THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 



simply multiplying packages and not 

 creating any increase in the demand. 

 The special package must mean a supe- 

 rior class of product, and then it will 

 command a ready sale among a certain 

 class of buyers. Ordinary fruit should 

 be put up in barrels as usual, and so it 

 will not come in competition with our 

 higher grades. 



During the past season, 6 car-loads 

 of this superior class of apples, pears, 

 tomatoes, peaches, and plums have 

 been forwarded to the British markets, 

 and for the most part have done well, 

 but full account sales are not yet to 

 hand. 



It is evident that English fruit grow- 

 ers are somewhat troubled about the 

 prospect of our invading their markets 

 with our tender fruits, if we may judge 



from the following extract from the 

 Fruit Grower, published in London, 

 England : — 



With further reference to the Canadian 

 fruits, we find that shipments are to be sent 

 to Liverpool, Manchester, Glasgow and Bris- 

 tol. The fruit will come over in cold stor- 

 age. There can be no doubt that if these 

 various attempts to flood our maikets with 

 soft, fresh fruits from several centres are suc- 

 cessfully carried out, that the home grower 

 will have a serious state of things to face. 

 Though it may not be brought about very 

 quickly, there is always the possibility of its 

 being done when once the possibility of the 

 scheme has been demonstrated. For instance, 

 there aie as we write some enormously sized 

 eating pears on our markets fiom California. 

 They are better than any French ones ever 

 seen here, and beautifully coloured. They 

 are as large as our largest Pitmaston Duchess, 

 and though we can raise plenty of this kind 

 of pear as large as any produced by the out- 

 side grower, it is clear it we are to more than 

 hold our ground that we must raise dessert 

 pears of fine appearance and of large size. 



CHESTNUTS FOR PROFIT. 



URIOUSLY enough the fruit 

 growers of Ontario, like a flock 

 of sheep, are given to follow 

 in whatever line any one takes 

 the lead. If one man plants Burbank 

 plums, or Kieffer pears, and gets a paying 

 crop, forthwith you see every fruit grower 

 planting Burbank plums or Kieffer 

 pears. A short time ago the Niagara 

 grape was the thing, and every one 

 planted it until now it is becoming a 

 drug in the market. Why would it not 

 be wiser for each man to show an inde- 

 pendent spirit, and plant out such a 

 selection of fruits as his own judgment 

 shows him will command a market, and 

 such as he himself has the skill to culti- 

 vate with success. 



Neither do we approve of the incon- 

 stant ways of some growers, who are con- 

 tinually changing from one thing to an- 

 other. One year sees them digging out 

 their apple orchards because for one 

 or two seasons the markets were over- 



42 



stocked, and another year planting them 

 because better prices were received. 



As a sensible variation from fruit 

 growing we are glad to notice that 

 attempts are being made to make 

 nut culture a profitable department for 

 the horticulturist. | Much has already 

 been written about the walnut, and 

 especially that hardy and productive 

 variety, Juglans Sieboldiana. Now we 

 note with interest a recent article by Mr. 

 H. E. Van Deman, of Virginia, on the 

 cultivation of the Chestnut for profit. 

 This nut may not be hardy enough to 

 succeed far north, but across southern 

 Ontario there are old chestnut ridges 

 where the native American sweet variety 

 flourishes even to a good old age, and 

 on such high, sandy knolls, we hope 

 to prove that the more productive and 

 profitable varieties may be grown with 

 success. Mr. Van Deman writes as fol- 

 lows in the American Agriculturist : — 



" Of all the varieties of the chestnut, 

 6 



