834 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS 



7 GEORGE V, A. 1917 



A quantity of Pyrus haccata seed was sown in the fall, in order to produce hardy 

 stock, for propagating the more desirable varieties of hybrid apples. 



In the spring, 50 of the hardiest standard seedlings were transferred to the nur- 

 sery row, to fill vacancies in the hill-side orchard. It is hoped that these will prove 

 hardy in their permanent location. Several thousand seedlings are still in the nursery, 

 and the hardiest of these will be transplanted to permanent positions as hardiness 

 proves itself. The weaklings will be destroyed and more seedlings grown. 



PLUMS. 



The plum trees wintered well, and have been growing vigorously during the sum- 

 mer. The crop was not as large as in many previous seasons. The warm weather about 

 the end of April, induced the blossoms to appear early, only to be destroyed by a sudden 

 change in temperature on May 18. A large amount of bloom was thus destroyed. The 

 native plums show a great deal of' diversity in size, colour, quality and earlincss. 

 Several are very desirable and well worth propagating. With this end in view a pailful 

 of plum pits was sown in the fall. Some of the seedlings will be transplanted and 

 allowed to grow to maturity, while the rest will be used as stock for grafting on scions 

 of the best trees in the orchard. The Cheney and Aitkin are both large, and fair qual- 

 ity, but appear to be rather late for a season like the one just past. Several 

 of Hansen's hybrids are being tested; none appears to be perfectly hardy here. The 

 Opata and Sapa bore some fruit of fair size and good quality. The Hanska ripens too 

 late for this section, while the Skuga did not bear any fruit. Other plums under test 

 are the Cheresota (hybrid) and Compass Cherry (hybrid). One specimen of the former" 

 fruited this season. 



CURRANTS. 



Probably the hardiest and most remunerative fruit-bearing plants for the West, 

 are the currants. Twenty-seven varieties are under observation on this Farm and have 

 proved to be hardy enough to withstand the winter without any protection. The crop 

 this year was below the average. This was due to a severe frost late in May, which 

 caught many of the blossoms which had come out in .response to the warm sunny weather 

 of late April and early May. Besides, the red and white varieties suffered very badly 

 from aphis. The damp cloudy weather in June encouraged an attack of mildew, but 

 this was successfully warded off by the use of ammoniacal copper carbonate. Among 

 the red currants the most prolific were: Ked Cross, Eed Dutch, Raby Castle and 

 Cumberland Red. For large-sized fruit, the Victoria Red and Cherry were easily the 

 best. The white currants did not yield very well, as the insects were particularly 

 damaging to them. The varieties grown are: Large White, White Cherry and White 

 Grape. The black currants are, on the whole, stronger growing and more vigorous 

 than either of the others. The heaviest yielders were : Magnus, Climax, Eagle, Kerry 

 and Eclipse. The Buddenborg did not yield as well as in other years, but it is, as a 

 rule, a high yielder with a fruit surpassing in size all the others. Other good varieties 

 of black currants are, Saunders and Topsy. 



Currants ripen during the latter part of July. 



GOOSEBERRIES. 



The crop of gooseberries was very good. Of the two varieties grown, the Houghton 

 is the more prolific and the hardier, while the Downing bears a fruit of very large size, 

 —far surpassing that of the former variety. It is safest to cover the bushes over 'winter 

 with a. mulch of strawy manure, to prevent killing back of the tender shoots. The 

 bushes are fairly hardy and during the sunmier were attacked by but one pest— the 

 currant worm, which was easily controlled by spraying with Paris green. 



BkAIvDON. 



