FRUIT GROWING IN AIGOMA. 



Fig. 1438. — Tree of Lonofielu apples and Mr. McMillan. 



The most common forest tree on the 

 island is the Poplar, especially where 

 there 'is a second growth, but the Bass- 

 wood, Maple, and even the Oak and 

 the Beech are found, though this appears 

 to be the Northern limit of this last. 

 There is also the Larch, the Birch, the 

 Hazel, the High Bush Cranberry, the 

 Juneberry, the Red Berried Elder; and 

 of evergreens abundance of White 

 Spruce, Larch, Pine, Balsam Fir, Hem- 

 lock, Spruce, etc. Limestone abounds 

 and the soil which varies from clay to 

 light sand, seems well adapted to fruit, 

 unless it be some of the latter which is 

 too light and too easily affected by 

 drouth. 



The thermometer often drops to 40'' 

 below zero, but the ground is seldom 

 frozen to any extent, owing to the heavy 

 snowfalls. 



The people are prosperous, and very 

 desirous to have the fruits tested to see 

 what kinds are best adapted to their 

 soil and climate. 



On the North shore of Lake Huron 

 we traversed a large area between the 

 Sauk and Iron Bridge, wheeling a great 

 part of the way. Here and there we 

 found small young orchards of from 25 

 to 50 trees, mostly Transparent, Duchess 

 and Wealthy. At Sowerby we found 

 two fine young orchards of about two 

 hundred trees each, one owned by Mr. 

 Hagerman, a storekeeper, and the other 

 by Mr McMillan. 



Here in addition to the varieties 

 above mentioned, we found Gideon suc- 

 ceeding splendidly, the trees quite 

 loaded down with fruit ; Scott's Winter, 

 which was easily distinguished by its 

 peculiarly vigorous young growth, and 

 its large sized foliage ; and Longfield^ 

 six years planted, which was so heavily 

 laden that it was breaking down with its 

 load of fruit, and had to be propped up 

 on every side. The accompanying illus- 

 tration is from a photograph of this tree, 

 with the proud owner of the orchard 

 standing by its side. In Mr. Ha;;erman's 



385 



