NOTES AND COMMENTS. 



447 



only Elberta, Fitzgerald and other fine va- 

 rieties growing and fruiting in the gardens 

 of Mr. Karn, Mr. Parker and Mr. Patullo, 

 but also to find in Mr. Pitman's orchard, far 

 up the highest point, a fine thrifty orchard 

 of the finest varieties, and yielding excellent 

 crops. We noted the same thing in Mr. 

 McLean's orchard ; he grows small fruits, 

 pears and peaches in abundance, and unites 

 with fruit-growing the business of fattening 

 and shipping poultry, a good combination, 

 and apparently very successful. 



One advantage these men have over us in 

 fruit-growing centers is that they have a 

 fruit market at their very doors, and can 

 sell direct to retailers, while we have express 

 charges and commission to pay, much re- 

 ducing our profits. 



THE ANJOU PEAR 



DOES particularly well in Mr. Pitman's 

 orchard, situated on this high eleva- 

 tion. One fine old tree was pointed out, a 

 standard about twenty-five years planted, 

 which averages a yield of three or four barrels 

 per annum, and all fine, clean large sized 

 fruit. " What can you get for such pears 

 here ? " we asked him. " Well, about 25 to 

 50 cents a bushel. I just put them up in 

 barrels and sell them in Woodstock." 



" You should export such pears as those," 

 we said. "That variety is one of the very 

 best export pears, and often brings as much 

 as Jfi2.oo a half bushel case on the Glasgow 

 wholesale market." 



"The trouble is," said Mr. Pitman, " no- 

 body else here is exporting pears, and I would 

 not know how to go about it alone." 



Of course that is the trouble, and until 

 our fruit growers learn to act more in con- 

 cert, they will continue to be the willing 

 subjects of speculators. 



A certain number of fruit growers in each 

 district, say eight or ten, should agree to- 

 gether from the very start in their business, 

 by planting certain special varieties of ap- 



ples, pears and peaches, suitable for export, 

 so that when they come into bearing, they 

 can make car lots for export, and work their 

 business independently of speculators. They 

 should elect a president and secretary, and 

 secure the lowest through rates to the best 

 markets, and agree upon a consignee who 

 will give them honest account sales. 



THE ONTARIO APPLE 



SUCCEEDS SPLENDIDLY WITH MR. PITMAN. 



" T T OW does Ontario compare with Spy 



AX in your orchard?" we inquired of 

 Mr. Pitman. 



' * Oh, it is more satisfactory in my opinion. 

 When you get it, the Spy is just as good or 

 better, but you could afford to grow and 

 chop out an orchard of Ontario by the time 

 the Spy begins to bear." 



" How early have you had fruit from your 

 Ontario trees ? " 



"Why, some of them have begun bearing 

 at two years of age ! I like the Ontario. It 

 is a smooth, clean apple, and packs well. 

 It is an excellent shipper, and is less subject 

 to codling moth than many other apples." 



"Well," said Mr. Scarff, "I believe Mr. Pit- 

 man's opinion of the value of the Ontario is 

 about correct. The first tree planted about 

 here was the one sent me by the Ontario 

 Fruit Growers' Association, and so, indirect- 

 ly, I have been instrumental in introducing 

 it to the growers about Woodstock, and I 

 do not regret it." 



" The Pewaukee," said Mr. Pitman, "was 

 planted in my orchard before I bought it, 

 and I have no liking for it at all. It is ill- 

 shaped, poorly colored, and drops very 

 early. I cannot see why it has ever been 

 recommended to us growers as a valuable 



variety." 



APPLE PRICES 



MR. NANSKERVILLE has a few acres 

 of fruit just inside the town ; he com- 

 plains of spots on his Greenings which un- 

 fit them for first grade. His Spys, however, 



