THB CANADIAN H0RTICULTUBI8T. 



two for wood, or three of each, even 

 four, and the fruiting branches long 

 according to the vigor of the vine. 



Another point is to give a good shape 

 to the vine, to distribute well the bear- 

 ing canes and spurs, to have a good 

 distribution of the fruit, and conse- 

 quently a good ripening. 



Before pruning especially the young 

 vines, the vineyardist must have in 

 mind what shape he wants to give his 

 vines. He has to go over some vine- 

 yards and examine what shape suits 

 him best. A good plan is to pay a 

 visit, when he is pruning, to the neigh- 

 bor who has every year the best crops. 

 This one must have the best system. 



About the season of pruning, the 

 Spring is the best ; but pruning can 

 be done any time after the complete 

 fall of the leaves, provided the wood 

 is not frozen ; or any time during the 

 ■winter, when the weather is mUd. 



TheAlicanteGrape. — Mr. P.Barry 

 writes in the Rural- New- Yorker that 

 this grape, long known in European 

 collections, is large and handsome, and 

 valued for its free fruiting and good 

 keeping qualities. He has three vines 

 in a cold grapery which never fail to 

 give a heavy crop. The bunches weigh 

 from two to four pounds. The fruit, 

 however, is not more than second 

 quality. 



The Worden Grape. — Thei-e is a 

 good deal of discussion among our ex- 

 changes as to whether this gi'ape is 

 really earlier or better in quality than 

 the Concord. Our experience at Grims- 

 by on the south shore of Lake Ontario 

 for two years past is decidedly in its 

 favor in both these respects. We can 

 market it fully a week before our Con- 

 cords, and we find that when the Con- 

 cord comes in, dealers still offer one 

 or two cents more for Wordens on 

 account of quality. It does not equal 

 the Concord for quantity. 



A NEW ERA IN THE APPLE TRADE. 



This year may be regarded as the 

 commencement of a new era in the im- 

 port trade. The exhibitions that now 

 take place annually in London have 

 done much to foster competition be- 

 tween this country and America, but 

 the latest, and perhaps the most suc- 

 cessful, of the aeries — the Indian and 

 Colonial — has given the greatest prom- 

 ience to matters horticultural. The 

 British colonies are well represented 

 in every department, but in none more 

 so than in the fruit trade. 



Route. — This is a question of the 

 utmost importance, and although a 

 London house, we must say that the 

 Liverpool route is by far the best. Ship- 

 ments made from Now York, Boston, 

 Philadelphia, Montreal, or any other 

 ports to Liverpool at a through i-ate to 

 London reach us in a minimum of time 

 and therefore in better condition than 

 would otherwise be the case, while the 

 direct London route is subject to delay, 

 and an additional objection presents it- 

 self in the shape of heavy wharf and 

 lighterage expenses." — Draper & Son, 

 Convent Garden, London, Eng, 



THE VALUE OF FRUIT AS FOOD. 



Very few people are aware of the 

 value of fruit as an article of food. 

 Many persons look on fruit as a luxury, 

 whilst some shudder at the idea of it, 

 and conjure up internal tortures at the 

 name. Children, on the contrary, will 

 eat fruit at any time, and undergo much 

 discomfort to get it. It is elderly people, 

 or those past their first youth, who can- 

 not eat fruit and enjoy it. Cooked 

 food, highly seasoned meats, and alco- 

 holic liquors have spoiled their taste, 

 and in many instances a ripe strawberry 

 or plum would inconvenience them 

 sadly. But the person who values 

 health, and who knows little of the 

 value of fruit, will make it a point to 



