136 ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



trees ave brought under the iiitluences attending higher cultivation 

 and cross-fertilizing. It is believed that the future prospects in con- 

 nection with the eftbrts now being made to improve the three fruits 

 referred to, are hopeful and that they will in all probability in time 

 result in giving the people of the Northwest useful fruits in these several 

 classes. 



In the growing of small fruits good progress has alread}' been made 

 with raspberries, red and white, also with black currants, and goose- 

 berries. The varieties of raspberries which have succeeded best are the 

 Turner, Philadelphia, Sarah and Caroline. 



The cultivated varieties of strawberries have not succeeded well. 

 Many of them have proved tender, and those that are hardy have usually 

 failed, mainly, I think, for the reason that the ground is generally too 

 dry on the surface during the summer to permit of the rooting of the 

 runners, thus preveriting the plants from multiplying. In some localities 

 which admit of limited irrigation, it is possible that thisdilttculty may be 

 overcome. 



Currants of all sorts are usually hard}"— red, white, and black. 



Among gooseberries there are several hardy forms, notably Hough- 

 ton's Seedling and Smith's Improved, both of which are of American 

 origin. The English varieties are nearly all too tender to endure the 

 climate in the Xorthwest. 



All the small fruits, not only tlie cultivated but the wild sorts also. 

 are liable to injury from spring frosts, and occasionally, when the frosts 

 are veiy severe, the crop is almost destroyed. 



All attempts to grow the cultivated varieties of the gracie have thus 

 far failed, notwithstanding that all the hardier sorts have been tested, 

 The wild grape, however, Vitis riparia, which has been referred to as 

 growing in the river valleys in the southern parts of Manitoba, is now 

 under test and it is hoped that useful and hardy sorts may eventually be 

 obtained from this source. 



