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THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST 



The Canadian HorlicuHurisl 



Published by The Horticultural 

 PublishinK Company", Limited 



The Only Horticultural Magazine 

 in the Dominion 



Omcial Organ of British Columbia, Ontario, Quebec 



and Prince Edward Island Fruit Growers' 



Associations and of the Ontario Vec- 



etable Growers' Association 



H. Bronson Cowan. Editor and Business Manager 



A. n. CirrriNO. U.S.A.. Associate Kditor 



W. G. Rook. Aflvertising ManaKer 



OAHRKrr Wai.l. Circulalinn Manager 



GRKAT BRITAIN 

 Pkank FLifrciiER. 135 Henrietta Street. Old Trafford. 

 Manchester, Kng., Advertising and Circulation Manager. 



1. The Canadian Horticulturist is published the first 

 of every month. 



2. Subscription Price 50 cents a year, three years $1.20, 

 strictly in advance. I'or all countries except Canada, 

 United States and Oreat Britain add 50c. for postage 

 for each one year subscription. 



3. Remittances should be made by Post Office or Money 

 Express Order, or Registered Letter. Postage Stamps 

 accepted for amounts less tlian Si. 00. 



i. Discontinuances - Responsible subscribers will cod 

 tinue to receive The Horticulturist until the publishers 

 are notified by letter to discontinue, when all arrearages 

 must be paid. 



5. Change of Address — When a change of address is 

 ordered, both the old and the new addresses must be 

 given. 



6. (Advertising Rates quoted on application. Circu- 

 lation 5,500. Copy received up to the 23rd. Responsible 

 representatives wanted in towns and cities. 



7. ^Articles and Illustrations for publication will be 

 thankfully received by the editor. 



Our Protective PoUcy 



We want every reader of The Canadian Horticul- 

 turist to feel that they can deal with our advertisers 

 with our assurance of the advertisers' reliability. We 

 try to admit to our columns only the most reliable ad- 

 vertisers. Should any subscriber, therefore, have good 

 cause to be dissatisfied with the treatment he receives 

 from any of our advertisers, we will look into the matter 

 and investigate the circumstances fully. Should we 

 find reason to believe that any of our advertisers are un- 

 reliable, even in the slightest degree, we will discontinue 

 immediately the publication of their advertisements in 

 Thb Horticulturist. Should the circumstances war- 

 rant we will expose them through the columns of the 

 paper. Thus, we will not only protect our readers, but 

 our reputable advertisers as well. All that is necessary 

 to entitle you to the benefits of this Protective Policy is 

 that you include in all your letters to advertisers the 

 words "I saw your ad. in The Canadian Horticultur- 

 ist." Complaints should be sent to us as soon as possi- 

 ble after reason for dissatisfaction has been found. 



Communications should be addressed : 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST, 



506-7-8 Manning Chambers, 



TORONTO, CANADA 



THE CHRISTMAS SEASON 



There is notliing that exercises a more charm- 

 ing spell over the imagination than the time- 

 honored tales of Christmas in "ye olden time." 

 They carry us back to a time when Christmas 

 was not only a season of gift-making and family 

 gatherings, but also a season of complete aban- 

 donment to mirth and good-fellowship; to an 

 age when men enjoyed life roughly, but heartily 

 and earnestly; when society lost itself in home- 

 bred feelings and honest fireside delights; and 

 to a time when all classes observed more strictly 

 the religious and social rights of this, the grand- 

 est festival of all the year. 



The traditional customs of the Christmas of 

 long ago awaken within us most profound and 

 heartfelt admiration for the manner and senti- 

 ment in which they were observed. Every- 

 thing conspired to produce the kindest feelings 

 of merriment and good cheer. The Yule Log, 

 with its many superstitions, glowed and blazed 

 to warm the hearts of the merrv makers; the 

 soimd of minstrelsy and the singiiig of Christmas 

 carols added their charm of melody to the oc- 

 casion ; and the profuse decorations of Christmas 

 greens— the holly, the laurel and the mistletoe 

 — contributed more than all else to make Christ- 

 mas what it surely was then, and what it is to- 

 day, in a somewhat modern sense, a merry 

 Christmas. 



Time and modern fashion have gradually 

 worn away many of these ancient customs. The 



old genial spirit of hospitality has Ijcen sup- 

 planted, for better or worse, by the more en- 

 lightened and elegant tone of modern refinement. 

 Tlie Ijcautifully simple, but earnest, melody of 

 tlie old-time carol has lx;en displaced by the 

 more stirring effect of the modern anthem. The 

 honest enjoyments of the past have given way 

 to more trivial and fleeting jjleasures. Truly 

 we may say that the Christmas of to-day is far 

 removed from the Cliristmas of long ago; yet, 

 despite the havoc wrought by time, the season 

 is now, as then, the most fondly cherished of all 

 the year. In sentiment and charm Christmas 

 remains the same, notwithstanding the work of 

 Father Time in altering the customs of antiquity. 

 The very season of the year influences our 

 appreciation of Christmas. At other times we 

 may enjoy the lx;auties of living nature, but at 

 this time, when all around is barren and bleak, 

 or lying silently hidden Ijcneath the snow, we 

 are bound to appreciate the joyous season of 

 good cheer. While the world without is 

 stripped of its verdure, within the home nature 

 may be reproduced in a wealth of Christmas 

 greens. A cherished remembrance is the decor- 

 ative effect produced by the use of evergreens 

 in the house. "What deep breaths from the 

 outside world come into our homes with these 

 Christmas greens! They are resinous with the 

 odor of great fir forests, where snowflakes are 

 flying; spicy with orchid incense from tropical 

 jungles, where palms and sniilax flourish; 

 vibrant, perhaps, with mocking-bird songs in 

 swamps, where the mistletoe grows." With this 

 issue. The Canadian Horticulturist greets 

 its readers right heartily and wishes them well. 



BELOW THE STANDARD 



The need for improvement in the horticul- 

 tm'al department at the Ontario Agricultural 

 College has become so apparent that further 

 silence, on our part, would be an injiuy to 

 the horticultural interests of the province. It 

 is out of touch with the rank and file of the 

 fruit and vegetable growers, as well as with 

 the professional florists. There are men imder 

 the direction of the professor of horticultiu'e 

 who are capable of doing good work. They 

 should be given an opportunity, for the de- 

 partment is not accomplishing the results that 

 it should. 



Last February we drew attention to the 

 necessity for something being done that would 

 place the horticultural department at Guelph 

 on a better footing. Our remarks drew forth 

 a reply in defence of the department. We 

 were tempted to make answer, but did not do 

 so, because we were given to understand that 

 the appropriation for the horticultural depart- 

 ment for this year had been increased, and 

 that better things, therefore, might be ex- 

 pected. In the months that have intervened 

 no signs of any marked improvement have 

 been noticeable. Instead, the complaints 

 against the management have increased in 

 number. In September, the florists who met in 

 convention at Guelph appointed a committee 

 to wait upon the government and urge that 

 more work of value to florists be undertaken. 

 More recently a committee of practical vege- 

 table growers who visited the college has re- 

 ported that but little is being accomphshed 

 that is of value to vegetable growers, and that 

 some of the work that is in progress is being 

 conducted in a manner that is not a credit to 

 the institution. Fruit growers, as yet, have 

 not taken any public action calling for improve- 

 ment. We have long been aware, however, 

 that a strong feeling is general among them 

 that improvement in the department is needed. 

 In defence of the department, it has been 

 stated: First, that the number of lectures given 

 yearly has increased greatly without a pro- 

 portionate increase in the staff; second, that 

 in addition to teaching, the department has 

 to furnish fruits and vegetables to the college 

 boarding-houses and flowers for decorating 

 purposes, as well as to maintain over forty 



acres of lawn and grounds in a condition to ■ 

 above criticism; and third, that with all : 

 other work it has not the time to unden:;) 

 investigation work, nor the funds. 



This defence reduces the matter to a qiK 

 tion of men. The professor of horlicultiu-e 

 Guelph should \x a man of outstanding abil- 

 ity, able to see the horticultural needs of the 

 province and to take steps to satisfy thera. 

 Work of minor importance such as the fur- 

 nishing of vegetables and fruit for the college- 

 tables, and even a considerable proportion 

 the lecture work would !>c relegated, by si: 

 a man, to a capable foreman or foremen, ai 

 to an assistant professor. In this way : 

 would leave himself free for the more important 

 research work. Around him he wcjuld gather 

 the various fruit, vegetable and other horti- 

 cultural organizations of the province, and 

 through and with them he would see that he 

 was furnished with the funds needed by his 

 department. 



Canadians are proud of the Agricultural 

 College at Guelph. It has professors on its 

 staff who are a credit to the Dominion. Its 

 graduates have risen to prominence both at 

 home and abroad. It is because we desire 

 to see the splendid reputation of the college 

 maintained that we feel it our duty to draw 

 attention to the absolute necessity for a decide-^ 

 improvement in the horticultural department. 



HAS BECOME A NECESSITY 



The Ontario Horticultural Exhibition has 

 reached the point where it is looked upon as a 

 necessity. Should anything occur to slop it or 

 to mar its progress it would be a calamity. Peo- 

 ple have become accustomed to looking for it, 

 not only that they may attend the conventions 

 and hear the important discussions that take 

 place, but, also, that they may profit from the 

 valuable educational lessons that may be gained 

 by a study of the splendid exhibits of fruit, 

 flowers and vegetables. These exhibits, each 

 year, illustrate the latest developments in all 

 three of the allied industries. The improvement 

 that has taken place during the past two years 

 in the packing of fruit alone, as shown bv'each 

 succeeding exhibit, justifies the expenditure by 

 the Ontario Government of every cent it has 

 given the exhibition. Fruit, vegetable and 

 flower growers now appreciate the fact that the 

 exhibition affords an opportunity to learn 

 things. Were it to be stopped, the result would 

 be an injury to the province. 



The excursions on the railways at low rates 

 benefit the members and friends of the organiza- 

 tions that assemble at the time of the exhftiition. 

 Were it not for the rates made possible by the 

 exhibition ' the conventions would be poorly 

 attended. It is gratifying to feel that the show 

 has come to stay. Its complete financial suc- 

 cess cannot be long delayed, as it is growing 

 rapidly and assuming larger proportions each 

 year. r^.g»»l»IB > - 



Lovers of horticulture who viish to make 

 progress must keep themselves informed on the 

 methods and ideas of those who have made a 

 success of the art. While practical experience 

 in fruit growing and gardening is a great teacher, 

 yet the perusal of a good class of literature on 

 the various subjects pertaining to the work is 

 necessary to broaden one's conception of things 

 horticultural. It gives one a better idea of the 

 viewpoint of people who have made this or 

 that branch of horticulture a special study. 

 That the desire to learn is prevalent among the 

 readers of The Canadia.n Horticulturist is 

 evident from the many requests for books on 

 horticultiu'al topics that reach this office. These 

 requests have become so numerous, we have 

 decided to extend our business by adding a 

 book department to the paper. A catalog, 

 with titles and descriptions of books written by 

 well-known horticultural authorities, has been 

 prepared. It will be mailed free to any person 



