6o 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 



sels as to the sudden removal from a some- 

 what cool to a warmer and moister atmos- 

 phere. However that may be, if fine 

 samples of fruit are taken out of cold stor- 

 ag"e and at once put before an auctioneer's 

 audience, without having- undergone some 

 drying^ process, or allowance has been 

 made tor the fact of the removal from cold 

 storag-e, losses will continue to be experi- 

 enced by even the most careful packers and 

 shippers. It is just possible that there is 

 nothing new in the above remarks, and that 

 the facts noted have been observed and com- 

 mented on by others, but if so, it appears to 

 be extraordinary that shippers have submit- 

 ted to the great losses they have sustained 

 from wet wasty fruit without murmur and 

 without having endeavored to overcome the 

 defect. 



Just a word or two with regard to the 

 keeping qualities of the various kinds of 

 apples gathered from our experience at Paris 

 last summer. The best keeping apple under 

 all circumstances was the American Pippin. 

 Some of the first set out on the tables were 

 in perfect condition in September. They 

 passed through the mid-summer's heat in 



the hot Horticultural building almost with- 

 out change of texture, the change was in the 

 loss of color. All the Russetts kept fairly 

 well, but shrivelled badly, and were conse- 

 quently unsightly. 



The Northern Spy is a remarkable keeper 

 in dry cold storage, but does not last long 

 when exposed. The Ontario kept very well 

 and was a good deal admired. Many fruit 

 handlers insisted that it was a small sized 

 Spy. It certainly resembled that variety 

 very closely ; we had it from Huntingdon 

 Co., from a farmer who had lost the name, 

 but thought it was Hubbardston. A variety 

 that kept remarkably well came from Mon- 

 treal, named La Salle ; this is a variety that 

 has been propagated to a limited extent only, 

 and is in a few hands. It is about like Ben 

 Davis in size and shape, but never reaches 

 as high a color as the best Ben Davis ; it is 

 of better quality however. Baldwin kept 

 remarkably well as it usually does. A rather 

 large deep red seedling from Cecil P. New- 

 man, Lachine Rapids, was amongst the long 

 keepers. Fallawater also astonished us by 

 its keeping qualities. 



Grenville, P. O. R. Hamilton. 



The Board of Control of the Ontario 

 Fruit Experiment Stations met at House 

 of Parliament Buildings on Wednesday the 

 2d of January. Prof. Hutt presented his 

 report of inspection which showed that good 

 work was being done. Apple trees tested 

 in Wabigoon had been winter killed the first 

 season, but another trial will be made of the 

 most hardy varieties in the hope of finding 

 some that will be sufficiently hardy. The 

 Board discussed at some length the ship- 

 ments of fruit to the old country. It was 

 felt that an outlet for our surplus fruit was 



absoluteJy necessary to maintain prices, and 

 in view of the success of the experiments 

 during the past year it was decided to push 

 the matter vigorously. The Board felt it 

 necessary to keep a continuous stream of 

 fruit pouring into England in order to catch 

 John Bull's eye, and therefore seek a weekly 

 cold storage Atlantic service instead of eve.-y 

 three weeks as at present. Hon. Mr. Dr\ - 

 den was interviewed, and negotiations will 

 be opened with a view to securing a more 

 frequent service for the growing trade. 



