April, 1921. 



SCIENTIFIC AGRICULTURE. 



Pomological Progress in New Brunswick 



A. G. TUBNEY. ])ept. of Ag ricniltiin', Fredeneton, N. B. 



My knowledfre of the development of fruit gi'owing 

 in New Hninswiek dates from February, 1910, at which 

 time I became horticulturist for the province, coming 

 there from Ontario, and the information I have on the 

 subject is from such records and evidence as I have 

 been able to secure, and^ which, I regret to say, are 

 verj' incomplete. They are sufficient, however, to show 

 that the history of fruit culture in New lirunswiek, up 

 to the beginning of the twentietii century, is very 

 largelv the history of the woi'k of one man: Francis 

 P. Sharp. 



He was the leading pioneer pomologist of New Bruns- 

 wick and perhaps of all Canada. Born at Northamp- 

 ton, in 1825, he removed to Upper Woodstock in 1844, 

 which was to the end his home and the basis of all his 

 operations. He at once commenced a career of dis- 

 covery and experiment in fruit culture which was des- 

 tined to become of much value to the province. A 

 belief was general at this time that New Brunswick 

 could not grow successfully apples of fine quality. 

 Sharp obtained scions from Canada, Bangor, Maine, 

 and England, and it is said that he tested about every 

 known variety of apple of approved quality that could 

 be readily obtained. The Fameuse and Alexander had 

 been previously introduced at Frederieton but Sharp 

 brought both into general use, and was the first man 

 to introduce most of the standard varieties to the pro- 

 vince, records at that time showing the importation of 

 such other old standard varieties as Red Astraehan, 

 Porter, Minister, Golden Russet, Ribston Pippin, St. 

 La.wren<5e, Gravenstein, Talman Sweet and Williams 

 Favorite — all prior to 1858. 



Sharp must early have become aware of the possibil- 

 ities in the direction of deriving new and more suitable 

 varieties from seed for among the older seedlings there 

 were several of excellent quality, such as the "Peabody 

 Greening," and "Honey Pink," both of which he pro- 

 pagated and always recommended. Besides, we have 

 the record of purchases of seed, one lot from Frederic- 

 ton and another from a nursei-yman named Dunning, 

 at Bangor. These seeds, to be sure, were for stocks to 

 bud on, but the seeds for which he sent away were in- 

 tended to be those of improved varieties, for budding 

 purposes and also to test for new varieties. 



The native seedling might show, in its first year's 

 growth, an appearance less "crabby" than would be 

 the case generally and it could be quickly tested by 

 top-grafting. This is .just what did happen. From the 

 lot of seed received from Bangor grew one seedling 

 which, on account of its appearance was allowed to 

 stand over in the nursery until its second year. It was 

 taken apart and put upon an older stock. When the 

 first fruit came, ten or a dozen fine large, handsome 

 apples. Sharp saw at once their value and began pro- 

 pagating immediately. It was the first apple of quality 

 that gave evidence of being completely adapted to New- 

 Brunswick. This was the origin of SHARP'S NEW 

 BRUNSWICK APPLE, exact date not given, but in the 

 early fifties, which many have seen fit to regard as the 

 Duchess of Oldenburg, a variety of Russian origin. 

 Sharp, in 1882, after comparative tests, pointed out 

 some of the differences. However, the knowledge that 

 the "New P.runswicker" was the product of seed grown 



in the soil of New Brunswick, gave an impetus and 

 direction to a great deal of Sharp's life work. 



At what date we do not know exactly, he commen- 

 ced ti-ying to produce better varieties by hybridizing. 

 With "NewBrunswicker" asoneparent in most eases, 

 he made in all njnvards of 2.000 crosses from which 

 such varieties originated as Woodstock Bloom, Munro 

 Sweet No. 1. Munro Sweet No. 2, (now Walden, a fine 

 apple midway between Fameuse and Mcintosh Red), 

 and Crimson Beauty (originally named Early Scarlet). 

 The latter was planted in orchard in 1887, after seven- 

 teen years observation in fruiting, so allowing not less 

 than four or five years more, the date when this varie- 

 tj' was first begun was certainly as early as 1866. The 

 Munro Sweets, being planted in 1866^ the date of 

 their origin would also be about the same. Anyhow, 

 Sharp stated in an address to the Farmers' and Dairy- 

 men's Association at Frederieton in 1896, that he and 

 Peter M. Gideon were the "first two men in America 

 to scientifically hybridize the apple and pear." So, 

 whether Sharp or Gideon was actually the first in 

 America, Sharp was certainly by many years the first 

 to begin this important branch of horticultural work 

 in Canada. Unfortunately for the success of his work, 

 the greater part of these crosses were undergoing test 

 in his son's orchard, when that orchard passed into the 

 hands of strangers, who immediatel.v chopped them 

 out, evidentl.v not appreciating the irreparable loss thus 

 occasioned. 



To the development of tho.se experiments, and their 

 results, space will only permit of the briefest possible 

 reference. Under his guiding hand orchard after orch- 

 ard arose on the sunny hills that flank the river St. 

 John. The first one was set out in 1844 with 100 trees, 

 the next at Northampton had 1,000 trees, the third at 

 Jacksonville, 1,600 trees, the fourth at Woodstock, 

 320 trees, the next was the Stoddard orchard of 2,400 

 trees, then at Northampton an orchard of 2,560 trees, 

 then the Birmingham orchard of 200 trees, then the 

 orchard, the i-emains of which now ad.join Mr. Sharp's 

 old home in which there were in 1891, of plums and 

 apples, about 9,000 trees. Later Mr. Sharp and his 

 son, Franklin, established a large orchard at Sisson 

 Brook, a short distance above Woodstock, which was 

 added to from time to time, and in 1891 covered about 

 100 acres, and comprised no less than 20,000 trees. 



But by far the largest branch of this immense busi- 

 ness was the nurseries and it may come as a surprise 

 to some to learn that Mr. Sharp succeeded in raising 

 nursery stock so far north in very large quantities. 

 His first nursery was established in 1844 and compris- 

 ed 4,000 trees;" then came others of 28,000, 50,000, 

 100.000 and 200.000 trees. In 1882 Mr. Sharp and 

 his son founded a nursery on the intervale of 180,000 

 trees, followed by another of 150,000. but owing to the 

 freshets the location proved unsuitable. 



While the early (jommercial orchards we have spoken 

 of were coming into bearing, the nursery business in- 

 creased so rapidly that Sharp took in his brother-in- 

 law, Sperry Shea, as partner. During the seventies 

 they did a large business all over New Brunswick, 

 Prince Edward Island, and Eastern Maine. At this time, 

 also, he stocked with root-grafts four nurseries in 



