248 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST 



October, 1907 



past three years. The rust is known 

 locally as "shot-hole" rust, as the 

 leaves are eaten full of holes. The crop 

 is often completely ruined. 



THE KIND OF FERTILIZER 



For fertilizers, livery stable manure, 

 partly rotted, or in a short condition, 

 is used. If run through a manure 

 spreader, it is put in a fine condition 

 to mix with the soil. My houses are 

 29 by 280 feet, with double doors in 

 each end, so that the soil and manure 

 can be drawn in with a team and 



wagon. In preparing for a crop, two 

 inches of the top soil is shovelled to 

 one side, then four inches of manure 

 is evenly spread, then it is thoroughly 

 mixed with a horse and plow, levelled 

 off, well watered, and the top soil re- 

 placed. Eight-inch boards are used 

 for walks, which practically gives all 

 the space for the crop. This is all the 

 fertihzer used for the three crops usually 

 grown during the season. The lettuce 

 is planted in rows six inches each way, 

 with double-rooted plants six weeks 

 old. 



The crop is usually ready for market 

 in seven to eight weeks. It is sold by 

 the pound, and packed in sugar bar- 

 rels and bushel baskets paper lined. 

 Competition is keen. Prices varj- and 

 usually average eight to twelve cents 

 a pound for the season. For the pa.st 

 three years, instead of changing the 

 soil, we have sterilized it wiih steam. 

 It is less work, renews the soil, makes 

 the crop grow faster, prevents damp- 

 ing off, kills weed and insects. It will 

 pay anyone who is having trouble in 

 growing lettuce to try it. 



TKe Oldest and Largest Nursery Firm in Canada 



As was pointed out in the September 

 issue. The Canadi.^x Horticul- 

 turist is desirous of determining 

 and making known the status of some 



In the growing department, about 

 75 to 100 men receive constant employ- 

 ment. Although the grounds of the 

 nurseries are of great extent, they are 



Hill « 



Office, Grafting House and Greenhouses at Fonthill Nurseries 



kept like a garden, free from weeds and 

 attractive. By the liberal application 

 of manures and by good cultivation, 

 the stock is vigorous and thrifty, show- 

 ing jjerfect healthiness and freedom from 

 disease. 



NEARLY three million PLANTS 



In the nurseries, where are growing 

 fruit trees of all kinds, ornamentals, 

 shrubs, evergreens (of which this firm 

 has the largest collection in Canada), 

 small fruits, roses, and an immense 

 block of herbaceous stock, there are 

 probably between two and three million 

 plants of all ages. 



HOW the stock is sold 



The stock is sold, through the retail 

 department at Toronto, by an army of 

 over 300 travellers, who send in their 

 orders weekly. By selling in this way 

 and by receiving frequent reports from 

 their agents, the firm avoids selUngany- 

 thing that they cannot furnish. They 

 always know just where they stand, 

 and orders are not taken for stock that 

 is not available. Were canvassers not 

 employed, this check could not be kept, 



of the leading nurseries of Canada. The 

 immense nurseries at Fonthill, owned 

 by Morris and Wellington, comprise over 

 800 acres of nursery land. This firm 

 has been established for over thirty 

 years and has done business over the 

 same territory for that length of time, 

 the business being conducted under the 

 name of Stone & Wellington. This 

 nursery is the largest in Canada and one 

 of the largest in the world. 



AN enterprising CONCERN 



The business conducted is enormous. 

 Nursery stock of all kinds is shipped to 

 points in Canada from Halifax to Van- 

 couver. Many large orders are received, 

 also, from European centres. That the 

 packing of the nursery stock is done 

 carefully, is evidenced by the fact that 

 after being six to eight weeks on the 

 way, the stock comes out of the boxes 

 in perfect condition. 



In This Block There are 100,000 Peach Trees One Year Old 



In the foreground stands Mr. E. Morris, senior partner, who looks after the growing of all the stock. 



