M THE CANADIAN lIOllTICULl'URlST. 



growth. On th\s 2-3rd the temperature stoDiA at 75°, aiid on the 24th 

 it was literally cold and snowing. The rest of the month we had 

 fte6!2il\g weather. Apparently as a consequence of all this, scarce an 

 t>rchard or garden in this section escaped the blight last Summer. The 

 Flemish Beauty of course suffered most. Many trees in their prime 

 Were nearly destroyed. Bartlets and J^eckels went almost unscathed. 



In my own garden not one of my sixteen trees, embracing both 

 ^warf and standard, Were touched, while jiist over the fence in all 

 directions were blighted trees. I have been casting about in my own 

 blind for a reason fot this singular exemption. It was not that my 

 trees were of varieties not subject to blight, for among them were 

 several Flemish Beatifies. It was not that they were too young, 

 ■(though they have hf^tdly begun to bear,) for els o where were trees as 

 .young or younger bligp.ted. It was not becausi' H'cy stood in cultivated 

 groundv for in garden ?.nd sward trees suft'ered alike. It was not that 

 my soil was drier and Snore congenial, for it is not underdrained. The 

 ■Only difference of which I am aware in the treatment of my own and 

 the surrounding trees, is that mine have regularly received the caustic 

 •ashes from the household fires. These have been scattered to the 

 extent of a^Cuttle full at a time around each tree, and the process 

 has been repeated several times in the year. Is this the cause of my 

 exemption from blight ? While aware Of the danger of insufficient 

 data and hasty generalization I can conjecture no other. If unleached 

 ashes a5re, to some extent at least, a prophylactic against the blightj 

 how do they act ? Not, I apprehend, as a specific antidote to the 

 poisonoi'is virus. It? it not rather that they engender such a healthy 

 ■habi*t of constitutioti that no appropriate nidus for the baneful germs 

 of the blight is found ? 



I present this case with all diffidence, presuming upon the invi- 

 tation you have extended to your readers to send communications on 

 matters of common ititerest, and hope that it may serve to elicit the 

 views of more experronced readers of the Horticulturist upon this 

 vexed matter. 



There is muc'h Mv(ii:k to be done in the fruit garden that may be 

 preparatory to the busy time of spring. All such work as the getting 

 ^eady of the trellises *and supports of jgrape vifies, raspberries, etc., 

 iiiay be 'done now with great advantage. 



