in the packing-houses, together with the many discussions which they are able to 

 have, both at meetings and privately, with orchard-owners, are in a position to render 

 especially valuable opinions. 



The Markets Commissioner, stationed in the Prairie Provinces by the Provincial 

 Department of Agriculture, to study conditions under which our fruit is marketed 

 and the competition which it must meet, has also advised on the marketability of 

 the various varieties a most important point. 



FRUIT-GROWERS' ASSOCIATIONS HAVE ASSISTED. 



In this past year, the British Columbia Fruit-growers' Association has also taken 

 considerable interest in the variety question. At the last annual meeting of this 

 Association, held in January, 1912, a resolution was passed, and it, together with 

 the discussion on it, is reproduced herewith : 



" Moved by B. McDonald, seconded by D. H. Watson, ' Whereas the shipping 

 associations of British Columbia consider it of great benefit to the fruit-growers to 

 confine their planting to fewer commercial varieties more suitable to their districts : 

 Be it Resolved, That the Association ask the various affiliated associations to recom- 

 mend lists of varieties for commercial planting in their respective districts to the 

 Board of Horticulture for the 1912 revision of the lists of varieties recommended.' 



" Mr. McDonald : In speaking to that resolution, I think every fruit-grower of 

 British Columbia realizes the great importance of getting our planted varieties down 

 to the required number. I would instance Hood River as an example of what I 

 mean, and I think the sooner British Columbia fruit-growers do the same thing, the 

 sooner will they achieve the success they are after. 



" Mr. Watson : I do not think the question requires much argument. Just 

 consider Watsonville and Hood River. I think it is up to British Columbia fruit- 

 growers to adopt the same principle. 



" Mr. Bulman : I thoroughly endorse the idea of the resolution, and I think that 

 the investigations of Mr. Winslow in this direction, are to be commended, and I 

 would like to see them extended. 



" Mr. Maxwell Smith : I may say that never a week passes but I am asked by 

 some new-comer what are the best varieties to plant, and I think that a list such 

 as is proposed would meet a long-felt want. 



" The resolution carried unanimously." 



In compliance with this resolution, the various affiliated associations of the 

 Province gave considerable study to the question of varieties for their respective 

 districts, and their recommendations are incorporated in the list of varieties given. 



DEPARTMENT HAS INVESTIGATED HISTORY OF VARIETIES. 



The Department of Agriculture, in drawing on the sources of information 

 indicated above, will be seen to have done practically everything possible to secure 

 what experience could tell as to the conduct of the different varieties of fruit. 

 Owing, however, to the very rapid development of our fruit industry in the newer 

 districts, and to the fact that even in our older districts the industry is still very 

 young, there are very many gaps, for which experience and experiment on the ground 

 cannot as yet supply the exact information, and it has been both advisable and 

 necessary to make some investigation of the requirements under which various 

 varieties of ruit reach their greatest perfection elsewhere. 



It is a well-recognized fact that each variety of fruit requires a certain type 

 of growing season to reach its greatest commercial perfection, and to approach 

 reasonably to this ideal the growing season must be nearly like that which it has 

 been found to be most desired. Drawing on the records of the meteorological 

 stations of this Province and of Ontario, Nova Scotia, and the North-western 

 States has enabled us to study those conditions under which the different varieties 

 seem to succeed best. Many varieties of all kinds of fruits were found to be adapted 

 to a very limited range of climate, such as the Spitzenberg, Winesap, and Pewaukee 

 apples, the French prune, the d'Anjou pear, the Foster peach, and the Olivet cherry ; 



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