NOTES AND COMMENTS. 



481 



the disease, that the bees are the principal 

 agents in the spread in the flowering period 

 of the pear trees. 



*' Fourth. — We beUeve the only remedy is 

 the removal of the bees, to at least 5 miles 

 from the fruit districts, otherwise the pear 

 industry will soon be a thing- of the past in 

 this county. 



" Fifth. — We, your committee, would ask 

 the Board of Supervisors to give the fruit 

 growers any aid in investigating the subject 

 of pear blight or the removal of the same, 

 for which we believe the bees are largely 

 responsible, to do the same." 



gow just received (Oct. 7) state that the 

 Bartletts forwarded by the Lakonia arrived 

 in a very over-ripe condition. Evidently 

 the cold storage on the steamships is still 

 unreliable. 



Prinxe Edward Island, Mr. McKinnon 

 says, is worthy of more attention from in- 

 tending colonists than it has hitherto re- 

 ceived. Only recently, it appears, has she 

 awakened to her possibilities for the pro- 

 duction of dairy products, oats, sheep, 

 potatoes, apples, etc., and the province well 

 deserves the appellation given it "The 

 Million Acre Farm," or " The Garden of the 

 Gulf." Mr. McNeill added, for both these 

 gentlemen have just returned from a visit 

 there, "I never saw strawberries anywhere 

 equal to those I saw in Prince Edward 

 Island, near Georgetown. They seem to 

 have exactly the right combination of light 

 soil and abundance of moisture for the best 

 success. 



Experimental Shipafents of pears are 

 still being continued from Grimsby, at the 

 risk of the shippers, as the Dominion gov- 

 ernment has dropped the matter, without as 

 yet achieving complete success. The steamer 

 Lakonia, leaving Montreal Sept. 12, took 

 1 1 20 cases of Bartletts ; the Marina on the 

 19th, 560 cases of Bartletts, and the Kastalia 

 of Oct. 3rd, cases ot various kinds. These 

 pears were green and hard on leaving 

 Montreal, and the same stock kept in 

 Grimsby cold storage until after the date of 

 sale, were still firm ; but advices from Glas- 



GooD Results of Fruit Inspection. — 

 The following circular, addressed by Mr. 

 Eben James, of Toronto, to his foremen 

 packers, and to apple dealers, shows that 

 the results are proving the wisdom of the 

 Act. He says : — 



Please take notice the government has appointed 

 inspectors at points of export and throughout O'^- 

 tario. 



The law holds the packer responsible for the 

 quality of the contents of the barrels. There is 

 nothing to be feared from it if common sense is 

 used in packing and proper precaution taken in 

 observing the following rules without deviation. 



Foreman packers should handle every basket put 

 in barrels, observing that the pressman knows his 

 business, and by careful explanations to sorters 

 work can be made easy and proper results insured. 



BRANDING. 



The graxie of every barrel must be marked on it 

 at the time of packing either by a brand or written 

 legibly in pencil so thatshould apples not be brand- 

 ed until arriving at station the man branding cannot 

 make a mistake, and will run no risk of branding 

 No. 2 wrongly as No. i. 



The name of every boss packer must in all cases 

 be written on every barrel in pencil. 



Brand carefully and neatly ; above all see that 

 proper name of fruit is put on barrel ; if in doubt 

 put "Unknown", using best judgment. 



GRADING. 



The size for No. i must not be smaller than ih 

 inches unless Romanite, Russett, Winesap or 

 Jonathan and kindred varieties which must not be 

 less than 2J inches in diameter. 



No. 2. — It is quite lawful to pack second grade, 

 however pack no apples with a wormhole in the 

 side. A wormhole in the blow, if the apple is of 

 good shape, size and color, can be accepted as 

 No. 2. 



FOUR DISTINCT CLASSES OF APPLES WHICH ARE CULLS 

 AND MAY NOT BE CLASSED AS SECONDS. 



1. Wormy apples other than in the blow end. 



2. A badly shaped or warped apple of undersize. 

 4. A badly scabbed apple (not the wart scabi. 



4. Small apples no matter how perfect. Under 

 2 inches for Romanite, Russett, Winesap, Jonathan, 

 and kindred varieties, and under 2\ inches of other 

 standard varieties such as Spies, Greenings, etc. 



In all cases packers must show common sense in 

 facing seconds; this does not mean putting the 

 worst on the face, but make the face appear a fair 

 representation of the contents of the barrel. 



Note thoroughly our instructions ' ' How to pack 

 apples for export." Pay attention to under or over 

 pressing. Above all rack well. 



