DIVISION OF HORTICULTURE 



867 



SESSIONAL PAPER No. 16 



process of loading, water was poured on the trees, and again on the way home wher- 

 ever opportunity afforded, water was again applied to the roots. The next day holes 

 were dug larger than necessary to merely hold the roots and water was poured in. A 

 tree was lifted from the wagon and placed in the hole to such a depth that when the 

 ground was placed around the tree, the tree was about two inches farther into the 

 ground than it had been in its original environment. The ground was tramped very 

 tightly around the tree and water was poured on again. Several times during the 

 first season the trees were again watered. 



The Arhoretum. — Upwards of seven hundred trees and shrubs were planted in a 

 border on the north and west sides of the horticultural ground and careful record is 

 being kept of their growth and relative merits. Planting was begun in 1910 and new 

 specimens are being added every year. 



SMALL FRUITS. 



With the exception of gooseberries, the yield of small fruits in 1915 was smaller 

 than in any previous year. This was principally due to the dry weather. The drought 

 was not felt directly so much as indirectly on the plants becaiise of the conditions thus 

 made favourable for the development of noxious insects and particularly of aphids on 

 the currant bushes. Although spraying was carried on the results were not satisfactory 

 ovv'ing to the immense numbers of these small insects. 



Although gooseberries have been tried every year since the establishment of the 

 Station, this was the first season that a yield was obtained, which, although in itself 

 not large, establishes a record. Of course the plants are very small. Six bushes of Carrie 

 yielded five standard berry boxes of fruit. Six bushes of Houghton yielded twenty-six 

 standard berry boxes. 



The following is a table showing the principal varieties of black, red, and white 

 currants, and raspberries together with their yields in 1915. The yields are giveil in 

 terms of standard berry boxes holding approximately one pint. 



Small Fruits. 



Variety. 



Black Currants. 



Clipper 



Victoria Black 



Eagle 



Topsy... 



Lee Prolific. . . 

 Red Currants. 



Red Grape. . . . 



Rankins Red.. 



Raby Castle.. 



Stewart 



White Currants. 



White Cherry. 

 Raspberries. 



Turner 



Loudon 



Sunbeam 



Herbert 



Year 

 planted. 



1911 

 1911 

 1911 

 1911 

 1911 



1911 

 1911 

 1911 

 1911 



1911 



1911 

 1911 

 1911 

 1912 



No. of 

 plants. 



12 



12 



12 



4 



Total 

 yield. 



Boxes, 

 13 

 20 

 32 

 21 

 30 



15 

 20 

 46§ 

 25 



18 



28 



32 



38 



9 



Yield per 

 plant. 



Boxes. 

 2 

 ^ 



6 



3 



3^ 



2i 



21 



3 



4i 



Strawberries. — Proper winter protection seems to be the limiting factor in straw- 

 berry culture. The plan followed at Eosthern is to cover with loose straw to a depth 

 of nearly a foot. The straw is held in pkce by means of poles laid directly above the 



rows of strawberries. - 



Eosthern. 



