REPORT OF MR. THOMAS A. SHARPE 419 



SESSIONAL PAPER No. 16 



COMMEKCIAL ORCHARDS. 



A beginning Tvas made this year towards ascertaining the profits of apple growing 

 in this climate by planting a small commercial apple orchard. The following varieties 

 were selected as among those which have been most successfully grown, and other sorts 

 will be added from time to time : — King, Wagener, Monmouth Pippin, Sutton Beauty, 

 Salome, Jonathan, Mother, Ontario, and Grimes' Golden. They were planted 30 feet 

 apart each way, twelve trees of each sort being planted, thus making very nearly a 

 quarter of an acre devoted to each variety. Land is being prepared for similar test 

 orchards of plums, pears and cherries, and it is expected that a beginning in all of these 

 will be made next spring. . 



APPLES. 



The spring was unusually cold and wet and several light frosts occurred during 

 the blossoming period. These unfavourable conditions prevented a full crop and many 

 varieties failed to set fruit The season later on was bright and warm and the quality 

 of the fruit which did grow was very fine. The following sht)rt description of varieties 

 includes a good many which fruited in lOOi, but could not be described in the report 

 for that year because they were not yet in season when the report was written : — 



Cardinal. — Pruit above medium size, conical. Stem long and slender, cavity deep 

 and wide, with considerable russet Calyx large, open. Basin deep and wide. Skin 

 clear, bright yellow, handsomely striped and splashed with bright red- Plesh white, 

 juicy, tender, pleasant, mild sub-acid, or nearly sweet. Season early August. 



Miller's Belleflower. — Pruit above medium size, somewhat oblate, tapering a little 

 to the eye. Stem short Cavity narrow and deep. Calyx small closed. Basin narrow, 

 shallow and corrugated. Skin dull yellow nearly covered with dull red and sprinkled 

 with gray dots. Plesh yellowish, firm, not juicy, sweet with a pleasa-nt flavour. Sea- 

 son August. 



Thistlevxiit. — Tree a strong grower and an early bearer. Fruit of medium si-e, 

 oblong, conical. Stem medium in length, slender, cavity wide and deep. Calyx small, 

 open. Basin wide and shallow. Skin golden yellow, streaked and splashed with red in 

 two shades. Flesh whitish, tender, jmcy, mildly sub-acid, with a pleasant agreeable 

 flavour. Promisioag. Season August and early September. 



Banks' Bed Gravenstein. — Very similar to the common Gravenstein but with more 

 colour. It closely resembles in every respect the Red Gravenstein of Germany. Season 

 last of August and September. 



Malcolm Dunn. — Fruit of medium size, oblate, conical, somewhat^rregularly rib- 

 bed. Stem short, cavity narrow and deep. Calyx small and open. Basin deep and 

 narrow, corrugated. Skin greenish yellow, with a dull rod blush on the sunny side 

 Flesh rather coarse, whitish, juicy, mild and pleasantly acid. Season September. 



Vrai Drap d'Or. — Fruit of medium size,- roundish, somewhat flattened. Stem 

 short, cavity 'narrow and deep. Calyx small, closed. Basin wide and deep. Skin dull 

 golden yellow, with a few brown specks. Flesh yellowish, juicy, crisps pleasant, mildly 

 acid. Season September and October. 



Noble Sovarie. — Fruit of medium size or below, roundish, somewhat ribbed. Stem 

 of medium length, cavity wide and medium, deep. Calyx large, open. Basin wide and 

 deep, corrugated. Skin greenish yellow, with a small reddish blush on the sunny side. 

 Flesh whitish, juicy, mildly sub-acid, a fine cooking apple. Season September. 



16— 27i 



