1-2 EDWARD VII. 



SESSIONAL PAPER No. 16 



A. 1902 



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 1901. 



The spring opened up very early, making it possible to cultivate in parts of the 

 orchard on the 19th of April. In May the temperature was moderate with but one 

 frost on the 2nd of G Q . The average highest and lowest temperatures for the months 

 of May, June, July, August and September for this year, as compared with 1900, are 

 as follows : — 



Way 



June 



July 



August . . 

 September 



Minimum. 



1900. 



30-3° 

 46 1° 

 54° 

 52 "4° 

 41-4° 



1901. 



40 9° 

 48 9° 

 54 1° 

 54 9° 



437° 



It will be seen that the season throughout has been decidedly warmer than last 

 year. The temperature, especially for the month of September, continued uniformly 

 high, and the season continued mild well along into October; the first frost occurring 

 on October 8 of 1°, and the next October 22 of 10°. 



The season, however, was extremely dry, but this did not injure the fruit crop with 

 the exception of the raspberries and blackberries, which were almost a total failure. 

 The apple trees made splendid growth and produced a medium crop of good fruit. The 

 season has been noted for producing apples, the greater proportion of which were 

 marketable. The apple scab was not so prevalent as usual, and the fruit that set ma- 

 tured in fine form. 



The crop of apples is reported very light in many places. This seems to be the 

 case especially where the trees have not been given proper attention in the past. I 

 have noticed that orchards which have received good care gave a fair crop of fruit, 

 while those adjoining which had received but little attention were without fruit at all. 

 11 is also said that in the Cornwallis and Annapolis valleys those who have paid par- 

 ticular attention to cultivating and fertilizing their orchards do not complain of the 



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