28 



CA XA DIA N HORTICUL TURIST. 



used other trees in that way for fences, 

 and I find the plan works well, if I 

 tirst nail a narrow strip up the trunk 

 of the tree, and drive the staple into 

 that. What 



PINES 



do you esteem most highly '? " 



"The Austrian and the Scotch pines 

 I consider most desirable, they are so 

 hardy, succeed so generally, the dark 

 foliage is so handsome, that they are 

 much used in parks and pleasure 

 grounds. But the prettiest pine for a 



private lawn, 1 know of, is Pinus Cetn- 

 bra, which you noticed in the October 

 No. of The Canadian Horticultur- 

 ist for 1887. There on my lawn you 

 see two specimens. Their pyramidal 

 form and silvery green foliage combine 

 in making them great favorites." 



After receiving the kindest hospital- 

 ity at his home, tlie writer parted from 

 Mr. Leslie, having enjoyed a most 

 profitable visit, to the advantage, we 

 hope, of the readers of these columns.. 



ADVICE ABOUT NEW FRUITS. 



.lOlIX LITTLE, GRAN'TOX, ONT. 



I AM interested in tlie small fruit 

 growing, especially the straw- 

 berry, and in taking a number of 

 horticultural papers, Canadian and Am- 

 erican, I come across articles of corres- 

 pondence containing a good deal of 

 sense and nonsense too. 



Every year there appears to be great . 

 excitement among the nurserymen" 

 over the discovery of a new straw- 

 berry, raspberry, blackberry, grape or 

 currant. It is generally said to have 

 originated ten or twelve years ago on 

 some cold, rocky bai-ren place, or on 

 the northeast corner of some hill-top. 

 It yields enormously of the " most 

 luscious, sprightly, subacid fruit," is 

 worm, bug, fly, and weathei'proof ; and 

 is immensely superior to any thing of 

 the kind now under cultivation. 

 Baskets of the choicest fruit are sent 

 to prominent horticulturists, whose 

 letters returning thanks for the favoi', 

 be they ever so guarded and carefully 

 worded, are deftly sandwiched between 

 the testimonials of interested paities, 

 and published as eulogiums. 



Sometimes a new fruit is kept before 

 the public by every means known and 

 unknown for three or four years before 



it is offered for sale. Tlie plants in the- 

 meantime are increased and multiplied 

 by all the most rapid methods known 

 to horticulturists, when the manipula- 

 tors think the public appetite is suffi- 

 ciently whetted, they suddenly and 

 with great blai'e of trumpets spring 

 their stock on the market, sell out at 

 incredible prices, pocket the funds, 

 then quietly return to private life and 

 enjoy themselves. The fruit may be 

 well adapted to a small section of the 

 country, and worthless elsewhere ; and 

 in two or three years it may be bought 

 cheap as the cheapest. Occasionally a 

 variety is introduced that really is 

 superior in some respects to any we 

 have, and is adapted to a wide range 

 of country. By far the largest portion 

 of new sorts, are only adapted to cer- 

 tain localities or particular soils. 



The only sure means of ascertaining 

 which is best is by testing them, and this 

 may be easily and cheaply done. In 

 the first place, do not buy five-dollar 

 grape vines ; do not throw away money 

 on blackberry and raspberry plants at 

 one dollar each ; do not squander your 

 money on currant and gooseberry 

 plants, at even seventy -five cents each. 



