92 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS. 



in top-grafting have been planned with a view of ascertaining the eflFect — if any — of hardy 

 stocks upon doubtfully hardy scions. For this purpose considerable space in the "Stand- 

 ard" orchard has been given to trees of Haas (6rro« pommier, Fall Queen), Gideon, 

 McMahan White, and Hibernal ; all vigorous growing trees and promising stocks. These 

 will be ready for top-grafting next spring. 



Apple OrcJiard No. 2, commonly known as the " Russian " orchard has been devoted 

 to the testing of varieties of apples imported directly or indirectly from East Europe — 

 principally Russia and Germany. Frequent references to these apples will be found in 

 my preceding reports. Among them are a number of useful fruits, notably Pointed 

 Pipka, Switzer, Romna and Winter Arahka. 



Seedling Apple Orchard. — About 50 trees fruited this year. They were all Russian 

 seedlings. The fruits were described and the trees numbered and labelled. None of 

 those fruiting this year appear to be worthy of propagation. 



Pea/r Orchard. — The soil of the pear orchard, a cold light sandy loam, is unsuitable 

 to the growth of this fruit. The trees have been destroyed by blight and winter killing 

 in large numbers each year. Particulars of the varieties on trial including those which 

 havesuccumbed to blight and winter injury appear at pagel36, Rep. 1896. Flemish Beauty 

 is the only American variety that has borne fruit thus far, though the tree is not strictly 

 hardy. Bessemianka, Gakovka, Lemon, Tonkovietka and Sapieganka, Russian pears, 

 are perfectly hardy but blight badly. The fruit also is very poor in quality and exceed- 

 ingly perishable. 



Plum Orchard. — None of the Prunus domestica class have been entirely successful 

 upon their own roots or upon the Myrobolan stock. The collection of American seedlings 

 is now very large. It has been found that seedlings of P. Americana make the best pro- 

 pagating stocks for the descendants of P. domestica, P. angustifolia and for the named 

 varieties of Americana. Provision has been made in this orchard for extensive top- 

 and stock-grafting experiments. Among the valuable varieties of American plums are : 

 Stoddard, Hawkeye, Yosemite Purple, Cheney and Hunt. 



Cherry Orchard. — The serious injury wrought to this orchard two years ago by root 

 killing has been duly noted. It has been observed that those trees propagated in 1891 

 upon "Bird cherry" stocV, Prunus PewTist/^rantca, have thus far escaped root damage by 

 frost. These trees have been thrifty and healthy and this season bore a small crop of 

 fruit. Bird cherry, sprouts, but not more freely than the Mazzard type. A number 

 of each variety of cherry trees in the orchard have been propagated upon this stock, 

 are in nursery now and will be ready for planting out next fall. 



MEETINGS ATTENDED. 



I was present by invitation and gave addresses during the year at the following 

 horticultural meetings : — 



Nova Scotia. — Colchester County Fruit Growers' Association, Truro, 19th January. 

 Nova Scotia Fruit Growers' Association, Wolfville, 22nd and 23rd January. 



Quebec. — Pomological Society, Howick, 27th and 28th January. Pomological 

 Society, Stanstead, 17th and 18th August. 



Ontario. — Napanee Horticultural Society, 15th February. Deseron to Horticultural 

 Society, 16th February. Picton Horticultural Society, 17th February. Trenton Horti- 

 cultural Society, 18th February. Smith's Falls Horticultural Society, 23rd February. 

 Lindsay Horticultural Society, 24th February. Port Hope Horticultural Society, 25th 

 January. Cobourg Horticultural Society, 26th February. Leamington Horticultural 

 Society, 13th April. Olinda Horticultural Society, 12th January. Lincoln and Went- 

 worth Fruit Growers' during August. 



