35-* 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIS2. 



and the price is practically proportioned to 

 the American and continental crops. Al- 

 ways, however, there is a strong demand 

 for our superb Canadian high colored crisp 

 winter apples, such as King, Baldwin anj 

 Spy, because there are no apples grown 

 anywhere which can compare with them. 



Our own observations are backed up by 

 letters just received from English fruit mer- 

 chants, from which we cull some sentences. 

 For example, Mr. J. B. Thomas, Covetit 

 Garden market, London, writes: 



I desire specially to inform you that our 

 market is ready to receive your early varie- 

 ties of apples, and any that you think will 

 stand the voyage will pay to ship to this mar- 

 ket. 



I think the present exceptionally favorable 

 to try shipments of pears (best varieties) and 

 selected peaches. Both shoula be gathered 

 directly they have fully developed in size and 

 packed with paper around each fruit in boxes 

 of single layers. The selecting and packing 

 must be done from the tree and at the tree 

 side, i. e., no second handling of the fruit 

 should take place. Such shipments made in 

 steamers fitted with refrigerating chambers 

 from Montreal should give satisfactory results 

 to shippers this season. 



Mr. Thomas Webster, of the Manchester « 

 Fruit Brokers, writes : 



The outlook here for Canadian pears and 

 apples is decidedly favorable because our own 

 crop is very small this time, and there will be 

 a great scarcity to fill up. You will remember 

 that last year your Bartlett pears arrived in 

 bad condition owing to having been packed too 

 »ipe, and no doubt will avoid this when you 

 ship again. The Clapp pears did well, and we 

 recommend you to ship liberally of this quality 

 again. Apples such as early Astrachan and 

 Duchess will be wanted, and if carefully packed 

 will show good results. 



In packing pears tell your people to always 

 line the boxes top and bottom with excelsior. 

 Last year, in sbme instances, the lids were 

 nailed down on the bare fruit, and its appear- 

 ance was completely spoiled. 



Mr. B. W. Potter, of Manchester, writes : 



The crop of English fruit is an entire failure, 

 and we shall have to depend for our supplies 

 largely upon Canada. 



Messrs. Woodall & Co.- of Liverpool, 

 write : 



The following table, showing in broad gen- 

 eral terms the number of reports which hav« 

 reached us, in which the crop is classed as 

 "over average," "average," "under average;" 



Avernge. Under Avcrave 



17 248 reports 



98 184 " 



90 163 " 



138 16 



and 'good," "very good," or "bad," indicate 

 the quality. These figures must of course be 

 taken as indicating approximate truth, and not 

 r:trict mathematical accuracy, which would be 

 unattainable in this case; they may, however, 

 be taken as substantially correct : 



Ove. Average 



This year 2 



Against last year .. 12 



1901 .... 15 



1900 .. .. 148 

 Messrs. James Adams & Son, of Liver 

 pool, write : 



Owing to the exceedingly cold spring the 

 fruit crop throughout Great Britain has suf- 

 fered considerably, and while apples in some 

 orchards may be a fair yield, the crop as a 

 whole will be very short indeed. In some 

 parts of the continent the same climatic con- 

 ditions were apparently experienced, but fruit 

 ail the same is more plentiful there than in 

 this country, and in both Holland and Germany 

 we are given to understand there will be a fair 

 crop. This, to some extent, is a factor that 

 must be borne in mind when indicating the 

 outlook for American and Canadian stock, but 

 as we have before explainea the competition 

 offered by continental growths is, after all, not 

 very important. From present aspects it 

 would appear as if apples from America and 

 Canada would be wanted more than ever this 

 season— not only " winters," but " falls " as 

 well — and it is for shippers themselves to say 

 whether the season shall be a satisfactory one 

 or otherwise. When prospects are favorable 

 there is, unfortunately, a tendency on the part 

 of operators to " overdo the thing " — that is by 

 sending forward too many, and not paying 

 sufficient care to the grading and packing of 

 the fruit. We have emphasized the fact re- 

 peatedly — that poor apples never sell well, 

 even in a short season — and apart altogether 

 from the inspection of the government officials 

 under the Canadian Marks Act, we do hope 

 that efforts wi]l be directed to the sending for- 

 ward of good and honestly packed stock only. 

 As is well known, it is quite impossible to form 

 any accurate idea as to how prices will rule, 

 but if shipments are not too heavy then we can 

 safely say that fair values will i>e obtained. 



Here, then, is an encouragement for our 

 fruit growers to take advantage of their op- 

 portunity and pack their finest fruit for ex- 

 port. 



DO NOT SHIP RUBRTSH 



TT N FORTUNATELY this season ihere 

 is a great quantity of second class 

 apples, especially of Kings, Baldwins and 

 Greenings. They are under size and scab- 

 by, and such stock should not be exported ; 

 it should be sold in near markets if soM at 



