320 The Canadian Horticulturist. 



turn trip. Hundreds of people go to the park annually to " rest " from their 

 idleness at home, but the industrious fruit farmer toils on heedless of their 

 near presence. To my mind and taste his enjoyment is greater than theirs, 

 and if he rightly enjoys his calling, his reward is certainly greater, for the 

 fruit of his industry is a vastly greater blessing to humanity. 



It would be profitless to speculate on the different formation periods that 

 contribute to the peculiarities of the Grimsby Valley, rendering it so 

 peculiarly adapted to vineyard and general fruit culture. The table land is 

 there, then the sudden and tremendous depression of hundreds of feet form- 

 ing the valley, so called, stretching away to the lake at the north. At the 

 foot of this abrupt ridge, commonly called the mountain, the soil is a deep 

 red clay loam,* its color indicating the presence of a high percentage of iron. 

 This soil is peculiarly adapted to grape growing and its fertility seems 

 almost inexhaustible, as its depth indicates the washings of iron from the 

 rocky crevices, and vegetable debris from the heights above, through incalcul- 

 able ages. As was said of the Nile Valley, all that this soil requires is to be 

 stirred with the hand of industry, and it will laugh in sweetness and bring 

 forth fruit abundantly. I noticed that many farmers were extending their 

 vineyards, owing, for the most part, to the failure, during the past few years, 

 of peach culture in the locality. Mr. M. Pettit will in a year or two more 

 have over fifty acres in bearing vine and proportionately less of peach and 

 apple orchard. Just why the peach tree should be so destructively attacked 

 by the yellows in this particular section, "while it enjoys an entire freedom 

 from the disease in the Niagara district, no one seems to be able yet to ex- 

 plain. But such is the fact. This one drawback, however, is likely to be 

 made up for in a few years by the increased production of grapes. This 

 year, while there is scarcely a peach in the whole Grimsby section, the grape 

 crop is an unusually abundant one. Of the different varieties grown in the 

 Grimsby vineyards and their comparative profitableness, I am not qualified 

 to speak ; nor am I of the fruits of the orchards which abound so plentifully 

 on every hand. But of the pleasure awaiting the visitor to the Grimsby 

 fruit section from what he may see and learn, and of the hospitality accord- 

 ed him b)' the dwellers in the favored valley, I can speak with the authority 

 of one who has had personal experience. 



Mitchell, Ont. T. H. RACE. 



ROTATION OF STRAWBERRY CROR 



yiR, — In your journal for September I have read the communication of 



"> Mr. Nichol, of Cataraqui, in which he writes under the question : 



"Can Strawberries be continually grown on the same land with profit?" 



After dealing fairly with the question, Mr. Nichol brings in, very strongly, 



* The prevailing soil in this fruit district is a deep, rich sandy loam. — Ed. 



