The Canadian Horticulturist. 125 



THE RUSSIAN MULBERRY. 



Sir,— Would you please give your opinion as to the hardiness of the Russian Mulberry, 

 and the quality of its fruit ? 



P., GrenviU,; N. S. 



Reply by Prof. Budd, of Ames, Iowa. 



I do not regard the Russian Mulberry valuable for either fruit or timber. 

 Our Horticultural Societies have voted that it was good for a prairie windbreak 

 in the part south of 42nd parallel, and to feed the birds. This about tells the 

 story. In Russia the foresters laughed when Mr. (libb asked about the value 

 of the mulberry for timber. They called it a bushy shrub of large size. Our 

 Native Red (morus rubra) is far more valuable for any use. 



SOIL FOR CHESNUT TREES. 



Sir, — My soil here is a heavy clay ; do you think the Japan chesnut would succeed 

 any better in such soil than the American variety ? I have planted the latter twice and 

 they will not grow. I have also tried the Japan chesnut, but without success. If you 

 think there is any hope of it, I would like to give it another trial. 



Wm. TiTBNBDLL, BrtwsUr, O1U. 



The chesnut tree flourishes best in sandy soil ; indeed, the natural growth of 

 this timber is usually found on sandy knolls, and we think it very questionable 

 whether it would ever amount to anything upon heavy clay. 



DEMPSEY PEAR. 



Sir, — Is there any progress being made in the proposed line of distributing the Demp- 

 sey pear ? 



N. Burpee, Marynnlle, 2^. B. 



We understand that this pear has been purchased by Messrs. Stone & Wel- 

 lington, of the Fonthill Nurseries, and will shortly be placed upon the market. * 

 It is thought by those who have seen it and tested its quality, that it will take a 

 high rank among our valuable varieties of pears. It is a cross between the 

 Bartlett and the Duchess, and has many of the characteristics of each. 



GRAFTING THE PEACH. 



SiK, — I wish to know if any of your readers have successfully grafted the peach. If 

 so, I would like to have some information on the subject. 



John Killam, N^rth Kingston, N.S. 



The peach tree cannot be top-grafted with success. It is propagated by 

 budding, some account of which is given in another part of this number. 



