308 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST 



December, 1907 



referred to the new directors with power to act. 

 Resolved that a special committee be ap- 

 pointed to draft a memorial recommending the 

 Ontario Government to have embodied in the 

 proposed new series of school books, readings on 

 horticultural topics as suggested by Mr. Scott's 

 paper. This was supplemented later with the 

 resolution; "That the committee that just re- 



ported be continued in office to prosecute dur- 

 ing the year, the work referred to in the report 

 adopted by further memorials to the Govern- 

 ment or by interview with the Minister of Edu- 

 cation and his deputies, in order to secure the 

 introduction into the proposed new series of 

 readers the horticultural features desired by 

 this association. 



Fruit Gro"win^ in BritisH Columbia 



By tKe Representative of THe Canadian Horticulturist, -wKo recently visited 



BritisK Columbia in the interests of "Western Fruit Gro'wers 



and of tHis Publication 



eleven and three-quarter inches; 



THAT. British Columbia will be the greatest 

 fruit producing province in the Dominion 

 is acknowledged by those who are con- 

 versant with the rapid progress in the 

 growing and shipping of fruit that is being made 

 in that province. 



Intending purchasers should personally select 

 their land. In many instances locations that 

 appear good on the map are of little value, 

 while adjoining lots may be desirable. In .some 

 sections the soil within a radius of a quarter of 

 a mile varies from the best to soil that is almost 

 useless. 



The prices asked for land, compared with 

 those being asked for fruit land in other sections 

 of the Dominion, appears at first to be high. 

 The average price is about $125 an acre for 

 unimproved lands. Prices range from $10 

 to $200 an acre. Some land is ready for the 

 plow, while other land requires to be cleared. 

 Clearing the land costs from $50 to $250 an 

 acre. The apparent high price of the land is 

 caused in some cases by the cost of the irrigation 

 system required to secure the necessary water, 

 but it is offset by the productiveness of the soil, 

 and the long growing seasons. 



Almost every kind of soil is found in the 

 different sections of the province. It ranges 

 from clay loam to a volcanic ash, mixed with 

 sand. While the last mentioned soil may not 

 appeal to fruit growers as one suited for fruit 

 growing, it is the same soil as that found in 

 the celebrated Hood River district in Oregon, 

 where a wide range of fruit has been grown suc- 

 cessfully for years. Some varieties of apples 

 from the Hood River district this season sold 

 for $3.35 a box. 



The climate in British Columbia is as varied 

 as the soil. The southwestern coast section is 

 mild in winter, and has excessive moisture. 

 Other sections have a very small rainfall at any 

 season of the year, and the soil requires irriga- 

 tion to produce growth. Apples are grown 

 successfully in almost every part of the province. 

 Peaches are produced in the southern portion 

 and Black Hamburg grapes, almonds, and other 

 tender fruits have been grown in quantities in 

 the Similkameen Valley. 



Larger crops of fruit are said to be produced 

 from the soil in British Columbia than from i^e 

 soil in any other part of the Dominion. So#e 

 growers from the east claim to make two 

 dollars in that province to every dollar they 

 made in Ontario. A grower near Kelowna 

 received $620 for the strawberries grown on 

 half an acre. Another grower received $1,000 

 for strawberries grown on seven-eighths of an 

 acre. From ten Northern Spy apple trees a 

 grower picked over twenty five boxes from each 

 tree, and sold them for $1.60 a box. 



It has often been remarked by the eastern 

 growers that the flavor and color of the fruit 

 grown in British Columbia is not equal to 

 Ontario grown fruit. There is very little differ- 

 ence in the flavor, not enough to be noticed 

 by the consumer. The color is all that can be 

 desired. On an average there is more sunshine 

 in British Columbia than in Ontario; on this 

 account, the fruit should be more highly colored 

 than eastern fruit. The size of the fruit is 

 pood. If large fruit is desired it can be produced. 

 The writer saw King apples in Chilliwack 



measurmg 



Blenheim Orange thirteen and three-quarter 



inches, and Spy twelve and a half inches in 



circumference. 



THE MARKETS 



The chief market for British Columljia fruit 

 is the western provinces, but that market does 

 not satisfy the growers in every respect. Many 

 of them are looking to the British markets for 

 an outlet for their best grades. It will not be 

 long before eastern growers will be having 

 British Columbia fruit competing with their 

 fruit on the British markets. 



In the packing of fruit British Columbia 

 growers have learned much from their neighbors 

 across the line and now are some years in 

 advance of other parts of the Dominion. Barrels 

 are not used. The growers claim that fruit in 

 boxes can be handled more carefully and packed 

 more attractively. They obtain higher prices 

 for fruit packed in boxes than they could were 

 it placed in barrels. Expert packers are paid 

 large salaries, which are more than returned to 

 the growers by the increased prices obtained for 

 properly packed fruit. 



New settlers can derive a revenue from their 



land after the first year by planting the space 

 between the trees with strawberries, onions, 

 or potatoes. The profits to be made in this 

 manner exceed in some cases the price paid for 

 the land. 



Scarcity of labor is a serious handicap to the 

 fruit growing industry of British Columbia. 

 The man who has a grown-up family is envied. 

 The Chinese are found to Ije the most faithful 

 workers, and are content with their position in 

 life. The Japanese are more energetic and are 

 anxious to be the equal of the white man. The 

 Hindus are of little value for any purpose. White 

 help is scarce and independent. As soon as a 

 white laborer has a little money he desires to own 

 land, and is not content to remain an employee. 



The question of transportation is one that 

 should be thought of when purchasing land. 

 Great improvements are expected in this respect 

 in the near future. Land is expensive at any 

 price, when it is impossible to market the fruit 

 at a low cost. 



CHINESE GARDENERS 



Vegetable growing is controlled largely by 

 the Chinese. They rent the land from the 

 property owners, and judging from the farms 

 seen by the writer they work the land to its full 

 capacity. The Chinese peddle their vegetables 

 in two baskets supported on their shoulders by 

 a long stick. 



Some of the best land for vegetables is to be 

 found in the Chilliwack valley. Mr. ]. H. 

 Copeland, late of Lambton county, Ontario, is 

 growing large quantities of celery. The soil on 

 his farm is a black loam and it is producing a 

 superior quantity of vegetables. 



Irrigation in some districts is overdone. 

 Some of the land is being irrigated unnecessarily. 

 If the cultivator was kept working, it would 

 conserve the moisture. Too much water is as 

 disastrous as not enough. It takes much time 

 and experience to know when and how to apply 

 the water. 



"Vegetable Grcwers' Convention 



r 



'HE third annual convention of the Ontario 

 Vegetable Growers' Association was a de- 

 cided success. The papers were all dis- 

 cussed in a practical manner. From start 

 to finish everything was done in a business way. 

 The president, Mr. R. J. Bushell, of Williams- 

 ville, Ont., occupied the chair. 



"Greenhouse Construction for Vegetable 

 Growers " was the first matter taken up, and it 

 was well handled by Mr. J. D. Fraser, of Leam- 

 ington, and Robt. W. King, of Toronto. The 

 prevailing opinion seemed to be that the day of 

 the wooden frame greenhouse was gone, and that 

 the tendency of the time was for a larger house, 

 using iron frames, the objects desired being 

 plenty of sunlight and ventilation. A larger 

 and better plant was secured by allowing plenty 

 of light and ventilation, and it was demonstrated 

 that it was a mistake to allow plants to get too 

 near the glass. Heating greenhouses was dis- 

 cussed at considerable length, the concensus of 

 opinion being that for small plants, hot water 

 was the best and for large plants, steam. It is 

 of great importance to have the plant properly 

 installed, so as to get proper circulation. 



Mr. T. Delworth, Weston, Ont., gave a very 

 interesting address on "Greenhouse Manage- 

 ment." He strongly advocated ventilation. His 

 ventilators are put under the plate so as to have 

 the air above the plant and not toward the plant 

 direct. Solid beds are preferable to benches, 

 and do not require nearly so much watering. 



At the afternoon session, "Melon Culture" 

 was dealt with in an able manner by Mr. T. J. 

 Gorman, of Outremont, Que., who sells melons 

 in the New York market at $12 to $15 a dozen. 

 Mr. Gorman advocates a large melon of good 

 flavor. Mr. W. A. Emery, of Aldershot, Ont., 

 led the discussion, and stated that the average 

 city man did not know a good melon from a 



bad one, and that a great many culls were put 

 on the market. He advocated a medium-sized 

 melon, of perfect flavor. 



"Tomato Growing" was discussed at length 

 by Mr. W. C. McCalla, of St. Catharines. Dur- 

 ing the discussion, it was stated that it is im- 

 possible to grow tomatoes for canning factories 

 at 25 cents a bushel. Many gardeners are going 

 to give up the growing of this vegetable unless 

 better prices are paid. A paper on "The Mar- 

 keting of Vegeteble Crops," by FVank Williams, 

 was much appreciated. It is published on page 

 301 of this issue. 



GARDEN INSECTS 



Dr. Jas. Fletcher, of the Central Experimental 

 Farm, Ottawa, gave a valuable address on 

 "Insects that Trouble Vegetable Growers and 

 How to Combat Them." He advocated the use 

 of poisoned bran, lightly spread over the ground, 

 to kill cut worms, and stated that most of the 

 pests could be eradicated by the proper use of 

 spraying materials and other well-known rem- 

 edies. "The Vegetable Canning Industry" was 

 dealt with by T. B. Revett, B.S.A., Toronto. 



The president, R. J. Bushell, stated that as a 

 result of the efforts of the Ontario Vegetable 

 Growers' Association, certain protection on 

 products coming from the United States had 

 been granted by the Dominion Government. 

 This had materially increased sales. All gar- 

 deners in his district had made half the price of 

 his membership on a bushel of tomatoes, which, 

 on account of this protection, he was able to sell 

 for $1.25 instead of 75 cents. 



Reports of three conventions and of Ontario 

 Horticultural Exhibition crowded out some ex- 

 cellent articles that were prepared for this 

 issue, including "Notes from the Provinces." 



