298 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 



eastern Ontario, where the early apple is so 

 widely grown, the crop ripens " all in a 

 heap," as it were, and must be disposed of 

 with due haste before it deteriorates. The 

 grower must content himself with prices 

 which make the handling of such varieties 

 unprofitable. Hundreds of bushels have 



been sold for as low as 25 cents per bushel 

 simply because a quick sale was imperative. 

 Two or three weeks later similar apples sold 

 ^t 35 to 50 cents per bushel. The employ- 

 ment of some method of cold storage would 

 have made the delaying of sale possible, 

 and resulted in great gain to the producer. 



Actual Co-operation 



Til J*, value of cooperation is recognized 

 by the members of the Kootenay 

 Fruft Growers' Association, of Nelson, B. 

 C, which was formed last }ear and has ac- 

 complished excellent work. The objects 

 of the association, as aimounced in a circu- 

 lar which Secretary Thos. Morley has sent 

 to die fruit growers in the Nelson district 

 are as follows : To encourage the growing 

 of choice fruits and vegetables ; to secure 

 to the fruit growers and gardeners of the 

 Kootenay district, who are members of the 

 association, all possible advantages in the 

 marketing of their produce ; to create a de- 

 mand for the produce of the association ; 

 to use their combined efforts for the preven- 

 tion of plant diseases and insect pests ; to 

 prevent the importation of infected nursery 

 stock ; to collect and distribute information 

 of value to its members ; to secure by co- 

 operation the lowest prices on fertilizers, 

 crates, boxes and such other supplies as 

 may be required ; to secure lower freight 

 rates, and to expedite the delivery of the 

 produce of its members. 



Early this season the secretary issued a 

 circular to the members of the association 

 and enclosed forms which they were to re- 

 turn to him showing the number of berry 

 crates, collapsable berry boxes, plum and 

 cherry baskets and crates, rhubarb crates, 

 pear and apple boxes, etc.. they might de- 

 sire. As soon as the secretary had secured 

 a list from all the members of the supplies 

 they wished, he was able to purchase the 

 supplies more cheaply by getting them in 



large quantities. Much of the fruit of the 

 association is sold in Winnipeg and the 

 towns and cities of the central west. 



Value of Wood Ashes 



PROF. F. C. SEARS, VVOLFVILLE, N. S. 



How heavily should wood ashes be applied in 

 orchards ? Will they hurt a growing cover 

 crop, or should they be applied just before turn- 

 ing under ? If so, would they not be too late 

 to benefit the existing crop ?— (A. J. L,., Ontario. 



Wood ashes are so variable that it is diffi- 

 cult to answer this question. Analysis of 

 ordinary Canadian hardwood ashes shows 

 about 6.15 per cent, potash and 1.90 pei 

 cent, phosphoric acid, while soft wood ashes 

 run little more than half that amount. This, 

 too, is for ashes which have been well taken 

 care of. Ashes as bought on the market 

 run all the way from the percentage given 

 to nothing. I should consider one ton per 

 acre a good dressing. I should not apply 

 them to growing cover crops. Application 

 in the spring before plowing is better. They 

 would benefit tliat season's crop because 

 much of their fertilizing constituent is imme- 

 diately soluble. 



We Cannot Grow Pears or European 

 plums in this district. I have tried Flemish 

 Beauty and Keiffer, two of the hardiest 

 varieties of pears, and both froze out. In 

 plums I have, tried Moore's Arctic, Lom- 

 bard, Smith's Orleans, Abundance, and 

 many other hardy varieties, but they met 

 the same fate as the pears. I never yet 

 had a good crop of either. — (Dr. McCallum, 

 Smith's Falls, Ont. 



