28o 



The Canadian Horticult7irist. 



FRUIT GROWING IN A NORTHERN CLIMATE. 



Hv L. I'ooTE, Nepeau, Ont., near Ottawa. 



AFTER twenty years' residence 

 in the Ottawa Valle}', in which 

 time I have practiced a habit of close 

 observation concerning fruit-grow- 

 ing, coupled with some experience, 

 I would venture a few thoughts on 

 the needs of that industry in a 

 Northern climate. What is true 

 here, is mainly so in the same 

 isothermal lines of climate east and 

 west of this, hence one feels that he 

 has the agreement of a wide range 

 of experience in what is needed to 

 foster the fruit-growing interest, 

 where so many discouragements must 

 be surmounted. 



One requisite is a class of nursery 

 agents who will only sell such stock 

 as will succeed in this climate. 

 Hundreds of dollars of useless nur- 

 sery stock has been palmed off on the 

 farmers and would-be fruit growers of 

 the Ottawa Valley, so that many are 

 discouraged in the work of fruit- 

 growing almost entirely. 



There are some honorable excep- 

 tions, however, of agents who will 

 onlv sell such varieties as they know 

 will succeed with right treatment, 

 and such win the confidence of the 

 people and make good sales. 



The " Experimental Farm " must 

 prove a boon to the farmers and 

 fruit-growers of the Dominion just in 

 proportion as they appreciate and 

 appropriate its benefits. 



It has demonstrated the fact, that 

 far more can be accomplished in the 

 work of fruit-growing in this climate, 

 than many thought ever could be, 

 and yet the work of tree-growing is 



but fairly under way. All kinds of 

 small fruits are a decided success, 

 and all who visit the " Farm " are 

 forced to admit that fact. A great 

 variety of ornamental shrubberv and 

 forest trees is well under way, and 

 a fine collection of flowers adorn the 

 grounds and greenhouses. 



One quality to ensure success in 

 fruit-growing in this climate is per- 

 severance. The would-be fruit- 

 grower must be prepared to contend 

 with obstacles ; not dive into every 

 novelty that is presented that might 

 do well in a more southern clime, 

 but venture upon a few well-tested 

 varieties of each class of fruit, and 

 plant for mutual protection'. I plant 

 a row of currants in line with a row 

 of apple trees, and a row of grape 

 vines four feet from each row of 

 apples and currants, with a view of 

 putting a tile drain between them. 

 Hedge and tight fence protection 

 around the fruit garden aid in re- 

 taining the snow late in the spring, 

 which is much needed to prevent 

 spring freezing. Tramping a snow 

 mound around each tree prevents 

 mice from barking the trees, and 

 keeps back the flow of sap until the 

 hard northern blasts are past in 

 spring. 



Winter protection is a prominent 

 item to success in this climate. I 

 have used pine boughs as a protec- 

 tion to strawberries, and prefer them 

 to anything else, as they keep the 

 snow up from smothering, and allow 

 the vines more liberty to come on 

 early in the spring. Straw or forest 



