Editors Letter- Box. 63 



houses, are content with the Wilson. A strawberry is a strawberry with them, 

 whether Wilson's Albany or Boston Pine. While dealers are satisfied to buy, 

 and the people to consume, such berries, the farmer will not be slow to furnish 

 them, especially when he can do it at much less cost to himself than he can 

 furnish the finer kinds. Five thousand boxes of this variety to the acre is not an 

 uncommon crop, and this result has often been obtained with the Hovey's Seed- 

 ling. Now, this number of quarts, at the prices we have named, would give 

 twelve to fifteen hundred dollars as the proceeds of an acre ; from which, deduct- 

 ing a fair price for manure and labor, would still leave a good margin for profit. 

 Larger crops than these are talked about, but perhaps seldom realized. In 

 answer, then, to the question with which we started, we say. Few crops pay 

 better, taking the average for ten years in succession. 



Do lightning and thunder have any thing to do with blasting the blossoms of 

 fruit-trees ? — No. When accompanied by heavy shotjers, the rain washes out 

 the pollen from the blossom, and thus prevents the fertilization of the germ, 

 without which no fruit can set. 



The same eflfect would follow any rain-storm coming at the time when the 

 trees are in full bloom, whether with or without thunder and lightning. Dry, 

 clear weather, while the trees are in bloom, is the most favorable for a good fruit- 

 crop. 



How can I keep my hardy carnations and picotees ? I buy good plants 

 nearly every spring, which bloom well the following summer, and die during the 

 next winter. — Layer the grass, and thus get new, fresh plants that will stand 

 the winter with a slight protection. This operation may be performed just after 

 the plants are out of bloom. Bend down the branches, make a long cut, leaving 

 a tongue some half or three-fourths of an inch long, and then draw the earth 

 about it. If the weather is favorable, they will have made roots in four to six 

 weeks, when they can be removed to cold frames, or to the bed where they are 

 to remain during the winter. It is a perfectly simple operation. 



Would it be advisable to graft our young thrifty trees of the Windsor or 

 summer bell-pear .? — Though the pear named is a poor variety, yet, if the trees 

 are doing well, leave them. The fruit, coming early, sells readily. The tree is 

 hardy, a good grower and bearer, and, like the Wilson's Albany among straw- 

 berries, is a profitable variety to grow for market. 



Shall I grow Triomphe de Gand strawberries in hills, or beds, to get the best 

 returns ? — We answer. In hills, if you want fruit. When allowed to make run- 

 ners, this variety seems to exhaust itself, and bear but Httle fruit. Plant in hills, 

 and keep every runner off. 



Is it desirable to plant more than twelve varieties of pears in an orchard for 

 market-purposes ? — No : perhaps six varieties would be better. Every person 

 who has had experience in planting extensively will concur in this opinion. 



