NOTES AND COMMENTS. 



537 



The Illustrations representing- the Man- 

 chester Ship Canal are kindly loaned us bv 

 Mr. R. Dawson Harling", agent for the Man- 

 chester Hners, who has given so much at- 

 tention to the mutual interests of fruit grow- 

 ers and the Company he represents. He 

 hopes to be the means of securing for 

 us just such cold storage accommodation as 

 we require during the year 1901. 



Spring Pruning of Peach Trees. — In the 

 Report of the University of California for 

 1898, we notice some illustrations of the 

 method of pruning peach trees. Every tree 

 is carefully and thoroughly shortened in dur- 

 ing either the winter or spring. In a compar- 

 ative test it was found that trees shortened 

 in after the fruit was set produced the best 

 fruit. This is a result well worth our know- 

 ing, for it is a great saving of labor to be 

 able to accomplish the pruning and the 

 thinning of the fruit at one time. 



Canadian Pears in England. — The year 

 1900, the first of the new century, will open 

 up to Canadians magnificent possibilities in 

 wider markets, especially for fancy pears, 

 packed in boxes and graded to uniform sizes. 

 Given weekly cold storage service on ship- 

 board and local fruit storage at the shipping 

 points, and a magnificent trade will open 

 up. The enclosed clipping is from the 

 Fruit Grower, of London, England, and 

 refers to pears in Covent Garden market : 



The pear trade has been fair. The French 

 senders have been busier lately, and they have 

 marketed some pretty good parcels. Glouts, with 

 32, 36 and 48 pears in a half-crate, sold from 3s. 

 6d. to 5s. 6d. each. In boxes the 40 and 48 went 



out from 6s to 7s 6d. each. Bon Cures have teen 

 plentiful ; they came in crates of various counts, 

 raging from 84 to 135 fruits each, and they sold 

 from 4S. 6d. to 5s. 6d. each. Beurre Magniflques, 

 in half crates, with 48, 56 and 60 fruits each, sold 

 from I2S. to i^s. each. Crates, with larger counts, 

 with from S4, 96 108 and 120 pears, sold from 4s. 

 6d. to 5s. 6d each. Catillacs, with 60 to 120 fruits 

 each, made from 5s to 6s. California Glout Mor- 

 ceau, in cases of 108 fruits, sold from 14s. to 15s. 

 per case. The Canadian pears sold from 10s. to 

 20S. per case. The quality of these fruits was ex- 

 cellent in ever\- respect. We shoiild like to see 

 more of them oh sale in this country, they ai e the 

 finest pears that are sent us from outside sources of 

 supply, and must seriously affect the Califomian 

 pear trade presently. 



Grapes in England. — When grapes in 

 England bring such prices as shewn in the 

 following quotation, we cannot understand 

 why our Canadian grapes bring such a low 

 price. Of course these prices are in London 

 market, and our fruit has been sold in Man- 

 chester. Perhaps the former market is the 

 best. The quotation is from the Fruit 

 Grower, London, of Nov. 15th : 



The grape supplies continue good, both as re- 

 gards quality and quantity too. Hamburghs have 

 been particularly fine, and they have sold at ver)^ 

 reasonable and low prices according to quality. 

 Values ran from 6d. to ts per pound. Best par- 

 cels sold readily from gd. to is , and were freely 

 enquired for. Alicantes made from yd. to is. 3d., 

 but the sample had to be good to make is. 3d. In 

 fact, few sold at over is Colmars made from 8d. 

 to IS. gd., but the best demand was for samples 

 worth from is. ?d. to is. 6d. ; good quantities 

 changtd bands at these prices. Gros Maroc have 

 been cheaper 'I hey went out from c;d. to is per 

 pound, though here and there an extra sample did 

 better. Muscats have sold well. The best made 

 from 2S 6d. to 3s. Choicest went up to 3s. 6d. in 

 a few instances Seconds sold from is. to 2s. The 

 supply of Almtrias has been plentiful, nevertheless 

 good samples made fair prices. Values ran from 

 12. to 1 6s. per barrel. Keepers were in demand 

 and were much sought for, and there is no doubt 

 that they will, later on, bring in good prices to 

 those who stock them in sufficient quantity. 



