$ ©p^f? Letter^. $ 



The Alexander Apple. 



SlR, — I notice your recommendation of the Alexander apple in the January No. I 

 do not think that it deserves all the credit there given it,, except with regard to its size 

 ami beautiful appearance, which makes it desirable as a show apple. Its cooking and 

 keeping qualities are so poor that I will venture to say that it will be hard to rind a person 

 who will buy a barrel of them a second time for his own use. 



J. H. Tool, Orillia, Out. 



The Sheldon Pear. 



Sir, — You say the Sheldon pear is not suitable for planting north of Toronto, except 

 under some particularly favorable circumstances. I have three Sheldon trees in my 

 orchard, planted sixteen years ago, and they have stood the winter's frost as well as any 

 of the others. They are the only trees I have which escaped the blight some ten years 

 ago. They never showed the slightest trace of it, while other varieties growing around 

 them perished. I endorse all you say as to the quality of the fruit, but they are shy 

 bearers. Last year my Flemish Beauties were badly cracked and scabby. The Sheldons 

 were as clean skinned as possible. Is there any remedy for the cracking of pears ? About 

 every alternate year I practically loss my crop of Flemish Beauties from this cause. 



R. McKxight, Owf/t Sound. 



[Try Bordeaux mixture. — Ed.] 



Prince of Wales Stark- Beurre d* Anjou. 



Sir, — In the November number you refer to Prince of Wales plum as " a novelty not 

 yet tested except at Geneva.'' I have grown it for some years, and can attest to its 

 excellency. It has been grown for several years on the grounds of Messrs. Geo. Leslie & 

 Son, at Toronto, also, and that firm inform me that planters who tested this variety, 

 invariably include it in any list of kinds wanted afterwards. 



In question budget for February, page 71, question 21, " Would the Stark apple be 

 profitable iu Ontario," is asked. I reply, yes, if the market demand will be satisfied with 

 a verjr poor flavored apple, poor as a cooker, and next to worthless for dessert. The tree 

 is a good strong grower, an abundant bearer, and the apple good size, fairly colored, and 

 sells in Britain fairly well. But the demand is growing for finer flavor in the apple, and 

 myifeeling would be in favor of choosiug the better kinds in flavor, keeping in view hardi- 

 ness of tree and bearing quality. In question 20, " Is Beurre <T Anjou as hardy as Flemish 

 Beauty ? " No, I think not, but in the general pear growing sections of the Province it is 

 one of the most desirable kinds, and will succeed pretty generally in such sections. 



Alex. McD. Allan, Goderich. 



Hardiness of the Cuthbert. 



Sir, — Anent the query of you correspondent, A. J. C, in the last number of the 

 Horticulturist, permit me to say that the Cuthbert raspberry is not hardy, and should 

 be described in the catalogues as only half-hardy. We read about it standing a climate 

 twenty degrees below zero without injury, but my experience of eight years with it in this 

 locality has proved that it will not endure a temperature of ten degrees below zero with- 

 out injury. On the other hand the Marlboro will easily withstand a temperature of 

 twenty degrees below zero, and bear a full crop. The buds of the Cuthbert are tender, and 

 A. J. C. describes a frost injured bud when he says that his failed to come out after 

 trimming in the spring. Though not as high in quality as the Cuthbert and some others, 

 the Marlboro is the safest and best red raspberry that I know of for the middle and more 

 northerly sections of this Province. It is earlier than the Cuthbert, a heavy cropper, and 

 will withstand our severest winters. 



T. H. Race, Mitchell. 



(112) 



