26 DOMINION EXPERIMENTAL FARMS 



THE HORTICULTURAL DIVISION. 



The original area of land in the Horticultural Division was 

 forty acres, of which approximately one and a half acres have 

 since been given to the Poultry Division. In 1898, the forest 

 belts, comprising about twenty-one acres, were added and, in 

 1911, the ornamental grounds and nurseries, occupying about 

 32 acres were included, also an additional seven acres which 

 will be devoted mainly to experiments with vegetables. This 

 makes the total area of land in the Horticultural Division about 

 ninety-nine acres, occupied as follows: — 



Fruits and Vegetables: Apples, 23i acres; Plums, 2 J acres; 

 Cherries, I7 acres; Grapes, 21 acres; Raspberries and Black- 

 berries, 1 acre; Currants, | acre; Gooseberries, ^ acre; Straw- 

 berries, J acre; Nursery, 1 acre; Vegetables, 10 acres; Miscel- 

 laneous, 3 acres. 



Total 46 acres. 



Forest Belts 21 " 



Ornamental Grounds 30 " 



Nursery and Rose Garden 2 " 



Total 99 acres. 



Fruits. 



Apples. — One of the most important lines of experimental 

 work has been the testing of varieties as to their commercial 

 values. Not including those originated at the Experimental 

 Farm, more than 600 different sorts have been tried and those 

 found most suitable for eastern Ontario and the Province of 

 Quebec will be found in the table of best varieties. With this 

 list as his guide, no farmer need plant trees unsuitable for his 

 district. 



Seedling Apples. — Much attention has been paid to the grow- 

 ing of seedling apples at the Central Farm, and those who 

 have originated seedlings are invited to send specimens of fruit. 

 When a promising variety is found in this way, scions are asked 

 for, so that it may be tested further. About one hundred 

 seedling varieties of merit have been brought together in this 

 way. Some 5,000 seedlings, from seed produced at the 

 Experimental Farm, have been grown and a large number of 

 very fine varieties obtained, some of which it is thought 

 are better than anything at present on the market among 

 hardy apples. Over fifty of the best have been named and are 

 being propagated so that they may be given a wider test. 



Cross-bred Apples. — The work of Dr. Wm. Saunders in 



