Thf: Canadian Horticiti.titkist. 85 



PROFnWBl.K \ARIKriES OK CCRRAN'TS AND ( KX )S1:1;I:K Kl ES. 



SiK, — I wish to plant from one to two thonsand currant and gooseberry plants between 

 the trees in my young plum orchard. The soil is partly black and fairly well under-drained. 

 Would you name the best varieties for profit. 



L. (i. Carter, Port Colborne, Ont. 



Here again much (It'i^eticls upon the marktl and the patieiue and skill of the 

 cultivator in putting up the fruit for sale. ^Vhere one has plenty of time to 

 devote to it, and much taste in handling the fruit, he may succeed best with 

 such varieties of currants as the Cherry, which is very large but does not yield 

 very heavy crops to the acre. But, in general, we would recommend among 

 currants for market, the Victoria and Fay's as two of the most profitable-of the 

 red varieties. Of the black currants, we are not yet satisfied that Lee's Prolific 

 is any great ad\antage over the old IMack Naples and Black Champion. Black 

 currants sell well in the markets, but, on some soils, they are very scant bearers. 

 On soils such as our correspondent speaks of they should succeed well. Of goose- 

 berries, the three best varieties we know of, for ijlantine in Ontario for market 

 are the Downing, Pearl and Triumph. Should our correspondent be able to 

 overcome the mildew, it would certainly pay him well to grow some of the 

 English varieties, such as Crown Bob and Whitesmith. 



FERTILIZERS FOR THE GARDEN. 



Sir, — Which fertilizers do you prefer for the garden ? I am at a loss to know which to 

 order, there are so many kinds offered. I have about an acre in cultivation, chiefly planted 

 with grapes and peaches. 



\Y.M. McMuRR.A^v, The Rectory, Niar/ara. 



For the garden nothing is better than barnyard manure, which contains all 

 the principal elements required for rendering the land fertile, viz., phosphoric 

 acid, potash, and nitrogen. But, since one cannot always procure this in 

 sufficient quantity, commercial fertilizers are exceedingly desirable, and, in many 

 cases, the more economical. 



For the vineyard and peach orchard, we have found pota.sh and phosphoric 

 acid to be particularly beneficial. Much nitrogen seems to encourage too free 

 growth of wood and leaves. We have had good success in a liberal use of wood 

 ashes for the supply of potash, and in the use of phosphates for the supply of 

 phosphoric acid. Forty bushels of wood ashes to the acre is a moderate 

 fjuantity, and 100 pounds of phosi»hates is about the least that would be 

 desirable in a sinyle season. 



