TKe FourtK Ontario Horticultural ExKibition 



MORE entries, a higher average quahty 

 of exhibits, and the fact that it proved 

 a financial success, made the fourth 

 Ontario Horticultural Exhibition, held 

 in Toronto, Nov. 12-16, surpass all its predeces- 

 sors The fact that this year the directors of 

 the exhibition will not have a deficit of several 

 hundred dollars to meet, as was the case with 

 each of the three former exhibitions, is one of the 

 most important features of the exhibition, as 

 it is now recognized that the exhibition at 'last 

 IS firmly ^established. Next year, the directors 

 will not have to use $800 of their Government 

 grant to pay their debts, as was the case this 

 year. The next exhibition, therefore, should 

 prove an even greater success, financially and 

 otherwise, than was the case this year. 



One of the most satisfactory features was the 

 marked improvement in the quality of the 

 exhibits that was noticeable in almost every 

 department. This was true of the boxed 

 fruit in particular, as well as of the chrysanthe- 

 mums. Many of the vegetables shown were so 

 far superior to anything of the kind ever before 

 displayed at an exhibition in Toronto, they 

 were the cause of general comment. This year 

 entries were received from various points in the 

 United States, as well as from British Columbia, 

 showing that the exhibition is becoming both 

 national and international in its scope. It is 

 now the rallying point each year of the fruit, 

 flower and vegetable growers of the country 

 and of far-reaching importance in its beneficial 

 ettect on the horticultural interests of the 

 Dommion. 



The attendant conventions of the Ontario 

 Fruit and Vegetable Growers' Associations, and 

 ot the Ontario Horticultural Association, were 

 full of interest, and successful. The fact that 

 they were held in conjunction with the Ontario 

 Horticultural Exhibition, with its attendant 

 low railway rates from all parts of the province, 

 added to their attendance, interest and educa- 

 tional value 



THE FRUIT EXHIBIT 



The fruit department was a great advance on 

 that of past shows. The general arrangement 

 was excellent considering the accommodation 

 afforded. Not only were the exhibits high class 

 m themselves, but they were of great educative 

 value, particularly the fruit in packages, and 

 that shown by the experiment stations. The 

 commercial packages were superior in the matter 

 of packing and material used to those shown 

 last year. The many fruit men who attended 

 the show were much pleased not only with the 

 character of the exhibits, but also with the 

 experience and pointers they gained by associat- 

 ing with growers from other parts of the province. 



In quality of specimens and in number of 

 vaneties, the county exhibits were excellent. 

 A large range of varieties were shown. The 

 possibilities of each county were brought to the 

 attention of the passers-by and of growers from 

 other parts of the province, in a manner that was 

 conclusive. These exhibits illustrated the lati- 

 tudes and localities where varieties do best. It 

 was interesting to observe the variations in 

 variety type produced by the varying conditions 

 that prevail in the different counties. The 

 finest display came from the county of Huron. 



The plate fruit was well selected and of good 

 quality. The competition in some classes was 

 close and interesting. There is one point 

 that would make this display even more attrac- 

 tive if it were observed by the exhibitors, and 

 that is that competitors should send a few 

 more apples of each variety than the stipulated 

 five. Some times in transit and in handling one 

 or two of the specimens become injured and 

 bruised. It is best, therefore, to have a suffi- 

 cient number to insure having five sound 

 specimens. The pyramids of apples were fine, 

 but the number of entries was not as large as 

 might be expected. 



A great improvement was noticed in the 

 fruit packed in boxes and barrels. Compared 

 with the package exhibits at the past three or 

 four shows, the boxes this year were well made 

 and of proper material, the packing was good 

 and the fruit well graded. Some evidence of 

 amateur work was noticed. Many of the boxes 

 contained a straight pack which, while attractive 

 for exhibition purposes, is too slow for business 

 fruit growers. A diagonal pack is best for 

 export. It can be handled more quickly, and the 

 fruit stands a better chance of reaching its 

 destination in good condition. In most cases, 

 the packers seem to have had no regard for a 

 proper bilge, which is necessary for tightness; 

 the top layer of fruit was altogether too low in 

 the box. 



The material used for making the boxes was, 

 in most cases; what is desired. With few ex- 

 ceptions, also, the dimensions of the material 

 approached closely to the ideal that was men- 

 tioned by The Canadian Horticulturist when 

 commenting on the exhibition last year. The 

 tops were nailed only on the ends and not on the 

 sides as well as was done in so many cases last 

 year. Some improvement in nailing, however, 

 can still be made. A properly nailed cover 

 requires only eight nails. At the exhibition, a 

 number of them were fastened with all the way 

 from 15 to 35 nails. The best nails for the 

 purpose are resined ones, not smooth, as were 

 observed in a few cases. As the regulations 

 called for commercial packages, the judges 

 were compelled to disqualify boxes and barrels 

 that lacked the proper brand and marking. 

 Some "of the best fruit shown did not receive 

 a prize because this condition was not observed. 



The fruit in barrels, also, was high class, and 

 the manner of packing was practically all that 

 could be desired. In two or three cases, the 

 fruit was not packed as level as it should be. 

 It is not difficult to face the head of a barrel of 

 apples, but it requires considerable skill and 

 judgment to "tail" properly. The apples on 

 the tail must be on a uniform plane or the 

 pressure will not be distributed equally. A box 

 press that exerts a total pressure of 400 pounds 

 will distribute, when the apples are level, about 

 15 or 20 pounds to each apple. This will not 

 injure the fruit, but if two or three apples are 

 slightly higher than the others, and receive 100 

 pounds or more pressure each, they are bound 

 to be injtu-ed and probably crushed. Such 

 injured apples soon would rot, and before the 

 barrel reached its destination, practically all the 

 fruit that it contains would be made unmarket- 

 able by slackness and rot. 



Last year many of the barrels were bound with 

 only six hoops. This year, all of them had eight 

 hoops, which is better. The judges on the 

 boxes and barrels had a difficult task. A few 

 of their decisions did not meet with the approval 

 of the exhibitors because the latter were not 

 fully acquainted with all the reasons that made 

 the judges place the awards as they did. In 

 the barrel classes, for instance, a few points were 

 deducted for wide staves. Barrels with narrow- 

 staves can be depended on to reach their destina- 

 tion in good condition as far as such is affected 

 by the staves. As all staves absorb moisture on 

 the inside from the apples, and naturally become 

 dry on the outside from sun and air, wide ones 

 are apt to warp and thereby spoil the appearance 

 of the barrel and probably injure the fruit as well. 

 On one or two barrels the nailing was bad. Six 

 nails on the first hoop are enough, and no 

 nails should be used on the second. Four or 

 five nails are enough for each liner. 



Three collections of fruit in packages for ex- 

 port were a credit to the associations that pre- 

 pared them. The first prize collection put up 

 by the Norfolk Fruit Growers' Association, 

 Simcoe, Ont., consisted of a collection of apples 

 that could scarcely be beaten anywhere. The 

 character of the packing was excellent and the 



quality of the fruit above the ordinary. The 

 collection that won second prize was shown by 

 The vSt. Catharines Cold Storage and Forwarding 

 Company. It contained a greater variety of 

 fruit than the Norfolk exhibit, and the packing 

 was just as good, but the quality was not up 

 to the standard. Four collections of fruit on 

 plates were very attractive. The first prize was 

 won by The St. Catharines Cold Storage and 

 Forwarding Company, with a large selection of 

 varieties and classes. The Norfolk Association 

 won second prize with apples that were decidedly 

 of superior quality. The third prize was 

 awarded to the Grantham Fruit Growers' 

 Association, which showed a nice collection. 

 The fourth award was placed on an exhibit from 

 the Orillia Horticultural Society, which showed a 

 collection of apples that was most creditable 

 for the district. 



Some of the provincial fruit exjjeriment 

 stations were represented with exhibits of 

 educational value. Secretary Linus Woolverton 

 assisted the local experimenters who were 

 present in answering questions of passers-by 

 and growers who desired information respecting 

 varieties and fruit culture in the various localities. 

 The Wentworth station, of which Mr. Murray 

 Pettit, Winona, is director, showed a splendid 

 collection of grapes. The list of varieties was 

 large and the bunches well filled. The Burling- 

 ton station, directed by Mr. A. W. Peart, sent 

 a nice collection of various fruits. Twenty-five 

 varieties of apples were shown that had been 

 produced on trees grown from scions secured in 

 the Southern States. A nice feature of this 

 exhibit was a collection of 50 varieties of currants, 

 cherries, plums, pears and so forth in bottles. 

 They were put up in antiseptic solutions and 

 were exceedingly attractive. A nice collection 

 of apples was shown by the Simcoe County 

 station, which is under the management of Mr. 

 J. C. Caston, of Craighurst. A large collection 

 of apples was shown by the Bay of Quinte 

 station, of which Mr. W. H. Dempsey, of Trenton, 

 is manager. The size and quality of the frtiit 

 was excellent, but the space allotted for its 

 display was not sufficient. The St. Lawrence 

 station, managed by Mr. Harold Jones, Maitland, 

 also showed a fine collection. A large display 

 of fruit in bottles (116) was on exhibition from 

 the Lake Huron station, managed by Mr. A. E. 

 Sherrington. This station also sent 40 varieties 

 of apples and pears. The display was excellent. 

 A small but creditable exhibit was made by the 

 Algoma station, which is managed by Mr. Chas. 

 Young, Richard's Landing, St. Joseph's Island. 

 A decidedly interesting and valuable exhibit was 

 put up by Mr. W. T. Macoun, horticulturist at 

 the Central Experimental Farm, Ottawa. It 

 contained a large variety of apples and grapes. 

 Many new and cross-bred varieties were shown. 



DECORATED DINING TABLES 



The decorated dining tables did not appear 

 to good advantage beneath the balcony at the 

 rear of the hall. For this reason, they were 

 disappointing. There did not appear to be the 

 same interest taken in them, either from the 

 competitors or the visitors, as in the past. 

 Three of the four exhibitors did not take the 

 trouble to secure proper dining tables and chairs. 

 Instead, they used planks set on benches, and 

 thereby lessened the effect. The table decora- 

 tion shown by J. H. Dunlop easily won first 

 prize. Messrs. A. Jennings, Toronto; T. Manton, 

 and Geo. Manton, Eglinton, Ont., secured 

 awards in the order mentioned. 



THE VEGETABLE EXHIBITS 



The display of garden vegetables probably was 

 the finest ever shown in Canada. Everything 

 was of high quality and exhibited in an attractive 

 manner The entries were large and the com- 

 petition keen. The judges had a difficult task 

 in placing the awards. They did good work and 

 most of their decisions met with the approval 



