66 



4. Yes, in every case. 



5. Improved facilities, greater knowledge, general development, greater 

 demand, increased net returns. 



6. Ranging from $50 to $1,000 per acre. 



7. In almost every case very much greater. 



8. In Eastern Provinces baskets and barrels. In Ontario, baskets, crates, 

 boxes and barrels. In British Columbia, crates and boxes. 



9. Generally find transportation defective. Rates are high and in manv 

 cases excessive, with equipment unsatisfactory. 



10. Co-operative organization to secure more satisfactory conditions. 



11. Insect pests and fungous diseases are generally prevalent in the East, 

 but may be controlled by efficient spraying. The fruit pit in the West is causing 

 some anxiety at the present time as its origin is somewhat obscure and control 

 as yet difficult. Peach Yellows, Little Peach, Black Knot and Pear Blight 

 must be at once removed wherever discovered in an orchard. Climatic con- 

 ditions occasionally severe in certain localities and their effects must be taken 

 into consideration. 



12. This question has already been answered in detail in various parts of 

 the Report and covers a wide range and varies with the locality. 



13. Practically answered in No. 12. 



14. Clean cultivation in early months of the spring and summer, followed 

 by cover crops during the latter part of the season is now generally being adopted. 

 In some localities on account' of the severity of the winter, sod culture with heavy 

 mulching is practiced, and in some cases sheep pastured in the established 

 orchards. Growing of hay and the small grains in an orchard universally 

 condemned. 



15. With few exceptions there is at present a widespread interest in improved 

 methods of orchard practice and an extensive planting of trees and plants of 

 nearly all kinds of fruit is being made, which will in the near future have a 

 marked influence on the output and general market conditions. 



16. No fear is expressed as to an over-production of fancy high class fruit. 

 There is at present a large surplus of the other kind. 



NOTES ON ORCHARD MANAGEMENT. 



A few brief notes on some of the essential factors of successful orchard man- 

 agement may not be out of place. 



Production of Fruit. 



Since the commencement of commercial fruitgrowing in Canada, there has 

 been a very marked improvement in the quality, size and flavour of the product. 

 This gradual evolution, while to a large extent due to the introduction of new 

 and more desirable varieties of fruit, may also be safely attributed to an import- 

 ant change in the methods of orcharding. 



From the time when spraying was considered a waste of time, when culti- 

 vation consisted in drawing the branches of trees over the soil, when scientific 

 pruning was practically unknown, until to-day, when up-to-date orchardists 

 successfully cope with a very large percentage of the insects and diseases with 

 which they have to contend, when modern farm machinery may be utilized for 

 all tillage operations, and when careful pruning is recognized as one of the essen- 

 tial practices in the production of No. 1 fruit, there has been an endless and ines- 

 timably valuable amount of research work done along all lines of orchard manage- 

 ment. As a result of this, fruitgrowing has to-day taken its rightful place as one 

 of the most important phases of the agricultural development of the people. 



The following pages will be devoted to a consideration of some of the chief 

 requisites in the establishment of a successful orchard. 



