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from the time they are eatable they are entirely gone. They are not worth anything. 

 They are dry and mealy. They are not fit for anything but just for amateur use. 



Mr. Graham. — The Early Harvest is about the only apple I have had any satisfaction 

 with. I have got Red Astrachans ; but there are very few of them that have borne any- 

 thing. Those are the only two varieties I have in bearing. The Early Harvest is a fine 

 variety. I think it is profitable. I prefer it to the Red Astrachan. 



A Member. — Is there a variety of apple that ripens earlier than the Early Harvest 1 



Mr. Gott. — The Tetofski ripens before it. 



Mr. Dempsey. — The Grand Sultan, grown on the same tree with us, ripens before it 

 — about two hours. 



Mr. Wright. — In our colder climate it is only the earlier varieties that we can 

 grow. I do not want you to take what I say as law and gospel in regard to the hardi- 

 ness of trees, as I have not yet had much experience. I have had great difiiculties to 

 contend with in trying to get fruit to grow at all in my section, for various reasons. In 

 the first place, when I would go to a man's orchard and find a tree that was tolerably 

 hardy and bearing tolerably good fruit, and asked him what variety it was, he knew 

 nothing about it except that it was an apple. So far, the hardiest apple tree which I 

 have found is the Wealthy. I find it hardier than the Duchess of Oldenburg, about 

 which we hear so much. Next to the Wealthy I would recommend, so far as my experi- 

 ence goes just now, the Peach of Montreal, and the Mackintosh Red, which grows at a 

 place called Tindale, back of Cornwall, where it originated. None of these varieties have 

 been killed with me yet. Still, I have only been growing them three years, and that is 

 not long enough to test them. The Peach of Montreal I find a very early apple, but you 

 must understand that varieties of apples that would do very well with us I would not 

 advise other sections of the country to use at all. If anyone can grow apples which last 

 for a week, that is enough, because he can sell in a week all the apples he can grow, 

 especially if they are an early apple. The Peach is an early apple ; but it would not do 

 for anyone to ship, it bruises so easily. The Tetofski comes very early, and with us it is 

 all right ; but it does not last very long. It drops very much from the tree. We lose a 

 great deal of fruit because of its dropping before it ripens. Still, we always have a toler- 

 ably fair crop. The Wealthy keeps longer than any other apple grown in our part of the 

 country. This year every tree of it is bearing heavily. Not one of them has ever been 

 winter-killed in any degree. Another variety which I think is going to be very hardy, 

 and which I think will prove better than either of the two I have been speaking of, is 

 the Yellow Bellflower. It is not very handsome, and it does not look so well as the 

 others ; but it comes in sooner than they. I do not think the Red Astrachan is going to 

 do in our part of the country at all. I have an Alexander that I think is going to live. 

 I am in hopes it will prove hardy with me. There is another variety called the Magog 

 Red Streak which has proved very hardy with me, and which I think will last in our 

 climate. But before all — before the Duchess of Oldenburg, before any other variety — I 

 would place the Wealthy apple. I think it is the hardiest and best apple for a northern 

 climate that we have ever had anything to do with. Next to that I would place the 

 Mackintosh Red. The Wealthy keeps longer than any other apple I grow. 



Mr. Croil. — I quite agree with Mr. Wright that there are very few kinds that 

 succeed in our neighbourhood at all. I think I might almost limit them to a dozen. The 

 Mackintosh Rod has been thoroughly tried in our neighbourhood. I have seen the original 

 tree. It is now seventy years old, and it is bearing yet. But ahead of all the other 

 apples as a hardy variety is the Fameuse. 



Mr. Wright. — I might mention with regard to the Mackintosh Red that not only 

 does it stand the cold, but in other respects it is the hardiest I ever saw. I can grow it 

 where I cannot grow the maple trees at all. 



Mr. Dempsey. — I wanted to ask you if you had ever fruited the Irish Peach. You 

 spoke very highly of the Montreal Peach j I would like to know whether it is the same 

 apple or not? 



Mr. Wright. — I do not know ; I never heard of it. 



Mr. Bucke. — Might I ask Mr. Croil where the Mackintosh originated 1 



Mr. Croil. — In the county of Dundas. 



