NOTES AND COMMENTS. 



Smith's Seedling Peach, No. i, re- 

 ferred to on page 367 of this Journal 

 for 1898, continues to make a favorable 

 impression. Ripening between the 

 15th and 25th of August, just between 

 Hales and Crawfords, it fills a gap not 

 filled with any dessert peach of equal 

 quality and size. Samples brought us 

 August 23rd from the original tree, 

 which is growing in Mr. R. T. Smith's 

 garden at Hamilton, averaged 2^ 

 inches in either diameter. The skin is 

 cream, beautifully dotted and shaded 

 with red, and may be peeled off with 

 the finger ; the down is very fine, soft 

 and velvety ; the suture is distinct and 

 terminates in a small black apex. The 

 flesh is white, tender, juicy, rich and 

 delicious ; the stone is perfectly free. 



Our Report. After long and pa- 

 tient waiting our subscribers are now 

 receiving our report for 1898. But we 



are confident that their patience will be 

 rewarded when they review it, for it well 

 possesses exceptional value. Combin- 

 ing four reports in one volume, (1) the 

 Fruit-growers ; (2) the Entomological 

 Society ; (3) the Fruit Experiment 

 Station ; (4) Supt. of Spraying ; all 

 bound in cloth, it certainly forms a 

 volume of great value, well worthy a 

 place on the shelves of the best selected 

 libraries. The descriptive work on 

 " Fruits of Ontario " is but in its initial 

 state ; it is a work that must take years 

 to complete, if indeed it ever is com- 

 pleted. It is evident that we must have 

 personal knowledge of each variety, 

 both as to characteristics of fruit, and 

 habits of tree, in order to give anything 

 like an accurate description, that will 

 also be of use to others. The writer 

 invites the criticism of the readers of 

 the Canadian Horticulturist in re- 

 spect to his work. 



FRUIT DRYING. 



There is a large shrinkage in curing 

 green fruit, and comparatively few grow- 

 ers are advised of the actual loss by 

 evaporation. The shrinkage varies with 

 the quality of the fruit and also accord- 

 ing to the humidity of the atmosphere 

 in the localities where the drying is done. 

 In the Sacramento and San Joaquin val- 

 leys and the foothills of California the 

 following tables are approximately cor- 

 rect, as to the number of pounds of green 

 fruit required to produce one pound of 

 dried fruit : 



Apricots, Moorpark, . 5^ to 1 



Apricots, others, . . . 6 to 1 



Peaches, Muir, . S S A-\V\ to T 



Peaches, Crawford, . 5 l /=,-(>}i to 1 



Peaches, Salway, . . 4^-5^ to 1 



Peaches, Cling, . . 65^-6^ to 1 



The general average may be approxi- 

 mated as follows : 



Apricots, all varieties, . 5^ to 1 

 Peaches, all varieties, . . 6 to 1 

 Pears, all varieties, . . 7^ to 1 



Prunes, French, . . . 2^ to 1 

 The general cost of curing fruit ranges 

 from 1 to 2 cents per pound. In the 

 large plants where the investment is con- 

 siderable and help is hired, the average 

 cost of preparing and curing apricots is 

 2C. per pound, and on peaches i^c. 

 per pound on the cured fruit. The cost 

 of cured fruit per pound at different cost 

 price for fresh fruit per ton, allowing for 

 varying shrinkage, is as follows : 



FRUIT. FRESH. CURED. 



Peaches, . 20 6^ to 7c. 



" . 25 7^ to 8^ 



.30 9 to t)S/i 



Apricots, . 20 1%. to 8^ 



25 2>% to 9| 



" . 30 iyi to 9J/8 



" . 40 IO)4 tO 12}4 



— Fruit Trade Journal. 



367 



