THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 



would suggest that steps be taken to ask for a 

 grant from the Government to experiment along 

 this line. 



Various Fruits. 



The peaches sold at very low prices, but the 

 crop being large, it proved fairly remunerative 

 to the growers. The cherries were a very large 

 crop and sold proportionately higher in the 

 market than any other fruit. The pears were 

 a medium crop and prices were fair. Apples, 

 above the average crop and unusually free 

 from scab and other fungus diseases, proved a 

 very profitable crop, and added considerably to 

 the bank account of the farmers. All small 

 fruits were the greatest crop known, although 

 there was great loss from too much rain during 

 picking season for strawberries and raspberries. 

 However, the market price was good. The 

 township of Pelham easily led in quantity of 

 small fruit grown. One grower, Mr. Albert 

 Railton, shipped 375 tons and realized a net 

 profit of $3,000. 



Orchard Meetings. 



I recommended last year that we should have 

 some orchard meetings in the central and 

 southern portion of the Niagara district. There 

 has never been a meeting of that kind held in 

 the section in Ontario where such meetings are 

 most needed and where the people would highly 

 appreciate them. I therefore request that 

 meetings be held in that section. 



Elgin, Brant, Oxford and Norfolk. 



(District No. 9.) 

 Represented by J. S. Scarf, Woodstock. 



The year which has just closed has not been 

 quite as favorable to the fruit growers in this 

 district as was anticipated in the earlier part 

 of the spring. The season opened with great 

 promises of a very large crop of fruit, and just 

 about the time the buds were bursting there 

 came a cold wave with heavy rains, lasting for 

 several days. This, no doubt, was the cause 

 of a light set of the apples ; notwithstanding 

 this, the apple crop was a fairly good one. In 

 many places the quality was exceptionally fine, 

 but in a number of places the apples were at- 

 tacked by a scab. The Northern Spy was a 

 good sample and a good crop ; the Greenings 

 rather light crop, and the Baldwins were good. 

 Owing to the very great scarcity of barrels and 

 boxes a large quantity of the apples were not 

 picked, but were left on the trees and ground 

 to rot. 



The pear crop was a little under the average, 

 and in many places badly affected with the scab, 

 the Kiefer and Bartlett being badly stung. The 

 plums were a very heavy crop, but rotted badly. 

 Cherries were a light crop, the buds in the 

 spring failed to come out well, but the quality 

 was very good. The raspberries did well, and 

 were a heavy crop, as also were the black ber- 

 ries, but the peaches were not as good as last 

 year. 



The Woodstock Horticultural Society. 



With regard to our local Horticultural So- 

 ciety in the city of Woodstock, it is doing good 

 work, continuing on the same lines as last year 

 in distributing shrubs, plants, bulbs and trees 

 to its members, also to the scholars of the pub- 

 lic schools. During the year the society dis- 

 tributed to the members 90 Hydrangea (Pani- 

 culata grandiflora) as premiums from the Fruit 

 Growers' Association and from the local society, 

 185 rose bushes. 32 peach trees, 33 cherry trees, 

 66 currant bushes, 575 Gladioli bulbs, 100 Can- 

 nas, 46 Caladiums and 2,826 tulip bulbs. To 

 the scholars of the schools 300 geraniums and 64 

 boxes of annuals, also tulips to the children, who 

 made an exhibit of flowers at the fall exhibition 

 of the Horticultural Society. 



Monthly Meetings. 



The society continues to hold regular monthly 

 meetings, and some very interesting papers are 

 read at some of these meetings from the mem- 

 bers. The visit we had in April from Mr. T. 

 H. Race, of Mitchell, who was sent by this as- 

 sociation, was very much appreciated by those 

 who heard him. Mr. Race's address was on 

 " Roses and Their Culture," and was of un- 

 usual interest to the large number who turned 

 out to hear him. It was said to be the best 

 lecture on horticulture that the society had ever 

 listened to. 



Perth, Middlesex and City of London. 



(Division No. 11.) 

 Represented by T. H. Race, Mitchell. 



T. H. Race, 



A Director of the O. F.G.A. ; Chairman of the Floricultural Section 

 of our Annual Meeting at Leamington, Ont. 



The only work worthy of notice done in this 

 district during the year just passed has been in 

 connection with the horticultural societies. 

 There has been very little orchard planting 

 done, not enough, in my opinion, in view of 

 what the near future promises in the way of a 

 demand for good fruit. Generally speaking, 

 there has been little spraying done, and a few 

 varieties subject to spot have been badly dis- 

 figured. On the whole there has been a fair 

 crop of winter apples, especially Spys, and they 



