274 



Tlie Canadian Horticulturist. 



as to the quality of the fruit, but 

 some of them have not proved even 

 hardy, for at least a half dozen have 

 been winter-killed, and that in a 

 peach orchard which has not been 

 affected in the least by the cold. 



Mr. G. C. Brackett, Secretary of 

 the Kansas State Horticultural So- 

 ciety, saj^s he paid a visit to the 

 orchards of the Mennonites in 

 Western Kansas, two or three years 

 ago, and was rather disappointed in 

 the condition of things ; for while the 

 trees themselves were perfectly 

 healthy, and the fruit, when well 

 grown, handsome and similar in 

 quahty to that of the well known 

 English variety, the Breda, only 

 rather more tart, yet niuchof it was so 

 subject to the scab and the curculio 

 that it was rendered worthless. Any- 

 one, therefore, who buys trees of this 



apricot, expecting that he will not 

 have any curculio to fight with, is 

 likely to meet with disappointment. 



Still we hope that from this stock 

 some constant varieties of real ex- 

 cellence and acknowledged hardihood 

 will result. This is claimed for some 

 half dozen kinds now being propa- 

 gated, as will be seen on page gg of 

 this volume in Dr. Beadle's article, 

 among which is included the Nicho- 

 las, described as a fruit of medium 

 size, sweet and melting, which ripens 

 about the middle of July. None of 

 these six commended varieties have 

 been tested in Canada, but we have 

 made arrangements to have one of 

 the most desirable included in our 

 list for distribution in the spring of 

 i8go, so that our members them- 

 selves in various parts of Ontario 

 may test them and report the result. 



SEASONABLE HINTS FOR FRUIT GROWERS. 



JUST in proportion to the increase 

 in value and importance of the 

 apple crop in Ontario, will be the in- 

 terest of our readers in the best 

 modes of grading and packing the 

 fruit for, market. Some twenty-five 

 or thirty years ago bags were used 

 both for gathering and marketing 

 apples, and no thought was given to 

 separating them into grades, with 

 respect to perfection of growth. 

 Apples in those days brought us from 

 fifty to seventy-five cents a bag, but 

 were the same methods employed at 

 the present time, our local markets 

 would be quickly over-stocked with 

 apples in no condition for shipment, 

 and there would be no sale for them 



except in such a season as this when 

 we have an apple famine at home. 

 But owing to the improved condi- 

 tions, such as facilities for transporta- 

 tion and distribution, suitable pack- 

 ages for carrying fruit without in- 

 jury in handling, shippers, commis- 

 sion houses, etc., better prices can 

 now be obtained than in days of old, 

 notwithstanding the largely increased 

 acreage of apple orchards now in 

 bearing in the Province, The farmer 

 who neglects to grade his apple crop 

 before offering it for sale is on a par 

 with one who would offer his grain 

 in the market without passing it 

 through the fanning mill to separate 

 foul seeds and other impurities from 



