tree is round-headed and hardy; endures the heaviest frost and is an annual bearer. This excellent winter apple has no equal for productiveness and hardiness. It is a fine sort for commercial orchards and very useful as stock for grafting.

5. Arabskoe (Arabian.)-Large, exceedingly waxen with dark violet blush, keeps till winter and is useful for cooking. The tree is not very productive.

6. Titovka colored, (Tetofsky.)-Good and profitable variety for a small garden. The fruit is large, oblong, yellow, well colored sub-acid in taste. The tree is pyramidal, large and very hardy, fruits about the fourth year. It is necessary to cut off about onehalf of the new wood every year. Not a very productive sort.

7. Titovka White. This is like the former variety, but lighter in color; ripens about the beginning of September. The tree is pyramidal, leaves paler than the Tetofsky, abundant bearer. It is not as high priced in the market as the former.

8. Vargulek.-Medium size, skin yellowish; flesh sub-acid, juicy; ripens about the end of September; keeps well all winter. The tree is pyramidal, fruits early and abundant, not very hardy at Moscow.

9. Koroboy (Box apple.)-Very small apple with long peduncles; skin leathery ; ripens in August. The tree is pyramidal, long branches, fruits well and endures frost. This variety is particularly bought by confectioners to use in making up sugared fruits. 10. Arcad fumed.-Very sweet, small, round greenish yellow with red side; ripens in August. The tree very hardy.

11. Arcad White.-Very good quality, sweet, juicy, larger than the former. The tree grows round head, is productive and very hardy.

12. Kolotareff.-Medium size, greenish yellow, good quality, sub-acid; ripens in winter. Tree of spherical habit, leaf round dark green, skin on the young tree with white spots. At Moscow the tree endures the winter and grows still better in the more southern localities. This apple is highly prized in western Russia as a good market kind; keeps long without deteriorating.

13. Aport (Alexander.)—A sort everywhere known. At Moscow it sometimes winter kills.

14.—Borodovka, or Biel Borodoka.-This variety is very large with pale crimson side and broken stripes, vinous and fine grained. Ripens in September, but does not keep long. The tree is large, pyramidal, long branches, leaf is large, dark green. It fruits through every year. Not hardy at Moscow. Price 3 to 4 rubles per pound. This variety always sells well on account of its size and beauty.

15. Borovinka (Borovisky, Charlamorsky, in America known as Duchess of Oldenburg.)-Everywhere a reliable apple for its quality and productiveness, keeps till December, but no longer, for at that time he begins to crack and lose flavor. The tree is growing to the north of Moscow and there its fruits are more juicy than when grown farther south. Market size 1 to 2 rubles per poud.

16. Borovinka White.-It is distinguished from the former only by the fact that there is no blush, and the color of the stripes is paler. This variety is grown in Germany and France under the name of Charlamovsky and Borovisky.

17. Charlamov True.-A large apple, light yellow without blush, sub-acid; ripens in the beginning of September. The tree is pyramidal, leaf round, twigs long and thick. Tender at Moscow.

18.-Grushevka (pear apple.)—A little light yellow apple, crimson color, of excellent flavor, juicy; ripens about the end of August, and sometimes sooner. It will not keep there, it is only good for local markets. The tree is pyramidal, leaf narrow. An abundant and early bearer; hardy.

19. Putim Early.-Good quality, juicy, pale green, without blush, large apple. The tree pyramidal growth; an early, abundant and annual bearer; hardy. Cheap sort for local market uses, It is grown in large quantities in the Cherigov government.

JAROSLAV NIEMETZ,

Real College, Winnitza. Podolie, Russia.

NOTE BY SECRETARY.—The above letter was received after the close of the winter meeting of 1891, but is herewith presented.

THE WINTER MEETING, 1890.

The Winter Meeting of the Association was held in the City Hall, Hamilton, on Wednesday and Thursday, the 17th and 18th of December, 1890.

The President, Mr. J. A. Morton, of Wingham, called the meeting to order on Wednesday morning at ten o'clock.

The PRESIDENT.-Before the Association enters upon its proceedings I would call the attention of the members to the fact that we have with us this morning some of our friends from across the line. We have great pleasure in welcoming to our meetings the representatives from our sister country, and we hope they will feel themselves at home among us and take part freely in our proceedings.

THE SHIPPING GRIEVANCE.

The Secretary read the following letter from Mr. Race:

GENTLEMEN,-Lest I might not be present at your meeting, I may say with regard to shipping grievance that I communicated with a high legal authority as to the best or proper course to pursue to obtain a remedy. It was suggested in reply that we might better, as a first step, communicate with the express companies, acquaint them with the nature and extent of the grievance, and learn what they had to say and were willing to do in the matter. I acted upon the suggestion with the result that an inspector for the western division of the Canadian Express Co., a Mr. B. S. Murray, of London, called upon me and assured me that everything that could be done on the part of his company would be done to remedy the grievances complained of. Already his company," he said, "had been advised of the contemplated action of the Ontario Fruit Growers' Association, and had instructed him to exercise every possible vigilance in his division that no further cause for complaint should arise. I may further state that not a single complaint of a broken fruit package or other damage has been brought under my notice or reported to me during the past fruit season." This is a very much more satisfactory state of things than we had to report for the year 1889, and our association has reason to congratulate itself that its action in the matter has not been fruitless; and its thanks are due the Canadian Express Company for their prompt and ready response.

T. H. RACE.

Chairman Com.

DISTRICT FRUIT LIST.

Mr. Thomas Beall (Lindsay) presented a report of the Committee on this subject. This does not appear here because it was afterwards revised by the Committee, and may be found in Appendix II, at end of report.

Mr. BEALL-In making up the lists for their respective districts, I suppose most persons have pursued the course which I myself have taken, and which, I think, was perhaps the wisest course, namely, to select the varieties recommended by the largest number of farmers in each district, even though they would not, in some cases, be the varieties which they themselves would recommend. In the whole list mentioned there are only some thirty-five varieties which are regarded as suitable for the whole Province.

It is remarkable that the American Golden Russet and the Duchess of Oldenburg receive the largest number of votes. In every case, except one, these two varieties have been

selected.

Mr. A. McD. ALLAN (Toronto).—I think a report of this description requires a great deal of consideration before it should be accepted by the Association. I fancy that a great many people who have sent in lists have omitted to consider many important points, such as, for instance, the commercial value of the varieties recommended. This list is likely to be accepted by the public as receiving the sanction of this Association, and I think that it should be looked into very carefully before we allow it to go out as anything more than a trial list, to elicit for further information. So much depends on soil and cultivation, as also on all the surrounding circumstances, that it is a most difficult thing to specify certain varieties as in all cases the best for certain sections. It is quite certain that the Duchess of Oldenburg is much favored, and if I were selecting a single variety for summer use I would select it; if I were selecting two, I would add the Yellow Transparent. Some very well known varieties are left out of this list altogether. For instance, the Pewaukee is coming into use, but no committee would, I think, recommend it as worthy of cultivation in every season. It is an early winter apple. The Russet, referred to in the report as the American Golden Russet, is not really the Golden Russet at all. The Golden Russet there referred to is the Golden Russet of Western New York, or the English Golden Russet; they are, practically, the same apple; and this is the apple which we have in general cultivation throughout the Province under the name of the American Golden Russet.

Mr. DEMPSEY.-I fully endorse the remarks made by Mr. Allan. The parties making up the lists, in many cases, simply put down the names of the varieties cultivated by themselves. The King of Tompkins County heads our list just because some people have a few apples from it; yet, as a rule, with us, the tree dies before it has reached its bearing time. Now, my list, which I am willing to stand or fall by, is as follows: The most profitable summer apple we are cultivating is the Duchess of Oldenburg. I would suc

ceed that with the Trenton. Then I would name Hubbardston's Nonsuch, then the Blenheim Orange Pippin, and then the Ontario. For a profitable winter apple I would name the Ben Davis; there is more money in it than in all the rest put together. that before, and every year's experience confirms it.

A MEMBER. —Does it spot with you?

I have said

Mr. DEMPSEY.-Yes, but it has the faculty of throwing its color over the spot so that you do not see it.

Mr. ALLAN. There are too many varieties mentioned in the list-too much choice; and it is made up very largely from the opinions of growers whose experience is confined to a very few varieties. I believe that a list of this description, to be of value, should be advisory, and as such should be sent out by the Association. Such a list should be made up upon a thorough examination of the conditions and capabilities of each district. We know that in many cases there are varieties which could be profitably substituted for those now grown, and I think growers should be advised to discard varieties that are not profitable. We should specially have in mind those varieties which will best command the foreign markets, and the point that we are growing apples for profit and not for fun should be kept in view at all times.

Mr. BEALL.-Mr. Allan may have forgotten that the intention of the committee and the Association is that this list should be revised from year to year. The Pewaukee is a variety which should certainly be in the list for a great many districts, as should also be the Ontario, which is one of the most profitable apples we can grow. In the meantime, however, I do not see any objection to the Association accepting this report and publishing it, not as adopted, but as standing for further consideration.

The SECRETARY.-While I agree with Mr. Beall that it is well for us to have a list to work upon, yet this list should certainly be amended considerably before it is printed at all. For instance the Early Harvest is recommended as a summer apple for many districts of Ontario, although very few of us would recommend anyone to plant it for

profit. I would suggest that the directors of the Association should as far as possible name the varieties best suited to their respective districts as amendments to the report.

Mr. W. E. WELLINGTON (Toronto).-There is no doubt that what may be grown successfully by one man may be a comparative failure in the hands of another man ten or twelve miles distant. Yet, in obtaining the list I did, I felt that the representatives of the different districts were pretty well qualified to say what would succeed best in the districts they represented; and the selection sent in by me is virtually my selection formed from varieties which I concluded would succeed most generally in my district. If I were making selections for different localities within that district I would vary the list somewhat; but in making a general list of varieties which would be as a rule successful throughout a district, I think the member representing it has, to a great extent, to use his own judgment.

Mr. ALLAN.-I would name a list which I would advise for Agricultural District No. 10 section, comprising varieties which can be grown in every part of that district season after season, except perhaps a part of Grey Yellow Transparent and Duchess of Oldenburg; Gravenstein, Pewaukee and Blenheim; Baldwin, Ontario and Golden Russett of Western New York. There is money in these varieties.

Mr. G. C. CASTON (Craighurst).-The County of Grey is peculiar in this respect, that certain varieties which will flourish in the northern part of the county are useless altogether in the southern part, a few miles distant I think each director should have

a copy of this list to look over and correct, so far as it applies to his own district, and report again at a future meeting.

Mr. DEMPSEY.-I would move that the following be added to the list for Prince Edward County Hubbardston's Nonsuch, Ontario, Pewaukee, Ben Davis, Cranberry Pippin and Stark.

:

Mr. ALLAN.-I concur in that list except as to the Stark. I know it is at present a profitable apple, but the important question is, is it going to continue a profitable apple, with its poor flavor or quality? By sending out apples of that character are we not destroying the public taste of the market for good apples? People would have a very poor opinion of our apples generally if they judged them by the Stark. As a cooking apple it has a fair quality, but I question very much whether anyone would use it as an eating apple.

Mr. DEMPSEY.-Mr. Allan is quite correct. The Stark apple is not one of the best quality, but it fetches the most money. In this respect it resembles the Baldwin, which

is not fit to be placed on any gentlemen's table for dessert, but at the same time it is a popular apple.

After some further discussion, it was decided, on motion of Mr. Beadle, to refer the report back to committee, with the request that after consulting with the directors they put it into shape for publication.

HORTICULTURAL INSTITUTES.

The SECRETARY read the following paper on this subject:

In these few lines I wish simply to introduce to the consideration of this Association the advisability of advocating the holding of horticultural institutes in such parts of the country as local fruit growers would particularly desire they should be held.

The idea of holding such institutes is not new; it has been tried with acknowledged success in the state of New York. In our own Association the question has often arisen "Is there not some way in which local fruit growers' associations could be formed, having a vital connection with the provincial organisation?" Frequently letters are sent in to me, as secretary, asking if there is not some provision made for local associations, and of course I have to reply in the negative.

The object of our Association is to collect and disseminate information that shall advance the science and the art of fruit culture in our province. Now we are accomplishing the first part of this end, and that very fully, as will be evident to anyone