62 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS 



4 GEORGE V., A. 1914 



and hence regarded with indifference. Yet when it is stated that in one orchard, 

 situated in one of the most important fruit-growing centres of British Columbia, 

 94-15 per cent of Northern Spy, 31 per cent of Wealthy, and, in another, 90 per cent 

 of Spy, 6 per cent of Jonathan, 12 per cent of Mcintosh, were found affected, and 

 further, that the disease prevails more or less in almost every fruit-growing district 

 of the Dominion — with the exception of the Niagara peninsula — and further that it 

 attacks most of the important fruit trees and bush fruits, it should be realized that a 

 dangerous disease is being permitted to spread unchecked. It has been already 

 demonstrated in experiments here what causes the disease and how to prevent it from 

 spreading; there are, however, still some factors to be studied before definite results 

 can be published. 



Fire or Pear Blight. — This disease has been very prevalent in orchards in British 

 Columbia, where it assumed an epidemic character this summer. From an examina- 

 tion of a number of orchards, it was found that the disease had been present for some 

 years in the form of so-called ' hold-over cankers/ which had been considered by some 

 as due to winter injury or anthracnose. They were hit unheeded, and the favourable 

 climatic conditions of hist season caused them to produce a serious outbreak which 

 bas lost some growers many trees. Constant cutting out of the ' hold-over canke 

 with the appearance of which every fruit-grower himself familiar, would 



greatly reduce the chances of i infection, and, if supplemented by immediate 



and proper pruning out and destruction of attacked shoots, would prevent the disease 

 from becoming epidemic. 



The usual number of inquiries were dealt with concerning the control of scab, 

 anthracnose and other more common diseases. 



Diseases of the grape, strawberry, currant, raspberry and almost all other kinds 

 of fruit were studied, and advice given. 



Storage Rots or Storage Defects of Fruits. — As with potatoes, there occur rots and 

 injuries on stored fruits, and from just as many causes. Black Rot, Bitter Rot, Pink 

 Bot, Core Bet, may be mentioned among the parasitic injuries. Physiological rots, 

 showing a discolouration of the skin, spotting of the tissues below the lenticels, and 

 others due to 'sweating' or sudden changes of temperature, etc., are also prevalent. 

 Here again considerable work needs to be done, but it appears difficult to convince 

 fruit-growers that such diseases or affections cannot be controlled without interfering 

 to a greater or less degree with their general routine and practice. The practice in 

 vogue, however, when it can be clearly shown to result in such consequences, can 

 hardly be considered of the best. 



EXPERIMENTAL WORK. 



(a) Potato Growing. 



At the request of the Director, the Division of Botany carried on an experiment 

 in growing potatoes with the purpose, as stated in the instructions, to produce ' as large 

 and as profitable a crop as possible; free from disease, or as free from disease as 

 possible under conditions such as exist in Canada to-day.' As the production of 

 'large and profitable crops' is not a question of freedom from diseases alone, Mr. D. 

 D. Gray, Farm Foreman, who had had considerable experience in raising potatoes, 

 undertook the practical side of the experiment. The season may be described as an 

 exceptional one. The very late spring, the cool weather after planting, the frequent 

 and heavy showers throughout the year, which latter largely interfered with success- 

 ful sprayings, did not forbode the best results. However, the land was very suitable 

 and well prepared, and by close attention to cultivation and spraying, the potatoes, 

 after once starting to grow, looked quite promising. One acre each of the following 

 four varieties of potatoes was grown: — 



