BURLINGTON HORTICULTURAL ASSOCIATION. 



Fig. 1476.— Mr. A. W. Peart, B.A., 



Secretary Burlington Society. 



L/^ psiO those two or three surviving 

 constituent members of the 

 Ontario Association, who re- 

 member its formation in i860 

 with about a dozen members, it must be 

 a matter of congratulation that the ball 

 then set rolling has gathered such weight 

 and influence that at the present time 

 there are nearly forty such societies in 

 various parts of our Province working 

 in affiliation with us, and strengthening 

 the hands of the parent body in obtain- 

 ing the extension of the markets for 

 fruit and in teachin*^ our people the best 

 methods of growing it. 



One of the oldest of these affiliated 

 societies is the one at Burlington, which 

 was organized in March, 1889, with Mr. 

 George E. Fisher, as President, and Mr. 

 A. W. Peart, as Secretary. This Society 

 has been of special use to the fruit in- 

 terests of this favored district, and has 



led to an increased acreage of fruit, 

 better methods of culture, and extended 

 markets. The soil and climate of this 

 whole region is exceptionally good, and 

 with its excellent shipping facilities, it 

 has become one of the leading fruit 

 centres of Ontaiio. It is, therefore, no 

 wonder that Burlington fruit took several 

 prizes at the World's Fair in Chicago, 

 in peaches, pears and grapes. The 

 Society took a most laudable interest in 

 this fruit exhibit, and without any out- 

 side help except such as was given by 

 the Municipality, kept up constant ship- 

 ments of fruit from first to last during 

 the whole season. 



The same laudable and patriotic spirit 

 characterized this Association in its 

 efforts in 1897, to experiment in the 

 export of tender fruits at their individual 

 risk of loss. The President, Mr. G, E. 

 Fisher, was the prime mover in this 

 work, and he was supported by Mr. 

 Peart, Mr. Chas. Davis, and numerous 

 other well known members of the Bur- 

 lington Society. Pears, tomatoes, plums 

 and grapes were forwarded, and on the 

 whole the venture proved satisfactory. 



During the past six years also, the 

 Society has been making an annual ex- 

 hibit at the Toronto Industrial, and has 

 received the highest award each year. 

 This year the exhibit consisted of two 

 hundred and twelve plates of choice 

 fruit. 



Mr. George Fisher, the President, is 

 one of those men who never does things 

 by halves, and since he has turned his 

 attention to fruit growing, has planted 

 apple and pear trees to an extent that 

 almost surprised even the foremost fruit 

 growers of the Burlington district. Not 

 satisfied with a superficial knowledge of 

 horticulture, he sent to England for a 

 first class microscope, and began study. 



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