THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST 



January, 191 a 



A Twelve Year Old Northern Spy that Produced Five Barrels and One Bushel Last Fall. 



THia tree, grown in the orchard of Geo. Mitchell, Clarksburg, Ont-, produced ninety to 

 ninety-five per cent- number one apples, all highly colored. 



well, while Gravenstein, King, Cox's 

 Orange, and Ontario have all done well, 

 and meet with the approval of experienc- 

 ed fruit growers. In this district, in- 



creased plantings of strawberries of the 

 Magoon and Royal Sovereign varieties 

 are being made, and can be further re- 

 commended. 



Best Varieties of Small Fruits 



Grant S. Peart, 



IT is a horticultural fact that certain 

 varieties of small fruits are more pro- 

 fitably grown in some sections of On- 

 tario than others. But this does not 

 seem strange when we consider for a 

 moment the many sorts of climatic con- 

 ditions prevailing in different sections of 

 Ontario, and our great variety of soils. 



The adaptability of some varieties is 

 limited to a small area, while other sorts 

 seem to thrive over a wide range of 

 country. Probably all varieties are 

 affected, more or less, by soil conditions, 

 exposure, elevation, climate, and atmos- 

 pheric peculiarities. Hence the question 

 as to whether a variety is a profitable one 

 to grow in a certain district will largely 

 depend on the influence it receives from 

 the foregoing factors in that district. 

 When selecting varieties for planting it 

 is essential that we learn whether they 

 are hardy or not and whether they are 

 adapted to the soil we have. 



Burlington, Ont. 



If a variety is subject to winter killing, 

 as a general rule it is not a profitable 

 one. The canes, plants, and so forth, are 

 so set back, just before the fruiting sea- 

 son that poor crops result. The plants 

 spend most of the spring and summer 

 in an effort to renew their vitality from 

 the previous winter's shock. A grand 

 example of a variety that suffers in this 

 way in localities north of the climatic 

 zone of Niagara is the Kittatinny black- 

 berry. In the Niagara District it is per- 

 haps the most profitable berry of its 

 kind, but it is too tender in a more severe 

 climate. 



The following includes the more pro- 

 fitable varieties of small fruits for the 

 Burlington district : — 



Strawberries — Early, Michels. This 

 variety, though the earliest of all, only 

 yields about two or three pickings, thus 

 is profitable to grow only on the earliest 

 of lands for the first market. 



Bedewood, not as early as Michels, but 

 a heavy bearer, consequently the fruit is 

 small if picking .season is dry. The 

 berries arc soft and not a good color for 

 canning purposes. It is a self-fertilizing 

 variety and gets its place among the 

 leading varieties because of its heavy 

 cropping qualities. 



Medium season- — Gibson and Parson's 

 Beauty. These no doubt are one and the 

 same variety, for the plants and berries 

 of each are very much alike. The Gibson 

 is a very popular variety. There is double 

 the acreage of Gibson in this district 

 than any other variety.- It seems to be 

 adapted to a wider range of soils than 

 some other \arieties. It bears heavily 

 and carries a dense foliage, which affords 

 shelter to the berries from the scalding 

 effects of the sun and helps to retain 

 moisture. 



Glen Mary is a vigorous productive 

 variety. The berries are large and of 

 good quality. Last year this variety 

 demonstrated its superior qualities, re- 

 sisting drought. 



Late season — Williams still holds a 

 place among late varieties because of the 

 firmness of the berries. They are par- 

 ticularly adapted for canning purposes. 



RASPBERRIES 



The Marlboro, Herbert, and Cuthbert 

 are early, medium and late in season. 

 Where all three are grown the picking 

 season is continuous while it lasts. The 

 writer believes it would be wise to give 

 the Marlboro a rest for a few years so 

 as to discourage the many insect, fungus 

 and bacterial pests that it is subject to, 

 and give the stock a chance to regain 

 vigor. 



The Herbert seems to be disease re- 

 sisting so far, doubtless due to its natu- 

 ral vigor, and little mistake would be 

 made if a large proportion of new plan- 

 tations are of the Herbert variety. 



The Cuthbert is still the leading rasp- 

 berry in commercial plantations, but 

 rigid inspection must be given the plants 

 when planted and all diseased and weak- 

 ly ones discarded. 



BLACKBERRIES 



Agawam is an early variety and hardy, 

 vigorous and productive. 



Snyder is the leading variety for mid- 

 season. It is hardy and productive, but 

 the quality of the fruit is inferior but 

 firm, and stands shipping well. 



Kittatinny — The berries are large and 

 the quality first-class, and as a genera! 

 rule the cane growth is vigorous. The 

 natural soil for the blackberry is a loam 

 with a quick sand bottom. 



BLACK CURUANTS 



Champion is the chief commercial sort. 

 The bush is small and very productive. 

 The fruit is large. 



Naples and Lees have the bad habit 

 of producing too much wood and not 

 enough currants. 



