132 The Canadian Horticulturist. 



growing smaller every year instead of larger, while the favored few were unmo- 

 lested and the bushes had grown to a very large size. I feel interested to know 

 the name of this variety that defies the borer ; the fruit could not be distinguished 

 from that of the finest of the Red Dutch, but the habit of growth and the color 

 of the bark of the mature wood, and also of the leaves when just opened out, 

 could be noticed as not the same ; the bark was smoother and somewhat darker, 

 but the greatest difference was in the habit of growth. [Possibly the Victoria. 

 — Ed.] The Red Dutch and Cherry incline to send up shoots straight upwards 

 like a poplar, but the other variety grows with crooks and elbows, frequently 

 tending downwards, often touching the ground and there sending out roots, and 

 hus several of my bushes had from three to six independent roots, which ac- 

 counts in some measure for their large size. I would never again plant white 

 currants for market, as there is no demand for them. 



I realized two or three times as much from every bush of Houghton's Seed- 

 ling gooseberry as I did from Downing, and double the crop from every row of 

 Philadelphia raspberries as from Mammoth Cluster. 



It is not to be expected that, in the latitude of Barrie, grapes can be grown 

 profitably in competition with the more favored parts of the province ; still I 

 planted quite a few varieties and succeeded in ripening them oftener than I 

 failed. My favonite variety was Delaware, which I found to be the hardiest, 

 earliest and most productive of any I have tried ; perhaps I should except 

 Moore's Early, as being earlier, but it was too shy of bearing to be profitable. 

 It may surprise a good many that I should class Delaware as being more pro- 

 ductive than Concord, but it was so with me ; I got more pounds of grapes on 

 an average from every vine of that variety, than from Concord of the same age 

 and planted at the same time, and they commanded a better price, and then, 

 though they may not color earlier than the Concord, they ripen earlier — for they 

 are ripe as soon as colored — -which the Concord are not. 



I found Rogers' Nos. 9 and 15 very good flavored and very fine berries, but 

 more inclined to grow wood than grapes. Salem is very similar to No. 9 in 

 flavor and a better bearer, but too late for Barrie. 



The flavors of some varieties differ very much in different seasons ; the Dela- 

 ware was always good, but I have known Rogers' No. 15 to be watery, flavorless 

 and undoubtedly inferior to Concord ; and I have known a season when Clinton 

 was my choice of all the varieties for eating, but this only happened once in ten 

 years. I have noticed, also, that the variety that ripens earliest one year is not 

 sure to do so the next, a circumstrnce which I find it difficult to account for. 



I only grew two varieties of plums, viz., Washington and Lombard. I pre- 

 sume the Washingtons will be living and in good health, long after the Lombards 

 planted at the same time are dead and gone, for they are not attacked with the 

 black knot to anything like the same extent ; but for all that, I think the Lc m- 

 bards will have repaid their first cost and returned a better interest on the invest- 

 ment both of money and labor, than the Washingtons will do if they live twice 

 as long. 



