JVOTES AND COMMENTS. 



to Halifax ; Chicoutimi to Quebec by 

 rail and also by steamer. This com- 

 pletes a network of rails over which cold 

 storage trains will be run throughout the 

 season. 



It is evident, therefore, that opportu 

 nity will be given for fruit shipments from 

 all quarters, in addition to the regular 

 weekly carload which the Department 

 will forward from Grimsby. This latter 

 will be necessary in order to thoroughly 

 test the English market for our tender 

 fruits, and the results will be fully made 

 known as a guide to fruit growers in all 

 parts of Canada. 



Speci.^l Packages are being prepared 

 at Grimsby for use in exporting tender 

 fruits in cold storage cars to Great 

 Britain. The basis of the package is 

 the apple box, which is two cubic feet, 

 outside measurement. Inside this trays 

 are fitted, to hold one layer each of 

 choice peaches, or tomatoes. 



Aeration System. — We have re- 

 ceived a pamphlet and letter from Mr. 

 R. M. Pancoast, of Camden, N.J., re- 

 garding a new system which he has in- 

 vented of saving fruit from decay in 

 shipment by a constant and free circula- 

 tion of pure air. It has already been 

 demonstrated that this process does re- 

 strain waste in many fruits, and it re- 

 minds us of the Perkins system of which 

 we have read so much. 



The Russian Baldwin is commend- 

 ed by Dr. Hoskins of Newport, Vt., as 

 very promising on account of hardiness, 

 perfection of fruit, and wide spread use- 

 fulness for both growers and consumers. 

 He is himself planting 2000 trees of this 

 variety. It was the Doctor who intro- 

 duced the Yellow Transparent and 

 Scott's Winter to general notice. 



Instructions in Spravino, is the 

 title of bulletin 105 from the O. A C. 



Guelph, by Prof. J. H. Panton. This 

 is free on application to the Department 

 of Agriculture, Toronto. It gives re- 

 cipes for the various mixtures, and for 

 the treatment of the various insects and 

 fungi affecting fruits. 



Fruit Growers may think that un- 

 due prominence is being given floricul- 

 ture by this Journal, indeed several 

 complaints of this kind have been 

 received. We may explain that our new 

 Horticultural Societies have requested 

 greater attention to floriculture and we 

 have endeavored to meet their wishes. 

 On the other hand our fruit growers may 

 count upon as much matter as ever, 

 bearing on that business. We expect to 

 continue enlarging this journal until we 

 have in it abundance of matter to please 

 both classes of patrons. 



The Prospects are bright so far for 

 the fruit grower in 1897, but he need 

 not count too soon. The peaches have 

 blossomed abundantly in the Niagara 

 peninsula, but some report that the leaves 

 are affected with curl leaf and that the 

 fruit is dropping fast, pears show well 

 even Bartletts which bore abundantly 

 last year, cherries are full and setting 

 unusually well. But what surprises us 

 most is the promise of a fairly good apple 

 crop, notwithstanding the over abund- 

 ance of last year. The Baldwins will be 

 very light, and many orchards almost 

 bare of fruit. Greenings will be much 

 better, while Cranberry Pippins, Spys 

 and Roxbury Russetts promise an abun- 

 dant crop. 



In about a month, when the fruit has 

 begun to grow, and nature's thinning 

 out has taken place, together with a 

 possible touch of Jack Frost's fingers, 

 we can report more positively. In the 

 meantime we ask our readers in various 

 sections to write us brief notes on the 

 fruit crop about the middle of June, so 

 as to be in time for July number. 



>42 



