20 



Professor Hutt, as Director of this branch, reports for 1905 as 

 follows : — 



"The co-operative testing" of small fruits was begun in a small way 

 twelve years ago with sixty experimenters. Each year since then the 

 work has grown steadily, and this year plants were sent to 532 experi- 

 menters. During this time we have sent out material for 3,183 experi- 

 ments. This has been distributed among about 2,000 experimenters 

 scattered in all parts of the country. These tests are now being con- 

 ducted in every county and district in the Province, and a pleasing feature 

 of the work is that they are being most eagerly taken up by the settlers 

 in the newer and northern sections of the country, where he greatest 

 encouragement to amateur fruit growing is needed. 



Horticultural Department 0. A. C. 



Massey Library and Biological Building. 



In some particulars this co-operative experimenting in fruit grow- 

 ing is different from that in grain growing, and in many ways there are 

 more difficulties to be overcome. In the first place, there is more dan- 

 ger of failure through loss of the plants in shipment and planting. Many 

 of the experimenters have had little or no previous experience in grow- 

 ing fruit. Then the results are not concluded at the end of the first 

 season, for that is only the beginning of the work, and some who make 

 a good beginning are unable to carry it on through several years to a 

 satisfactory conclusion. But notwithstanding all these difficulties, we 

 are pleased with the progress that has been made, and with more funds 

 for carrying it on we hope to make much greater progress in the future." 



It must be understood that it is not desired to have this used as a 

 scheme for getting something valuable for nothing. Things so secured 

 are, as a rule, little cared for. A responsibility attaches to a request 

 for an experiment. The recipient, as in the agricultural division, agrees 

 (1) to follow the directions furnished; (2) to properly care for the plants, 

 and (3) to report the results of growth and yield at the end of each sea- 

 son as requested. But when the boy or girl, or school, or farmer is ready 

 to take this up as a part of his education and to follow it up consist- 

 ently, the plants may be secured. 



