The Canadian Horticulturist. 



APPLE GROWING IN QUEBEC. 



|N a paper on this subject, read before the Farmers' Congress at 

 Quebec, Mr. R. W. Shepherd, Jr., of Montreal says : As compared 

 with our sister province of Ontario, the area devoted to the culti- 

 vation of the apple in this province is insignificant. The export- 

 ation of apples from Ontario to Great Britain has assumed large 

 dimensions ; probably three-fourths of this trade passes through our port of 

 Montreal, and not a small proportion of it is handled by Montreal fruit merchants. 

 There does not seem to be any means of ascertaining the extent of the 

 annual crop of apples in this province, nor yet the quantity of apples exported 

 from the province to Great Britain, but from personal observation and from in- 

 formation obtained from exporters, probably not more than 10 per cent, is ex- 

 ported, and probably another 5 to 10 per cent, sent to our great North-West. 

 Since the McKinley tariff, the exportation of apples to the New England cities of 

 the United States, which a few years ago, from our border counties in the Town- 

 ships, was considerable, has altogether ceased. We may, therefore, conclude 

 that fully 80 per cent, of our provincial grown apples are consumed at home. 



The question naturally arises, " Shall we keep on planting, for the purpose 

 of growing more apples for home consumption ?" No ! we cannot recommend 

 it. The profits of apple growing are smaller than they were a few years ago, 

 owing to over-production, the McKinley bill, — and also because Quebec is now 

 the slaughter market for a large portion of the Ontario fruit which is not export- 

 able. But should we increase the area of our orchards with a view of exporting 

 to the North-West ? Possibly here we have an outlet for a large proportion of 

 our fruit, but Ontario would be our great competitor here, having the advantage 

 of cheaper freights in consequence of proximity to that market in the west. You 

 will ask why so small a proportion of our provincial apples is exported ? In 

 answering this question one has to consider the varieties of apples grown here, 

 and we find they are principally soft fruit, fall and early winter varieties, unsuitable 

 for exportation to Great Britain in barrels. The cultivation of the " Fameuse " 

 for exportation in barrels cannot be recommended. Dealers look upon that vari- 

 ety as extremely " risky ;" yet the Fameuse is our leading commercial apple. It 

 is being followed closely by " Wealthy," however, which, for its adaptation to 

 most soils and its greater hardiness of tree, surpasses the Fameuse. That dealers 

 will take to the " Wealthy " for export is doubtful. Its delicacy of skin and flesh 

 too closely approximates the Fameuse. To give you an idea how cheap apples 

 of this class were sold in England last fall one of our largest exporters informed 

 me, the other day, that he bought five fine Fameuse on the streets of Liverpool 

 for one penny. No wonder the exportation of fall and early winter apples was so 



