214 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST 



man, that fine new dark red Illinois apple, 

 which brings almost double the price of Ben 

 Davis. 



Stinson (Mo. Fruit Sta. Rept. 1900) savs 

 he had much more difficulty controlling Bit- 

 ter Rot with Bordeaux than scab. In one 

 experiment, for example, he sprayed his Ben 

 Davis five times, and yet only 60 per cent, 

 of the fruit was free from bitter rot, while 

 on unsprayed trees practically the whole 



crop was ruined by it. In another part of 

 the orchard he had a little better success, 

 with only four sprayings, for 78 per cent, 

 was free, while on trees untreated only 14 

 per cent, was clean. Speaking of the Hunts- 

 man, he says it was sprayed three times and 

 gave 83 per cent, free from bitter rot and 92 

 per cent, free from scab ; while on unsprayed 

 trees only 48 per cent, was free of bitter rot 

 and 69 per cent, of apple scab. 



SHIPPING GRAPES TO BRITISH COLUMBIA. 



^^IR, — In the October number of the 

 V3 Horticulturist you refer to the possi- 

 bility of shipping grapes from Ontario to 

 British Columbia, and express the opinion 

 that the distance and expense is too great. 

 You are, however, probably aware that 

 small shipments have been received here. 

 Early last season some large shipments were 

 made by Mr. A. Finbow, of Beamsville, who 

 kept the local market well supplied for two 

 or three weeks, when he withdrew, in order 

 to avoid over-supplying a limited demand 

 and consequent reduction in price, on receipt 

 of a telegram informing him that a ship- 

 ment had arrived from Mr. Wm. Fretz, of 

 Jordan. The fruit, for the most part, 

 arrived in good condition, in three and four 

 pound baskets, and each shipper, we believe, 

 received about $300 each from sales, about 

 one-half of which would be paid to the ex- 

 press company. Of course the grapes had 

 to compete — and they did so successfully as 

 to price, after netting the shippers about 

 3c. a lb. — with the California article, chiefly 

 the large, sweet varieties, immense quantities 

 of which are sold in British Columbia, and 

 which will not be easily displaced. How- 

 ever, if the two gentlemen referred to pro- 

 pose to ship next season, we would advise 

 that some understanding be arrived at in 

 order to avoid over supply and loss. 



By the way, speaking of California fruit, 

 one. cannot help but deplore the fact that, 

 owing to superior methods of packing, and 



packages, this article finds such ready sale 

 in preference to the Ontario fruit where 

 brought into competition in the Northwest 

 and British Columbia markets. Reason- 

 able rates and choice fruit value will not 

 secure and hold the trade — the baskets, 

 packages and boxes must be so constructed 

 as to display the fruit to best advantage. 

 Certainly it is wearying, to say the least, to 

 note the time being wasted and markets 

 lost while Ontario fruit men meet in their 

 annual gatherings and discuss at great 

 length the value of this new expensive crate, 

 that new fancy box, this and that method of 

 packing. Why not adopt the methods of 

 packing, boxes, crates, baskets and all, of 

 the Californians, than which there are none 

 better, import expert packer^, if necessary 

 from the Pacific State to visit the diff"erent 

 centres and instruct the growers ; discon- 

 tinue these useless discussions and make an 

 organized effort to place the Ontario fruit 

 in every town in Manitoba and the North- 

 west. 



As a result largely of the adoption of 

 Californian methods, British Columbia ship- 

 ments of fruit to those points are increasing 

 rapidly, and, in a tew years, unless Ontario 

 growers and shippers bestir themselves, this 

 province will supply and control the entire 

 market of the Territories and prairie prov- 

 ince, notwithstanding the superior flavor of 

 the Ontario fruit. 



Vancouver, B. C, A. W. Finbow. 



