THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST 



129 



been sorry ever since, as they are paying $5.50 

 for the same quaUty now, and the price is likely 

 to advance to ;J7.50 before June. However, we 

 may learn a lesson to benefit us in our future 

 buying and caring for our fruit. 



It has been a remarkable season — unusually 



jlild all winter. Still apples never kept better. 



, was not an unusual thing to turn out barrels 



certain varieties on March 1, and not find one 



lecayed specimen. This firmness that has 



^used such good results must have been due 



the season — shower and sunshine when the 



pple needed it. 



Our market is well supplied with oranges, 

 manas, grape fruit. Strawberries are ar- 

 iving in limited quantities at 40 cts. a qt. 



)vir Letter From Nova Scotia 



G. H. Vroom, Middleton, N.S. 



In 1904-5 the winter was very severe, and 

 deep snows covered the ground from Nov. until 

 the end of March. This was a great benefit to 

 the grass land, and insured an abundant crop 

 of hay. It was not so good, however, for the 

 fruit trees. Mice worked under the deep snow 

 and destroyed the tender bark of the young 

 trees, and hundreds were lost in this way. The 

 heavy snows piled on the branches of the large 

 bearing trees, and many splendid orchards were 

 injured very much. 



The winter of 1905-6 has been very different. 

 The falls of snow have been very Ught. In 

 fact, only on a few occasions has their been 

 enough for sleighing. Alternate freeze and 

 thaw has been the condition of the weather. 

 I have been watching the effect of this on the 

 fnut trees, and have gone carefully over a 

 large number. Up to date I can see no bad 

 effects. There are no signs of winter killing, 

 and there is an abundance of blossom buds 

 which look healthy and strong, and indicate a 

 full bloom this spring. It is within the bounds 

 of reason to expect N.S. to export over 500,000 

 bbls. of apples this coming season. 



Mice have done little or no damage to young 

 trees. In fact, it has not been a favorable 

 winter for them to work on account of there 

 being no snow to shelter them. 



There seems to be a strong feeling among 

 fruit growers to produce a higher class of fruit 

 inr future, and pack it better than in the past. 

 This is laudable, for there is great need of im- 

 provement in N.S. There is, also, a growing 

 interest in spraying, and it will be carried on 

 extensively in the Annapolis Valley this spring. 

 I understand the spray pump vendor has been 

 doing a good business. Pruning is being at- 

 tended to, but the weather is too cold and the 

 soil too wet for cultivation. There are, per- 

 haps, 3,000 bbls. of apples in N.S. for export 

 yet. These are Nonpareil. 



Preventing Potato Rot 



Ed. The Canadian Horticulturist: 



In the December number of your paper I 

 notice an article entitled "Results of the 

 Potato Rot." The article I mention tells of 

 the prevalence of the rot in Ontario, and the great 

 loss resulting therefrom. All of this is true, but 

 in the article there is a statement with which I 

 take issue. It is the plea that the farmers of 

 this Province must learn to use more commercial 

 fertilizers rather than barnyard manure to pre- 

 vent rot. I have read also in articles from 

 other writers that barnyard manure was the 

 cause of "scab." 



I have only an acre of land, and the most of 

 that is in fruit, but I always try to grow my own 

 potatoes (being part Irish). There are two 

 plots of land on which I have grown them 

 alternately except the last two years. The 

 dividing line between these two plots is a row of 

 grape vines. Part of the ground has had three 

 crops of potatoes. It takes a bushel of potatoes 

 to plant these plots, that is, I plant one bushel 

 each year. Every year I manure the ground 



with' ^barnyard manure — all we can possibly 

 plow in, for as I keep a horse and a cow I have all 

 I know what to do with. The last two years 

 the potatoes have been on the south side of the 

 row of vines, and on the south side of this potato 

 patch is a row of large apple trees shading part 

 of the land, and up the centre is a row of plum 

 and cherry trees and a grape vine. This row 

 used to be all plums but some of the trees were 

 frozen out during the winter of 1903-04. Not- 

 withstanding all these things being against 

 securing a good crop, I had 12 bushels of fine 

 saleable potatoes and a barrel of small ones and 

 those with green ends. Only two rotten potatoes 

 were found in the patch. 



I attribute the absence of rot to the sprayings 

 that I gave them. They were sprayed with 

 Bordeaux on the following dates: June 20, July 

 5, July 10, July 21, Aug. 7, and Aug. 23. They 

 were of the American Wonder, Delaware, and 

 one of the Carmens, the No. of which I do not 

 know, varieties. The Carmens were best in 

 yield but a httle rough; all were of good quality 

 but Delawares were best. 



The point that I wish to make is that since the 

 ground was manured heavily every year for the 

 last six years, why did not these potatoes rot or 

 scab, if barnyard manure causes these troubles? 

 I still have them in my cellar except those we 

 have used and there is no sign of rot. I firmly 

 believe that it was the spraying that saved them, 

 for other patches on each side where nothing was 

 used except a Uttle Paris green for the bugs, 

 were very badly affected with rot. 

 J. Fred. Smith, 



San Jose Scale Inspector, 



Glanford, Ont. 



Toronto Groovers Meet 



That the interest of the Toronto vegetable 

 growers in their organization is not waning was 

 shown by the large attendance and the inter- 

 esting discussions that took place at their meet- 

 ing at the Albion Hotel on April 7. Glass in 

 its relation to outdoor work was discussed by 

 H. E. Reid; Jas. Dandridge dealt with the best 

 method of growing early potatoes; and the 

 most satisfactory handling of tomatoes for an 

 early crop was taken up by Jas. Gibbard, Sr. 



It was claimed by Mr. Reid that the chief 

 drawback in attending to greenhouses in con- 

 nection with outside gardening is the difficulty 

 of securing labor. For the greatest profit, he 

 said, attention should be given to glass. When 

 the two are run together the outside rush com- 

 mences when the crop from the houses is ready 

 for market, and in many cases it is not put on 

 the market in the best condition. It is only 

 by strict attention to the minor points that a 

 profit can be reaped from greenhouse crops. 



For producing early potatoes Mr. Dandridge 

 explained that his seed is started in the hot bed 

 or in the greenhouse about April 10. The 

 potato sets are placed close together and cov- 

 ered with light loamy soil. The buds on the 

 bud end, or on the end opposite where the 

 roots are attached, commence growth more 

 readily and are the best for an early crop. If 

 started in a hot bed or greenhouse they have 

 buds 1 or l}/2 in. long, and a mat of fibrous 

 roots by May 1, at which time they can be put 

 in the field. He recommended planting them 

 12 in. apart in rows 30 in. apart, and covering 

 them with 3 in. of soil. The early Ohio was 

 mentioned as being the best variety for early 

 crop. 



Suitable soil was mentioned by Mr. Gibbard 

 as a chief requisite in producing early toma- 

 toes. Plants set on dry loam produce fruit at 

 least two weeks earlier than tliose on heavier 

 soil and wetter location. Earliana and Ear- 

 liest of All were mentioned as two of the best 

 varieties. Mr. Gibbard said 'that the seed 

 should be sown in flats about Mar. 15, and the 

 young plants pricked off to other flats as soon 

 as they are large enough to handle. Before 

 the plants become spindly they should be 

 pricked off again to individual berry boxes and 

 put in the cold frame. About June 1 the plants 

 should be set in the field in rows 4 ft. apart 



and 12 toJlS in. apart in the^'row. Each plant 

 is supported by a lath, and all* side shoots picked 

 off. When the plant reaches the top of the 

 lath the tip is nipped off. Shoots should be 

 removed and the tying attended to at least 

 once a week. It was claimed that this method 

 would result in ripe fruit 10 to 14 days earlier 

 than could be had from the old system with 

 the plants lying flat on the ground. 



Owing to a rush of work on the market gar- 

 den during May and June, the members decided 

 not to have meetings during those two months. 

 The next meeting will be held July 7. The 

 executive will arrange for speakers and sub- 

 jects for that date, and also will arrange de- 

 tails for their annual excursion early in Aug. 



Hamilton Gro^rers Meet 



The membership of the Hamilton branch of 

 the Vegetable Growers' Association has in- 

 creased beyond 50. At a recent meeting W. 

 A. Emory was appointed to act with R. H. 

 Lewis on the provincial board. Sec. Stevens 

 wrote The Horticulturist that the member- 

 ship would soon entitle them to three directors. 



Quotations from basket manufacturers in 

 New York showed that the firm could not sup- 

 ply 11 qt. bskts. Owing to the lateness of the 

 season they claim it will be impossible to have 

 the larger baskets laid down as cheaply as the 

 6 qt. bskt. The association decided not to 

 place an order with the firm. A committee 

 was appointed to consider the advisabiUty of 

 forming a joint stock company for the purpose 

 of manufacturing baskets for the members. 



Two canning factory promoters were present 

 and asked the growers to take stock in a new 

 company to be known as The Producers' Can- 

 ning Co. No stock had been subscribed, and 

 the members decided to go no further than to 

 promise a supply of first-class produce if the 

 factory was put in operation. 



At a meeting on Apr. 17, Sec. J. A. Stevens 

 was appointed purchasing agent. This has re- 

 sulted in a saving of 9% to members on their 

 baskets, and should help to swell the member- 

 ship. Since this step was taken several growers 

 have joined. 



Fruit Conditions in Lambton 



D. Johnson, Forest, Ont. 



In Lambton County there are hundreds of 

 acres in fruit made up principally of small 

 orchards containing from one to 10 acres each. 

 The greater part of the fruit is grown in the 

 north along the south shore of Lake Huron 

 and in the vicinity of Forest, Thedford and 

 Arkona. In that section some have gone ex- 

 tensively into apples, plums, pears and berries, 

 and these, when properly cared for, have proved 

 to be very profitable. Peaches have been found 

 profitable in the neighborhood of the lake. 

 Such varieties as the Alberta, Smock, Rareripe 

 and St. John suit best. Lambton orchards have 

 so far escaped the ravages of the San Jose scale, 

 but are badly affected with fungus diseases such 

 as blight and spot. These pests greatly re- 

 duce the value of the fruit every year, unless 

 carefully sprayed. If Bordeaux mixture is in- 

 telligently applied excellent results follow. 

 However, many of the farmers are discouraged 

 with their orchards, and look upon spraying as 

 an added expenditure, although the returns do 

 not warrant it. When they have a crop there 

 is no demand, they say, and when there is a 

 demand they have no fruit. 



The greatest stimulant that could be given 

 the fruit growers here, or elsewhere, would be 

 a good market. If the Government would 

 spend some of the money in helping the fruit 

 growers to get in touch with the consumers in- 

 stead of lavishing it upon railroads, they would 

 greatly help an industry that would be a credit 

 to the country as well as a source of great rev- 

 enue to the railways, which would, at the rates 

 now charged, reap almost as great a reward 

 from the labor and skill of the fruit grower as 

 the producers themselves. 



