64 VICTORIA SESSIONAL PAPER No. 16 A. 1901 



REPORT OF THE HORTICULTURIST. 



(W. S. Blair.) 



To Dr. Wm. Saunders, 



Director Dominion Experimental Farms, 

 Ottawa. 



Sir, — I have the honour to submit herewith a report of some of the work done in 

 the horticultural department of the experimental farm for the Maritime Provinces 

 for the year 1900. 



From year to year a gradual improvement is noticed in the methods adopted in 

 planting, cultivating, fertilizing and general care of fruit trees in these provinces. 

 An opportunity was afforded during the month of July of visiting many fruit farms 

 in the Annapolis and Cornwallis valleys, and of noting the effect of well directed effort 

 alongside that of indifferent or careless practice. In this province we have, probably, 

 never had a year when the effects of spraying and good cultivation have been so 

 marked as during the past season, and seldom has so much inferior fruit been grown. 



Generally speaking, apples were a large crop, and when well cared for the trees 

 were able to produce a good quality of shipping fruit ; but, with an abundant fruitage, 

 a lack of food and moisture, and in many instances with fungous growths unchecked, 

 a surplus of inferior fruit was obtained in place of the high grade that all should 

 have aimed to produce, if the export trade is to be maintained with the greatest 

 advantage. 



Those who cultivated, sprayed, and fertilized, have good fruit for market, and 

 those who neglected their orchards, in proportion to the neglect have inferior fruit. 

 The most successful fruit-growers consider cultivation as essential as fertilization, and 

 during the month of June, July, and part of August, the harrow is kept constantly 

 at work. 



With an increase of apples the apple scab fungus, if unchecked, also increases 

 The Bordeaux mixture, as a preventive of this, is beyond the experimental stage, 

 and is now recognized by the most skeptical as a necessary part of orchard work, if 

 the most profit is to be obtained. 



The apple-tree tent-caterpillars were destructive in the Cornwallis and Anna- 

 polis valleys this year. In many cases they were checked by spraying ; some, how- 

 ever, allowed their trees to be defoliated, and others report little effect from spraying. 

 There is no doubt but that this pest can be checked completely by the use of Paris 

 green. The trees should be sprayed before they are in bloom, and the work done 

 thoroughly. Where this was done the report is that the caterpillars were all killed. 

 This pest has a good chance to grow during a considerable period when the trees 

 are in blossom. The general feeling is that no Paris green should be used at this 

 time, and as the custom with many is to put off spraying as long as possible, the result 

 is that no Paris green is used before blossoms open, and by the time they have fallen 

 a great amount of damage has been done. There is no doubt but that this pest is 

 much harder to control after the caterpillars are well grown, but, if good Paris green 

 is properly applied they will certainly be killed. 



The plum crop over the three provinces was good, and mostly of good quality. 

 The crop on Prince Edward Island was exceptionally large. Climatic conditions on 

 the Island favour this fruit. 



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