The Canadian Horticulturist 



303 



is an excellent berry and very productive ; 

 it has the advantage of being hardier than 

 the Cuthbert, but it is too soft to be a 

 good shipper. The Brandywine is one of 

 the best in this latter particular, being a 

 very firm berry, good color and very pro- 

 ductive. In quality, however, it is inferior. 



The Shaffer is on the border land between 

 the red and the black varieties. It is well 

 worthy of your testing. We find it very 

 productive and unsurpassed for canning 

 purposes. 



In the black raspberries, you can plant 

 no better than the Hilborn and the Gregg. 



STRAWBERRIES IN MATTED ROWS. 



81. Sir, — If strawberries form a matted 

 row, should the runners be cut off? — G. S., 

 Burnhamthorpe . 



There is no doubt that a judicious thin- 

 ning out of the runners will well reward the 

 cultivator for his trouble, but practically a 

 large number of our growers are neglectful 

 in this respect. The runners should be al- 

 lowed to grow the first season until the row 

 has reached a width of eight or ten inches. 

 After this, unless new plants are needed, 

 the runners should be kept cut off. By this 

 means the plants can be much better culti- 

 vated with both the hoe and the cultivator 

 than if they were allowed to cover a greater 

 width of ground. 



GRAPE BASKETS AND MARKETING. 



82. Sir, — I understood, when at a meet- 

 ing of the Association, that some arrange- 

 ments were made with manufacturers so 

 that baskets could be got at a less price. 

 Would you kindly inform me name of 

 manufacturer and where you think the best 

 baskets can be had ? They are for grapes. 

 Also any information about marketing. 

 This is the first year my vines have borne, 

 and I have had no experience. My Nia- 

 garas are loaded, and other kinds not quite up 

 to them. Have 2,200 vines ; 1,000 Niagara, 

 others Brighton, Worden, Moore's Early, 

 Vergennes, Rogers 43 and 44, and Dela- 

 ware. I have no idea how many I may 

 have, but others who have seen them say I 

 should have 2,000 baskets or more. If you 

 know the names of reliable men in the trade 

 that I might correspond with as to selling, 

 and size of baskets, any information you 

 can give me will be thankfully received. 

 R. T. Wilson, Braeside Vineyards, Dundas. 



The Ontario Fruit Growers' Association 

 has made no such bargain as the one re- 

 ferred to, but the best makers often exhibit 

 their work at our meetings, and advertise in 

 the columns of our journal. We feel con- 

 fident, therefore, that our correspondent 

 will get baskets both good and cheap from 

 these firms, as, indeed, the writer, who uses 

 a large quantity every year, can testify. 

 We can speak much in the same way regard- 

 ing the firms who advertise with us as fruit 

 merchants, and would advise writing to 

 them with regard to the size of basket best 

 suited to the market chosen. The best way 

 to sell is, no doubt, by dealing directly with 

 retail merchants ; but when one has much 

 fruit to gather and pack for market it be- 

 comes next to impossible to pay proper at- 

 tention to the selling ; and, therefore, we 

 usually place that part of the business in 

 the hands of commission men, even if we 

 must take a little less price. 



FRUIT EVAPORATORS. 



83. Sir, — Could you inform me, through 

 the next issue of the Horticulturist, if 

 fruit evaporators are manufactured in Can- 

 ada ? What firm would you recommend, 

 and what evaporator is considered the best ? 

 — Thos. Moyse, Central Bcdeque, P.E.I. 



We have at hand only two catalogues of 

 fruit evaporators, and these are both Ameri- 

 can, one of Lhem being issued by the Zim- 

 merman Machine Co., Cincinnati, Ohio, 

 and the other by the American Manufactur- 

 ing Co., Waynesboro', Pa.; and these will, 

 no doubt, both send you catalogues on ap- 

 plication. We shall be glad to hear of any 

 good Canadian evaporator, and introduce it 

 to our readers, many of whom are inquiring 

 about this method of saving fruit that would 

 otherwise be waste. 



THE BROWN ROT OF THE GRAPE. 



85. Sir, — I send you enclosed bunch of 

 grapes which appear to suffer from a blight 

 from some cause. What is it, and can you 

 suggest a remedy ? If so, please refer to it 

 in your next month's paper. — R. Kirk, 

 Toronto. 



The grapes which you send are affected 

 with the brown rot, a disease which, in 



