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786 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS 



7 GEORGE V, A. 1917 



Cultural Experiment with Apples. 



To throw some light on the question of the best cover crop for an orchard, a 

 cultural experiment was started in 1914. In some rows, the grass is cut and the hay 

 left as a mulch, in others the grass is cut and the hay taken off, in others rape is alter- 

 nated with clover as a two-year rotation, whilst in others either red clover, vetches, 

 or rape is used as an annual cover crop. The land is uniform all through, the trees 

 were all planted the same year and are of the same varieties for each lot, so tliat 

 in a few years this will be very interesting. 



, Cost of Estahlishing an Orchard. 



A great many farmers wish to know the probable cost of establishing an orchard 

 and to help them find this out, all expenses in connection with a block of 420 Wealthy 

 and Mcintosh trees are recorded. These trees are spaced 17^ feet in all directions 

 with the intention of taking out the Wealthy in a few years and leaving the Mcintosh 

 85 feet apart. 



Best Varieties of Apples for Central Quebec. 



The following are the varieties of apples which seem to be the best for Central 

 Quebec, though the list may be changed in a few years after testing others at this 

 Station : — 



Summer: Yellow Transparent, Lowland Raspberry, Duchess. 



Autumn: Peach of Montreal, Wealthy, Alexander. 



Winter: Fameuse, Mcintosh, Wolf River, Milwaukee. 



Cherries. 



There are fifty trees representing fifteen varieties and covering 0-28 acre of 

 ground. The following varieties, planted in 1911 or afterwards, fruited in 1915 or 

 before: Ceris de France, Grotte Morello, Montmorency Large, Montmorency 

 Ordinare, Orel, Vladimih, Montmorency Large, combines, more than the others, 

 high yielding propensity with fine fruit. 



Pears. 



As it is problematic whether this kind of tree fruit will do well in this part of 

 the country, only eleven were put in of three varieties and covering an area of 0-06 

 acre. They were all planted in 1911, have made a vigorous growth, but have not 

 yielded any fruit yet. 



Plums. 



There are 209 plum trees in the orchards, comprising 40 varieties, mostly Euro- 

 pean and American, and occupying 0-81 acre of ground. Nearly every variety planted 

 in 1911 had yielded by 1914 and there seems no doubt that for quick returns plums 

 are ahead of apples. Very fine fruit was obtained from Bonne Sainte Anne, whilst 

 good looking plums of high to medium quality came from Lombard, Moore Arctic, 

 Brackett, Manl^ato and Sunrise. The three last named are American, whilst the 

 others are European varieties. 



Grapes. 



These cover an area of 0-3 acre and comprise 128 vines of 28 varieties. Most 

 of them were winter-killed in 1915 when the mild weather, melting away all the snow, 

 was immediately followed by hard frosts. Canada, McTavish and Yomaga were the 

 only varieties to fruit in 1915. The plantation will be replaced in the spring of 

 1916 and in the autumn of the same year different cheap materials will be tried as 

 covers to protect the vines against frost. 



^ Cap Rouge. 



