376 
The  Progress  of  Fruit  Farming. 
Iron  stoves,  and  machines  constructed  on  the  principles  de- 
scribed above,  for  drying  fruit,  but  portable  and  costing  only  about 
15/.,  are  used  in  many  districts  in  the  country  far  from  towns. 
These  will,  it  is  said,  thoroughly  and  perfectly  dry  as  much  fruit 
as  a family  can  peel  and  slice  in  a day.  All  kinds  of  salads 
and  delicate  vegetables — such  as  onions,  peas,  asparagus,  celery, 
Lima  beans — are  preserved  by  these  new  processes  fresh  and 
“dehydrated,”  like  the  fruits  of  all  seasons  of  the  year,  for 
all  the  markets  of  the  world,  returning,  when  placed  in  water,  at 
any  time  when  desired  for  use,  to  their  original  fulness,  colour, 
flavour,  and  other  properties.  “ In  short,”  to  use  the  words  of 
the  Commissioner  of  Agriculture,  “ the  trade  in  ‘ dehydrated  * 
and  preserved  vegetables  and  fruits  of  all  kinds  has  assumed 
enormous  proportions,  giving  employment  to  thousands  of  per- 
sons, realising  valuable  profits,  and  supplying  business  through 
every  artery  of  trade.” 
Not  only  this,  but  the  trade  in  fresh  vegetables  and  fruits  has 
been  lately  increased  in  an  astonishing  degree  by  the  adoption 
of  refrigerators  on  the  railway-cars  and  steam-boats,  by  which 
these  products  are  conveyed  to  all  parts  of  the  United  States,  as 
well  as  to  foreign  countries. 
Much  fruit  is  produced  in  Canada.  The  acreage  of  fruit-land 
has  been  extended  largely  in  the  last  fifteen  years,  and  the 
greatest  interest  is  taken  by  the  Government  and  by  the  farmers 
themselves  in  the  promotion  of  this  industry.  The  main  part 
of  the  fruit-land  is  in  Ontario,  or  Western  Canada,  in  which  it 
is  said  that  any  fruits  can  be  grown  that  are  produced  in  the 
temperate  zone.  There  is  a large  Fruit-growers’  Association  in 
Ontario  devoted  to  the  improvement  of  the  cultivation,  packing, 
and  preserving  of  fruits.  In  1880  a Commission  was  appointed 
by  the  Lieutenant-Governor  to  inquire  into  the  progress  of  agri- 
culture, and  in  the  Report  of  the  Commissioners  most  valuable 
information  as  to  fruit  is  contained,  which  is  not  only  most 
useful  and  deeply  interesting  to  Canadian  cultivation,  but  also 
to  all  other  fruit-producers.  Very  fine  apples  are  grown  in 
Ontario,  better  it  is  alleged  by  the  Canadians  than  those 
that  are  grown  in  the  United  States.  It  is  said  that  when 
Canadian  apples  are  good  the  Americans  buy  them,  and 
brand  them  “ American,”  and  when  they  have  indifferent 
samples  of  their  own  growth,  they  brand  these  “ Canadians.” 
Canadian  apples  have  undoubtedly  a great  reputation  in  the 
English  markets.  A large  fruit-grower  in  Ontario,  in  his  evi- 
dence before  the  Commission,  says : “ There  is  nothing  to 
prevent  our  apples  from  competing  successfully  with  the  English 
apples  in  England,  if  they  are  properly  sent.  We  have  beaten 
