April, 1915 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST 



103 



daneer of havinsr their local markets in- 

 vaded and injured by fruit urowers thou- 

 sands of miles away. 



If the situation is to be saved the repre- 

 sentatives of the cooperative associations of 

 Ontario should tret together at the earliest 



Iossible date and complete plans for the 

 larketin- of this year's crops. Some years 

 g-o The Canadian Horticulturist assisted 

 1 the organization of the Ontario Coooera- 

 ve Apple Growers' .Association. If the re- 

 resentatives of the cooperative associations 

 f Ontario are now ready to cooperate on 

 a laryer scale we will be pleased to do what 

 we cam to assist them in uettint;- loyelhcr 

 and formulatinc; a workini;- policy. The 

 sooner action is taken in some way, the 

 better it will be for all. 



The suerffestion made throug-h The Can- 

 adian Horticulturist that the anplc should 

 be rcco-.;nized as the national dish of Can- 

 ada was endorsed at thi> last annual con- 

 vention of the British Columbia ' Fruit 

 Growers' .Association. This means that the 

 leading fruit growers' associations of Can- 

 ada, including those of Nova Scotia, On- 

 tario, and British Columbia, arc in favor 

 of this movement. One of the best methods 

 of leadine the public to accept the apple 

 as Canada's national dish will be for fruit 

 trrowers' associations of all kinds to men- 

 tion the apple wherever possible as our 

 national fruit. Should another national ad- 

 vertisiintr campaig'n be conducted next fall, 

 an excellent opportunity for advertising- the 

 apple as our national dish will be present- 

 ed. It could be made a central theme of 

 the advertisements and the idea would soon 

 meet with ready acceptance by the public. 

 Thus the object aimed at by our fruit rtow- 

 ers would be accomplished. The benefits 

 that will be derived throug-h increasing the 

 popular sentiment in favor of the apple are 

 worthy of our makino- the necessary efFort. 



Splendid work is being accomplished by 

 the Schools Division of the Ontario Experi- 

 mental I'nion in encouragrinp- the teaching' 

 of horticulture and agriculture in country 

 schools. This work is being promoted 

 throug-h school gardens, school fairs, and 

 other similar agrencies, as well as by "-ain- 

 ingr the interest and support of trustees 

 and teachers. Helpful literature is freely 

 provided. This is well worth writing- for 

 bv all interested in this movement. 



This is an issue of The Canadian Hor- 

 ticulturist which we feel should accomplish 

 much good in promoting- a greater interest 

 in horticulture. From our front cover, 

 which shows an informal row of tulips in 

 the Allan Gardens, Toronto, through all of 

 the reading- pa8:es, an efFort has been made 

 to furnish illustrations and articles both 

 timely and interestintr at this season of the 

 year. Those people who are planninp^ to 

 start vegetable srardens for the first time 

 will be helped by Mr. Macoun's article as 

 well as by much of the other information 

 that has been furnished by other contri- 

 butors. Mr. Gall's articles on the laying 

 out of the lawn and on fertilizers are prac- 

 tical and helpful to an unusual deg-rec. One 

 article which we planned to publish in this 

 issue, entitled "Plants for Shady Places," 

 was unfortunately crowded out at the last 

 moment. We expect to use it in our next 

 issue. Horticultural societies in Ontario, of 

 whom there are a few, which do not sub- 

 scribe for The Canadian Horticulturist for 

 all of their members, which would like 

 extra copies of this issue for distribution 

 among- their members are invited to write 



for terms. Those societies which take The of the annual meeting- of The Horticultural 

 Canadian Horticulturist and who employ Publishing: Company, Ltd., which publishes 

 canvassers to obtain members, would do The Canadian Horticulturist, The Bee- 

 well to see that their canvassers are sup- keeper, and The Canadian Florist. The 

 plied with this issue of The Canadian Hor- directors of the company are all men di- 

 ticulturist when calling: on prospective new rectly interested in horticulture. Practically 

 members, as it should assist them in ob- all of them have national reputations 

 taining their membership. Fruit irrowcrs through their connection with some special 

 will recognize the value and importance of branch of horticulture. One explanation of 

 the many articles which are of special in- the success which has attended the publi- 

 terest to ihem. cation of The Canadian Horticulturist may 



■ — be found in the character of the men who 



KIsewhere in this issue appears a report control its policy. 



Patriotic Vegetable Gardening Competition 



W. T, Macoun, Dominion Horticulturist 



THE British Empire will need all the ment and uniformity, and any other factor 



food that can be made available in that effects the value of the product, except 



1915. Everyone in . cities and towns that of palatability, for the judg-e will not 



with vacant land can produce some be expected to test the eating- quality of 



food if he will. By growing vegetables for the vegetables. 



household use you will release food for Hv assortment is meant the number of 



someone else that would have been sold to kinds of veg-etables grown. There should 



you. By g:ro\vine- vegetables for your own be a fair proportion of each kind, 



use you will also savi- most of the money The judge will take into consideration 



that you would otherwise have paid for the difficulties which each competitor faces 



thrm, which you can give to the many when beginniniJ- his e:arden operations. If 



needy war funds should you care to do so. one competitor has many difficulties to 



Vegetables fresh from the garden are much overcome he will receive a high score under 



more appetizing than those which have this head, but another competitor with 



been g-athered for some time. You will, if fewer difficulties will get compensaticm in 



you Rrow your own, find that you will eat other ways. 



more vegetables than you have been accus- Freedom from weeds, insects, and dis- 



tomed to, and will have less desire for the eases, good cultivation, and straig:ht lines 



more expensive kinds of food. come under the head of cleanness and order. 



RULES OP THE COMPETITION or in Other words, the p-eneral appearance 



To encourag:e the utilization of vacant of the g:arden will be considered, 



land in this way, patriotic vegetable gar- The judg:e or judg-es should furnish 



dening- competitions might be held. The pamphlets free, g:iving information on the 



rules g-overning- the competition have been best varieties of veRetables to olant, the 



made as simple as possible, so that every- general preparation of the soil, a suggested 



one whether he knows little or much about arrangement of veg:etables in the garden 



gardening- has a chance to win a prize. It (which need not necessarily be followed), 



is presumed that many will enter who have directions for controlling: injurious insects 



never gardened before, and whose vards and diseases, and cultural directions for 



are at present in a very roug-h condition, the different kinds of veg;etables. It is 



This was taken into consideration when the expected also that irrformation not covered 



rules were made. by the pamphlets will be cheerfully sup- 



SIZE OP G.tRDENS olied by the committee. 



Gardens entered for the competition are [UaueTUe[lje|i;e[Ueiuen;ci!lJ5[UaU5IUe|y5n^ 



to be l.OTO square feet in area. In other SllaTlSBanlailailPiTlSll&ilSTlafflanlanla^ 



words, they should be 50 by 20, 40 by 25, 30 ^ ^r%mT^T'-V ISirk'TP'Q. ^ 



by 33>2. or any other shape that will give nje »jvJv.1E< 1 Y INU 1 C/O nra 



the required area. Potatoes are excluded Si^ „ - 3^ 



from the general garden but may be grown ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 

 aIon,gside, and, if possible, a special prize 



or prizes given, based on the same points GuclpK 

 as for the general garden. There is no The option list of the Guelph Horticul- 

 rostnction as to size of plot for potatoes. jural Society this year is an unusually at- 

 TIME8 OP jtTDGiNG tractive one. Members of the society are 

 The gardens will be visited six times by offered twenty-nine options, included in all 

 the judge or judges, once before any work of which is a year's subscription to The 

 is done and then once a month in May, Canadian Horticulturist. Two of the op- 

 June, Tilly, August, and September. tions include books on horticultural sub- 

 Each month after the first visit, there jects. A third is a certificate which credits 

 will be a possible maximum of the following the owner with fifty cents towards the pur- 

 points, a, total of 500 points for the season. chase of garden tools at any hardware store 

 At the first visit the noints for difficulties in the city. The society this year will con- 

 (to be) overcome will be the only ones con- duct a vegetable parden competition for 

 sidered. full notes being taken on the con- working people only, a window and veran- 

 dition of the land. The score will be made, dah box competition for members of the 

 at the second visit, from the notes takoti society only, and a working people's lawn 

 at the first, and from the improvements and flower garden competition arranged by 

 which have been made. districts. It is distributing seeds, also. 



Points among the school children for use in home 

 Quantity and value of vegetables... 20 gardens. Officers of other societies may 

 Quality of vegetables 20 write to the secretary, Mr. J. E. Brit- 

 Assortment of vegetables 20 ton, O.A.C.. Guelph, for a copy of the 



Difficulties overcome 20 society's options. 



Cleanness and neatness 20 Vl^alkcrtoiV 



100 The Walkertocn Horticultural Society last 

 The quantitv of vegetables grown will be year improved the grounds around the new 

 decided both from the observations made Carnegie Library. It held a flower show 

 by the judge and by a signed statement at which the prizes awarded were paid in 

 from the householder, showing how much bulbs and plants. In the spring and fall 

 of each kind of vegetable was gathered and plants and bulbs were distributed to the 

 the approximate value of the same. members. Each member received The Can- 

 By quality is meant condition of develop- adian llurticultuiist. 



