102 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST 



ous provinces, whether done by the i)r<ivindal 

 fruit stations or otherwise; to advise with ])ro- 

 vincial organizations roHarding such subjects as 

 nomenclature of fruits; idcntitication of varie- 

 ties; origination and (Hstribution of new varie- 

 ties; history of varieties; and to publish a 

 digest every year, giving number and title of the 

 provincial reports in which details may be 

 found." 



COOPERATIVE WORK 



An interesting account of the cooperative ex- 

 perimental work being done in Ont. was given 

 by Prof. H. L. Hutt, of Guclph, who claimed 

 that no matter how many experimental farms 

 may b.e established, they cannot begin to cover 

 the field. Even fruit experiment stations can- 

 not fill the bill. By the experimental union 

 in Ont., they have been trying to get growers 

 all through the province to conduct experiments 

 on their farms. There are now 2,000 experi- 

 menters growing apples. The Legislature has 

 increased the grant and the work is likely to be 

 extended. 



Mr. Peart suggested that the varieties of fruit 

 recommended by committees from each ])rov- 

 ince should be sent to the secretary of the con- 

 ference for publication in the report of the 

 conference. 



Mr. Glendenning warned the delegates that 

 the northern part of Alberta will be heard from 

 in the course of a few years as a fruit producing 

 centre. The following resolution was then in- 

 troduced and carried: 



"That whereas there are many questions con- 

 fronting the fruit growers to-day which need 

 investigation and experimentation, and 



"Whereas the fruit growers, as a rule, have 

 not the time nor the means for such investiga- 

 tion; and 



"Whereas many investigations, while of great 

 value locally, are of little or no benefit to other 

 sections of the Dominion owing to the differences 

 of local conditions; and 



"Whereas, this is not true of live stock and 

 dairy investigation in which results are, to a 

 great extent, applicable, not only to the section 

 where they are carried on, but to all parts of 

 the Dominion; 



"Therefore, be it resolved that we respect- 

 fully petition the Honorable the Minister of 

 Agriculture, that new sub-stations be estab- 

 lished in the various provinces of the Dominion 

 wherever local conditions and the importance 

 of the fruit interests may warrant it, for experi- 

 ments in pruning, spraying, irrigating, fertiliz- 

 ing, studying orchard pests, testing new varie- 

 ties and investigating the many new questions 

 that are constantly confronting the fruit 

 grower." 



THE TRANSPORTATION QUESTION 



Much interest was manifested in the consider- 

 ation of the transportation question, in con- 

 nection with which the following resolutions 

 were submitted: 



"That the Railway Commission be requested 

 to order: 



"(a) That a time limit for the transporta- 

 tion of perishable fruits of not less than 12' 

 miles per hour be put in force upon the railways 

 of Canada, which time limit, if not maintained, 

 shall place the f)nus of responsibility upon the 

 carrying company if loss or damaee is sustained 

 thereby. 



" (b) That when the railway companies fail 

 to furnish suitable equipment for the transporta- 

 tion of fruit within 6 days after the time an 

 order is placed with the local agent, a penalty 

 be provided for each subsequent day's delay. 



" (c) That icing stations be estabUshed at 

 divisional points on railways engaged in the 

 transportation of fruit and that cars fully 

 iced be furnished when requested by the shipper. 



" (d) That at stations where fruit is custom- 

 arily loaded in car lots, shelter from sun and 

 rain shall be provided; 



"(e) That when requested shippers of perish- 

 able fruit shall be furnished by the local agent, 

 with a daily report of the location of a car of 

 fruit while in transit. 



"(f) That a rate for transportation of apples 

 be put in force that shall corresjiond with the 

 present rate for flour — until such time as the 

 railway companies furnish satisfactory equip- 

 ment and service." 



EXPRESS COMPANIES 



"Resolved that the Dominion (.i.veinnient 

 be menmrializcd to enact such legislation as 

 will result in placing the express companies 

 operating in this country under the control of 

 the Railway Commission. 



"That we desire to recognize the value and 

 importance of the assistance rendered by the 

 Dominion Dept. of Agri. in improving the 

 conditions prevailing both with reference to 

 the home and foreign trade, and would request 

 a continuation of these efforts as far as po.ssible. 



"That copies of these resolutions be forwarded 

 to the Dominion Govt., the Railway Commis- 

 sion, and the various railway and express 

 companies interested." 



The discu.ssion of the first resolution was 

 introduced by Mr. W. H. Bunting, who referred 

 to the necessity for fruit growers being given 

 proper transportation facilities for their fruit, 



Elmer Lick, Oshawa, Ont. 



One of the Delegates to the Fruit Conference 



and who claimed that while the railways have 

 been very unjust in .some cases, he had always 

 found them willing to remedy matters when 

 they were approached in the right manner. 

 He claimed that when a grower loads poor 

 fruit he cannot expect the railway companies 

 to land it at its destination in a better con- 

 dition than when it was loaded. At the same 

 time growers feel that there should be some 

 safeguards surrounding the shipment of their 

 fruit. The need for this is shown by the ex- 

 periences of the growers in the U.S., many of 

 whom have been held up at the mercy of the 

 railway companies. He claimed that there 

 was nothing in the resolutions that had not 

 been embodied already in some form or other, 

 in previous requests made to the government 

 and to the railways. He claimed that the 

 granting of these requests is of vital importance 

 to the fruit industry. Efforts are being made 

 to improve the methods of handling fruit, to 

 secure new varieties, and to obtain better 

 packages. These will all go for ' naught, if 

 satisfactory transportation facilities are not 

 provided. 



Mr. Graham said that the members of the 

 International Apple Shippers' Ass'n have 

 ascertained through careful investigation that 

 the 12 mile limit of speed asked for is not un- 

 reasonable, and that it can be easily main- 

 tained. Railway companies often sidetrack 



fruit, and thus the time for its shipment ' 

 much longer than has been the cajip .with shij 

 ments that have l)een sent over tli'e lines f. 

 experimental ])urposes. Many shipments ■ 

 fruit, owing to unnecessary delay, reach tl 

 markets in a ruined condition and the shippi : 

 have no recourse against the companies. 1 

 alst) has Ijeen the experience of many shipjx i 

 that large quantities of apples have Ixen ruim 

 by being exposed to the sun and rain at sii 

 stations, where suitable accommodation (■ 

 them has not been provided. Hundn i 

 of thousands of barrels of fruit have reacln 

 Great Britain in a damaged condition on tin 

 account. 



Mr. Graham did not think that the time hnii; 

 of six days required for the furnishing of cii; 

 was unreasonable. Last year the Ont. shii)pi t 

 often had to wait 2 and .3 times that lengi 

 of time before they were able to .secure the ner< 

 sary cars. The result was that large (juantitii 

 of apples were destroyed. Where shippers •! 

 not load cars or unload them, within 48 hour 

 they are charged so much a day by the railwa> 

 and it is only fair that the shippers should I . 

 able to apply the same principle to the con. 

 panics. A number of railways are not equipp< . 

 with icing stations. Several pass Ihrou;; 

 sections where apples are shipped in car 1<j! 

 The case of the Central Ont. Ry. was refern . 

 to. Not only should they have these statitii: 

 in the fruit centres, but also at divisional point 

 It was claimed that more than half of tl 

 stations where apples are loaded in car loi^. 

 are without provisions for -the protection hi 

 the fruit from rain and sun. 



The making of daily reports by the companu 

 as to the location of cars in transit was sai 

 to be something the growers have been asking 

 for for years. On California lines, shippers and 

 consignees both are furnished with these reports. 

 Apple shippers receive less protection from the 

 railways than the shippers of flour, as when 

 flour is injured in transit, the shippers are 

 able to present claims for damages. Apple 

 shippers are unable to do this, although apples 

 are much more perishable. This being the case, 

 Mr. Graham did not think the rates charged 

 on apples should exceed the rates charged on 

 flour. 



Mr. W. L. Smith, of Toronto, advocated the 

 appointment of a committee to wait on the 

 Dominion Railway Commission to urge these 

 matters. He hoped that legislation will be 

 secured at the present session of Parliament 

 that will place the express companies under 

 the control of the commission. 



These addresses were heartily applauded, 

 and a committee composed of Messrs. Bunting, 

 Palmer, Graham, W. L. Smith, McKenzie, and 

 Rev. Father Burke was appointed to wait on 

 the railway commission to urge these requests. 



Another committee composed of Messrs, 

 Johnson, Shepherd, Eaton, Armstrong, Bur- 

 rell and Rev. Father Burke was appointed to 

 wait on the Government at the close of the 

 conference to ask for the desired legislation re- 

 garding the express companies. 



SALES ON COMMISSION 



One of the most important discussions took 

 place at a special session that was held Wed- 

 nesday evening, when sales of fruit by com- 

 mission was discussed. It was started by the 

 introduction of the following resolution; 



"That in the opinion of this convention any 

 person soliciting or receiving consignments of 

 fruit to be sold on commission, should be com- 

 pelled to take out a license and furnish a bond 

 satisfactory to the government, which license 

 shall be Uable to cancellation if at any time he 

 neglects to make returns within 10 days after 

 the date of sale, with a detailed statement 

 showing the price, date of sale, and to whom 

 sold." 



Mr. M. Pettit said that an experience of 30 

 years had convinced him that there are dis- 

 honest dealers as well as dishonest growers, 

 and that the growers frequently are defrauded 

 of their just returns. 



