t8 The Canadian Horticulture 



THE WESTERN JUNEBERRY. 



Sir,— On page 378 of the December number of the Horticulturist, Mr. 

 A. ('. Grant refers to the Western Juneberry, and the plate issued in your July 

 number. The Western Juneberry is Amelanchier alnifolia, the Saskatoon of the 

 North-West Indians. It is a far more valuable fruit than that of our eastern 

 Amelunchiet Canadensis, and has the very great advantage of ripening its enormous 

 crop of berries all at the same time. A Canadensis varies very much, not only in 

 botanical points but in the quantity and quality of its fruit. But none can 

 compare with the Saskatoon of the West, which was one of the most important 

 ingredients of pemmican in the olden times. 



The " Oregon grape is one of the barberries of the division, sometimes 

 called Mahonia. There are three of these which grow wild in the British 

 Columbian mountains : Berberis Aquifolium, well known as a garden shrub in 

 many parts of Canada and the Old World. It is a low growing shrub with 

 pinnate thorny-edged evergreen leaves, and dense panicles of bright yellow flowers. 

 which open early in spring, and are followed later in the year with clusters of 

 purple berries, which resemble little grapes, and have given rise to the name 

 " Oregon grape.'* This name, however, is not confined to this species, but is 

 perhaps rather oftener applied to Berberis nervosa, a species with much shorter 

 stems and longer leaves, duller in appearance, but no less beautiful. The berries 

 are abundantly produced, and being covered with a bluish-white bloom, form 

 very attractive objects in the mountain woods. Berberis repens resembles B. 

 Aquifolium very closely, but is smaller in all its parts, and should perhaps only 

 be regarded as a variety of B. Aquifolium. 



Ottawa, Out. James Fletcher. 



A FAMEUSE SEEDLING. 



Sir, — I bend you a sample of a chance seedling of the Fameuse, which I have named 

 Compton Climax. It is a good keeper, and, as yon will see, very crisp, tender and juicy. 

 The tree is a free grower and an abundant bearer. I have rive acres of young trees coming 

 into bearing, among which are the new Russians. Noa. 277, 413, 290. 230, 245, 18") and 161, 

 and Wealthy, Wallbridge, Fameuse, Alexander, Bottle Greening and Talman Sweet, which 

 are making a rapid growth, but. for a market apple, I believe this new variety is going to 

 compare favorably with any of the others. John Carr, Compton Station, Qur. 



This apple is of excellent quality for dessert purposes, almost undistinguish- 

 able from the Fameuse in flesh, except perhaps that its texture is less firm, and 

 it appears to be a little earlier in maturity. In size and color the apple also 

 resembles the Fameuse, but is not quite so productive. If, however, it proves 

 to be free of spot, it might be a very desirable variety for dessert purposes during 

 the month of November. 



