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for our products. Now, with similar objects iu view, namely, that of beuefiting the 

 whole community, the Experimental Farms have been organized and one of the objects 

 contemplated in this organization is to advance horticulture ; and 1 propose, during the 

 few moments which I shall occupy your time to endeavour to give you abrief sketch of 

 what we are doing in this respect as well as what we hope to be able to do in the future. 

 At the Experimental Farm at Ottawa, which is the Central Farm, a large portion of the 

 preparatory work is done, which has its bearing on the whole Dominion, for that is 

 the distributing centre from which plants, trees and shrilbs are sent to the other four 

 farms, as well as to other points for test. One of these farms is in Nova Scotia, the 

 second in Manitoba, the thii-d in the North- West Tez-ritories, and the fourth is in 

 British Columbia. Now, at the outset here it is very important that a good 

 foundation be laid, and that foundation in the larger fruits consists, in the 

 first place, of the ordinary standand varieties of apples, such as are grown with 

 such advantage and profit in the western parts of Ontario. Those of you who are 

 conversant with the climate of Ottawa know that we have here a very fair propor- 

 tion of cold weather during the winter months. During the present winter two or 

 three hundred miles west they have scai'cely had any snow ; but we have had 

 continuous sleighing since November, and we expect it to continue until spring. 

 This is the usual character of our winters. Such continuous cold weather, and 

 especially when very low temperatures prevail, has its effect on fruit trees, and 

 the result is, many of the more tender varieties will not endure the vicissitudes they 

 are exposed to in this climate. Yet it may be said that the climate of Ottawa is 

 fairly representative of the larger portions of Ontario and Quebec ; for, taking the 

 more favourable fruit areas out of Ontario, there is a very large proportion of this 

 Province north and eastwhere the conditions of temperature which obtain in Ottawa 

 prevail to a like degree and stand in the way of very successful fruit culture. In the 

 test orchard of standard varieties at the Experimental Farm many sorts will be tried 

 which we do not expect to succeed with. This will be done so that we may be able 

 to give the information to those who apply for it as to whether certain varieties are 

 likely to succeed or not. Judging from the growth of the trees in the three years 

 we have had the work carried on, there is a promise of success with a large number 

 of varieties which it was thought likely, when the Farm was started, would not grow 

 in the Ottawa valley. I think a very important part of our work will be to dissem- 

 inate knowledge throughout the country as to what varieties will not succeed, as 

 well as in regard to those which are successful, and thus save the people from 

 spending their money in a useless manner. Beside the orchard of standard trees, we 

 have a larger orchard in which there are 170 to 180 varieties of Eussian and north- 

 ern European trees. Those are all being carefully watched, and although they have 

 only been two years in the ground there were two trees last year which fruited and 

 bore some nice apples. We expect during the next year that some others may be 

 found to bear a sufficient quantity to permit of testing the quality of these fruits 

 All such inforniation will be reported on from time to lime, giving full information 

 as to the most promising sorts. In every case the plain truth will be given 

 in regard to everything tested, as fai- as the judgment of the officers in charge 

 will permit, and I think that the reports we shall give from time to time 

 as the Eussian fruits progress in these orchards will be very important. There is 

 one thing that I wish to say here as a word of caution. It is this : 

 it is too often the case with fruit growers in. the more temperate portions of the 

 Province, in their desire to get everything that is new, to encumber their orchards 

 with varieties which they would be better without, and I would say that there are 

 very few of these Eussian varieties of apples which it is desirable to grow in those 

 districts where the best standard sorts can be produced, but some of them are likely 

 to serve a most useful purpose in those districts of the country where the better and 

 higher flavoured fruits, for which Ontario is now so note4, cannot be successfully 

 grown. If we can place eventually such information at the disposal of every settler 

 in the more distant settlements, which will enable him to grow fruit, even though it 

 is not of the very highest quality, it will be much appreciated ; it will add to his 



