260 The Canadian Horticulturist. 



Treatment of Plum Trees and Grape Vines. 



578. Sir, — Will you kindly inform me if it will now be too late to dress and trim 

 young plum trees, varying in height from seven to ten feet, and four and five years in the 

 ground ? Bore a few plums last year, this year most of them heavily laden, but severely 

 sprayed with sulphate of copper and the fruit very much destroyed. I wished them all to 

 be topped, i. e., about one-third of last year's growth to be cut off and so to make them 

 stocky and strong, so as not to split when heavily laden in after years. Many also have 

 been sprayed when the blossom seems te have been fully out. The same with many pear 

 trees, young and old. The apple, mostly in full blossom now, have also been sprayed. 

 were to have been all pruned, but not a branch cut as yet. Would it be better to let them 

 alone till the fall ? I mean the plum trees especially, but the others also. You will very 

 much oblige if you will kindly advise me. Last year my grape vines were infested with a 

 kind of round black scab. I sprayed them with sulphate of copper, which seems to be 

 very effectual in causing the scab to peel off. But as it was not till the very last days of 

 July that I knew of the remedy, and I dared to spray a second time only, the disease 

 appeared when later on. A small bit of the sulphate (one ounce) seemed quite sufficient 

 for 30 gallons of water to 200 grape vines. 



Geo. Stranvhon, Wcmdstock. 



Reply by Mr. John Craig, Experimental Farm, Ottawa. 



I do not think it would be advisable at the present time to prune back your 

 plum trees as severely as your letter leads me to believe that you intend to do. 

 Such a severe heading-in, just at the season when they are making their most 

 rapid growth, would be a dangerous blow to their vitality. Heading-in should 

 be done in the fall or early spring. Your plum trees may be checked somewhat, 

 by simply pinching back the ends of the terminal shoots ; this may be done at 

 once, and will prevent long straggling growths which are likely to be broken by 

 wind-storms. 



The grape vines you speak of are evidently affected by a disease called 

 "Bird's-eye Rot"; this is best kept in check by close pruning and by spraying 

 frequently with the Bordeaux mixture. Treatment should be commenced early 

 and carried on until the fruit is nearly ripe, as the disease often develops on the 

 fruit just before maturity. When the fruit is nearly ripe it is best to spray with 

 the ammoniacal carbonate, as it does not .discolor nor injure the berries and will 

 not affect their sale. 



% (Dcir goor^ Jablc. % 



BOOKS. 



Report of the Iowa State Horticultural Society, for the year 1893. Twenty- 

 seventh annual session held at Des Moines, January. 1S93. J. L. Budd, Ames, Iowa, 

 Secretarv. It includes papers on — "Commercial Orchards," " In the Vineyard, ' "Im- 

 provement of Small Fruits," "Ornithology and its Relation to Horticulture," "Fruit 

 Insects," "Climate and its Effects on Apples," "Cross-fertilization," "Notes on Lawn 

 Making," etc. 



CATALOGUES. 



Bees and Honey. Illustrated Catalogue and Price List. A. J. Root, Medina, Ohio. 



