113 



WiNNiPEu Weather Bureau, 



3l8t January, 1890.. 



Oomparison Temperature. 



Dec, 1888. Dec, 1889. 



Maximum 18 — 14 — 



Minimum — 2 — 8 



Mean 14— — 3 



Jan., 1889. Jan., 1890. 



Maximum 15 — 



Minimum —12 —26 



Mean — 6 — 12 



Note. — before a Aguxe denotes below zero; — after a figure denotes above zero. 



The coldest weather in this country is caused by local waves which only 

 extend a few hundred feet at times and come from the north-west. The general 

 surface of the country is not simultaneously affected by these waves. For instance, 

 on the 17th we had one from the north-west which dropped my instruments lower 

 than those within one mile of me ; and while I registered — 46, Stony Mountain 

 only registered — .28. This drop, — 46, could have been registered in ten minutes, 

 and the same instrument show 10° less cold in a few minutes. The average mini- 

 mum reading of this country is not more than — 28 to — 30, and of that dry cold 

 which would not cause quick freezing. The damp atmosphere at — 15 is worse than 

 our dry climate at — 30. This T have proved, as an old observer in the service, in 

 many ways. I wish you would write me definitely what you want. Ask it, and 

 you shall have it. It is no trouble. I think you should see the books and pick out 

 what you know would be useful to you. You can see them any time you come iu. 

 No. 21 Town street, they will show you all this information. Don't forget you are at 

 perfect liberty to have any information of use to you. 



Tours faithfullly, 



GEO. P. BLISS 



Official Observer. 



Fruit G-rowing in British Columbia. 



The President. — ^We shall now listen to a paper on " Fruit Growing in British 

 Columbia" by Mr. G. W. Henry, of Port Hammond, B. C. 



Mr. Henry then read the following paper : — 



Could I write a paper on this subject five years from now I might give a very 

 different report from to-day, for the people are only begining to realize what the 

 capabilities of the country really are. 



When I arrived in the Province in the spring of 1885, for the purpose of enter- 

 in o- into fruit growing, upon making tours throughout the mral districts I was 

 much surprised at the unhealthy, rough appearance of the trees, which, as a rule, 

 represented the fruit-bearing orchards of the Province. I afterwards learned that 

 this broken down appearance was caused principally by the abundant, early and con- 

 tinued yields of fruit given under a system of neglect. 



One orchard in particular which I went to see, that is situated near where I am 

 located, and is called one of the largest and best orchards in the Province, not only 

 surprised me, but I might say almost discouraged me about going into fruit growing 

 in British Columbia, for the appearance it presented at that season of the year, before 

 the leaves were out, the branches broken down and twisted in all shapes, that, had 

 it been in Ontario, I would have consideVed they were not worth the ground they 

 occupied. Some of the trees were planted in the centre of large hollow cedar 

 stumps the branches of the tree first spreading over the top of the stump, its trunk 

 beino- hidden entirely, others crowded in between stumps in all shapes, and upon 

 the ffround there had been an annual crop of hay cut for twenty years, of from three 

 to four tons p6r acre. 



