70 The Canadian Horticulturist. 



orchard ; a week later another watering was given, this time the whole of the 

 orchard being watered. On the ist September the difference between these two 

 orchards was most striking The unwatered one had lost at least one-third of 

 its foliage and the remainder was in a very badly dried-up condition, while the 

 fruit had only obtained about half its normal size, and was at that time soft and 

 considerably shrivelled. In the case of the watered trees, while they lost some 

 of their foliage, yet the fruit was much larger, was unshrivelled and quite firm- 

 In the one case the crop was saved to the owner and the trees may be able to 

 bear fruit next year. In the case of the unwatered orchard, I question whether 

 the trees will make much growth next year, to say nothing of bearing fruit ; and 

 it is even probable that many will die. 



A very interesting experiment in irrigating a peach orchard was made by 

 Mr. Barnes, of St. Catharines, who has a large peach orchard situated along the 

 bank of the Welland Canal and slopes towards that sheet of water gradually, in 

 two directions. He purchased an engine, connected it with the canal by means 

 of pipes and forced the water up the highest portion in his orchard. From this 

 point it was distributed throughout by means of surface drains having a slope 

 in two directions. By constructing a main channel along the highest elevation, 

 and from this, running at right angles, laterals, the water was conducted in a 

 manner which covered the whole orchard. When I examined the orchard about 

 ist September, I found the trees showing no ill effects from the drought, and 

 the fruit ripening well. I think that Mr. Barnes would, on account ©f increased 

 size and retarded maturity of his peaches, be more than repaid the amount of 

 the initial cost of the purchase of the engine and other material. 



In connection with this, it is always well to bear in mind that the next best 

 thing to irrigation for supplying moisture to the soil is good cultivation. The 

 principle involved in this statement has often been enunciated, viz., that by 

 stirring up the soil frequently, and beginning to do this before a hard crust 

 forms after a period of wet weather, a dry mulch or blanket is formed over the 

 surface, which prevents the evaporation of moisture from below. This evapora- 

 tion goes on most rapidly where the soil has been undisturbed and where air 

 channels have been allowed to form. 



(4) Cold Storage Buildings ? 



(4) I regret that I am not able to give anything just now on this subject 

 which would be of service to the fruit growers. I have lately had a communica- 

 tion from Col. T- M. Rosse, of Orillia. He has patented a cooling house, or 

 cold storage building, which seems to me has some commendable features. 

 But the system being patented somewhat complicates matters in regard to 

 giving the public the benefit of his mode of operation. 



