THE CANADIAN HOKTICULTUEIST. 



59 



MEETING OF WINONA AND STONEY 

 CREEK GRAPE GROWERS' CLUB. 



fFrom Our Own Correspondent.) 



A meeting of the above Society was 

 held in the old church, School Section 

 2, Saltfleet, on Feb. 11th, but owing to 

 the bitter cold, the mercury being 19° 

 below zero, with a hard wind blowing, 

 only a small attendance of members 

 was the result. However, after lunch 

 and a warm cup of tea, the programme 

 of the afternoon was taken up, the 

 officers for the ensuing year having 

 been elected as follows : — President, 

 Wm. Orr ; Vice-President, Geoi-ge 

 Slingerland : Secretary-Treasurer. E. 

 D. Smith ; Board of Directors, F. M. 

 Carpenter, Isaac Smith, Joseph Tweedle, 

 Wm. Spera, Murray Pettit, J. W. 

 Smith and Robert Dewnr. 



Tlie first thing on the programme 

 was a paper on " Small Fruits " read 

 by A. M. Smith, of St. Catharines, 

 which was very interesting to those 

 present. Mr. Smith advised growers 

 to study the market and the soil and 

 climate of the localit}^ before planting. 

 If one had early land let him plant 

 early varieties, and if anothei" had late 

 land let him plant late varieties, thus 

 avoiding an overstocked market. Again, 

 if it was found that there was a better 

 local market for one kind of fruit than 

 another, other things being equal, plant 

 the kind in most demand ; for instance, 

 if one lived near an evaporator where 

 certain kinds of fruits were wanted, it 

 would be wise to plant with a view to 

 working off* any surplus, at least, to 

 the evaporators. If the local market 

 was as good as any other for straw- 

 berries, it would pay better to plant 

 some of the soft but heavy yielding 

 varieties, as Crescent Seedling or Man- 

 chester. 



For successful small fruit culture 

 would lay down the following rules : — 



Select the best soil, climate and 

 varieties. Shelter as much as possible 



from extreme cold of winter and drouth 

 of summer by mulching and other 

 means. Secure all moisture possible 

 during fruiting season. Feed liberally. 

 Pick and handle carefully. Use good, 

 clean, attractive packages. Put just 

 as good fruit in the bottom of the bas- 

 ket as on top, so that you can sell 

 twice to the same party, and you will 

 succeed. 



Would recommend the following 

 varieties in order of ripening : — Straw- 

 berries — Early Canada, Crescent Seed- 

 ling, Wilson's Albany, Manchester, 

 Sharpless, Arnold's Pride, Jersey 

 Queen and James Vick. Black rasp- 

 berries — Souhegan, Tyler, Mammoth 

 Cluster and Gregg. Red raspberries — 

 Highland Hardy, Hansell, Cuthbert 

 and Niagara. Blackberries — Dorches- 

 ter, Snider and Ivittatinny. Goose- 

 ben-ies — Houghton and Downing. Red 

 currants — Victoria, Versailles, Cherry 

 and Fay's Prolific. White currants — 

 White grape. Black currants — Black 

 Naples and Lee's Prolific. And would 

 recommend for ti-ial : — Strawberries — 

 Mrs. Garfield, Dan. Boone and Cor- 

 nelia. Raspberries ~ Reliance, Marl- 

 boro' and Ohio, and the Agawam black- 

 berry. 



In answer to questions Mr. Smith 

 said gooseberries thrived better and 

 mildewed less with plenty of moisture. 

 Had noticed this in gardens near the 

 Falls, where the spray kept the ground 

 damp. Thought Lee's Prolific prefer- 

 able to Black Naples, especially on 

 sandy land, as they do not grow so 

 rank, and fruit is of a milder flavor. 

 Thought highly of Fay's currant ; 

 thought it had not been overrated. 

 Thought James Vick had been too 

 highly praised ; though under high 

 cultivation it would yield immense, 

 otherwise fruit would be too small. 

 Thought Caroline best yellow rasp- 

 berry. Shaffer's Colossal, a heavy 

 bearing rasj)berry, but fruit a bad color. 



