The Canadian Horticulturist. 387 



for himself in the same line, establishing the Louisiana nurseries in the year 1869. 

 In 1874 he returned to Kentucky and secured a half interest in the Mississippi 

 Valley nurseries, with his father, which he still retains. In addition to this, he 

 has established extensive orchards of fruit in Mississippi, Tennessee, and Florida. 

 At one time he cultivated a total of 160 acres of strawberries alone. All his life, 

 therefore, he has been engaged in horticultural pursuits, both in fruit growing 

 and nursery lines. In addition to this, he has visited the horticultural centres of 

 Europe for the purpose of extending his knowledge of his particular branch of 

 the business. At the New Orleans World's Exposition, he was awarded thirty- 

 five premiums and five gold and silver medals for his displays of fruit. From all 

 this, it would appear that Mr. Samuels is well adapted for the position to which 

 he has been appointed. 



RiTSON Pear. — On page 156, a subscriber inquires concerning the merits of 

 the Ritson pear. At that time we had not seen any of the fruit, but to-day 

 (Oct. 31st) a correspondent sends us three samples in prime condition for 

 eating. 



The pear is medium in size, pyriform, skin greenish yellow, sprinkled with 

 very small russet dots and a red cheek on the sunny side ; flesh white, rich, juicy, 

 buttery and fine-grained ; calyx open, in a very shallow basin ; stem three-quarters 

 of an inch long, attached to a flattened end, which can hardly be called a cavity ; 

 a fine dessert pear ; season probably October and November. 



The tree is a seedling, planted by the late John Ritson, of Oshawa, one of 

 the first settlers in that vicinity and a prominent farmer and fruit grower. The 

 tree is about seventy years old and has never been attacked by blight, and is a 

 regular and abundant bearer. 



The samples before us are from a tree which was planted twenty-five years 

 ago, a sucker from the original tree, and which now measures twenty inches in 

 diameter and thirty feet in height. This year it produced nearly thirteen bushels 

 of first-class fruit. For canning and pickling it is counted as the very best by 

 the owner of the tree. 



Keeping Cabbages. — The Rural Canadian advises the following method 

 for keeping cabbages in a cellar for winter use : Trim off all broken leaves. Set 

 two parallel boards, six inches wide, on the cellar floor next the wall, and on 

 these place two rows of cabbages with their stems towards the wall — but not 

 crbwded. Cover with garden soil or dry sand. These should be looked over 

 through the winter in order to take out any which show signs of decay. 



Notice to all Subscribers for 1891.— The index for volume XIV of the 

 Canadian Horticulturist will be sent out in January number. Volumes 

 bound in beautiful cloth binding, handsome design, ink and gold, for 50 cents. 



