OUR QUESTION AND ANSWER DEPARTMENT 



Readers of TKe Horticultvirist are Invited to Submit Questions on any Phase of Horticultural "WorK 



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Pollinating Lindley Grape 



Can the Lindley grape be pollinated arti- 

 ficially and profitably to obtain a more perfect 

 bunch? — S L., Prince Edward County. 



This question was sent to the Central 

 Experimental Farm, Ottawa, from Win- 

 ona, Ont., but as the writer did not sign 

 his name to the letter, the columns of 

 The Canadian Horticulturist have 

 been used, knowing that the reply will 

 come under his eye. 



The Lindley grape is one of the varie- 

 ties known to be self-sterile or partially 

 so; consequently, if planted by itself, 

 the bunches will be very imperfect. 

 To get good btmches one should have 

 one or more varieties, that bloom at the 

 same time, planted near, to pollinate it. 

 At the Central Experimental Farm, 

 where we have a large number of varie- 

 ties in our vineyard, and only a few 

 vines of each of these scattered in 

 different parts, the bunches of the 

 I/indley are, most of them, well filled 

 and quite satisfactory. We should ad- 

 vise, in planting a vineyard, to plant 

 alternate rows of another variety. Niag- 

 ara and Word n should make two good 

 sorts for this purpose. 



Experiments in artificially pollinat- 

 ing the Lindley have given very satis- 

 factory results, although the experiment 

 was not carried on with the idea of 

 making it pay; but, it is quite probable 

 that it could be profitably done. In 

 the case referred to, bunches of another 

 variety were simply attached to bunches 

 of Lindley when they were in bloom, 

 and nature did the rest. It is possible 

 that a more economical method of using 

 pollen could be devised, such as apply- 

 in?; it direct to the flowers. This will 

 be a good line of experiment for the 

 Niagara Fruit Experiment vStation to 

 take up. — W. T. Macoun, Horticulturist, 

 C.E.F., Ottawa. 



Pruning for Fruit Buds 



If a lateral shoot of an apple tree be pruned 

 back one-third, to or near a promising fruit bud, 

 or two-thirds, with fruit buds on two year wood, 

 has it a tendency to make or turn these said 

 buds into wood growth? Is it a mistake to cut 

 back every lateral, in spring pruning, on a tree, 

 for are not a great number of the terminal buds 

 fruit buds? Can you name the varieties 

 whose fruit buds are frequently and invariably 

 terminal? — L. B. P., Salmon Arm, B.C. 



The pruning back of lateral shoots of 

 apple trees will not change the fruit 

 buds that have alreadv been made into 

 leaf buds. The fruit buds were formed 

 early last summer and will expand when 

 the time comes. Severe heading back 

 of laterals in the spring will, however. 



have its effect on the number of fruit 

 buds which will form this season, as 

 the tree will be re-invigorated by the 

 heading back and the tendency will be 

 for it to make leaf buds rather than 

 fruit buds, although there may be as 

 many of the latter form as is needed for 

 a good crop. 



It would be a mistake to cut back 

 every lateral very severely, as it would 

 mean the sacrifice of too many fruit 

 buds. The ones to prune back will be 

 learned by practice. 



We have not made a study of the 

 varieties which are most inclined to 

 bear fruit on terminal buds, so cannot 

 say which do it most. — Answered by 

 W. T. Macoun, Horticulturist, C.E.F., 

 Ottawa. 



Hardy Roses for NortK 



Kindly recommend a few varieties of roses for 

 continuous bloom throughout the season in 

 Peterboro county? — S. A., Jermyn, Ont. 



The following half-dozen varieties of 

 hybrid perpetual roses are among the 

 best and hardiest : General Jacqueminot, 

 Mrs. J. Sharman Crawford, Mad. Plant- 

 ier, Ulrich Brunner, Magna Charta, and 

 Alfred Colomb. While these will not 

 bloom freely throughout the summer, 

 most of them will continue to give a few 

 blooms until autumn. By planting a 

 few of the hybrid tea roses, more bloom 

 will be obtained late in the season. 

 Two of the best of these are: Kaiserin 

 Augusta Victoria and Caroline Testout. 

 The former is a white rose and the latter 

 a pink. These are not quite so hardy 

 as the hybri 1 perpetuals but, with a 

 little protection, they come through the 

 winter very well at Ottawa. — Answered 

 by W. T. Macoun, C.E.F., Ottawa. 



Transplanting Dog-wood 



Some fine specimens of Flowering Dogwood, 

 Cornus Florida, are growing in the woods not 

 far from my home. Kindly advise me as to 

 the best time of year to take up and transplant 

 dogwoods that are growing in a wild state? — 

 B. P., Grimsby, Ont. 



The only season in which dogwoods 

 may be transplanted is spring. These 

 wild trees have few roots, and you will 

 not succeed with the transplanting 

 unless you prune back the branches 

 severely. Should you desire to secure 

 the trees without its being necessary to 

 prune back one-half or more of the 

 growth, it will be necessary to root-prune 

 the trees this spring and allow them to 

 remain a year before transplanting. 

 The cutting off of the roots causes many 



9J 



more smaller ones to form, and this 

 almost assures transplanting with safety. 

 Dig a trench around the trees, 18 inches 

 or two feet from the trunk; dig to a 

 depth of two feet, then dig under the 

 trees, cutting off all roots met with from 

 first to last. Fill back the soil and let 

 the trees alone for a year. But if the 

 trees are out of shape prune back the 

 branches a little, to shapen the outline. 

 In fact it is a good thing to prune the 

 branches at the same time that the roots 

 are pruned. Such root pruned trees 

 rarely fail to live, and the practice is 

 often adopted by those who wish to 

 transplant wild trees. 



W^aterin^ Trees at Planting 



I intend to plant some shade trees this spring. 

 Is it best to water them at the time of planting? 

 — R. T., St. Hyacinthe, Que. 



Tree planting succeeds best when 

 water is applied. The water carries the 

 soil in close contact with the roots. 

 Pour the water in when the hole is 

 about half filled with soil. When it 

 has soaked away, the rest of the hole 

 should be filled in with soil compara- 

 tively loose. Watering in this way 

 saves ramming or firming the soil with 

 the feet or a pounder. 



Cost of Forcing' House 



What would be the cost to build a forcing 

 house of about 400 square feet? What would 

 be the proper size to build for a beginner? 

 Which is best, steel or wooden frames? Would 

 a forcing house of size mentioned pay? — N. C, 

 Riviere du Loup, Que. 



The cost of a forcing house of 400 

 square fee' can best be determined in 

 the vicinity where it is to be built, as 

 prices of material vary greatly, and also 

 the plans and construction. In Leam- 

 ington, it would cost about $100. It is 

 difficult to state the proper size for a 

 beginner without having some knowl- 

 edge of the man and his capital. It is 

 best to start on a small scale and increase 

 as experience warrants. A house of 

 400 square feet, or even twice that size, 

 is of little vahie except for starting 

 plants in spring for moving to the open 

 ground when the weather becomes warm. 

 I have one house 42 x 100 feet, exclu- 

 sive of boiler room, and I find it too 

 small for growing vegetables in winter. 

 It would pay "N. C." to erect a house 

 for the purpose of producing plants for 

 transplanting later and rowing outside. 

 For so small a house, it is best to use a 

 wooden frame. — Answered by J. L. 

 Hilbom, Leamington, Ont. 



