106 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS. 



64 VICTORIA, A. 1901 

 VARIETIES OF PLUMS AN'D THEIR POLLINATORS. 



Cheney, Gaylord, New Ulm, Silas Wilson, City, will pollinate one another. 



Bixby, Wolf, Stoddard, Haweye, Wyant, American Eagle, Hammer will pollinate 

 one another. 



Aitkin has no good pollinator among the other varieties recommended, as it is a 

 very early bloomer, Cheney, ^\•hich comes nearest being one, is not in full bloom until 

 six days later. 



GEAPES. 



In the annual report of the horticulturist for 1896, the grape was treated of at 

 considerable length. There the methods of propagation, planting, cultivation, train- 

 ing and pruning the vines were well described. The various fertilizers for use in the 

 vineyard were also mentioned. Recommendations were made on the thinning, spray- 

 ing, picking and packing of the fruit, and a table published giving descriptions of tha 

 varieties tested at the Central Experimental Farm, with date of planting, origin, 

 vigour, and date of blooming and date of ripening, colour and yield of fruit. Notes 

 were also published on the relative value of the different varieties for wine or dessert 

 purposes. 



The information given in the report for 1896 is just as valuable now as it was 

 then, and it is, therefore, not necessary at present to again describe the culture of the 

 grape in full. As the horizontal arm system there described is probably the best one to 

 adopt in those parts of Canada where the grape is not grown on a commercial scale, 

 and where the vines have to be covered with soil every winter, the description of that 

 method, which was published in 1896, is herewith given again, with such additional 

 notes as are thought necessary : — 



Horizontal System. — ' This method of training is especially adapted to section! 

 of the country where it is advisable to give the vines winter protection. Two strong 

 canes are trained in opposite directions. The laterals springing from these are 

 trained perpendicularly. In the autumn the laterals are cut back to two spurs. When 

 the spurs become weak they are renewed, as is an entire arm, occasionally. This sys- 

 tem calls for a four-wired trellis, in order to properly tie the strong laterals.' 



As the vines have to be bent down and covered with soil every winter to protect 

 them, more emphasis should be laid on the necessity of renewing the arms from time 

 to time. When the arms get large and stiff they are hard to bend, and more soil is 

 required to cover them. Furthermore, the buds become weak on old arms, and after 

 a time do not grow at all, except at the outer extremity, so that it is very important to 

 renew them as soon as anything of this kind is apparent. A good crop of fruit will be 

 produced on arms of the previous season's growth if the root from which they spring 

 is more than two years of age. It is important also when starting the arms to get them 

 from within a foot of the ground. If there is a high stub it is so much more difficult 

 10 cover. 



It is difficult to describe the summer pi-uning of the vine, but experience will 

 soon teach what is necessary. It will be found that more laterals will grow than are 

 desired to bear the crop which is wanted. These should be pinched out. Suckers will 

 also grow, which should likewise be destroyed, as should all side-shoots from the 

 laterals which are bearing the ifruit. The main object in thus thinning out the vines 

 is to allow the fruit to get plenty of sunshine. 



The vines aie protected in winter by simply bending them down and covering 

 them with enough soil to hold them in place. 



The season of 1900 was not very favourable for grapes at Ottawa, although 81 

 varieties matured at the Experimental Farm, but they were not as good in quality a'? 

 in some years. It was very showery all summer, and this cnM«;pi1 n greater growth of 



