Messrs. John A. Bruce & Co., seedsmen, of Hamilton, give considerable
attention to the testing of the different varieties of vegetables, and
after thorough trial find in their experience that Hubbard’s Improved
Curled Leaf is the earliest. It is small compared with many of the later
sorts, and the plant is of a dwarf habit. Next to this they place the
Early Conqueror, which is of good size, and very uniform in shape. Then
the General Grant, a firm fleshed, bright crimson, productive variety,
for the main crop; and after it the Trophy, for a later variety, one of
the largest and best flavored of them all. These four sorts, ripening in
the order named, they consider the best market sorts. We have found the
General Grant very productive, and to ripen its fruit rapidly after it
once begins to come in.
—————
THE MONTREAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY, AND FRUIT GROWERS’ ASSOCIATION OF
PROVINCE OF QUEBEC.
It is gratifying to learn that our sister Province of Quebec has
succeeded in organizing a provincial association similar to our own, and
standing in a similar relation to the government. It has a double
existence, arising from its union with the Montreal Horticultural
Society, and, as that society, it holds an annual exhibition in the City
of Montreal, with a city membership paying an annual fee of two dollars,
while, as the Fruit Growers’ Association, it publishes an annual report,
as an appendix to the provincial agricultural report, and charges the
rural members one dollar per year.
Will it seem boastful to say that, from the experience of what has been
done in Ontario, we are confident a career of great usefulness is
opening up before our sister society; that a vast amount of useful
information locked up in individual experiences will now be brought out,
and made the common stock of all; that many valuable seedling fruits
will be brought from their modest retirement and disseminated, to enrich
the orchards and gardens of the whole Province; that a medium of
communication will be established between all the fruit growers, that
will make them to know and esteem each other, and stimulate to
harmonious efforts for the advancement of pomology; and that an
increased impetus will be given to the cultivation of fruits, to the
originating of new and valuable varieties, and the diffusion of
information on all matters involved in the growing of superior fruit.
There is no department of the work accomplished by these associations
more productive of benefit to all, than the meetings for discussion of
topics in which all have an interest. By means of these discussions, the
experiences of many practical cultivators are brought together, and
whether they are experiences of success or failure, they throw light on
the subject, and serve either as beacon lights to give warning of the
danger, or as finger posts to guide into the best and safest way. Many
have been saved the trouble and vexation of testing worthless varieties,
the experience of one being made the experience of all. Again, when a
fruit has proved itself valuable in the hands of one cultivator, there
is reason to believe that it will also be valuable in the hands of many.
These meetings for discussion will be the more interesting and valuable
the more those who attend them accurately observe the facts that come
within the range of their individual observations and experiences, and
come to the meetings prepared to impart what they have gathered. We
remember hearing a very successful grower of grapes say, when asked
about the cultivation of them, that he did not know anything about
growing grapes. The trouble with him was that he supposed that everyone
knew all that he did on the subject, and merely meant that he had no
special method peculiar to himself. He was far too modest; experience
had taught him much that others did not know, and it is the giving out
of this experience from all that increases the knowledge of all.
—————