THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST

March, 1919.

Niagara Peninsula Fruit Growers Enthusiastic
Hold Two Days' Successful Convention at Grimsby and St. Catharines-
Prominent Speakers Take Part-Prospects for Fruit Growing Bright

HE two-day convention of the Niagara
Peninsula Fruit Growers' Association
held February 28th, at Grimsby, Ont.,
and February 27th, at St. Catharines, Ont.,
was said by old fruit growers to have been
the most successful conducted by the asso-
ciation in its long history, which new ex-
tends back about a quarter of a century. All
has not been well with the fruit industry in
this district during the past four or five
years. War conditions, including the fruit
embargo, labor shortage, increased freight
and express rates, the advancing cost of
supplies and other factors, combined with
several years of, on the whole, poor crops,
have tested the metal of a good many of the
growers. Now, however, that the war is
over and conditions have been rapidly
righting themselves, a new enthusiasm and
confidence is evident. This was shown by
the large attendance at all the sessions of
the convention, both at Grimsby and St.
Catharines, and in the interest that was
manifested throughout.
The success of the convention was due in
a large measure to the unusually strong list
of speakers who took part. These included
Prof. 0. M. Taylor, of Geneva, N.Y.; C. E.
Nicholl, a practical peach grower of Model
City, N.Y.; Mr. W. T. Macoun, Dominion
Horticulturist; Mr. C. W. Baxter, Dominion
Fruit Commissioner, of Ottawa;; Major H.
L. Roberts, Prof. J. W. Crow, Prof. R. Har-
court, Dr. G. C. Creelman, of Guelph;
and W. A. Ross, of Vineland.     Extracts
from several of the addresses given by these
speakers are published elsewhere in this
issue, including Prof. Crow's remarks on
"Winter Injury," Prof. Taylor's on "Cane
and Bush Fruits," Prof. Harcourt's on "Fer-
tilizers and the Use of Lime," and Mr.
Nicholl's on the use of nitrate of soda.
More extended reports of some of these ad-
dresses as, well as of some of the others
will appear in later issues of The Canadian
Horticulturist.
Resolutions Adopted.
Important matters relating to the inter-
ests of the fruit growers of the district
were dealt with in the form of resolutions,
all of which were adopted unanimously.
These were as follows:
"Resolved, that the Dominion Govern-
ment be requested, in view of the great loss
of nursery stock occasioned by the delay
caused by the Fumigation Act, to either
discontinue the enforcement of this Act, as
it concerns the importation of nursery stock
from United States, or if this is considered
impracticable to so aid and instruct their
authorities in charge that nursery stock
may be immediately delivered to fumiga-
tion on arrival and reshipped without
delay."
"Resolved, that the Niagara Peninsula
Fruit Growers' Association appoint a per-
manent standing committee on experi-
mental and investigational work in horti-
culture, and that the following constitute
the committee: A. Onslow, Niagara-on-the-
Lake; G. A. Robertson, St. Catharines; P.
H. Wismer, Jordan; Arthur Smith, Vine-
land; Hamilton Flemming, Grimsby; J. P.
Bridgman, Winona; J. A. Railton, Fonthill."
Strong disapproval was expressed of the
proposal to re-enact the Daylight Saving
Act.
The meeting confirmed the resolution of
the Ontario Fruit Growers at Toronto, ask-

ing for a fruit survey of the province, and
requested that the Niagara Peninsula be
selected as the starting point of the survey,
that district being the most important fruit
centre in Canada.
A resolution was passed expressing the
appreciation of the Niagara Peninsula
Fruit Growers' Association of the work that
has been accomplished by Mr. W. A. Ross,
of the Dominion Entomological Division,
who has been stationed at the Vineland
Experiment Station in the course of his
investigations of insect pests and the best
remedies to use in their control. The reso-
lution suggested thfat the Government would
increase Mr. Ross' opportunities for ser-
vice by placing an automobile at his dis-
posal.
President's Address.
President David Allan, of Grimsby, in
his presidential address, pointed out the
value the association has been to the fruit
growers of the district during the twenty-
five years it has been in existence.  He
urged that an effort should be made to in-
crease the membership from 300 to 1,000 in
order to strengthen its position when deal-
ing with public matters relating to the fruit
interests. In view of the fact that possibly
50 per cent of the fruit trees in Ontario
have been winter killed, the present should
be a good time for the planting of orchards
of well-selected varieties. He did not, how-
ever, entirely agree with advice that had
been given by Mr. Macoun that more apples
might be grown in the Niagara district. He
felt that the Niagara district, being the only
place practically in the province where
tender fruit could be grown successfully,
special attention should be given to the cul-
tivation of such fruit.  In its production
,rowers would not have to meet as much
competition  from  outside districts they
would were they to grow more apples.
Causes of Light Crops.
At the evening meeting at Grimsby Mr.
W. T. Macoun spoke on the subject, "Some
Causes of Light Crops."   In the case of
strawberries, these are due principally to
winter killing of the roots, spring frosts,
and lack of pollination. The enemies of the
raspberry are principally the red spider,
anthracnose and the drying up of the fruit
from drouth. Currants suffer from spring
frosts and the currant worm and gooseber-
ries from the same causes, as well as scald-
ing. Peaches are susceptible to winter in-
jury to fruit buds.  They require to be
pruned on reaching the bearing age to de-
velop new wood with strong foliage. Pears
are affected by lack of pollination and win-
ter killing. A considerable number of varie-
ties are self-sterile. Grapes can generally
be depended upon to yield a crop, but some
varieties are self-sterile, such as Lindley
and Wilder, and need other varieties ad-
jacent to them to fertilize them.
Mr. Macoum stated that temperature at
pollination  time is very important.  The
presence of bees in the orchard when pol-
lenization was in progress was decidedly
beneficial. As a means of keeping vigorous
foliage on trees, he recommended thorough
spraying and early cultivation.  Fertility
must be maintained, as without it good
foliage is not possible and withoUt good
foliage crops need not be expected. Appli-
cations of nitrogen applied a few weeks be-

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