164 The Canadian Horticulturisi. 



I am removing the brush now (April 2nd), and adding a light coating of 

 straw, for the double purpose of protection against any cold " snaps," and to 

 keep the berries from the ground. In a cabbage patch I set out four rows of 

 Cuthbert raspberries, seven feet apart, plants 2 ^ feet apart in the row ; I have 

 strawberries on one side of the raspberries, and intend setting out strawberries 

 on the other, intending the long rows of Cuthberts for a wind-break, allowing 

 them to grow to fill space in the row, but keeping the space open between rows for 

 planting in potatoes, cabbage, etc. I intend to planting early corn for marketing 

 green, through what strawberries I set in this spring. I took up a patch of early pota- 

 toes last summer in time to set in strawberries on the ridges where the potatoes 

 came out, a dressing up in shape with a hoe being the preparation needed for the 

 berry-plants as the land was rich and friable. 



I set cabbage plants between the newly set currants and find they do well, 

 as the tillage they require is profitable for the currants. I intend getting out 

 Cuthbert raspberries along my fences and letting them grow "as they please," to 

 form a close break-wind to contain the snow. Any device to retain the snow late 

 is an advantage with us in the "cold north." Wherever a drift crossed my 

 strawberries, they are green and fresh now, but with all my pains in covering, 

 in places where the snow was away early, the " sere and yellow leaf," predomi- 

 nates. 



I have tried several kinds of material for covering, and, next to evergreen 

 boughs, I place tomato tops. They are a good protection and do not allow the 

 snow to melt down and smother the plants. As we had about a foot of frost in 

 the ground when the snow fell first last fall, I was not anxious about wrapping 

 trees with straw, as the sap would be late kept back. I merely trample the snow 

 hard around the trees as a guard against mice. After the snow went, I added 

 long manure to keep in the frost as late as possible, and now (April 13th), they 

 show little signs of budding. 



A word on forwarding rhubarb growth. To-day I put fresh horse-manure 

 around the newly-started buds, about a patent pailful to each root, raising a ring 

 of several inches high around, taking care not to cover the buds, and putting the 

 most on the north and west side to break the chilling winds. This does two 

 things : adds warmth and nourishment. 



And as a closing thought on economy, let me add, do not be so full of con- 

 ceit as to reject little hints and notes from the experience of others. Make the 

 most of the experiments of the " Farms " the Dominion Government have es- 

 tablished. If not near to visit them, send and get their bulletins and yearly re- 

 ports, for they are profitable to any unbiased mind. Amid all the political 

 croaking, the Government has done, and is doing, a good work for the farming 

 and gardening community in the establishment of the Experimental Farm and 

 its branches ; and what remains for the farmers and gardeners to do is to lay 

 aside their party prejudices, and come forward and profit by what has been done 

 by the Government for their benefit, and then the value of what has been done 



