The Canadian IJorticultni-ist. 



21 I 



that the one judge system was imicli 

 more satisfactory than to have three 

 as at present in most cases, because 

 then the responsibihty would rest 

 with the one, and could not be 

 shifted upon his colleagues. For 

 this work realh- competent men 

 should be secured and properly re- 

 munerated. Score cards should be 

 used, upon which the judge should give 

 the values under each point which had 

 guided him in the awarding the 

 prizes. A committee, consisting of 

 the President and Mr. Beall, was 

 appointed to prepare a scale of points 

 to be brought up for the approval of 

 the Association at the next meeting. 

 This committee has in consideration 

 some such list of points as the fol- 

 lowing, viz. : — (i) Commercial value, 

 (2) Productiveness, (3) Hardiness, 

 (4) Quality, and (5) Perfection of 

 growth. The latter point would 

 score more points than the others, 

 because it includes color, size, free- 

 dom from spots, etc. 



A very practical address was given 

 by Mr. A. McD. Allan, the President, 

 on "Culling, Grading and Packing of 

 Apples for the British Market." He 

 believed that the present system of 

 buying apples in lots at one price, 

 without regard to the real value of 

 the various kinds, was very detri- 

 mental to the ultimate prosperity of 

 Canadian farmers. In this wa\-. 

 people would plant those kinds which 

 yield the most fruit, without regard 

 to their value in the foreign markets, 

 a course which would ultimately be 

 found to be a most serious blunder. 

 On the other hand, by paying prices 

 according to the real value, planters 

 would be led to buy only those varie- 



ties which were most wanted. For 

 an example of his meaning, Mr. Allan 

 gave the following scale of prices 

 which should be paid for the staple 

 kinds of apples, in a season when the 

 Baldwin was worth $1.00 per barrel, 

 viz: — Ribston Pippin and Blenheim 

 Pippin, $1.50; King, Si. 50; Spy, 

 $1.30; American Golden Russet, 

 !8>i.25; Greening, $1.00. 



A committee was also appomted 

 to prepare a complete fruit list for 

 the Province of Ontario, showing 

 •the absolute value of each known 

 variety, upon a scale to correspond 

 with that upon which judges at fairs 

 ought to base their awards ; and also 

 to prepare a list of a limited number 

 of varieties for each county or agri- 

 cultural division in Ontario, of such 

 kinds as were proved by actual test- 

 ing to be best adapted to each dis- 

 trict. This committee will also re- 

 port at the next meeting, and it is 

 obvious that the result of such work, 

 if carefully done, will be greatly to 

 the interest of our Province. 



Another very important plan of 

 usefulness is being matured, and 

 that is one for engaging in the work 

 of the farmers" institutes. Our object 

 is to encourage farmers to grow such 

 varieties of fruits as will succeed in 

 their respective sections, both for 

 home use and for market. The great 

 wheat fields of this continent are 

 situated in the limitless North- 

 West of our young Dominion. It is 

 claimed that there are 250,000,000 

 acres of wheat land in the North- 

 West, south of the 54th parallel ; and 

 north of that, along the McKenzie 

 river, that there are 500,000,000 acres 

 of arable, habitable land ! What 



