THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST 



231 



another link in the chain that ultimately will 

 bind, as one, the fruit growers of Canada from 

 the Atlantic to the Pacific. 



A CHANGE NEEDED 



The feeling is growing that the constitution of 

 the Ontario Fruit Growers' Association should 

 be revised. It is felt by many repres,entative 

 growers that the present method of electing the 

 board of directors is not altogether satisfactory. 

 They desire to see some arrangements made by 

 which the fruit growers in the different parts of 

 the province will have more say in the election 

 of the officers that are supposed to represent 

 their districts. As this is a matter that, prob- 

 ably, will be discussed at the annual convention 

 next November, a few words at this time should 

 be in order. 



In the first place objection is taken to the 

 directors all being elected at the annual conven- 

 tion. The expenses of the directors, while at- 

 tending the convention, are paid by the associa- 

 tion. This enables them to re-elect themselves 

 into office year after year, practically without 

 opposition, as concerted action by the other 

 fruit growers present is difficult. As a rule the 

 number of fruit growers who attend the annual 

 convention from outlying points is limited; the 

 result is that the rank and file of the growers in 

 the different sections of the province have no 

 say in the election of the directors on the board 

 of the Ontario Fruit Growers' Association who 

 are supposed to represent their districts. The 

 fact is, there are very few fruit growers in 

 Ontario who know who is their representative 

 on the board. 



Some years ago, when the horticultural socie- 

 ties of the province and the fruit growers' asso- 

 ciation were affiliated, provision was made by 

 which the horticultural societies were to be 

 represented on the board of the fruit growers' 

 association. This arrangement is still in force, 

 although all connection between the association 

 and the societies has been severed. The 

 directors of the fruit growers' association include 

 some first-class men, who, however, represent 

 the horticultural societies more than they do 

 the fruit growers of the province. Now that 

 there is an Ontario Horticultural Association, 

 representing the horticultural societies, it would 

 seem as if these men would be in a position to do 

 better and more valuable work were they identi- 

 fied with the latter organization rather than 

 with the fruit growers' association. 



At the last convention of the association, the 

 constitution was so amended as to provide for 

 the affiliation of the members of the local co- 

 operative fruit growers' associations with the 

 Ontario Association. This year the members 

 who attend the convention will not be far astray 

 if they go one step further by doing away with 

 the present method of electing directors and giv- 

 ing the various fruit growers' associations 

 throughout the province, having a certain num- 

 ber of members, the right to appoint one director 

 each. This would give the fruit growers, in 

 the sections where these local associations have 

 been organized, the right to elect their own 

 directors on the board of the provincial associa- 

 tion. As these associations have been estab- 

 lished in all the leading fruit sections of the 

 province a board so elected would be even more 

 representative of the province than is the case 

 now. The directors appointed in this way 

 would be men who are actively connected with 

 the production and sale of fruit and, therefore, 

 thoroughly competent and peculiarly well fitted 

 for positions on the board of the Ontario Asso- 

 ciation. Such an arrangement would be on the 

 same lines as those that are proving so signally 

 successful with the Ontario Vegetable Growers' 

 Association. The latter association, although 

 drawing a government grant of only $600, has 

 150 more members than the fruit growers' asso- 

 ciation, with a grant of $1,800. 



We believe that the present officers of the 

 Ontario Fruit Growers' Association are thor- 

 oughly competent men, who have accomplished 



much valuable work for the fruit interests of 

 the province. The fault is not with them, but 

 with the system under which they are elected. 

 The change we suggest would not necessarily lead 

 to any very great change in the personnel of the 

 board. Of the present directors Messrs. W. H. 

 Bunting, Murray Pettit, A. E. Sherrington, W. 

 H. Dempsey and Elmer Lick are connected with 

 cooperative associations that would be able to 

 re-elect them to positions on the provincial 

 board. This suggestion is not made with the 

 object of driving any of the present directors 

 off the board, but in the hope that some change 

 \vill be made in the constitution of the associa- 

 tion that will bring the association into more 

 direct touch with the fruit growers of the prov- 

 ince and thus add to its power and usefulness. 



RELIABLE BRITISH FIRMS 



In the July issue of The Canadian Horti- 

 culturist, we directed attention to the fact 

 that in London, England, there are many firms 

 that receive fruit by direct consignment that 

 are dishonest. The reputation of some of 

 these firms for crooked work is so well known 

 that our representative, while in Great Britain, 

 refused to accept advertisements from them. 

 Every precaution is taken to see that only re- 

 liable firms advertise in The Canadian Hor- 

 TicuLTURisT. When in England our staff rep- 

 resentative took pains to investigate the re- 

 liability of all firms that desired to advertise 

 in our columns. For this reason we can, with 

 confidence, recommend to the Canadian apple 

 producer and shipper, those British firms that 

 solicit consignments of fruit in this and sub- 

 sequent issues of The Horticulturist. We 

 have reason to believe that these firms are re- 

 liable, and that they will pay top prices for 

 high-grade fruit. It behooves the Canadian 

 grower to exercise particular care in packing 

 and shipping. No British firm can be expected 

 to make satisfactory returns for fruit that does 

 not arrive true to name and grade, honestly 

 packed and in marketable condition. 



When disappointing returns are received by 

 Canadian growers, some of them complain that 

 they were unfairly dealt with. This may or 

 may not be the case. It is the purpose of The 

 Canadian Horticulturist . to assist both 

 buyer and seller to determine the authenticity 

 of such complaints. We are pleased to an- 

 nounce, therefore, that Mr. W. A. McKiimon, 

 Canadian Commercial Agent, Bristol, has kindly 

 agreed to act as arbitrator at that point. Any 

 Canadian shipper may secure the services of 

 Mr. McKinnon at any time that a consignment 

 arrives at Bristol. Mr. McKinnon will exam- 

 ine and report the condition of the fruit when 

 sold, and the shipper may compare such with 

 the report from the consignees. This will tend 

 to eliminate some of the obstacles in the way 

 of reputable dealing. We hope to be able to 

 secure the services of similar impartial referees 

 at other leading British importing centres. 

 This, however, is a work that properly belongs 

 to the Dominion Fruit Division under the dairy 

 commissioner. 



A COMPLIMENTARY LETTER 



The following letter from Mr. Alex. McNeill, 

 Chief, Fruit Division, Ottawa, was addressed to 

 the members of the newly-organized Ontario 

 Cooperative Fruit Growers' Association: 



"Let me congratulate you upon organizing 

 the Ontario Cooperative Fruit Growers' Asso- 

 ciation. While we made some attempt last 

 year to secure a union of the cooperative asso- 

 ciations, the occasion was not ripe; neverthe- 

 less, we foresaw that very quickly all the evils 

 of competition would again be felt almost as 

 keenly as among individuals if there were no 

 cooperation among the associations themselves. 

 I am pleased to note that you are making the 

 commercial side of the association the chief one. 

 There is no reason why the Ontario Fruit Grow- 

 ers' Association should not take up all other 



lines of work, but experience has shown that 

 when it comes to the purely commercial side, 

 even the Provincial Association falls down. 

 The new association will find ample work for 

 itself in taking up the purely commercial side. 



"You may rest assured that the Fruit Divi- 

 sion will assist the cooperative associations in 

 any way possible. Any information we have 

 with reference to crop reports and sales is at 

 your disposal; and we will also be glad to have 

 your assistance in securing unifonn grades in 

 the packing of fruit in the province. 



"I note what you say with reference to a 

 fruit inspector visiting the associations fre- 

 quently. This is only fair. The local asso- 

 ciations are practically working along the same 

 lines as the Fruit Division, to secure a good 

 and an honest pack, and the Fruit Division, 

 as far as it lies in its power, will not only impart 

 all the information which it has, but will pro- 

 tect the good name of the associations by 

 watching carefully the ' weaker brethren ' to see 

 that they do not lower the standard or other- 

 wise injure the good name that the cooperative 

 associations have been able to make. 



"You will be pleased to note with reference 

 to your second request that arrangements 

 have already been made for an expert packer 

 from the Pacific Coast to give demonstrations 

 in box packing. He will visit nearly, if not all 

 the associations of your membership in the 

 near future. Full particulars of these demon- 

 strations will be forwarded to you within a 

 few days." 



TORONTO HORT'L SOCIETY 



The Toronto Hort. Soc. has organized a 

 woman's branch to help further the interest 

 already taken in the work by members in 

 g:eneral. The interchanging of ideas, sugges- 

 tions, etc., that will prove helpful in the home, 

 will be of value to the ladies. The society pur- 

 poses holding frequent meetings, with prac- 

 tical talks. Demonstrations will be made in 

 the tasteful arrangement of flowers. A plan 

 will be instituted, commencing in a small way, 

 to help those who cannot afford plants and 

 shrubs. The poor sections of the city will be 

 made more attractive and bright. The offi- 

 cers of the woman's branch are: Chairman, Miss 

 M. E. Blacklock; sec, Mrs. F. Abbott. 



Owing to pressure of space in the last issue 

 of The Horticulturist, we were unable to re- 

 port that the Toronto Hort. Soc. held its annual 

 excursion to Niagara Falls in July, and spent a 

 most enjoyable day. The chief interest cen- 

 tered in Queen Victoria Park, over which Supt. 

 R. Cameron escorted the visitors, who were 

 thus afforded an opportunity of gaining much 

 valuable information regarding the splendid 

 collection of annuals, perennials, etc., which 

 Mr. Cameron has under his care. A week be- 

 fore the excursion the soc. had the pleasure, 

 by invitation of the pres., Mr. H. R. Frank- 

 land, of visiting his home, where they were 

 shown over the "old plantation" and after- 

 wards spent a very pleasant evening listening to, 

 the excellent music provided by an orchestra 

 while Mrs. Frankland, assisted by her daugh- 

 ters, served dainty refreshments. 



That the Essex peninsula can grow high-class 

 muskmelons — the kind that are tempting, fra- 

 grant and delicious — has been proven to Th8 

 Horticulturist in a very practical way. We 

 received a basket of nice ones from "Peach 

 Bluflf Farm," the large fruit and vegetable estab- 

 lishment of Messrs. Hilbom and Atkin, of 

 Leamington. Many thanks. 



We are offering The Canadian Horti- 

 culturist during September for a mere 

 song. A postal note to the tune of 

 $1.00 will pay for 4 new subscriptions 

 for a year. 



