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SCIENTIFIC AGRICULTURE 



February, 1921. 



troying- fungus is now to be added to the list of wholly 

 culturable forms, it having been cultured through from 

 spore to spore under artificial conditions. Bj' the ap- 

 plication of bacteriological principles the connection be- 

 tween a known type of decay and a i)resumed causal 

 organism has been fully established. This fungus which 

 has generally been regarded as a saprophyte has been 

 shown to possess the capacity of acting as a parasite. 

 In attempting to solve the question of its parasitism 

 three lines of investigation were followed: — (1) accu- 

 mulation of evidence of apparent parasitism in luiture ; 

 (2) direct examination of invaded tissues to determine 

 whether or not they were living; (3) inoculation of 

 healthy trees. Abundant positive evidence was oli- 

 tained in support of the first. Tyloses and wound gum 

 were present in the cells at the advance limiit of decay. 

 This is the best criterion availal)le at present in de- 

 ciding whethci' or not a fungus is acting parasiticalh'. 



The inoculation work was inconclusive because the 

 controls showed results similar to those produced in 

 the inoculated trees. 



Zavitz, C. A. Loose Smut in Oats and Stinking Smut 

 in Wheat. Out. Agric College and Exp. Farm Ann. 

 Rept. 39: 132-135. 1913. — Reports expei'iments which 

 were continued for five 3'ears testing out eight of the 

 treatments recommended for the control of loose smut 

 of oats and bunt. The greatest yields per acre of I)()th 

 oats and winter wheat were produced from grain which 

 had been immersed for twenty minutes in a solution 

 made by adding one-half ])int of formalin to twenty- 

 one gallons of water. Immunity tests for oats to smut 

 carried on for twelve years show that there are great 

 differences in susce])tibility among the different varie- 

 ties. The Early Ripe variety is almost immune to smut 

 while of the varieties used Black Tartarian is most 

 susceptible. 



Progress of Fruit Breeding in Canada 



Following is a summary of an address given before 

 tlie meml)ers of the Eastern Ontario local brand) of the 

 C. S. T. A. on Jan. 7. 1921. by W. T. MaciMiii. l)oniini(Ui 

 Ilorticull urist. 



There are eight men who might lie called the pioneer 

 fruit breeders of ('anada, all of whom arc now dead, 

 namely, Wm. Saunders, London and Ottawa, Out.; 

 Charles Arnold, Paris, Out. ; Peter C. Dempsey, Albury, 

 Out.; W. II. Mills, Hamilton, Ont. ; Wm. Haskins, 

 Hamilton, Ont.; James Dougall, Windsor, Ont.; W. II. 

 Read, Port Dalhousie, Ont.; and Francis IVahody 

 Sharp, Woodstock, N.B. 



"Varieties of fruit which these men originated which 

 are grown to any extent commercially in Canada are 

 the Josselyn (Red Jacket) gooseberry, originated by 

 Wm. Saunders, and the Windsor cherry originated by 

 James Dougall. The Ontario apple originated by Chas. 

 Arnold and the Crimson Beaiity apple originated by 

 Francis Pcabody Sharji are jirown to some extent also, 

 as is the New Brunswick apple originated by Mr. Sharp. 

 Th'ere are very few fruits of Canadian origin that are 

 grown commercially in Canada, as, in addition to those 

 just mentioned, there are but the Fameuse apple of 

 utdiuown origin, the Mcintosh apple originated with 

 John .Mcintosh. Dundela, Ont., in 1796, and the Her- 

 bert rasjiberry originated with the lafc R. B. Wliyte, 

 Ottawa, Ont. 



It will thus be seen that most varieties of fruits 

 grown commercially in Canada are of foreign origin. 

 This is due to Canada being more recently developed 

 Hum the United States, Great Britain and Europe, 

 wlierc most of the fruits grown in Canada originated 

 over a long period as chance seedlings. The work of the 

 pioneer fruit breeders in Canada was limited owing to 

 the most of their time being occu])ied with their main 

 business of making a living. 



Since the Central Experimental Faim wais estab- 

 lished in 1S87 continuous effort has been made to 



originate new varieties of fruits which would be especi- 

 ally suited to Canadian conditions, especial attention 

 having .been i)aid to the apple. When Dr. Wm. Saun 

 ders came to Ottawa from London he brought with 

 him a large collection of seedlings of currants, raspber- 

 ries and gooseberries which he had originated. Some 

 of these have proved of great merit, and after having 

 been thoroughly tested are being introduced. These 

 include the Count and Brighton raspberries, the Mabel 

 gooseberry, and the Kerry, Saunders, Topsy, Magnus 

 -and Climax black cuin-ants. 



Cross-breeding of apples to obtain hardy varieties 

 for the Prairies was begun by Dr. Saunders in 1894, 

 the Pyrus baecata being used to obtain hardiness. 

 Of this work the Osman and Columbia, two crab ap- 

 ples, have shown superior hardiness under try- 

 ing conditions on the Prairies, and mark a step in ad- 

 vance. These first crosses were re-crossed by Dr. 

 Saunders, and larger fruit from two to two and one- 

 half inches in diameter resulted, and these are now 

 being tested on the Prairie for hardiness. 



Work in breeding fruit was begun in the Horticul- 

 tural Division at Ottawa in 1895, and has been con- 

 tinued since, many promising new varieties of apples 

 having been obtaiiUMl. Perhaiis those which promise 

 to be of greatest value are the o]>en jiollinated seed- 

 lings of Mcintosh, including Melba, Joyce, Patricia, 

 Pedro, and Hume. These are now being jjropagated 

 for introduction. Whereas when the work was begun 

 there were only three or four varieties of winter api)lcs 

 which had lieeii fouinl hardy, now one hundred (u- more 

 long keejiing sorts oi-iginated in the Horticullui-al 

 Division have lived through test winters. 



The Portia strawberry is, perhaps, the best of some 

 very good ones which have been originated. Work is 

 going on with pears, jtlums, gra|ies, ras])berries. goose- 

 berries, and other fruits. 



At the Exjierimental Station. Vincland, Out., and 

 at the Ontario Agricidtural College, Guelph, Out., good 

 work is being done in fruit breeding, ju'omising new 

 tender fruits particularly having been originated. 



