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FRUIT GROWING IN CANADA,* 
 
 John Craig, , 
 
 Horticulturist. 
 
 Central Experimental Farm, Ottawa. 
 
 I wish to speak of the fruit and fruit districts of Canada 
 as these cover the whole, or practically the whole, of Cana- 
 dian horticulture. The term "horticulture" embraces not 
 only the cultivation, but the amdlioration of fruits, plants and 
 vegetables, so that the field occupied by the subject under dis 
 cussion is exceedingly wide. As originally used, the term 
 horticulture, applied to the cultivation of fruits, flowers and 
 vegetables within circumscribed enclosures, commonly called 
 gardens. Thus we find that the English word garden is derived 
 from the Anglo-Saxon g-yrden, to gird or enclose. In like man- 
 ner the derivation of orchard is found in ortgeard, an enclosure 
 foj fruit trees, and again wyrt geard^ a garden for the cultivation 
 of vegetables or herbs. 
 
 It is diflficult to discuss the status of fruit growing in 
 Canada to-day without glancing at the evolution of the art — 
 as it was for centuries previous to the application and study of 
 principles, which raised it to the dignity of a science — not only 
 in Canada, but in the mother countries, for both are intimately 
 connected. There has, and probab. always will be. some con- 
 troversy between botanical and horticultural historians regarding 
 the relative antiquity of the two rural and venerable arts, agri- 
 culture and horticulture — one side claiming that since agricui- 
 
 *An address delivered before the Field-Naturalists' Club, March ilth, 1897. 
 
 
/g'?7f/Tj 
 
 ture, or the cultivation of cereals as it was undoubtedly restricted 
 to in our early civilization, provides food in sufficient quantities 
 and adapted to the use of man, that it should be considered the 
 parent of horticulture ; while those on the other side, take the 
 ground that historically.at least.agriculture appears in the natural 
 course of events to have been evolved from the art of j^^ardening, 
 and claim that the latter, therefore, should enjoy the distinction 
 of parentage. 
 
 EVOLUTION OF HORTICULTURE. 
 
 It would seem reasonable to suppose, however, that at first 
 there was little dfferentiation. That those plants, cereal or fruit- 
 bearing, which most readily yielded food and supplied the wants 
 of man were used at first, and cultivated later — contemporane- 
 ously. We should remember, as DeCandoUe points out, that 
 " between the custom of gathering wild fruits, grain and roots, 
 and that of the regular cultivation of the plants which produce 
 them, there are several steps." The history of the cultivation of 
 those plants which have ministered to the wants of man as food 
 producing agents is most interesting. This history is given by 
 Alphonse de Candolle in his " Origin of Cultivated Plants." To 
 those interested in the evolution ol agriculture, I would recom- 
 mend this work as a reference book and one filled with a vast array 
 of historical facts. If we cannot claim for horticulture, priority 
 over agricultune with satisfactory assurance, we can at least 
 claim that it is what we may term the fine art of common life, 
 because it supplies luxuries — and luxuries within the reach of 
 all. In this way it is eminently republican. 
 
 The causes which have in the past promoted on the one hand, 
 or retarded on the other, the cultivation of a particular plant have 
 been various. If easily grown and yielding a product which was,or 
 soon became a necessity, its propagation and popularity was 
 assured. "In the same way* the various causes which favour or 
 
 ♦De CondoUe. 
 
 7J3V3 
 
obstruct the beginnings of agriculture, explain why certain 
 regions have been for thousands of years peopled by husband- 
 men, while others arc still inhabited by nomadic tribes." 
 Strenuous and perservering efforts, though probably not always 
 well directed, were made in prehistoric times — as in our own age 
 - -to grow those plants which yielded in greatest abundance and 
 with least outlay of labour (men like to live without working 
 when they can) products that supplied pressing wants. In this 
 way we find that maize, wheat, the sweet potato and tobacco were 
 widely diffused before the historical period. The Chinese Emperor 
 Chenming instituted a ceremony 2700 B.C. at which seed of five 
 useful plants were sown each year, viz., rice, sweet potato, wheat 
 and two kinds of millet. As those species which were cultivated 
 easiest, outstripped their fellows in the race, so in regard to 
 localities, those sections or regions, which offered least resistance 
 to the rude efforts of the early cultivator became agricultural or 
 horticultural centres, from which after the advent of civilization, 
 seeds, plants and culture flowed out in diverging lines. With 
 the history of the civilization of the old world is most intimately 
 wrapped up the progress of horticultural development. This is 
 absolutely true when applied to the colonization of the new 
 world. 
 
 CLIMATE A.S AFFECTING PLANT GROWTH. 
 
 Among the factors bearing upon the horticulture of any 
 country it is readily seen that climate exercises the most potent 
 influence in determining the range and character of the fruits it 
 is possible to cultivate, and the fact that our fruit lists have 
 greatly changed during the last half century is no doubt owing 
 as much to modified climatic conditions, as to the difference in 
 methods of propagation and due also possibly to the fact that 
 among fruit growers there has been of late a keener discern- 
 ment in regard to quality in fruits. 
 
 In the early history of the province, when the forest 
 primaeval covered our hills and valleys and shed abroad its bene- 
 
 li 
 
ficent blessings in the form of evener distribution of m-Msturc 
 and evener radiation of heat, there is little reason to d lut that 
 with this almost complete covering of verdure acting as a modi- 
 fier of extremes in a measure — in the same manner as large bodies 
 of water — there would prevail more equable climatic conditions 
 and a more favourable era to the longevity of classes of trees 
 and fruits more or less susceptible to climatic extremes. So climate 
 may be considered the regulator and rcstrictor of varieties and in 
 all horticultural operations whether our energies and faculties are 
 applied to the production of, or the trial of a new fruit, it is of 
 prime importance to know something of its probable inherent 
 qualities, acquired from climatic situation, and perpetuated by 
 heredity. Turning to another phase of the question, we should 
 not forget that with perhaps slightly changed climatic condi- 
 tions, brought about by the operations of the agriculturalist, 
 come greatly altered soil conditions, the extent of whose influence 
 upon plant growth we are apt to under estimate. Woody 
 growth produced by virgin soils is very different in its capacity 
 to withstand cold, to that produced by soils first depleted of their 
 natural store of plant food by cultivation and then enriched by 
 artificial fertilizers ; and so it happens that we find many of the 
 fruits successfully cultivated by our forefathers, do not succeed in 
 the same localities at the present time. It would be interesting in 
 this connection, and in view of the fact that we are indebted to 
 England for so many horticultural treasures, to trace the influence 
 of the Roman, Saxon and Norman conquests upon English horti- 
 culture and the important mission filled by the Roman monks in 
 the same connection, but I must without further preamble come 
 nearer home and consider the condition and status of Canadian 
 
 fruit growing. 
 
 .SOURCES OF CANADIAN FRUITS. 
 
 Whence came our fruits ? 
 
 They came, undoubtedly, with our first colonists ; whether 
 
 the peasant of Normandy, the Puritan, the Scotchman, the 
 
 .w'!ii.. i^ial^>lIi6>iik^iilkij<MlMj^ui, JkttS^i 
 
5 
 
 Englishman or the Irishman. Unfortunately, the early history 
 of fruit growing is in each of the provinces wrapped in more or 
 less obscurity. It has been the fashion in the past, that while 
 political and social events were recorded with precision and 
 accuracy, the introduction of important agricultural and horticul- 
 tural factors bearing upon the happiness and welfare of the human 
 race have been entirely overlooked, unrecorded, and their influ- 
 ence thus under estimated. How much do we owe to the person 
 who was instrumental in bringing from the orchards of Nor- 
 mandy the seed which produced our unrivalled Fameu.se. Who 
 can estimate the value of that apple in ministering to the wants 
 of the poor, in supplying a luxury to the rich, and acting as a 
 colonization agent for us in the mother countries. As with the 
 origin of the Fameuse, so with many other fruits — we find our- 
 selves without definite information regarding their early history. 
 These fruits came as seeds with the early settlers, — who cleared 
 the forest, who faced privation from lack of food, danger 
 from the Indian who lived by the chase — but remained as useful 
 fruit-bearing trees to lend a semblance or likeness of the home 
 in the new land, to that '■ the seas. 
 
 Reproduction in early _ ys — fortunately for the welfare 
 and successful evolution of a race of hardy fruits — was by natuie's 
 method, through the seed. Hy means of this agency, assisted by 
 another force operating silently but unceasingly — natural selec- 
 tion, or the survival of the fittest — many of our fruits have been 
 produced. The Fameuse and St. Lawrence, — two grand Canadian 
 apples,--thc Newton Pippin and Baldwin are familiar samples. 
 The following is the inscription upon a monument in Massa- 
 chusetts — the ouly one of its kind as far as I am aware in the 
 world — : *"This pillar, erected in 1895 by the Rumford Hisiorical 
 Association, incorporated April 28th, 1 877, marks the estate where 
 *" ^793 Samuel Thompson, Esq., while locating the line of the 
 
 •Address by C. C. James before Entomological Society of Ontario, Nov. 1896, 
 
■■■■M 
 
 6 
 
 Middlesex canal, discovered the Pecker apple tree, later named 
 the BalJwin." 
 
 The apple trees that were grown from seed planted by the 
 early settlers and cultivated by the pioneers, in many in- 
 stances proved long lived, some reaching the age of 200 years, or 
 more. These trees attained great size and bore immense crops 
 of what was termed natural fruit. Even now we find in tho 
 older portions of the province isolated individuals and remnants 
 of these early plantings ; among them, fruits possibly not always 
 of high flavour but frequently surpassing in keeping properties 
 any of the propagated varieties now common to the district. 
 
 Mr. Hadwen, an eminent pomologist of Massachutts, says : 
 * The process of degeneration or decay of the apple seems to be 
 less rapid than that of the pear Out of 60 varieties mostly of 
 American origin, grown fifty years ago, more than 40 are still 
 cultivated and esteemed. There is little doubt that the now 
 almost universal practice of propagating by grafting and bud- 
 ding has more directly affected the longevity of our large Iruits 
 than any other factor, though the change is less marked, as 
 already stated, in the case o^ the apple than with the pear and 
 peach." At the same time we have all had reason to notice how 
 much disappointment frequently arises in our attempts to multi- 
 ply the individuals of a seedling of special merit by the usual 
 methods, grafting and budding. However healthy, vigorous and 
 profilic the original tree may be there is no absolute assurance 
 that when grafted either upon the root or top of another indi- 
 vidual, it will maintain all its original and desirable character- 
 istics. As some trees are sensative in this direction, so again 
 others are apparently entirely oblivious to congeniality of stock 
 and root, sustaining their own strong individuality through life 
 despite varying soil and climatic conditions. The Duchess of 
 Oldenburg, a Russian apple, is an excellent example 'of this 
 class, bearing freely and regularly wherever planted. 
 
BOTANICAL POSITION. 
 
 A glance at the botanical position of some of our leading 
 fruits — Canadian fruits, at least — may be of interest. We see 
 at once that to the Rose family we are indebted for nearly all 
 our tree fruits, as the apple, the pear, plum, cherry, the peach and 
 its smooth-skinned sister, the apricot, in addition to the king of 
 of small fruits, the stra vv ben y, and the members of the genus 
 Rubus, — the brambles and raspberries. 
 
 PyruH malua, L. with P. frunifolia, L. both European, are the 
 parents of the cultivated forms of the apples of to-day. By 
 comparing a ruddy specimen of the Emperor Alexander with a 
 small specimen of the Siberian crab, we may obtain an idea of the 
 improvement which has taken place in apples since the inhabit- 
 ants of the Lake Dwellings of Switzerland cultivated pomaceous 
 fruits. The native crab of America, Pytus coronaria, L. is beauti- 
 ful in blossom, hardy in tree, but thus far incorrigibly astringent 
 in fruit However, over 80 per cent of our apples are of Ameri- 
 can origin that is to say the seed which produced them was 
 planted in American soil. Nature has not dealt generously 
 with us in matter of peaches, cherries and pears, all indigenous 
 to Europe, not found wild in America ; but man has by 
 seedling production developed varieties well adapted to the 
 vicissitudes of our varying climate 
 
 NATIVE FRUITS. 
 
 Remarkable progress has been made during the last half 
 century in the development of native fruits. By looking at the 
 evolution of the American grape, a prominent example is 
 afforded. It is but a little over 60 years since Catawba, the first 
 selection from the wild Vitis Labrusca L. of the south was made. 
 But it is since the advent of the Concord, "the grape for the mil- 
 lion," about 40 years ago,, that varieties have multiplied with such 
 astonishing rapidity, till at the present time they are numbered by 
 the hundreds. Another example may be cited in the native plums 
 
8 
 
 of America, P. Americana, Marshall P. Chicasa, Michx with sub- 
 species. Thirty years ago, the progeny of P. domestica L. 
 (the gage and egg type) of Europe were entirely relied 
 upon. Now we have fully 300 varieties, pure or cross- 
 bred, developed from selected varieties of our native species. 
 These are destined in the future, by reason of hardiness 
 and vigour, to supply the wants of settlers in the interior of our 
 great country and in parts little more than explored at the 
 present time. Within a century there have come to Canadian 
 fruit growers, native plums, grapes, gooseberries, raspberries, 
 cranberries, mulberries, pecans and chestnuts — and I had 
 almost forgotten persimmons, a favourite with our coloured 
 brethren in the south. These latter we do not expect to be 
 widely planted in our day. 
 
 FRUITS .STRUCTURALLY CONSIDERED. 
 
 The structural part of fruits is extremely interesting, as re- 
 cording the remarkable modifications brought about by cultiva- 
 tion, as well as affording a glimpse of the analogy existing 
 between the various organs and parts of the plants. 
 
 In horticulture we deal with those fruits called by the 
 botanist, fleshy or indehiscent fruits. There is a disagreement 
 between botanists and fruit consumers in regard to the use of 
 the term " fruit," It is a disagreement between science and 
 sentiment. Speaking botanically and technically, the seed is 
 the fruit. Poetically and practically, the fruit is that which we 
 eat. However, those plants yielding fleshy fruits are tho.se 
 which concern the horticulturist. This fleshiness is brought 
 about by an abnormal development of the parenchyma. The 
 ovary results from the transformation of a leaf, made up of the 
 epidermal coverings, the endocarp and pericarp, enclosing the 
 mesocarp. These parts may be traced in the structure oi pomes, 
 or berries, as styled by some botanists, as well as in the stone 
 fruits, or drupes. Examining an apple we find that it results 
 
 - - ^^ - -^- 
 
from the ripening of an inferior and coirpound ovary, with five 
 carpels, orginally free. It is wrapped like the fruit of the rose by 
 an expansion of the floral receptacle, This covering becomes 
 fleshy and succulent like the ovary with which it is joined, of 
 which the endocarp alone lining the hollows of the five cells is 
 thin and cartilagenous. The endocarp, as Figuier points out, 
 forms that part which sticks out between the teeth, when we eat 
 an apple. In the case of the orange we have a cnrions modifi- 
 cation. The external yellow skin represents the epicarp ; the 
 white spongy matter, the mesocarp ; the thin membrane lining 
 the quarters, the endocarp, while the edible part exists as an 
 accessory to the pericarp. Turning to the drupes, the peach, 
 cherry and plum result from the ripening of a superior ovary. 
 We find first, in the waxy skin of the plum, the epicarp ; in the 
 pulpy succulent flesh, the mesocarp, and in the wo<xiy kernels, 
 the endocarp. A knowledge of the nature of each fruit, the con- 
 ditions surrounding the development of its acids and aromatic 
 flavours is essential to their proper and satisfactory preservation. 
 This touches the broader and commercial economics of the 
 industry. 
 
 FRUIT DISTRICTS OE CANADA. — MARITIME PROVINCES. 
 
 Prince Edward Island. — We find on the Island still a few of 
 the old French orchards of apples and cherries. Rural husbandry 
 has, however, been of a specialized kind, and up to a few years 
 ago little was done outside of potato growing and horse raising, 
 A deep interest in dairyinp and fruit growing has recently been 
 awakened. The advantages of the Island from the standpoint 
 of the fruit producer are many and weighty. Among these are 
 natural underdrainage in many parts, an equable climate and 
 proximity to the European market. Cherries have been culti- 
 vated with success since the advent of the first settlers. 
 They belong to the Kentish type and ripen a month later 
 tSan do the same varieties grown in Eastern Ontario. 
 
lO 
 
 1 
 
 Cranberry culture is being extended in the inland marsh 
 lands. The fruit is shipped to Rngland. There is undoubtedly 
 a future for cherry, apple, plum, pear and small fruit 
 growing on the Island ; a few large orchards are already 
 established and are bearing satisfactorily. The fruit keeps par- 
 ticularly well. 
 
 Nova Scotia. — The Dominion owes very much to this pro- 
 vince for the good pioneer work done in advertising the fruit- 
 growing capabilities of Canada in the European markets. The 
 best advertisement that could be given by any country was 
 afforded by the magnificent display of fruit made by the Pro- 
 vince of Nova Scotia through its Fruit Growers' Association at 
 the Indian and Colonial Exhibition in London in 1886. 
 
 As early as the middle of last century, the Acadian French, 
 who then peopled Kings and Annapolis counties, cultivated 
 apples and pears with great auccess. When these lands fell into 
 the hands of the Connecticut and English immigrants in 1760, 
 old pear and apple trees were found in many places, some of the 
 latter existing at the present day. It must not be supposed that 
 the apple growing of Nova Scotia is restricted to the Annapolis 
 Valley. The fertile valleys of the Cornwallis andGaspereaux rivers 
 are eq^rlly well adapted and equally productive. The protection 
 afforded by low parallel lines of hills, known as the North and 
 South Mountain ranges, sheds a beneficient influence much 
 appreciated by the fruit growers of these regions. The numerous 
 bays and inlets assist in equalizing temperatures and exercise a 
 marked influence upon the longevity — which is proverbial — of 
 the apple trees in this region. 
 
 The soil consists of sand, ^andy loam and clay, overlying a 
 sandstone formation. The enormous rise and fall of the tides, 
 from time immemorial have worn away soil and rocks and pro- 
 duce those rich and extensive deposits constituting the present 
 marsh and dyked lands. These marsh lands serve the pnrpose 
 
II 
 
 purpose of supplying an abundant annual supply of herbage, in 
 addition to yielding an inexhaustible s<Dre of cheap natural 
 fertilizer used by fruit growers with great advantage upon the 
 upland orchard areas. The more favourable portions of the 
 province produce apples of the finest quality, plums, pears and 
 small fruits in fair quantity and of good quality. The early ripening 
 varieties of peaches may, and are being cultivated with success 
 in the open. This branch of the industry is developing rapidly. 
 Another branch of the industry unknown to commerce ten 
 years ago, is now rapidly assuming important proportions. I 
 refer to cranberry culture. In 1890 some 400 barrels were har- 
 vested. Last year the output reached 2,000 barrels The 
 total orchard area of the province is estimated at/s.ooo acres. The 
 marketable crop of apples amounted last year to over 500,000 
 barrels,nearly all exported to Britain. The cultivated orchard area 
 was increased this year by 5,000 acres. The names of Col. John 
 Burbidge, — introducer of the well known Nonpariel Russet, — 
 Dr. Samuel Willoughby, Ezekiel Calkin, Dr. Inglis — first Bishop 
 of Nova Scotia, who brought to the Valley Yellow Bellefleur, 
 where it was named Bi.shop's Pippin, in consequence, — Hon. 
 Charles Ramage Prescott — who imported Ribston Pippin and 
 the famous Gravenstein, which he fjuited in 1838, — Dr. C. C. 
 Hamilton — the founder and first President of the Provincial 
 Society — are all names that should be handed down to history, 
 and are tho.se whose good deeds will live after them, for is it not 
 true that he who originates or introduces a new and valuable 
 fruit suited to general cultivation, is as much a benefactor to 
 mankind as he who discovers a new principle in science, which 
 increa.ses the comfort and happiness of the race ? 
 
 The fruit growers of the province are intelligent and ener- 
 getic. The establishment of a School of Horticulture at Wolf- 
 ville, the only one of its kind in America, is but an evidence of 
 the progressive spirit of the people. There is still a large amount 
 of unoccupied fruit land in the province. 
 
 % 
 
 m 
 
 
New Brunswick. — The climate of this province favours a 
 mixed husbandry. Wild raspberries, strawberries, blueberries 
 and cranberries grow in profusion and have to some extent 
 hindered their cultivation. Apples may be grown successfully 
 for home use in nearly all parts. Large commercial orchards 
 are in bearing and others are being planted in the valley of the St- 
 John River. The fruit harvest is later than in Nova Scotia. New 
 Bruns wickers are,therefore, enabled to place their berries upon the 
 Boston market at a time when competition from other quarters is 
 light in these classes of fiuits. Bright minds arc at work in the 
 province. What to grow and how» to grow it are questions 
 receiving earnest attention. 
 
 Quebec. — The climatic conditions in Eastern Quebec ap- 
 proach quite closely those obtaining in many parts of New Bruns- 
 wick We find the principal fruit areas lying along the south 
 side of that great artery'of commerce, the St. Lawrence River. 
 Here and there, not on the low clay flats, but on the higher 
 middle elevations with gravelly subsoil affording natural drain- 
 age, we find orchards made up of the La Belle, Famcuse, Pommc 
 Grise and St. Laurent — truly Canadian and truly delicious 
 apples. It seems to be a principle in plant growth, especially in 
 apple development, that the farther north a given variety may 
 be grown to successful fruitage, the finer in quality will be the 
 pioduct. So it is with our Canadian Spys, Fameuse, Gravenstein 
 and King — and what of our North-west and No. i hard wheat ? 
 
 In L'Islet county, about 70 miles north-east of the city of 
 Quebec, plum growing has become a specialized industry, during 
 its gradual evolution covering a period of 100 or more years. The 
 Reine Claude de Montmorency is delicious and peculiar to the 
 region. The Damson plum trees grow in stocky form and pro- 
 duce all out of prodortion to their size. The Kentish cherry has 
 through heredity developed hardy forms well adapted to its new 
 home and ripens its fruit a month later than the same variety 
 grown at Ottawa. 
 
13 
 
 Coming up the St. Lawrence we might prontably look 
 through the old gardens in the suburbs of Queb''C. We 
 might not find apples of gold, and melting pears such as 
 are described in poetic sentence by the author of Le chien d'Or, 
 but we shall find that even on the heavy clay loams of this 
 region, apples and plums arc produced of good quality and in 
 fair quantity. The Island of Montreal is undoubtedly the cradle 
 of tha fruit industry of the province. The ground, now covered 
 by many of those majestic achitectural structures so beautifully 
 situated around the base of old Mount Royal, was once occupied 
 by monuments in the form of fruitful apple and pear trees reared 
 by the efforts of man and nature, not so imposing in appearance, 
 though hardly less beautiful, but perhaps more useful in effect 
 and beneficial in influence than piles of granite, sandstone, or 
 marble. On the Island of Montreal we find a truly intensive 
 style of fruit growing ; apples and pears are staples. Straw- 
 berries, gooseberries and other small fruits are extensively culti- 
 vated. Convenient market facilities, both at home and abroad, 
 assist the fruit grower. About the foot-hills of those curious 
 out-croppings of the Vermont mountains that we find in the 
 Richlieu Valley and in the Eastern Townships — localities 
 peopled by U. E. Loyalists — fruit growing is a leading branch 
 of rural labour. The number of varieties peculiar to a locality is 
 an indication in fruit growing of the relative antiquity of the 
 industry. Here we find our native Canada Baldwin and our 
 Winter St. Lawrence. Beloeil. Rougemont and Abbotsford, are 
 well kno\ n to Quebec fruit growers as the homes of progressive 
 horticulturalists, and the name of the late Charles Gibb of 
 Abbotsford is well known throughout the continent as a fruit- 
 grower and a philanthropist. The fruit area along the New 
 York boundary line is rapidly extending, Apples, plums, pears 
 and grapes here reward the efforts of the fruit grower with 
 abundant crops. The scene in Montreal along the docks last 
 autumn when apples by the thousands ot barrels were going out 
 by steamer was indicative of the extent of the indnstry. 
 
14 
 
 Ontario. — A hasty description of fruit growing in this pro- 
 vince would easily occupy the whole time at my disposal 
 this evening. VVc shall first look at some of the older 
 fruit growing sections. Along the banks of the Detroit river 
 in the extreme south-west are gigantic pear trees. These arc 
 from seed pUnted probably by French missionaries. One of 
 the oldest is said to date from 1705. Legend also states that a 
 a colonist brought from his European home three pear 
 seeds in his vest pocket and planted them near Amherstburg. 
 These grew, bore fruit, the seed of which produced the pic- 
 turesque old trees marking the landscape of this region at ihe 
 present day. The trees are productive, but the Iruit is not valu- 
 able. The planting of apple orchards began in this region about 
 the year 1784. Since that time grape growing has as.sumed 
 enormous proportions. The entire peninsula between Lake St. 
 Claire and Lake Eric, composed of the counties of Essex, 
 Kent and Peiec Island, are especially favoured climatically, for 
 the production of grapes and peaches. The manufacture of wine 
 is a business of growing importance. On Pelee Island there are 
 350 acres of vineyards. This Island has probably the highest 
 mean temperature of any point in Canada. North of Pelee 
 Island is a peach section — rapidly becoming recognized as one 
 of the best in Canada The industry is not more than 20 years 
 old, yet in 1894 a single station, Leamington, shipped 35,000 
 baskets of peaches. Last year that number was probably 
 doubled. It is estimated that nearly half a million peach trees 
 were planted ' 'st spring in this section ; this rear the area 
 planted will ntc^rly equal that of 1896. Land values are increas- 
 ing in this section. 
 
 Along the south side of the Georgian Bay, in the valley of 
 the Beaver River, wc find one of the finest plum growing 
 sections of Canada. Disease of the trees is practic;.lly unknown. 
 In 1894 a carload of plums was shipped every day for three 
 
15 
 
 weeks from Thornbury. Mr. C. C. James, JJeputy cf Agriculture 
 of the Province, says : " There are those who would rather 
 po. sess a plum orchard in Beaver Valley than an orange grove 
 in California." The apple region of Lake Huron is well known 
 to buyers who cater to the demands of the European markets. 
 The handsome appearance and fine qualities of the fruit are duly 
 recognized. This region produces from 300,000 to 500,000 
 barrels of apples per annum. The staple varieties of this region 
 are Spy, Baldwin and Greening. 
 
 Travelling eastward along the north shore of Lake Erie, we 
 come to another famous fruit growing region — the Niagara 
 Peninsula. This is one of the oldest fruit growing sections of 
 the country. Here, between 1780-90, the U. E. Loyalists re- 
 ceived grants of land from King George, and sowed seeds of 
 apples brought from their homes in the United States. Here, 
 we are told, that John Smith, in the early part of this century, 
 offered to sell his claim to 200 acres of land for a cow, but found 
 no buyer. This land is now valued at $300 to $500 per acre. 
 The improvement of native fruits by grafting and by the intro- 
 duction of foreign varieties began about 1830. Since then the 
 development has been amazingly rapid. Electric cars run every 
 hour past the doors of the fruit growers between Hamilton and 
 Grimsby ; telephones connect their homes and bring daily 
 market reports. During the shipping season, a fruit train leav- 
 ing Niagara Falls daily and running to Hamilton, carries away 
 such peaches, plums, cherries, grapes, pears and berries as are 
 not shipped by boat from Hamilton or St. Catharines. A single 
 firm paid $3,000 for fruit baskets in 1894, these cost from $3 to 
 $4 per hundred. Wine making is also an important industry. The 
 old town of Niagara-on-the- Lake is the shipping point for a 
 splendid peach .section. In 1894 300,000 baskets, mainly peacfies, 
 were sent out from this port. It is worthy of mention that figs 
 and black Hamburg grapes, both grown and ripened in the open 
 
t6 
 
 air, were shown in Philadelphia in 1876 and in Chicago 1893 by 
 Henry Pafford, Esq., for many years mayor of the town ot 
 Niagara. 
 
 Crossing Lake Ontario to Toronto and travelling eastward, 
 we pass through a favoured pear growing region, but one pro- 
 ducing also fine apples and plums. The Peninsula of Prince 
 Edward county is deservedly famous for the apples it produces. 
 Northern Spy, King and Fameuse are staples and grow to great 
 perfection. The growing of garden varieties of pease for seed 
 and canning purposes is a specialized industry in this county 
 and one which yields an estimated annual revenue of about 
 $200,000 to the farmers of the county. From Kingston to 
 Montreal along the river is also a region producing fine apples, 
 plums ard berries. Mr. C. C. James, Deputy Minister of Agri- 
 culeure for Ontario, gives the following estimated statistics 
 regarding fruits and fruit areas in the province in 1895. Area in 
 orchard, garden and vineyard, 320,122 acres ; number of apple 
 trees of bearing age, 5,913,906 ; young trees not bearing, 3,548,- 
 053 ; yield of apples in 1896 estimated to be 55,895,755, or about 
 20 million barrels. Fairly complete statistics covering the fruit 
 resources of the province may be found in Bulletin No. 92, 
 Department of Agriculture, Toronto. I have given more 
 space — and for obvious reasons — to Ontario than to the provinces 
 eastward. The fruit possibilities of the province are great and 
 are being rapidly developed by progressive and intelligent 
 orchard ists. 
 
 Manitoba and the North- West Territories. — As far as 
 the tree fruits are concerned, those which can be grown 
 successfully in these regions without extraordinary care 
 have yet to be produced. A few apples and crabs have reached 
 fruiting age in Southern Manitoba. The seeds of these should 
 be carefully planted in the hope of securing therefrom hardier 
 forms. Berries of all kinds may be grown by the exercise of 
 judgment, skill and perseverance. Some of the native fruits are 
 
17 
 
 being cultivated and appreciated among these are gooseberries, 
 currants and juneberrics. Wheat is king here — long may he 
 reign — surrounded by lesser lights in the factors that compose a 
 successful and profitable mixed husbandry. 
 
 British Columbia. — I approach a description of the fruit re- 
 sources of this province with a diffidence born of lack of personal 
 knowledge.increased by a feeling of the extraordinary possibilities 
 of its deltas, its coast line, its valleys, its benches, its irrigated lands. 
 Great climatic variation means a corresponding widening of the 
 possibilities of fruit culture, and there is here undoubtedly a more 
 extended range of thermometric variation and atmospheric 
 moisture, than is found in any other province of the Dominion. 
 That fruit of fine quality can be grown and is being increasingly 
 cultivated is evidenced by the magnificent plums, pears and 
 apples shown by the Superintendent, Mr. Thos. A. Sharpe, Of 
 the British Columbia Experimental Farm at the leading exhibi- 
 tions of Ontario last autumn. That apples of surpassing size 
 and ot great beauty are grown is attested by the fact that British 
 Columbia won and held the distinction for some time at the 
 World's Fair of having the largest apple on exhibition, and may 
 I venture to add that she can also claim the proud distinction of 
 numbering among her landed proprietors the Earl of Aberdeen 
 His Excellencj' the Governor General of Canada, and the largest 
 orchardist in the Dominion. The value of His Excellency's 
 extensive orchard situated at Vernon in the Okanagan district, 
 to the province from the standpoint of a stupendous object lesson, 
 comprising as it does some 200 acres of fruits, together with its 
 colonizing influence, may not be over estimated. Pears, plums 
 and apples are grown with great success in the Okanagan valley. 
 Speaking of the best fruit lands of the province, a pioneer 
 fruit grower, Mr. E. Hutcherson. of Ladners, says : " Some of 
 the best fruit lands are to be found along the monntains and foot- 
 hills on either side of the numerous valleys of the province.' 
 
i8 
 
 This is particularly true oi tbe region along the Fraser River 
 between Chilliwack and Hope. Briefly, the region along the 
 Fraser River from Agassiz to the coast is one abundantly sup- 
 plied with water and now producing large quantities of plums, 
 pears, apples and berries. Some of the interior valleys arc 
 eminently adapted to the requirements of the tenderest tree 
 fruits. Peaches are being successfully cultivated here and there, 
 on the bench lands. 
 
 The climate of parts of the Okanagan Valley is described 
 by those who have studied it carefully as approaching perfection. 
 At Vernon fruit growers, stimulated by the example of His Ex- 
 cellency, are planting fruit trees extensively. With irrigation the 
 upper plateaux and interior regions are proving wonderfully 
 fertile and productive, and with this life-sustaining agent the 
 possibilities of fruit growing in the province would appear to 
 widen as we advance. The increased interest in mining will in 
 time re-act favourably upon the fruit interests of the province. 
 With favovrable freight rates, should not the fruit growers of 
 British Columbia supply the homes of the rancher and farmer 
 throughout the vast area between the Rocky Mountains in the 
 West, and the Red River in the East, with this flower of com- 
 modities ? And is he not in a position, at the Western Gateway, 
 if supplied with proper shipping facilities, to give of his plenty to 
 his cousins in Australia duripg their season of scarcity. 
 
 Did time admit, I would like to speak of the canning 
 industry of Canada, the evaporating industry, and the great 
 nursery interests of the Dominion. It might interest you to 
 know that a single canning establishment in Prince Edward 
 county made a shipment last year of canned fruit and vegetables 
 put up in one factory, consisting of a complete train of cars, 
 which steamed away to supply settlers in the Western prairie 
 provinces with the good things of life, concentrated and properly 
 conserved. , 
 
19 
 
 ♦ 
 Most powerful among the factors which have assisted the 
 
 develo{>ment of fruit growing in Canada, are those organizations 
 known as Association's of Fruit Growers. Nova Scotia, New 
 Brunswick, Quebec, Ontario, British Columbia, and, lately, 
 Prince Edward Island, have each a provincial organization com- 
 j)Osed of the best men. It is to the credit of the several [»ro- 
 vincial governments that the good work of these societies is in 
 the main wisely assisted. In the volumes of the reports of these 
 societies are chronicled the histories of pro\ incial fruit develop- 
 ment. The |)rogress of less than a century has been marvellous. 
 The trend of the age in fruit growing as in other industries is 
 towards specialism. The fruit grower is yielding to the impulse. 
 We are now growing fruits especial!) for canning, for h^ me use, 
 for keeping, and for carrying. We are finding the areas best 
 adapted to the production of particular varieties and jtiofiting by 
 this experience. La.stly, we are uniting science with practice in 
 studying principles and in ap[)lying methods which will j'roduce 
 better fruit than heretofore at less cost, thus ministering to the 
 wants of the poor as well as to the rich, and by so doing adding 
 the wealth to of our land and increasing the sum total of 
 human happiness. 
 
 The President (Mr. Shutt) in conveying the thanks of the 
 Club to the lecturer, said that the intensely interesting and in- 
 structive lecture that they had, had, the pleasure of listening to was 
 one that might well serve as a type of those most useful ad- 
 dresses which treat of the practical or economical, as well as the 
 more strictly scientific aspect, of the subject. There was prob- 
 ably no one in Canada, he said, who by reason of his official 
 position and the wide experience which it afforded, was so able 
 as Mr. Craig to impart reliable information regarding fruit 
 culture in the various parts of the Dominion. 
 
 They were especially honoured, the President remarked, by 
 
ao 
 
 « 
 
 the |.resencc of His Excellency the Governor General, who, he 
 need not remind the audience, was Patron of the Field-Natural- 
 ists' Club. This was the third lecture of the present course that 
 His Excellency had attended, and the Club was particularly 
 gratified by the interest that he was showing in the work of the 
 society. His Excellency had not only a general interest in all 
 the imjjortant industries of Canada, bnt a particular one in fruit 
 culture and its possibilities in the Dominion. It was well known 
 that His Excellency was an extensive fruit grower in British 
 Columbia, and he (the President) felt sure that those assembled 
 would be very much pleased if His Excellency would address 
 them on the subject that they had had brought before them this 
 evening. 
 
 The Governor General, then, rising amid ap{)lause, spoke 
 as follows : 
 
 It is not surprising that the lecture af this evening has been 
 followed with much and attention, for the subject treated is one 
 of much importance, and has been dealt with in a practical and 
 interesting manner. I was struck by the following among other 
 points alluded to, namely, where Mr. Craig spoke of successful 
 fruit culture in Canada, and of the export of Canadian fruits to 
 Europe furnishing an excellent emigration agency. There can 
 be no doubt at all — and it is well to keep it in view — that a 
 supply of first-class fruit, such as Canada is well capable of pro- 
 ducing, for the markets, for instance, of Great Britain, will 
 always be particularly valuable as representing the resources and 
 capabilities of the soil of this land. Even apart from the busi- 
 ness aspect of the matter, fruit culture has an attraction of its 
 own. It is a branch of botanical science ; and it occupies and 
 requires attention and care of one kind and another throughout 
 the year. I speak to some extent from personal experience, as 
 I may claim to be a Canadian fruit grower (applause), though 
 other duties and avocations render it necessary that I should 
 carry on the work to a large extent by deputy. However, I have 
 at least sufficient practical experience in the matter to make me 
 
21 
 
 aware how easy it is to allow a fruit farm not to pay ; in other 
 words, to realize, and it may be to impress upon others who in- 
 tend to follow the pursuit, the necessity of unremitting care and 
 vigilance in the selection of trees, in the planting, in subsequent 
 attention in the matter of spraying, so as to destroy the voraci- 
 ous pests which are ever ready to appreciate good fruit ; and 
 furthermore, the equally all-important matter of skilful and 
 judicious packing, in order to secure success, whic^ however may 
 surely be obtained in due time by perseverance and skill. 
 
 I think we may feel that Mr. Craig, although he dealt with 
 various classes of fruit culture, and various districts in the 
 Dominion, displayed a judicious impartiality. That is a quality 
 which of course always appeals to a Governor General Mr. 
 Craig did perhaps indicate a leaning, if anything, towards the 
 Spy and the Baldwin ; but I am sure he would not go so far as 
 a worthy fruit grower who at an Association meeting remarked 
 that if he had a hundred trees to plant, he would select Baldwins 
 for ninety-nine of the lot. " May I ask," said another member, 
 " what variety the gentleman would select for the hundredth 
 tree ? " "A Baldwin, sir." 
 
 His Excellency concluded by saying some kind things in 
 reference to the work of the Experimental Farm officers and by 
 expressing appreciation of the service rendered to the public by 
 the Ottawa Field- Naturalists' Club in providing the valuable 
 series of lectures of which the one wc have had the pleasure of 
 hearing to-night was a typical example. He wished the Clnb 
 continued success in the future.