142 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 



\Vc have referred this question to Mr. A. 

 W. Peart, Freeman, who also has been ex- 

 ])erimenting in forwarding tomatoes to Eng- 

 land, and he says : 



In the past three years, during the latter 

 part of September, I have shipped to Glas- 

 gow a few boxes of Honor Bright tomatoes. 

 They are medium in size, late, very firm, 

 smooth, of excellent quality, and very pro- 

 ductive. They are the most likely export 

 tomato with which I am acquainted. There 

 are four clearly defined stages of maturity, 

 viz., green, waxy white, yellow and red. For 

 export I pick them when yellow, choosing 

 medium size specimens, not too small nor too 

 large, cut them from the vine with scissors, 

 leaving about half an inch of stem adhering. 

 Each tomato is wrapped in tissue paper and 

 packed in excelsior, the same as pears. I 

 use the quarter barrel box, holding about 

 two twelve-quart baskets put up in this way. 

 The first year they sold at 6 shillings a box, 

 the second at 4 shillings, and the third at the 

 same price. At the latter figure I would 

 nett about 34 cents per box, or 17 cents per 

 i2-quart basket. According to the advice 

 received from our consignee in Glasgow, the 

 last lot — shipped in cold storage — reached 

 there in practically the same condition as 

 they left here, that is, unripe. In a few 

 days, however, they would ripen nicely if 

 placed in a dry warm room. All things con- 

 sidered, I have confidence that a fairly profit- 

 able export trade may yet be developed in 

 tomatoes. , 



LABOR ON THE FRUIT FARM. 



JUST, at the present time there is an un- 

 usual scarcity of farm help both in 

 Canada- and in the United States, own- 

 ing in part, no doubt, to the excellent oppor- 

 tunities in the Northwest to become land 

 owners. At a meeting of the Niagara Dis- 

 trict fruit growers at St. Catharines on Sat- 

 urday, the 2 1 St of February, a motion by W. 

 IT. Bunting was passed which requested the 



government to do all in their power to en- 

 courage the emigration to this country of 

 a desirable class of men. 



Considering the great army of unemployed 

 men in Great Britain, and the number of 

 young men of all classes desirous of learn- 

 ing fruit farming, and willing to take in- 

 struction as part pay for their work, we have 

 no doubt that by the time the fruit season 

 arrives there will be an abundance of such 

 help as is required to handle the crop. 



MARRIED MEN BEST. 



As a rule married men are best on the 

 fruit farm, and every fruit farmer needs a 

 cottage for a workingman's family. It may 

 be a nuisance at times to have a lot of chil- 

 dren in the neighborhood, but in the fruit 

 season a mother and her boys and girls are 

 a blessing to the fruit grower, for she is the 

 natural foreman of her gang, and responds 

 heartily to liberal dealings. 



GROWING APRICOTS. 



Sir, — I note in the January number of the 

 Canadian Horticulturist, Mr. Harrison 

 Weir's letter as to the growing of apricots 

 in Canada, and your explanation, which en- 

 tirely agreed with my own experience at 

 Niagara-on-the-Lake. 



Some years ago I planted in a strong clay 

 soil, well under-drained, different varieties, 

 which made good growth, and are now large 

 and healthy trees. They bloom profusely, 

 but so early that frost is sure to eiTect them 

 more or less, while the " curculio " and rot 

 leave few to mature. 



I doubt if apricots will ever be grown with 

 profit in our climate. 



Yours truly, 



Chari.es Hunter. 

 Niagara-on-the-Lake. 



