TIIK CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 151 



THE MOXTREAL HOKTICULTUKAL SOCIETY, AND FllUIT 

 GROWEKS' ASSOCIATION OF l»liOVINCE OF QUEBEC. 



It is gratifyinuf to learn tlmt our sister Province of Quebec lias 

 succeeded in orirani/inji; a provincial association similar to our own^ 

 and standing in a similar relation to the government. It Las a double 

 existence, arising from its union with the Montreal Horticultural 

 Society, and, as that society, it holds an annual exhibition in the City 

 of Montreal, with a city membership paying an annual fee of two 

 dollars, while, as the Fruit Growers' Association, it publishes an annual 

 report, as an appendix to the provincial agricultural report, and charges 

 the rural members one dollar per year. 



Will it seem boastful to say that, from the experience of what has 

 l»een done in Ontario, we are confident a career of great usefulness is 

 opening up before our sister society; that a vast amount of useful 

 information locked up in individual experiences will now be brought 

 out, and made the common stock of all ; that many valuable seedling 

 fruits will be brought from their modest retirement and disseminated, 

 to enrich the orchards and gardens of the whole Province ; that a 

 medium of communication will be established between all the fruit 

 growers, that will make them to know and esteem each other, and 

 stimulate to harmonious efforts for the advancement of pomology; and 

 that an increased impetus will be given to the cultivation of fruits, to 

 the originating of new and valuable varieties, and the diffusion of 

 information on all matters involved in the growing of superior fruit. 



There is no department of the work accomplished by these associ- 

 ations more productive of benefit to all, than the meetings for discussion 

 of topics in which all have an interest. By means of these discussions, 

 the experiences of many practical cultivators are brought together, and 

 whether they are experiences of success or failure, they throw light on 

 the subject, and serve either as beacon lights to give warning of the 

 danger, or as finger posts to guide into the best and safest way. Many 

 have been saved the trouble and vexation of testing worthless varieties, 

 the experience of one being made the experience of all. Again, when 

 a fruit has proved itself valuable in the hands of one cultivator, there 

 is reason to believe that it will also be valuable in the hands of 

 manv. 



