NOTES. 



i8i 



competition largely to the township in which 

 the show is held, can accomplish a great deal 

 towards advancing the interests of agriculture 

 in the district. 



THE EFFECT OF THE FAIR. 



In 1868 the total vote for agriculture was 

 $64,350, or $54,000 to agricultural societies, 

 $10,000 eo the Provincial fair, and $350 to the 

 Ontario Fruit Growers' Association. In 1903 the 

 total vote was $184,000, $76,000 of which went to 

 the agricultural societies. From these figures 

 Mr. C. C. James showed that the agricultural 

 societies of the province had not kept pace with 

 other agencies in advancing the interests of 

 agriculture. Had they done so, their annual 

 grant would have shown a larger increase dur- 

 ing these years. Continuing, Mr. James stated 

 that the importance of a society's work did not 

 depend upon the number of its members. The 

 value of a fair does not depend upon a wide- 

 open door. The original intention of the town- 

 ship society was to develop the agriculture of 

 that particular township, not the neighboring 

 one. The success of a show should not always 

 be measured by the crowds attending. The 

 farmer is in a better position than he was a few- 

 years ago, and will need more enjoyment, but 

 this cannot be supplied by a two days outing 

 at the fall fair, which exists for another pur- 

 pose. There is a danger at present of going 

 too far along the lines of reform. There should 

 not be too much uniformity. Variety in the 

 prize list is best. — Canadian Farmer. 



SOUTH AFRICAN FRUIT IN MONTREAL. 



Fruit Inspector Wartman reports the arrival 

 in Montreal of a consignment of peaches and 

 plums from South Africa. The fruit arrived in 

 perfect condition, fbut the price, $1.00 per dozen, 

 indicates that the market for it in Canada will 

 be a rather limited one. There were 60 peaches 

 in a single layer box, e^ch fruit wrapped and 

 plenty of finest quality excelsior at top and bot- 

 tom of each case. Plums were put up in the 

 same style, about 45 to the case. Mr. "Walter 

 Paul, the consignee, had also some very fine 

 English hothouse grapes that arrived via New 

 York in perfect order. These grapes were put 

 in cotton batting bags, 1% lbs. in each of four 

 bags, or 5 lbs. to the box, with plenty of tissue 

 paper clippings for padding. The price was $2 

 a pound. 



GOOD AND BAD FRUIT IN BOXES. 



Mr. John Browh, inspector at Glasgow for the 

 Dominion Department of Agriculture, reports to 

 the Fruit Division that a shipment of 1,422 cases 

 of apples from a Burlington packer was landed 

 at that port recently. This parcel consisted en- 

 tirely of XXX Spys; all the apples were wrap- 

 ped in paper and graded in size from 2% inches 

 upwards; the fruit was in splendid condition, 

 and the extra trouble and care bestowed on the 

 apples would well repay the shippers. The 

 large sized fruit realized from 7s. to 7s. 6d. 



(small cases holding only about 35 lbs.), the 

 smaller fruit, 6s. to 6s. 6d. 



Another shipment by the same boat consisted 

 of 416 barrels and 401 cases. These were nearly 

 all Spys and were very much frosted and 

 wasty. Had these apples >^een properly re- 

 packed and looked after, they would probably 

 have landed in much bette'- condition. Prices 

 realized for barrels ranged from 10s. to 16s. The 

 cases were even worse than the barrels; some 

 fifty of these were thrown out, part of them be- 

 ing used to fill up wasty cases. These made 

 from 2s. 6d. to 5s. 6d. (large cases). If our ap- 

 ples in cases are to maintain a reputation for 

 strictly fancy quality, it will not do to send for- 

 ward such fruit as that just mentioned. 



UNIFORM PACKAGES. 



Canada once more scores a point against the 

 United States, this time in regard to uniformity 

 in fruit packages. Our American cousins are 

 still struggling with this question, while in 

 Canada the fruit growers of Ontario, Quebec, 

 British Columbia, Nova Scotia and Prince Ed- 

 ward Island have all adopted a uniform case 

 10 x 11 X 20 inches, inside measurements, for the 

 shipment of apples. A case half this size is 

 found a very suitable package for pears. 



PACKING HOUSE FOR FRUIT. 



The Walkerton Fruit Growers' Association 

 have under contemplation the purchase or erec- 

 tion of a (building for the storing and packing of 

 fruit. This building will be known as the Cen- 

 tral Packing- house. An ample supply of ice 

 has already been stored up, and this ice will be 

 utilized for cold storage purposes, when the 

 shipping season arrives. When the building is 

 ready for the reception of apples, an expert ship- 

 per will be employed to grade all apples brought 

 in and to see that they are all properly shipped 

 to the purchaser. In this way it is hoped uni- 

 formity in quality will be reached. Experience 

 has amply demonstrated the fact that when 

 every man grades his own fruie no fixed stand- 

 ard of quality can be secured, and the result is 

 dissatisfaction and 'grumbling at the far end of 

 the transaction. 



CANADIAN APPLES IN LEEDS MARKET. 



The Leeds Mercury says: "During the past 

 few years Canadian apples have found a ready 

 market in this country, and Leeds has received 

 a fair proportion of the supply. It is a strik- 

 ing tribute to the quality of the fruit that al- 

 though the supply of late has been in excess of 

 the demand, prices have slightly increased. For 

 cooking purposes Northern Spys are strongly 

 recommended, whilst Baldwins and Greenings 

 are also very good. There is very little differ- 

 ence in the price of these varieties, l%d. to 3d. 

 a pound being the general charge. Newton Pip- 

 pins and Golden Russets are excellent dessert 

 apples. Owing to the splendid quality of apples 

 from the Dominion the demand for those from 

 New York has suffered considerably." 



