488 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Quite recently a great American authority on horticulture, Mr. S. B. 

 Green, Horticulturist to the Minnesota University, travelled through 

 British Columbia. He made a report to Mr. W. W. Whyte, Vice-President 

 of the Canadian Pacific Railway, on the capabilities of the province, to the 

 effect that the country is particularly suitable for fruit-growing ; that the 

 produce is very fine ; and that in addition to the orchard fruits the growing 

 of Melons, Tomatos, Sweet Corn, and other garden products promises to 

 be very profitable. Mr. Green travelled over several hundred miles in 

 British Columbia south of the Canadian Pacific Railway and found much 

 land well adapted for horticulture. Another American authority says 

 that both in Vancouver Island and on the mainland there are great 

 stretches of country particularly adapted for fruit-growing, and it should 

 be remembered that the area he visited, roughly speaking, covers an 

 extent of 120 miles wide by 250 miles in length. One writer on the 

 subject says that most of the orchards at present are situated on the 

 lower land, near rivers and lakes, which was selected principally on 

 account of the richness and great depth of the soil, whilst large areas of 

 what is known as " bench lands" were rejected owing to the opinion of 

 agriculturists, who had generally no experience of fruit-growing, that the 

 soil was not deep enough, the surface soil only perhaps being about 

 eighteen inches over a subsoil of alluvial silt, boulder clay, and granite 

 pebbles. These level " benches," which in some parts of the country 

 form perfect terraces at various heights above the lower land that sur- 

 rounds the lakes or forms the banks of rivers, have been formed by the 

 action of glaciers from the higher ridges grinding up granite and other 

 rock ; but it is now beginning to be recognised that this substratum is 

 eminently adapted for producing the healthiest and finest fruit. The 

 best growers in California and Oregon fully realise this, and have taken 

 advantage of it in their own country. The elevation and character of 

 soil give perfect drainage as well as thorough ventilation. This latter is 

 of much importance, though it is not generally acknowledged ; such land, 

 particularly when situated near the lakes of British Columbia, has the 

 great advantage of the effect produced on the temperature by these large 

 bodies of water the temperature of which is higher than the normal air 

 temperature in winter and lower in summer, and so prevents any danger 

 from excess of cold or of heat. The eminent horticulturists of the 

 United States universities thoroughly recognise the ameliorating effects 

 of such large expanses of water. 



A very important matter in connection with fruit-growing for com- 

 mercial purposes is the correct grading and the proper and careful packing 

 of the fruit. The Government sends competent men round to the different 

 fruit districts to give advice and instruction as to the best form of 

 package, the method of placing the fruit in the boxes so as to preserve its 

 beauty and quality, and the important point of having one grade of fruit 

 only in each box, not the old-fashioned way of the Strawberry pottle, fine 

 perfect fruit on the top and rubbish underneath. In fact the Government 

 is now arranging for definitely marking the grade of the fruit on the 

 outside of the packages as numbers 1, 2, or 8 quality. This has been 

 found so satisfactory in some markets that buyers of Canadian fruit so 

 marked have been quite satisfied to buy without opening the package, 



