15 



in providing a place where the younger generation may study conditions and 

 acquaint themselves with the class and variety of fruit most likely to succeed 

 and prove profitable in different localities in the years to come. The services 

 of an expert Horticulturist, whose whole time could be devoted to assisting the 

 orchardists in field work on their farms would no doubt prove very valuable 

 and might inaugurate a campaign such as is in progress in New Brunswick at 

 the present time. The soil is fertile and productive and the cultivation of the 

 land does not present the problems and difficulties that are to be found in less 

 favoured sections. 



Faulty Distribution. 



Under existing conditions, large quantities of early fruit go entirely to 

 waste in a season of full crop, while later in the season importations of apples 

 for local consumption are at times obtained from Ontario and Nova Scotia. 

 The blueberry fields in the vicinity of Mount Stewart and other parts of the 

 Island are of considerable extent, and furnish employment to a large number 

 of people during the season, large quantities of fine fruit being sent to outside 

 markets. 



General Farming Profitable. 



It is quite probable that, owing to the ease with which general farming 

 has been conducted on this Island on account of its remarkable fertility, and 

 the comparatively large returns that are at once available, there has not been 

 the same inducement to the people to engage in an industry which to some 

 extent was untried and might be considered uncertain, when right at hand there 

 were numerous opportunities of sure and certain returns for their labour. The 

 pioneer work in orcharding, however, has already been undertaken and success 

 has been achieved. It now only remains for many upon the Island who, not 

 content with making simply a comfortable livelihood from their farms, will 

 take up the work of producing fruit of the quality which the Island is capable 

 of growing, and thus secure for themselves the same advantages that are being 

 reaped by others who have been more aggressive and enterprising. 



All kinds of small f uits, particularly strawberries, currants and gooseberries, 

 do extremely well in this Province, and those who have been engaged in their 

 culture in a large way have found it very profitable. While the market is to 

 some extent limited, it is capable of absorbing considerably more of these fruits 

 than are at present produced and larger plantings might safely be encouraged. 



Plums and pears are grown to some extent, but are not considered com- 

 mercially profitable. The same may be said of grapes, although it is quite 

 possible that varieties of all these fruits of great value, may yet be introduced 

 and distributed. 



There is considerable difference of opinion as to the best varieties of apples 

 to be recommended, but the majority of the growers agree on the following as 

 the most desirable of proven kinds. 



Early. Midseason. 



Astrachan, Duchess, 



Tetofsky, Wealthy, 



Yellow Transparent Gravenstein, top grafted, 



Alexander, 



Wolf River. 



Winter. 



Peewaukee, Inkeiman, 



Ben Davis, Bishop Pippin, top grafted. 



