212 



CA ^'A DIA N IIORTIC UL TUEIST. 



QUESTION DRAWER. 



Hardiness of Climbers. 



90. Will Bignonia Radicans and Ampelopsis 

 Veitchii stand the climate here without being 

 covered in winter. If they need covering 

 what i.s the best material to cover with ? — L. F. 

 Selleck, Murrishurg, Dundas Co., Ont. 



Neither of these climbers is hardy 

 enough for Dundas county without 

 protection. Even at Grimsby the 

 young wood of the former is usually 

 more or less killed back every winter ; 

 but after a time it becomes a stout vine 

 and succeeds well here unprotected. 

 Ampelopsis Veitchii is perfectly hardy 

 here. At St Catharines, Mr. Dunlop 

 has a tine specimen climbing over a 

 brick wall; but at London, Ont., it is 

 reported tender. As the plant is soon 

 to be sent out for testing we hope to 

 know exactly how far north it will 

 succeed. Probably nothing is better 

 for protection than coarse strawy 

 manure, or leaves. 



Asparagus. 



91. Can an asparagus bed of four or five 

 years' standing be removed, and when is the 

 best time for doing it?-RoBT. Steed, Cole's 

 Corners. 



Reply by D. W. Beadle, St. Cut'uarincs, Ont. 

 Yes. Take up the roots in the fall 



t er the summer's growth is dead, 

 remove all the dead parts from the 

 roots, plant in the new bed and cover 

 with coarse manure from the horse - 

 stable to the depth of six inches. After 

 the weather has become settled in the 

 spring remove the coarse portions of 

 the manure, and fork the remainder in 

 between the rows of asparagus. 



soil is loam, with a hard clay subsoil, with open 

 cultivation. Distance 7x4 feet shaded some- 

 whac by fruit trees.— Robert Steed, Cole's 

 Corners (near Sarnia). 



Reply by Prof. Panton. 

 The canes .sent have been received. 

 Specimens of this nature have not 

 come under my observation before. 

 I cannot just now identify the fungus 

 which causes this diseased appearance 

 of the canes, but am inclined to attrib- 

 ute the trouble to a fungoid growth of 

 some kind. It is likely the raspberries 

 are not in a very vigorous condition 

 and while in this state the fungus finds 

 suitable surroundings for its growth. 

 The hard clay subsoil referred to in the 

 enquirer's note likely prevents proper 

 drainage and thus favors conditions 

 unsuitable for vigorous growtli. 



To bring about a healtliy state of 

 affairs 1 would suggest thorough cul- 

 tivation, good drainage and manure. 

 If the canes are much affected get rid 

 of them and introduce new as soon as 

 possible. Where plants are weak you 

 generally find them attacked by para- 

 sitic fungi, hence the necessity of a 

 healthy vigorous growth. 



Fungus on Raspberry Canes. 



92. Enclosed I send you three pieces ^ of 

 raspberry canes all diseased in the bark with 

 .something resembling rust in wheat. Two of 

 the pieces are canes of this year's growth, one 

 ^showing the conmencement of the disease in 

 spots near the ground, another shows it spread- 

 ing over .ill the cane, which becomes a light 

 .steel-blue color. The other is a cane of last 

 year which bears a few tasteless berries. What 

 is the disease or is there any remedy ? The 



Wood Ashes. 



93. Will wood ashes injure a tree, if put 

 close to the stem ?— W. W. R., Toronto. 



Yes ; if fresh unleached wood ashes 

 is piled against the trunk of young 

 trees it will burn through it, and pos- 

 sibly kill it. As a fertilizer the ashes 

 should be scattered about the tree 

 evenly at least as far each way as the 

 branches extend. 



Protecting Grapes from Frost. 



94 When seasons are wet here, we are sub- 

 ject to frosts that kill grapes early in 

 Sept. Could you tell me where tarred paper 

 could be bought suitable for covering vines at 

 night ? Would you explain in next No. of 

 Horticultukist about above and starting 

 smoke on frosty nights in vineyard, same as 

 they have to do in northern France and 

 Germany. — R. Gillies, Williamsburg. 



