The Canadian Horticulturist. rz; 



We notice very valuable comments on the prospects of filbert growing in the 

 United States, by Mr. W. D. VanDeman, United States Pomologist, in an ad- 

 dress read before the Massachusetts Horticultural Society. He says that, so far, 

 these ha\;'e not been grown in the United States ; but there is a great demand for 

 them in our markets, where every pint exposed for sale is imported from the Old 

 Country. He says that he is making it a special point to import the Kentish 

 filbert from England, in order to have it tested in the United States, and he seems 

 very confident of success. 



PRICKLY COMFREY. 



Sir, — I think you would be conferring a great benefit on your readers by directing 

 their attention to the most productive of all forage plants, Prickly Comfrey. 



Mr. Kinard B. Edwards, of Leicestershire, England, a well known authority on farming 

 matters, thus writes of it ; "It affords a cutting earlier and later than almost any other 

 plant. If cultivated upon good deep soil it will yield a heavier crop than any other plant, 

 and when once planted it will last forever. It is very hardy. The first year as much as 20 

 tons to the acre may be obtained, the second year 50, and every year after 80 to 100 tons. 

 Few crops will be found so useful or more easily cultivated." 



The writer has known 3 horses and 3 cows fed in the stable from early summer to late 

 autumn entirely upon the produce of an acre of it the second year after planting, and the 

 horses were in splendid condition and the cows yielding more milk and of better quality 

 than if they were on ordinary pasture. From personal experiment I find our climate here 

 suits it well. It is the first thing to show up green in the spring and goes on growing till 

 late autumn yielding 5 or 6 cuttings. It is grown from crowns or root cuttings and a start 

 may be made with a few, as every spring till your plantation is as large as you reuuire ; the 

 roots may be raised and divided into about 12 parts and 12 times the area of ground planted. 

 We started here with 20 root cuttings and hope this spring to have about half an acre 

 planted. As a change from winter feed, horses, cows and weaned calves eat it with avidity 

 in the stable and barn yard, but if turned out to pasture first, they do not care so much for 

 it afterwards, so it is especially adapted for farmers' use for early feeding in the stable and 

 enabling them to give the pasture fields a good start before turning cattle out in the spring, 

 and for those who living in towns and villages keep a horse or cow with only a small plot 

 of land, from which they would like to procure the greatest possible amount of feed. From 

 the 15th to 25th April is the best time for planting Prickly Comfrey. 



The land to be planted with Prickly Comfrey should, if practicable, be ploughed in 

 the fall, and as soon as you can work it in the spring, harrow it down, and plough furrows 

 from end to end a yard apart ; then in the bottom of the furrows, at intervals of a yard, 

 put a small shovelful of rotten manure ; cut the Prickly Comfrey roots into pieces, each 

 having one crown or more, and in the centre of each shovelful of manure place one of these 

 root cuttings so that the top of it will be about 2 inches under ground when the earth is 

 levelled ; with a rake or hoe pull the earth back again into the furrows, leaving the ground 

 level. In a few weeks the plants will push through a yard apart every way. As soon 

 as they are grown sufficiently to show their whereabouts distinctly, cultivate between 

 the rows both ways to keep the weeds down, and repeat this as retjuisite during the season. 

 The plants should be cut at about 3 inches from the ground for green fodder when they 

 attain the height of 2 or 3 feet and before the blossom opens. In about a month or six weeks, 

 according to the weather, a second cutting may be obtained, and so on through the suin- 

 mer and autumn, the growth being so rapid that the new growth of plants cut one day is 

 (juite distinguishable from that of the next preceding and succeeding day's cuttings. The 

 plantation should every year be treated to a dressing of short manure. If preferred, 

 instead of ploughing furrows, holes may be dug a yard apart and the planting, be pro- 

 ceeded with as before directed. The middle of April is the best time for planting. 



N. B. — For convenience the plantation should be as near the stable aa possible. 



Arthur Geo. Heavkn, Boyne, Halton Co. 



