The Canadian Horticulturist. 439 



1 



GROWING TOMATOES FOR THE ENGLISH MARKET. 



|N view of the failure of the cold storage apartments, our first ven- 

 ture in shipping tomatoes and other fruits to England gives us 

 no data for concluding as to the advisability of making further 

 consignments next season. We believe that there is something 

 in it for us yet, providing the steamship companies provide satis- 

 factor}' accommodation. No doubt the Dominion will take this 

 matter up in earnest next year in the interest of the growers. 



The following item written for the Montreal Trade Bulletin, by an English 

 correspondent, will be of general interest : — 



With regard to Canada shipping tomatoes, I have not seen the fruit, and 

 do not know of what variety the shipments have consisted ; but they will have 

 to be of very fine quality to meet the competition. Just about from now on, 

 some very fine fruit from the Dominion might do fairly well, if our prices agree 

 with shippers' ideas, as supplies are falling off from all quarters. But if they 

 are to come during the summer they would have to be bought for next to nothing 

 on spot to pay. Our market is now higher than it has been for some time, and 

 only yesterday Lisbon tomatoes sold in half boxes as low as is. 6d., while the 

 highest range was up to 6s. 6d for exceptionally fine quality. They can be 

 bought in the shops for from 2d. to 3d. a pound, while during the summer they 

 have sold at from id. to 2d. The last tomatoes are those grown from English 

 seed, and these are largely imported from Spain, which has taken to buying seed 

 here and growing immense quantities vendable in the flush of the season as low 

 as 2d. retail, and really fine fruit. The Channel Islands go in big for this busi- 

 ness, and Jersey sends us literally thousands of tons annually, while France, 

 Spain and Portugal are powerful competitors of the army of people who have 

 arisen in this country to produce the fruit under glass. The supply has created 

 the demand and the public having been educated to eat tomatoes, do so 

 abundantly. But they have also learned to be moderate in their ideas of value. 

 If Canadians can grow good tomatoes a Panglaise to sell in our season, retail, at 

 a slightly higher figure, all well ; if not, they must keep out of it. 



OPigrin of the Ben Davis — The Ben Davis apple was brought originally 

 from North Carolina along with a lot of other seedling apples. The Davis 

 family moved to Kentucky and set the original Davis orchard in Butler county. 

 The Hill family moved to Illinois and took along some grafts from the Ken- 

 tucky orchard. The apple proving valuable, the question naturally came up as 

 to what the apple should be named, and the answer came, " Ben Davis, for it 

 was Ben Davis who brought the seedling sprout from North Carolina." This 

 apple is no doubt planted over a wider section of the country than is any other 

 variety. A part of the original orchard is still in bearing conditions. — Free Press, 

 Farm and Garden. 



