PROGRESS OF HORT. IN WESTERN MANITOBA. 467 
homes. They also attempted to produce gardens with the same 
varieties of vegetables which they had grown at their old homes. 
But they soon learned that here the climate and soil were different, 
for the transplanted trees failed to grow, the apple trees died from 
heat or frost, and the vegetables failed to mature. That was the 
beginning of horticulture in western Manitoba, and to many, for the 
time, it was also the ending. 
Up to the year 1890, vegetables were not generally grown and 
were always scarce; but about that time it began to be seen from 
the success which a few careful gardeners were experiencing that 
by acareful selection of hardy and early maturing varieties, all 
‘kinds of vegetables could be grown here, and during the last few 
years, western Manitoba has produced the choicest of vegetables in 
great variety and profusion, even to celery and tomatoes, many 
bushels of which latter were ripened on the vines in the open air 
during the past season. Black, red and white currant and goose- 
berry bushes, raspberry canes and strawberry plants were found 
growing in a wild state in the ravines and along the river sides and 
lowlands. These were transplanted, and for several years the 
settlers were contented with the fruit of these, and they found a 
ready sale in the towns and villages which were springing up. 
Bushes of the cultivated varieties of currants were brought in from 
the south and east and planted out, but it took them some years to 
become thoroughly acclimated ; but now the wild varieties are being 
dug up and thrown away, for it has been found that no country on 
earth can produce better or heavier crops of the best varieties of 
currants than can be grown here. 
With gooseberries, we have not been quite so successful. The 
Houghton is the only variety so far found to be generally hardy 
with us. In some places, however, Smith’s Improved and Downing 
are being grown, but they do not seem to be suited to general 
cultivation here. : 
In red raspberries, we find the Turner and Philadelphia do well 
with us, and are the best for general cultivation. Many other 
varieties, however, are being grown successfully in places, some 
soils and situations being evidently favorable for a variety which 
would be perfectly useless in another location. 
Black raspberries and blackberries give us some trouble, and we 
have evidently something to learn before we can make a thorough 
success of their culture. We experience some difficulty in getting 
the young plants to live when transplanted; once established, 
however, they are very productive buta little tender to hard frost 
and excessive heat. Perhaps, we can learn from some member of 
your society how to care for them better. 
There are a few who have madea success of strawberry culture 
here, but the growing of grain crops, where so much of the labor 
is done by machinery, seems to make men here indisposed to giveas 
much attention as is needed to make a success of strawberry 
culture. I have grown the Crescent successfully for nine years, and 
have now growing some twelve varieties, all of which I find are 
equally hardy in the sheltered belts which I have planted for them. 
