stock, for during the last decade conditions do not seem to have been such that 

 growers cared to take a chance on future markets. The yields in the census years 

 above mentioned were 337,108 bushels and 331,378 bushels, or approximately a 

 million baskets each year. The latter figure is, however, no indication of the decay 

 or growth of the industry, as the two seasons may have been very variable. They 

 indicate, however, a fair average yield. 



Compared with this, pears have decreased by 105,253 trees, or 12.4 per cent. ; 

 apples have decreased by 1,775,362 trees, or 18. G per cent. ; vineyards have increased 

 by 3,629 acres, or 66.7 per cent.; small fruits have increased by 5,824 acres, or 71.7 

 per cent.; cherries have increased by 151,389 trees, or 22.1 per cent.; and peaches 

 have increased 399,356 trees, or 31.1 per cent. The total number of fruit trees in 

 the Province has decreased by 1,835,138, or 13 per cent., or about 2-5 the per cent, 

 decrease in the plums. 



The question now arises as to whether the consumption of plums has fallen 

 off, or if the consumption has not fallen off, since the amount produced has not 

 decreased to any great extent, who has supplied the plums for the ever-increasing 

 number of persons in 'Canada who desire this fruit. 



Prunes should in part be considered plums, and in the following table prunes 

 and plums are considered one fruit, because as the consumption of dried plums 

 and prunes increases the consumption of fresh plums must decrease. 



Following are the imports of " prunes and plums, dried unpitted " for con- 

 sumption in Canada as furnished by the Customs Department at Ottawa : 



Year. Quantity. Value. 



1895 2,798,256 lbs. $75,232.00 1 



1900 4,013,089 " 156,178.00 



1905 6,034,815 " 147,637.00 • 



1910 10,145,969 " 384,127.00 



1913 8,942,599 " 466,868.00 y 



1914 10,592,068 " , 550,175.00 ' «; 



The marked increase in the consumption of dried plums or prunes to me in- 

 dicates quite clearly that some other fruit has suffered a decrease in consumption, 

 and that the consuming public is willing to pay for a good article that may be had 

 at a reasonable price at such times of the year as desired. 



During the same period of years the imports into Canada of " fresh plums " 

 for consumption, as furnished by the Customs Department, were as follows : 



Year. Bushels. , Value. 



1895 25,417 $22,688.00 



1900 38,854 38,849.00 



1905 53,593 66,473.00 



1910 69,529 158,756.00 



1913 151,650 267,563.00 



These figures show a steady increase and seem to indicate that the plum 

 growers of this country have not been awake to their opportunities. Or, as men- 

 tioned previously, it may be that the consumer prefers the imported product because 

 of the uniformity and neat packing of the fruit. 



For the years 1911, 1912 and 1913 the importations by months of fresh plums 

 for consumption in Canada are as follows : 

 2-226 



