32 Transactions of the Canadian Institute. [vol. x 



hardy Pyrus baccata with pollen from many of the hardiest and best sorts 

 of apples grown in Ontario. Many hundreds of such crosses were made, 

 and later many hundreds of seedlings from the first generation were 

 raised. Almost all of these proved perfectly hardy under the severe 

 tests they were submitted to in the North-West, and their fruit, though 

 small, was found admirable for jelly-making. Second crosses were made 

 using cultivated varieties, and from these and other crosses trees have 

 been grown that apparently are hardy and which have yielded fruit of 

 fair size and in some cases of excellent quality. 



Of the many lines of experimentation now being carried on in apple 

 breeding and testing by the Dominion Horticulturist, the following may 

 be cited : (i) The testing of varieties as to hardiness, prolificness, flavour 

 of fruit, etc., when grown in widely distant points throughout the Do- 

 minion. (2) The testing of seedlings from seed of between 400 and 500 

 named varieties growing in our orchards at Ottawa. This means that 

 only one parent of these seedlings is known, natural pollination having 

 taken place from other trees in the orchard, many of which furnish 

 apples of the best flavour and quality. Many of these seedlings have 

 fruited and the results are surprisingly good. Over 70 per cent, have 

 been found of marketable size and of good quality. (3) Cross-breeding 

 experiments have been conducted for the past 12 years, more particularly 

 with the view of obtaining hardy, vigorous trees producing an apple of 

 good flavour and of long-keeping quality. Only a few of the trees so 

 produced have as yet fruited, but the prospects of success are excellent. 

 (4) Individualism in apple trees is being investigated. For 15 years the 

 yields from the trees under experiment have been recorded, and as a 

 result it has been noted that a marked variation as regards prolificness 

 exists between trees of the same variety and age and grown under the 

 same conditions. Some trees have yielded from two to four times as 

 much as others. Scions have been taken from these heavier yielding 

 trees and top grafted to learn if this individuality can be perpetuated. 



In all sorts of small fruits and vegetables testing is carried on at 

 Ottawa and on the branch farms. As a result we are in a position to 

 advise as to the best varieties suitable for growth in the different parts 

 of Canada. 



Cover crops for orchards have long been under experiment, for 

 protecting the roots of trees in winter and adding humus and plant food 

 when ploughed under. For the most part these crops have been legumes 

 or nitrogen-gatherers (clover, vetches, beans, etc.), but some others, 

 such as rape and rye, have been included. The system of orchard 

 management which comprises the use of cover crops with clean culture 

 is now widely adopted ; it appears to be the most economic and effective 



