HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 63 



Mr. Burnett, of Manitoba, was then introduced, and said: 

 Mr. President and Gentlemen: 



In my wanderings to and fro I have been called upon to address 

 meetings upon divers subjects, principally political, but never ex- 

 pected to have the honor of expressing my views in public on horti- 

 culture, for the reason that I have no views on horticulture. 



I have come 600 miles for the purpose of getting all the infor- 

 mation I could on the subject. We have no horticultural society 

 in our country. There are a few "cranks" like Mr. Frankland and 

 myself. I should imagine we are about the same as you were 25 

 years ago — imbued with the idea that fruit could be cultivated in 

 Manitoba, notwithstanding that it is getting away up pretty near 

 the arctic circle. 



It is not our Manitoba winter that prevents our growing fruit. 

 We sort of blame you Minnesota people. You will persist in send- 

 ing us occasionally, especially last summer, some of those hot 

 winds. If you would only send them in the winter time we would 

 not blame you so much, but in the summer time we do, because it 

 stops us, to a great extent, in raising fruit. Notwithstanding that, 

 we have been trying to get our supplies from a state like Minneso- 

 ta, which is claimed very much resembles our own. The general- 

 ity of farmers have the idea that getting stock from New York, or 

 Florida, is about as successful a way to grow fruit as getting it 

 from Minnesota. I don't think so. The proof of the pudding is 

 in the eating. The farmers in Manitoba have been at it in a small 

 way for the past seven or eight years but without success. For 

 my part, as I said before, I am only a novice; have been at it only 

 four or five years. 



We have some native plums which have stood the winter very 

 well. So far as small fruit is concerned, I have been quite suc- 

 cessful in raising them. In apples we are not able to do anything 

 at all. Have tried crab apples, but they don't do well; but still I 

 am going to persevere and see if I can't make it somewhat of a 

 success. 



Mr. Gaylord. How about the Russian apples? Have you tried 

 them ? 



Mr. Burnett. The government has started an experiment sta- 

 tion and there have been some put out there, but we do not know 

 what the result will be. 



Mr. Barrett. Is the Canadian government doing anything for 

 forestry ? 



Mr. Burnett. Nothing whatever. We don't actually feel the 

 want of trees up there that you do here. Where I come from, it is 

 broken — hilly. 



Mr. Barrett. Do farmers take interest in forestry? 



Mr. Burnett. Very little indeed. 



Mr. Gaylord. Tell us some of the best plums that you have. 



Mr. Burnett. We have three kinds. I have the three kinds 



