238 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST 



November, 1908 



join at least one horticultural society, 

 and give it all possible support. Noth- 

 ing stimulates him like meeting his fel- 

 low gardeners in friendly rivalry at ex- 

 hibitions. There is no incentive to great- 

 er efforts like striving to gain the fore- 

 most rank as a prize winner. Nothing 

 keeps his interest in his work from flag- 

 ging like striving to keep on top, if once 

 he gets there. Some gardeners deplore 

 the decline of horticultural societies, yet 

 they do nothing to support them. They 

 will blame the general public for the in- 

 different support they give to exhibitions, 



while they themselves never lift a finger 

 to help make them a success. When 

 asked for reasons, they will talk of the 

 indifference of their employers, or, per- 

 haps, tell you they do not care for their 

 plants to be taken to exhibitions for fear 

 they will get spoiled. In nine cases out 

 of ten, the true reason is not far to seek. 

 Few people are so thin-skinned as to 

 mind their plants suffering an occasional 

 defeat. But they don't relish it too 

 oft^n, and the very fact that they object 

 so strenuously to it becoming chronic, is 

 conclusive proof that they are not so in- 



different as they are made to appear. 



Let the gardener once demonstrate his 

 ability to hold his own with the best of 

 them, and his employer's objections to 

 exhibitions will rapidly disappear. He 

 will be quick to see that instead of get- 

 ting a lot of spoiled plants, he stands to 

 gain considerably by the continual im- 

 provement in their condition, and far 

 from being indifferent, his plants will be 

 in evidence at every exhibition. The so- 

 ciety will be stronger for that support, 

 and the gardener the better for the ex- 

 perience gained. 



A Garden Competition at Short Notice 



AMONG the horticultural societies 

 in Ontario that are doing excel- 

 lent work is the one at Hespeler. 

 Through the efforts of the society and 

 particularly of its energetic officers, the 

 townspeople are taking a greater interest 

 in the improvement of their homes and 

 Hespeler is fast becoming one of the most 

 beautiful towns in the province. Instead 

 of a horticultural ^how, as is usually 

 held, the directors of the society this year 

 decided to inspect the gardens of the 

 members on short notice and to award 

 prizes for the best ten. Only two weeks' 

 notice was given. There was no time to 

 make elaborate preparations for the judg- 

 ing. The scheme placed the judges in a 

 position to see the gardens as they are 

 ordinarily kept by the members. The 

 judges of gardens were Messrs G. W. 

 Tebbs, president of the society, Jas. Hys- 

 lop and Robt. Davis, and the judge of the 

 school childrens' exhibits — given by the 

 society, Mr. David Witmer. 



One of the features of the competition 

 was the generally well-cared for condition 

 of fruit trees. In many cases, better 

 fruit would result if the specimens on the 

 trees has been thinned earlier in the year. 

 Some trees were useless and had better 

 be disposd of. The judges pointed out 

 that more nut trees could be introduced 

 on the grounds of the members with good 

 effect ; they would be both ornamental 

 and profitable. 



The pear scab was found in every part 

 of the town. In one instance on a lawn 

 which perhaps is one of the best kept in 

 Hespeler, a Flemish Beauty pear tree, 

 which is very susceptible to this disease, 

 had been top-grafted with Bartlett, the 

 new heads showing no signs of disease. 



Most lawns were found to be well kept 

 but many would be much improved by 

 rolling. One member made a serviceable 

 roller by filling an iron tube with cement, 

 inserting crank and handle before the 

 cement had set. On sorne lawns, the ap- 

 pearance was spoiled by allowing the im- 

 mediate foreground to grow wild and the 

 portions near bushes and trees to go un- 

 dipped and in places, to be worn bare. 



The first impressions of such grounds, 

 therefore, could not be good. 



Some of the gardens were greatly spoil- 

 ed in appearance, and probably in pro- 

 ductiveness by their over-crowded condi- 

 tion. One in particular was very full of 

 weeds. Poor vegetables in it were strug- 

 gling upward seeking the light and air 

 necessary for their existence. There was 

 no room to walk except amongst the 

 over-crowded plants and no vestige of 

 room to wheel a barrow. 



In many places, the sidewalks of the 

 town and the walkg around and about 

 the homes had grass and weeds growing 

 between the boards. This detracts from 

 the general well-kept appearance of the 

 grounds. A few handfuls of salt scat- 

 tered between the boards would make a 

 great improvement. 



Some members had kept the grass out- 

 side the fences well clipped and had 

 planted a few trees there. This is a 

 pointer for others to follow. 



As the judging took place during the 

 first week of September, it was too late 

 to see the grounds at their best but there 

 was evidence to show that most of them 

 had had a fine display of flowers. In only 

 one case was a rockery observed. In Hes- 

 peler, where there are so many rocks and 

 pretty stones, a few more rockeries, clad 

 with ferns and mosses, should be seen. 

 They would make a great improvement 

 in shady corners where nothing else of 

 importance will thrive. 



Gardens that were comparatively 

 small, with no pretence of supplying a 

 "little of everything," were the best ar- 

 ranged and in the cleanest condition. A 

 few vegetables, and those good, a few 

 flowers, and those excellent, gave the 

 best impression and probably the greatest 

 satisfaction to their owners. In one gar- 

 den, a new member was gardening for 

 the first time and his little plot was kept 

 in a way, in its planning and arrange- 

 ment, that older horticulturists might 

 well imitate. 



In some instances, the judges noticed 

 crops that grow tall indiscriminately 

 planted between plants of lower growth. 



The latter naturally get smothered and 

 have not a chance to come to perfect 

 maturity. This can be guarded against 

 when planning the lay-out of the garden 

 in the spring. There were comparatively 

 few varieties of shrubs and bushes on the 

 lawns and where these exist, they would 

 be more effective if they had been group- 

 ed around the outside of the lawn rather 

 than dotted here and there like plants in 

 a rtursery. 



A few more creepers on the houses, a 

 few more fancy window and verandah 

 boxes and a few shade trees at the front 

 of the properties would make Hespeler 

 even more beautiful than now. The hor- 

 ticultural society is ready at all times to 

 assist the townspeople in every way pos- 

 sible. It is the present intention of the 

 directorate to carry on the same line of 

 work next year. There are already evi- 

 dences of a more than doubled member- 

 ship. Many other societies in the pro- 

 vince could follow with profit this scheme 

 of inspecting gardens on short notice. 



Basic Slag 



What is the correct rate at which to apply 

 basic slag to garden (vegetable) land? — 

 Amateur, Halton Co., Ont. 



The rate of application of basic slag 

 depends upon, first, the nature and con- 

 dition of the soil, and, second, upon 

 the frequency of application. If the 

 material were to be used only once in a 

 long interval then it might be applied at 

 the rate of 500 to 800 pounds an acre, 

 but if it is intended to be used yearly 

 not more than 300 to 500 pounds should 

 be applied.— W. P. Gamble, O. A. C, 

 Guelph. 



Inspires Even Poets 



I also your journal enjoy, 

 And wish you the strength of Rob 

 Roy, 

 Fjr many long years, 

 'Mid everyone's cheers. 

 Its pages with pluck to employ. 



— Wm. Murray, bard of the, St. 

 Andrew's Society of Hamilton. 



