238 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST 



October, 1914 



Mr. D. Johnson, Dominion Fruit Commissioner 



Mr. Johnson presided at all the sessions of the 



recent Fruit Conference at Grimsby. Ont. which 



is fully reported in this issue. 



Other than stamped forms on and after 

 January ist, 1915." 



"That we would recommend that the 

 Dominion Fruit Commissioner make in- 

 quiries with a view to selecting a stan- 

 [ dard box for domestic use." 



EXPORT PACKAGES 



"Whereas, certain countries require, 

 either by law or custom, that fruit im- 

 ported be contained in packages of a fix- 

 ed size, thereby preventing our exporting 

 in packages other than those they de- 

 mand : Be it therefore resolved, That we 

 respectfully ask our Government to 

 legalize exporting in such packages as 

 meet the requirements of the countries 

 with whom we wish to trade." 



PACKAGES FOR HOME USE 



"Resolved, that we respectfully peti- 

 tion our Government that such legal re- 

 quirements as to size or capacity of fruit 

 packages for Canadian fruit shall apply 

 ■ equally and as rigidly to fruit imported 

 into Canada." 



Note. — This resolution does not apply 

 to boxes or barrels. 



MARKING OF IMIPORTED FRUIT 



"Resolved, That we endorse the fol- 

 lowing resolution passed by and for- 

 warded by the British Columbia Fruit 

 Growers' Association as follows : Where- 

 as, the amendments to the Inspection 

 and Sale Act recently passed require that 

 all shipments of imported apples should 

 be marked in accordance with the amend- 

 ments of the Inspection and Sale Act, 

 part 9, and that other marks inconsistent 

 with the marks specified by the Act shall 

 be erased : And whereas the designation 



'C is allowed by the Inspectors to be 

 retained on boxes marked by the im- 

 porters 'No. 2,' such apples subsequently 

 being sold as 'C,' which is recognized 

 as equivalent to 'choice.' Be it there- 

 fore resolved. That we respectfully re- 

 quest the Honourable the Federal Min^ 

 ister of Agriculture to take such steps 

 as are necessary to have this mark, and 

 all marks on imported fruit inconsistent 

 with the provisions of the Act, removed 

 by the importer at point of destination." 



SHOULD FILL PACKA0B8 



"That all fruit packages, infcluding 

 berry boxes, shall be well and properly 

 filled,, and in cases where there is evi- 

 dence of under-filling inspectors shall 

 have the right to weigh or measure 

 fruit in such packages to find out if there 

 is violation, and prosecutions shall fol- 

 low at the discretion of the Depart- 

 ment." 



"That this conference respectfully asks 

 the Government to consider the trans- 

 portation conditions in Canada with a 

 view to having the shipping difficulties 

 with which fruit shippers have to con- 

 tend removed. " 



CARGO INSPECTORS 



"Inasmuch as a cargo inspector is ap- 

 pointed by the Government, and he ap- 

 parently has no duties outlined and is 

 practically without authority we would 

 recommend that legislation be enacted 

 giving him authority to protect the un- 

 loading, transfer, and packing of our 

 fruit at all terminal points." 



FOREIGN MARKETS 



"That the Department of Agriculture 

 should take the necessary steps to keep 

 Canadian growers in closer touch with 

 the importers of fruit, if necessary by 

 the appointment of special commission- 

 ers in Great Britain, Europe, South 

 America, Australia, and South -Africa ; 

 and that the Department should set aside 

 a sum of money for trial shipments on a 

 commercial scale for the development of 

 additional markets." 



THE LATE ALEXANDER McNEILL 



"Resolved, That this fourth Dominion 

 Conference desires to express its appre- 

 ciation of the admirable services render- 

 ed the fruit growers of Canada by the 

 late Alexander McNeill, chief of the Fruit 

 Division of the Dominion Department 

 of Agriculture, whose unselfish, untiring 

 and capable administration of his office 

 it is desired to record. 



"Among other important matters re- 

 lating to the fruit industry, Mr. Mc- 

 Neill strongly and continuously advo- 

 cated cooperation among fruit growers 

 in Canada, and did much, both in his ad- 

 dresses and by his reports and bulletins, 

 to bring before Canadians the great ad- 

 vantage of cooperative methods ; and it 

 is particularly desired in this resolution 

 to emphasize this phase of his work and 



the service he rendered for so many 

 years. 



"Owing to Mr. McNeill's attractive 

 personality, his unselfishness, his geni- 

 ality, and his unbounded enthusiasm for 

 horticulture, he made many friends; and 

 his death late last year has been a great 

 loss to those who knew, admired and 

 loved him ; and as most of the members 

 of this conference knew him well, it is 

 hereby resolved that they record in the 

 minutes of this conference the deep sense 

 of their loss. 



"It is further desired and resolved 

 that a copy of this resolution be forward- 

 ed to Mr. McNeill's daughters, that 

 they may know that though their father 

 is no longer with us he is not forgotten 

 by his many friends." 



Several other somewhat formal resolu- 

 tions were passed. These inculded one 

 thanking those who assisted in arrang- 

 ing a motor trip given the delegates to 

 St. Catharines and Niagara Falls ; thank- 

 ing the speakers, and thanking the Gov- 

 ernment for having arranged the con- 

 ference. 



The Exhibition of Fruits 



Prof. T. G. Banting, Macdonald College, Que , Preiidest 

 Quebec Proviice Fmil Growert' Attociatioa 



The handling, packing and transporta- 

 tion of fruit intended for exhibition pur- 

 poses should be carefully supervised. 

 Fruits at their best are mature or 

 nearly so and in this condition are very 

 easily damaged, or decay may quickly 

 set in. As little handling as possible 

 should be given in order to avoid bruises. 

 In picking secure plenty of the desired 

 type of fruit which should be immedi- 

 ately taken to some place under cover, 

 where a more careful selection can be 

 made. The specimens so selected should 

 be carefully wrapped and packed away 

 until required for the exhibition. This 

 will lessen the amount of decay that is 

 apt to occur. 



The exhibition of fruits is exceedingly 

 interesting and fascinating, so much so 

 that one can scarcely refrain from taking 

 part when once enthused, and the re- 

 turns are not so much in money as in 

 the pleasure and training obtained. A 

 knowledge of varieties is a splendid 

 thing to have, and few have it for any 

 considerable number of varieties, largely 

 because of lack of opportunity. Exhibit- 

 ing gives this opportunity, to see and 

 study the varieties of others as well as 

 one's own. It also affords a splendid 

 training to those who may aspire to 

 qualify as judges. There is room for 

 many more exhibitors than we now have, 

 and with the development and improve- 

 ment of our exhibitions there will be a 

 corresponding development and improve- 

 ment of the fruit interests of Canada. 



