16 



T II E CANADIAN HO R T 1 C L L T U K 1 S T 



Fruit Groovers Meet in Annual Convention 



THE importance of the fniit industry in the 

 Province of Nova Scotia was well shown 

 by the interest manifested in the 42nd 

 annual convention of the Nova Scotia Fruit 

 Growers' Association, held at Annapolis Royal, 

 on December 13, 14 and 15. The subjects for 

 discussion had been selected owing to their im- 

 portance and this fact added to the interest 

 taken in the sessions. The election of officers 

 resulted as follows: — President, Mr. John Don- 

 aldson, of Port Williams; first vice-pres., Mr. 

 G. C. Miller, of Middleton; secy., Mr. S. C. 

 Parker, of Berwick; asst. secy., Mr. J. H. Cox, 

 of Cambridge; executive, Messrs. R. S. Eaton, 

 of Kentville; A. C. Starr, of Starr's Point, and 

 Col. S. Spurr, of Wilmot. 



president's address 



The address of the president, Mr. Ralph S. 

 Eaton, of Kentville, dealt fully with the past 

 year's crop returns and the prospects of the 

 fruit growers of the province. "Though a mil- 

 lion dollars which we have received so often 

 for our apples," reported Mr. Eaton, "will prob- 

 ably come again to the fruit growers this year, 

 yet the crop of fruit, for a second season in suc- 

 cession, has been a disappointing one to many. 

 Yet, if we study our conditions carefully, we 

 will find much in them to encourage us. The 

 average returns of about S3 per barrel, for good 

 fruit under the heavy shipments that have gone 

 forward from this continent to England, means 

 much to the stability of that market. 



Again, never before have so many persons felt 

 satisfied with their ability to thoroughly con- 

 trol our worst enemy, the black spot. Never 

 before, perhaps, has there been such marked 

 evidence of the efficacy of Bordeaux when ap- 

 plied early and thoroughly. The feeling of cer- 

 tainty regarding this question will bring about 

 a more general application of the fungicide. We 

 are not Hkely to have again for many years such 

 unfavorable weather when the pollen of the 

 apple blossoms is in its most sensitive condition. 

 Then again our trees have had a rest that should 

 count in the income of 1906. The ocean trans- 

 portation question that was so serious for many 

 years seems free from criticism. The competi- 

 tion and difficulties in almost every line of 

 business are increasing yearly, and we cannot 

 expect ours to be an exception. More study is 

 necessary to enable us to fight our enemies, and 

 enly the fighter really knows the solid satisfac- 

 tion of overcoming obstacles and standing up 

 against disappointments. After all men who 

 really accomplish much are not men of chance 

 and broadcloth, of legacy and laziness. 



300,000 BARRELS FOR EXPORT 



"It is doubtful if our export of apples this 

 year reaches 300,000 barrels. Already 175,000 

 barrels have been shipped from HaUfax, but 

 for this year more than half the crop is gone. 

 The County of Lunenburg rather surprises us 

 with an estimated yield of 10,000 barrels. The 

 Japan plums that blossomed early and set their 

 fruit before that destructive week in June, were 

 a good crop. Cherries were almost a failure. 

 Pears were good. Peaches were fair. 



"The resolution of our executive asking the 

 Government to place the Express rates under 

 the control of the Railway Commission, as 

 freight rates now are, was formally presented 

 to the Minister of Railways. This seemingly 

 reasonable request was backed up also by Que- 

 bec and Ontario. It has not yet been acceded 

 to. These questions are always larger than they 

 appear to be at a distance. Further study 

 and pressure will be necessary. I trust that 

 the Dominion Convention will clinch this ques- 

 tion. With two and three lines of railway in 

 this small province carrying our expressed fruit 

 to its destination, and each charging a separate 

 high mileage rate the cost of perishable fruit 

 transportation with us is very excessive. 



ORCHARD MEETINGS 



"Under the auspices of this association sev- 

 eral successful orchard meetings were held dur- 



ing the year, when spraying by engine power or 

 by hand was illustrated and practical orchard 

 topics were discussed. Prof. Sears, our vener- 

 able pomologist; Mr. R. W. Starr and our secre- 

 tary, Mr. Parker, assisted in making the meet- 

 ings profitable. 



"I wonder if we appreciate what was done for 

 our province at Halifax when our association 

 was organized in '63, and if we are famihar 

 with the names of those to whom the credit of 

 its inception is due. We should not forget the 

 names of those first officers, among whom were 

 Robert Grant Haliburton, the first president; 

 Dr. C. C. Hamilton, the second president, and 

 perhaps the prime factor in the movement; Dr. 

 Robertson, as well as Dr. Forester, Richard 

 Starr, Avard Longley. Herbert Harris, John 

 Brown, Leander Rand, Edward Bishop and D. 

 Henry Starr." 



Prof. F. C. Sears, of the Agricultural College, 

 Truro, gave an address on "Practical Pruning," 

 with demonstrations on nursery stock and also 

 on branches from bearing trees. This was in- 

 teresting and instructive and brought out much 

 discussion. Many questions were asked on the 

 various points introduced. 



"Nursery Growing" was discussed by Mr. 

 Arthur Harris, of Annapolis Royal, who gave 

 details of his process of preparing the soil, fer- 

 tilizing, planting, budding, pruning and culti- 

 vating. 



At the evening session of the first day, the 

 best feature was an address on "Soil Manage- 

 ment of Orchards, and its relation to Winter 

 Killing and other Injuries by Frost," illustrated 

 by lantern slides given by Prof. Sears, of Truro. 

 Many questions were asked and much discus,sion 

 on the various points developed. 



On the second day the subject "Co-operative 

 Fruit Shipping" was introduced by Mr. J. H. 

 Tupper, of Round Hill. This subject caused a 

 lively discussion on the different points advo- 

 cated. The general opinion expressed was that ' 

 it was a good scheme if properly conducted, but 

 that farmers were not educated up to the point 

 of making it a safe venture, and that it needed 

 much missionary work and personal canvass to 

 make it a success. 



"What Varieties of Apples shall we plant?" 

 was dealt with by Mr. R. W. Starr, who claimed 

 that the list of standard varieties is large enough 

 to select from and who advised growers to be 

 careful in selecting new sorts and to notice the 

 varieties that do best in each locality and choose 

 accordinglv. Market qualities must not be 

 overlooked. The speaker gave a list of those 

 best suited for light sandy loams, and of those 

 not suited for clay soils, because they do not 

 color or mature sufficiently in such locations. 



Mr. W. T. Macoun, of the C. E. F., Ottawa, 

 followed with an address on "Orchard Culture 

 and Practice." He recommended the earliest 

 possible cultivation in the spring and continu- 

 ous stirring of the surface soil up to the first 

 or middle of July, to conserve moisture and 

 liberate plant food. Cover crops should then 

 be sown to furnish nitrogen and humus, to check 

 wood growth, develop fruit buds, and to pre- 

 pare the tree with well-ripened wood for the 

 frosts of winter. He remarked that the list of 

 standard apples for Nova Scotia was much the 

 same as that for Ontario. 



Mr R. W. Starr followed, advocating plow- 

 ing the orchard in the fall just after the leaves 

 have fallen, applying the necessary fertihzers 

 and harrowing to a fine tilth. It was claimed 

 that it would destroy the germs of "black spot 

 on the leaves, turn the cover crop into plant 

 food fitted for the eariiest growth in the spring, 

 and furnish a better frost protecrion to the roots 

 than can be obtained by any other practical 

 means. 



POWER SPRAYING 



Mr. W. M. Black, of Wolfville, gave an ex- 

 cellent paper on "Power Spraying." His ma- 

 chine was described as a tri-cyUnder pump hav- 

 ing a one and a half horse power gasohne engine, 



with a long half-round tank mounted on low 

 wide-tired wheels. The agitator was found to 

 be un,satisfactory, and he affixed a short hose 

 from the pump to the bottom of the tank. 

 That only agitated the centre and the insoluble 

 material settled at each end. He then dis- 

 carded the tank for a 100 gallon cask and found 

 that the hose from the pump kept the whole 

 contents violently agitated. He had used two 

 lines of hose and extension rods with clusters 

 of eight nozzles on each, but would not do so 

 again, as a man could not move around quickly 

 enough to avoid waste of mixture. Next year 

 he would use three lines with four nozzles on 

 each, one working from a platform, the others 

 on the ground. No trouble was experienced 

 maintaining a pres.sure of 90 pounds and up- 

 wards. 



Mr. G. H. Vroom, fruit inspector, of Middle- 

 ton, followed, endorsing much of what had been 

 said and giving his experience with the Govern- 

 ment [X)wer sprayer. It is a large and heavy 

 machine, that is probably too cumbersome for 

 practical use in orchards, where the land is not 

 always level. Its work was very satisfactory, 

 and far ahead of hand pumps. 



In a paper on "Cranberry Culture," Mr. J. S. 

 Bishop, of Auburn, reviewed the commencement 

 and growth of the industry and gave statistics 

 of crop and price, methods of culture and har- 

 vesting, preparation for market, protection from 

 frost and insects, best varieties to grow, etc. 

 He claimed that the day was past when it was 

 thought that the best berries grew on the poor- 

 est soils. It is known that cranberries need 

 feeding as well as other fruits, and that fine 

 bone and potash greatly increase the crop. 



Mr. W. T. Macoun, of Ottawa, followed with 

 an address on "Potato Culture," giving results 

 of experiments with many varieties, which 

 showed a vast diiference in yield. Lists of the 

 best, and results of experiments with change of 

 seed, and with different methods of cultivation 

 were given. 



STAND.^RD B.\RRELS 



"The Standard Barrel" question was brought 

 up by Mr. S. C. Parker. He reviewed the legis- 

 lation on the subject, and showed that while 

 the law admitted as a legal size the barrel of 96 

 quarts, or three bushels, for fruit and vegetables, 

 it did not confirm it to that size. In some 

 places the barrel was made to hold 112 quarts 

 or 3i bushels. What is wanted is that a stand- 

 ard of measurement be adopted throughout the 

 Dominion. After some discussion a resolution 

 was passed unanimously requesting the legis- 

 lature to pass an Act defining the size of the 

 dry barrel for fruit and vegetables, and that the 

 dimensions be plainly stated for inside meas- 

 urement. Also that fruit inspectors be em- 

 powered to inspect all barrels, boxes and pack- 

 ages as well as contents, to see that they com- 

 ply with the conditions stipulated by law, and 

 that coopers shall mark their name and address 

 on barrels as a guarantee the requirements have 

 been filled. 



Fruit Inspector Fitch, of Clarence, gave a 

 paper on the working of the Fruit Marks Act. 

 He claimed that improvement has been made 

 in the selection and packing of fruit. Dishonest 

 packers are comparatively few in number, in 

 spite of the noise made about them. The most 

 trouble comes from the barrels marked No. 2, 

 or XX, as there is no legal definition to say 

 what constitutes a No. 2 apple. It should be 

 defined as well as No. 1. No. 3 should be done 

 away with, as this grade is meaningless and 

 confusing. It should not be put on the market 

 at all, but should be manufactured or fed to 

 stock. 



Inspector Vroom followed, reviewing the work 

 the inspectors have done, and are doing. He 

 stated an advance has been made all along the 

 line, but that much has yet to be done to im- 

 prove both packing and barrels. Sometimes 

 barrels are smaller than the law allows, but the 

 inspectors can only call attention to the fact, as 

 under the Act they have no power to condemn 

 such barrels. Some of the papers read at the 

 convention will be published in The Horticux, 



TURIST. 



