266 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 



The tree is unique among weepers in 

 one respect, that is in having a per- 

 fectly upright leader, from which the 

 opposite pendulous branches curve 

 downward most gracefully of their own 

 accord ; this charactei'istic is shown in 

 the illustration, which was drawn from 

 a three-year old tree, grafted near the 

 gi'ound, and allowed to follow its own 

 habit, without any aid whatever from 

 string or pruning knife. 



The Red-osier Dogwood (C. Stoloni- 

 fera) is quite common in the Niagara 

 district growing wild in damp places, 



and forming dense clumps. It is only a 

 shrub, growing from three to six feet 

 high, and very ornamental even when 

 stripped of its foliage, on account of its 

 smooth, bright red-purple branches, 

 the annual shoots of which are like 

 the osier or basket willow in habit of 

 growth. Its berries are white and 

 fewer in number than those of the tree 

 above described. It is easily propa- 

 gated by layers, and we see no reason 

 why this shrub should not have a place 

 among our ornamentals, especially 

 where hardiness is a virtue. 



THE JEWEL. 



On page 127 Mr. Wm. Mead Pattison 

 wrote of the persistent and successful 

 labors of Mr. John Burr, of Leaven- 

 worth, Kansas, U.S., in producing 

 varieties of grapes of superior quality 

 and earliness, capable of resisting the 

 severe climatic changes of northern 

 sections. Three of his new varieties 

 of black grapes are there commended 

 as giving great promise, viz., the Stand- 

 ard, the Ideal, and the Jewel. Of the 

 latter, by favor of Messrs. Stayman & 

 Black, of Leavenworth, we are able 

 this month to give our readers an en- 

 graving said to be made from a photo- 



graph of a medium sized bunch and 

 berry. 



It is claimed for this grape that it is 

 an extra early black grape of superior 

 excellence ; that it colors quite as early 

 if not earlier than the Champion, and 

 that it is ripe soon after commencing to 

 color ; that in quality it is nearly equal 

 to the Delaware, and in appeai'ance 

 very attractive, being jet black with a 

 handsome delicate bloom. It is also 

 claimed to be quite hardy. 



From all that we can learn of this 

 grape we believe we are justified in re- 

 commending it for trial in Canada. 



FRUIT IN NORTH SIMCOE. 



By G. C. Gaston, Craigiiurst, Director for Agricultural Diviginn No. IJ. 



*^VOW that the fruit season is over, I 

 JlSf herewith send you a short report on 

 " thefruits in this locality during the 

 season of 1887. Strawberries showed 

 a profusion of bloom and encountered 

 no frosts, but we had a very dry spell 



of weather in May that retarded the 

 growth. Still there was a fair average 

 crop ; I think in most places rather 

 more than an average. But the hot, 

 sultry weather of July caused the latest 

 berries to ripen prematurely, and ren- 



