220 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 



I 



fusion on the dvy sand, in no way- 

 affected by the awful drouth of this 

 memorable summer. 



Froai all this it appears that, although 

 the Muskoka District is adapted chiefly 

 to cattle and sheep raising, yet there 

 may always be a sufficient quantity of 

 fruits grown for home uses, and for the 

 supply of the near markets, an object 

 worthy of the consideration of those 

 who reside in that district. 



FRUIT GROWING IN MUSKOKA. 

 A LETTER FROM BRACEBRIDGE. 



Sir, — I am but a beginner in small 

 fruit growing, and climbing the hill 

 very slowly, as I have to learn as I go, 

 and having very slender means at my 

 command, I find it indeed a very slow 

 job ; but both my wife and I are great 

 lovers of horticulture, so we stick to it. 



Now I find the strawberry wonder- 

 fully adapted to this country, I have 

 the Crescent, Wilson and Sharpless, 

 and they all produce bountifully. In 

 its wild state, I have picked straw- 

 berries in the bush this summer fully 

 as large as moderate Wilsons, much 

 more handsome and better flavored, but 

 somewhat late. Currants of all kinds 

 do well ; the red and white seem to suf- 

 fer most, as they are attacked in the 

 spring with a little green worm or 

 caterpillar, but one or two applica- 

 tions of white hellebore is sufficient to 

 fi-ee them. That is all they suffer with 

 that I can see, and they also give us lots 

 of fruit. I have a few gooseberries, 

 " Houghton Seedling ; " they are also 

 attacked by the same worm as currants, 

 and same treatment lieljis them. They 

 were loaded this year. T have picked 

 wild gooseberries also in the bush this 

 year, fully an inch long, dark red to 

 purple and of splendid flavor, the only 

 objection is the long tough prickly 



hairs. Raspberries, red, black and 

 white, glow in abundance on all burnt 

 places, and around meadows and roads, 

 free to all, and in fact are sometimes 

 woise than weeds. The ])lum is 

 successfully grown, I can't tell you the 

 species, there are several kinds and all 

 make splendid preserves. Blackberries 

 and cranljerries also grow wild, as does 

 the liuckleberry. The crab apple seems 

 to be at home here ; it is a splendid 

 sight to see the ti'ees with tlieir beauti- 

 ful fruit, and in such immense quanti- 

 ties, loaded year after year. Rhubarb 

 is grown largely, and in fact at the height 

 of the season it becomns so plentiful 

 that there is actually no sale for it here. 



I have made enquiries, and find that 

 there are certain apples which seem to 

 thrive well here, amongst them are the 

 Wealthy and Tetolsky am! some others, 

 of which I do not know the names. 

 Thei'e are some grapes grown in and 

 around Bracebridge. I have a Niagara 

 planted this spring, it has grown thi'ee 

 feet ; got it as premium with Horticul- 

 turst ; hope it will succeed. We also 

 have wild black cherries, but am told 

 that tame ones do not do well. 

 Yours trulv, 



J. COVILL THOMPSON. 



Bracebridge, Muskoka. 



A LETTER FROM BALA. 



Sir, — In answer to yours asking 

 what fruits we can grow at Bala, and 

 what wild fruits grow here, I beg to 

 say that the ibllowing varieties of 

 a])ples are fruiting here : Tetofsky, 

 Early Harvest, Haas, and Oldenburg 

 (Red Astrachan and Wealthv have not, 

 yet fruited). Pears will not grow 

 here. I do not know anyone who has 

 ])lums, except wild ones. Raspberries : 

 Turner, Cuthbert, Niagara, Gregg and 

 Shaffer's Colossal, but I don't know if the 

 lattei- has borne yet. All kinds of cur- 

 rants and American gooseberries suc- 

 ceed. 



Wild fruits here are raspberries, 



