A PROVINCIAL VEGETABLE GROWERS' ASSOCIATION 



AT a well attended meeting of the vege- 

 table growers living in the vicinity 

 of Toronto and Hamilton, held in Toronto 

 early in February, it was decided to form a 

 provincial vegetable growers' association, 

 similar to the Ontario Fruit Growers' As- 

 sociation. The following committee was 

 appointed to draft a constitution and arrange 

 for organization : Messrs. W. Carter, 

 Dover Court Road; George Syme, jr., Carl- 

 ton West ; John McKay, Norway West, and 

 R. Larkin, Todmorden, representing the 

 Market Gardeners' Protective Association; 

 W. C. Emery, of Aldershot ; R. H. Lewis, 

 A. E. Bates and E. J. Mahoney, of Hamil- 

 ton, representing the Hamilton Tomato 

 Growers' Association, and H. B. Cowan, of 

 Toronto, editor of The Horticulturist. 



The meeting was presided over by Mr. J. 

 D. Evans, president of the Market Garden- 

 ers' Protective Association, who explained 

 the objects of that association. It was or- 

 ganized a number of years ago to try and 

 secure more protection for their industry. 

 A statement of the duties imposed by 

 Canada and the United States on garden 

 produce had been prepared and a delegation 

 had paid two visits to Ottawa to urge their 

 views on the government. They had re- 

 ceived assistance from the Montreal and 

 Ottaw^a gardeners, but had not secured 

 what they desired. Had Mr. Tarte re- 

 mained in the government, he believed they 

 would have accomplished something, as Mr. 

 Tarte had shown himself much interested. 



Mr. C. C. James, Deputy Minister of 

 Agriculture, said the department had been 

 trying to get in touch with the market gar- 

 deners. The department had nothing to 

 do with the question of protection, as its 

 work was educational. Were the vegetable 

 .i^rowers to organize the department would 

 be only too glad to cooperate and to assist 

 the organization in every way possible. The 

 market gardeners have been doing fairly 

 well, but thev might do better if still more 



intelligent methods were employed in their 

 work. 



The importance of the vegetable interests 

 was shown by Mr. Cowan, of Toronto, who 

 stated he understood some $3,000,000 is in- 

 vested in the industry in and about Toronto 

 alone. There are 30 or 40 sections in the 

 province where vegetables are grown exten- 

 sively for canning. The market gardeners 

 should have a provincial association, just 

 as the florists, both professional and ama- 

 teur, and the fruit growers have. The re- 

 cent Fruit, Flower and Honey Show was a 

 result of this organization, and it had been 

 most successful. The various associations 

 receive grants from the government, and the 

 market gardeners might were they to organ- 

 ize and show good reason why they should 

 be assisted. An annual convention should 

 be held, which would result in much benefit. 

 Their work should be principally educa- 

 tional. They should have an official or- 

 gan, such as the other associations had. He 

 outlined a plan of organization. 



Mr. E. J. Mahone}', of Hamilton, ex- 

 pressed his approval of the views set forth 

 by J\Ir. Cowan, The Hamilton tomato 

 growers have had an organization for three 

 years, and their position is much better in 

 consequence. He offered some sugges- 

 tions as to organization and submitted the 

 Hamilton form of petition for increased 

 protection. The tariff on market garden 

 produce proposed was much the same as 

 that in force in the United States. They 

 did not wish to prevent goods coming in 

 which they did not grow, but they wished 

 to avoid injurious competition. They did 

 not want ad valorem but specific duties. 



Mr. R. H. Lewis, Hamilton, advocated a 

 committee to work out the details of organi- 

 zation and report at a subsequent meeting. 



Mr. J. W. Rush, Mimico, related how 

 their little local association had accomplished 

 a good deal, instancing a reduction in the 

 price of many of their seeds. He put in a 



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