114 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS 



7-8 EDWARD VII., A. 1908 



to be most serviceable as it permits of the fruit being more tightly packed and be- 

 cause of the heavier bottom would stand rougher handling in discharging than these 

 received, there is meantime no great pressure here, and all fruit from cold storage in 

 being discharged is loaded in wooden tubs or iron tubs raised by crane to the dock and 

 thereby no pressure is brought to bear on fragile boxes. It sometimes happens, how- 

 ever, boxes of fruit are raised by crane in slings formed of chains or ropes and there- 

 by more or less pressure is put on the boxes according to the number in the sling, 

 and I fear had such a m.ethod of discharging been adopted in this case from the man- 

 ner in which a few of the boxes ^xith thin bottoms bulged, a knock or pressure would 

 have resulted in breakage. 



Trusting this information is satisfactory. 



Yours faithfully, 



(Sgd.) JAS. A. FINDLAY.' 



From this one shipment it would appear that apples may be safely shipped in 

 boxes with fc inch top and bottom made of such material as can be obtained in the 

 east, but further experience is necessary before recommending the general use of such 

 material. By using thin tops only and bottoms of the usual thickness, apples may be 

 packed tight and less risk be run. 



THE SEEDLESS APPLE IX CANADA. 



During the past three years considerable interest has been aroused in Canada in 

 regard to seedless apples, and during 1906 a company was formed in Toronto to push 

 the sale of one variety, the ' Spencer Seedless.' In view of this fact it seems desirable 

 to publish in this Annual Report what we know in regard to seedless apples in Canada, 

 and the ' Spencer Seedless ' in particular. 



,The seedless apple is not a new thing, having be'en recorded by writers several 

 hundred years ago. There are in Canada at the present time several varieties of 

 seedless apples which originated in this country. A seedless apple was exhibited at 

 the annual meeting of the Ontario Fruit Growers' Association, held at Brantford, 

 Ont., on December 19, 1900. The following reference is made to it in the report of the 

 Fruit Exhibit Committee, of which the writer was chairman: — 



' A curiosity in the form of a seedless apple was shown by Mr. A. W. Wliitney, 

 Iroquois, Ont. The apple was qiiite normal in outward appearance and of good size. 

 Mr. Whitney says that none of the apples contain seeds.' 



This tree was reported by the owner, Mr. L. Cameron, Iroquois, Ont., to be both 

 seedless and bloomless. Through Mr. A. D. Harkness, Irena, Ont., I obtained speci- 

 mens of the flowers and on May 26, 1904, several clusters wefe received from him and 

 the following description was made of them: — 



' Apetalous apple blossoms, received from Mr, A. D. Harkness, Irena, Ont., from 

 tree grown by Mr. L. Cameron, Iroquois, Ont. About one dozen flowers received 

 May 26. Flowers in clusters averaging three flowers in each, calyx apparently? very 

 similar (these were not compared with the calyx of perfect flowers at the time) to that 

 of ordinary flowers. Petals abortive, very small and hidden by the sepals. Flowers 

 evidently all pistillate. Appear to be fifteen stigmas to each flower.' We visited 

 Iroquois in August, 1904, and went to see the seedless apple tree which is in the 

 garden or small orchard of Mr. Cameron. The tree was found in a very thrifty con- 

 dition but with not a fruit on it. This lack of fruit was explained to my satisfaction 

 by the fact that there were practically no apples in the orchard that year, hence the 

 pistillate flowers could not be pollinated. Mr. Cam.eron informed me that it was a 

 seedling tree about 10 years old and probably fruited for tlie first time in 1900, when 

 the fruit was shown in Brantford. Mr. Cameron has this seedless apple top grafted 

 on another variety in addition to the original tree. Buds were obtained from Mr. 

 Cameron and trees of this variety are now growing at the Central Experimental Farm. 



