THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 



277 



saw the piece there was no room for 

 weeds. I need not say the soil is 

 splendid. Hitherto 1 have planted in 

 matted rows, and kept as clean as I 

 could with a good deal of labor ; but 

 in future I tliink I shall try to grow 

 sti'awberries as this man does. How 

 is it all one's theoi-ies are so upset 1 It 

 is very discouraging to a beginner like, 

 myself. Perliaps some experienced 

 sti-aw])eny-grower will explain the 

 reasons for this wondeiful yield. 

 I remain, Sir, yours truly, 



A. J. Wkigiit. 

 Lakefiekl, Out., Nov. 5, 1885. 

 [Will Messrs. Little, Hilborn, and 

 Robinson please to explain ?] 



AX AMATEUR'S FURTHER EXPE- 

 l;IENCE. 



To the Editor of the Canadian Horticulturist. 



Dear Sir, — In the number for No- 

 vember, 1884, I gave my views gath- 

 ered in a small garden in the suburbs 

 of Toronto. I do not know that I 

 have very much more to add, but pos- 

 sibly the little may be of some \me to 

 amateur gardeners. 



Mr. Croil took exception to the 

 opinion passed by me upon " Bliss' 

 American Wonder Pea," and kindly 

 sent me some seed I'aised bj^ himself. 

 I sowed them at the same time and 

 side by side with Carter's Little Gem. 

 The " Wonder " was ready a week or 

 ten days ahead of the " Gem," and was 

 more prolific ; so I must withdraw the 

 statement in my former letter. My 

 peas were ready to gather two months 

 after they "were sown. 



I saw in the seed catalogue mention 

 of a new sweet corn, "Ne Plus Ultra." 

 I planted some, and found it very good. 

 It bears plentifully, and although the 

 grains look small, yet they are deeper 

 set than the other varieties. It looks 

 like popcorn in size, but the dei)th 

 makes the grain more than double the 



size. It is vei-y sweet. I still find the 

 " Tom Thumb " very satisfactory. 



CaiTots and beets have done well. I 

 tried the Hanson lettuce, and found it 

 very satisfactory. Cabbage and cauli- 

 flower have both done well, and I have 

 not been troubled by the worm. To- 

 matoes have been decidedly unsatisfac- 

 tory. The crop was plentiful enough, 

 but very few ripened. For the last 

 three years I have found it difficult to 

 raise a satisfactory crop, for the reason 

 that the summers have been so cool. 



Raspberries were a very abundant 

 crop. I would still recommend the 

 " Cuthbert," particulai^ly to the ama- 

 teur. Mine came through the winter 

 uninjured. 



I have dug up my blackberries (Tay- 

 lor's Prolific). I find the canes are 

 tender and tie crop uncertain. They 

 take up too much room, and become a 

 weed. The " Hopkins " blackcap is 

 hardy and productive. I have a seed- 

 ling of my own which ripens two or 

 three days earlier and is jucier. 



Goosebei'ries (" Downing " and 

 " Smith's Improved") bore heavily, but 

 were attacked by mildew. Have any 

 of your readers seen the new one, " The 

 Triumph?" Is it mildew proof? 



Grapes have been a very plentiful 

 crop, but the season has been a very 

 unsatisfactory one. I haven't ta.sted a 

 grape thoroughly ripe. I have sujQTered 

 from mildew more than any previous 

 year. Even the Delaware, which has 

 never before suffered with me, was at- 

 tacked severely. The "Brighton," I 

 may say, was destroyed. Has any one 

 tried the remedy recommended by an 

 Italian grape grower, viz. : " Sprinkle 

 the foliage with a solution of soda — 

 two kilos of soda in one hectolitre of 

 water, or 4^ lbs. of soda dissolved in 

 26 gallons of water." The remedy is 

 simple if it is only effective. I gave 

 the " Lady " and " Mooi'e's Early " one 

 more chance, and dug them up this 



