Hardy Fruits for tKe NortK 



"W. T. Macovin, Horticvilturist, Central Experimental Farm, Otta-wa 



FRUIT culture is gradually extend- 

 ing northward in Canada; and, 

 while the culture of some kinds 

 of fruit may not keep pace with the 

 settlement of the country, there is no 

 doubt that in due time hardier kinds 

 will be originated, from those already 

 being grown near their northern limit, 

 which can be grown much further 

 north. Some of the kinds already 

 known would succeed further north 

 if proper care were taken of them. If 

 a tree ripens its wood thoroughly, it 

 will stand very low temperatures; hence, 

 in the north, everything possible should 

 be done to bring this about. Low 

 ground should be avoided, as where 

 there is so much moisture the growth 

 is likely to be later. Rich soil should 

 be avoided as, if the soil is rich, the 

 trees will make strong growth and not 

 ripen so well. High ground, providing 

 there is protection from wind, should 

 be chosen, as there is less danger of 

 spring frost there than in the hollows, 

 and spring frosts do much damage to 

 fruit buds or blossoms in the spring 

 in the north. This high ground will 

 not be so rich nor as moist as the low 

 lying land, hence growth will not con- 

 tinue late. Northern exposures should 

 be chosen for most fruits in the north, 

 to avoid, as far as possible, the bad 

 effects from trees starting to grow early 

 and then being injured by frost. Trees 

 on a northern exposure are not so 

 liable to sunscald, which occurs in late 

 winter and early spring when the sun 

 thaws out the sap on the south side 

 of the trees, and a severe frost coming 

 at night and freezing it again 

 organizes the tissue and causes the 

 bark on the south and south-east side 

 of the trees to die. As the hard maple 

 gets near its northern limit, it is only 

 found on or near tops of hills; as, like 

 fruit trees, it gets there conditions as 

 near as possible like those further 

 south. Good natural drainage of the 

 soil is much more necessary in the north 

 than in the south ; if possible, a soil with 

 a gravelly subsoil should be obtained. 



APPLES 

 There are a few varieties of apples, 

 mostly of Russian origin, which can 

 be grown successfully in thenorth, if given 

 as near as possible the conditions just 

 outlined. These are, in order of rip- 

 ening, Blushed Calville, Lowland Rasp- 

 berry, Charlamoff, Duchess, Anis, Oka- 

 bena, Antonovka, Patten Greening, Hi- 

 bernal. In addition to these there are 

 the Whitney, Martha, Transcendent, 

 and Hyslop crabs, which will grow 

 where the climate is very cold, provid- 

 ing they get conditions that will cause 

 an early ripening of the wood. The 

 hybrids originated by Dr. Wm. Saund- 



ers are very hardy and, where no ap- 

 ples can be grown, will be found quite 

 useful. 



PLUMS 



Only the earliest plums are useful 

 in the north, as frost comes in the 

 autumn before the later kinds are 

 ripened. These early plums are mostly 

 improved varieties of the native spe- 

 cies. They are Odegard, Aitkin, Bix- 

 by, Mankato and Cheney. The ear- 

 liest and best varieties of the wild 

 plums found growing wild should be 

 cultivated. 



PEARS AND CHERRIES 



Pears and cherries are not a success 

 in the north, and it is a waste of money 



depth of snow. Some of the hardiest 

 varieties are Herbert, Loudon, Clarke 

 and Marlboro, the first being the best 

 of these. A good plan in the north is 

 to bend the canes down in the autumn 

 and cover the tips with soil to hold 

 them there; the canes will then be 

 sooner covered with snow. Black Cap 

 raspberries are not satisfactory. 

 GOOSEBERRIES 



Gooseberries succeed well in the north, 

 the best varieties being Downing and 

 Pearl. The Houghton, though smaller 

 than either of these two, is apparently 

 even hardier. Red Jacket is the best 

 red variety for the north. 



Strawberries will do well in many 



American Plum Trees at Central Experimental Farm, Ottawa 



The photograph was taken by Mr. Frank T. Shutt when the trees were in bloom last year. It shows the 

 type of plum trees that can be grown in the north. 



to try them. The Sand Cherry and 

 the Compass Cherry, which are really 

 more plum than cherry, are very use- 

 ful in the north, the latter especially, 

 where it has been tried. 



CURRANTS 



The wild species from which the cul- 

 tivated black and white currants are 

 derived, are natives of the north; 

 hence, currants are among the hardi- 

 est fruits and are of great value in the 

 north. Some of the best sorts are: 

 black, Saunders, Collin's Prolific, Black 

 Victoria; red, Victoria, Pomona, Red 

 Cross, Wilder, Cherry, the two last 

 being apparently not quite so hardy 

 in fruit bud as the others; white, the 

 White Grape is one of the best. 



Red raspberries succeed well in the 

 north, especially where there is good 



places. They need protection in win- 

 ter, the best being a good covering of 

 snow; but where a good covering of 

 snow is not very certain, a covering 

 of marsh hay will be found very good. 

 Strawberries often suff'er from spring 

 frosts in the north, and for this reason 

 a site should be chosen where the snow 

 will lie longest. The varieties which 

 have suffered least are Beder Wood, 

 Warfield, Lovett, Sample, WilHams, 

 Buster and Crescent ; hence, these should 

 be among the best to plant. 



The grape vine is one of the easiest 

 of all fruit-bearing plants to control 

 when pruned systematically and regu- 

 larly. 



Thin out the fine growth twigs on 

 outside of vSpy trees. 



