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THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST 



December, 1908 



vation of the ground the year previous 

 when under the hoe crop. I do not 

 mulch nor use any protection whatever 

 for the winter and have, had little trouble 

 with my plants winter-killing. 



The following spring we do not culti- 

 vate before picking the crop, simply 

 cutting the weeds between the rows with 

 a hoe and pulling out of the rows by 

 hand whenever they appear. Great care 

 should be taken not to have many weeds 

 to remove at time of blooming as much 



damage may be done to the crop at this 

 time by disturbing foliage and blossoms. 



CROPPING 



We invariably crop the plantation two 

 years, simply preparing for the second 

 year by narrowing up old rows after the 

 first crop is picked and by continuing 

 the cultivation and keeping the rows 

 free from weeds by hand the remainder 

 of the season. Spraying with Bordeaux 

 mixture is very important, especially 



when the plantation is kept over for a 

 second crop. 



I have said nothing about varieties as 

 it is impossible to lay down hard and 

 fast rules. It is absolutely necessary 

 that each grower study his own case, 

 what is best suited for his particular dis- 

 trict and market. The Williams is the 

 great commercial strawberry at Jordan. 

 But it would not be so well adapted for 

 a grower who was catering to a fancy 

 local market. 



The Outlook for Horticulture in Saskatchewan 



Angus MacKay, Superintendent, Experimental Farm, Indian Head 



THERE need never be any doubt 

 about the growing of vegetables, 

 flowers and small fruits in Saskate- 

 wan. In the early years of its settlement, 

 whatever else failed vegetables never did. 



Some Hirticultural Productt of Saskatchewan 



l^xliibited at I'riiuo Albert E.xhibition by <;. T. liailey 



and the myriads of bright native prairie 

 flowers proclaimed the hope that the cul- 

 tivated sorts when tried would equal, if 

 iiot surpass, in numbers and beauty those 

 lo the manor born. Small fruits, also, 

 in those early years, greeted the new- 

 comer m every vale and valley in profus- 

 ion, and to-day currants, raspberries, 

 gooseberries and strawberries are found 

 throughout the length and breadth of the 

 land, unsurpassed in quality in the Do- 

 minion. 



Large fruits, such, as apples, plums, 



Tomato Forcing in Saskatchewan 



Green liotises of Mr. Coster, Prince Albert 



pears, peaches and cherries were not 

 found in the early years, and are still 

 conspicuous by their absence. For some 

 years back, however, apple cultivation 

 has assumed a more promising aspect 

 from the fact that several very hardy 

 varieties of crab apple from Siberia have 

 fruited, and from this hardy stock, in 

 time, equal'y hardy apples will be obtain- 

 ed, suitable for all parts of the province. 

 \\'ith great care in protecting a few hardy 

 apple trees have fruited in favorable 

 localities, btil a variety hardy enough to 

 sland the simimer's heat and the winter's 

 cold in all districts, will require a large 

 share of the Siberian crab apple in its 

 composition. This has been well started 

 by cross-breeding on the Central Experi- 

 mental I""arm at Ottawa, and the numer- 

 ous small orchards on the Indian Head 

 farm testify to the fact that time alone is 

 required for- Saskatchewan to grow ap- 

 ples, in part, at least, for its own use. 



Manitoba native plums have for years 

 been successfully grown in this province, 

 but none of the Ontario or other cultivat- 

 ed sorts have ever stood the climate. 

 Cross-bred sorts, like the apples, are 

 more promising and in time these, too, 

 will be in the settlers' gardens. 



Peaches and pears are a decided fail- 

 ure, with little or no hope that our cli- 

 mate will ever permit these fo grow out- 

 side glass houses. While we have the 

 Ontario wild cherries (pin- and choke- 

 cherries) in all districts of the province 

 in profusion, there seems very little pro- 

 gress towards much improvement in this 

 fruit. We have, it is true. Rocky Moun- 

 tain cherries and sand cherries, but these 

 are very far from taking the place of the 

 real fruit. 



I need not take up space recounting 

 what varieties of vegetables succeed in 

 this province. Leaving out tomatoes as 

 uncertain of ripening, corn, water melons 

 and musk melons for the same reason, 

 any one of Ontario's seed catalogues 

 may be taken and from first to last the 

 \egetables contained therein can safely 

 .iritl stnely be grown in every district in 

 .Saskatchewan. Where early sorts are 



chosen, and the soil prepared in accor- 

 dante with the climatic conditions, On- 

 tario cannot surpass in quality or quan- 

 tity the vegetables of this western pro- 

 vince. 



Vegetables Grown in Saskatchewan 



In flowers it is safe to assert that no 

 Ontario garden can ever hope to equal 

 in brilliancy a flower garden in Saskat- 

 chewan, with its long hours of sunshine 

 and cool nights. I"-very T<nown variety 

 of annuals succeeds. Asters, petunias, 

 verbenas, stocks, sweet peas, pansies, 

 phlox, nasturtiums, are but a few of 

 fifty sorts grown year after year on this 

 farm, and al) do equally well. Tulips, 

 peonies, iris, columbine, pinks, delphin- 

 iums and other perennial sorts have 

 bloomed year after year in the experi- 

 mental farm garden, remaining in the 

 ground all winter. 



Other Side of Same Forcing House 



