April  14,  1898 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
333 
merit.  Prince  of  Wales,  salmon  rose,  is  singularly  beautiful,  as  is 
Princess  of  Wales,  which  is  white,  with  occasional  spots  and  flakes  of 
rose.  Both  these  are  extremely  floriferous,  and  the  dowers  are  of 
splendid  shape,  as  are  those  of  the  semi-double  blue.  Snowflake  is  of 
great  beauty,  the  colour  being  a  very  soft  blush. 
And  so  one  might  go  on  naming  variety  after  variety,  but  no  special 
good  could  accrue  therefrom.  Some  of  the  best  are  adverted  to,  and  that 
is  all  that  is  desirable  ;  but  a  word  of  advice  maj'  be  given  to  tho  e  who 
have  not  seen  the  Perry  Hill  collection  this  year,  and  that  is,  to  endeavour 
to  see  it  in  1899,  as  they  are  certain  to  be  delighted  and  instructed  by 
what  they  will  see. — Scrutator. 
NOVA  SCOTIA  FRUIT  GROWERS’ 
ASSOCIATION. 
Thinking  that  your  readers  would  be  interested  in  a  report  of  the 
meeting  of  our  Fruit  Growers’  Association,  I  enclose  some  notes  on  the 
subjects  discussed.  The  Colonies  each  year  take  more  interest  in  the 
mother  country,  not  only  as  a  market  for  our  fruit,  but  in  many  other 
ways,  and  it  seems  to  me  that  there  should -be,  and  no  doubt  is,  a  similar 
interest  in  England  as  to  our  methods,  our  prospects,  our  successes  and 
failures. 
The  meetings  of  the  Nova  Scotia  Fruit  Growers’  Association  are 
always  interesting  and  well  attended, and  the  thirty-fourth  annual  gathering 
held  in  Wolfville,  on  January  26ih,  27th,  and  28th,  was  no  exception  to 
this  rule.  The  papers  and  discussion  covered  every  phase  of  the  fruit 
growing  industry  ;  yet  it  was  quite  evident  that,  in  common  with,  perhaps, 
every  other  meeting  of  horticulturists  held  on  this  continent  during  the 
past  year,  the  one  subject  of  absorbing  interest  to  all  present  was  the  San 
.lose  scale.  President  Bigelow  voiced  the  sentiments  of  all  present  when 
he  said,  in  his  opening  address  : 
The  San  Jose  Scale. 
“  The  San  .Jos6  scale  has  invaded  fruit  trees  in  all  parts  of  this  conti¬ 
nent,  and  is  the  most  destructive  and  most  difficult  to  destroy  of  any 
insect  pest.  It  is  not  yet  known  to  be  in  Nova  Scotia,  and  you  will  be 
called  upon  to  recommend  strong  legislation  to  prevent  its  appearance 
here.  In  Ontario,  where  it  has  been  found  to  an  alarming  extent,  that 
Government  has  passed  an  Act  which  is  very  expensive  and  difficult  to 
enforce,  and  it  is  for  you  to  consider  whether  it  would  not  be  cheaper  and 
more  effective  for  us  to  ask  for  legislation  prohibiting  the  importation  of  all 
nursery  stock  into  Nova  Scotia  for  one  year  at  least.  The  man  who  plants 
an  imported  nursery  tree  in  Nova  Scotia  this  year  is  his  own  worst  enemy, 
and  should  be  dreaded  and  despised  by  fruit  growers  generally.”  No  definite 
measures  were  adopted  by  the  Association  :  but  a  committee  was  appointed 
to  investigate  the  matter  more  fully,  and  draft  a  Bill  which  should  give 
our  orchardists  the  best  protection  possible  from  this  most  dreaded  insect. 
Apples. 
While  this  province  is  largely  interested  in  the  growing  of  many 
different  fruits,  still  the  after  industry  stands  far  in  advance  of  all  others 
in  importance.  This  fact  was  easily  seen  in  the  interest  manifested  in 
every  subject  connected  with  Apple  raising.  One  entire  session  was 
devoted  to  the  discussion  of  the  shipping  and  marketing  of  Apples,  and 
many  interesting  and  important  facts  were  presented.  Mr.  John  E..  Starr 
of  Port  William,  U.S.,  who  was  lately  appointed  by  the  Dominion 
Government  to  investigate  this  subject,  was  present,  and  rejjorted  the 
results  of  his  work.  He  is  emphatic  in  his  belief  that  the  principal  cause 
of  the  injury  which  Apples  sustain  in  being  shipped  to  Great  Britain  is 
lack  of  ventilation  in  the  hold  of  the  ship  while  crossing  the  ocean.  This 
opinion  has  long  been  held  by  experienced  Apple  shippers  here,  but  it 
has  hitherto  been  impossible  to  secure  a  reform  in  the  matter. 
In  support  of  his  opinion,  Mr.  Starr  stated  that  last  October  he  ex¬ 
amined  a  cargo  of  Nova  Scotia  Apples  when  it  reached  London.  The 
barrels  had  been  stowed  so  as  to  allow  plenty  of  ventilation,  and  as  a 
result  the  Apples  were  in  prime  condition.  During  November  he 
examined  several  other  cargoes  of  Apples  from  this  province.  The 
weather  being  cooler  they  should  have  arrived  in  as  good,  if  not  better, 
condition  than  the  earlier  consignment.  But  it  so  happened  that  there 
were  more  Apples  being  shipped  at  this  time,  and,  in  consequence  of  this 
increased  demand  for  space,  the  later  cargoes  were  closely  packed.  As  a 
result  much  of  the  fruit  was  seriously  damaged,  and,  though  still 
marketable,  brought  a  much  lower  price  than  it  otherwise  would.  This 
difficulty  is  likely  to  be  greatest  in  years  of  bountiful  crops,  the  very  time 
when  it  is  of  the  utmost  importance  that  the  fruit  should  bo  placed  upon 
the  market  in  the  best  possible  condition. 
Kough  Handling. 
At  present  all  the  skill  of  the  experienced  stevedore  is  directed  toward 
stowing  in  the  ship  every  barrel  she  will  hold.  Years  of  practice  have 
enabled  him  to  reduce  this  to  an  art,  and  when  the  ship  is  loaded  there  is 
scarcely  a  square  inch  of  unoccupied  space  in  the  hold.  There  is,  there¬ 
fore,  practically  no  ventilation  whatever.  Mr.  Starr  recommends  that 
there  should  be  a  system  of  air  chambers  throughout  the  ship's  hold,  so 
arranged  as  to  connect  with  one  another,  and  thus  carry  fresh  air  to  all 
parts  of  the  cargo.  To  adopt  this  plan  would  necessitate  the  use  of  some 
lumber,  but  this  could  be  of  the  roughest  kind,  and  might  be  disposed  of 
in  England  for  fully  as  much  as  it  costs.  Furthermore,  dependance 
should  not  be  placed  entirely  upon  the  full-mouthed  ventilators  now  used 
for  forcing  fresh  air  into  the  hold.  They  are  well  enough  when  the  ship 
is  running  against  the  wind,  or  even  when  there  is  a  calf,  but  let  the  ship 
be  running  with  the  wind  and  there  is  practically  no  ventilation  whatever. 
For  such  an  emergency  an  exhaust  fan  should  be  provided,  which  would 
draw  the  air  from  the  hold. 
Rough  handling  in  unloading  is  also  accountable  for  a  very  con¬ 
siderable  part  of  the  damage  sustained  by  Apples.  It  often  happens  that 
while  the  cargo  is  being  discharged  no  one  is  present  to  guard  the 
interest  of  the  consignees,  and  the  Apples  are  at  the  mercy  of  the  gang  of 
men  who  are  unloading  the  ship,  and  whose  only  thought  seems  to  be  to 
get  the  cargo  out  in  the  shortest  time  and  with  the  least  inconvenience  to 
themselves.  Frequently  the  barrels  are  dropped  3  or  4  feet,  till  the  wonder 
is,  not  that  the  Apples  are  sometimes  injured,  but  that  there  is  any  fruit 
in  the  barrels  which  is  not  injured.  If  this  rough  handling  and  the  matter 
of  ventilation  could  be  remedied,  there  is  no  reason  why  the  Apples  should 
not  be  placed  upon  the  English  markets  in  as  good  condition  as  when  they 
leave  the  orchard,  or  even  better. 
Racking  and  Selling. 
Honest  packing  is  always  Important,  but  it  becomes  doubly  so  in  years 
of  bountiful  crops.  At  such  times,  the  price  being  low,  the  fruit  is  sent  to 
many  parts  of  England  not  ordinarily  reached,  and  in  this  way  new 
markets  are  developed.  If  the  fruit  is  satisfactory,  the  probability  is  that 
these  new  customers  will  try  again  the  following  year,  even  at  a  con¬ 
siderable  advance  in  price. 
Another  point  which  Mr.  Starr  urged  strongly  was  that  each  orchardist 
should  select  some  reliable  firm  to  whom  his  fruit  might  be  consigned, 
and  then  not  change.  When  a  man  has  established  a  reputation  for  good 
fruit  and  honest  packing  his  customers  will  watch  for  his  consignments 
and,  if  necessary,  will  pay  several  shillings  above  the  market  price  in 
order  to  secure  the  fruit.  All  this  is  lost  if  the  grower  ships  one  year  to 
one  firm  and  the  next  to  another  firm.  Mr.  Starr  summed  up  the  require¬ 
ments  for  the  future  as  follows  : — Good  fruit,  honest  packing,  quick  travel, 
good  ventilation,  careful  handling. 
It  was  urged  by  several  speakers  that  each  variety  should  be  shipped 
in  its  season,  and  not  held  back  in  the  hope  of  better  prices.  If  Graven- 
steins  are  put  on  the  market  Avhen  Kings  and  Ribstons  are  demanded  the 
result  is  disastrous.  And  furthermore,  if  the  fruit  arrives  in  an  over  ripe 
condition  it  must  be  sold  immediately  for  what  can  be  realised  on  it,  while 
if  it  is  in  good  condition  the  consignee  may  either  sell,  ship  to  other 
markets,  or  hold  for  a  time  for  better  prices. 
Cranberries. 
The  raising  of  Cranberries  is  each  year  becoming  more  important  in 
the  province.  I  have  seen  many  acres  of  low  land,  especially  in  the 
Annapolis  valley,  which  can  be  used  for  no  other  purpose,  and  which 
requires  but  a  small  outlay  to  fit  them  for  Cranberry  growing.  In  the 
single  county  of  Kings,  in  1897, 2500  barrels  of  Cranberries  were  produced. 
Mr.  Henry  Shaw  of  Waterville  gave  the  following  facts  in  regard  to  his 
2-acre  Cranberry  bog.  He  picked  during  the  past  season  174  barrels  of 
fruit,  which  sold  for  1135  dols.,  netting  him  720  dols.  above  all  expenses. 
Three  hundred  and  sixty  dollars  profit  on  an  acre  is  not  a  bad  showing 
for  a  single  year.  Other  growers  gave  similar  experience,  and  it  is 
evident  that  while  the  industry  is  as  yet  in  its  infancy  it  gives  abundant 
promise  for  the  future. 
Irrigation. 
It  might  be  supposed  that  Nova  Scotia,  with  its  moist  climate,  would 
have  all  the  rainfall  necessary  to  secure  the  best  results  in  fruit  growing, 
but  the  experience  of  Mr.  Henry  Shaw,  who  has  just  been  mentioned, 
would  seem  to  indicate  very  strongly  that  such  is  not  the  case.  Two  years 
ago  he  bought  awindmill  with  a  12  foot  wheel,  and  a  pump  capable  of  raising 
over  150  barrels  of  water  per  hour.  The  water  was  pumped  to  the 
highest  part  of  an  8-acre  tract  of  land,  and  distributed  from  there  in 
ditches  to  most  parts  of  the  orchard.  A  few  parts  could  not  be  reached 
in  this  way.  The  first  season,  1896,  Mr.  Shaw  had  a  full  crop  on  all  the 
trees,  as  did  his  neighbour,  who  did  not  irrigate.  The  following  year, 
however,  when  his  neighbour  had  very  little  fruit,  the  trees  which  had 
received  plenty  of  water  bore  another  full  crop  ;  a  few  trees  which  had 
received  a  small  amount  of  water  produced  a  half  crop,  while  the  trees  in 
those  parts  of  the  orchard  not  reached  by  the  water  gave  little  or  no  fruit. 
The  outlook  for  the  next  year  shows  similar  differences.  The  trees  on 
the  dry  land,  after  a  year  of  rest,  promise  a  fair  crop  of  fruit,  but  those  on 
the  irrigated  land,  though  they  have  now  borne  two  full  crops  in  succes¬ 
sion,  give  promise  of  an  equally  good  crop  in  1898. 
The  following  officers  were  elected  by  the  Association  for  the  coming 
year; — President,  J.  W.  Bigelow,  Wolfville;  Vice-President,  Peter 
lanes,  Coldbrook  ;  Secretary,  S.  C.  Parker,  Berwick  ;  Treasurer,  George 
Muiiro,  Wolfville. — F.  C.  Sears. 
LONDON’S  OPEN  SPACES. 
VI.— Clapham  Common  and  Greenwich  Park. 
In  1842  it  was  noted  in  Knight’s  “London”  that  so  rapid  was  the 
growth  of  the  great  city  that,  doubtless,  in  a  very  few  years  Clapham 
would  become  as  much  a  part  of  the  metropolis  as  Mile  End.  We,  who 
now  regard  the  continuous  line  of  houses  from  Blackfriars  Bridge  to 
Balhara  itself,  far  beyond  that,  can  scarcely  conceive  it  was  ever  otherwise. 
The  steady  march  of  progress,  or  the  enterprising  builder,  has  blotted  out 
many  once  honoured  spots,  such  as  Walworth  Common  and  Stockwell 
Green  :  but,  happily,  Clapham  Common  has  been  preserved  to  us.  If 
somewhat  shorn  of  its  stately  dimensions  in  1842,  it  is  now  a  fine  open 
space  of  220  acres,  only  partially  railed  in.  It  was  at  one  time  rather 
notorious  for  its  pleasure  fairs,  held  on  Good  Friday,  Easter  and  Whit 
