140 



Mr. Arnold. — Somewhere in the neighbourhood of St. Catherines there are English 

 walnuts which are fruiting now. If we could only succeed in crossing them, and raising 

 our own English walnuts, we should be doing a good thing for the country. 



REPORT ON FRUIT AND FRUIT PROSPECTS IN THE COUNTY OF 

 LAMBTON FOR THE YEAR 1882. 



Gentlemen. — After considerable reflection as to the subject that I could bring before 

 you to be most interesting to you at present in this the midsummer meeting of our 

 Ontario Fruit Growers' Association, I have concluded to present, to the best of my ability 

 and as briefly as possible, a condensed report of the condition of our fruit in the county of 

 Lambton for the present year. In a general way and in a medium season, this county is 

 extensively known among the counties of Ontario for its abundance of rich and beautiful 

 fruits that are the pride and the blessing of its cultured and fruit-loving people. We are, 

 however, exceedingly sorry to have to report that the present season is likely to be one of 

 intense and general scarceness in all our large and staple fruits, especially so in our apples 

 and peaches, and to a felt extent in our plums and our pears. The strawberries in a 

 young and tender state were also badly affected by frost, and to some extent, also, the 

 gooseberries and currants. In our beautiful raspberries and blackberries and in our 

 grapes, those later blooming varieties of fruits only, are we likely to have a full and 

 profitable crop. 



About March 28th, the spring appeared to be opening out early after the mildest 

 open winter ever known amongst us. The weather suddenly became fine and the ground 

 on high and well-drained soils became dry and workable, and we thought that " now 

 spring has surely come." 



April Jflh. — We began to work in the garden and nursery, taking up trees, &c., and 

 the weather was nice and dry and every appearance of an early and pleasant spring for 

 this entire country. 



April 10th. — We discovered that the great mass of fruit buds on the peach trees were 

 already killed and ready to fall off'. This saddening effect was doubtless caused by the 

 prolonged and unprecedented mildness of the winter and by a very sudden change of tem- 

 perature which occurred January 22nd and 23rd, and swept over the entire country from 

 west to east. The day before the change the weather was mild and raining, and in a few 

 hours the temperature went down to 16^ below zero, and in some places to 20° below zero, 

 accompanied by a strong and piercing wind and was most disastrous to the peach crop of 

 this entire country. 



April 20th. — Much cold with rain and some snow keeps the spring backward and 

 the weather is still catching and veiy uncertain, yet much spring work is being success- 

 fully done. 



May 10th. — Still much cold and intense rains accompanied with some snow retard 

 the movements of an early spring. 



May 18th. — The weather is now very gradually warming up and becoming more and 

 more spring-like. The leaf buds of some of our trees are already swelling for opening, 

 and the singing of the birds is already heard in our midst. 



May 20th. — Rapid changes are taking place in nature. The weather is fine and 

 spring-like and garden and field operations are fast hurrying on to completion, and the 

 country is wearing a renewed appearance. 



May olst, — During this week the most superbly gorgeous exhibitions have been 

 opened up to our view that could be well imagined. The fruit trees were decked in rich 

 and lively colour and the bloom was most abundant, cheering our hearts with promises of 

 fruitfulness. The whole seemed to open out at once and the abundant bloom of the apple 

 is vying with that of the pear ; and that of the cherry with that of the plum ; and the 

 gooseberry and currant, with that of the strawberry, and all crowded in one picture com- 

 pleting a sight the most intensely gorgeous, and we ask, " what will the fruit be ?" 



June 5r<i.— Heavy and constant rains occurred to-day, deluging the whole country 



