4i8 



THE CANADIAN HORT1CULTURIS2. 



the public generally, an opportunity to see 

 the marked contrast between the sprayed 

 and unsprayed orchards. Seventy-five to 

 80 farmers assembled together, with some 

 half-dozen newspaper men, and drove from 

 orchard to orchafd that those present might 

 examine the quality of the fruit and make 

 comparisons at first hand. What they saw 

 was a revelation to those present. The fruit 

 in the orchards that had been sprayed was 

 in excellent condition, while in the unsprayed 

 orchards a large proportion of the fruit was 

 practically worthless for commercial pur- 

 poses. A prominent buyer, Mr. Seldon, of 

 Ingersoll, who was present, stated that the 

 only fruit in the section worth buying was 

 that in the sprayed orchards. The differ- 

 ence in quality was very apparent and con- 

 vincing as regards the value of spraying. 



The meeting was led by Mr. McNeill, 

 Chief of the Fruit Division, and at suitable 

 points Prof. Hutt, of the Ontario Agricul- 

 tural College, explained different features of 

 orchard practice. He spoke particularly on 

 the question of orchard culture, and noted 

 that, while the fruit was most excellent in 

 the sprayed orchards, Providence had been 

 especially kind, as most of them were in sod 

 and not too well pruned. He recommended, 

 for the general practice, clean cultivation 

 during the growing season and cover crops 

 during the rest of the year. 



Mr. Putnam, Superintendent of Farmers' 

 Institutes, spoke most encouragingly of the 

 opening for educational work in the insti- 

 tutes. He expressed the opinion that the 



work is only beginning, and has in no sense 

 reached its fullest development. 



At the close of the meeting Mr. McNeill 

 spoke upon the subject of how to sell the 

 apple crop. Owing to a combination of un- 

 fortunate circumstances, not easy to explain, 

 maay of the farmers who have the very 

 finest apples are not offered more than 25 

 cents per barrel, and in some cases can 

 not get buyers at any price. It was pointed 

 out that with the exception of the sprayed 

 orchards there was not an orchard in the 

 neighborhood that would grade more than 

 25 per cent, of number one fruit, and there- 

 fore there was no encouragement for out- 

 side buyers to come in. If owners of the 

 sprayed orchards would unite themselves 

 into a cooperative association so that their 

 manager could offer from 3,000 to 6,000 

 barrels of such fruit as was seen in the 

 sprayed orchards that day there would not 

 be the slightest difficulty in placing these 

 apples on the market at the top price for the 

 season. 



As things are, Mr. McNeill said, he could 

 not undertake to ask any buyer from a dis- 

 tance to visit Ingersoll for the small quan- 

 tity of fruit the growers have to offer, as 

 owing to the poor quality of fruit in the 

 neighborhood, on all except sprayed or- 

 chards, there was absolutely nothing to sell. 

 Strong points were made in favor of co- 

 operation in all orchard work, as well as 

 selling, as well as a plea for better methods 

 in fruit growing. The weather was ideal 

 and the meeting was a great success. 



There is no use trying to smother out 

 twitch grass. I put pea straw two feet 

 deep over a half acre, but found that it was 

 useless, as the grass grew up through the 

 straw. Covering with straw and burning 

 over is quite as ineffective owing to the 

 roots being so deep. The only way seems 

 to be to root it out. — (A. C. Lee, Paris. 



Cost of Apple Barrels. — I have always 

 packed apples in barrels made in Napanee. 

 They cost 35 to 55 cents delivered last sea- 

 son. This year 40 cents is asked. Judging 

 from the amount of barrels required in this 

 section, which will be less than half of last 

 year's needs, there will be no advance on the 

 figure quoted. — (N. B. Hamm, Bath, Ont. 



