CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 



Coal Tar as an Insecticide. — Mr 

 P. Bennett says in the Gardeners^ 

 Monthly, that this is a valuable insec- 

 ticide, and that a valuable powder may 

 be made by running a quantity into a 

 pile of tine sand, until the sand takes 

 up all it will absorb. This powder may 

 be kept for years without losing its 

 value. Shaken over the floor of the 

 poultry-house, no vermin will remain 

 to annoy the fowls. It will drive away 



the .s(juash bug and any otiier species 

 of hymenoptera in short order. It 

 should not, how ever, be applied to the 

 leaves of the plants. 



Aphis on Chrysanthemums. — We 

 have tried Persian Insect Powder for 

 this pest with good results ; but the 

 most approved method of destroying 

 them is by use of tobacco smoke, if in 

 a closed place, or tobacco water syringed 

 upon the leaves. 



QUESTION DRAWER. 



Best Use of a Bopdep. 



16. Can you tell me what is the best use to 

 make of a border about 5 or 6 feet wide ou 

 the west side of a stone wall running north 

 and south and about 8 or 9 feet high ? An 

 answer through the Horticulturist will do. 

 — Derfla. 



Without seeing the border, or know- 

 ing the kind of soil, the question is a 

 difficult one to answer. We would 

 recommend grape vines planted eight 

 or ten feet apart in a row down the 

 middle of the border, or dwarf pear 

 trees similarly planted. 



Stpawbeppy Leaves Cupling Up. 



17. What is the cause of my Sharpless and 

 Crescent Seedling leaves curling up and be- 

 coming dry ? They look as if an insect had 

 sucked the sap from them.^ — J. C. Oilman, 

 Fredericlon, N. B. 



We could not give any reliable an- 

 swer without seeing samples of the 

 affected leaves. 



The Northern Spy. 



18. Is the Northern Spy a highly colored 

 apple ? I have some but they do not color 

 much. Would our short seasons prevent 



hem from coloring. My trees are thrifty 

 and hardy ; well pruned and thinned in the 

 top. I should like to grow more of them, if 

 they made a better appearance. — J. C. G., 

 Fredericlon, N.B. 



With us in Southern Ontario, the 

 Northern Spy takes on beautifully rich 

 shades of purplish red under favorable 



conditions. That is, it'must be allowed 

 to hang later than most other varieties, 

 and needs plenty of sunshine. In the 

 shade, they lack color, and on poor soil 

 the fruit is imperfect and knotty. We 

 would suppose the Spy rather tender 

 for New Brunswick, and that such fine, 

 hardy varieties as Wealthy, Winter St. 

 Lawrence, and Scotfs Winter would 

 give you greater satisfaction. 



Asparagus. 



19. Please tell me how to manure and cul- 

 tivate asparagus when the bed is 3 or 4 years 

 old, without disturbing the roots, or does it 

 make any difiference ? — A. J. C, Listovel, 

 Onl. 



REPLY BY .T. A. BRUCE, HAMILTON, ONT. 



■Asparagus. 



I WOULD advise " Subscriber," about 

 the middle of October to clean off all 

 the dead stalks and weeds from his 

 asparagus bed, and top-dress very lib- 

 erally with old rotten manure, and leave 

 for the winter. As early as the ground 

 can be worked in the spring, give an 



