30 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 



are attacked by the red spider about 

 every month, which destroys the leaves 

 as well as keeps them from blooming ; 

 and one of them is all covered with a 

 flat sort of a louse that sticks tight to 

 the branches and under side of the 

 leaves. I wash them off every two or 

 three weeks, but they are as bad as 

 ever by two or three weeks again. 

 Strawberries do well up here. 



I have the Wilson, Sharpless, New 

 Dominion, and Early Canada. The 

 Wilson is the most productive ; the 

 others are about alike in fruitage al- 

 though differing in flavor. 



Currants and gooseberries also do 

 very well, but I fear I am trespassing 

 on your time and patience. 



Wishing for the Canadian Horticul- 

 turist an increased circulation during 

 the coming year, 



I am, Sir, respectfully yours, 



Mrs. John George. 



Port Elgin, January, 1885. 



Reply. — The probability is that the 

 apple trees have been so well fed and 

 cai'ed for that they are growing too 

 fast to bear fruit. Try what a little 

 neglect will do for them — no pruning 

 and no cultivation for a year, and see 

 if they do nob form blossom buds. 

 Strong wood growth and fruit produc- 

 tion do not go together. 



2. Probably your grape vines have 

 been pruned too severely. Leave more 

 wood on the vines, more buds on the 

 canes of last summer's growth. The 

 Rogers varieties are usually rampant 

 growers, and fruit better with moderate 

 pruning. Try Early Victor and the 

 Brighton. 



3. You keep the atmosphere o? your 

 window too dry, hence the red spider. 

 Put an open pan of water on the stove 



and keep up a good supply of vapor. 

 Put your lousy plant under a barrel 

 filled with tobacco smoke, or Wash it 

 thoroughly twice a week with tobacco 

 tea, until they disappear. 



NIAGARA AND JESSICA GRAPES. 



Mr. Editor, — Will you have the 

 kindness to inform the readers of the 

 Horticulturist what description of soil 

 is best apapted to the gi'owth of the 

 Niagara Grape, as well as that best 

 suited to the Jessica ; and also whether 

 the Niagara ripens its fruit as early as 

 the Jessica. 



Can you name any sections of the 

 Province of Ontario where the Catalpa 

 speciosa has been sufficiently tested to 

 prove ib sufficiently hardy to endure 

 our climate 1 



Respectfully yours, 



JOHX KXOWLSOX. 



Lindsay, 17th Dec, 1884. 



Reply, — The writer has never grown 

 a plant of the Niagai-a grape. The 

 company controlling it would not allow 

 nui'serymen to have it except on con- 

 ditions that made it of no value to 

 them, hence we have not sufficient 

 knowledge on the subject to frame a 

 I'eply. Your neighbor, Mr. Thos. 

 Beall, has a number of the vines ; he 

 can tell you that the vines flourish 

 finely in his soil. 



The Jessica flourishes best in a well- 

 drained, rich, loamy soil, especially one 

 that is of a limestone character. In 

 point of quality it is far finer and 

 jiurer than the Niagara, being wholly 

 free from foxiness, which cannot be 

 said of the Niagara, and ripens before 

 it. The crop of Jessica can be mar- 

 keted before the Niagara makes its 

 appearance. 



