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satisfied we shall be able to show that that district is capable of growing good fruit. 

 Passing westward, there is an Experimental Farm in Manitoba, at Brandon; and 

 another at Indian Head, in the North-West Territories. As most of you know, there 

 are serious climatic difficulties to contend with in the North- West in undertaking to 

 gi-ow fruit trees. The temperature is very low during the winter, sometimes remain- 

 ing below zero for a month or more at a time. In looking over the records of tern 

 perature received from three Experimental Farms. I find that for as much as a fort- 

 night at a time the thermometer has remained as low as 25° to 35° below zero. It 

 requires very hardy fruit trees to stand such sustained cold. An occasional dip, fol- 

 lowed by warm weather, does not seem to have the same effect on the vitality of the 

 trees, as do these continuous low temperatures, especially when they are accom- 

 panied by strong drying winds. Small fruits can be grown without much diffi- 

 culty in the North-West, for the reason that there is usually enough snow to 

 protect them and they do not suffer to the same extent from the low temper- 

 ature and drying winds as do the trees Up to the time the Experimental Farm 

 work began, I have not heard of any trees being taken to that country 

 which were hardy enough to endure the climate. Some three years ago I 

 visited Sir Donald Smith's place at Silver Heights, near Winnipeg, and examined 

 the trees which were planted there. There were apple trees of the Duchess variety, 

 which had been planted for some years, but every year they had been killed down 

 to the snow line. When I saw these trees again last year I found very little change 

 in them ; they were about the same height as they were two years before ; so that 

 the prospect of growing the Duchess apple there is not very encouraging. I think 

 that in the Eed Elver Valley there always will bfe a very considerable difficulty in 

 the way of growing fruit trees, for the reason that the soil is so rich and strong and 

 deep that a late growth is sometimes induced in the autumn, and this soft new wood 

 will not endure growth when succeeded by severe cold. I think this will not be 

 found to be the case so often in those parts where the soil is lighter further west. 

 On the bluffs and along the river valleys there are thousands of acres which, 

 I hope, it may be practicable, before many years, to plant with fruit trees. We 

 have had two summers' and one winter's experience at Indian Head and a summer's 

 experience at Brandon, with about fifty or sixty varieties of Eussian trees planted 

 there of the hardier sorts of apples, and a considerable proportion of them have 

 passed through the very trying seasons referred to and promise fairly well. Our 

 experience so far has, on the whole, been encouraging. The statement just made by 

 the Honourable Minister of Agriculture, that we maybe able to find an apple, as well 

 as other varieties of fruit, that will endure in the North- West Territories, is quite, 

 likely to be verified; indeed, I think, there is good reason to believe we shall find, 

 not only one, but a good many varieties that will succeed there. It is scarcely to be 

 expected that the North-West will ever do much in the way of exporting fruit, but 

 we may expect that as the taste for fruit becomes more general the demand will be 

 greatly increased. The people will want these hardier sorts for cooking, and will 

 still desire to buy the high flavoured sorts grown in the east for the tables. If they 

 cannot grow these hardy varieties at home, many persons will be compelled to go 

 without fruit altogether, and that is a very great deprivation. The success of small 

 fruits on the western farms has been more encouraging. I think there is no doubt 

 that at Indian Head, during the coming season, we shall have quite a crop of small 

 fruits. Gooseberries, currants, raspberries and strawberries have made fair growth, 

 although, on account of the dry weather, they have not reached that development 

 which is usually seen . I must also say a few words about British Columbia, for there we 

 have a territory which, I think, will soon produce sufficient fruit for home consumption 

 and a large surpl us for export to tho mining districts and small towns in the mountains, 

 and to those parts of the Territories where fruit may not be so easily grown ; also, to 

 China, Japan and other Asiatic countries. I have never seen, anywhere, such crops 

 of apples, pears, plums and cherries as those of British Columbia. At first I was a 

 little doubtful in regard to the quality of these fruits, but when I visited the fairs 

 last year at New Westminster and Ashcroft, and had opportunities of tasting the 



