CA NA DIA N UORTICUL TURIS T. 



201 



of packages of Malaga (Wliiti; Ham 

 l)urg) grapes. So far as is known, tlie 

 valuable packing material (cork thist), 

 in which these grapes usually come, is 

 not returned to the trans-Atlantic vine 

 yardists to be used a second time, noi' 

 is it applied to any specially useful 

 purpose here. Sometimes it is ruth 

 lessly burned ; generally it is wasted. 

 Yet this substance has been found to 

 be as reliable and useful a preservative 

 of our own native grapes, as of the im- 

 ported sort. Of course the stems and 

 peduncles of the bunches will wilt some- 

 what, and turn a dark coloi", as do also 

 those of the fonrign variety, but the 

 fruit itself will, when put away in this 

 material in good condition, continue 

 sound, and in unimpaired quality for a 

 long time. When this packing material 

 is at hand, and it can, as yet, be secured 



without mucli difliculty, the keeping of 

 grapes l)y this method, especially for 

 family u.se, is attended with .so litth* 

 care and trouble that tho.se who admire 

 this fruit should not fail to avail tliem- 

 .selves of the opportunity atibrded for 

 practising it. Tlie writer, by way of 

 e.vperiment, has tried keeping grapes 

 in this way during the present winter, 

 and as it has succeedeil beyond all his 

 e.\pectation.s, hopes to repeat it next 

 sea.son and thereafter .so long as cork 

 dust can be had by asking for it. The 

 varieties put away were chiefly Gcethe 

 (Rogers No. 1) and Montgomery, a 

 half-haidy white grape of indifferent 

 ([uality, but which seems to keep well. 

 At the date of this writing (Jan. 12th) 

 the bunches of this latter sort remain 

 unbroken, while the berries are as per- 

 fect as when they were put away. — 

 Montreal Witness. 



STRAWBERRIES. 



Bulletin No. 5 



of the Ohio ivvpcriment Station gives 

 the following result of tests made with 

 the varieties named : 



liubach. — ^The most luxuriant in foli- 

 age of all varieties tested. It was, how- 

 ever, .somewhat disappointing in fruit, 

 the quantity seemingly being less than 

 such plants ought to produce. The 

 (juality is rather poor, and towards the 

 last of the season tiie berries do 

 not make a good appearance in the 

 basket. On the whole, however, it is a 

 remarkable variety, and possesses 

 sufficient good (jualities to win for 

 it a permanent place on the list of 

 profitable market sorts. It can hardly 

 take high rank for family purposes, 

 but as a market variety it will prove to 

 l)e valuable, and may be planted with 

 safety by commercial groweis. It 

 ripens the main part of its crop ratiier 

 late. It withstands diought well. 



Crescent. — In most .sections this is 

 still regarded as the most piofitable of 



the old varieties. It is the standard here 

 both for productiveness and earliness. 



Cumberland. — Too well known to 

 require an extended notice. It can be 

 t oconunended for private growers only, 

 not being sufficiently productive for 

 market purposes. 



Covell. — This variety is about one 

 picking earlier than the Crescent, and 

 deserves trial by those who find early 

 berries profitable. It will thrive on 

 light soil, hence could be grown on 

 gravelly or sandy south(>rn exposures, 

 where it would ripen nearly two weeks 

 in advance of most varieties. It yields 

 the bulk of its crop at two pickings, 

 after which the berries are too small to 

 be marketable, even with good cultiva- 

 tion. It is not a profitable market 

 variety, except as indicated, or possibly 

 for forcing. 



Itn.'icn. — All that can be desired as 

 to productiveness and quality, but the 

 berries are too small for it to become a 

 profitable market variety. 



