54 



Mr. E. W. Starr. — I would like to make a few observations on this matter. 

 Only two years ago, in sending a lot of holiday fruit, I put among them a few barrels 

 of extra Pallawaters, well coloured and handsome. These apples sold for 16s. a 

 barrel; that was the highest rate I could get for them. In the latter part of Febru- 

 ary, about the 25th, I shipped some more barrels of Fallawaters, and I had ihree 

 qualities. My few barrels, the extras, brought me 32s., the number I's brought 30s. 

 and the No. 2's 26s.; so you see what it is to keep the apples and send them to the 

 market at the proper time. I had a fruit cellar where I could keep them; but many 

 of our farmers having no warehouses or places to keep them, had to send them to 

 market at the time when prices were lowest. The British consumer does not buy 

 ahead, or the jobber does not hold heavy stocks. The result is, that if you send apples 

 to market earlier than they are wanted they must be sacrificed. "We have no such 

 risks down by the sea as you have, only the risk of freezing, because we have only 

 four or five hours in getting from the orchard to the ship, that is, if the cars are ready 

 and can get them down in the proper time. The only thing we are lacking is roll- 

 ing stock for the railway. We want, for the early season, ventilated cars daring the hot 

 weather, cars that will carry the fruit with the least possible liabilityto to overheating. 

 Then, when it gets colder we want frost-proof cars, cars that can be heated by means 

 of lamps, stoves or some other means, in order that the temperature in the car may 

 be kept a little above freezing point. Then we want a better and more careful 

 system of handling and stowing, both on the cais and steamers. Then better ventil- 

 ation, and greater care in discharging on the other side. We have most fault to find 

 with the way cargoes are delivered, not the way they are taken, because almost 

 invariably we send an agent with the cars to the steamers, and it makes a vast 

 difference the way they are handled on arrival. With fair handling, more com- 

 petition in freights, and frost-proof warehouses at the point of shipment, we should 

 be all right. 



The President — I think these are important points, which we might refer to 

 the Committee on Transportation. In that connection I would make another sug- 

 gestion with reference to the sale of fruit on the London market by private sale. It 

 struck me that if there was an authorized agent there to act as agent to the Cana- 

 dian fruit growers, so that all Canadian fjuit could be shipped to him and under 

 proper regulations, each man having his own brand on the barrels, and that agent 

 instructed to effect private sales, I think the question of market price would quickly 

 settle itself. I think that is a matter which would be worthy of the consideration 

 of the Committee on Transportation. 



Mr. Geo. Johnson — May I be allowed to state that during this year, in anticipa- 

 tion of the census, it will be very important that all persons growing fruit for export 

 should be very particular as to the quantities and value of the fi-uit that they raise, 

 more particularly so this year than in any other year. Another point I might 

 mention is, that any letters addressed to me at the Department of Agriculture, 

 Ottawa, should be marked "free." 



The President. — I will now call upon Mr. Fisk to give us his paper on Eussian 

 Apples. 



Mr. J. M. Fisk, of Abbotsford, then read the following paper : — 



Adaptation of Eussian Fruits to Canadian Eequirements. 



Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen, — No portion of the American continent is 

 likely to be more benefited by the introduction of the Eussian fruits than the north- 

 ern part of the Dominion of Canada, especially that portion which lies north of par- 

 allel 46, which requires trees, not only of the very hardiest types, but those which 

 mature their fruits early in the season. 



This i"S characteristic with most of the Eussian varieties, for they prepare for 

 the winter by thoroughly maturing the season's growth, having well-ripened terminal 

 buds, which seldom fail to start in the spring. Our earliest and most profitable 

 summer apples are those of Eussian origin, among which are Yellow Transparent, 



