The Canadian Horticulturist. 349 



THE FRUIT EXHIBIT AT THE TORONTO INDUSTRIAL. 



^HE fruit exhibit at the Toronto Industrial this year was unusually 

 fine. The apples and pears were of extraordinary size and remark- 

 ably clear of blemishes, and consequently well deserved the many 

 expressions of admiration which were bestowed upon them by the 

 public. 



The one judge system was adopted for the first time and seemed 

 to work well, with one exception, namely, that too much was 

 assigned in several instances to the judges. Score cards were used by 

 the judges for the first time, especially in cases where the competi- 

 tion was close. The points observed were those prescribed by the 

 Ontario Fruit Growers' Association. For lack of a sufficient number of cards, 

 however, the system was not carried out in full ; besides it was found that score 

 cards were adapted more to collections than to single plates. 



The exhibit of the Dominion Experimental Farm, Ottawa, was very interest- 

 ing, embracing a large collection of hardy Canadian and Russian varieties of 

 fruits, and also a fine collection of native plums. 



The exhibit of the Ontario experiment fruit farms was excellent, consider- 

 ing that it was the first attempt of the kind. The Stations have only been in 

 operation one year, and very few of the newer varieties that have been planted 

 at these Stations can be expected to produce fruit for a year or two yet. The 

 varieties shown were largely those which had already been under test by the 

 individuals selected as experimenters. The Wentworth grape Station, under the 

 management of Mr. Murray Pettit, showed in plates of grapes, most of them 

 very fine samples indeed. The Georgian Bay plum Station showed 56 plates of 

 fruit, and the apples from that section attracted much attention. The South- 

 western Station, under the management of Mr. W. W. Hilborn, which is 

 devoted to peaches, showed 80 plates of fruit. The Bay of Quinte Station, 

 devoted to apples, under the management of Mr. W. H. Dempsey, showed 

 150 plates of fruit. The Secretary showed 150 plates of fruit, and Mr. 

 A. M. Smith, of St. Catharines, 19 plates of fruit. Among the peaches from 

 the South-Western Station was the Fitzgerald, a beautiful yellow peach of excel- 

 lent quality, indeed, the flavor of this variety is most delicious, rendering it an 

 excellent peach for dessert purposes. The tree is said to be very productive ; a 

 tree one year old in Mr. C. E. Brown's orchard at Niagara produced this season 

 seven peaches. The Woolverton, or Princess Louise apple, was shown by A. 

 M. Smith, and also byE. C Beman, of Newcastle With Mr. Beman this apple 

 gives evidence of being very productive, and he believes it will be very profit- 

 able. He has two distinct variations in coloring, one of them striped and the 

 other with the rich blush which is characteristic of the original samples. This 



