31 



the cars and see that thej do arrive in Montreal in good time for the steamers. It 

 has alreadj' been mentioned that we guarantee the count, and if there is any short- 

 age we pay it. 



Mr. Allan; — Would your agents throughout the country, at the different points 

 on the bills of lading taking the goods by rail to Montreal ? 



Mr. Gedd. — All the railway companies, as far as I know, will grant you guaran- 

 teed bills of lading, provided you load your cars at such a station where they have 

 a tally on your barrels. We get the repeat bills of lading guaranteed, and the 

 steamship company checks the goods with the bills. Sometimes, as I understand 

 it, these apples are shipped at out, of the way stations, on the aiding, and they are 

 simply loaded into the cars at the shipper's direction and sent two, three or four 

 hundred miles, and may come on the bill of lading "shippers count." I think, Mr. 

 Chairman, these are all the points necessary for me to bring up. We shall in every 

 way try and forward the interests of the fruit growers and shippers of Canada, and 

 anything you want done we will only be too happy to try and do it, as far as prac- 

 ticable. 



Mr. Hdestoist, of the Canadian Pacific Eailway. — I cannot state what our com- 

 pany can do further than what they have done in the past. If there is any sugges- 

 tion that any of the gentlemen wish to make that they think will facilitate the 

 shipping of fruit we shall only be too glad to adopt it, us far as it is practicable 

 to do so. There have been a good many points raised by Mr. Allan. One was that 

 there was a shortage of cars. That is a matter which theoretically looks verj- easy; 

 but when you come to a practical solution it is sometimes a little difficult to meet 

 the requirements of all the localities. We have car distributors at different points 

 along the i-oad, and as this is perishable freight we give it the preference over other 

 freight. In regard to the question of granting bills of lading at shipper's count, I 

 do not know that there is any objection to giving a clear receipt in any case, where 

 it is practicable to count the shipment of apples. There may be some exceptions 

 where apples are shipped from sidings where it is not practicable for our men or 

 agents to count them ; but in no case where it is practicable for them to be counted 

 is there any objection to giving a clear receipt. I have listened with a great deal of 

 interest to the remarks of Mr. Allan with regard to the transportation of fruit, and I 

 shall take pleasure in placing the views expressed by him before our manager. I 

 have no doubt that, as far as it is practicable, everything will be done to facilitate the 

 shipment of this important freight. I do not know that there is anything further 

 that I can state, but I shall be pleased to answer any questions that may be asked 

 me with regard to fi-eight. 



The President. — We interviewed the Canadian Express Company with reference 

 to such transportation of fruit as they are in the habit of dealing with, and I have a 

 letter here from the President touching upon that point. It may be of some inter- 

 est in this connection, although the whole volume of freight which they carry is com- 

 paratively small. The letter is as follows: — 



" Montreal, ITth Februaiy, 1890. 



Prof. Penhallow, McGrill College, Montreal. 



" Mr Dear Sir, — I understand there is soon to be a meeting at Ottawa of those 

 directly interested in horticulture and fruit growing, the different parts of the 

 Dominion to be represented. I am glad to know this, as it can scarcely fail to increase 

 the interest in this important industry. For many years I have felt much interest 

 in our local association for the Province of Quebec, and have done whati could in my 

 small way to encourage it, and I feel sure that anything to awaken the interest of 

 the general public will be in the right direction. I believe that the finest fruit can 

 be grown at a profit in manj parts of the Dominion. I am not aware what parti- 

 cular points will be discussed, but presume the growth of the different kinds of fruit, 

 the mode of packing, the transportation and the markets will be considered.. These 

 seem to me important. 



