CA JVA DIA i\ IK) irriCUL TURIST. 



197 



tects the fruit jig;iiii.st bruises, ami 

 provides an absorbCiit for any moisture 

 exhaled by the fruit. 



Yankee ingenuity, which provides us 

 with so many labor-saving devices, is 

 also promising to ligliteu the labor of 

 apple picking. A New Vork State 

 fruit-grower has invented an apparatus 

 constructed chiefly of canvas, somewhat 



like an inverted umbrella, into which 

 the fruit is shaken from the tree. A 

 small aperture empties the fruit into 

 the Vjaskets. We must confess our 

 fears about thus shaking off our finest 

 apples, but at the same time hope that 

 sonu^ speedier mode may soon prove 

 connnendable, in place of the present 

 slow proce.ss. 



VICTORIA PARK, NIAGARA FALLS. 



HV T. 1IOYE8 I'A.S" 



IT AVING had a desire to spend a 

 1 portion of my sunnner vacation 

 in the study of practical botany, a few 

 weeks ago I proceeded to Niagara 

 Falls, believing that conditions are pre- 

 sent there which are likely to develop a 

 varied flora. Making headquarters in 

 the vicinity of the Victoria Park, from 

 day to day, for some weeks, excursions 

 were made, not only by myself, but 

 others who became interested in this 

 popular study. To our surprise we 

 found our expectation more than real- 

 ized. Flower after flower was found, 

 that is not obtained in the interior of 

 the Province. Scarcely a trip was 

 made without a new acquisition to our 

 herbarium. No tield was more produc- 

 tive than our Provincial park, in which 

 an exceedingly varied collection of wild 

 plants is found. This beautiful resort 

 possesses conditions admirably suited 

 for the development of plant life, a 

 varied soil, suitable temperature and 

 continual moisture from the ceaseless 

 rising mists, which fall and bathe con- 

 tinually the vegetable forms near the 

 Falls. 



In one week upwards of 200 species 

 of plants were obtained, and I have 

 reason to believe 400 could be dis- 

 covered. 



Our visit being made in Julv, most 



of the species ol)tained are in bloom 

 during that month, consequently many 

 of the spring flowers were not to be 

 seen, and the comprehensive group of 

 Asters had not appeared. 



Surrounded by such attractive con- 

 ditions, the idea at once was suggested 

 to me, that here we had a most magnifl- 

 cent combination of things suited for 

 the practical study of botany, that here 

 fatigued teachers could repair in vaca- 

 tion, and while becoming reinvigorated 

 for approaching duties, resting beneath 

 the attractive shade-trees of the Park, 

 they could be mastering a subject, 

 which, above all others, should be 

 taught in a practical way. Here in 

 the shade you will always find it cool, 

 no matter how intensely the sun may 

 shine. It certainly is warm in the sun, 

 but that makes the shade more fully 

 enjoyed, and also explains the marvel- 

 lous outburst of plant life in Victoria 

 Park. Would it not be worth while 

 for the park commissioners to have the 

 gardener make a collection of these 

 plants as they bloom each month ? 

 These could be put in an herbarium, 

 named, and so arranged that access 

 to them could be obtained for refer- 

 ence, and thus students of botany be 

 greatly assisted, while spending a vaca- 

 tion at the Falls. Our park would 



