io8 The Canadian Horticulturist. 



package of bulbs or plants shall be distributed by the local society. Thi> should 

 contain several named varieties of some one flower, as tuberous begonias, or 

 gladioli ; because they would all come in bloom about the same time. Then 

 in blooming season an exhibition of these blooms, named, could be held in 

 some hall, with music, and honorary awards made for best collections. An 

 address or essay on the Cultivation of the flower exhibits, might be given, and 

 the occasion be designatea a Gladioli Exhibition, or Gladioli Exposition, etc 

 If necessary, the Societies may retain the subscription fees for the expense 

 of these bulbs, and pay their fees to our Association when their grant comes 

 next August. 



President Bigelow. of the Nova Scotia Fruit Cirowers' Association, gave 

 a very able and interesting annual address. Among other things, he called atten- 

 tion to the great importance to the Province of the fruit industry, as follows : 



In reviewing the history of this Association for the past year, we have great reason 

 for thanksgiving to Divine Providence for an abundant crop of superior fruit and a great 

 advance in scientific fruit culture in this Province. The apple crop may be safely esti- 

 mated at over three hundred thousand barrels of the V)est marketable fruit ever growr in 

 Nova Scotia. We shall ship to London alone over two liundred thousand barrels and with 

 an abundant crop of plums, small fruit and berries, the cash value of the fruit crop of 1894 

 in N. S. may be safely estimated at over one million dollars, and as there is no outlay for 

 raw material or plant power or machinery in this product, the revenue is a direct gain to 

 the fruit grower and an immense benefit to the Province. 



To form some idea of the growing importance of fruit culture in N S., I have com- 

 piled the following synopsis from the most reliable sources : 



1. Annual value of fruit crop, above $1,000,000. 



2. Annual additiontil value to the permanent wealth of the Province by young 

 orchards, 5,000 acres, at $200 per acre, $1,000,000. 



3. Value of orchards now bearing, 7,500 acres, over $500 per acre, $3,750,000. 



4. Number f>f men employed in fruit culture, 6,000. 



5. Number of men employed in barrel and box factories, niirseries, fertilizers and 

 other industries required by fruit culture 3,000. 



6. Freight paid for fruit to railroads, $60,000. 



7 . Kruit p dd steamboats, $200, 000. 



Horticultural Institutes are, we hope, one of the developments of the 

 near future. Horticultural societies are being formed in affiliation with this 

 Association, the object of whose existence, instead of being the conferring of 

 prizes on a ring of professional exhibitors, will distribute horticultural litera- 

 ture, new seeds, bulbs, plants and trees, and have meetings for hearing lectures 

 on horticulture, and discussing the same. Here is the opportunity for holding 

 Institute meetings for the express purpose of studying about fruits and flowers. 

 For instance, Prof. Hutt might give a lecture on House Plants, Prof. Panton, an 

 illustrated lecture on Fungi, and various members of our directorate could give 

 practical addresses on Fruit Culture. Possibly the Legislature would give to the 

 O. A. C. at Guelph, or possibly to the Board of Control of Fruit Experiment 

 Stations, or to our Association, a special grant towards carrying out such work. 

 Something of this kind is being carried out in New York State. The New York 



