REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR 39 



SESSIONAL PAPER No. 16 



POMOLOGY. 



Under Pomology is included the study of varieties of fruits for the purpose of 

 learning their relative merits in regard to yield, season, quality, and profit. It also 

 includes the identification, classification, and description of fruits as well as their 

 propagation, planting and care, with experiments in cultural methods, including spray- 

 ing. The exhibition and judging of fruits may be grouped under Pomology. 



During the past year, this part of the work has received much attention. Many 

 varieties have been described in detail on cards, which are filed for future reference 

 and compilation. Varieties which have been sent in for identification have been 

 named and the information sent to the correspondents. Many new varieties have 

 been propagated for test on the Central and Branch Farms, and for trial in other 

 places, and a number of new ones have been planted out at Ottawa. 



A Wealthy Apple Orchard Closely Planted. 



In 1896, a small orchard of about one-third of an acre was planted with Wealthy 

 apple trees, ten feet apart each way, there being 144 trees in all, or at the rate of 435 

 trees per acre. Trees have been taken out from time to time until, in 1912, 

 there were 97 remaining. A record has been kept of the cost of caring for this orchard 

 and of the revenue therefrom. The total net profit per acre, 1896-1912 (17 years), has 

 been $1,508.24. The average net profit per acre per year from date of planting is 

 $S8.72, and the average net profit per acre per year from date of fruiting, 1899, is 

 $107.73. 



Spraying Experiments. 



Among experiments in spraying conducted in the Horticultural Division in 1912, 

 was one for the purpose of comparing the relative value of the lime-sulphur wash 

 with Bordeaux mixture in controlling late blight of the potato. The average differ- 

 ence in yield in favour of Bordeaux mixture over nine varieties was 62 bushels 36 

 pounds per acre. 



EXHIBITION! 



Fruit was exhibited at the Provincial Exhibition, Quebec; the Central Canada 

 Exhibition, Ottawa; and the Annual Meeting of the Society for Horticultural 

 Science, at Cleveland, Ohio. Fruit was also judged at several places by officers of the 

 Horticultural Division. 



VEGETABLE GARDENING. 



This includes the testing of varieties of vegetables for comparison of their relative 

 merits as regards season, yield, quality, etc.; the comparison of different strains of the 

 same variety; cultural methods, and spraying; and the study of commercial methods 

 of production both in the field and under glass. In 1912, special attention was paid to 

 potatoes, peas, and tomatoes, though all the principal kinds of vegetables were under 

 experiment. 



Potatoes. 



Thorough spraying with Bordeaux mixture to prevent late blight, and the applica- 

 tion of a mixture of 1£ pounds arsenate of lead and 8 ounces of Paris green to 40 gal- 

 lons of water to control potato beetles, with thorough culture and a good season, 

 ensured a good crop of votatoes in 1912. 



Among 136 varieties of potatoes tested in uniform plots in 1912, the following were 

 the most productive twelve, in order of total yield per acre: Dalmeny Hero, 580 

 bushels 48 pounds; Eureka Extra Early, 563 bushels 12 pounds; Table Talk, 554 

 bushels 24 pounds; Conquering Hero, 550 bushels; Rochester Rose, 536 bushels 48 



