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OUR QUESTION AND ANSWER DEPARTMENT 



Readers of XKe Horticulturist are invited to submit Questions on any phase of Horticultural ■wforK 



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Oyst 3r-Shell DarK-Louse 



Would Gillett's Lye be of value in treating 

 Oyster-shell Bark-louse? — F.F., Brighton, 



'/ We do not recommend Gillett's Lye 

 ks a remedy for the Oyster-shell Bark- 

 Jouse. As far as we know, it is a soda 

 lye, and we do not think that it would 

 be at all effective. There are two very 

 satisfactory remedies for this insect. 

 trhe best is the lime-sulphur wash to be 

 Applied about the beginning of April. 

 The wash must be properly made and 



tx)iled for at least two hours before 

 jeing applied to the tree. It will usu- 

 illy clear the tree completely of this 

 cale and of any other that may be 

 ipon it. 



The other remedy is an application of 

 rdinary whitewash. This should be 

 pplied in the fall and repeated a sec- 

 nd time. The effect of it is that when 

 scales off in the winter it carries the 

 hsect with it. I am not at all sure 

 bat it will destroy the eggs of the bark 

 mse, but there is no doubt that the 

 me-sulphur treatment, if applied in such 

 way as to completely reach all the 

 iterstices of the bark, will kill both 

 ales and eggs. We are intending to 

 irry a further series of experiments with 

 le lime-sulphur wash, and other in- 

 rcticides in the early spring, and hope 

 ) have more information to impart 

 ter on. — Answered bv Dr. Charles J. 

 . Bethune, O.A.C., Guelph. 



Propagating Apple Trees 



Will you please give detailed instructions for 

 le pro[)agation of apple trees bv root grafting? 

 iC.M.H., Bridgetown, N.S. 



Standard apple stocks are grown from 



:ds, and dwarf apple stocks from 



lound layers of the Paradise apple. 



eds for standard trees are either im- 



irted from France or obtained from 



e pomace of cider mills. As a rule, 



iit growers or nurserymen do not 



ow stocks, the raising of which is a 



isiness in itself. The seeds are re- 



Dved from the pomace by washing. 



ley are then dried and stored in sand 



a cool, dry place until spring. Fall 



'ng may be advisable in loose, well- 



ined soils. Spring planting is better 



apted to our conditions. The seed 



vld be sown as soon as the ground 



in fit condition to receive them in 



s three feet apart for horse cultiva- 



n, or in drills 5 to 10 inches wide for 



jnd labor. Sow two or three inches 



:p. Cultivate well, and thin if neces- 



The seedlings should grow 8 to 



inches that season. 



In the fall they are sold to nursery- 

 men, who root graft them during the 

 winter. The roots are cut into sections 

 four or five inches long. The lower 

 pieces are discarded. The best ones are 

 selected and whip-grafted with scions of 

 about three buds that have been taken 

 from trees of the desired variety the 

 previous fall and stored. After the 

 union is made, the parts are wrapped 

 with waxed bands to exclude the air. 

 Bands or string should be used that is 

 strong enough to hold the parts for the 

 time being, but, at the same time, weak 

 enough to break when pressed by the 

 growth of the graft. Pack the grafts 

 in sand and store until spring in a cool 

 cellar. Should the cellar be close and 

 warm, the grafts are apt to start into 

 growth, and subsequently rot. In the 

 spring, when the ground can be worked, 

 plant the grafts in the nursery and care 

 for them until two years old, when they 

 may be sold or transplanted to the or- 

 chard. 



"Varieties of PeacKes 



Kindly name the best early, medium and late 

 peaches for market purposes that may be 

 grown on sandy soil. — F. H., Sarnia, Ont. 



Most peaches do best on sandy land. 

 For your section the following varieties 

 probably will give good results: Early 

 St. John, Early Crawford, Fitzgerald, 

 New Prolific, Engol, Elberta, Golden 

 Drop, Kalamazoo and Smock. These 

 are mentioned in their order of ripening, 

 and are vellow fleshed free-stones. 



Selecting Nursery StocK 



As I intend to buy some trees for planting, i 

 desire some information regarding nursery 

 stock. Will you tell me the points that should 

 be observed when purchasing. — I.R., Burlington, 

 Ont. 



When buying nursery stock secure 

 trees of the desired varieties that will 

 give the best possible results. The 

 trees must be true to variety and of a 

 proper age for planting — -apples, pears 

 and quinces, from two to three years; 

 peaches, not more than one year from 

 the bud ; and so on. Large trees are not 

 always the best. Medium-sized ones are 

 usually more satisfactory. Whether 

 large or small, they should be healthy, 

 thrifty, smooth and well grown, but 

 not spindly. They should possess good 

 roots, and be free of fungi and injurious 

 insects. It is best to avoid trees grown 

 in districts subject to tree troubles, 

 such as peaches from a district where 

 leaf-curl is prevalent or pears from a 

 section where blight is known to exist. 



To secure these desirable features in 



the trees, it is advisable to have a 

 written agreement with the nurseryman 

 to that effect. Allow no substitution 

 of varieties and reject all inferior stock. 

 When convenient to nursery, it is well 

 to inspect the stock and buy directly 

 from the nurserv rows. 



Treating' Freesias 



When my freesias are finished flowering what 

 shall I do with them? Can the bulbs be kept 

 and planted next fall? — C.D., Annapolis, N.S. 



Give freesias less frequent waterings 

 after flowering, witholding water grad- 

 ually until the foliage turns yellow. Give 

 no more water. Place pots away just as 

 they are in a dry room or cellar. About 

 the end of August or early in September 

 shake the bulbs from the soil and re-pot 

 them in fresh, rich, loamy soil. Use 

 some drainage in pots. Water sparingly 

 until growth has well commenced. Place 

 in window when potted. Freesia bulbs 

 treated in this way can be kept for 

 years. Plant only large bulbs for flower- 

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

 Guelph. 



Winter Care of Hibiscus 



. How shall I treat a hibiscus that bloomed 

 freely last fall? Does it need a rest? — B.T., 

 Bracebridge, Ont. 



Keep the hibiscus partially dormant 

 in winter. This is done by giving suffi- 

 cient water to keep the soil barely moist, 

 and by keeping the plant in a cool room 

 or basement in a temperature of 45 to 50 

 degrees. The pot or Japanese hibiscus 

 likes partial rest during winter as de- 

 scribed to flower well in summer and au- 

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

 Guelph. 



Heating a Forcing House 



What is the best system of heating a forcing 

 house for the growing of vegetables? — R N., 

 Hamilton, Ont. 



Forcing houses may be heated by 

 hot water, steam, or, in cases where the 

 house is small, a smoke flue. The two 

 former are the most satisfactory, although 

 much more expensive. Steam averages 

 higher in temperature than the hot 

 water. The heat from steam is dis- 

 tributed more regularly than that from 

 hot water. It heats longer runs, and is 

 better for crooked circuits. It is prob- 

 able that steam is the most economical 

 source of heat for a large forcing house. 



If the reader of The Canadian Hor- 

 ticulturist who asked a question re- 

 garding weeds in lawns, will send his 

 name and address, the desired infor- 

 mation will be furnished by letter 



