March, 1916. 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST 



•7 



development of disastrous conditions for the 

 fruit growers in these States. The early 

 successes resulted in excessive plantings. 

 Many growers seemed to expect that 'their 

 associations would have no difficulty finding 

 a market for all the fruit they might grow. 

 Their hopes have been cruelly disappointed, 

 as for several years past their product has 

 not been sold at a price which has averaged 

 the cost of production. 



Of the 550,000 acres reported to have been 

 planted in the states mentioned it is ex- 

 pected that seventy-five per cent, or more 

 must go under to enable the balance to sur- 

 vive. During the four years ending in 1914 

 tiheir own. authorities estimate that the 

 average selling price has been over twenty 

 per cent, a box below the average cost of 

 produation. 'Mr. J. Howard Wright, the 

 president of the Washington State Horii- 

 cultuiai Society, in a recent address before 

 that body, said, "Sheriffs' sales and fore- 

 closures are the order of the day." Prof. 

 W. S. Thornber, Director of the Extension 

 Department, Washington State College, 

 speaking at the Northwest Growers' Coun- 

 cil in Spokane, said that ninety-five per cent, 

 of the growers in one of the most successful 

 valleys would gladly sell their holdings for 

 considerably less than they paid for them, 

 and wiirn?iy lose their time aad interest 

 in the bargain. 



The Canadian Horticulturist is and has 

 always been a strong advocate of coopera- 

 tive methods. Their introduction at the 

 present moment in the Niagara District, as 

 well as in the apiple districts of Ontario, 

 would work a vast improvement in the 

 financial returns to the growers. It is un- 

 wise, however, to look on cooperation as a 

 "curp-all" It is to be advocated wherever 

 needed, but if we recognize that it will not 

 prevent u^^ from suffering from the mistakes 

 of overplant'ng or other mismanagement, 

 we will take greater precaution to avoid 

 the making of such mistakes. 



• • * 



At the annual convention of the Manitoba 

 Horticultural Association, held last month 

 in Winnipeg, a special committee was ap- 

 pointed to urge the enactment in that pro- 

 vioice of a Horticultural Societies Act, simi- 

 lar in character to the one which has proved 

 so successful in Ontario. As the residents 

 of iManitrba are keenly anxious to have the 

 horticultural possibilities of their province 

 fully developed, this committee's efforts are 

 likely to be crowned with success. The hor- 

 ticulturists of Ontario, and in other pro- 

 vinces as well, will fol'low their efforts with 

 interest. 



• * * 



Our fruit experiment stations are Inter- 

 ested in the problem of preventing bees 

 from being destroyed by the use of sprays 

 and poison baits in the orchard and garden. 

 Every year a considerable number of chil- 

 dTen die through drinking fly poisons con- 

 taining arsenic. The State of Michigan has 

 adopted a law to (prevent the sale of fly- 

 paper or other forms of fly-killers which 

 contain arsenic or oth«r poison in sufficient 

 quantity to be dangerous to the health of 

 people. This matter is worthy of receiving 

 more attention than it has hitherto. 



• • • 



Some But or fruit-b&arlng trees set out 

 on country roads fifty feet apart, would add 

 much beauty and comfort to the high- 

 way. It would be necessary, of course, to 

 have well-rounded roadways to drain oCT 

 the water, for mud holes and poor roadbeds 

 would not dry out quite so fast as where 

 the sun shines on the roadbed all the time. 

 The better road beds would be well worth 

 while. 



iNow is a igood time to take down tntj 

 advertising placards that may adorn our 

 fences, trees or buildings. They detract 

 from the appearance of the premises and 

 mar all efforts at civic improvement. 



PUBLISHER'S DESK 



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This issue of The Canadian Horticulturist 

 reflects the interesting character of many 

 of the fruit growers and horticultural con- 

 ventions that have been held during the past 

 couple of months, inasmuch as it contains, 

 either in whole or in part, a number of the 

 best papers read by well-known authorities 

 at these gatherings. In this respect The 

 Canadian Horticulturist acts as a clearing 

 house for the dissem'nation of horticultural 

 information throughout Canada. By the 

 publication of these papers thousands of 

 people who are unable to attend the meet- 

 ings, but who are interested in the discus- 

 sions, are enabled to keep in touch with the 

 latest thought and work of our leading 

 authorities. More good is frequently accom- 

 plished by the publication of these reports 

 in this manner than in any other way. 



O'f the four special editions of The Cana- 

 dian Horticulturist published each year, the 

 April Number is the one most eagerly 

 watched for by those who are specially 

 interested iu gardens and flowers. Next 

 month's issue will be our Fifth Annual 

 Spring Gardening and Planting Number. 

 The front cover will be different from any 

 ive have ever pub'.ished and most attractive 

 and pleasing in appearance. While articles 

 relating to gardening will be prominent 

 throughout, all departments of the paper 

 will b° strong. Mr. V. E. (Buck, of the Cen- 

 tral Experimental Farm, will discuss the 

 popularity of annuals, describe the benefits 

 derived from growing them and methods of 

 cultivation, and give a list of the best vari- 

 eties. Mr. A. P. Marshall, of Niagara Falls, 

 Ont.. w'll relate how last year, by the use 

 of $3.00 worth of seed and a vacant plot, 

 rnoush vegetables were grown for a family 

 of seven. Miss Chrissie Anderson, of An- 

 caster, will explain how she made her gar- 

 den pay. The "Growing of Asters" will be 

 dealt w'th hv M'*. A. V. Main, of Ottawa. 

 A aplpnd'd nlanfing fable for vegetables for 

 the home garden will be given by Mr. W. 

 T. Macoun. Dominion Horticulturist. These 

 are onlv an outline of the features of the 

 floral section. 



• • • 



In the fruit pages Mr. Seth J. T. Bush, of 

 Morton, N.Y,, will d'scuss other problems 

 of the fruit grower than those he mentions 

 so interpstiriigly in this i^sue. He will also 

 deal with the subject. "Success and Failure 

 In Cold Storage." Prof. W. S. Blair, of 

 Kentvllle, N.S., will contribute a paper on 

 "Orchard Fertilization," based on the results 

 of exoeriments conducted at the Kentville 

 Exineriment Station. "Packages for 'Long 

 Distance Shipment of Tender Fruits" will 

 be the sn'blect of an article by J. M. Creel- 

 man, B.S.A.. of the Cold Storage Station, 

 Grimsby, while "Better Net Returns for 

 Local Associations" -wiU be dealt with by 

 C. F. Howard of Hagersville. There will 

 be a practical helnful article by L. G. Robin- 

 son, of Berw'ck, N.S., on sipraylng. In sipite 

 of the fact that this will be one of the larg- 

 est Issues of the year, advertising space will 

 be at a premium, and advertisers are again 

 urged to make reservationis early. 



SOCIETY NOTES 



Stratford 



The Horticultural Annual for 1916 issued 

 by the Stratford Horticultural Society la 

 ambitious in character. It is nicely printed 

 on a good quality of paper, well illustrated, 

 and contains 20 pages. The report of the 

 president, covering last year's work. Is 

 printed, as well as a list of the officers and 

 committee and the options tor 1916. A 

 school children's exhibit of bulbs will be 

 held in the spring, and exhibitions of sea- 

 sonable flowers in May, June, July and Aug- 

 ust. There will be a school grounds com- 

 petition and a lawn aad garden competition. 

 The membership last year was over 500. 

 Over 26,000 bulbs and plants were distribut- 

 ed last year, and 230 school children's home 

 gardens were entered in the children's gar- 

 den competition. 



Guelph 



The Guelph Horticultural Society Is one 

 of the most active in the province. Last 

 year, in addition to givimg The Canadian 

 Horticulturist to all its members, it dis- 

 tributed plants, bulbs, small fruits, vegetable 

 seeds, shrubs and implements, or certificates 

 to the value of '50c 'for horticultural requi- 

 sites, to be purchased at any seed store. 

 Vegetable and aster seeds and gladioli bull» 

 were distributed in the senior grades of 

 each group to be grown at home by the 

 people. The society attended to the plant' 

 ing and arranging of window boxes at the 

 city hall, fire hall, post office and public 

 library, all of which helped to beautify th« 

 city. 



Hamilton 



An interesting public lecture was arranged 

 by tihe 'Hamilton Horticultural Society tor 

 the evening of February 18th, which included 

 an illustrated lecture by Mr. W. A. Childs, 

 M.A., on "Wild and Informal Gardens." A 

 nipmbers'hip competition is being conducted, 

 and arrangements are under way for month- 

 ly lectures and garden meetings during tht 

 summer. 



St. Thomas 



Winter as well as summer the members 

 of the "St. Thomas Horticul'tural Society 

 are active. Last month an interesting lec- 

 ture was given by John Dunbar, Superintend- 

 ent of Parks of Rochester, N.Y., wlho spoke 

 on the "Influences of City Parks on Civic 

 Life." Mr. Dunbar, an article by whom &^ 

 pears In this issue, was made an honorary 

 member of the society. Tlie society has de- 

 cided to ask the city council for permission 

 to enclose a small space in the middle of 

 the woods at the south end of Pinafore Park, 

 where tihe natural plants now growing can 

 be protected and various other plants intro- 

 duced from surrounding woods and propa- 

 gated. iMembers of the society are planning 

 to form a botanical or nature .study olnb for 

 the purpose of studying the plants that grow 

 In the surrounding woods, and having tiheTO 

 introduced Into Pinafore Park, where they 

 may be protected. The society has dlstri- 

 biitpd its list of options for 1916, whi<ih are 

 unusually liberal and attractive. 



