THE CANADIAN IIORTICULTUUIST. 157 



j»iirticularly when small, thriving in all soils, very hardy, a good grower, 

 retaining its branches to the ground, and capable of being cut and 

 trimmed in any desired manner. W. McK. Ross mentioned the Arbor 

 Vitie and the Scotch and Austrian Pines. John Bartlett had found 

 the English Thorn to make an excellent hedge. 



Tlie scraping of the bark of apple trees was thought by James 

 Dougall to be injurious, but an alkaline wash beneficial, sucli as thin 

 soft soap, whicli he thought better than lime. T. C. Wheatley thought 

 that healthy trees did not need scraping, the rough bark would drop off. 

 W. Saunders thought the scraping off of the rough bark was useful, 

 because by that means so many insects were dislodged and killed, 

 especially the larvae and cocoons of the Codlin Moth, while the tree, he 

 thought, was not injured by taking it off. 



Conflicting opinions were expressed concerning the Robin, Cedar 

 iUrd, Red-Headed Woodpecker, and Baltimore Oriole, which have a 

 bad habit of eating cherries, ripe apples, pears, and grapes ; some feel- 

 ing it to be a great hardship that they are prohibited by law from 

 shooting them even on their own premises. 



There was a fine display of fruits and flowers, by the Sarnia Horti- 

 cultural Society, in the hall just above the room in which the meeting 

 was held. Among the apples were very fine samples of Alexander, 

 I ; ravenstein, St. Lawrence, Porter, and other well known sorts, besides 

 many that seemed to be peculiar to this section of country. In pears, 

 the Flemish Beauty seemed to be the general favorite, judging from 

 the number of dishes of this variety. The peaches were very fine 

 showy samples. Plums were not as abundant as we expected to see 

 them, but the samples were good. There were some very good bunches 

 of Concord, Delaware, and other grapes. We noticed a plate of black 

 grapes labeled "Seneca," but not having an opportunity of tasting them, 

 can not say whether they were the same as the Hartford Prolific, as 

 Downing seems to think, or not. The flowers were a very attractive 

 feature. Some pots of dwarf boquet Asters attracted much attention, 

 from their uniquely beautiful appearance. The Dahlias were very fine, 

 both in form and coloring. The Double Geraniums, Jewel, Marie 

 Lemoine, and Andrew Henderson were remarkably well grown and in 

 fine feather. A few well grown plants of Happy Thought were very 

 much admired. The collection of Begonias, both of the Flowering and 

 Rex sections, was very attractive. Among the Coleus were some 



