149 



an orchard in prime bearing about $80 per acre. This, of course, presupposes 

 every tree to be in thrifty condition, well pruned, well cultivated, and well dressed 

 each year with suitable fertilizers. 



For those who are situated near to our large cities, it will be profitable to grow 

 fancy summer apples, such as the Eed Astracan and Duchess of Oldenburg, which, on 

 account of their extreme beauty, rather than their quality, command a high price in 

 our home mar]kets. 



With regard to the extent of the apple orchards of Ontario, it is stated in the 

 report of the Ontario Bureau of Industries that there are about 200,000 acres of 

 orchards in the Province, and of these about 60,000 are situated in the counties border- 

 ing on Lake Ontario, about 40,000 in counties bordering on Lakes Erie and St. Clair, 

 20,000 in counties bordering on Lake Huron, and about 50,000 more are situated in 

 the inland counties lying intermediate between the above mentioned. Thus it is seen 

 that a large portion of the commercial orchards of Ontario are situated in the southern 

 part of the Province. 



The export of apples from Ontario is gradually increasing, according to the sta- 

 tistics in the same report. In 1880 only about 32,000 barrels were exported, aad the 

 quantity has annually increased until in the year 1888 over 226,000 barrels were 

 exported, yielding the Province a revenue of at least as many dollars. 



From these imperfect statements it will at least be evident that apple ctlture in 

 southern Ontario is one of the most important industries in which the farmer can 

 engage who is favourably situated as to climate, soil and markets, and that by such 

 conventions as these, at which these important points are bi'Ought forward, much 

 good will result to the Dominion, by increasing the interest in fruit culture, and 

 thereby ultimately increasing the wealth of the country. 



The President. — At the close of the proceedings of this meeting I feel that we 

 cannot adjourn without my making one or two remarks with reference to the work 

 we have accomplished and the origin of this work. As I pointed out in my opening 

 address, the conception of this meeting originated two years ago. Those with whom 

 the idea started, felt that there was some important work to be done by such an assem- 

 blage of fruit-growers, representing the interests in the widely-separated parts of this 

 Dominion and it was this feeling which urged them forward to renew the applica- 

 tion to the Government lor a grant, which at first was not granted. The application 

 failed however for various reasons, and it was only by pursuing the matter that the 

 object was finally attained. We may consider, I think, from the success which has 

 attended this meeting, that those efforts were not in vain. In fact I think, we may 

 hold that this meeting has been of an eminently successful character. The papers 

 have been valuable, and the discussions have been carried on with a degree of intelli- 

 gence and interest which it is very rare to find in meetings of this kind; and as one 

 gentleman remarked to-day after he had been listening to our discussion here, he said : 

 " I fear you are going to set up a rival House of Commons. This is a fruit parlia- 

 ment " This is I think, what we may consider the highest tribunal for the decision 

 of matters relating to the fruit industry ; and I may say, furthermore, that the success 

 which has attended this meeting, not only regarding the papers presented and the 

 discussions thereon, but taking the meeting all around, that it is a surprise to all, and 

 exceeds the anticipations we had of it. Of course, I looked upon this as a matter of 

 experiment. It was a matter of experiment. Wheu we applied to the Hon. Mr. Car- 

 lin^ last spring for the money which has enabled us to come together here, and when he 



■ year." 

 resent 

 ■we"had uot"developed"any precise plan with respect to that, but I felt perfectly confi- 

 dent that the interests involved in this meeting were of such an important character 

 that if any reasonable measure of success attended our proceedings something better 

 would result in the way of permanent organization. Now, that result has actually 

 been attained and we have established here indeed a permanent organization — at 

 least we have taken the steps necessary to that end, and it only remains to get the 



