102 THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 



thirdly, the proper kinds to cultivate under the different climatic conditions, 

 and also to specify the mode of culture on the many varieties of soil, and 

 the kin<ls most suitable to each ; fourthly, the absolute necessity of 

 thoroughly fencing the orchard, and of allowing no animal inside of the 

 gate larger than a hog, to graze ; fifthly, and lastly, an orchard should be 

 well drained, either under -drained or surface-drained. No grain of the 

 •cereal kind should be allowed at any time ; and after coming into regular 

 bearing, the rule should be invariable, to he content with one crop. 



Now, my dear sir, you may think me impertinent in thus addressing 

 you on a subject which I so very imperfectly understand, and what I do 

 know was acquired under very disadvantageous circumstances. Having 

 never seen you but once, two years ago, when I was sent to select an 

 •orchard for a gentleman in the county of Simcoe, I was very unfortunate 

 at the time, having caught a severe cold, which made ine so hoarse I could 

 not converse with you on my old hohhy. I need hardly say how disap- 

 pointed I was when I could neither ask nor answer a question. 



My reason for thus addressing you is to suggest that something should 

 l>e done to awaken public interest in a matter of so much importance to the 

 welfare of the horticultural department in Ontario, which under scientific 

 •culture would be second to none, at least in apple cultivaticn, not even 

 leaving out the plums. 



Thos. Coutes. 



DOUGALL'S NEW SEEDLING LILACS. 



BY JAMES DOUGALL, WINDSOR, ONT. 



You kindly copied into the January number of the Canadian 

 Horticulturist, for 1879, an article of mine from the New York 

 Witness, on " Raising new and line fruits, &c., from seed," in which 

 mention of these lilacs was made. 



I now send you cut blooms of some of the best, which T have so 

 far thouglit worthy of naming ; but quite a number of others, out of 

 several thousand seedlings — some of which have only bloomed this 

 year for the -first time — are nearly equally good. 



I cannot add much to the above mentioned article, but as propa- 

 gators of new varieties are apt to think too highly of their own, I wish 

 you to be able to judge whether the descriptions given previously 

 were too highly colored or not. You will, therefore, confer a favor by 

 <^iving your opinion of the different varieties sent. Some of them were 

 past their best, and others were taken from plants more or less stunted 

 from being lately transplanted, so that tlie spikes of flowers were not 

 as large or high-colored as if grown to perfection, or as they were in 

 former years. " Queen Victoria" and " Princess Louise" were only 

 half their xisual size from this cause. 



Note.— Owing to the pressure of engagements, we were not able to 

 take special notes of each variety. TheDouble Purple attracted us by the 



