1905 FRUITS OF ONTARIO. 11 



Productiveness is also an important characteristic. Unfortunately some of the 

 varieties of most excellent quality, such as the Blenheim and King, are lacking 

 in this respect, and, while it may be desirable to plant these for home use, still 

 such a defect is a serious one in a commercial orchard. The age of bearing is 

 another characteristic which varies greatly in different varieties. The Northern 

 Spy, for instance, often requires ten to fifteen years before it comes in bearing, 

 while Ontario, Wealthy, and many of the Russian varieties sometimes bear even 

 in the nursery rows, or at least in a year or two after they are transplanted into 

 the orchard. This is a difference which may well be taken advantage of in the 

 arrangement of varieties in the orchard, for, as a rule, those which are slow in 

 coming into bearing make larger trees and are longer lived, while those which 

 begin early and bear heavily are more or less dwarfed in their growth and the 

 trees are shorter lived. For this reason trees of the precocious varieties are often 

 planted as fillers between rows of the later bearing and larger growing kinds. 



The most desirable qualities in the fruit itself depend largely upon whether 

 it is for the market or for home use. For home use, good quality is the first 

 consideration. Usually those having a spicy or characteristic flavor, such as the 

 Spy, King, or Mcintosh, are most desirable. Apples with an acid or subacid 

 flavor are most in demand on the market; nevertheless a good sweet apple is 

 often much appreciated for home use. For the market, good appearance is the 

 first consideration. No doubt in time buyers will be more discriminating and 

 ■demand good quality rather than fine appearance, but at present the most sale- 

 able apples are those that keep well, are of fair size and an attractive color. Well 

 colored red apples are those in the greatest demand in the Old Country market, 

 a point which should be remembered in selecting varieties intended for export. 

 Good shipping qualities have also to be considered in the selection of commercial 

 varieties, although no doubt the improvement in methods of packing and ship- 

 ping may render this of less importance in the future than it has been in the 

 past. The Ben Davis apple has long been recognized as one of the best shipping 

 varieties, on account of its firmness and good keeping qualities. On the other 

 hand, the Mcintosh is not a long keeper, and is so easily bruised that it cannot 

 be shipped satisfactorily in barrels. But with improved methods of packing and 

 shipping, it may be shipped to any of the European markets and even placed on 

 sale with the Ben Davis, and it is a question how long the Ben Davis, with its 

 inferior quality, will be able in such competition to hold its place in the market. 

 Those who champion the Ben Davis may take exception to the comparison just 

 made because of the relative difference in season of the two varieties. Neverthe- 

 less, we believe that it will be safer in the future for growers to look more to the 

 quality of the variety than has been done in the past, for in due time buyers will 

 no doubt become more discriminating and demand apples of the very best quality. 



Ordering and Obtaining Trees. 



A complete list of the nurserymen of this Province is published each year in 

 the Report of the Inspector of Fumigation, and most of our leading nurserymen 

 advertise in the agricultural and horticultural papers. Upon application, any of 

 these men are glad to quote prices at which they can supply stock. 



It is well, when ordering nursery stock, to order early. Too many leave such 

 a matter till planting time, when they might as well have had their order in sev- 

 eral months sooner. By ordering early they are more likely to obtain just what 

 is wanted, and if the nurseryman has not the desired varieties on hand, he can 

 obtain them elsewhere by the time they are needed. 



When the trees arrive from the nursery, it is best to unpack them as soon as 

 possible, and, if it is not convenient to plant them at once, the roots should be 



