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When I learned all this, and found that the owner had annually sold immense 

 ■crops of apples, plums and other fruits from the orchard I concluded that if such 

 crops of fruit as this could be raised under such conditions, something extraordinary 

 could be expected under favourable cifcumstancee. 



I visited that same orchard again in the autumn, and I could scarcely believe 

 those trees covered with such dark green foliage, showing a strange new growth of 

 wood, and loaded with beautiful fruit, were the same I saw presenting such a half 

 dead appearance in the early spring — but so it was, and I handled some of the finest 

 fruit from that orchard I ever have in any country. The owner sold that year of 

 apples alone $2,000 worth, besides upwards of ten tons of plums. 



The pruning of these trees was done automatically, as it were — that is, each tree 

 annually bore such heavy crops that enough branches were broken with the load of 

 fruit each year to keep the top well opened to the sun and air. 



I noticed plum trees there this year, with the main central shoot broken off 

 entirely from its load, and all the side branches hanging down, so as to give it the 

 shape of a well-trained Kilmarnock willow. At the time this orchard was planted it 

 was a very diflScult task to get the young trees for planting. Consequently, like many 

 of the other old orchards in existence, most of the trees were had by grafting on the 

 native crab, scions of different varieties being procured wherever possible. 



The results which have been obtained under all these difficulties are consequently 

 very gratifying, in showing what may be accomplished under a proper system. This 

 orchard t mention is planted on what is known as bottom land of the Fraser River 

 Valley, which is seemingly inexhaustible. Much of the highland will produce equally 

 as good fruit, but will require more feed and cultivation. 



1 have spoken more particularly of the apple and plum, as they have been more 

 extensively grown than any other fruits, although the cherry has proved itself equally 

 successful. The trees of the Heart and Bigarreau varieties, especially, have grown to 

 a size I never saw equalled anywhere, and the quality and appearance of the 

 fruit certainly could not be surpassed. 



Pears do not seem to have been planted much in the early days, no doubt because 

 of the diflSculty to procure the stock ; nor do they seem to adapt themselves to all 

 locations and classes of soil as well as the others. Tet in many parts of the Province 

 the pear, I believe, can be grown more profitably than any other fruit, and finer 

 samples could not be wished for — the flavour being excellent and the size of fruit im- 

 mense. Specimens were shown at the Exhibition last October weighing over two 

 pounds. Perhaps one of the most profitable fruits that can be grown in the country 

 is the prune, which is now being planted somewhat extensively. 



Of peaches and grapes we do not find many specimens in bearing. Of the 

 former, what we do find are principally seedlings, and a few miles from the coast, 

 considering the stock they have, the results are very satisfactory. In regard to 

 grapes, I have seen vines of the Concord planted twenty years ago now with a trunk 

 6 inches in diameter, covering an im.men8e area, and bearing half a ton of grapes in one 

 season, a growth and yield I think hard to excel in any country; although the vines 

 have never had any training or thinning out, the fruit ripened up well and gave 

 some as fine samples as I ever saw. Now that I have given you some idea of the 

 fruit growing of the past, I come to speak more particularly of my own experience, 

 and what has taken place more directly under my own observation during the last 

 three years, and will give you some of the results which have been secured under 

 perhaps more than ordinary good care and culture. 



Beginning with apples, I might mention an orchard of 200 trees that I imported 

 to the country from Ontario in the fall of 1885. They were planted in the spring of '86, 

 and in the season of 1889 yielded an average crop of one bushel to a tree. This is an 

 exceptional result, and was secured by extra good care. But it shows what can be 

 done. I have had young apple trees make an annual growth of 6 feet in the branches 

 plums and cherries 8 feet — and this not at the expense of the trunk. Standard pear 

 trees have not, with me, made as satisfactory a growth ; but my dwart pears of 

 which I have about 500, planted about two years ago, show a good growth and last 



