while, on the other hand, there are varieties, such as the Wealthy, Wagener, and Ben 

 Davis apples, the Bartlett pear, the Elberta peach, and Pond's Seedling plum, thriv- 

 ing over such wide areas as to well deserve the term " cosmopolitan," as against the 

 " sectional " character of the great majority. The demonstrated success or failure 

 of many varieties in parts of our own Province has strikingly confirmed our expecta- 

 tions based on their behaviour in similar climates. This method of studying climatic 

 conditions and varieties has led to some interesting and valuable suggestions which 

 we are following out in distributing varieties of trees for experimental purposes in 

 our new and untried districts. What is more important, we have been able to verify 

 the wisdom of choice in the case of certain largely planted kinds. It was learned 

 that the principal features of the growing season are : 



(1.) Its length: 



(2.) The total number of heat units received: 



(3.) The mean temperature of the hottest six weeks. 



These are all to be derived by a calculation of records of the daily maximum 

 and minimum temperatures along the lines laid down by the United States Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture's Biological Survey. For example, choosing the section in 

 which the Winesap apple reaches its greatest perfection, we find that it requires 

 a growing season of 225 days, with a total of 13,400 heat units, and a temperature 

 for the hottest six weeks of the growing season averaging 72 Fahr. Under such 

 conditions the Winesap bears heavily, produces fruit of the desired commercial 

 size, and of very high colour. Where the season is shorter or less warm, the 

 fruit lacks in size, colour, and dessert quality, in proportion as the season falls 

 short of these requirements. We find only a few districts in British Columbia 

 approaching these conditions. The records for Kamloops show that the Thompson 

 River Valley has an average of 214 growing days, 12,683 heat units, and a tem- 

 perature in the hottest six weeks of 69.30 Fahr. The Similkameen Valley, of 

 which we have unfortunately no records, we believe to be even more nearly 

 suitable, and this is verified by the fact that Winesap trees in that section are 

 producing heavy crops of fruit of good size and colour. In no other part of the 

 Province of which we have record do we find conditions under which the Winesap 

 is likely to reach the desired perfection. This variety, owing to its great favour 

 in Prairie and Coast markets, is being planted to an undesirable extent in many 

 districts where it may not do very well; and intending planters should bear the 

 above facts in mind. The laws of nature are inexorable ; and the attempt to grow 

 varieties in unsuitable districts cannot be attended with success 



The Mclntosh Red apple is produced to greatest perfection in districts with 

 about 200 growing days, 11,400 heat units, and a temperature in the hottest six 

 weeks of 65.5 Fahr. Our investigations show that Vernon has 199 growing days, 

 11,423 heat units, and 66.5 Fahr. as the average temperature of the hottest six 

 weeks. It will be seen that Vernon approaches the ideal very closely. Kelowna, 

 with 201 growing days, 11,507 heat units, and 66.0 Fahr. as the average tempera- 

 ture of its hottest six weeks, is also very nearly ideal for this variety. The summer 

 temperature in both cases being a little on the warm side, the keeping quality 

 of the fruit is not quite as good as it might be. 



Turning to Nelson, we find there an average of 202 days in the growing season, 

 11,427 heat units, and an average six weeks' summer temperature of 65.0 degrees. 

 We would expect that, with this lower summer temperature and a slightly longer 

 growing season, the keeping quality would be better. The greater humidity at 

 Nelson, which we find, when we turn to the records of precipitation, induces the 

 apple-fungus, known as scab, which is a qualifying factor in this instance. 



Turning to Victoria, we find this section to have 271 growing days, 14,409 

 heat units, and a temperature of 60.8 degrees in the six hottest weeks; obviously, 

 in every respect the climate is not a suitable one for the Mclntosh Red. 



Similar investigations enable us to verify the results of experimental observa- 

 tion with respect to many of our varieties, which gives us confidence in the results 

 of this method of investigation. The methods by which the figures are derived, 



9 



