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THE CANADIAN 'HORTICULTURIST 



The difficulty, however, seems to be in cook- 

 ing- of the sulphur. The Inspector reported 

 that he had good results from using the 

 steam of a threshing engine, and in this way 

 the lime and sulphur mixture could be pre- 

 pared on a large scale at a comparatively 

 low cost. It was then arranged to hold 

 practical demonstrations in the preparing 

 and applying of the mixture in the affected 

 districts. The following places of infesta- 

 tion were selected, namely : St. Catharines, 

 Niagara, Grimsby, Blenheim, Kingsville. 

 Two have been held and were most success- 

 ful. The meeting at Grimsby is to be held 

 this week. The latter two will be arranged 

 for between now and the first of the year. 

 We are endeavoring to take the result of 

 the scientists to the farm and to the people. 



FRUIT EXPERIMENT STATIONS. 



In our orchard demonstrations work we 

 found we could make our work still more 

 valuable to the people by having the annual 

 meeting of the Farmers' Institutes take the 

 form of a basket picnic on the grounds of 

 the local Fruit Experiment Stations. In 

 this way the different varieties under culti- 

 vation could be seen growing side by side, 

 and it could be easily seen which were the 

 best varieties to grow for market or home 

 purposes. To make the work still more 

 valuable we were assisted by some of the 

 professors of the Agricultural College, who 

 gave addresses and answered questions in 

 reference to the growing of fruit, the de- 

 struction of insects, fungous diseases, etc. 

 Scores of letters have been received at our 

 office telling of the practical benefit of the 

 meetings. Our Experimenter should be the 

 authority in each district as to what to 

 plant, and what and when to graft, prune 

 and spray. If the Fruit Growers' Associa- 

 tion by the methods already started, and by 

 other means, can bring the fruit farmers in 

 touch with the Experiment Stations we be- 

 lieve it will do as much for the industry as 

 can be accomplished in any other way. 



JUDGING AT FALL FAIRS. 



During the past fall fair campaign we 

 have been asked through our office, for 

 many judges of fruit and flowers at the ex- 

 hibitions. This resulted from correspond- 

 ence we had last spring with the agricul- 

 tural and horticultural societies in reference 

 to the improvement of their prize lists. A 

 committee of this association met in Toronto 

 last spring, and at the request of the Cana- 

 dian Association of Fairs and Exhibitions 

 prepared a model prize list for the use of 

 fair boards. We are pleased to note that a 

 number of our directors were selected as 

 judges by the fair boards this year. This is 

 another evidence of the hold which our as- 

 sociation is getting upon the people of the 

 province. 



APPLE GRADING AND PACKING AT FALL 

 FA!RS. 



Practical demonstrations in grading and 

 packing of fruit were given at many of our 

 fall fairs. Here again the Association is in- 

 debted to the Dominion Fruit Inspectors for 

 their services. Wherever they went they 

 were surrounded by enquiring fruit growers, 

 and questions were asked on all phases of 

 the work, and the demonstrations were 

 watched and criticised by the eager onlook- 

 ers. 



HORTICULTURAL SOCIETIES. 



Many of these Societies are doing first 

 class work in floriculture and town and vil- 

 lage improvement. Last year the Superin- 

 tendent of Farmers' Institutes was asked to 

 arrange a lecture course for these Societies 

 and this was done. It was also continued 

 again this year, and the Societies have ex- 

 pressed their appreciation of the good work 

 of the lectures. A pleasing feature of the 

 work has been an afternoon meeting at the 

 schools. This has been appreciated both 

 by teachers and scholars, and has also 

 helped to advertise the work of the Horti- 

 cultural Societies, 



