April, 1916. 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST 



99 



1^, 



Patriotism and Production 



The hearty response that was made by the 

 people of Canada last year to the "Patriot- 

 Bm and Production" campaign showed how 

 leeply the hearts of the people were moved. 

 This year it is going to be difficult, in fact, 

 ipossible, to obtain results equal to those 

 HChieved a year ago, because of the short- 

 age of labor. This makes it doubly neces- 

 sary that everything possible shall be done 

 increase the efficiency of those who re- 

 lain. Every possible handicap should be 

 i'emoved which tends to decrease produc- 

 tion. One of these is the duty on ferti- 

 lizers. 



An orchard or field well enriched may 

 easily produce two and three times the crop 

 for the same amount of labor as another 

 field depleted in fertility. Anything, there- 

 fore, which will make it easy for fruit 

 growers to add fertility to their soil will 

 enable them to double and treble the re- 

 turns for their labor. The tariff now in 

 force in Canada on fertilizers is ten per 

 cent., which is equivalent to an average of 

 about three dollars a ton. In 1914 Canada 

 imported from the United States fertilizers 

 'o the amount of $752,357, which vielded a 

 revenue of about ?75,000. The revenue de- 

 rived on importations from other countries 

 was small. From the standpoint of revenue 

 the duty is of comparatively little value to 

 <'anada. 



According to the "Agricultural War Book" 

 lielgium used two hundred and twenty-four 

 pounds of concentrated fertilizer per acre 

 of cultivated land, Holland one hundred and 

 eighty pounds, Germany one hundred and 

 fifty pounds. Great Britain seventy pounds, 

 the United States sixteen pounds, and Can- 

 ida only three one hundredths of a pound. 

 .Surely this is proof that the use of ferti- 

 lizers needs to be encouraged in Canada. 

 We hope the Dominion Government will re- 

 •iiove the duty before the present session of 

 ,<arl lament prorogues. 



Horticultural societies which are plan- 

 ing to hold exhibitions of flowers this 

 -pring might well follow the example of 

 he St. Thomas and other horticultural so- 

 rieties which give the flowers shown at their 

 exhibitions to the hospitals for distribution. 

 With the flowers the St. Thomas society dis- 

 tributes the society sends a little card read- 

 ing somewhat as follows: "To Miss Blank, 

 vAmasa Wood Hospital, with the compliments 

 of the St. Thomas Horticultural Society, 

 hoping for your speedy recovery." Kindly 

 Uttle acts like this are long remembered by 

 the recipients and nothing does more to 

 popularize the work of our societies among 

 the sick who receive these floral reminders 

 and their friends. 



The front cover illustration on this issue 

 of The Canadian Horticulturist will, we trust, 

 strengthen the determination of all who see 

 It and whose means permit of their doing 

 no to have a beautiful garden this spring. 

 We may not all be able to have a lily pond 

 but even the most humble home may have 

 at least a few flowers. It our front cover 

 Illustration results in the strengthening of 

 the love of flowers in the hearts of only 

 some it will have accomplished the purpose 

 for which it was intended. 

 * • » 



It is not necessary that we shall call at- 

 tention here to the helpful, timely articles 

 ^'lat feature this Fifth Annual Spring Gar- 



dening and Planting Number of The Cana- 

 dian Horticulturist. The articles speak for 

 themselves. An earnest effort has been 

 made to give our readers information that 

 will be inspirational, practical and helpful. 

 We trust that this number will meet with 

 the same measure of approval as have the 

 four preceding annual issues of this char- 

 acter. 



* * * 



Year by year greater and greater efforts 

 have been put forth by horticultural socie- 

 ties throughout Canada to interest school 

 children in the growing of flowers. Each 

 year large quantities of seeds and plants 

 are distributed free and prizes are offered 

 for competition among the children. This 

 has created a demand for simple, practical 

 directions in the growing of flowers which 

 can be furnished to the children. The Cana- 

 dian Horticulturist is planning to publish a 

 series of such articles through the summer 

 and to have these printed in pamphlet form 

 at a minimum of expense for distribution 

 among those horticultural societies which 

 desire them. They will be written by some 

 of Canada's best known authorities who are 

 also lovers of children. Within the next 

 few weeks we trust to have our arrange- 

 ments for their publication completed, in 

 order that the first of the articles may ap- 

 pear in our May issue. Full particulars will 

 appear In this column next month. 



* * * 



Are you doing what you can to introduce 

 The Canadian Horticulturist to your friends? 

 A few words of commendation of The Cana- 

 dian Horticulturist to a friend may be all 

 that is required to induce him to subscribe 

 for a year or more. In this way you will 

 not only be able to help your friend but to 

 extend the field of usefulness of the only 

 horticultural magazine in Canada that is 

 working for the promotion of the fruit and 

 floral interests of the country. Let us have 

 your co-operation. It will be appreciated. 



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Peterboro 



The annual announcement of the Peter- 

 boro Horticultural Society is a demonstra- 

 tion of the splendid work being done by 

 many horticultural societies. Four free pre- 

 miums are given to all the members, in- 

 cluding a yearly subscription to The Cana- 

 dian Horticulturist, participation in a fall 

 distribution of Dutch bulbs, consisting of 

 six hyacinths, six daffodils and six paper 

 white narcissus, the annual report of the 

 Ontario Horticultural Association and a 

 choice of any one out of eleven options. 

 Among the options are fifteen Gladioli 

 corms, choice mixed; six salvia plants, five 

 perennial larkspurs, five double hollyhocks, 

 and one ounce of Spencer's Sweet Pea Seed. 

 This society has charge of the work done in 

 the city parks. A special committee of the 

 society looks after this work with the sanc- 

 tion of the city council. Garden and lawn 

 competitions are also held. 



m 



Hamilton 



An illustrated lecture on "Intensive Cul- 

 tivation" was given in the lecture hall of 

 the Old Library Building on March 17th, 

 by Mr. F. G. H. Pattison, of Winona, Ont., 

 the editorial representative of The Canadian 

 Horticulturist in the Niagara District. The 

 address proved most interesting. The so- 

 ciety has about completed arrangements for 

 the distribution of its spring premiums. 

 • • • 



The following reports of work accomplish- 



ed last year by the horticultural societies 

 mentioned were read at the last annual con- 

 vention of the Ontario Horticultural Asso- 

 ciation by Mr. Lockie Wilson, Superinten- 

 dent of Horticultural Societies: 



Amherstburg 



Options were given to members, flowers 

 and shrubs supplied for beds in the park 

 and all parts of the town, and these kept 

 in order by the society. The Town Council 

 made a grant of $60.00 and the County 

 Council $25.00 towards the work. 



Barrie 



A new feature taken up last year was a 

 sweet pea show, which was so successful 

 that it will be repeated in 1916. A similar 

 one for tulips and paeonies is also intended. 

 The exhibits are placed in a large store 

 window so as to be seen by all who pass. 

 The annual exhibition was very successful, 

 the attendance being larger than in 1914 

 and entries equal in quality. 



Belleville 



The work of this society has been plant- 

 ing in the beds in the Queen Victoria and 

 Corby Parks last fall of tulip bulbs, and this 

 spring of plants. Distribution of seeds to 

 the public school children in the spring. A 

 flower show was held in the Queen Victoria 

 School on September 29th, from seeds given 

 to the children. Although late in the season 

 the show was a success, and the children 

 of all the different classes took an enthusias- 

 tic part in it. The society has succeeded 

 in having all of the public school teachers 

 take a personal interest in this department 

 of horticulture. 



Berl 



m 



The usual outdoor competition was held 

 and outside judges procured. The competi- 

 tion becomes keener each year, and the gen- 

 eral appearance of the city shows the ef- 

 forts of the society to be beneficial. The 

 children's garden work was continued and 

 the interest taken by the teachers was 

 shown in the improved work of the chil- 

 dren. The Annual Exhibition held on Au- 

 gust 25th and 26th was better than ever, and 

 in all classes the exhibits were an improve- 

 ment over those of the previous year. The 

 children's classes were well filled with the 

 product of the seed distributed by the so- 

 ciety, as well as those open to the various 

 products of the gardens. The increase In 

 the gate receipts was a sign that the gen- 

 eral public are interested in the work and 

 the Directors feel encouraged with the show- 

 ing. Many of the factories are doing some 

 planting around their premises as a result 

 of the work of this society, and the ceme- 

 tery was much imnroved this year through 

 the endeavors of the president, who has a 

 seat in the council. 



St. Thomas 



Attention is called to an advertisement 

 that appears elsewhere in this issue, as 

 well as to a small reading notice relating 

 to the St. Thomas horticultural society. The 

 latter reached us too late for insertion on 

 this page. They indicate the good work 

 being done by this society. 



"Experiments with Oaibbage" Is the title 

 of Bulletin No. 137 Issued by the Pennsyl- 

 vania State College of Agriculture, Centre 

 County, Pa. The bi-monthly Zoological 

 Bulletin of the Pennsylvania Department of 

 Agriculture, Harrlsburg, Pa., deals with In- 

 sect pests and the lime sulphur solution in 

 the issues for September and November. 

 1915. 



