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FRUIT GROWING IN CANADA. 



Fields of tender wheat are springing in tlie open 

 country; and against a dark background of live 

 oaks, evergreens and eucalyptus appear, in refresli- 

 ing contrast, the expanding boughs of the silver 

 poplar, flowering acacia, locusts, pussy-willow, and 

 other deciduous trees or shrubs. 



In the woods the pines are budding, and fir-tips 

 are doffing their little brown caps, liberating the 

 delicate fir-tassel. The madrona sheds its winter 

 overcoat of bark ; and laurel, buckeye, elder, hazel- 

 nut and manzinita all show signs of re-animation. 



Upon the sodden forest floor, strewn with last 

 year's leaves, the sunshine slants through on a wild 

 tangle of undergrowth — dog-wood, waxberry bushes, 

 blossoming- blackberry vines, wormwood, sweet- 

 briar and the beautiful but treacherous poison-oak ; 

 while trailing ivy and grape vines twist themselves 

 around the trunks of lofty trees, triumphantly wav- 

 ing from the top-most branches. 



In the humid atmosphere of the booming creeks, 

 we find the bulrush and the trillium, with hosts of 

 sweet smelling brakes, and many tiny uncurling 

 fronds of gold or silver-back ferns, five-finger ferns 

 and dainty maiden-hair, and snugly lodged in cre- 

 vices of neighboring rocks, the fragrant yerba-buena 

 vine. 



Emerging from the shadow of the woods, the eye 

 is attradted by what at first appears a solid patch 

 of sunshine, but which, upon nearer investigation, 



proves to be field after field of eschscholtzias, the 

 orange-colored California poppy. Wading through 

 the tall clover, we break off the succulent stems by 

 the armful, or bear away the roots and all. One 

 might fill a wagon, and they would hardly be missed. 

 Scarcely less numerous are the shiny faces of the 

 saucy butter- cups, and the slender stalks of the 

 blue-bells. Here also are acres of nodding wild- 

 mustard and the white wild-turnip blossom ; and 

 across the emerald alfalfa fields, like a quiet lake, 

 in the distance, are the nemophilffi or baby-eyes. 



To the traveler borne along by the rushing loco- 

 motive, the country seems one vast fantastic 

 checker-board. While little black clouds chase 

 each other over the April sky, and silence is broken 

 only by the merry whistle of the plowman or the 

 liquid note of the meadow-lark, darting from its 

 hidden nest, over field and hillside the botanist may 

 delightedly wander, tracing the mysteries of plant 

 growth in the mariposa lily, soldier's cap, shooting 

 star, cream-cup, monkey-flower, evening-prim- 

 rose, buffalo-clover and rattle-snake grass ; thus 

 drawing nearer, day by day, to the mighty source 

 of the humblest life. 



" And nature, the old nurse, 



Took the child upon her knee, 

 Saying, here is a stor>'-book, 

 Thy Father has written for thee." 



Alameda Co. , Cal. 



Bertha F. Herrick. 



FRUIT GROWI 



As your readers are no doubt fully aware, the 

 subject of fruit-growing is taking a deep and 

 strengthening root among us, and bids fair to 

 overshadow other industries. Its growing import- 

 ance is being felt and realized in our individual and 

 commercial affairs, controlling and directing them 

 to such an extent that we are becoming somewhat 

 noted, even abroad, as a fruit-growing country. If 

 your readers could be present at the great wharfs 

 and stations of our central markets, say in straw- 

 berry or raspberry time, or, better, in peach, grape 

 or apple time, they would almost be compelled to con- 

 clude that the resources of wide areas of fertile 

 lands were being taxed to supply the immense de- 

 mands upon them. 



Even in our smallest country towns and villages, 

 the supply and demand is annually increasing and 

 every little plot of fertile Canadian soil is made to 

 do duty in contributing its quota. 



In this matter, some locations of our country are 

 by far more favored then others, and some parts 

 are adapted to special kinds. For example, the 



[G IN CANADA. 



Niagara district has long been noted for its abun- 

 dance and fine quality of peaches and grapes ; the 

 Oakville region again for its abundance of fine 

 strawberries and peaches ; the Arkona region is be- 

 coming noted for its beautiful strawberries, rasp- 

 berries, peaches and grapes, and the whole county 

 of Lambton for the finest developed apples. 



We have great plenty of vevy favorable locations 

 for producing the most beautiful grapes in great 

 quantity. We flatter ourselves that no country can 

 produce finer, larger, or better grapes than those 

 produced in the famed Niagara district of Ontario 

 and the Arkona district, and that known as the 

 Chatham district on Lake Erie. The products of 

 grapes in these locations are enormous. The sorts 

 mostly grown are Concord, perhaps two-thirds of 

 the whole, and the remainder are Worden, Moore's 

 Early, Rogers' No. 4, No. g, Delaware and a few 

 of the best whites, t)ut the whites are not favored 

 in our markets. This industry is likely to assume 

 very large proportions. B. G. 



Arkona, Oniano. 



