148 The Canadian Horticulturist. 



It was out the question to grow sweet melons, cauliflowers, tomatoes, bunch tur- 

 nips ; and even celery, which was always supposed to do well on old, rich soils, 

 now badly blighted there. 



Mr. Stone, of Waterton, spoke of his success in using fertilizers for ten con- 

 secutive years and the soil was steadily improving. 



Mr. King, of Peabody, used fertilizers on hoed crops for six years, and the 

 last year gave the best crop. The piece is now laid down to grass, and it gives 

 him his best mowing. 



PROVINCIAL EXPERIMENT STATIONS. 



jHE importance of having a Horticultural Experiment Station in 

 southern Ontario, was debated upon at our Winter Meeting at Ham- 

 ilton and a special committe appointed to prepare a scheme and bring 

 it before the Ontario Government. 

 The necessity of such a Station is obvious from the fact that the climatic 

 conditions, both at Ottawa and Guelph, are unfavorable for the testing of tender 

 varieties of fruits and it is very important that intending planters should have some 

 mor6 reliable guide with regard to the value of new fruits than the recommend- 

 ations of interested parties. 



A very economical plan would be one patterned after that which 

 succeeds so well in Michigan, where a branch experiment station, fruit 

 under the Agricultural College, has been established in connection with the 

 farm of Mr. T. T. Lyon, President of the Michigan Horticultural Society. A 

 tract of land, adjoining his fruit farm, has been purchased by the government 

 and placed under his care ; and in this way, the public receive the benefit of Mr. 

 Lyon's lifelong experience in testing varieties on his farm, as well as of those 

 fresh experiments carried on upon the new experimental grounds. We read the 

 bulletins prepared by Mr. Lyon, with special interest, because they are prepared 

 by a practical fruit grower, and, therefore, they are in touch with the work of 

 practical men ; a statement which cannot be made regarding all horticultural 

 bulletins issued by experiment stations. 



The Committee appointed for the purpose, interviewed the Minister of 

 Agriculture, at his ofifice on the 21st of April, and proposed the purchase of 

 twenty five acres of choice land somewhere in the best fruit growing district of 

 southern Ontario. They estimated the outlay for land, buildings, trees, plants, 

 horses, and implements at about $10,000; and the annual expenses at about 

 $3000, which in time would be nearly covered by the sale of produce. The 

 Hon. Mr. Dryden viewed the scheme with favor, only questioning whether the 

 people themselves had become sufificiently aroused to its importance. 



The members of our association, scattered everywhere throughout the Pro- 

 vince, can aid their officers very greatly in furthering this enterprise, by talking 

 about it with their neighbors, and with their parliamentary representatives ; and 

 thus, by all proper means, proving that there is a real need of such a station. 



