'28 THE CANADIAX HOKTICULTURISt. 



As I have grown the Zinnia for a number of years-, I will also give nay 

 experience. Now, I have found the seed of the Zinnia to be very 

 variable in quality. Plants raised from seed sa^^'ed from the same 

 plant have produced flowers, some of which were as fine and beautiful 

 as ever I saw, while others were poor, worthless things. And I have 

 observed the same thing both iri imported seed and seed of my own 

 growing. If there is Zinnia seed which will uniformly give good 

 flowers, without any mixture of poor, worthless ones, I have never' 

 had any of it. The best Zinnias which I ever raised — and I have 

 raised some very fine ones — were grown in deep, rich soil, well culti- 

 vated, and occasionally watered with soap suds. In my experience, 

 the only difference between rich and poor soil is, the rich soil, as a 

 matter of course, produces larger plants, and consequently more flowers. 

 My practice is, when the plants begin to flower, to pull up and destroy 

 those which produce only poor flowers. 



FIG CULTUEE AT THE NOETH A SUCCESS. 



BY G. r. NEEDHAM, WASHINGTON', D. C. 



To demonstrate the entire practicability of fig culture in these 

 '<;limates, I place on record two letters. The first is from my revered 

 instructor, Gen. Worthington, who for fifty years has been the pioneer 

 fig culturist of the north. He says : — 

 "G. F. Needham, Esq., 



"Dear Sir ; * * * Fresh figs have for many years constituted an important 

 part of my summer and autumn diet, and I am glad that the propagation and 

 dissemination of this tine old fruit is in such good and zealous hands as yours, for I 

 am too old to do much in what I consider the good cause of growing semi-tropical 

 fruits cheaply in our climate, though I know that it toill he done sooner or later. So I 

 cheerfully hand over the business to other and younger hands." 



" Very respectfully, 

 "CMlicothe, 0.,1879. "J AS. T. WORTHINGTON." 



The second letter is from a competent and disinterested witness, 

 the manager of John Hopkins' estate, near Baltimore. 



Clifton Garden, Baltimore Co., 2Srd October, 1819. 



"Dear Sir: — I have read your pamphlet, "Fig Culture," etc., with much 

 interest, and I fully endorse the instructions you give. I have no doubt but that 

 your expectations about the general culture of the fig will be realized. I have grown 

 figs here over twenty years, without missing a crop ; aud the demand for them (at 

 $10 per bushel, N.) is far beyond the supply." 



"Yours truly, 



"WILLIAM FOWLER.'* 



