THE CANADIAN H0RTICULTUKI8T. 



Ill 



strength of the vine by too rapid 

 evaporation from its leaves, and it gen- 

 erally fails to live. A full southern ex- 

 posure is no doubt to be preferred in 

 Canada, and if the land descends to the 

 south so much the better ; but if very 

 steep will cost more to prepare and keep 

 in order ; the land will also wash badly. 

 A deep sandy loam with porous subsoil, 

 thickly interveined with small debris 

 of limestone, is preferable to clay or 

 muck. Although a sandy soil may not 

 naturally produce the most luxuriant 

 growth, it is certain that it produces 

 fruit of the richest quality. Such soils 

 are moderately favorable to the growth 

 of the vine, are easily worked, and do 

 not retain an excess of moisture as they 

 are thorougly underdrained by nature. 

 And it is a point that always ought to 

 be borne in mind that the vine, like 

 humanity, thrives very poorly with 

 wet feet. Therefore, tenacious sub-soils, 

 so-called hardpans, should be avoided. 

 A modei'ately loose and friable soil, 

 whether it be loam, sand, gravel, or the 

 debris of rocky hillsides, will grow good 

 grapes, other things being equal. Any 

 soil rich enough to produce a good crop 

 of corn will be rich enough, and if the 

 soil is thickly strewn with small stones, 

 so much the better, as they become 

 warmed by tlie sun, and the heat is 

 thrown back directly upon the vines 

 and fruit, hastening the fruit in ripen- 

 ing. Retaining the heat for a longer 

 period than the ordinary soil, and ra- 

 diating it slowly by night, the tempera- 

 ture of the vineyard throughout the 

 growing season is higher than it would 

 otherwise be. The subjects of pruning, 

 training, planting^ etc. , I have not men- 

 tioned as, doubtless, my article has been 

 spun out too long already. I expect to 

 explain my methods of training, prun- 

 ing, etc., in the near future. Closing 

 I remain yours in the work. 



T. A. Chapman. 

 Elcho Heights, Baltimore, Ont. 



STRAWBERRY 'NOTES.— Contmued. 



(For the Canadian Horticulturist. I 



To my mind, and I ought to know a 

 little of the world and its ways (now in 

 my seventieth year), there is no occu- 

 pation young or old can engage in that 

 will give more pleasure and profit than 

 the growing of small fruit. 



Practical men grow fruit to make 

 money. Men of means grow for the 

 pleasure of having this noble and luci- 

 ous fruit fresh from their own garden 

 and for their table. 



But to those commencing and with 

 limited means, I would mention a few 

 out of the seventy-five or more varieties 

 I grow at present. 



I am at present testing sixteen new 

 varieties. Some of them I have fruited 

 four, three and two years. Of these 

 the Cornelia is offered for sale by 

 several Canadian fruit-men for the 

 spring planting. The other two are 

 Crawford's also, his Nos. 6 & 20. These 

 I consider fully equal to, if not better, 

 than the Daniel Boone. I have no 

 axe to grind in mentioning these. 



To those who have not grown these 

 I am about to mention, I can truly 

 recommend them. 



1. The Crescent. It is by all odds 

 the earliest and best bearer of any 

 of the early varieties. Quality not the 

 best, but if well grown, would pass for 

 the Wilson any day. 



2. Captain Jack, if grown in narrow 

 rows and land as it should be for the 

 strawberry, will please the grower every 

 time. If the grower has no other 

 staminate variety that blossoms earlier 

 than the Captain Jack, it will do to 

 plant beside the Crescent. 



3. Windsor Chief. It is a good 

 bearer and good color, and well 

 flavored. 



4. James Vick will do to plant be- 

 side the Chief. Immense bearer. The 

 plant will take care of itself. 



5. Manchester, a pistilate, and if 



