Acta Horticulturae

Picture 4: Fiddlehead
Edward Island and Nova Scotia. In addition
to the major crops, 25 to 30 specialty
crops are being grown on small acreages.
Of special interest are fiddleheads
(crosiers of the fern Matteuccia
struthiopteris) which are gathered from
their native habitat on alluvial soils beside
rivers. In New Brunswick, where this a
common practice, about 270,000 kg are
gathered each year for a value of $1.2
million.
FLORICULTURE AND
NURSERY
The ornamental plant industry in the
Atlantic provinces had a value of $85.5
million in 1999. Plants are sold to landscapers,
independent garden centres, and
increasingly to seasonal garden centres at
national chain stores. Although there are
1815 ha of land producing nursery stock
in the region, about three-quarters of the
nursery stock is brought in from other
provinces or countries and nurseries.
Nurseries in Ontario are the dominant
suppliers. The demand for turfgrass is met
within the region and about 370 ha were
used to produce turfgrass which sold for
$4.3 million in 1999. In 1999 there were
about 50 ha of greenhouses which produced
cut flowers, potted plants and bedding
plants. The most popular potted
products were geraniums (25%), poinsettias
(17 %), chrysanthemums (15%) and
mixed species in hanging baskets (12%).
The ornamental bedding plant industry is
growing with 30 million plants produced
in 1999 and double that number 60 million
in 2000.
RESEARCH, EDUCATION
AND EXTENSION
A research centre of Agriculture and Agri-
Food Canada is located in each of the
Atlantic Provinces. Although each centre
makes a contribution toward horticultural
research, the Atlantic Food and Horticulture
Research Centre at Kentville,
Nova Scotia, has the most broad based
program. Research at Kentville is focused
on breeding, production systems, pest
management, post-harvest handling,
food processing and healthful components
of horticultural crops, with emphasis
on fruit. Potato research is concentrated
in Fredericton, New Brunswick, at the
Potato Research Centre. At the Atlantic
Cool Climate Crop Research Centre in St.
John’s, Newfoundland, research is conducted
on vegetable crops and native
fruit species.
Horticultural research is also conducted
at the Nova Scotia Agriculture College
(NSAC) which houses the Atlantic
Turfgrass Research Centre and the Nova
Scotia Wild Blueberry Institute. NSAC,
the principal agricultural education institute
in the Atlantic provinces, offers technical,
undergraduate and graduate programs
in Horticulture. They have a strong
commitment to distance education and
have established student exchange program
with hortictural institutions in
Europe. Agricultural extension is the
responsibility of the four provincial
departments of agriculture. In recent
years, the methods of delivering advice
and programs to growers has been
altered in favour of private sector
involvement and institutes which are at
arm’s-length from government. Most
provincial agriculture departments have
retained some horticultural expertise.
It is anticipated that the combination of
research and education, grower inventiveness,
awareness of the importance of
fruits and vegetables to a healthful diet,
as well as the demand for fresh, locally
produced products provide a bright future
for horticulture in the Canadian Atlantic
provinces.
Andrew R. Jamieson,
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Atlantic Food and Horticulture Research Centre
32 Main Street
Kentville, Nova Scotia, Canada
B4N 1J5
CHRONICA HORTICULTURAE • 11