ONTARIO FRUIT CROP. 



As reported by Ontario Fruit Growers. 



Simcoe County : For a few weeks the 

 weather has been very wet, and strawber- 

 ries in low lands have been completely 

 drowned out ; they mostly came well through 

 the winter, and spring frosts have hurt them 

 but little ; in high lands they will be a full 

 crop. Red and white currants and goose- 

 berries promise a full crop, and to mature a 

 week or ten days earlier than usual. Black 

 currants "fair to middling." Plums none, 

 except of the Japan and native varieties. 

 Cherries not much grown, and birds will get 

 most of them. Pears not much grown. 

 Apples of all kinds promise well, and with 

 proper spraying and thinning a profitable 

 crop is assured. But few currant worms have 

 yet shown up, and they cannot now do any 

 damage to this year's crop ; but late broods, 

 if not destroyed, may affect next year's crop. 

 C. L. Stephens, Orillia. 



The last bulletin from the Bureau of 

 Industries, Toronto, gives the following 

 report of fruit : 



Colchester, Essex : Peach trees have been 

 killed by hundreds and thousands. One 

 neighbor who has twenty-five acres told me 

 yesterday that he will have to pull up the 

 whole field ; and many smaller lots have 

 suffered as badly. 



Gosfield South, Essex : All peach trees are 

 dead by frost, and many other kinds. 



Mersea, Essex : At least 50 per cent, of 

 peach trees killed and some plums. 



Stamford Welland : Vegetation will prob- 

 ably rush along now, as during the past two 

 or three days we have had summer heat. I 

 never knew the buds to come out so fast. 

 The leaves came out on some trees within a 

 few hours ; they seem to almost grow while 

 looking at them. 



Nottawasaga, Simcoe : Nearly a car load of 

 young fruit trees were shipped into Creemore 



the other day. Farmers around here are 

 taking considerable interest in planting out 

 orchards. In a few years to come this neigh- 

 borhood is going to play an important part in 

 fruit production. 



Grantham, Lincoln : In some orchards part 

 of the peach trees are killed by the excessive- 

 ly cold weather, freezing and injuring the 

 trees under the bark. The buds of all fruit 

 trees were very backward during the winter, 

 and even well into March there was scarcely 

 sunshine enough to cause them to swell 

 noticeably, so they were not in this section 

 killed, as many who stay all winter in the 

 house reported. Some varieties of straw- 

 berries, especially the Clyde, not covered by 

 litter during the winter, are killed, and ten- 

 der varieties of raspberries are more or less 

 killed in canes which should bear fruit this 

 year. Grapes are about as usual. Spraying 

 fruit is becoming a necessity for successful 

 growing, as each fruit has its insect enemies 

 and fungous diseases. 



Trafalgar, Halton: Caterpillars are already 

 making their appearance on apple trees in 

 large numbers. It is to be hoped that 

 farmers will make more efforts to destroy 

 these than many did a year ago. Many 

 orchards, especially in the north end of the 

 township, were entirely stripped of foliage. 



Mr. A. E. Sherrington, Walkerton, 

 writes : 



The raspberry crop will be lighter than last 

 year, as so many varieties suffered by the 

 winter snow and frost. Some of them will 

 not fruit at all. Hilborn is about the only 

 black cap that came through all right ; it 

 will give a full crop. The Hale and Wickson 

 plums were nearly killed out-right, and a few 

 trees of other varieties. The Abundance and 

 Burbank plums are loaded with fruit. 



Treatment of Bulbs. — It is a well- 

 known fact that bulbs, forced in our 

 country, are comparatively useless for 

 flowers the season following. This is 

 really owing to the fact that the leaves 

 have not been permitted to mature 

 properly. A bulb is composed of the 

 bases of leaves which have become 

 thickened and succulent. To make 

 good, strong bulbs, therefore, it is neces- 

 sary that they should have had good, 

 strong leaves for their parents. Our 



bulb growers commence to dry them off 

 almost at once after flowering, instead 

 of allowing them to grow as long as pos- 

 sible. Even then, they will not flower 

 as freely as newly imported bulbs, be- 

 cause they are only allowed to flower 

 until the bulb has reached a size desired 

 by the grower. Bulbs generally have 

 the flowers plucked out, until they have 

 reached the size desired. — Mechans' 

 Monthly. 



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