A.pple Crop Below Medmm and Prices Good 



EARLY predictions for even an average crop 

 of apples in Canada have not materialized. 

 The crop is below medium. It is not uni- 

 form. Some localities report a good 

 vield; others, light. In adjoining orchards and 

 even in individual orchards, trees of the same 

 variety have yielded variable quantities. Storms 

 ^ and insects during the past month have lessened 

 the supply of marketable fruit. The percentage 

 of No. 1 apples has been reduced. 

 \ Reports from British markets indicate that 

 both American and Canadian apples for export 

 are moving slowly. So far the shipments total 

 approximately only 60% of the number of barrels 

 that left Atlantic ports up to tlie same time in 

 190.5, and in 1904. This means that either there 

 is not so large a crop as buyers are talking, or 

 growers are holding and storing larger quantities 

 than ever they did in the past — probably both. 

 It would seem that the apple situation is favor- 

 able for the grower. 



A WORD ABOUT PRICES 



The fact that various factors have diminished 

 the crop — and this is also true of the crop in 

 many parts of the United States — indicates that 

 prices will be good. Through the failure of the 

 raisin crop in Southern Europe, there will be a 

 shortage in the world's dried fruit supply. 

 High prices will restrict consumption. This will 

 increase the demand for fresh fruits. It will be 

 another factor that will tend to keep up the price 

 of apples. In England prices are strengthening 

 with the absorption of local fall varieties. Good 

 prices are now being paid growers in this country 

 itir well-packed stock of the best quality. Among 

 the sales made locally in Ontario is one orchard 

 west of Toronto that was sold recently at $1.4.5 a 

 bbl. for Nos. 1 and 2 picked. Many orchards 

 have been sold at $1 on the trees. A number of 

 orchards have changed hands at $2 a bbl., tree 

 run, packed. In another locality $2.3.5 a bbl. 

 for Nos. 1 and 2 packed in orchard has been 



fused. 



THE EFFECT OF THE STORM 



About the middle of October, snowstorms 

 and frost did some damage to fruit orchards 

 in Ont. and N.Y. state. Press reports, however, 

 were somewhat exaggerated. In a few localities 

 much damage was done; but in other parts of 

 the storm belt, the orchards escaped without 

 much injury. On the whole, the ultimate result 

 will be a slight curtailing of the crop. This will 

 add its quota towards maintaining prices on a 

 firm basis. The crop correspondents of The 

 Canadian Horticulturist state the condition 

 of crops in Ontario as follows: 



ST. CATHARINES DISTRICT 



Homer. — The storm of Oct. 10 did great 

 damage to peach orchards between St. Cathar- 

 ines and the Niagara River. One orchard in 

 Stamford is a total wreck- trees snapped off half- 

 way up the trunk. F timately the storm 

 centre was not in the peach belt, that being 

 nearer the lake, and at Niagara-on-the-Lake. 

 Peaches are all over except Smocks. Apples are 

 a light crop, the second brood of codling moth 

 doing great damage. Pears, except Keiffers, 

 are over. Grapes have been a light crop owing 

 to wet weather. Prices have been good. — F. 

 G. Stewart. 



Port Dalhousie - -The storm of Oct. 10 did 

 much damage. Along the lake, no snow, but 

 considerable wind, which did damage to apples. 

 At Niagara Falls, Stamford, Port Colborne and 

 St. Catharines, the snow did some damage to 

 fruit and ornamental trees; at the latter place 

 one man lost a nice young peach orchard, the 

 trees breaking off at the ground. This has been 

 a peach year. Fruit of all kinds has been 

 abundant, plums excepted, but the high prices 

 received for the latter more than balanced the 

 short crop. The fire at Barnesdale Wineries 

 caused 200,000 gals, of good wine to be lost. 

 Some of it ran into the canal; the fish went on a 



spree. We expected grapes to be a drug, but not 

 so. Blues are selling at $25 a ton. Very little 

 frost as yet; red tomatoes are hurt, but there are 

 lots of green ones. — G. W. McLelan. 



St. Catharines. — The fall of snow on Oct. 11 

 caused no damage except on the ridge and in Wel- 

 land Co., and there only to peach orchards in 

 which were Smock peaches unpicked. The 

 weight of the fruit combined with the weight of 

 snow broke many trees in that district. The 

 frost on night of Oct. 11 did not injure the grapes 

 in the least. The grape crop has been good; 

 while the quantity to the acre has not been up to 

 the average, the quality has been excellent and 

 prices ruled high. The bulk of the crop was 

 sold f.o.b. here. The fruit season just closed may 

 be summed up as a prosperous one, prices for 

 nearly all fruits running from fair to good. 

 The dry weather allowed it to be gathered with- 

 out any waste and fruit kept well, very little being 

 lost by rot. Insect pests of all kinds increased 

 rapidly and have caused much damage. Many 

 of the growers are preparing to spray this fall 

 as soon as the leaves fall. — Robt. Thompson. 



LINCOLN COUNTY 



Bearasville. — The peach crop in orchards well 

 cared for has been good. Prices ruled 20 cts. a 

 bskt. higher than last year. The canning fac- 

 tories bought late varieties at 2J4 to 3 cts. a lb. 

 Apples in sprayed orchards are of excellent qual- 

 ity and a fair crop. — W. B. Rittenhouse. 



Grimsby. — Apples are not grown extensively. 

 Some growers have refused $2.35 a bbl. for their 

 orchards No. 1 and No. 2. The proportion of 

 apples that will grade is small. — J. D. Biggar. 



WENTWORTH COUNTY 



Fruitland. — The fruit season now closing has 

 been satisfactory to the producers. The demand 

 has been active and prices good. With the ex- 

 ception of some 10 days or so weather conditions 

 have been favorable. Peaches are finished and 

 pears about done, except KeifTer. Grapes have 

 been an average crop and prices have ruled high. 

 The bulk of the staple varieties (Concord and 

 Niagara) bringing the grower 15c. to 16c. a 

 6-qt. bskt. The quality has been above average. 

 The cold snap did no harm at Fruitland. Apples 

 are not extensively grown but the sample is 

 goo d except for codling moth late in the season. 

 The crop was fairly good. High winds stripped 

 the Greening trees and shook down a large 

 percentage of other varieties. — J. E. Orr. 

 PEEL COUNTY ] 



The fruit season has been a profitable one. 

 Plums were a failure; pears and grapes, a fair 

 crop. Apples will be about a good J-^ crop, and, 

 as a rule, are wormy. Snows are a good crop and 

 very clean. Prices paid by packers this year for 

 winter stock are $1 to $1.50.— W. G. Home 



GREY COUNTY 



Meatord. — ^^Ine apple crop is variable; Spy, 

 Greening, Snow and Ben Davis, where fruiting, 

 promise good yields that will grade 35% to 50% 

 No. 1, good size and color, and 30% to 40% No. 2. 

 Kings and Baldwins good quality, but not an 

 average crop. The enormous loss due to storms 

 in early Oct. has been partly offset by later 

 rapid growth and by the improvement in color; 

 still, the crop of No. 1 winter fruit in western 

 Ont. has been reduced. The loss in trees in the 

 Georgian Bay dist. is great. In my own orchard 

 $500 will not pay for the trees destroyed. The 

 prices of winter apples range from $1 to $1.50 

 a bbl. The G.B. Fruit (^.rs., Ltd., are making 

 better prices for their patrons. — A. GifTord 



NORFOLK COUNTY 



Simcoe. — Apples from well-sprayed orchards 

 are all sold. The growers realized from 50 cts. 

 to $1.25 a bbl., the unsprayed orcliards realizing 

 the chcat)er price. — Jas. E. Johnson. 



BRUCE COUNTY 



Walkerton. — Codling moth is bad. 'J'he snow 



on October 9 did not do much damage. Growers 

 are holding apples and expect good prices. — A. 

 E. Sherrington. 



ONTARIO COUNTY 



Oshawa. — Quality of apples is not as good as 

 last year, but good prices are looked for. — ^E. 

 Lick. 



DURHAM COUNTY 



Newcastle. — West of Bowmanville apples are 

 most all sold at $1 on the tree. The Ben Davis 

 is the heaviest yielder. Unsprayed orchards are 

 producing poor crops. — W. H. Gibson. 



Apple Trade in Dang'er 



Ed. Canadian Horticulturist, — The Octo- 

 ber HORTICULTURIST published an editorial 

 headed "Apple Trade in Danger." It appears 

 to me that the anxiety shown therein is in a 

 great degree needless. It may be true that 

 several apple dealers have been thinking serious- 

 ly of bringing New York state apples to Canada 

 and storing them in bond and re-packing and 

 shipping them to Gt. Brtn. This, -however, if 

 done at all, which is very doubtful, would be for 

 2 reasons, one being that the storage in York 

 state has l)een pretty well cornered by the Am- 

 ericans and the necessary space is not available, 

 and the other that in order to secure experienced 

 export packers they would otherwise have to 

 take them from here to the other side and board 

 them in addition to paying big wages. Should 

 the goods be stored and packed here these men 

 would be living at home, saving needless ex- 

 pense, spending their money in Canada, and 

 besides, be more comfortable themselves. 



Noting your remarks re worms from York 

 state; while they are true, the fact remains that 

 many districts in southwestern Ont are feel- 

 ing the bad effects of a scourge, which every 

 fruit grower knows is much worse and very 

 prevalent, viz.: the San Jose scale. For a long 

 time orchards were cut down to stamp it out, 

 but it has now got beyond control. More or 

 less of fruit affected with this from Niagara and 

 southwestern districts is stored in Brighton 

 every year, and other places; hence, there is 

 nothing to be feared from apples from U.S. more 

 than from home grown. 



In my opinion, the locaUty has much to do 

 with the spread of disease. In the northern 

 and colder districts we have comparatively 

 httle of it. Fruit in the belt from Toronto to 

 Montreal has practically not been affected with 

 scale. 



However, you will find that tliere will not be 

 many York state apples stored in Canada, be- 

 cause freight rates are higher and, with stop-off 

 charges added, it might be unprofitable. Tbtre 

 may be some from the central states storeo here. 

 Surely it would be a benefit to keep our packers 

 busy all winter, even if on U.S. produce The 

 fruit would be packed in bond and shi]3i)ed as 

 "product of U.S.A." 



Millions of dollars' worth of U.S. produce are 

 annually shipped from Montreal, which does not 

 prejudicially affect the sale of our produce here; 

 also, Canadian produce in winter is largely 

 shipped via U.S. ports — Boston and Portland. 

 — Eben James, Toronto. 



Fruit growers should be careful to purchase 

 their nursery stock from reliable Canadian firms. 

 Buy stock that is grown in Canada and not sur- 

 plus trees that are dumjied into the country by 

 American concerns. In the Niav'ura and Essex ' 

 peninsulas growers are now paying dearly for 

 cheap trees bought from unreliable concerns on 

 the other side of the line. Thousands of these 

 trees are so badly affected with scale that they 

 will have to be destroyed. Growers should buy 

 from a nursery that does liusiness on the square. 

 Consult the advertisement of Stone & Wel- 



gton, Toronto, on another page. 



