APPLES— VARIETIES, PACKING. 147 



posed to keep at all. The Ontario and the Northern 

 Spy are the only winter varieties amongst those just 

 mentioned. 



But, perhaps, an even more wonderful instance 

 of the remarkable keeping qualities of Kootenay 

 apples is this. The author, at the time of correct- 

 ing the proofs of this book (July) had in his cellar 

 Baldwin, Canada Red, and Grimes' Golden apples, 

 which had all been frozen as hard as stones in the 

 preceding January. The Baldwins and the Canada 

 Reds were perfectly sound and firm, and of good 

 flavour. The Grimes' Golden, whilst in very fair 

 condition, had lost their flavour. All three are 

 winter varieties. 



The principal markets for British Columbia apples 

 are at present the home markets and the prairies of 

 the North-West. The orchards in the province are 

 as yet young, and the output does not amount to any 

 great quantity in the aggregate. Shipments, how- 

 ever, have been made to England, and in the year 

 1908 to Australia. The unit of over-seas shipping is 

 the car-load (630 boxes of 401bs. each), and except 

 from the Grand Forks and Okanagan districts, there 

 would be some difficulty in getting together a car- 

 load of apples of one variety from any single district. 

 But this drawback will be gradually removed as time 

 goes on. There appears to be a decided preference 

 for a car-load to consist of one variety only. Why 

 this should be, I fail to perceive; that is to say, I 

 am not convinced that there is any inherent reason 

 for it, beyond the fixed idea of the wholesale buyer. 

 From the growers' point of view, it is always easier 

 to make up a car-load of two or three varieties, though 



k2 



