NEW OR NOTEWORTHY. 



319 



though excellent results were obtained in some cases by 

 using a mixture of i pound to 320 gallons. Spraying 

 with the copper compounds is beneficial in checking the 

 attacks of the apple-scab ; the increase in first-class fruit 

 amounting in many cases to nearly 65 per cent. There 

 is little difference in the effectiveness of modified eau 

 celeste and the ammoniacal solution of copper carbonate. 

 The materials for the former being readily obtainable of 

 local dealers, that mixture will probably be more commonly 

 used. Simple carbonate of copper in suspension has no 

 marked effect on the fungus. A large proportion of the 

 fruit was but slightly affected, the attack being recent. 

 It appears probable, therefore, that spraying late in the 

 season will prove beneficial and the trees begin the next 

 season in a healthy state. 



S. H. Dawes says there is a marked difference in the 

 number of windfalls from sprayed and unsprayed trees. 



H. W. Brown sprayed his orchard once with i pound 

 Paris green in 200 gallons of water. As a result, from 300 

 barrels of Baldwins there were not four barrels of wormy 

 fruit, while in adjoining orchards the fruit was badly 

 affected. He advised girdling as a method of in- 

 ducing earliness in the ripening of grapes. Z. A. Gilbert 

 urged the necessity of winter protection, and the useless- 

 ness of depending on grapes for profit in Maine. Only a 



few varieties will mature there. Moore Early does 

 passably well, but is not certain. Worden gives very 

 satisfactory results and deserves more attention. Green 

 Mountain is doing well, and is probably as good as any 

 we can grow. Hartford, with all its faults, is valuable 

 for this climate. It has failed to ripen only once or twice 

 in twenty years. 



Charles E. Wheeler said that the exercise of neatness 

 and care in packing, as well as the use of neat packages, 

 will go far toward maintaining the good reputation of 

 Maine fruit. Steps should be taken to prevent careless 

 packing. Edward Peake, of an English commission 

 house, stated that Maine is growing some of the best 

 shipping fruit in the world, and the English market will 

 handle large quantities of the best quality. Too much 

 inferior fruit has been shipped this year, and prices have 

 been low. Maine King and Baldwin are always in de- 

 mand, and Ben Davis has sold well. Newtown Pippin has 

 lost its reputation because of inferior fruit. King is now 

 the most popular apple in the English markets. 



The exhibit of fruit was of good quality. An interest- 

 ing feature was a collection of forced vegetables from 

 the State College, consisting of tomatoes, English cucum- 

 bers, radishes, carrots and snap-beans ; also specimens 

 of the pepino or " melon pear." — IV. 



NEW OR NOTEWORTHY. 



AMONG the new roses now offered to the trade it 

 would be hard to find one more promising than 

 Bridesmaid. This, like The Bride and Waban, 

 is a sport from Mermet, shqwing the character 

 of its parent strongly in habit and growth. The 

 color, however, is totally distinct. While Mermet is 

 shell-pink, fading into yellowish white in bad weather, 

 Bridesmaid is bright satiny pink, devoid of yellow, and 

 it bears dark weather admirably. Waban has been a 

 disappointment to many, though it would be unfair to 

 condemn it without further trial. Bridesmaid, it will be 

 remembered, was first offered under the title of " Hugh," 

 being named after Hugh Waban, but this name was 

 superseded by the later and more euphonious one. 

 There is much in a name, as every florist knows. 



It is believed that by another year we shall find the 

 new French cannas among desirable Easter plants. Both 

 Madame Crozy and Star of '91 have been flowered well 

 all winter, proving their value as decorative plants in- 

 doors as well as out. A good many growers in this 

 country are now trying their luck with seedlings ; some 

 fine new dark-foliaged varieties are promised. 



Aponogeton distachyon, grown in a tub in any green- 

 house, will furnish fragrant flowers all winter, and it is 

 amazing to see the size attained both by flowers and 

 leaves in these circumstances. Another thing to be 

 grown for its perfume — though it has beauty as well as 

 fragrance — is Hedychiiim coronarium. The hedy- 

 chiums are not very much grown, though of easy cul- 

 ture, and their fragrance is delicious. 



An old friend, whose virtues are recognized anew, 

 is Solarium Jasminoidcs Jloribiuida. In the winter it 

 is a desirable greenhouse-plant, giving abundance of 

 starry white flowers, convenient for cutting ; while in 

 summer it is highly satisfactory for bedding when placed 

 against a trellis. 



This year Easter has been essentially a festival of pot- 

 plants ; cut-flowers were compelled to take second place. 

 For gifts, azaleas took the lead, the pots being placed in 

 ornamental baskets. As usual, lilies were used to an enor- 

 mous extent, but the crop has been very large this win- 

 ter, and they did not bring extravagant prices. Kalmia, 

 wistaria and snowballs were among the more unusual 

 forced Easter flowers. The golden genista was more 

 popular than ever. Among hydrangeas Otaksa leads, 

 though Thomas Hogg is admired ; but the trusses are 

 rarely so large as in the first-named variety. As a rule 

 we find flowers suggestive of spring sell best at Easter, 

 and white ones are especially popular. 



A VERY desirable CASE for packing cut-flowers is to 

 be seen in use among the rose-growers. It is made of 

 " leatheroid," a preparation of paper-pulp, both light 

 and durable ; the case is shaped like a lady's dress-trunk. 

 Inside it contains two shallow wicker trays, each tray 

 having two elastic straps buckled across to hold the 

 flowers in place. The straps are put across the stems ; 

 the flowers are thus held firmly without risk of bruising. 

 This case is especially desirable for packing big hybrid 

 roses. It is neat, durable and light, and certainly econ- 

 omizes time in packing. E. T. R. 



