THE FALL FAIR AS A HORTICULTURAL EDUCATOR. 



99 



instrumental in introducing improved varie- 

 ties into more than one farm garden. 



2. In each class of fruit, a few of the lead- 

 ing varieties best adapted to the section, should 

 be named on the list. In fact these lists 

 should be so carefully prepared" that they 

 might be taken as a reliable guide by in- 

 tending planters. If confidence were estab- 

 lished in the reliability of these lists, no 

 better means of education along these lines 

 could be given than the annual display of 

 varieties brought out at the fall fair. The 

 list of varieties for which prizes should be 

 oflFered would naturally vary with the differ- 

 ent sections of the country, as a variety that 

 would be excellent for one section might be 

 entirely unsuitable for another. The reports 

 of our Fruit Experiment Stations should be 

 a guide in preparing such lists. In the 

 majority of cases the lists at present are 

 either false guides, or no guide af all. In 

 one list only three classes of fruit are called 

 for, and these are collections of apples, pears 

 and grapes, not a single variety being 

 mentioned. On this same list 34 breeds of 

 chickens are named, there being 83 sections 

 for the entry of poultry. This list is a credit 

 to the enterprise of the poultry fanciers o^ 

 that section; but if so many classes and 

 entries are necessary tor poultry, of which 

 not one farmer in twenty has a pure bred 

 flock, and those who have, keep, as a rule, 

 but one breed, how much more necessary 

 that some encouragement should be given to 

 the exhibition of fruits, of which most 

 farmers have not only several kinds, but a 

 number of varieties of each kind ? On other 

 lists where varieties are mentioned, lots 

 of old worthless kinds, which should have 

 been discarded years ago, are still being en- 

 couraged by prizes being offered year after 

 year; while lots of valuable varieties of more 

 recent introduction are never mentioned. In 

 such cases the lists are false guides and are 

 doing positive harm. 



3. Offering prizes for largest collection of 



varieties should be discontinued. The aim 

 should be to encourage the planting of fewer 

 varieties, and not large collections of var- 

 ieties, many of which are worthless. It is 

 freely admitted by those in the export apple 

 trade that the mixed shipments of many 

 varieties in small lots are injuring our repu- 

 tation in the British markets. What that 

 market wants is a few of our best varieties in 

 larger quantities. The fall fair exhibit of 

 varieties, as brought out by a good prize list, 

 should be an education as to the require- 

 ments of the local and foreign markets. 

 The Goderich prize list is excellent in this 

 particular. In apples it calls for three small 

 collections, viz.: 6 best dessert varieties; 6 

 best cooking varieties, and 6 best export 

 varieties. 



4. Little or nothing is gained and much dis- 

 satisfaction and hard feeling is often engender- 

 ed by trying to class varieties as either autumn 

 or winter. Nearly every fall disputes are re- 

 ferred to us to settle whether the Ribston, 

 or Wealthy, or some other variety should be 

 classed as fall or winter, whereas the class- 

 ing of it as either one or the other will not in 

 the least alter its season of maturing. In 

 southern sections, it will mature as usual in 

 the fall, while in northern sections it may 

 keep most of the winter ; and, as to just 

 where the dividing line would be in each 

 case would be difficult to determine ; and 

 when determined would make very little, if 

 any, difference. In preparing a list of 

 varieties they should, of course, be selected 

 so as to cover the season of maturing from 

 early to late, in which case there would 

 naturally be most of the long-keeping sorts ; 

 and in judging collections, the seasons cover- 

 ed by the varieties shown be taken into ac" 

 count by the judges. 



5. At the end of each list of varieties of each 

 class of fruit there should be one entry for "any 

 other named variety." This permits the ex- 

 hibition of good varieties which may not be 

 mentioned on the list. Following this should 



