HORTICULTURE IN CAXADA. 103 



Pyrus haccata ^^vunifoUa, which has also stood one winter in the 

 northwest without injury, and this fruit is about double tlie size 

 of that of P. haccata. It is probable that some of these cross- 

 bred seedlings will bear fruit of larger size and improved quality, 

 which will be valuable to the settlers there. These trees are 

 both small and low-branched and well adapted to endure the 

 climatic conditions prevailing in the prairie country. 



The wild Plum, Pnnius Americana, is found native in different 

 parts of Manitoba and is common in the valley of the Assiniboine 

 river and in the other river valleys in the southern part of that 

 province. The fruit varies much in size, color, and quality, 

 some trees producing red fruit and others yellow, and while 

 some of the fruit is but slightly astringent and of fair quality, 

 other samples are scarcely edible. Efforts are being made to 

 improve the wild plum by selection from seedlings grown from 

 the best varieties. It is j)roposed also to follow this up by cross- 

 fertilizing with better sorts. 



The Sand Cherry, Primus pumila, is also a native of the far 

 west. It is common about the Lake of the Woods and has been 

 found on the prairies as far Avest as the 108th meridian, and as 

 far north as Prince Albert, which is about three hundred miles 

 north of the United States boundary. The Sand Cherry is a very 

 variable fruit ; the commoner forms are about the size of a large 

 Marrowfat Pea, with a disproportionately large stone and astrin- 

 gent flesh, while occasional bushes are found bearing fruit as large 

 as the English Morello Cherry, with a much larger proportion of 

 pulp to stone and a superior quality of flesh. Fruits subject to 

 such free variations in the wild state may be expected to improve 

 still more, in size and quality, under the influences attending 

 higher cultivation and cross-fertilizing. It is believed that the 

 prospects in connection with the efforts which are being made to 

 improve the fruits referred to are hopeful, and that there will in 

 time be produced such varieties as will prove useful fruits to 

 the people of the northwest country. 



A further journey of one hundred and eighty-five miles over 

 the plains brings us to the experimental farm at Indian Head, 

 in Assiniboia, one of the Northwest Territories. This farm is 

 about the same size as that at Brandon, viz., six liundred and 

 eighty acres. When this land was purchased it was a piece 

 of bare prairie, without tree or bush. During the eight years it 



