38a 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 



often pays well. We have had 40 and 50 

 cents a 12-quart basket through a good part 

 of the Astrachan season, which lasts with us 

 about three weeks, by carefully selecting 

 stock of uniforim size and high color, and so 

 securing a high class custom. 



When, however, the crop is large, as it 

 is this season, no fancy packing can 

 prevent our home markets from being over- 

 stocked and prices going very low for early 

 apples. Here' is just where iced cars and 

 cold storage on steamers meet our case. For 

 some years we have boxed the main crop of 

 our Astrachans and exported them to Great 

 Britain. We do not say we have done well 

 with every shipment, but on the average our 

 net returns have been quite above the prices 

 obtainable in Ontario ; indeed, we might say 

 they were always better providing the stor- 

 age was perfect from start to finish. 



A new market is now opening for early 

 apples, which may be much better than 

 Great Britain, namely our great Northwest. 

 With first class refrigerator cars, such as 

 those built by Mi. Hanrahan for the On- 

 tario Department of Agriculture, we hope 

 to put our whole crop of perhaps 2,000 

 bushels down in Winnipeg in perfect con- 

 dition this month. Of course there are few 

 fruit growers who can make up car lots from 

 their private orchards as the writer can, 

 who has over 100 trees in full bearing 



Thinning Peach Trees 



J. O. DUKE, RUTHVEN, ONT. 



IT is best to thin young peach trees which 

 are over loaded, by hand, leaving the 

 fruit ten inches to one foot apart on the 

 branches. 



On old trees it is sometimes well to " de- 

 horn," that is, to cut back heavily into the 

 old wood. I have grown the finest kind of 

 Albridges, Wagners and Alexandrias on old 

 trees, by doing this, and those trees that once 

 were too high have well shaped heads, so 

 low that the fruit can be picked from the 

 ground without a ladder. 



now about 25 years planted ; but in 

 almost every section an association of grow- 

 ers can, by cooperation, make up car lots of 

 early apples, and so get the full benefit of 

 the opportunities now opening. The Alex- 

 ander is a fine showy apple, closely follow- 

 ing Duchess, and we have found it very de- 

 sirable as a fancy apple for export in cold 

 storage. These and all tender apples should 

 be packed in the bushel box if intended 

 either for Great Britain or for the North- 

 west. 



The Astrachan has been mentioned in par- 

 ticular because of our large experience with 

 that variety, but of the two summer apples 

 the Duchess certainly has the advantage 

 both in appearance and in shipping quali- 

 ties. It must be gathered promptly, as it 

 colors, however, else the whole crop will be 

 on the ground and so bruised as to be un- 

 saleable. 



The Transparent would not deserve men- 

 tion to Southern Ontario growers along 

 with the two varieties named above, only 

 that it can be put on the market sooner and 

 thus prolong the season. The old Early 

 Harvest is a far better flavored apple, and 

 once was a most profitable early apple, com- 

 ing in rather in advance of the Astrachan, 

 but we have discarded it on account of its 

 being so very subject to the fungus spot. 

 — W. 



" I expect to use a few boxes this year for 

 .some of my fancy stock. Barrels are so 

 much higher in price than the boxes, I will 

 probably give the boxes a good trial. Three 

 boxes hold about the same as one barrel, and 

 only cost 35 cents, compared with 45 cents 

 for the barrel. There is also a slight differ- 

 ence in freight charges in favor of the 

 boxes." — (W. H. Dempsey, Trenton. 



Where the ground is infested with wire- 

 worms there is nothing better than a good 

 coat of ordinary soot from soft coal. — (H. 

 Neal, Ingersoll, Ont. 



