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Canadian HoRTicuLJURiST 



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THE GRAVENSTEIN. 



.F all the general purpose apples 

 ripening in October, , we know ot 

 none that can at all compare with 

 the Gravenstein, an apple which is 

 too little grown in the province of Ontario. 



In the Annapolis valley of Nova Scotia 

 this apple has been grown quite extensively 

 for export, but delays in transportation to 

 the seaboard and ill-ventilated steamship ac- 

 commodation have resulted in considerable 

 loss in the cargoes exported. This has led 

 many of the Nova Scotia orchardists to cease 

 planting this variety, and to prefer varieties 

 which will endure more abuse in transit, as 

 for example Ben Davis, Baldwin and Stark. 

 At a recent Fruit Institute meeting in 

 Colborne, Mr. G. H. Vroom, of Middleton, 

 N.S. , was present, having been sent to at- 

 tend our meetings by the Federal Govern- 

 ment. Being asked if the Gravenstein was 

 the most important commercial apple of 

 Nova Scotia, he said : " No, that is not our 

 most important commercial variety to-day, 

 even in point of numbers of trees, and while 

 other varieties are increasing in numbers, no 



new Gravensteins are being set out. The 

 reason is that the Gravenstein is an early 

 apple, and we want a keeper." 



Now, our experience is in favor of plant- 

 ing this apple to a limited extent in the com- 

 mercial orchards of Ontario, especially in 

 sections where there is good connection with 

 the export steamers, so that too much delay 

 need not occur in transportation. Cold 

 storage accommodation too is becoming 

 year by year more nearly perfect, and will 

 afford a sure means of safe carriage for such 

 varieties as the Duchess, Alexander and 

 Gravenstein. 



Those who plant large orchards find great 

 waste from dropping when all the varieties 

 are winter fruit, and are all ready for har- 

 vesting at one time ; whereas by having a 

 succession of varieties, e.g. — the Duchess in 

 August, the Alexander in the early part of 

 September, the Gravenstein about themiddle, 

 the Blenheim about the end, and the winter 

 varieties to work upon during October and 

 November, the work of an apple grower is 

 more evenly distributed throughout the 



