224 



OUR SPECIAL CROP REPORTS. 



out of all those heard from in these different 

 counties mentioned any new trees being set out. 



More Spraying Will be Done. 



There will be more spraying done by large 

 growers than ever 'before, although the number 

 of small growers who will attend to this work 

 will show but little increase. While in most 

 sections the number who will spray this year 

 will s'how a considerable increase, other reports 

 indicate that less spraying will be done this sea- 

 son than in 1903. In York county one corre- 

 spondent estimates one grower in 12 in Mark- 

 ham township will spray, while another corre- 

 spondent in Etobicoke township estimates the 

 number who will spray at one in 20. 



In Collingwood township, Grey county, the 

 number of growers who will spray is stated to 

 be increasing all the time, while a report from 

 G-lenelg says that no spraying will be done at 

 all. A correspondent in Slmcoe county puts the 

 situation very tersely when he says that " not 

 half enough spraying is being done." The gen- 

 eral tone of the reports received indicates hat 

 growers are hopeful that the crop this year will 

 be a liberal one if conditions during the sum- 

 mer are favorable. 



Considerable Damage in Peach Orchards. 



Although many reports of great damage to 

 peach orchards have been received by the 

 Horticulturist, indications are that a large pro- 

 portion of the orchards have come through the 

 winter in a very fair condition. Reports con- 

 flict to such an extent that it has been impossi- 

 ble to gain any very accurate information as to 

 conditions as a whole. While a correspondent 

 in one township reports trees have wintered in 

 good condition, another correspondent in the 

 same township writes nearly all the young trees 

 have been killed. The following brief extracts 

 from the reports of correspondents will give a 

 general idea of conditions. 



LINCOLN COUNTY. 



Contrary to the opinions of a good many 

 other growers, I do not think any appreciable 

 number of our trees or vines have been injured 

 by the cold. As regards fruit buds, on the 

 more tender varieties of peaches they are pretty 

 well killed. With favorable weather from now 

 on we may hope for a crop of peaches in hardy 

 varieties and on vigorous trees. Plums of the 

 Japanese variety show the buds vigorous and 

 swelling fast. Strawberries, like the wheat, 

 have been badly scorched by the intense cold, 

 and we may look forward to rather a light crop. 

 — (Robert Thompson, St. Catharines. 



In Grantham township trees have wintered 

 fairly and are in good condition. Mice have 

 done consiuerable damage. Peach buds have 

 been considerably injured. 



It is still too early to say how the trees have 

 wlntere^.* in Pelham township ; about one-fifth 

 have been injured by mice. Quite a number 

 of new plantations have been set out this year. 

 Between the damage from mice and frost, my 

 opinion is fruit will run very sliort this year. 



One quarter of the trees in Pelham township 



have been injured by mice, while many were 

 dstroyed by the severe winter. Buds on peach 

 trees have nearly all been killed by the frost. — 

 (J. P. Townsend, Pelham township. 



Old trees have wintered poorly in Grantham 

 township ; young trees fairly well. About 5 

 per cent, of the peach trees have been injured 

 by mice. Owing to the fear of scale, not many 

 peach trees are being set out. Only a small 

 crop can be expected from the old trees. 



ESSKX COUNTY. 



In the vicinity of Leamington the severe and 

 long continued cold weather destroyed the 

 peach orchards. The damage appears to be as 

 great as it was during the winter of 1899. Very 

 few peach trees planted over 2 years have suffi- 

 cient life and vigor to be of any commercial 

 value. Plums are much injured ; cherries, 

 pears and apples to some extent. The frost 

 went down 4 to 5 feet, and there was not a thaw 

 during the whole winter. The blossom buds 

 on peach trees are probably not more than half 

 destroyed. 



In East Sandwich township trees have win- 

 tered well, only about 1 per cent, having been 

 injured by mice or frost. Few new peach or- 

 chards have been set out. A few orchards win- 

 tered poorly, but in my section they have done 

 fairly well. 



About 5 per cent, of the peach orchards in 

 Colchester township have been injured by mice 

 and frost ; very few if any new orchards will 

 be set -out this year. Fruit buds appear to be 

 in good conaition. The wood in the older trees 

 is partly killed, but the young trees are ap- 

 parently all right. 



Some 50 per cent, of the peach trees in Gos- 

 field township have been injured by mice and 

 frost, and from 10 to 25 per cent, will die. The 

 greatest damage was due to the severe winter.~~ 

 On light soils many orchards will be a complete 

 loss. 



Prospects for the peach crop in the vicinity 

 of Ruthven are fair ; old trees that went 

 through the freeze of 1898 are injured, but these 

 are a small per cent of the number of trees out. 

 Several hundred have been destroyed by mice, 

 but this injury will only affect a comparatively 

 small part of the total number of trees. Euro- 

 pean plums have been (badly injured, while the 

 Ja;panesie varieties are all right. 



KENT COUNTY. 



Peach growers in East Tilbury township re- 

 port trees have wintered fairly well, and that 

 buds are promising. About one -eighth of the 

 trees have been injured by mice. Few, if any, 

 new trees are being set out. Some orchards 

 have been slightly damaged by water. Out of 

 2,000 peach trees 200 have been killed. Other- 

 wise, orchards are in fair condition. Few trees 

 in Harwick township have been frozen ; the 

 total damage by mice or frost amounting to 

 about 25 i>er cent. Fruit buds are not in very 

 good condition. The San Jose scale has done 

 great damage and discouraged growers. 



WENTWORTII COUNTY. 



Peach buds are of a dark color and have pro- 



