The Canadian Horticulturist. 209 



FRUIT PROSPECTS IN ONTARIO. 



UDOING from the reports which have been sent from various quarters 

 of the Province up to the present date, the fruit crop will, for the 

 most part, be considerably under the average. Yet the prospects for 

 growers seem to us to be unusually encouraging on account of the 

 exceptionally good quality of the fruit itself. 



Apples are very light, many varieties scarcely fruiting at all ; but 

 not a sign of scab has appeared, an evil which, in previous years, has rendered 

 so large a part of the crop unmarketable, while the codling moth has also been 

 less active than usual. 



About the same remarks may be made of the pear crop. The yield, gener- 

 ally, appears to be very light, but all the fruit that is set is beautifully clean and 

 well shapen, the foliage looks healthy, the trees themselves are growing vigorous- 

 ly, and, therefore, all things considered, we may expect fruit of a large size and 

 fine appearance. 



We speak of this state of affairs as not a little encouraging, because fruit of a 

 high grade will sell rapidly at top prices, and often brings the grower better 

 returns than a full crop ; for this is sure to consist of a large amount of inferior 

 fruit, which gluts the market and causes low prices, and which is also very ex- 

 pensive to handle. 



In all peach sections there is a promise of a heavy crop of early peaches, 

 especially upon young trees, but late varieties will be less than half a crop. 



The drought during May and the early part of June has greatly damaged the 

 strawberry crop, and even weakened the growth of the canes of the raspberry 

 plantation, while the crop of grapes in some parts of the country has been almost 

 entirely cut off by the late frosts. 



Altogether we may expect that all fruits will bring high prices in the markets 

 this season, for, owing to the failure of last year, the stock in the hands of the 

 packers is low, and they will consequently need to draw largely for their supplies 

 this season upon the growers. All the markets are very hungry for fruit, owing 

 to the great scarcity of the apple crop of last year, and the high prices of apples 

 which have prevailed during the whole winter. 



In response to enquiries sent out to every county in Ontario concerning the 

 crop, we have received a good many replies, from which we cull the following 

 notes : — 



SiMCOE County — Sir, — This has been a remarkable year so far, not only on account 

 of the drought which continued from the beginning of April to the first week in June, but 

 also on account of the cold backward winter and the severe frosts. Through the month 

 of May we had frosts at least three or four nights every week, often forming ice from an 

 eighth to a quarter of an inch in thickness. In fact, it is a wonder that all our fruit was 

 not ruined. However, apples have set well and promise an abundant crop. Pe^rs were 

 badly damaged, mine were all frozen ofiF. Plums have set well. Those top grafted on 

 native stock have done better with me than those purchased from nurseries. Grapes are 

 very backward, will probably be too late to ripen this year unless weather is very fovorable 

 in the fall. Raspberries look well. — (>. C. Caston', Craifjhumt. 

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