PRIVATE RESEARCH

A: WESTERN CANADIAN SOCIETY FOR HORTICULTURE

This group was formed in 1943 by a group of horticulturalists who were concerned about the great loss of plants during the 1942/43 winter season. They met in Regina to discuss winter hardiness of fruits and ornamentals. They wanted to determine which trees and shrubs might survive the next test winter. The objective of the W.C.S.H. is to promote and foster the science and art of horticulture in the prairie region of Canada.

In 1953 this group published a zone map for the Prairie Provinces. The zones were based on the length of the growing season, average precipitation and the temperature range. This map is still used today in the Alberta Horticultural Guide although it has been superseded by the Agriculture Canada zone map.

In 1959 the W.C.S.H. initiated an extensive testing program at 6 institutions in Western Canada. These were:

• Provincial Horticultural Research Station, Brooks, AB
• University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta
• Devon Botanic Garden, University of Alberta, Devon, AB
• Indian Head Experimental Farm, Indian Head, Saskatchewan
• University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba
• Morden Experimental Farm, Morden, Manitoba

The number of sites involved expanded to 9 by the addition of:

• University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
• Lethbridge Research Station, Lethbridge, Alberta
• Lakehead University School of Forestry, Thunder Bay, On

The purpose of this testing program was to determine which trees and shrubs were satisfactory for the Prairie Provinces. The trials were given the name "The Prairie Regional Trials for Woody Ornamentals" (PRTWO). The Morden Research Station was chosen to head the testing because it had the facilities and, at that time, the funding necessary. It was from here that the plants were propagated and distributed to the other sites. Morden was responsible for the compilation of the related data. The publication, `Woody Ornamentals in the Morden Arboretum', contains a summary of the material at Morden up to 1970.

Unfortunately, most of the testing of the plant material was carried out with no regard to the cultural requirements of the individual plants. They were lined out in fields despite different needs in soil, light and nutrients. Plant material that could not survive under these harsh conditions was rated as unsuitable. With the appropriate care, some of this material is hardy in the average landscape. This testing is presently in a dormant state pending a decision whether to continue along the same lines or just continue with the Plant Merit Trials which were being run along side the Regional Trials.

The Plant Merit Trials are a second project of the W.C.S.H. and have been run for almost the same length of time. The objective of these trials is to select outstanding ornamentals for the Prairie Provinces. These ornamentals are tested at Morden, and therefore, those chosen for the award are not always suitable for the prairies as a whole.

Despite the objectives of the W.C.S.H. the Regional Trials have had very limited impact on western horticulture. The main reason for this is that the results of the Trials are not widely disseminated to the nursery and landscape trades and the general public. Little is known about the Trials outside of the membership of the W.C.S.H. As well, the position of Head of the Ornamental and Fruit Crops section of Morden Research station, who is responsible for these trials, is presently vacant due to government fiscal restraints. This limits any further work along this line drastically.

One of the sites involved in the Regional Trials is Patterson Garden, University of Saskatchewan. The tests run here have shown that many more varieties of trees and shrubs are hardy in zone 2b then was previously known. For instance, Juglans nigra, usually rated for zone 3b, has been growing in the Garden for 13 years; Quercus coccinea for 16 years; and Juniperus chinensis 'Ames', usually rated for zone 5, for 17 years.

B: FRUIT GROWERS SOCIETY OF ALBERTA

This group was originally formed as the Peace Country Small Fruit Growers Association. Their aim is to promote the commercial production of fruit in Northern Alberta. They are presently involved in forming a co-operative to build a plant to process Saskatoons in Hythe, Alberta. The federal government is funding this project as well as a project to train women to work in the orchards and the processing plant. This funding is not horticulturally related.

C: ALBRIGHT GROUP FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF NORTHERN HORTICULTURE

This group is misnamed. The aim of this group is to develop and select horticultural crops suited to Northern Alberta, to evaluate established varieties under northern growing conditions, and to develop cultural techniques that will improve northern horticulture. Membership in this group is limited to small fruit growers and, in reality, this group is only an offshoot of the Fruit Growers Society of Alberta. Their only interest is in small fruit growing in the north.

D: PRIVATE INDIVIDUALS

There are many individuals who carry on research on their own initiative. Some of these are trained personel and others just people interested in horticulture. Much of the information they accumulate from their research is never disseminated. Some of them have invested a lot of their own money and time in this research.

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This page by Pat
updated August 18, 2000

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