REPORT OF TEE DIRECTOR 41 



SESSIONAL PAPER No. 16 



NEW VARIETIES OF APPLES. 



Many varieties of apples of handsome appearance and good quality have origin- 

 ated in the Horticultural Division, and the best of these have been sent out for test 

 to different parts of Canada to compare with those already on the market. In 1912 

 there were 152 varieties of apples originated in the Horticultural Division which 

 fruited for the first time. Of the total of 1,148 new sorts which have fruited, 81 have 

 been named. The following names were given to varieties fruiting in 1912 : Ascot, 

 Brisco, Diana, Epsom, Galena, Grover, Humber, Manda, Moreno, Orlando, Pandora, 

 Pedro, Ramona, Eustler, Vermac. 



There were some very promising seedlings of Northern Spy apple which fruited 

 in 1912. These show much greater hardiness than Spy while preserving many of 

 the Spy characteristics and, with a fruiting season from autumn to late winter, it is 

 expected that in time some of these will take the place of varieties now on the market. 



Cross-bred Varieties of Apples Originated by Dr. Wm. Saunders. 



Many varieties of hardy hybrid apples, crosses between the Siberian crab (Pyrus 

 baccata) and the apple originated by Dr. Wm. Saunders, have already been intro- 

 duced into the prairie provinces and have proven hardier than any previously tested 

 there. Second crosses now fruiting which have a larger quota of apple blood have 

 given fruit 2£ inches in diameter and, if they prove sufficiently hardy on the prairies, 

 will be very valuable. Some named in 1912 are: Angus, Elkhorn, Gretna, Trail and 



Wapella. 



New varieties of black currants and raspberries of much merit have been intro- 

 duced. These were also originated by Dr. Saunders. 



Seedling Strawberries. 



New and promising varieties of strawberries originated in the Horticultural 

 Division were named in 1912 as follows: Cassandra, Cordelia, Desdemona, Hermia, 

 Julia, Lucetta, Mariana, Miranda, Ophelia, Portia, Silvia, Viola, and Virgilia. 



Seedling Plumi 



The following names were given to promising new plums in 1912: Corona, Fir- 

 mana, Hazel, Ehoda, and Vesta. 



EARLY STRAINS OF VEGETABLES. 



Special attention is being paid to the development of early strains of vegetables 

 which will be of great value in the colder parts of Canada, as well as in the more 

 temperate sections. Good progress was made in this work in 1912, and provision has 

 been made for greater efforts in plant-breeding in the future. 



CARD INDEX' SYSTEM. 



The card index system installed last year in the Horticultural Division for the 

 purpose of filing the records of the Central Farm and branch Farms and Stations 

 has entailed a large amount of work, but is proving very satisfactory. 



BRANCH FARMS. 



The work of the Horticultural Division in relation to the branch Farms and 

 Stations has grown rapidly. It is its aim to aid the Superintendents in as many ways 

 as possible and to help them develop the horticultural work on the Farms of which 

 they have charge, and also to help to so systematize the work that the results will be 



