre of 

 lawn and I do not want to lose it. — F. M. 

 G., Elgin Co., Ont. 



It is not possible to say definitely what 

 is the matter with the elm tree without 

 seeing it and learning what the exact 

 conditions are under which it is growing. 

 In most cases where shade trees die on 

 the side of the trunk as described, the in- 

 jury is at the root. If the roots on that 

 side of the tree are dead the wood of the 

 tree is likely to die on that side. By ex- 

 amining the roots, it can be learned 

 whether it is at the root where the trou- 

 ble is in this case. By removing the 

 dead bark, scraping the wound back to 

 living tissue and keeping the injured 

 part covered with white lead paint, the 

 tree may in time heal over. If it can 

 be discovered what caused the death of 

 roots, further spread of the trouble 

 might be prevented. — W. T. Macoun, 

 C. E. F., Ottawa. 



Treatment of Tuberose 



How is a tuberose treated after flower- 

 ing?— A. S., Wentworth Co., Ont. 



Tuberoses are of very little use to 

 flower the second year, especially if 

 they have been planted out. If grown 

 in a pot, bring in before frost and keep 

 in the soil in a temperature of 45 degrees. 

 They are seldom successful the second 

 year.— Wm. Hunt, O.A.C., Guelph. 



Water Hyacinth 



How ia a water hyacinth kept over win- 

 ter?— A. S., Wentworth Co., Ont. 



A water hyacinth will keep best in 

 a cool, moist cellar, or if planted out 

 of doors, it should be covered early in 

 November in a foot or 18 inches of 

 leaves or long manure, and some boards 

 or a barrel put over to keep out the 

 moisture. 



Fuchsias in Winter 



Can young fuchsias be kept growing all 

 wmter or is it best to put them down cel- 

 lar? I would like to make show plants — 

 B. K., Waterloo Co., Ont. ' 



Young fuchsia plants, if in good 

 growing condition now, can be grown 

 on for a while, but they should have 

 a period of partial rest late in winter 

 so as to give them a good start in 

 Spring. A cool cellar with -a tempera- 

 ture of forty to fifty degrees, suits the 

 fuchsia when resting in winter. Bring 

 the plants into the house before frost. 

 Keep the soil barely moist when plants 

 are resting. -Wm. Hunt, O.A.C., Guelph. 



Take an interest in our question and 

 answer department. It will help you. 



Clean up the orchard before the snow 

 flies. 



All tender and half-hardy plants should 

 be mulched. Even hardy plants are 

 benefitted by some protection. 



When your house bulbs are in full 

 bloom have a photograph taken of them, 

 and send it to The Canadian Horticul- 

 turist. 



The rudbcckia or golden glow is an 

 excellent perennial for the background 

 in the border or to hide an unsightly 

 corner, but it should not be allowed to 

 crowd out other things. Do not have 

 too much of it in the garden. Divide 

 the roots this fall. Use what is neces- 

 sary elsewhere and throw the rest away. 



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