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THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST 



Horticulture at Central Canada ExKibition 



THE horticultural exhibit at the Central 

 Canada Exhibition, Ottawa, was in some 

 respects disappointing, while in other 

 respects it was a fairly creditable one. 

 The display of apples could not have been much 

 more than half what it was last year, due 

 principally to the rather light crop of apples 

 this season in the Ottawa valley. It was ap- 

 parent, however, that more inducement must 

 be given to exhibitors if a good display of fruit 

 is to be maintained. Prizes — and good prizes 

 at that: — should again be offered for the best 

 general collection of apples grown in the Ot- 

 tawa valley, and for the best general display of 

 fruit. An exhibit of apples i)acked in boxes 

 for export should also be encouraged, as large 

 quantities of apples are now being grown in 

 the Ottawa valley that could be disposed of 

 by sending to Great Britain or to the west. 

 No apples were shown in boxes at the Central 

 Canada this year. 



The apples were not of the best quality, on 

 the whole, but the Duchess, Alexander, and 

 Baxter were good. The last named variety 

 is increasing in popularity, and it is now rec- 

 ommended as one of the few winter apples 

 which can be grown successfully in the Ottawa 

 valley. The prizes for apples nearly all went 

 to local exhibitors, as few from a distance 

 competed. 



The pears which were shown were exhibited 

 by Messrs. Wilds and Marshall, of Hamilton, 



Onl., l)etween wliom all the prizes were di- 

 vided. The plums were also practically all 

 from Hamilton, and exhibited by the same 

 persons. Owing to the early dates at which 

 the fair was held the exhibit of grapes was 

 small, only 13 plates being shown, jiractically 

 all the first prizes going to Mr. P. G. Keyes, 

 Ottawa, who usually gets the lion's share of 

 the prizes for grapes. The exhibit of vege- 

 tables was very fair. This being a favorable 

 season for melons, some good ones were shown. 

 The exhibit of cut flowers was considerably 

 better than that at the Canadian National, 

 the asters being esjjecially good. 



In the Central Experimental Farm building 

 there was, we think, a very creditable display 

 of fruit. There were shown of named apples 

 111 plates, and 31 varieties of seedHng apples 

 originated at the C.E.F. There were also ex- 

 hibited 17 varieties of crab apples, 50 of plums, 

 17 of grapes, 33 of tomatoes, 36 of sweet corn, 

 and 14 of potatoes. Charts were placed on 

 the wall on which were printed information re- 

 garding the best varieties of fruits for the 

 Ottawa valley and the care of the trees. The 

 varieties of apples recommended are: Yellow 

 Transparent, Duchess, Wealthy, Alexander, 

 Mcintosh, Fameuse, Wolf River, Milwaukee, 

 Baxter, Scott Winter, Canada Baldwin, and 

 North-Western Greening. Very complimentary 

 remarks were heard in regard to the farm ex- 

 hibit. ....p., . 



Fruit and Flo-wers at Western Fair, London 



THE Western Fair held at London, Ont., 

 Sept. 7-15, enjoyed the best weather and 

 largest attendance in its history. Some 

 excellent displays of flowers, fruits and vege- 

 tables were to be seen. In the floral depart- 

 ment there were not as many plants exhibited 

 as usual, but the quality was better than in 

 previous years. While the exhibits of floral 

 designs were hardly up to the usual standard, 

 they were creditable. For funeral design, any 

 size or shape, A. G. Stevens won first prize 

 with an anchor resting on a large bed of white 

 asters. J. Ganimage & Sons won second with 

 a society emblem. The third went to T. Mills, 

 who designed a broken column. 



The winners in the class for wreath of white 

 flowers are: 1st, Gammage & Sons, 2nd, A. G. 

 Stevens; 3rd, T. Mills. Basket of flowers: 1st, 

 Gammage, with Golden Gate roses; 2nd, Stev- 

 ens, with .\merican Beauties; and 3rd, Mills, 

 with mixed roses. Hand bouquet, colored: 1st, 

 Stevens: 2nd, Gammage; and 3rd, Mills. Table 

 bouquet: 1st, Gammage; 2nd, Mrs. A. Burns- 

 3rd, Mills. 



There was also a fine showing of gladioli, 

 asters, cockscombs, sweet peas, and so on. 

 Two or three fine collections of dahhas were 

 shown, also several large collections of annuals 

 and perennials. 



Some very good specimens of geraniums, 

 and flowering, tuberous and rex begonias were 

 exhibited. A nice collection of 12 varieties 

 of cannas won 1st prize for Gammage & Sons. 

 Mr. Whiting secured 1st for 12 greenhouse and 

 stove plants. Gammage & Sons won 1st prize 

 also in the following classes: collection of 6 

 varieties of cannas, hanging basket, collection 

 of 25 foliage plants, collection of ferns, speci- 

 men palm, specimen fern and general display 

 of plants. Mr. Whiting won 1st on collection 

 of coleus. First place was secured by Mr. 

 Mills, also, on the following: collection of 12 

 varieties of carnations in pots. Mr. T. Wells 

 won 1st on specimen palm and on collection 

 of 6 varieties of palms. 



FRUIT 



The fruit exhibits were not large, but the 



quality was fair. It is to be regretted that 

 fruit growers did not take a greater interest 

 in this department. It may be due to the 

 small remuneration offered in the way of prizes. 

 Some very fine apples were shown, also a large 

 collection of grapes; peaches, plums and pears 

 were scarce. — F.C. 



In addition to the foregoing, the following 

 letter was received: "Perhaps the Western 

 Fair may be suitable for the crowds of country 

 people who visit it, but I think it is time that 

 some more attractive features were introduced. 

 Certainly it is difficult to make the present 

 horticultural building very attractive, and I 

 suppose a new building is not amongst the prob- 

 abilities, but the horticultural committee ought 

 to be able to devise some plan of decoration 

 so that a little less whitewash is visible. Messrs. 

 J. Gammage & Sons' exhibit of horticultural 

 sundries was a move in the right direction, 

 and contributed not a little towards making 

 that end of the building look more furnished. 

 The management still stick to the ancient 

 custom of putting the names of exhibitors on 

 the entry cards in spite of many protests and 

 objections. I have never yet been able to get 

 a satisfactory explanation of their objection 

 to numbers." — E. 



Cold Storage 



That cold storage facilities for our apples 

 are urgently in demand, may be seen at some 

 country points where apples barrelled up one 

 day, have to wait for several days at the sta- 

 tion or in the orchard before being shipped. 

 The wait of a few days, in the hot, dry sun, 

 works all the difference between success and 

 failure with markets. And the dealers are 

 not the only losers. A poor sample of apples 

 discounts Canadian fruit in the Old Country 

 markets. It is a poor advertisement for Cana- 

 dian goods. 



Railroad companies are somewhat to blame 

 in not furnishing cars at shorter notice, and 

 the dealers are to be censured who neglect to 

 order refrigerator cars and secure the Domin- 



ion government bonus of icing privileges. In 

 some ixjuntry points we have seen apples be- 

 ing shipped in hog and cattle cars, landed by 

 the railways at stations in a most unfit con- 

 dition. How long will the fruit growers and 

 farmers of Ontario pay bonuses and subsidies 



to roads which quietly give them the eo-bv' 



Toronto World. 



THe SHo-w at Woodstock 



The Woodstock Hort. Society's annual flower 

 show was held late in August. As usual, some 

 fine gladioli were shown by .Mr. K. W. Wofjd- 

 roofe and others. Dickerson, the florist, had 

 a large exhibit of palms and ferns, good healthy 

 commercial stuff. 



A large variety of seedling coleus was shown 

 by Mr. Jas. Scarfe, and "Alladore" sent the 

 usual collection of stove and greenhouse plants, 

 including a Musa Cavendishi in fruit as a drawl 

 ing card. The crowd turned out well and the 

 secretary reports a balance of $23. A piano 

 was kept on the go all the time, and made 

 things pleasantly lively. — E. 



Gait Flo-wer SHoav 



The Gait Hort. Soc. held its annual flower 

 show on Sept. 6. Whilst the number of 

 entries was not so large as in former years, 

 the quaHty of the exhibits was fully up to the 

 usual standard, in some instances exceeding 



The show was held in the market building, 

 and was very attractively set up, but the 

 attendance was poor. Tlie management has 

 tried all kinds of things "on the side" in order 

 to draw the public, without success, but this 

 time had simply nothing else. Some music 

 is an actual necessity at a flower show, if it is 

 only a lone piano. 



The No. 1 Orade 



Some growers are laboring under the opinion 

 that the wording of the clause that deals with 

 the grade for Xo. 1 apples in the Fruit -Marks 

 Act has been changed. This is not so. There 

 is practically no change in the Xo. 1 grade. 

 It will be stiff^ened, however, to the extent of 

 not permitting any apples that are near the 

 margin of the Xo. 2 grade being passed as Xo. 

 1 apples. Before a Xo. 2 was defined, the in- 

 spectors occasionally permitted doubtful apples 

 to pass as No. 1. Now that will not be the 

 case. All doubtful apples must be packed as 

 No. 2. hy "doubtful" is meant those that are 

 on the margin between Xo, 1 and Xo. 2. 



In the 10% of defective specimens that are 

 allowed, marked defects are not included. The 

 10 % is allowed simply for the mistakes incurred 

 in the hurry of packing. Defective specimens 

 that are yet marketable go as No. 2. You will 

 .see, therefore, that the Xo. 1 grade this year 

 will not be different to the system of packing 

 practised by the be.st packers last year. 



The new warehouses which are being re- 

 modelled for the Allan Steamship Co. at Surrey 

 Dock, London, will, when completed, be equal 

 to any in Great Britain for the accommodation 

 of fruit. Special attention is being given to 

 the fitting up of the apple storage sections so 

 that they may meet the requirements of Cana- 

 dian shippers. 



k copy of Simmers' annual autumn catalog of 

 bulbs, plants, seeds, etc., 1906, has been received 

 by The Horticui.turis't. It contains a list of 

 everything in that line required by florists and 

 gardeners. Many cultural notes make it doubly 

 interesting and valuable. \ copv may be had 

 by writing J. A. Simmers, Toronto. 



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