CANADA'S FRUIT STILL TO THE FRONT 



T. H. RACE, OF THE CANADIAN COMMISSIONER'S STAFF, 



CANADA is still keeping up the stand- 

 ard of her fruit display at St, Louis 

 quite equal to that maintained by any other 

 country showing. This I found recently 

 on returning unexpectedly to the exposition. 



The Canadian stock of apples in cold 

 storage is still holding out and turning out 

 well. I was pleased with the natural ap- 

 pearance of the apples still on the plates, 

 some of which had been exposed for a week 

 or more. Among those keeping their 

 quaUty and appearance are the Spys, Rus- 

 sets, Kings, Canada Reds, and the Salome. 

 The last named, in fact, has done particu- 

 larly 'well all through the season and has 

 attracted a good deal of notice. Some took 

 it for a small sized but nicely colored Spy, 

 and they were not unwarranted in doing so. 

 It has kept both its color and its quality 

 well, and if it had a little larger size it would 

 rank among the best of our long keeping 

 winter varieties. 



Samples of the Yellow Transparent are 

 somewhat on the small side, but quite up to 

 those shown by^ other exhibitors. The 

 Duchess is showing up fairly well, and a few 

 samples also of the RedAstrachan and Sweet 

 Bough, but not being as well developed as 

 those shown by states much farther south 

 they are somewhat outclassed. It is note- 

 worthy, however, that all early apples are 

 under size this year, even those that came in 

 fully matured from the south. 



In pears, those that have arrived and still 

 continue coming from the Grimsby and St. 

 Catharines districts, including the Lawson, 

 Buerre Gififord and Marguerite, are credi- 

 ble, both as regards quality and appearance, 

 compared with other exhibits in the 

 pavilion. Clapp's Favorite is not suffi- 

 ciently matured so far north as Ontario, 

 Michigan and New York to make a good 

 showing with districts much farther south. 



In plums Canada is well to the front in 

 comparison. The varieties now in display 



include Abundance, Ogon, Shero and Red 

 June. There are larger samples of all these 

 varieties showing, but none better in quality. 

 I might state that Abundance is attracting 

 considerable notice from expert judges for 

 its unusually high quality, and all the other 

 varieties shown by Canada have attracted 

 attention for quality. 



In peaches Canada is showing three varie- 

 ties, Early Canada, Early Riders, and Alex- 

 ander. This display only goes to show 

 here, as yet, that Canada can grow peaches 

 and gives us an opportunity to promise what 

 we can and will do later. Some of the state 

 exhibits are now chiefly peaches, and many 

 of them are exceedingly fine. In £he 

 Elberta variety Oklahoma surpasses any- 

 thing that I have ever seen in that magnifi- 

 cent peach, and I question if Southern 

 Michigan will be able to rival it 



Canada seems to be too far away to make 

 a display equal to her capabilities in produc- 

 tion either in blackberries or blueberries. 

 Strange to say, the state taking the lead in 

 both of these fruits is Wisconsin, and there 

 is no reason why Canada should not have 

 far outstripped that state in either one, but 

 especially in blueberries. Of course I am 

 not making any high claims for the blue- 

 berry as far as quality goes, but it seems to 

 attract attention. /►■ 



I cannot close this letter without a refer- 

 ence to the magnificent display of Groff's 

 hybrid gladioli, now being made by Mr. 

 Cowel, of Berlin, N. Y. Some of these new 

 strains are so exceedingly beautiful that 

 they are provoking very general admiration. 

 The fact of GrofFs name and Canada being 

 associated with them is something to be 

 proud of. One would think that the ques- 

 tion, " Can any good thing come from 

 Canada?" had been so fully answered by 

 everything with the name of Canada at- 

 tached to it down here that it would never 

 more be asked. 



384 



