to M Xi t, .,^^\» , ^'^'^\\,^' 0 w 0 o' ". 0 (i •"'"^»'i!"?!':f ^ «,.:, ■>' ^-» , 1 i i- [ r. 1 1 m^:.. '^^ ^ I f 1 r^ 1 ' j \ H: I.' *-■- ^ ■ ■ ^K •■^?^>;.- ■r^ -:k' ^^^BV f V ^^^^^H 1 ^^^^1-' jH W^^^^H ■ B 1 ij r.' > -. ^1 MICROFILMED 1998 Penn State University Libraries University Parli, PA 16802-1805 USAIN STATE AND LOCAL LITERATURE PRESERVATION PROJECT: PENNSYLVANIA Pattee Library Funded by the NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE HUMANITIES Reproductions may not be made without permission from The Pennsylvania State University Libraries COPYRIGHT STATEMENT The copyright law of the United States - Title 17, United States Code - concerns the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Under certain conditions specified in the law, libraries and archives are authorized to furnish a photocopy or other reproduction. One of these specified conditions is that the photocopy or other reproduction is not to be "used for any purpose other than private study, scholarship, or research." If a user makes a request for, or later uses, a photocopy or reproduction for purposes In excess of "fair use," that user may be liable for copyright infringement. This Institution reserves the right to refuse to accept a copy order if, in its judgement, fulfillment of the order would involve violation of the copyright law. Master Negative Storage Number PSt SNPaAg228 CONTENTS OF REEL 228 1) Pennsylvania Fruit Growers Society Proceedings of the Pennsylvania Fruit Growers Society, at its meeting, 1871 MNS# PSt SNPaAg228.1 2) State Horticultural Association of Pennsylvania State Horticultural Association of Pennsylvania, 1889 MNS# PSt SNPaAg228.2 3) State Horticultural Association of Pennsylvania Report of the State Horticultural Association of Pennsylvania for 1 905 MNS# PSt SNPaAg228.3 CONTENTS OF REEL 228 (CONTINUED) 4) State Horticultural Association of Pennsylvania Report of the State Horticultural Association of Pennsylvania for 1 906 MNS# PSt SNPaAg228.4 5) State Horticultural Association of Pennsylvania Report of the State Horticultural Association of Pennsylvania for 1 907 MNS# PSt SNPaAg228.5 6) State Horticultural Association of Pennsylvania Report of the State Horticultural Association of Pennsylvania for 1908 MNS# PSt SNPaAg228.6 CONTENTS OF REEL 228 (CONTINUED) 7) State Horticultural Association of Pennsylvania Proceedings of the State Horticultural Association of Pennsylvania, 1909 MNS# PSt SNPaAg228.7 8) State Horticultural Association of Pennsylvania Proceedings of the State Horticultural Association of Pennsylvania, 1910 MNS# PSt SNPaAg228.8 9) State Horticultural Association of Pennsylvania Proceedings of the State Horticultural Association of Pennsylvania, 1911 MNS# PSt SNPaAg228.9 CONTENTS OF REEL 228 (CONTINUED) 10) State Horticultural Association of Pennsylvania Proceedings of the State Horticultural Association of Pennsylvania, 1912 MNS# PSt SNPaAg228.10 11) State Horticultural Association of Pennsylvania Proceedings of the State Horticultural Association of Pennsylvania, 1913 MNS# PSt SNPaAg228.1 1 12) State Horticultural Association of Pennsylvania Proceedings of the State Horticultural Association of Pennsylvania, 1914 MNS# PSt SNPaAg228.12 Missing: 1872-1888 1890-1904 1918-1920 Author: Pennsylvania Fruit Growers Society Title: Proceedings of the Pennsylvania Fruit Growers Society, at its meeting... 1871 Place of Publication: Harrisburg, [Pa.] Copyright Date: 1871 Master Negative Storage Number: IVINS# PSt SNPaAg228.1 <2240925> * *OCLC* Form:serial 2 lnput:HHS Edit:FMD 008 ENT: 981123 TYP: d DTI: 18uu DT2: 18uu FRE: a LAN: eng 035 (OCoLC)40351829 037 PSt SNPaAg0228.1 $bPreservatlon Office, The Pennsylvania State University, Pattee Library, University Park, PA 16802-1805 050 14SB354$b.S8 090 00 SB354 $b.S8 $l+(date) $cst $s+U1871 090 20 Microfiinfi D344 reel 228.1 $l+(date) $cmc+(servlce copy, print master, archival master) $s+U1871 110 2 Pennsylvania Fruit Growers Society. 245 10 Proceedings of the Pennsylvania Fruit Growers Society, at its meeting • • ■ 260 Harrisburg, [Pa.] $bB. Singerly, state printer, 300 V. $bill. $c25 cm. 500 Description based on: 1871 . 533 Microfilm $m1871 $bUniversity Park, Pa. : $cPennsylvania State University $d1998. $e"i microfilm reel ; 35 mm. $f(USAIN state and local literature preservation project. Pennsylvania) $f(Pennsylvania agricultural literature on microfilm). 610 20 Pennsylvania Fruit Growers Society $xPeriodicals. 650 0 Fruit culture $zPennsylvanla $xSocieties, etc. 830 0 USAIN state and local literature preservation project. $pPennsylvania. 830 0 Pennsylvania agricultural literature on microfilm. Microfilmed By: Challenge Industries 402 E.State St P.O. Box 599 Ithaca NY 14851-0599 phone (607)272-8990 fax (607)277-7865 w\A/w.lightlink.com/challind/micro1.htm IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (QA-3) 1.0 I.I 1.25 ■ 50 US IS 2.8 14.0 1.4 150mm 2.5 Z2 2.0 1.8 1.6 ./' >1PPLIED^' IIVMGE . Inc ^s^ 1653 East Main Street ^^=r-: Rochester, NY 14609 USA ^=^^ Phone: 716/482-0300 ■i= Fax: 716/288-5989 O 1993. Applied Image, Inc., All Rights Reserved PROCEEDINGS OF THK PENNSYLVimill FRUIT GROWERS SOCIETY, AT ITS ANNUAL MEETING, HELD AT CH^MBERSBURa, Pa., JA.3sr"crA.E,"sr is, isTi. » • » • > ' » » 1 . » .< . 1 • » ' » i > It * > • . • • •" • , • ••• • • • ' • HARRISBURG: B. SINQERLY, STATE PEINTEE. 1871. CONSTITUTION. . • • I « • • 1 1 tit. I ^ a Article 1. This association shall be entitled " The Pennsylvania Fruit Growers Society,^^ and its objects shall be the advancement of the science of pomology and the art of fruit culture generally. Article 2. Any person may become a member of this society by a vote of a majority of the members present at any meeting, and by paying into the treasury the sum of one dollar annually ; or the payment of one dollar to the treasurer at any time shall constitute membership and entitle said member to a copy of the proceedings. The payment of ten dollars at one time will constitute a life membership. Article 3. Its officers shall consist of a President, three Vice Presidents, a Recording and Corresponding Secretary and a Treasurer, all of whom shall be elected annually by ballot. Article 4. The following standing committees shall be appointed : A Committee of five on Nomenclature; a Committee of three on Insects, of whom the Professor of Entomology shall be chairman ; an Executive Com- mittee, consisting of the President, Recording Secretary and Treasurer ; and a General Fruit Committee, consisting of one member from each county represented, with a general chairman of the whole ; each member of the Local Fruit Committee to have the privilege of appointing two assistants. Article 5. The society may at any time elect honorary members. Article 6. The society may from time to time appoint Professors on Entomology, Botany, Horticultural Chemistry and Geology. Article 7. This constitution may be altered or amended by a vote of two-thirds of the members present at any regular meeting, notice of the proposed amendment, in writing, having been previously given. Article 8. Seven members shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. * - • • . • 15504V PENNSYLVANIA FRUIT GROWERS SOCIETY. PENNSYLVANIA FRUIT GROWERS SOCIETY. BY-LAWS. Article 1. The Committee on Nomenclature shall collate and decide the standard and synonymous names of all fruits known in the society, with the authorities for each, and report, so far as practicable, at each regular meeting, and record the same in a book kept for that purpose. Article 2. The General Fruit Committee shall carefully and thoroughly investigate the subject of fruit culture in general. Each local committee of three shall collect such useful and interesting information in relation to the subject as may be in their power, and embody the same in monthly reports, to be made to the general chairman ; such reports to be by him examined and embodied in his annual or semi-annual report. Also, that the said county committees shall form ad interim committees for their respective counties ; and further, that said ad interim committees are hereby author- ized to publish their reports in the " Gardeners' Monthly,'' or such other papers as they may select, the same having been first submitted to the chairman of the General Fruit Committee for his approval : Provided, That said publication shall be free of expense to the society. Article 3. The annual meeting of the society shall be held on the third Wednesday of each year, at such place as the Executive Committee may appoint, at which time the election for officers shall take place ; said officers to serve from the close of the meeting at which they are elected to the close of the succeeding annual meeting, at which time an exhibition and discus- sion of fruits shall take place, and other business transacted in the following order : 1st. Reading of minutes of previous meeting. 2d. Roll called and dues collected. 3d. Election of officers. 4 th. Reports of officers. 5th. Reports of standing committees. 6th. Reports of special committees. 7th. Unfinished business of former meeting. 8th. New business. The nomination and election of new members shall be in order at any time during the session. Article 4. Other meetings may be convened by the Executive Committee at such time and place as they may appoint. Article 5. No member who is in arrears for dues shall be eligible for any office, or serve on any standing committee ; and any member who shall neglect to pay his dues shall cease to enjoy the privilege of membership. STANDING COMMITTEES FOR ISH. general fruit committee. E. Satterthwait, Montgomery county. Chairman. J. E. Mitchell, Philadelphia. Chas. Kessler, Berks county. Thos. M. Harvey, Chester county. A. Bombaugh, Dauphin county. Dr. J. L. Suesserott, Franklin county. L. S. Reist, Lancaster county. S. W. Sharp, Cumberland county. J. W. Rice, Perry county. F. F. Merceron, Columbia county. S. B. Heiges, York county. W. M. Pannebaker, Mifflin county. W. & Bissell, Allegheny county. B. Morris Ellis, Lycoming county. ON nomenclature. Josiah Hoopes, Chairman, A. W. Harrison, Thos. Meehan. Thos. M. Harve}^ Sam'l W. Noble, Alexander Harris, Chairman, Hiram Enjrle. ON publication. E. Satterthwait, ON insects. Prof. S. S. Rathvon, Chairman, J. J. Staufier, R. B. Haines. ON wines. Robert Otto, Chairman, John Fehr, J. E. Mitchell, Dr. J. L. Suesserott. ON arrangement and reception. J. E. Mitchell, Chairman, A. W. Harrison, D. W. Herstine. Wm. Hacker, Dr. J. S. Houghton, 6 PENNSYLVANIA FRUIT GROWERS SOCIETY. LIFE MEMBERS. Bissell, W. S., Pittsburg. Brinton, W. P., Christiana, Lancaster co., Pa. Calder, Rev. James, Agricultural College. Cornelius, Robert, Philadelphia. Engle, Henrv M., Marietta, Lancaster co., Pa. Engle. Hiram, Marietta. Lancaster co.. Pa. Ellis, B. Morris, Hughesville, Lycoming couniv. Pa. Haves, Charles P., Pliiladelphia. Hildrup, W. T., Harrisburg. Hoopes, Josiah, West Chester. Knox, Jeremiah, Pittsburg. HONORARY MEMBERS. Downing. Charles, Newberg, N. Y. \ Saunders, W m., W ashington, D. C. Meehan, Thomas. Germantown, Pa. Stauflfer, Jacob S. .Lancaster, Pa. Michener,Dr.E.,Avondale, Chester CO., Pa. Thomas, .John J., Union Springs, ^. Y. Rathvon, S. S., Lancaster. Pa. ; Warder, Dr. J. S., Cmcmuuti. O. Rowe, Hon. A. Watson, Chambersburg. | ANNUAL MEMBERS. Achelis, George, West Chester, Pa. Andrews, Thomas C, Moorestown, N. J. AllenDoch, John S. Atleo, Wm. Augustus, Lancaster, Pa. Black, James, Lancaster, Pa. Bachman, Jas., Strasburg, Lancaster coun- ty, Pa. Breckbill, J. H., Strasburg, Lancaster co. Breckbill, Elias, Strasburg, Lancaster co. Brinton, Moses, Christiana, Lancaster co. Brinton, S. L., West Chester, Pa. Bombaugh, Aaron, Harrisburg, Pa. Black, S. Wilson, Harrisburg. Bernheisel, Solomon, Green Park, Perry county. Pa. Brinkle, W. G. P., Philadelphia. Coiiard, S. F., West Grove, Chester coun- ty, Pa. Cocklin, Jacob, Shepardstown, Cumber- land county. Pa. Cocklin, Eby H., Shepardstown, Cumber- land county, Pa. Crucknell, Charles, Harrisburg, Pa. Davis, Edward M., Philadelphia. Deitz, G. A., Chambersburg, Franklin co. Dreer, H. A., Philadelphia. Duey, Simon, Harrisburg, Pa. Diffenderfer, W. L.,New Holland, Lancas- ter county, Pa. Engle, E. B., Chambersburg, Pa. Enjrle, J. G., Marietta, Lancaster co.. Pa., Engle, Edward J., York, Pa. Eckert, Isaac, Reading, Berks co.. Pa. Eby, J. R., Harrisburg, Pa. Fraker, F. A., Shirleysburg, Huntingdon county. Pa. Fisher, Gen. J. W., Lancaster, Pa. Frantz, M. A., Harrisburg, Pa. Fehr, John, Reading, Pa. Fuller, Andrew S., Ridgewood, Bergen co., N.J. Garber, Jacob B., Columbia, Lancaster co. Guarrigues, Thomas, Kingsessing, Phila. Guthrie, Allen, Lancaster, Pa. Guthrie, W. D., Chambersburg, Pa. Grabill, S. E., Strasburg, Lancaster coun- ty. Pa. Gross, D. W., Harrisburg, Pa. Gray, John N., Harrisburg, Pa. Hamilton, A. B., Harrisburg, Pa. Hacker, William, Philadelphia. Haines, R. B., Cheltenham, Montgomery count V, Pa. Heise, H. H., Columbia, Lancaster coun- ty. Pa. Helwig, Solomon. Hill, Dr. George, Hughesville, Lycoming countv, Pa. Harrison, A. W., Philadelphia, Pa. Harvey, Thomas M., West Grove, Chester countv. Pa. i Hiller, Casper, Conestoga, Lancaster co. Hoopes, Abner, West Chester, Pa. Heiges, S. B.. York, Pa. Hershey, J. H., East Hempfleld, Lancaster county. Pa. Herstine, D. W., Philadelphia. Hagar, H. W., Lancaster, Fa. PENNSYLVANIA FRUIT GROWERS SOCIETY. Hershey, H. H., Christiana, Lancaster co, Herr, Cyrus N., Strasburg, Lancaster co. Hensel, Geo. W., Quarryville, Lancaster county, Pa. Holstein, W. H., Bridgeport, Montgomery county, Pa. Jenkins, T. B., Greencastle, Franklin co. Koser, L, Newville, Cumberland co.,Pa. Kiner, A. W., Shippensburg, Cumberland county, Pa. Kautfman, A. J., Columbia. Lancaster co. Kessler, Charles, Reading, Berks co., Pa. Kepple, John, Harrisburg, Pa. Kendig, M. D., Manor, Lancaster oo., Pa. Lingle, John L., Harriaturg, Pa. Livingston, J. B., Lancaster, Pa. Landis, B. L,, Landis Valley, Lancaster county. Pa. Landis, Israel L., Lancaster, Pa. Linn, John, Chambersburg, Franklin co. Mehaffey, G. W., Marietta, Lancaster co. M'Millan, C. C, Gettysburg, Adams co. Merceron, F. F., Catawissa, Columbia co. Miller, B. C, Lancaster, Pa. Mitchell, J. E., Philadelphia. Musser, John, Marietta, Lancaster co. ,Pa. Musser, J. H., Marietta, Lancaster co., Pa. Martin, Tobias, Mercersburg, Franklin co. Mumma, David, Harrisburg, Pa. Murdoch, John, Pittsburg, Pa. Noble, Samuel W., Jenkintown, Mont. gomery county. Pa. Otto, Robert, West Chester, Pa. Parker, J. T., Mercersburg, Franklin co. Parry, Wm., Cinaminson, New Jersey. Pypher, Wm. L., Lancaster county. Pa. Pyle, Josiah W., Willow Dale, Chester co. Parfle, S. H., Columbia, Lancaster co.. Pa. Reist, Peter S., Oregon, Lancaster co., Pa. Reist, Levi S., Oregon, Lancaster co.. Pa. Reed, W. G., Chambersburg, Franklin co. Rife, Israel, Hagerstown, Md. Russell, John N., Fulton, Lancaster co. Riley, Peter, Lancaster, Pa. Rupp, H. S., Shiremanstown, Cumberland county. Pa. Reynolds, S. H., Lancaster, Pa. Rohrer, Adam, Lancaster county. Ryder, B. D., London, Franklin'Oo., Pa. Satterthwait, Edwin, Jenkintown, Mont- gomery county. Pa. Shafer, W. L., Philadelphia. Shope, C. Small, Geo. H., Harrisburg, Pa. Strickler, M. M., Columbia, Lancaster co. Steinman, A. G., Lancaster, Pa. Shoch, Samuel, Columbia, Lancaster co. Stouflfer, Amos, -Chambersburg, Franklin county. Pa. Saesserot, J. L., Chambersburg, Franklin county. Pa. Stouffer, John, Chambersburg, Franklin county, Pa. Sharp, S. W., Newville, Cumberland oo. Stoner, H. K., Lancaster, Pa. Sprout, A. R., Picture Rocks, Lycoming co. Shaffner, Jacob, Harrisburg, Pa. Smiley, John K., Jackson Hall, Pa. Stube, Henry, Hagerstown, Md. Thomas, G. B., West Chester, Pa. Taylor, Dr. Franklin, West Chester, Pa. Thomas, Wm., Lancaster, Pa. Woods, T. A., Paradise, Lancaster co.. Pa. Weiser, B. H., York, Pa. Willets, Rev. John, Philadelphia. Williams, Joseph S., Cinaminson, N. J. Williams, Henry T., New York. Wickersham, Jos. W., Yocumtown, York county. Pa. Weaver, Reuben, Mast ersonvi lie, Lancas- ter county. Pa. 8 PENNSYLTANIA FRUIT GROWERS SOCIBTT, DESCRIPTIO;ff OF PLATES. Fig. 1. CornelVs Fancy Apple.— Originated abont serenty years ago on the farm of Gilliam Cornell, in Southampton township, Bucks county. Pa. It has been so thoroughly tested in that vicinity, and has proven so ralu- able, that orchardists should feel no hesitancy in adding it to their collec- tions in other places. The tree is Tigorous and healthy, an upright and rather spreading grower ; productiTe and a regular bearer, making a hand- some tree both in the nursery and orchard, with large leaves slightly re- curved. Fruit— medium, oblong, conical; color, waxen yellow, shaded and splashed with crimson ; stalk of medium length, cavity rather large ; calyx, closed, abrupt, corrugated ; flesh, white, tender, crisp, juicy with a pleasant sub-acid flavor ; core, medium or large ; very good. Fig. 2. Butter Pear.— -This excellent variety originated with John Rnt- ter, Esq., of West Chester, Pa., who kindly furnished us the following his- tory : " The Rutter Pear, as it was christened in name some years ago by our friend Jonathan C. Baldwin, Esq., then President of the Chester County Horticultural Society, and described in the Pennsylvania Farm Journal as ' Butter's Seedless,^ was produced from a seed of the * Van Mens Leon le Clerc,^ crossed no doubt with some other variety, as the tree was plant- ed and grew within a few yards of an » Easter Beurre,' * Dearborn's Seed- ling,* * Bloodgood,' * Seckel,' and some twenty other varieties more dis- tant in the same inclosure— all fruiting trees. If I were to venture an opinion on this point, I should be inclined to pronounce it a cross with the * Easter Beurre,' from its form, size, color, and general appearance, giving this old ' Winter King,' the credit of sharing equally at least with the Van Mons in the cross fertilization. " The first product from this tree was a single pear — a fine specimen from which I obtained two seeds ; these were planted in a flower pot and placed in a green house in the autumn, and by gardening time the following spring, I had two fine strong plants which I turned out into a flower bed in the garden, where they continued to grow — one of them soon giving un- mistakable evidence of its parentage by exhibiting the rough creased bark so much in character with the old Tan Mons Leon le Clerc ; the other (Rutter) was upright, clean, and thrifty, making three-fold the growth of its twin companion, and on the fifth or sixth year of its age, produced fruit, but which to my great disappointment was tested by some depredat- ing boys before maturity; and what was more provoking, these young amateurs continued their predatory visits for some two years longer, gather- ing on each visit the whole crop. e ^^iMiMMMMiii^^^^^iai Mhik ^WMg^C OnCPr^^CQ-lf B Sido^ilv Lull. I'itisti. : u '. ■-;'■'> rr cJ', B Siti»erlv l,uh. PilKh. i '■-• v^' I! ^IIK'.-lK l.llll l'ill-~ll tJ Sir.<;..||v l.llll. 1' IlKI, INTENTIONAL 2ND EXPOSURE ll PENNSYLVANIA FRUIT GROWERS SOCIETY. 9 " The tree was then removed to my present residence, where it is now grow- ing and producing heavy crops every year. For six or eight years of first fruiting it produced entirely seedless fruit, some specimens showing scarcely any traces of even a core, and rarely a specimen showing an abortive seed. After this time an occasional specimen was found with one or two seeds. This change has gone on increasing until almost every pear now produces more or less perfect seed. The tree is an upright, symmetrical grower, with light colored bark, and an early and constant bearer. Fruit large, roundish-obovate green, changing to yellowish-green at full maturity ; flesh fine-grained, melting, almost dissolving into a rich, vinous-flavored juice. The ftuit is gatheied from the original tree generally about the 20th of October, ripening ofl" in the fruit-room, in the ordinary temperature of the season, in from four to six weeks. As the quality of this seedling is now pretty well known, I believe, among amateurs and nurserymen, who no doubt will speak of it as it deserves, I will not, therefore, at this late day, express any opinion of my own on its merits, or compare it with the popu- lar pears of its season, for in this respect I think it sin generis." Although this estimable variety has been in existence about twenty years, its merits are scarcely known beyond the neighborhood of its origin, and yet scores of inferior kinds have in the meantime enjoyed their brief period of popu- larity. Fig. 3. Sweet Quince. — Introduced to notice during the past year oy T. B. Jenkins, of Chambersburg, Pa., where it originated some forty years since. The cut is below the usual size of the fruit, and therefore does not do it justice. The tree is an abundant bearer and good grower. Fruit of medium size, oblate, somewhat ribbed ; color, rich, golden yellow ; stem set in a broad, dull brown, rough, knob-like projection ; whilst the calyx has large, long segments set in a deep basin ; flesh, deep yellow, coarse-grained, not very juicy, a little rough and of a mild, sub-acid character. 10 PENNSYLVANIA FRUIT GROWERS SOCIETY. PENNSYLVANIA FRUIT GROWERS SOCIETY. 11 PROCEEDINGS, 1871. ■ The Pennsylvania Fruit Growers Society met in Repository Hall, in Chambersburg, Franklin county, on Wednesday evening at seven o'clock, Josiah Hoopes in the chair, and Alexander Harris, Secretary. The reading of the minutes of the last meeting was dispensed with, and the Secretary proceeded to call the roll of members. Upon motion, the following gentlemen were elected members of the society : Honorary Members — Judge D. Watson Rowe, Greencastle ; T. B. Jen- kins, Chambersburg. Acting Members — M. D. Kendig, Lancaster county ; B. C. Miller, Lan- caster county; Adam Rohrer, Lancaster county; C. C. M'Millan, Gettys- burg; Dr. Franklin Taylor, West Chester; G. B. Thomas, West Chester; F. A. Fraker, Huntingdon county ; H. H. Heise, Columbia. Dr. J. L. Suesserott introduced Judge Rowe to the society, who, in a short speech, tendered the members of the society, on behalf of the citizens of Chambersburg, a most hearty welcome, and wished them, one and all, success in their noble enterprise of building up the science of pomology and general fruit culture. President Hoopes replied in a few well-timed remarks, and next proceeded to deliver the annual address to the society. « PRESIDENT'S ANNUAL ADDRESS, DELIVERED AT CHAM- BERSBURG, PA., JANUARY IS, 1871. Again, gentlemen of the Pennsylvania Fruit Growers Society, it becomes my very pleasant task to address you on topics so intimately connected with our ever3--day duties, so interwoven with all our pleasures and pursuits ; indeed, so necessary for the true enjoyment of a rural life, that their discus- sion in these annual gatherings are in reality not unessential to insure suc- cess. I know well that there are those who, taking a selfish view of the subject, are inclined to believe societies gotten up for the advancement of fruit culture of little use. Forgetting entirely the social character of our meetings, they .prefer to labor on, solitary and alone, depending solely upon facts which they sparingly glean from personal experience. But there are those again, looking beyond this narrow-minded policy, who annually gather knowledge from the rich field offered by the many that have tested the va- rious theories of the day, and are ready to impart unto others the informa- tion so gained ; and there are those, too, with us here to-day, ready, as in the past, to aid with unselfish motives all who stand in need of counsel and advice. In my remarks this evening, I desire first to call your attention to the importance of fruit growing in our own State, its profits and adaptability to our soils ; and then offer a few suggestions for the improvement of our so- ciety. Pennsylvania, with her large area of territory, diversified by every con- ceivable advantage of mountain, valley and plain, with a climate so varied in general character, and with soils of almost every description, must certainly form a fruit growing State of no mean importance. Then, again, the com- ^parative short distance to the best markets in the country, and the unsur- passejj facilities for forwarding quickly and cheaply the products of our orchards and gardens to their destination, are favorable features to be taken into account. Of late, numerous reports have been circulated to the effect that we cannot any longer grow good fruit in this State, nor can it be made remunerative— but I think very differently. Indeed, so persistent has been the attacks of our opponents, and so very plausible their arguments, that many well-intentioned cultivators (among whom I am very sorry to be obliged to class a few old and valued members of this society) have been ready to believe these silly croakers. The great object that every fruit grower has constantly in view, is that of profit. W^hether for home con- sumption or for market, it matters not, this one consideration is held para- mount over all others. We are all more or less selfish naturally, and no persuasion or influence can exclude this view of the subject. We may preach the delights of fresh fruits plucked from the tree of our own planting, or of the superior quali- ties of a certain variety which is unfortunately a shy bearer, but after all, if they do not pay, we purchase our fruits from those who make it remunera- tive, and root out the delicately flavored kind, so that we may plant in its place one of second rate quality, but uniformly productive. Such is human nature the world over, and I am sometimes of the opinion that it is not ao very far wrong either. Which of you owning a light sandy soil, would plant the Triomphe de Gand strawberry, and be satisfied with the meagre, although delicious crop of fruit ; and who would of choice set out a large orchard of Susquehanna peaches, beyond the narrow limits of its place of nativity, and yet it is large, beautiful and delicious ; or indeed is there any one owning a clay soil who would think of growing peaches for profit ? These things regulate themselves, and all that is required is suflacient know- ledge to guard against errors in cultivation, and sufficient information as to what we should plant. Good fruit is as profitable to-day as ever it was ; yes, every day enhances its value, as the taste of the consumers in our large cities becomes cultivated. Demand will regulate the supply, and the 12 PENNSYLVANIA FRUIT GROWERS SOCIETY. former is annually increasing. This cannot well be controverted. Such being the case, the first question of importance with us is, can we meet this demand on our own soils, so as to prove remunerative. To this I unhesi- tatingly answer, yes ; provided the producer understands practically the various impediments which are constantly in the way of our cultivators. These impediments, principally of recent introduction, can be overcome, however, to a great extent, and I am one who believes firmly, that as good fruit can be grown now as our fathers produced in past generations. Through the kindness of a few of the leading fruit growers of our State, I am enabled to lay before you some interesting statistics in regard to the profits of Pennsylvania fruit culture, showing the matter in its true light by actual facts and figures. I desire to state in advance, that the state- ments furnished me were in almost every instance obtained under protest, and that the writers^ names might be withheld for fear of being deemed egotistical and boastful, but I think I may safely assure them that my audience will not so construe their kindness. The cultivation of small fruits with us is necessarily accompanied with considerable expense, owing in a great measure to the character of our soils, which are remarkably adapted to the growth of weeds ; but I always regard weeds as blessings in disguise, to teach men lessons of cleanliness and thorough cultivation. What we lose by extra expense in labor, we certainly gain in the size and beauty of our fruit, and this is decidedly an important auxiliary. Strawberries, in my native county of Chester, pay well in the majority of seasons. We are near a good market, and quick transportation speedily delivers them to the consumers, fresh and hand- some. A successful strawberry grower for the West Chester markets, reports his experience with that variable variety, the Triomphe de Gand, as follows : " In the spring of 1864 I planted 4,800 Triomphe de Gand on ground pre- viously planted with potatoes, which were but slightly manured, the ground receiving nothing whatever when planted to strawberries. They were set two and a-half by one foot apart, and all runners kept off, and worked by a horse. In the year 1865 I sold IIS quarts for $174 T3. "After the crop was gathered the bed was merely cleansed from weeds, and running the year 1866 again \wthout manure, yielding 437 quarts, sell- ing for $151 44 ; the latter year a very bad one for strawberries. I con- sider the care I gave them but ordinary, and am satisfied the yield would have been greater had I given proper attention. I believe had the quantity l3een large enough to have warranted shipping, I could easily have realized 60 cents per quart, as I have since wholesaled the same variety for 40 cents, with prices not so high as a general thing. "You will observe the distance I plant will require 17,424 plants per acre ; PENNSYLVANIA FRUIT GROWERS SOCIETY. 13 we have therefore for 1865, 2,824 quarts, selling for $634 24; for 1866- 1,586 quarts, selling for $549 72. " I have since cultivated by the acre, and have had very good success — have never yet had sufficient to supply the demand. I consider the above statement as applying to field culture, and am sorry my time will not per- mit me to dissect my account so as to give my larger experience." An extensive cultivator for the Philadelphia markets states that he sells strawberries annually to the amount of from $2,000 to $4,000, from about three acres ; but as the cultivation is attended with considerable expense, he is of the opinion that good opportunities for disposing of the crop is a requisite to insure adequate remuneration. With him they are a paying crop. The same grower says, in regard to raspberries, that "they pay well, for although they do not yield as much per acre, they are less expensive to cultivate than strawberries." He furthermore remarks, '*I have about two acres of raspberries, and they will average one year with another, about $500 per acre. Currants and gooseberries about the same." Other culti- vators are in favor of the production of small fruits here, with reports of greater or less amount of net profit on the same. Any one who is at all acquainted with the extensive Knox plantations at Pittsburg, in this State, needs not to be told, that under the system of cultivation pursued there, small fruits are exceedingly profitable. In the orchard, pears have generally been discouraged as about the poorest crop we could possibly grow ; some entertain now a very different opinion, as the following extracts from a reccEt letter, written by a promi- nent Pennsylvanian pomologist, will show. He says, "It is about twelve years since I commenced planting pear trees, with a view of growing the fruit for market, and since that time I have set out near 5,000 trees. They are spread over near 30 acres, but in most of this ground, the rows of trees are wide apart, and all the ground is constantly occupied with other crops ; the rows themselves being filled up between the trees with currants, goose- berries, raspberries, rhubarb, or other things, and for any thing that I can see, the ground has produced as much as if there had been no trees there. " So that although I cannot base the cost of my orchard on this account, at much more than the original price of the trees and outlay for planting, the labor of which not being heavy, as I went to no extraordinary expense in preparing the ground. All the manuring my pears have ever had is the annual dressing I give the ground for the other crops. As I have gener- ally had a fair crop of pears, and have always been able to obtain good prices, I consider them remunerative. " I am not able to give any data excepting for the current year, and that without being very exact. At least 1,000 bushels have been disposed of during the present season, with a portion remaining unsold, the average u PENNSYLVANIA FRUIT GROWERS SOCIETY. PENNSYLVANIA FRUIT GROWERS SOCIETY. 15 price ranging about $2 per bushel. Owing to the extraordinary warm weather, all varieties ripened quite early, and even the best keepers had to be disposed of or they would have rotted. From this cause the price was considerably reduced." One of the most productive pear orchards in this or any other State, is the celebrated collection of Tobias Martin, at Mercersburg, Pa., now ten years planted. The cost of the land was $40 per acre, and the expense of preparing the same was $10 per acre more ; this, with the additional cost of 400 trees to the acre, and planting the same, makes a total outlay of $150 per acre after the trees were set. The trees were planted 10 feet apart each way, alter- nate rows having alternate standards, liking the standards 20 feet apart, with dwarfs between them in either direction. For the first three years the orchard was devoted to the growing of po- tatoes, 2 rows between each row of trees, the average annual yield of which was $100 per acre. Afterward the ground was used for cabbage and toma- toes, with a much smaller yield, say $50 per acre. During the fourth and fifth years the trees commenced bearing, and the product was $50 per acre. The sixth and seventh, $100 per acre, and the eighth, ninth and tenth years an average of $200 per acre. The annual cost of labor and for fertilizers was $50 per acre. The above statement does not include the amount of fruit used, nor that given away, which was very liberal. The following will give some little idea of the prices received for the fruit : Bartlett, extra fine, from $1 to $1 50 per doz. ; Bartlett, first-class, extra fine, $4 per bushel ; Bartlett, second class, $2 per bushel. Vicar of Wink- field, Lawrence and Easter Beurre, sold for $24 per barrel. Duchesne D'Angouleme and Beurre Claiyeau, (extra specimens,) from $3 to $5 per dozen. The peach crop in Pennsylvania, until the past few years, was a decided failure, owing mainly to the prevalence of the dreaded "yellows;" for- tunately, however, this has, in a great measure, passed away, and at the present time we are enabled to turn our attention to growing this fruit with profit. But in this connection I desire to impress upon fruit growers in this State, that as the climate of Delaware and Maryland is so well adapted to maturing the earlier varieties in advance of us, it is prudent in us to turn our attention to the later kinds, which we are capable of producing of unexcelled size and beauty. For instance the Crawford's Late, a mag- nificent peach, is perhaps as profitable with us, and will pay as large a per-, centage on the capital invested, as any fruit that can be grown. I know of one instance where the crop of this variety alone sold for $4 per bushel. Taking into consideration the length of our seasons, late peaches will very generally succeed satisfactorily. One orchardist informs me he has disposed of $tOO worth of peaches from one and three-fourth acres, mostly of the Smock variety, although the "rot" of the past year reduced the amount considerably. Another neighboring orchard, consisting of 1,000 trees, realized the sum of $900, and says the owner, " had all the varieties produced as well as did the Crawford's Late, it would have brought four- fold more.'^ All the larger fruits pay with varying success, depending greatly on the vicissitudes of a changeable climate. That apples will pay has been abun- dantly proven, if sufficient attention be given the trees. Insects have to be fought, and diseases counteracted, but success will surely follow a sys- tematic course of careful culture. One branch of pomological industry has not received that attention which its merits deserve. I allude to the forcing of fruits under glass. Many are deterred through ignorance in regard to the management of such structures, believing that they are at best but expensive luxuries, and calculated fbr amusement alone. That this view is fallacious I am enabled to prove, from a statement kindly furnished me by the owner of an extensive structure, designed wholly for profit. The statistics here offered were carefully com- piled from an unimpeachable record, and therefore may be implicitly relied on. One of the buildings referred to consists of a ^Hean to" house, 100 feet long and 17 feet 4 inches wide, including a four- feet walk along the back. The rafters on the same are 16 feet long. The other structure is built in the " double pitch" style, on the north side of the former, and to which it is connected. The latter is 50 feet long and 20 feet wide, with 12 feet rafters. The whole range is heated by one of Myers's upright tubular boil- ers, using 800 feet of iron pipe that will hold one gallon of water to the foot. In addition to this heating apparatus, the smoke flue is carried along the whole length of the house, and a stove is placed in the extreme northern end, to be used only in excessively severe and windy weather. The origi- nal cost of these houses is not definitely known, but as they were erected during the late war, when material and labor was at the highest point, one may judge that it was very expensive. The heating apparatus was placed in working order at a cost of something over $700. The following is an e3:tract from the statements of the owner : " For two years I had no fruit ; the third year I think about 150 pounds; the fourth year a nice crop of 800 pounds. " No account has ever been preserved of the quantity used, but only what was sold ; neither have I the amount produced by any single vine, with one exception ; a large vine in the south house, (black Barbarosa, or a closely allied variety,) which has fruited four years, the product of this, however-, has been carefully weighed each year, and is as follows, viz : The first 16 PENNSYLVANIA FRUIT GROWERS SOCIETY. two seasons, 49 pounds 15 ounces each year; the next 72 pounds, and the buis thaTh ' TV '"' ' ^" ^^"^'^^ ^^ ^-« ---^ "^^-^ Ha- burgs that have produced 40 pounds each, for the past three years Z riJl::T r r^" ^^-^^"^ ^^^-^ '^ *^ ^^^ '^^ Pe^s'so Tound^ select Ih^ T "'^ ''^'^ '^""^ ^' ^^^P^^ ^^ -^ houses, I should select the above named varieties from such as I have any knowledge If ^ ZTT"" '"''''^^' ' '^ ^^* '^^- *h-- ^-^- the above' we grow Golden Hamburg, Muscat Trouvernon, Grizzly Frontignac, Z "The Muscat Trouvernon is a very constant bearer, wUh handsoma bunches, but does not equal the Bowood in character. So with th Gold^ Hamburg, ,t .s very elegant, but the Bowood is still more beautiful aid here, is as reliable as the Black Hamburg ' rip^aTd 'sn^'^^r '" ''' ""'''" ^^"'"^^ ^^' '' °^-^ ^« -* - -on as ripe, and still another, it bears full crops only in alternate years • but T twl:" ''^ '' '' ^"^^"^ ''^ - '' ''^-^ ---^ ^^y^ eLrihan L " The Grizzly Frontignac is not a popular market grape, the objection he- ing to Its color, which is neither white nor black; but ^n account of ^ Th ' "^'^ '"' ^"' ^'^''^ "' ^'"'^^'^ ^"«^^^ Hamburgs. There is no objection to the last named on account of flavor but tha manner in which it ripens is very vexatious." ' These vineries commenced bearing full crops during the summer of 1868 when theamount sold was 1,078 pounds 12 ounces,an'd realizedTl 36T 44 year mo nrod . .^ ' '''' '^''''' '"' ''' ^''"' "' "^^^^^ ^^''' ^he 3 ear 1869 produced a crop of 1,097 pounds 11 ounces, and sold for $1 147 20 at a net profit of $583 93. ' ' The past year's profits was but about $367 86; these expenses included all repairs, and additions to the buildings, as well as commissions pa' d for disposing of the fruit, &c. ^ a ftwtdpr;f r''"'"' "''''' ^""' permission, I will call your attention to a few Idea that occur to me in regard to the affairs of our association. Among the prominent matters which I desire this society to investigate more thoroughly, is that of correct nomenclature. Early in the Mst^^^^^^ Inrtrer"!?; -'Vr"' """^''^ ^^ ^^^^ subjectendeavored to awaken an interest in their duties, and with a view to impart knowledge caused to be published a "Formula of Description," embracing rules of 'guidalr whereby every one at all acquainted with fruits would be able to descXj a new variety by a correct and improved method. No attention has been ZtJr'7"V '''"'''' "' '"^ ^'™"^'*^^' ''' descriptions or sped- mens of fruits, and yet far from being discouraged, they again request that ' PENNSYLVANIA FRUIT GROWERS SOCIETY. 17 members of this society, in the possession of any new seedling fruit of merit, that has originated in this State, will prepare a full description of the same, according to the "Formula," and forward it to me. The design of the committee on nomenclature is to prepare a work on native Pennsyl- vania fruits, and for the better accomplishment of their purpose, they de- sire to commence with the apple, giye the authentic history of each, name of introducer, date of introduction, and all other important items in con- nection with it ; and lastly, in an accurate and impartial manner, describe it fully. As colored drawings of each will also prove servicable, it is de- sired that such be made, and secured in a book kept for the purpose. Having called your attention to the proposed object of the committee, I j wish to make a few remarks on some points connected with pomological descriptions. Too little dependence is frequently placed on many charac- ters, which really prove of exceeding value when properly employed. For instance, the blossoms of the apple often form a criterion by which we can name a particular variety. This peculiarity of variation is not alone re- stricted to either size, color, or season of expansion, but is noticeable in all, The Red Astrachan, Early Harvest, Belmont, Knowles, Summer Pearmain. Primate, and Bradford Beauty, bloom early ; Jefferis, a Golden Russet. Baldwin, Yellow Bellefleur, Gravenstein, Rhode Island Greening, Smoke- house, and Smith's Cider, open their blossoms a few days thereafter ; whilst the Maiden's Blush, Tewksbury Winter Blush, Rambo, Mother, Ladies' Sweeting, Ailes, Hays, Roman Stem, Swaar, and Newtown Pippin, blossom still later. After these we have a few varieties of unusual lateness, as for instance, Raule'a Janet, Peck's Pleasant, and frequently Porter. The flowering season is not a reliable rule by which we can prejudge of the fruiting season, and yet in the majority of instances, especially among our early kinds, it is certainly an indication. In refering to my notes, I find such winter apples as Belmont, Bradford Beauty and Baldwin, blooming early ; and summer varieties like Maiden's Blush and Porter, blooming late. This latter class, as a rule, are more reliable for regular crops of fruit, as the late frosts of spring are avoided ; hence the popularity of many of the varieties above mentioned. The next point of importance in this blossom question is in regard to their relative size ; and it is indeed wonderful how this apparently unimpor- tant character has been overlooked. The Red Astrachan, Early Harvest, Belmont, Gravenstein, Rhode Island Greening, Bradford Beauty and Pri- mate, are among the largest. Maiden's Blush, Smokehouse, Rambo, Amer- ican Golden Russet, Codlin, Yellow Bellefleur, Hays, Summer Pearmain, Roxbury Russet, Swaar, Porter and Newtown Pippin, are of medium size ; F. a. 2. 18 PENNSYLVANIA FRUIT GROWERS SOCIETY. whilst Jefferis, Tewksbury Winter Blush, Mother, Ailes, Ladies' Sweeting, Knowles and Roman Stem, are all small. Here, again, we find discrepancies in a comparison of the fruits and blos- soms. The Bradford Beauty, a small sized apple, is preceded by a very large flower, and such medium to large fruit as Mother and Ailes, have very small blossoms ; yet, as was noticed in my remarks on the season, lar^e blossoms, as. a rule, are forerunners of large fruits, and vice versa. We now Arrive at the color, which, in the flower of the apple, is very distinct in the larger portion of our list of varieties, but as a criterion for judging of the skin of the fruit, it is comparatively worthless. The tints in the petals of our cultivated apple blossoms are of every shade, from pure white to the richest carmine rose. A few instances will best explain how unreliable are the comparisons of color in the blossom and fruit of any variety. Pro- ducing snow-white flowers, we have Red Astrachan, Summer Pearmain and Newtown Pippin. Blossoms with very nearly pure white petals are Tewks- bury Winter Blush, Rambo, Ladies' Sweeting, Gravenstein and Porter. With pale pink or flesh-colored bloom are Jefferis, Maiden's Blush, Early Harvest, American Golden Russet, Knowles and Roxbury Russet. With rosy blush or light rose colored flowers, are Yellow Bellefleur, Rhode Island Greening, Roman Stem, Bradford Beauty, Smith's Cider, Primate and Swaar. Occasionally we find a variety with delicately veined blossoms, as Smokehouse, Mother and Ailes, or prettily crimped on the edges, as Swaar. A few varieties present an unusually handsome appearance, from the fact that the bud is of a rich, rosy crimson, whilst the expanded flower may be pink or pale rose, as is instanced in the Hays and Codlin. The Belmont, and to a certain extent the Baldwin, have their petals distinctly bordered with rosy red, and many others are partially so. I have been thus explicit for the purpose of inviting attention to a subject usually deemed of trivial importance by our authors on fruit, but which really merits our considera- tion. I might, however, add that many other kinds of fruits do not pre- sent such marked characters. Taking for instance the pear, we find the blossoms of all the varieties uniforraally white, with pretty violet colored anthers ; but very distinct in size, length of peduncle, (or stem,) shape of petals, &c. In the period of expansion, we can also detect a variation, but not to so great an extent as in the apple. I might extend my remarks, and invite your attention to the tree itself— how very different the color of the bark— the arrangement of the branches— the general outline— or the size, shape and color of the leaves, but I think I have sufficiently explained my meaning, and I will therefore merely ask our members, generally, to procure a copy of our printed "For- mula of Description," and by its aid, assist the committee in their work. During the past year, I assumed the responsibility of inviting a few mem- PENNSYLYANIA FRUIT GROWERS SOCIETY. 19 bers to act in the capacity of an ad interim committee, for the purpose of visiting the strawberry crop of New Jersey, and report to the society at this meeting the result of iheir observations. I have long thought that such a course would not only be interesting to our members, but useful also as a means of ascertaining what the pomolo- gists of other sections are engaged in, and how their cultivation compares with that of our own. This committee, I may say, spent two days in an ex- ceedingly pleasant manner, having received the greatest amount of cour- tesy and kindness at the hands of the New Jersey fruit growers, and will in due sep?on report to you, in detail, a full account of their visit. If not inconsistent, therefore, with the views of this society, I would suggest that a like committee be again requested to visit, in a simlar manner, other sec- tions of country ; such, for instance, as the extensive peach districts of Delaware and Maryland, the blackberry plantations of New Jersey, or the larger orchards of our own State. ^ The published reports of proceedings of any society are, without doubt, a great incentive towards increasing our interest and enthusiasm in its be- half, and with this view I desire to state that some plan must necessarily be adopted to enable our association to issue such printed periodicals an- nually, and thus keep alive the interest in our work, as well as for the pur- pose of imparting instructio i unto others who cannot meet with us. Owing to the scarcity of funds at our disposal, we have been unable for several years to issue a detailed account of our meetings, and therefore the present volume, which the officers of this society take pleasure in presenting to its members, has boon made unusually large, comprising, as it does, the years 1 86 Y-G8-69-70. The work has cost for printing, illustrations, &c., $542 20, and on this sum $237 50 has been paid by your treasurer, $120 received from advertisements therein, and $9 50 received from the sale of copies, leaving the sum of $175 20 still due the publishers on an edition of 1,500 copies. The large number on hand will, if sold, reduce this balance to a small amount, if it does not liquidate it entirely. The members having this matter in charge preferred issuing it in a highly creditable manner, although at an increased expense. Hereafter, should a report be published annually, the work will necessarily be reduced in size, and consequently cost much less. I felt exceedingly anxious to make this work self-sustaining, and in the future, with still greater exertions, and in a reduced size, we may be able so to do. In regard to the plan now pursued for electing new members, I wish to propose an alteration. That adopted by the American Pomological Sociefc}-, and also used by other associations, is more simple, less liable to engender mistakes, and equally applicable to our own meetings. It is simply that 20 PENNSYLYANIA FRUIT GROWERS SOCIETY. PENNSYLVANIA FRIJIT GROWERS SOCIETY. SI ; f *; any person may be eligible to membership by paying the sum of annually to the treasurer, in the place of being elected viva voce, during our sessions, as now employed. It frequently occurs that the officers are un- able to hear the correct names, and more frequently the post office direc- tions are omitted entirely. Article sixth of our constitution provides for the appointment of pro- fessors on entomology, botany, horticultural chemistry and geology, and although such appointments have been neglected heretofore, and by some members considered of little importance, I trust we may consider the sub- ject in an impartial manner, and not carelessly pass it by in the future. Science bears such an important relation to the successful practice of fruit growing that every pomologist should endeavor to acquaint himself with the rudiments at least, and in the place of dry, uninteresting studies, he will be astonished at the constantly recurring sources of pleasure and in- struction, requiring his investigation. If the society should deem it proper to appoint suitable members to occupy the positions above named, and re- quest the same to prepare essays within the scope of their respective de- partments for publication, the value of our proceedings would be greatly enhanced, and a higher standing accorded them, by those who are best com- petent to judge. I wish it to be understood that I merely offer these remarks as suggestions, and without any desire to dictate to your better judgment, but I trust you may express your opinions in regard to it freely and can- didly. Another question arises relating to the length of time required for hold- ing our annual meetings. Some members are anxious that the society should continue three days, or parts thereof, in session, believing that more good should be accomplished when assembled together ; and as several of our members annually come from a great distance, consequently incurring no little expense, it would be advisable to prolong our sessions. I am aware that some who are deeply interested in our proceedings can not devote so much time to them as others, and herein lies our difficulty. I therefore place the matter in your hands for adjustment. As our constitution and by-laws have to my mind several objectionable features, I would suggest that the articles embodied therein should be read by the secretary, for the purpose of amending the same. This course will prove advantageous in a double sense, as our newer members will thus have an opportunity of becoming acquainted with the regulations that govern our meetings, and the society at large. I have now submitted the crude ideas that occurred to my mind in con- nection with the advancement of our society, and I earnestly desire that you will endeavor to remedy defects, and make important improvements, so that its best interests may be promoted. I shall at all times cheerfully work with you in any capacity for the accomplishment of every project tending towards advancement ; and I request that you make such sugges- tions at this time as will prove beneficial and profitable, not only to this as- sociation, but to pomologists e^'erywhere. I stand before you to-uight gentlemen, to plead for the success of this society, believins: that its wel- fare is closely connected with the Ijest interests of the whole fruit-growing community of our State. In looking back over the past eleven years, dur- ing which our association has had an existence, those of us who have been • participants in its pleasures, and who have received the benefits of its teachings, cannot but feel well re-paid for the little time and attention de- voted to it ; and in the future, with renewed exertion, we may reasonably expect to build up a flourishing society'', having already such an auspicious foundation. The few who have stood steadfast from its preliminary meet- ing to the present time, who have watched its career, as it gradually'- rose in usefulness, and became a fixed fact, who gloried in its prosperity, and watched its waning powers as the sympathy and encouragement of its old friends fell away one by one, can assuredly congratulate themselves this day that their attachment to its best interests has not been in vain. I want to see ever3''man in our State, that feels the least interest in fruits, a member with us, each contributing his mite for the good of the whole. We cannot shut our eyes to the fact that Pennsylvania has the ability and experience within her own borders, to form an association, second to no other in the Union, and may the time speedily arrive when such a happy consummation will be effected. Cordially thanking you all for your attendance at this time, as well as for your attention to my rambling remarks, I wish to add, that as we aie about entering upon a new j'ear, you have my best wishes for success in aU your undertakings, not only in the orchard and garden, but in all else that make our lives a constant round of pleasant duties ; and now it only re" mains for me to say, in the language of *' Tiny Tim," made eloquent by one who has so recently passed away, " God bless us every one." On behalf of the Pennsylvania Fruit Society I desire to express to the citizens of Chambersburg our most cordial thanks for the kind reception and hearty greeting that has been so generously accorded us, and which will, beyond a doubt, add greatly to our enjoyment, as well as to the socia- ble character of our convention. For the first time in the history of our association, we meet in the lovely Cumberland valley, renowned alike for the intelligence and hospitality of its inhabitants, as well as for the exceed- ing fertility of its soil. That such a section of country should become re- nowned as a great fruit producing centre, does not permit of a doubt, and if we may believe the numerous evidences furnished by your association at Mercersburg, then, indeed, may we all look to our laurels in this respect. 22 PENNSYLVANIA FRUIT GROWERS SOCIETY. Upon organizing this, the 12th annual meet'Dg of our association, I can- not forbear expressing my most sincere thanks for the interest so evidently shown in our society by its members from every section. None but thos3 who have felt the burden of responsibility resting upon their shoulders, can duly appreciate the kindness and sympathy which you have shown by your presence; and I sincerely trust that you may not be disappointed in the various transactions that will, from time to time, be presented for your approval. The election of officers being the next thing in order The Chair appointed the following nominating committee: H. M. Engle, W. O. Reed, G. H. Small, T. M. Harvey, J. B. Garber. " Air. Engle here remarked ; We are all well aware of the progress that our society has been making of late years, and under none other has it pro- gressed more rapidly than under the presidency of the present President. I therefore move that we re-elect him by acclamation. President Hoopes— The success of the society is as much due to its other members, especially the Secretaries, as to myself. I will make no further remarks on this subject, but only add that I think you have made a poor selection. Mr. Engle— We'll risk it. Josiah Hoopes, of West Chester, re-elected by acclamation. The report of the nominating committee was approved by the unanimous election of the following subordinate officers : Vice Presidents.—S. W. Noble, Dr. J. L. Suesseiott, J. B. Garber. Recording Secretary — Alexander Harris, Lancaster. Corresponding Secretary,— Thomas Meehan, Germantown. Treasurer — Robert Otto, West Chester. Dr. Suesserott moved the appointment of a fruit committee. Said he, as it is a conceded fact that we owe a debt of gratitude to Mr. Charles Down- ing for what he has done for us, I move the appointment of a committee to select such specimens of fruit as they see fit, and send them to him as a token of our appreciation of what he has done for us. President Hoopes here took occasion to mention that Mr. Downincr had presented the society with a copy of his book, entitled, " Fruits and Trees of America," Dr. Suesserott amended his motion, by adding a vote of thanks for the book. The motion carried. The chair named the following gentlemen as the committee: Dr. J. L. Suesserott, S. W. Noble, William Parry Dr Franklin Taylor, W. P. Brinton. ' The Treasurer now read his report, which, after having been examined by a committee, was found correct : PENNSYLVANIA FRUIT GROWERS SOCIETY. 23 Statement of the Treasurer of the Fruit Growers Society of Pennsyl- vania, for the term 1870-71. Balance on hand from last report $192 21 Received fees of annual members 65 00 Do do..twolifemembers, at $10 20 00 Do. .from the sale of two certificates of membership, 2 00 -, $279 21 EXPENDITURES. Cash paid as follows : 1870. Jan. 19. Paid for posters, as per bill $1 50 May 23. H. T. Smallwood, for three lithographic plates, as per bill 70 00 Aug. 10. Thomas Meehan, as per order of the Presi- dent 25 00 Sept. 27. Bowen & Co., for printing, as per bill 67 50 Dec. 7. Brinkloe & Marot, on account for printing reports 100 00 1871. Jan. 16. Josiah Hoopes, as per bill 5 50 269 50 Balance on hand 9 71 ROBERT OTTO, Treasurer. West Chester, Pa., January 17, 1871. Chambersburq, January 18, 1871. We, the undersigned Auditing Committee, have examined the account of the Treasurer, and find it to be correct. CASPER niLLER, ABNER HOOPES, T. B. JENKINS. Henry M. Engle, chairman of the General Fruit Committee, submitted the report of said committee, which was adopted. Committee on Nomenclature made no report. Committee on petitioning the Legislature for the establishment of a State Entomological Department continued over. H. M. Engle moved a committee be appointed to prepare business for the convention. Carried. — ■^mmtmmm 24 PENNSYLVANIA FRUIT GROWERS SOCIETY. The Chair appointed H. M. Engle, Thos. Meehan, Levi Relet, D. W. Herstine, William Parry. While this committee was preparing a report, opportunity was given to the members of the convention to ask any questions they saw fit. Mr. Hillar, of Lancaster, inquired the cause of the gnarled and imper- fect appearance of an Easter Buerre pear which he exhibited. President Hoopes thought it the work of a small insect that attacks the trees before the fruit has stopped growing. Mr. Panaboker desired to know what kind of fertilizers the gentleman used. Mr. Hillar had used bone-dust and little besides on new ground twelve years ago, and the fruit grown thereon was quite perfect. Tobias Martin considered the Easter Buerre a good fruit, and never found bad specimens of it when the trees were in good condition, and too much fruit was not allowed to hang upon them. Mr. Satterthwait remarked that this was the only variety of pear that had failed with him last year ; had the same gnarled appearance as already indicated by other members. Mr. Martin had several trees of this variety and they seemed to be doing well. The committee on business come in and reported the following questions for discussion : 1. What are the best and most profitable manures for orchards ? 2. What are the best and most profitable systems of manuring of or- chards ? 3. In what does successful fruit growing consist ? 4. Do we prune our fruit trees too much ? 5. Is underdraining generally profitable in orchard culture ? 6. When should fruit be gathered to best assist its preservative character ? 7. Do fruits mix by pollen on the trees, so as to affect the character of the fruit of the same season ? 8. How should apple trees be trained ? 9. What is the best system of manuring the earth culture of orchards ? 10. What can the Fruit Growers Society do to best encourage fruit cul- ture in Pennsylvania ? Question first was then taken up. E. Satterthwait had no experience in any other save barn-yard manure, as he never had faith enough in any other to induce him to try it. Mr. Meehan desired to know if a cheaper and better manure could be suggested than barn-yard manure. A. S. Fuller still clings to barn-yard, manure, but has also faith in bone dust, and beyond that does not go. With these he can grow any fruit. PENNSYLVANIA FRUIT GROWERS SOCIETY. 25 Barn-yard manure he considered the cheapest of all the fertilizers attaina- ble. William Parry, New Jersey, was in favor of stable manure if it can be obtained. When it cannot, however, he would say muck was a valuable manure for the fruit grower, and in some sections it is to be found in great quantities. For raspberries this is an excellent manure. Paschall Morris has learned that for peach and apple trees potash is a better manure than any other. Barn-yard manure, of course, is good, but for some fruits he did not consider it as good as potash. Thomas Harvey considered barn-yard manure as standing first upon the list and bone dust next to it. Liquid manures are useful. He agreed with Paschall Morris in his estimate of the utility of potash. Thomas Meehan found that tan-bark mixed with salt and lime made a good manure. Instead'of the tan-bark he has used sedge and grasses, and a composition of their ingredients he has found as good as a stable manure. Tobias Martin bought land and thoroughly plowed and sub-soiled it and applied no manure, and has been successful in the growing of fruit. He believed " thorough cultivation to be the poor man's manure." Mr. Willard had seen excellent success in the growing of fruits from the application of salt and lime. He knew a pear orchard of thirty-five acres to which the top-dressings (one of barn-yard manure and one of salt and lime) had been applied, and this orchard was prosperous indeed. Mr. Williams has had considerable success with phosphate. He planted a pear orchard on poor land and used phosphate and was surprised at their growth. Stable manure is not to be had in his section of country. Mr. Morris found when he applied barn-yar^ manure to his pear trees they blighted most of all. E. Satterthwait has used barn-yard manure to some thousands of trees, and blight is a disease with which they have never been affected. Mr. Meehan has a very healthy looking pear that stands in a heap of manure, and which, perhaps, has grown there since the battle of German- town. Lukens Pierce has been using barn-yard manure for his trees and finds it does well. Roadside sand he has also made use of to great advantage. Levi S. Reist does not believe in artificial manures when barn-yard manure is attainable. Did he live east of Philadelphia he might be induced to try artificial fertilizers. Letters were now read from several members, who expressed their regret in being unable to attend the meeting of the society. On motion, adjourned till 9 o'clock on Thursday morning. I 26 PENNSYLVANIA FRUIT GROWERS SOCIETY. MORNING SESSION. Thursday, January 19, 1871. Pursuant to adjournment, society met at 9 o'clock, President Hoopea in tbe chair. T. M. Harvey, of Chester county, spoke of the necessity of all the mem- bers of the society being furnished with a copy of last year's report. Many had not received a report because their post office was unknown. The list of members was read over by the Secretary and their post offices given by members present, and mistakes therein corrected. Rev. Dr. Willets, of Philadelphia, was, on motion, elected an honorary member of the society. Andrew S. Fuller, of Ridgewood, Bergen county, ^ew Jersey; Henry Williams, editor oi Horticulturist, New York, and Dr. E. Michener, were elected members of the society. Mr. Meehan proposed to alter the by-laws, and presented the following resolution : ° Resolved, That the nomination and election of new members shall be in order at any time during the session, or the payment of one dollar to the Treasurer at any time shall constitute membership, and entitle said member to a copy of the proceedings. Mr. Hoopes proposed, as an amendment, to strike out that clause of the by-laws and insert this resolution. Mr. William Parry thought the clause should not be stricken out, but the resolution should go into operation and both act together— an amend- ment to amendment. Resolution, as amended, adopted. Hon. William Parry, of New Jersey, was now introduced by the Presi- dent, who proceeded to read an essay upon the « Profits of Small Culture." PROFITS OF SMALL FRUITS. BY WM. PARRY, OF NEW JERSEY. Small fruits, not small in value, but so called because they are found grow- ing on small bushes, vines and plants, were formerly considered as properly belonging to the garden, but now are grown in such large quantities as to require broad acres for their cultivation, and on some farms more land is. devoted to their culture than to any other crop. STRAWBERRIES. The first fruits of the season, and the most healthful and delicious in cul- tivation are strawberries, which are easily grown, and when sent to market in good order command fair prices. The varieties of which have become so numerous that it is very difficult for one who has had no experience to determine which to plant by merely reading the descriptions of those offered PENNSYLVANIA FRUIT GROWERS SOCIETY. 2T for sale. After testing over one hundred kinds, I have come to the conclu- sion that for profit a very few varieties are sufficient for any one section, so as to keep up a succession from the earliest to the latest ripening. Some varieties do remarkably well in some locations, with certain treatment, when in other sections they are of but little value. The high reputation that some strawberries have obtained where the soil, climate and surrounding circumstances were all congenial, is a great recommendation in selling plants, but it does not follow that they will succeed when tried in different circumstances which may suit some other varieties better. Many of us well remember the high expectations with which we looked forward to the coming of that wonderful strawberry, styled "Our 700," in the possession of a prominent fruit grower in the western part of this State, not to be distributed, however, until his own stock of plants should be so larse that he could afford to let them go at a moderate price. During this time of suspense we were treated to the reports of sales in New York of this great strawberry. ^^ Sixty cents a pint of ten berries each^^ was very gratifying to those who expected to get some of the plants. After being informed of the moderate price of $100 per thousand, at which they could be had, and not wishing to be behind others in getting a stock of that remarkable strawberry, I ordered seven thousand plants, and set them in a seventeen acre field, in which we were planting Wilson's Al- bany, Russell's Lady Finger, Agriculturist, Green Prolific, Cutter, Downer French and others, any and all of which, with an equal chance, yielded better returns than the celebrated 700, which much resembled though at that time was not known to be the Jucunda. One of my tenants, to whom I had always given all the strawberry plants he wanted, informed me that he intended sending to Pittsburg for plants of some of those large straw- berries of which he had been reading in the New York Tribune. When I informed him that I had the same kind, and he could have them without cost, he could hardly believe that mine were the same kind ; said "they didn't look like those pictures in the Tribune:^ Now I consider it well established that no one variety is adapted to all soils and locations. Those which I may name as having done well with us in New Jersey, may not succeed in other sections where some varieties do well that do not succeed with us. But, fortunately, in these United States we have a great diversity of soil and climate, sufficient to accommodate every variety of strawberry in cul- tivation, and it can only be ascertained by trial which is the best location for each. One reason for the conflicting reports we sometimes hear in reference to strawberries, is owing to the difference in the soil, climate and treatment they receive. 28 PENNSYLVANIA FRUIT GROWERS SOCIETY. WHAT KINDS TO PLANT. There is probably no variety that has yielded more profit to the growers generally than Wilson's Albany. We have grown over two hundred bush- els per acre of thera, or six thousand and four hundred quarts, which sold at an average of ten cents per quart, gave over six hundred dollars. Although not as pleasant to the taste as some others, they are good sized firm berries, carry well and look well in market, and consequently sell well. We should bear in mind that for profit, the fruits which yield well and look well are the most profitable to grow. That the fine qualities and rich flavor of fruits are but secondary consid- erations with salesmen who dispose of the most fruits in large quantities. If the fruit looks well on the stall, it will have a ready sale, but not other "Wise. There are a few others that have generally given good returns with us, such as Downer's Prolific, Charles Downing and Kentucky, all originated by J. S. Downer, of Kentucky. Perhaps no other person has succeeded so * well in raising seedling strawberries, or produced a trio of such value as these three ; ripening with the earliest and continuing through the season till after most other strawberries are gone. Three others of great value are the Green Prolific, Agriculturist and No. 30, all grown by Seth Boyden, of New Jersey. They are strong, vigorous growers, hardy and productive, and the two last named, the largest berries we grow, and from their mon- strous size and attractive appearance, command the highest price, and brought one dollar per quart in market the past summer when common strawberries were plenty and cheap. In growing fruits generally for profit, it is not necessary to cultivate many varieties, but rather be confined to a few of the best that will give a succession of fruit throughout the season. I have seen plantations of from eighty to one hundred acres of strawberries on single farms, where there were not a half dozen varieties in cultivation. The kinds best adapted to each location paying the largest profit. One of the proprietors informed me that he had received a check from his commission salesman often thou- sand dollars at one time on account of his strawberries. TIME TO PLANT. Strawberries should always be planted early in spring, the sooner the better after the frost leaves the ground, while it is cool and moist. Perhaps there is no greater error in the strawberry culture than planting in summer time, after taking a crop of vegetables from the ground, in hopes of getting a crop of berries the next summer. The ground ])eing warm PENNSYLVANIA FRUIT GROWERS SOCIETY. 29 and dry, most of the plants will die, and the few that survive will make but a feeble growth, and it will require more care and labor the next spring to fill up vacancies and get a good stand of plants, than to commence anew on a separate piece of land that had been freshly plowed on purpose to receive them. SOIL AND PREPARATION. Almost any ground that will bring good corn or wheat, and is well drained, either naturally oi: artificially, is good for strawberries. Corn that has been well tilled the year previous is an excellent preparation for them, as grass and weeds are less troublesome after corn than most other crops. The ground should be well plowed and harrowed smooth, and marked out with a small plow the desired distance, according to the variety and mode of culture. A very common mode is to open the furrows five feet apart and spread manure or compost along them, and plant early corn, one grain in a place, fifteen inches apart, and a strawberry plant alternately between the corn. In that way the strawberries get but little culture except while dressing the corn, which being cut for market early, usually brings from fifty to seventy-five dollars per acre, and the strawberries will spread sufllciently to form good beds for fruiting the next year. Another plan that has given good satisfaction with me is to open furrows two and a-halffeet apart, and spread a preparation of equal parts of marl, ashes and ground bone along the furrows, after it has been mixed and in- corporated together for ten days or two weeks, until the heat generated by the action of the ashes and marl has mellowed and softened the bone, so that the particles will crumble like chalk when rubbed between the thumb and fingers, using one ton of the ground bone, and the same quantity each of ashes and marl, on five acres, will give a vigorous growth of dark green foliage to the strawberries. CULTIVATION. The ground being frequently stirred with horse and cultivator close to the rows, leaves but a small portion of the ridge between the plants to be loosened with the hoe. As the runners extend and widen the beds, the culti- vator is made narrower, and care being taken to pass along the alleys every time in the same direction ; drawing the runners always in one way will leave them more even and regular than if drawn both ways, by going back and forth in the same alley. The plants then form ridges about eighteen inches wide, with alleys one foot wide between them. This plan is more certain and reliable than keeping the plants in hills and cutting ofl' the run ners. There is less hand labor, most of the c ultivati6n being done by horse 30 PENNSYLVANIA FRUIT GROWERS SOCIETY. V power, and if some of the plants should be destroyed by grubs or insects there will be enough left to produce a good crop of fruit. MULCHING. At the approach of cold weather or beginning of winter give them a good coat of stable manure, spread evenly all over the plants. If the rows'' are two and a half feet apart, a horse and each cart wheel will follow aloncr an alley without injuring the plants. The covering with manure is of great importance, as it protects the buds and embryo fruit from severe freezing, and prevents the roots from lilting and heaving out as the frost leaves the ground. The rains soaking the strength of the manure into the soil, gives food and nourishment to the roots. The straw and coarser materials being bleached and beaten close to the ground by the winter's snow and rain, does not prevent the young growth from coming through in the spring, but serves to keep the fruit clean in summer. HOW MANY BASKETS ARE WANTED. Crates and baskets should be ordered in time to be on hand before com- mencing to gather the fruit. Quarts and pints are the most suitable size. It will be necessary to procure at least three times as many as will be needed at any on^ time for picking, so as to allow for one set to be in mai- ket while the second lot is going and a third in the patch being Oiled. Al- lowing the crop to yield 2,500 quarts, or seventy-eight bushels per acre, to be gathered at six pickings, of about four hundred quarts each time, it will require twelve hundred quart baskets, which, with crates of the best make may be rated at about fifty dollars per acre. But as the same baskets and crates will answer for raspberries and blackberries, and with proper care will last several years, ten dollars per acre is sufficient to charge, each crop for the use of baskets and crates. ° ' WHAT KIND OP BASKETS. There are now so many varieties of baskets and boxes made that almost every grower can have his choice, but to carry fruit in the best condition they should be made of thin splints, light, strong, and well ventilated, to allow a free circulation of air to carry off the excess of heat and moisture, as the berries are not always dry and cool when put up for shipping. The splints should be so strong that the bottom tier will bear the weight of all the berries, baskets and divisions above them, or the fruit will be mashed as the sides yield to the pressure of the upper tiers of berries. Havincr used and tested many kinds within the last quarter of a century, I prefer the Beecher Veneer baskets to any others with which I am acquainted. They possess all the properties requisite for carrying fruit in good condition, are light, strong and durable, lasting several years with proper care. PENNSYLVANIA FRUIT GROWERS SOCIETY. 31 • PICKING. There is no part of the business that requires closer attention than gathering and preparing the fruit for market. It should be assorted as picked, the prime berries put together and the cuUens kept separate. The baskets should be well filled and rounded up ; the berries placed close and even with stems down, so that when in the crates the divisions above will press gently upon and keep them steady in place. As the fruit grower is "no respecter of persons," but in the busy season, employs men, women and children of all ages and denominations, whose object is to make the most they can, and as they are usually paid by the quart, every berry picked whether good, bad or indifferent will help to fill up the measure and would be a loss to them if not put in the basket. So that it requires some moral courage for the pickers themselves to put the Iruit up in the best condition for sale. To assist in this matter, we provide them with baskets of a different size, in which to put the imperfect and faulty berries, so they will measure as much as if all were mixed together. As the berries are brought in for packing, ten or twelve baskets on a tray, they are carefully examined and at least one emptied in presenceof the pickers ; if they turn out all right, they are paid in white tickets ; but if small, green or faulty berries are mixed among the prime ones, or they are not put up as directed, a blue ticket of less value is given, which has a salutary effect, as it is mortifying for them to receive a blue ticket, which is the signal of bad work, in the presence of others. The system works beautiful ; it is a constant stimulant for right doing. It don't hurt the best of hands to look after them, but is rather gratifying for them to know that their employers are aware of and appreciate their work ; and work that is not well done- does not receive full pay. YIELD AND PROFIT. There are so many circumstances connected with strawberry growing, such as varieties, soil, climate, location, markets and the skill and manage- ment of the grower, that the results of a few cases cannot be relied on as a general rule. The premium crop in Burlington county, N. J., was at the rate of of 2G3 bushels per acre, yielding a profit of upwards of $1,000. But one-third of that amount would be nearer our general average. For ten years past, our whole crops have averaged about 2,500 quarts per acre, and averaged 12 cents per quart in market, giving the following results: 32 PENNSYLVANIA FRUIT GROWERS SOCIETY^ 2, 500 quarts, at 12 cents ^300 (^ Commission, 10 per cent $30 00 Picking, at 2 cents ' 50 00 Interest on land jq qo Manure 25 00 Use of baskets 10 qq Cultivation, &c. 30 qq Net profits 145 00 300 00 300 00 PENNSYLVANIA FRUIT GROWERS SOCIETY. 33 RASPBERRIES. The raspberry coming next to the strawberry, is a fruit of great excel- lence, usually sells higher than strawberries and is really worth more to the consumers. The fruit is heavier, richer and will go further as a dessert. There is no waste of time and labor in preparing them for use, as the hulls are left on the bushes when picking the berries. Our markets have not gen- erally been well supplied withf raspberries, owing to the difficulty in getting hardy varieties that would stand our changing climate ; most of those that succeeded well in more northern latitudes, and were highly recom- mended for general cultivation, would not carry their foliage through our warm summers. And the canes would be injured before the approach of winter, and whether protected or not, they were of but little worth in the spring. An erroneous impression has to some extent prevailed, that raspberries which are called tender at the north, may do well at the south without pro- tection. But raspberries do best in a cool climate, and many that succeed at the north are of no value at the south. Although some few native kinds, distinguished by their color, as red, white and black, have been grown time out of mind, it is but recently that much attention has been given to grow- ing improved varieties. IMPORTED RASPBERRIES. For many years strong efforts were made to introduce the fine English and French varieties, and to grow seedlings from them, thinking they would be more easily acclimated, but with no better results than have followed the foreign gooseberries and grapes that have been tried in open field cul- ture. At this time there is no foreign variety worth growing in the open field that is generally adapted to our soil and climate. The Hornet and Antwerps are berries of superior excellence, and it is to be regretted that the locations in which they succeed are so very limited. But when all the surrounding circumstances of soil, climate and treatment are exactly congenial, they yield large crops of the finest fruit, which com- mands the highest price in market. A fruit grower in Camden, N. J., about three years since, had one-eighth of an acre mostly of the Hornet raspberry, which produced three hundred and thirty-six quarts, sold at ninety cents per quart, yielding at the rate of two thousand and four hundred dollars per acre. The following year the crop was all taken by one dealer at seventy cents per quart. Last 3'ear when I was there to examine the plantation, which is much larger now, so that they were picking about one hundred quarts daily, the owner informed me that the same person had engaged the crop again at sixty cents per quart for the season. That is the only instance in my knowledge of perfect success with the Hornet. Other plantations near by made from the same stock are all failures. NATIVE RASPBERRIES. Owing to the great difllculty attending the cultivation of foreign varieties as a field crop for market, the attention of fruit growers has been turned to the improvement of our hardy, native raspberries, of Avhich there are two distinct species : The Rubus Occidentalis, which is propagated by the top end of the canes bending over and striking root in the ground, forming a new plant, which in turn sends out shoots reaching still further from the original stock, and thus in a migratory manner soon spreads over a con- siderable space of land. The Purple Cane and Ellisdale are of this order, and the Catawissa to some extent. The White, Yellow or Golden Cap, Golden Thornless and Cream raspberries. Also the different varieties of the Black Caps, such as the Doolittle, Miami, M'Cormic or Mammoth Cluster, Davison's Thornless, Seneca, Gar- den, Great Western, Hamilton, Yoscmite, Ohio, Canada, and Lurn's Ever- bearing, and many others of less value. I have not met with an English variety grown from tips, nor a black raspberry grown from suckers. BEST BLACK CAPS. The Doolittle and Mammoth Cluster are the most i^rofitable black rasp- berries with which I am acquainted. The former is early, firm and carries well to market. The latter is larger and later. Both are stronsr, vii^-orous growers, hardy and very productive. Having thirty acres of them growing, I have found them to pay well, producing more bushels per acre than corn , F. G. 3. \ 34 PENNSYLVAx\IA FRUIT GROWERS SOCIETY. with less care and culture, and after being once planted will continue for seven or eight years yielding annual crops without renewing. The other species to which allusion was made is the Rubus Strigosus, an upright grower, which is increased by suckers from the roots and by planting root cuttings, but not from the tips. Our Native Red raspberries are all of this class, and seem quite local in their habits. Many of the finest will only succeed in certain sections where the climate and soil are just suited to their wants. It is sometimes hard to account for the conflicting reports made in reference to the same raspberry from different sections of our coun- try. The Allen, a beautiful and delicious red raspberry, yields good crops in some locations, and from its fine appearance and excellent qualities al- ways commands a high price, yet in other places it would not produce fruit enough to pay for the ground occupied. The Kirtland, a bright red rasp- berry, firm, early and very desirable for market, is highl}^ spoken of in northern Ohio, but with me it is worthless, having tried it on a variety of soil, from that which is moist and sandy to a rich cla3' loam, but in all cases the greater part of the leaves would fall off before the end of summer, the canes would be injured before winter, and they would produce but little fruit the next j^ear. The Franconia, Naomi, Clarke Wauregan, Elm City, Prosser Red Queen, Duhring, Lindsley's Fastolfl' Seedling, Downing, Lintou and all of Dr. Brinckle's choice seedlings, the celebrated Orange Cushing, Col. "Wilder, Cope, Vice President French, Walker, Woodward and others were all affected in the same wa}' ; also the Hornet, Antwerp's FastolfT, Knevett's Giant, Northumberland Fillbasket, River's Large Fruited Monthly, Thun- derer and all other foreign varieties that I have tried, excepting the Belle D'Foutenay, and that is not of much value. PHILADELPHIA RASPBERRY. Productive red raspberries being very scarce, it seemed for a while that we would have to rely on the Black Caps for a supply of fruit. Fortu- nately the Philadelphia was brought into notice, which was greatly in ad- vance of any other raspberry then known. A red raspberry, as hardy and productive as a Black Cap, so easily grown, adapted to all soils and conditions in which any raspberry would grow, was a great acquisition, and it has been largely planted all over the countr}', producing large quantities of fruit for market and yielding handsome profits to the growers. I have known them to produce two hundred bushels per a ire. and to yield at one picking one hundred and ten dollars per acre. The Philadelphia^ as a hardy and productive red raspberry, adapted to all sec- tions of our country, is ahead of any other known variety. Yet it has not PENNSYLVANIA FRUIT GROWERS SOCIETY. 35 the bright red color which is so attractive and pleasing to the eye, nor firm- ness of flesh to stand up well in market after a long journey. There is room for still more improvements. If we could have a raspberry combining the good qualities of the Philadelphia, hardy and productive, with the additional ones of large size, bright red color, and firm flesh, it would be a great acquisition. There are several other hardy raspberries, though not as productive as the Philadelphia, yet brighter and handsomer and sell higher in market. The Pearl is a bright red, medium size, handsome, firm berrj'-, carries better and sells higher than the Philadelphia ; bush dwarfish, a slow grower with thick tough foliage. Susqueco, a large, bright scarlet berry, firm and beautiful, bears trans- portation well, and commands a ready sale in market. The foliage and general appearance much resembles the Pearl, from which it may be a seedling. The leaves put out a week earlier in the spring and make a stronger growth. The Baker and Parnel sent out from Cincinnati have fruited with me, appear hardy and promise well. MARKET PRICES. Raspberries sell in market according to their appearance. Large size, firm bright red berries going at the highest figures, from which the price descends to the Black Caps, the lowest on the list. A comparison of their prices when the market was well supplied will show the estimation in which they were severally held. On the 7th day of Julj^ last raspberries were sold at wholesale in Philadelphia, as follows, viz : Black Caps 6 cents per quart. Philadelphias 8 " " Pearl 16 " " Susqueco 30 " " Hornet 60 •* *• From the above figures we can readily arrive at the true points of ex- cellence for a market raspberry. It should have the size of the Hornet, color of the Pearl, and produc- tiveness of the Philadelphia. Fortunately we have an amatuer cultivator residing in Philadelphia, who has been experimenting largely in raising seedling raspberries, and b}- planting the Philadelphia, the most productive of all, by side of the bright Red and delicious Allen, both of which are hardy native varieties, so that the pollen from their blossoms might become thoroughly mixed, and then raising seedlings from the berries thus impregnated, has succeeded in pro- ducing a raspberry that bears his name, combining more good qualities 36 PENNSYLTANIA FRUIT GROWERS SOCIETY. PENNSYLVANIA FRUIT GROWERS SOCIETY. 37 lli II than any other, as large as the Hornet, bright as a Pearl, as hardy and productive as the Philadelphia and delicious as the Allen, and properly named the Herstine. The committee of the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, who examined them in bearing, gave the following description of the Herstine : Plant a good grower ; most abundant and early bearer ; sucker moderately ; canes sfrong, of a pea green' color, covered with white bloom; spines green, but not abundant ; foliage healthy, of medium size, and often lobed, of a pearl gray color on the under side ; fruit large, oblong, with small grains and crimson color ; flavor sub-acid and very good. There were several other seedlings examined by the committee, some of which were described as " Ruby," " Saunders" and " Elizabeth," having marks of great merit. They further stated that the "plants examined were entirely unprotected during the winters, without being at all injured. And should they continue on further trial, to be as hardy as they certainly are productive and deli- cious, we have no hesitation in believing that they will fill a void in the raspberry world, which has long been felt, viz : A raspberry suitable for market purposes — combining hardiness, productiveness, firm flesh, and bright color, with a delicious flavor." I have seen them in fruit for two years, and in different soils, both light and heavy. In every situation they presented the same vigor and healthy appearance of canes and foilage, and were heavily laden with fruit of the largest size and finest quality. SOIL AND TREATMENT. The management of hardy raspberries is very simple. The soil should 'be rich and mellow, and liberally supplied with manure and fertilizers. Ground bone and phosphates are excellent. It should be thoroughly drained. Raspberries will not succeed in wet soil. Plough and prepare the ground, as for potatoes or other crops ; mark the rows six feet apart, and set the plants three feet distant in the rows, re- quiring about 2,500 plants to the acre. The tops should be cut down to within a few inches of the ground, that the roots may become well estab- lished before they are required to supply nourishment for long tops of green foliage. Carrots or potatoes may, with advantage, be grown between the rows the first year, after which the raspberries will require the whole space. Stir the ground frequently with horse and cultivator, to keep down grass and weeds, being careful during the warm, dry weather not to disturb the small roots feeding near the surface by deep culture near to the plants. The old wood which has borne fruit should be removed before the fol- lowing spring, and the young canes shortened to about one-third their length, so they will stand firm and erect, bearing heavy crops of fruit with- out stakes, trellis or protection of any kind. The raspberries should be carefully picked in small baskets, not larger than pints, better less. Both baskets and crates should be ventilated, so as to allow the circulation of air to absorb the heat and moisture, as they will bear transportation to market much better when cool and dry. YIELD AND PROFIT. The raspberry is liable to many casualties that will injure the crop. An excess of heat or cold, wet or drought, and sometimes causes unexplained, will disappoint the fondest hopes of the grower. And the price varies greatly with the quantity and quality of the fruit, so that the results of several years should be taken together to form a cor- rect estimate. I find, by a careful review for ten years past, that all the raspberries we have sold, red and black, good, bad and indifferent, have averaged twenty-three cents per quart, which gives about the following result per acre : 2,000 quarts, at 23 cents $4G0 00 Commissions, at 10 per cent $46 00 Picking, at 3 cents per quart CO 00 Interest on land 10 00 Manure and use of boxes 30 00 Cultivation, incidentals, &c. 30 00 Net profit 284 00 460 00 Under some circumstances, much greater profits than the above are some- times realized. But it is better to keep our views within moderate limits, and be agreeably disappointed with larger returns, than otherwise. BLACKBERRIES. Blackberry bushes, formerly considered a nuisance, are now highly ap- preciated and extensively cultivated, many farmers growing more acres of them than of corn and wheat together. It is somewhat remarkable, that in this age of horticultural progress, there has been no seedlings raised better than those found growing wild on the commons without care or culture. Attempts have been made to get blaciiberry bushes without thorns, and some have been found with canes nearly smooth, which created quite a sen- sation for a time, and the plants sold readily at five dollars each, until it was ascertained that the fruit was as much deficient as the thorns. Vari- ous colors have been brought out, white, red and purple, which were novel- 38 PENNSYLVANIA FRUIT GROWERS SOCIETY. ties in their way, but of no practical value in point of profit to fruit grow- ers. After carefully cultivating and testing twenty-six varieties, in addi- tion to a large number of seedlings which were no better than the parent stock, I have retained four, which are all valuable as field crops for market. WILSON'S EARLY. At the head of the list I name Wilson's Early, the largest blackberry in cultivation, ripening early, close after raspberries, before peaches are in market, when fruit is scarce — it commands the highest price. Two years since, we sold the principal part of our crop from ten acres, at fifty cents per quait, wholesale, which were afterwards sold in smaller quantities as high as one dollar per quart. This variety is being extensively cultivated. One fruit grower in West Jersey, having seventy-five acres of them in bear- ing, received the past year $20,000 for the fruit, realizing a clear profit, after deducting expenses, of $14,000, gathered within the space of three weeks' time. DORCHESTER. Next in point of profit to the Wilson's Early, is the Dorchester, which has an upright, strong growing bush, tall, erect and perfectly hardy. For twelve years past they have done well with me, never being injured by the winter, even when the New Rochelles were mostly destroyed. They have always yielded good crops of fair sized berries, long, shining black, sweet and firm, so as to carry well to market, and being early, they sell higher than the Kittatinny, New Rochelle or any other late ripening blackberry which follows them. This variety is well adapted to planting in orchards of apple, cherry or peach trees, being straight, upright growers ; the bushes are less in the way of cultivation than other varieties that curve out from the rows and obstruct the passages between them. The protection afforded by the trees, both in winter and summer, is beneficial. In 1863 I planted an apple orchard forty feet apart each way, then a row of Early Richmond cherries each way between them, requiring three times as many cherries as apples, then a row of Dorchester blackberries in the rows of trees and between them, A:hich left them at the proper distance of ten feet apart. They have all done well ; the apple trees have made a fine growth and born some fruit ; the cherries and blackberries have yielded fine crops of fruit every year since old enough. The cherries ripen first and are out of the way before the blackberries commence. So that the draught upon the land is not so great as if both crops ripened at the same time. The earliest and finest Dorchester blackberries raised in our section are grown in old apple orchards. PENNSYLVANIA FRUIT GROWERS SOCIETY. 39 In the spring of 1864 I sold a fruit grower near Burlington, N. J., Dor- chester blackberry plants for two and a half acres, which were set among peach trees on new land, light and sandy, from which the pine timber had been recently removed. In 1865 they commenced fruiting, yielding about enough to pay for tillage, the space between the rows being profitably oc- cupied with tomatoes and other vegetables for market. In 1866 they produced, exclusive of commissions $600 00 In 1 86Y .... do do do 1, 300 00 Inl868....do do do 2,057 64 Total in three years 3,957 64 Deduct cost of picking 287 64 Leaving 3, 670 00 Clear profit above the cost of picking and commissions, or an average of $480 per acre for each of the three years in bearing. In addition to the sale of fruit, large quantities of plants were dug and sold, more than enough to pay for the original stock to commence with. This is a better average for profit than usual, and one cause for the large returns was that blackberries in many places were badly winter killed ; the Dorchesters standing the cold better than other varieties, and espe- cially when planted in orchards and protected by the trees. The Kittatinny comes next in order as a profitable berry to grow for market, it is perfectly hardy, large, lucious, and very productive. And last the New Rochelle, which has been in cultivation longer than the others, but is now superseded by them. Blackberries are among the most profitable fruit crops, their easy culture, hardiness, productiveness and the high price at which the fruit sells, gives them a great advantage over others requiring more expensive cultivation. They are not particular as to soil or location, but will yield well where ordinary crops will grow. It is not necessary to select the best land for a plantation, as the canes would there grow so large and rank, as to require much time and labor to trim and keep them within bounds. They need but once planting, as the bushes renew themselves annually thereafter, by sending up a spontaneous growth of young suckers to bear fruit the following year ; and with an occasional dressing of manure, they will continue to give large returns for many years. I have grown on ten acres, for several years, from 050 to 700 bushels, and one season 800 bushels, being an average of over seventy bushels per acre; while land adjoining, equally good, planted with corn, did not yield fifty bushels per acre. 40 PENNSYLVANIA FRriT GROWERS SOCIETY. PREPARATION OF THE GROUND. The land should be plowed and harrowed smooth, then open furrows eight feet apart ; if muck is convenient, it is valuable to spread along them, then set the plants about four feet distant on the muck. The roots will mostly follow along the row to feed on the muck, and grow more vigorously than lateral or side roots. Hence, the strongest and best plants will come up along the row nearly where they are wanted to produce fruit the following 3'ear. They should not be left to stand closer together than an average of one plant to a foot in length in the rows. PRUNING. The plantation should be gone over several times during the summer, and the tops of the young canes, as they appear above the bearing bushes, should be shortened in, so as to keep them at a uniform height of about three to five feet, according to their strength. This will cause the side branches to grow vigorously, and develop fruit-buds near the ground, and interlocking with each other, the bushes will support themselves, and avoid the necessity of stakes and wires to prevent high winds from injuring them. The side branches should he shortened in the following winter or spring. Plants thus trimed will yield more fruit and of better quality, than if left to grow tall and slender, as by nature they are inclined to do. I have sometimes left a few rows without pruning, and others pruned but little, which fully illustrated the great importance of shortening in the branches. The unpruned bushes would bear more fruit than could be ri- pened on them, it would remain red a long time and finally dry up, being of no value. The best and earliest fruit would be on the bushes well pruned ^ so as to throw the whole strength of the roots into fewer berries. PRICE OP BERRIES AND PROFIT. The average price for ten years past of the blackberries we have sold of all kinds, has been fifteen and six-tenths cents per quart, which gives about the following result per acre : 2,000 quarts per acre, at 15/^ cents $312 00 Commissions, at ten per cent $31 20 Picking, at 1^ cents per quart 30 00 Interest on land 10 00 Use of boxes 10 00 Pruning, cultivating, &c 30 80 Net profits per acre 200 00 312 00 PENNSYLVANIA FRUIT GROWERS SOCIETY. 41 ?» Strawberries, Raspberries and Blackberries are usually included under the head of Small Fruits, the profits of which are generally good, when markets are convenient and care is taken in the selection of varieties and in giving them proper treatment. Sometimes we hear of extravagant re- ports, calculated from the product of a small lot up to what a ten acre field under similar circumstances would yield. A safer rule is to take the acres and see what they have produced annu- ally. We kept a debtor and creditor account for several years, with twenty- two acres in small fruits, which averaged, after deducting expenses, $272 per acre. By reference to tlie third annual report, page 21, of the West Jersey Fruit Growers Association, who appointed committees to collect the returns from all the fruit growers in the neighborhood, it will be found that 716 acres of land in strawberries, raspberries and blackberries, produced the sum of nearly $200,000, or about $250 per acre. CRANBERRIES. My remarks on "Profits of Small Fruits" would not be complete without referring to the cultivation of cranberries, which is a very profitable branch of small fruit culture, where the soil is adapted to their growth, and must eventually assume proportions and importance scarcely second to any other fruit crop grown in the State of New Jersey. We have thousands of acres unavailable for other purposes, but specially adapted to producing cran- berries. Low, marshy lands and old ponds that can be drained and flooded again at pleasure, which in their natural state would not be valued at more than ten to twenty dollars per acre, after being cleared and planted, will often yield two to three hundred dollars per acre in cranberries annually, and sometimes more. A fruit grower In Burlington county, New Jersey, recently cleared up and planted twenty acres of moist land, which five years since was valued at five dollars per acre. Last year had two acres in full bearing, and eighteen acres only two years old, yet he realized from the cranberries grown there a net profit of three thousand and two hundred dollars. Another farmer and his sous, residing near by, have two hundred acres planted with cranberries, about one-third of which are in fruiting age, and yielded last year 3,300 bushels of fruit, worth over $13,000, six acres of which averaged one hundred bushels per acre, and were sold at four dollars per bushel. Another farmer, in the same county, in 1869, had twenty-four acres in fruiting. Six and a half in the tenth year of bearing, and seventeen and a half in the first year of good bearing, which yielded 2,692 bushels of cran- berries, and sold at three and a half dollaus Mfte* ;j)ushel, brought $9,422; : < I » I • ■ > •• ' 1 > . 1 J , > . » IS PENNSYLVANIA FRUIT GROWERS SOCIETY. and after deducting $2,222 for expenses, taxes, superintendence and com- missions, left a net profit of seven thousand and two hundred dollars on the twenty-four acres, averaging three hundred dollars per acre. The six and a half acres in the prime of bearing yielded more bushels of fruit than the seventeen and a half just commencing. The Forge Company, near West creek, in Ocean county, N. J., have about one hundred acres planted, fifty of which were in fruiting the past season, and yielded 3,400 bushels of cranberries, worth, at four dollars per bushel, $13,600. Three-eighths of said tract was recently sold at one thou- sand dollars per acre. I might mention the names of those parties, if ne- cessary, but the object in referring to them was merely to enforce the prin- ciples and facts illustrated by their successful operations, which many others are pursuing; and hundreds of acres are annually being redeemed from a primitive, unproductive condition and devoted to cranberry culture. There are now in New Jersey about two thousand acres in fruiting, and produced last year 150,000 bushels of cranberries ; and four thousand acres more land have been prepared and planted, and will be in fruiting hereafter. New Jersey now supplies more than two-thirds of the whole amount of cultivated cranberries marketed in the United States. The late reports by the Agricultural Bureau, at Washington, for the year 1869, give as follows, viz ; To the State of Maine 1,000 barrels. Do do . . .Massachusetts 8,000 do. Do do . . .Connecticut 2,000 do. Do do .. .New Jersey 50,000 do. This amount of 61,000 barrels was derived principally from cultivated fields. All other States and Territories, including wild and cultivated cranber- ries, produce about 14,000 barrels, making a total of 75,000 barrels for the year 1869. The crop for 1867 was estimated at 62,500 barrels, of which New Jersey produced 35,000, New England about 12,000, and the west 15,500 barrels. The average price for 1867 was $16 per barrel, giving a total value of one million dollars for the crop that year. The crop of 1869 commenced to sell at picking time in Philadelphia for nine dollars per barrel, and gradually advanced in price until spring, when the market value was twenty-four to twenty-six dollars per barrel. One grower in Burlington county, it is reported, sold a lot of six hun- dred barrels for fifteen thousand dollars. The price of cranberries during the present winter has been about twelve dollars per barrel in Philadelphia. For seven years, from 1862 to 1869, the price ranged from fourteen to fifteen dollars per barrel, except in 1868, PENNSYLVANIA FRUIT GROWERS SOCIETY. 43 when the price was from twenty-two to twenty-four dollars per barrel, owing to the light crop. The counties of Burlington and Ocean yield the greater part of the cran- berries grown in our State, and in 1869 they produced 31,700 barrels, and all other counties in the State yield 18,300 barrels. The yield of cranber- ries last year was not so large per acre as in 1869, on account of excessive rains, with intervals of intensely hot sun during the time of blooming. But the quantity of land in fruiting was more, so that the yield for Burlington and Ocean counties amounted to 38,300 barrels, and the State producing about the same as in 1869, say 50,000 barrels, which, at the present value, gives $600,000. In embarking in the cranberry business, one of the most important mat- ters is the selection of suitable land. The most productive cranberry re- gion in the State, is a belt of land underlaid with white sand, much of it pure silex, the upland covered with pine and scrub oak; the low land and borders of streams, with white cedar and an undergrowth of whortleberry bushes. The soil is light, a thin coating of vegetable mould covering the surface. The climate as well as the soil of this part of New Jersey is well adapted to the cultivation of this vine in the highest perfection. The picking is usually done by men, women and children, at a cost of about fifty cents per bushel ; many of the hands will gather three to four bushels each per day. In sections of country where strawberries, raspberries and blackberries are extensively grown, a'good portion of the pickers come from the rural or cranberry districts, commencing with strawberries in June, and after finish- ing them, enter the raspberry fields in July, and in August the blackberries are gathered, after which they return home in time to commence in the cranberry fields in October, and frequently have steady work there until cold weather, thus having a long, continuous harvest ; such of them as are industrious and frugal, may soon provide homes for themselves and become proprietors of berry fields, and in turn give employment to others who are pursuing the same course of honest industry, a sure passport to wealth and competence. Upon the conclusion of the address, Thomas Meehan desired the ques- tion to be put if small fruits can be grown with profit when attention is wholly ffiven to their cultivation. He remarked it as the opinion of some, that it is more profitable to combine the growing of some other ag- ricultural product with that of small fruits. William Parry instanced corn as a vegetable that could be grown profitably upon the same ground with strawberries, and the corn will pay for the occupancy of the ground the first season. Onions can also be grown amongst strawberry vines and be of profit after the berries. » • ■ t < « \ 44 PENNSYLVANIA FRUIT GROWERS SOCIETY. E. Satterthwait remarked it as his plan to grow all sorts of fruits and vegetables together. He plants between his rows of pear trees small friiiLs and vegetables, and believes it sax excellent plan. In close proximity to a good market it may pay to raise small fruit exclusively. Mr. Meehan inquired if small fruits would not pay grown alone. Mr. Satterthwait replied that at a long distance from market he thought they would not pay if raised alone. Mr. Fuller thought, as a general thing, something else must be grown in connection with small fruits to make the land pay for their culture. Morr, monej' has been made by the sale of plants than in the growing of fruit. But yet there is a pleasure that flows from the growth of fruit that is above mere money consideration. Mr. Engle thought fruit growers should stand upon a higher plane than the mere making of money. Mr. Parry having been asked concerning cranberry culture, said that they can be grown with small quantities of sand and muck. The greatest need for the cranberry is air and moisture. Mr. Williams thought fruit growers expected too much in their business. If he can make two hundred dollars per acre in the culture of small fruits he is satisfied. Many seem not to be at all satisfied with this return. Even one hundred dollars per acre is a fair yield. Paschall Morris detailed the experience of a friend who had been grow- ing strawberries under glass and selling the same for four and five dollars per quart. H. M. Engle had tried the forcing of strawberries, for which he was never able to realize more than three or four dollars per quart. Mr. Herstine doubts if the forcing of small fruits can be made to pay. Had more confidence in the growing of fruit in cold frames. This he had pursued with some success and sold his berries at good prices. Of straw- berries he regards the "Wilson's Albany as the best for cold frame culture. On motion, society adjourned until 2 o'clock P. M. AFTERNOON SESSION. The Society was called to order at 2 o'clock. The President announced that Dr. G. L. Houghton, from whom an ad- dress was now expected, had not yet arrived. The address was deferred until later, under the expectation that he would arrive in the meantime. The manuscript of the address was in the possession of Mr. Herstine, who kindly offered to read it if the Doctor did not make his appearance. The President suggested that some one of the questions proposed by the PENNSYLVANIA FRUIT GROWERS SOCIETY. 45 Business Comi^ittee should now be considered. Messrs. Engle and Mee- han thought the third one, " In what does successful fruit growing con- sist ?" would be a good one. Mr. Meehan said the question seemed to him a very general one. Some regard successful fruit growing as due to capital or skill, or to the combi- nation of vegetable with fruit culture. H. M. Engle said that opinions were very conflicting on this question. The various reasons therefor must be sought in the diversities of soil or in something not yet clearly discovered. Not much interest being taken in this question, it was suggested that an- other should be taken up. Mr. Bertram desired to hear the subject of the pruning of fruit trees dis- cussed Mr. Satterthwait is of the opinion that considerable harm is done by pruning Mr. Saunders has given it as his opinion that very little pruning should be done and the speaker agreed with him. Trees intended for dwarfs must be kept down by pruning, as some contend, but in my case the more I pruned the more my dwarfs grew. He, therefore, must say that in his opinion there is too much pruning of trees. Mr. Engle thought that pruning done in the winter was beneficial, while in summer it is the contrary. Mr. Meehan does not believe in pruning in any case, whether in summer or winter. It weakens vital force. Yet some pruning must be made use of 80 as to give each limb and sprout room enough to grow. Yet m doing so we must sacrifice a little of the abstract vitality. Like the physician, we must first see the patient in order to first determine if he can be cured by that remed\^ . ,. Durino- the discussion. President Hoopes remarked that one of the mem- bers had\ short essay with him which treated somewhat on this subject, and if it was the wish of the society to have it read, the gentleman, he had no doubt, would be willing to favor them with it. The society voted that it be read at once, and President Hoopes intro- duced Hon. William Parry, who prefaced^the reading of his essay by the following remarks : x- • i *v There is a little weakness in my character— according to my friend there- for I confess to a love of the profit as well as the pleasure of fruit growing. I am surprised that the people of this beautiful Cumberland valley do not encrac^e more in the raising of fruits. There is profit in it. I raise straw- berries, dry them and supply the world. There is pleasure in it. I do as my friend does. Arrange your fruits so as to be independent of the mar- ket We see by those specimens there, that there is no better place than this valley for apples. I think the peach would be at home on these lime- 46 PENNSYLVANIA FRUIT GROWERS SOCIETY. stone lands. I do not know why you don't raise them, may be it would be too profitable ; perhaps you are looking more to the pleasure. But as I have a few remarks to make in reference to the peach, with the pnrmission of the President, I will now read them to you. PEACHES. BY WM. PARRY, OF NEW JERSEY. The peach is a native of Persia, and was introduced to this country by the early settlers. It is never raised in England, and not generally in France, without artificial aid. There is probably no other country in the world where peaches are grown in such quantities as in the United States. Thousands of acres of land in New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland are de- voted to this crop. I sold over 30,000 peach trees at one time to a fruit grower for his own planting, which he set on about 300 acres of land in Maryland. A new peach orchard will not succeed on the site of an old one, but is well suited to new land. It is rarely found in any locality that every condition is perfectly adapted to their growth, and it becomes necessary for the cultivator, as far as cir- cumstances will admit, to supply the deficiency of nature. If the soil is hard and tenacious, loosen well with a subsoil plow; if saturated with water, make artificial drains to carry it off; if poor and thin, add fertilizing materials — lime, ashes and bone dust are excellent for that purpose. The ground should be plowed and harrowed smooth before planting. Then, with a small plow, one horse and straight poles, mark out the fur- rows, eighteen feet apart, each way, at right angles to each other ; then plant a tree at each cross furrow, so that they will range both ways. Avoid deep planting; set the trees no deeper than they grew in the nur- sery— rather mound up the earth, leaving the top a little dishing, to collect the rains, and allo^ the roots full benefit of the surface soil, in which to search for food. PRUNING AND CULTIVATION. After planting, go over the orchard and cut off the tops at the uniform height of three feet, and trim the side branqjies to within half an inch of the body, somewhat resembling a rustic walking cane. In the spring, as the young shoots put forth, allow them to grow and form low heads ; they prevent the hot sun from scorching the body of the trees, are less exposed to high winds, and the fruit is more easily gathered. PENNSYLVANIA FRUIT GROWERS SOCIETY. 47 The ground should be planted with corn, potatoes and vegetables for a year or two, until the trees commence bearing, after which the orchard should be plowed several times a year to keep the surface mellow and free from weeds and grass, using a single horse, with short single-tree, next to the trees. I once sold 1,000 peach trees to a merchant in Philadelphia, who desired to go into the fruit business. lie had them carefully planted on about ten acres of land. Next year he got a new tenant^ highly recommended as a thorough going worker. He took a yoke of oxen and went into the peach orchard to plow, but finding the trees somewhat in the way of his team, pulled them all up by their roots and heeled them in along the fence while he done the plowing, saying that " he could do it better with the trees out of the way." That merchant soon sold his farm, remarking to me that " fruit- growing didn't pa3\" The trees should be examined two or three times during the season, and all worms removed from their roots, the place of which may readily be known by the gum oozing from near the surface of the ground. PROFITS. Where markets are convenient, there are but few other crops that give so large and quick returns for the capital and labor required to grow them. Many persons have made fortunes, while the prosperity of large sections of our country is owing to this remunerative crop. In 1869, although fruit was abundant, freights high and prices comparatively low, several fruit growers, whom I could name, sold from twenty thousand to sixty thousand baskets each, at an average price, after deducting the expenses of picking, freight and commissions, of fifty cents per basket, yielding them various sums from $10,000 up to $30,000 each, clear profit; all gathered in about six weeks. I was recently informed by a prominent peach grower of an orchard eight or ten years old, of only 1,700 trees, yielding one year over 8,000 bas- kets of peaches, that netted the owner $4,400, and a subsequent year the same orchard yielded 7,100 baskets, which netted $4,700. A fruit grower near Delaware city last year had 140 acres in peach trees, and cleared over $16,000 from them. A peach grower near Middletown, Delaware, who formerly went from New Jersey, had 400 acres in peaches last year, and although not a full crop, was offered $30,000 for them, but refused to sell, and had them picked and marketed on his own account, and cleared $38,000. Many of us are no doubt familiar with the history of the " Peach Blos- som Farm," in Kent county, Md., containing 600 acres, with 400 acres in peach trees just coming into bearing, that was sold at public sale, in the 48 PENNSYLVANIA FRUIT GROWERS SOCIETY. winter season, a few years since, for $31,500. That same year the purchaser sold peaches from it to the amount of $52, 000 And after paying for picking $1, 500 Transportation to market 9, 000 First cost of farm 31,500 Cash paid for steamboat 10, 000 52,000 52,000 The business done on the Delaware railroad and branches in carrying peaches is immense. Several trains may sometimes be seen moving with 18 to 20 cars, each carrying about five hundred baskets to a car. The freight on peaches sent over the Delaware roads to New York is re- ported to amount to $264,000 last j'^ear. From the oflicial report of the shipment of peaches by railroad for the season of 18T0, giving the number of baskets and crates taken from each station on the Delaware railroad and branches, reduced to baskets by the master of transportation on the Philadelphia, "Wilmington and Baltimore railroad, it appears there were shipped from stations on The Delaware railroad 1, U39, 034 baskets. Kent and Queen Anne's 157, 801 Maryland and Delaware 136, 612 Junction and Breakwater 6, 089 Dorchester and Delaware 39, 611 Wicomico and Pocomoke 179 Eastern Shore railroad 30, 693 Total 1, 410, 079 Of which the State of Maryland furnished about 300,000 baskets. In addition to the above there was sent to market by water about one-fourth as much more. In 1869 there were sent from Delaware, by railroad, 2,087,987 baskets, and b}' water, 602,020 baskets ; total, 2,750,000 baskets of peaches, worth to the citizens, at forty-five cents per basket, the reported average, one million two hundred and fifty-seven thousand and five hundred dollars. Last 3'ear, 1870, the crop was not so large, being only one million and five hundred thousand baskets sent bjr both modes of conveyance, railroad and water, but the fruit was better grown and the net profit about fifty per cent, more per basket, yielding from seventy to seventy-five cents per basket clear, amounting to one million one hundred and twenty-five thou- sand dollars, net returns for the crop shipped to market, though several orchards were sold at from eighty to ninety cents per basket. The crop PENNSYLVANIA FRUI^ GROWERS SOCIETY. 49 grown was not near all sent to market direct from the orchards ; much larger quantities were used at home than ever before, in the canning estab- lishments recently put up there. The plan of canning fruits in the neighborhood of the large orchards has many advantages. One reason why the fruits have so much higher credit in the market, than when carried a long distance over rough roads, passing through different hands, consuming several days time before reaching the factory, is that they are not picked until full ripe, and then while in the best condition, being full of sweet juice and rich flavor, are quickly pre- pared and ceiled up in cans. Peach growing is rapidly extending into Maryland, as appears by the following returns. There were shipped over the Maryland railroad, in 1809, two hundred and twenty-four cars loaded with peaches, and in 1870, although not so fruitful a year, two hundred and sixty-five cars loaded, averaging about five hundred baskets to a car, being an advance of eighteen per cent, over 1869. Last summer I had the pleasure of visiting some of the principal orchards near Smj'rna, Delaware, while in fruit, and through the politeness of George W. Cummins, one of the most careful and successful fruit growers, was shown his extensive plantation of peach trees, which were beautiful to look at, affording both instruction and delight to see the clean culture and per- fect order they were in ; trees of thrifty growth, straight and uniform in size and appearance, and moderately loaded with fair fruit, bending the slender branches in graceful curves, so as to open the spreading heads and let in the sun and air to color up the fruit, all through the middle of the tree as well as on the outside ; which plan is found to work much better in practice than the book theory of heading the trees in like box-bushea, to make them look compact and green on the out side, and exclude the sun from among the branches. Limbs occasionally split down by the weight of fruit, are not lost, but carefully drawn back to their proper places and fastened with screw bolts, are thus preserved to bear crops in future. A correct record is kept of all the baskets of fruit and covers sent to market; and credit is given to the salesman for the empties as they are re- turned. The deficiency, if any, must be accounted for at the end of the season, so that there is no loss in baskets, except those actually worn out. If all fruit growers would enforce the same good rule, their profits would be correspondingly increased. As many of us well know that the loss of bas- kets in a large operation amounts to a heavy per centage of the profits, by the loose and irresponsible manner in which the empties are returned. So far as peach growing on a large scale is concerned, the net profits may very p. G. 4. 50 PENNSYLVANIA FRUft GROWERS SOCIETY. safely be set down at from $100 to $175 per acre. While in many instances they yield right through from $175 to $250 per acre. WHAT KIND TO PLANT. It is important in planting an orchard to have the fruit to ripen in sue- cession through the season, so as not to be inconveniently hurried in getting it to market, yet it is not desirable to have many kinds ; nine or ten being sufficient for any one orchard. Having grown over seventy varieties of peach trees, and found many of them to be of but little value, I have selected the following list, embracing more than enough for one section, yet as several of them ripen near the same time, planters can choose those which do best in their respective neighbor- hoods, and have a succession of fruit from the earliest to the latest ripening, as follows : Hale's Early, Troth's Early, Mountain Rose, Large Early York, Crawford's Early, Old Mixan Free, Stump the World, Ward's late Free, Barker's Seedling, Late Raripe, Crawford's Late, Beer's Smock, Late Heath Cling and Salway— 14. Upon the conclusion of Mr. Parry's essay, question No. 10 was taken up for discussion, viz : " What can the Fruit Growers' Society do to best en- coura^re fruit culture in Pennsylvania ?" Dr "f Taylor thought one method of promoting fruit culture m our State was by giving our influence towards the dissemination of agricultural journals. He looked upon the Fruit Growers Society of Pennsylvania as one of the educational institutions of our State, and deserving of ranking in the same category with the free school system. J P Kieffer remarked that a goodly number of agricultural journals were received by farmers in their section of the State, and he thought that aoricultural information was coming to be duly appreciated by the people. °T Meehan said that those who had acquired a taste for the pursuit of horticulture were generally those who had been successful in the growing of fruits. Engendering in the minds of the people a love for the pursuit is, therefore, in his estimation, the best method of promoting fruit culture amongst us. Mr A S Fuller hereupon offered the following resolution: Melolved, That we, the members of the Pennsylvania Fruit Growers So- ciety, pledge ourselves individually to add a new member to the society before our next meeting. Passed. Mr. Satterthwait proposed to appoint a committee to suggest a place of meeting next year. Society voted that the chair appoint a committee of five The following gentlemen were selected: E. Satterthwaite, Hiram Encrle, Hibbard Bartram, H. S. Rupp, D. W. Herstine. This committee reported Philadelphia as the place of next meeting. The report of the committee was, on motion, adopted. I PENNSYLVANIA FRUIT GROWERS SOCIETY. 51 Dr. Taylor moved that when the society adjourns this evening it be sine die. Mr. Reed hoped that the gentleman would not hasten their adjournment, as our homes were still open to them. Dr. Suesserott said that the members had been quartered upon the citi- zens with the intention and expectation of a long session. The motion that when they adjourned it be sine die, was carried by a vote of 18 to 17. On motion, the Chair now introduced D. W. Herstine, who proceeded to read an essay on the " Grafting of the Grape," prepared by Dr. J. S. Houghton, of Philadelphia. NEW METHOD OF GRAFTING AND BUDDING GRAPE VINES. BY J. S. HOUGHTON, PHILADELPHIA. That grape vines may be grafted with success is a well known fact, but the general results of the practice have not been very satisfactory, and the idea of depending upon grafts for the progagation of vines, has been, I presume, pretty generally abandoned. I have, however, gathered some information upon the subject from various sources, which leads me to think that the grafting and buddino- of the vine may be accomplished very successfully by various methods not generally known. GRAFTING VINES. And first, as to grafting. The most successful method of grafting with wood one year old, that I have ever seen, was practiced by Robert Corne- lius, Esq., of Philadelphia, five or six years ago. His method was as fol- lows : The scions were cut in the fall, and put away carefully in damp sand in a cool place. When the grafting was to be performed, the wood was cut into pieces, about the length of one joint — each piece having a well develop- ed bud in the middle of the scion. When the joints of wood are bent, and the bud is on the convex part of the bend, it renders the task of grafting must easier and more successful. The scion is now to be sharpened at both ends, (the bud being in the middle portion) and these sharpened ends ar^ to be pressed into incisions made in the vine, bringing one side, at least, of the bark of scion and stock together, as in ordinary tree grafting. That is, the scion is grafted (or in- serted) at both its ends. 52 PENNSYLYANIA FRUIT GROWERS SOCIETY. The 8tock is bridged, as it were, at the point of grafting. The work is done in the same way, precisely, that the fruit grower bridges up the bark at the base of a young tree when it has been girdled by field mice or rabbits, a well-known practice— one end of a scion being inserted below the girdled spot, and the other end above it, thus keeping up the downward flow of sap through the medium of the scion or scions, over the girdled spot. As soon as the bridge graft is inserted, or before, Mr. Cornelius placed a tight ligature of wire or strong twine around the vine, at a point midway between the two ends of the seam or graft, to prevent the flow of sap from returning downward through the bark of the vine, and to compel it to pass, in part a° least, through the scion, or at any rate to aid as far as possible in forming a good union between scion and stock at the upper end of the graft. Grafting wax or bandages should of course be applied at each end of the scion, to keep the air from the parts. The proper time for grafting is, of course, just before the vines start in the spring ; and it is better to apply the grafts to wood of same size, say half an inch in diameter, at least. The bud upon the scion will start very speedily, and grow vigorously, but a perfect union between scion and stock will not be made for several weeks. The lower end of the graft will probably unite first, and the upper end at a much later period. When the union has been found to be perfect, the upper portion of the vine may be removed, and finally all of the scion except the lower end, where it was grafted, may be also cut off. The abundance of foliage on graft and stock will prevent "bleeding," especially as no cut ends of wood will be exposed until the process is completed. GRAFTING WITH GREEN WOOD. Another method of grafting the vine, practiced with much success by Mr. Cornelius, several years ago, was with green wood, in a very ingenious and original manner. As soon as the vines in the cold grapery had fairly started with growth, Mr. Cornelius put a ligature or band oi soft twine around the tip of one of the vines, say about one inch from its terminal point. The object of this band was to obstruct the return flow of sap, and to concentrate the juices of the vine as much as possible in the tip of the cane. This band was per- mitted to remain on the tip of the vine for four or five days, and in some instances nearly severed the delicate structure of the rod. The end of the vine was then cut off, to be used as a scion. It was, of course, very green and soft, so much so that Mr. Cornelius said he could roll it up in his fingers, like so much wet paper, into a shapeless mass or ball. PENNSYLYANIA FRUIT GROWERS SOCIETY. 53 The cut end of the scion was now sharpened, just as in ordinary pear grafting. An incision was then made, immediately above and under a good dormant bud, on the young wood of a growing vine, where a leaf had already burst into growth. Into this cut was inserted the green scion or graft, bringing its bark in precise contact with the bark of the vine or stock, as in other grafting, and covering the graft and stock with wax or light ban- dage, in the ordinary way. This green wood, so grafted, Mr. Cornelius has assured me, will live and grow in the most satisfactory manner, in a very large majority of cases. The failures are as few as in any ordinary tree grafting. This process of grafting, Mr. Cornelius says, may be performed at any time during the spring or summer, while the sap is running freely enough to form a union between graft and stock. He informed me that on one oc- casion he grafted a vine with the tip of a Delaware vine in this way, in a cold grapery, and from the extension of the graft in one season he layered, in i>ots, forty Delaware vines ! This was at the time when strong Delaware vines were selling at $5 each. BUDDING WITH GREEN WOOD. The next experiment in grafting or budding to which I will call your at- tention was reported in the English horticultural journals a year or two ago. I have mislaid and forgotten the authorit3\ The report stated that a dormant bud, having a leaf attached about two inches in diameter, could be taken from a young shoot and budded with a growing vine, so successfully that the leaf would, scarcely flag. The precise manner in which this budding was to be performed was not given, except it was stated that a small portion of wood should remain at- tached to the under side of the bud, the wax and bands should not be too tight, and the bandages should not be removed too soon. In some instances, also, it was jaid that a portion of the leaf attached to the bud should be cut off to diminish the leaf action or evaporation. The fact that this process had been successful was admitted by several writers, and by the editors of the Gardeners^ Chronicle and other journals. From more recent informa- tion I am disposed to think that this was a sort of bud grafting^ and not ordinary budding by incision in the bark, as in budding peach trees, &e. It is probable that the wood and bark attached to the bud was not placed partly under the bark of the stock, as in ordinary tree budding, but rather upon a cut surface of the vine, with the sides of the bark .of the bud scion and the bark of the stock or vine in contact, as in other grafting. BUDDING VINES IN SEPTEMBER. Another method of budding grape vines, which ma}^ more properly be styled bud grafting, has been practiced very successfully by Mr. Stevens, 54 PENNSYLVANIA FRUIT GROWERS SOCIETT. gardener to the Duke of Sutherland, at Trentham, England. In regard to this experiment I have very precise and intelligible reports. In this instance the vines were bud grafted with buds taken from well ripened wood, in September, in a cold grapery. I quote from an article in the London Gardeners^ Chronicle^ Oct. 16, 1869 : " To September last, (says the writer,) when Messrs. Lee sent out their first plants of Madresfield-Court vines, Mr. Stevens had one ; and, to make the most of it, having a young houseful of nice vigorous Lady Downe's, it occurred to him to bud them with the Madresficld, which was then accord- ingly done, and every bud succeeded, though a very few were lost after- wards through undoing the ligatures too soon. Further, almost every eye thus budded has produced a handsome bunch of grapes, and made strong rods as thick as one's thumb this season, the stock having been cut away, as in other budding ; so that now Mr. Stevens has nearly a houseful of this, the best of all late black grapes, in a fine bearing condition in one season. " To graft, (fee. To graft and inarch vines are not uncommon operations now, but to bud them whilst in this growing state is altogether a new prac- tice, and our thanks are specially due to Mr. Stevens for this discovery. As far as I understand the operation, it is a sort of bud-grafting of the half-ripened wood, the woody portion not being extracted from the bud, as with roses, but left entire, as in ordinary grafting. It is thus simply a joining of the alburnum of the stock and bud, or scion, together ; and this it will" 1 3 seen can be effected at any time after the young wood is firm enough, and before the sap thickens too much to prevent their mingling together and uniting." As this is a very important matter I will quote an account of this ex- periment by another writer, which may be found in the London Florist and Fomologist for September, 1869 : " While at Trentham a short time ago, (says the writer in the Fomologist,) my attention was directed to an experiment which Mr. Stevens had made in the budding of the vine, which was highly interesting, and attended with the most satisfactory results. Strong plants of Lady Downe's Seedlings, were in September of last year budded with well-ripened eyes of the Ma- dresfield-Court Muscat, which remained dormant during the winter. The vines were cut down to the inserted eyes, and in March, 1869, gradually started into growth. The buds burst vigorously, and showed from three to four bunches on each shoot ; all, however, were removed, with the ex- ception of one bunch to each vine, and these are now, September, 1869, swelling off surprisingly, and promise to make bunches of from two pounds to three pounds weight. The growth of the vines is healthy and robust, promising well for future results. " Mr. Stevens called my attention to the necessity of allowing the ban- PENNSYLYANIA FRUIT GROWERS SOCIETY. 55 dages used for holding the buds in place to remain until growth had well set in, as by removing the ties too soon there would be a liability of the buds being displaced by the pressure of the sap. It is evident that a judicious discrimination must be exercised as to the most fitting time for budding, both as regards the proper condition of the vine and of the bud ; and this condition, as it appears to me, occurs in autumn, when the active growth of the vine is subsiding, but is still so far active as to insure a vital union. It is also important to select the best matured buds. I should perhaps add, that the buds were inserted in the older portions of ihe stems, at about a foot from the ground, so that the buds will do equally well on the old wood as on the young." The editor of the Fomologist mentions the fact, in this connection, that Mr. Fleming, formerly a distinguished gardener at Trentham, advocated the spring budding of grape vines as early as 1851. The testimony is apparently conclusive that the vine may be grafted and budded or bud grafted with perfect success, and the practice presents nu- merous important advantages to the fruit grower, which are so evident that it is unnecessary to enumerate them. I trust we may soon have reports of further trials of these processes in America. The grafting with green wood, practiced by Mr. Cornelius, appears to be the most original, striking and useful of all the methods enumerated. Messrs. Fuller, Meehan, Pierce and others, after the address, advanced opinions as to the most practical modes of grafting trees, etc. Adjourned till 1 o'clock P. M. Society met at 7 o'clock P. M., President Hoopes in the chair. Mr. E. Satterthwait being called upon, read an essay upon " Pears and their Cultivation." ^ PEARS. An Address delivered before the Fennsylvania Fomological Society at Cham- bersburg, January 19, 1871, by E. Satterthwait, of Jenkintown, Mont- gomery county, Fa, At the request, or to speak more correctly, by command, of our most worthy President, I have prepared some remarks on the subject of pears and pear culture, which are submitted, however, with great diffidence, be- cause, as I must confess, I found the task more difficult than I had sup- posed it would be. I could very soon have written an article on this sub- ject for the general public that would have been satisfactory, at least to my- self if not to the public. But to produce an essay, to be submitted to the 66 PENNSYLVANIA FRUIT GROWERS SOCIETY. criticism of a body of skilled and professional fruit growers, and which must be supposed to be either interesting or instructive to such a company,* is quite a different mlatter. If I have not succeeded in doing this, the only excuse I have to offer is that the task is not of my own seekiilg, and that I have done the best I could under the circumstances, having been able to snatch but very little time from the cares of business to devote to the pur- pose. It would be very desirable, if it were possible, at these our annual gath- erings, to be able to present, each year, a statement, setting forth the pro- gress that has been made from year to year, and the exact state of each important branch of the science Which it is our object to promote. But from the nature of things this is not possible. Fruit growing, in common with every other branch of horticulture, does not belong to the exact sci- ences. We cannot in that, as we may with many other branches of know- ledge, proceed step by step to add to our stock of information, and by reasoning from ascertained facts, arrive at certain and infallible conclusions. Here, on the contrary, all is vague and uncertain. Not only are there no well settled principles established, but we find the greatest discrepancy ex- isting amongst the most intelligent observers, as to matters of every day observation. And accordingly I find, on taking a survey of the field, an immense mass of crude observations and conflicting theories, a vast amount of which has the tendency only to confuse and discourage the honest en- quirer after truth. To attempt to reconcile these conflicting theories — to bring order out of chaos — to sift the few grains of wheat from the many bushels of chafi", would be a herculean task, which I shall not attempt, but shall confine myself to noting such facts and observations as have occurred to me, that seemed to be practically useful ; and I shall endeavor to do this without being biassed for or against any disputed theories, but with the one single object in view, to find out the truth. Taking up the subject in the order in which it is commonly treated, I suppose I must say something in regard to soil and cultivation. On this branch of the subject 1 shall be brief, as I have had occasion frequently, before this society and elsewhere, to express ray views on the subject. In regard to the kind of soil and cultivation most suitable for pears, I have only to say, that the results of m3'^ observation and experience are all favorable to " high culture ;" I mean by that, bountiful manuring and con- stant tilling of the soil. In this, as in every other branch of productive industry, I know of no royal road to success.. Hence, I have no consola- tion to offer to those who expect to grow good crops of pears in a grass sod. But I do not propose to argue this question, it is one that has been already suflTiciently discussed, and can be determined only by actual ex- periment. PENNSYLVANIA FRUIT GROWERS SOCIETY. 67 As it would seem to be proper, however, to give the results of my own experience, I will state, that I give my trees, as a general rule, a good manuring, annually, with stable or barn-yard manure, and cultivate by plowing alternately to and from the trees with a light plow. My trees that have been so treated have thus far generally produced satisfactory crops. It is proper for me to state, however, that I have but few trees that have been planted more than ten or twelve years, which is not long enough to establish any theory conclusively ; and it may be that older trees will not do with this kind of treatment. All that I can say at present about that is, that the older my trees get, the better they seem to flourish under it. I would not be understood as contending that pears will never do well in a sod ; on the contrary, I have seen many old and flourishing pear trees, and bearing valuable crops of fruit, too, that stood in grass, or in situations where they could not be cultivated. But these have always been in pecu- liarly favorable situations ; often near the farm buildings, where the drain- age from the barn-yard or kitchen found its way ; sometimes in city yards where the roots can seek out rich spots of ground under the pavements of gutters, and among sewers and foundation walls ; and it must be borne in mind, that the roots of an old tree will run for hundreds of feet, where they find a congenial soil. Pear trees in such situations will often thrive and bear good crops in spite of the grass ; but I have yet to see the first pear orchard in grass that was either thrifty or productive. I am well aware that there are those who are considered high authority, who strenuously advocate the system of keeping a pear orchard always in grass, and when I consider what an easy and common thing it is to slide into the practice of allowing an orchard to become a sod by lack of culti- vation, I confess I am not astonished at finding advocates for the practice ; but if it was not for the fear of being thought personal, I should be tempted to say, that in many of these cases **the wish was father to the thought." However, as I have said, success alone must be the test in this question, and when those who i)rai;tice upon the grass theory show the best crops of fruit, then I also will " go in for grass." For of one thing I am positively certain, that the eternal laws of the Creator will not change, not even to suit the theories of the most wise and astute, and no matter how stubbornly they may be insisted on. A word more in regard to manuring. The pear is unquestionably one of the most hardy, as it is the longest lived of all fruit trees ; but it is unreasonable to expect that a tree standing for generations, in one spot, can continue to draw from the same soil, year after year, the ingredients requisite for a large crop of such high flavored and delicious fruit as a fine variety of pear, unless the soil happens to be one of inexhausti- ble fertility, or has its supply of plant food in some way frequently renewed. It is easy to imagine a tree, (like a pine, for instance,) that produces no Ill 68 PENNSYLVANIA FRUIT GROWERS SOCIETY. edible fruit, to thrive and continue to grow for centuries in a soil apparently destitute of fertility ; but the requirements of food-producing plants are different ; they require a soil containing more or less of organic matter. Fruit trees, I believe, as much require to be fed as domestic animals do. Everybody, for instance, knows that dairy cows, to yield abundantly, must be constantly supplied with a liberal amount of nutritious food ; and I be- lieve this just as necessary for pear trees. I have been speaking now of soils of moderate natural fertility, such as the average soil of Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Of course the same amount of manuring will not be ne- cessary in deep alluvial, or otherwise unusually fertile soils. The question is frequently asked, whether a stiff clay soil or a light sandy soil is suitable for pears. I cannot answer these questions, but am inclined to the opinion that almost any soil, that is not too wet, will do, if made sufficiently fertile by manuring. I have seen it frequently recommended to seed down an orchard with clover, and probably this might do well, if nothing but clover would grow j but as every one knows, who has tried the experiment, clover will only live a year or two, and then if the soil is good enough to grow pears at all, a dense sod of other grasses will succeed it ; and I know of no way to keep an orchard in clover, but to plow and re-sow at least eyery other year, and this practice, I apprehend, would be liable to all the objections which are urged against constant tillage. Mulching is also frequently recommended, but I have never known it tried to any extent, and I suppose, simply for the reason that it is too expensive. There is one advantage that I must claim for the system of culture which I practice, that has great weight with me, and must be an important consideration wherever ground is very valuable ; and that is, that I get large and valuable crops of other products from my pear orchards— almost the same, in fact, as if there were no pear trees there— the space in the rows between the trees being filled with currants, gooseberries, raspberries, rhu- barb, &c., and the rest of the ground planted with other small fruits, vege- tables and nursery trees. And it is a remarkable fact that pear trees do not seem to injure other crops growing near them, as apple, cherry and other fruit trees do. Some of my pear trees are now five or six inches in diameter and twenty-five feet high, and yet I cannot perceive that they in- jure anything growing near them. In fact I am convinced that the protec- tion afforded by rows of pear trees at intervals through the vegetable and nursery grounds is a decided advantage to many things ; and as ray trees get no manure and no labor in cultivation, except what is applied to the other crops, the pears would seem to be almost clear gain. I find I have forgotten to say anything about the preparation of the soil before planting, and I confess that I. do not attach as much importance to PENNSYLVANIA FRUIT GROWERS SOCIETY. 69 this as is generally done by writers on the subject. I have said enough, I think, to show that I consider a highly fertile and well cultivated soil es- sential to success, and I certainly should not advise any one to think of planting a pear orchard in ground that was not in a good state of tillage, such as would be necessary for garden crops ; but I consider that much more depends on the after treatment than on the original preparation of the soil. And as to deep subsoiling and trenching, I have never found any advantage in it. Soils that are wet, of course, must be drained. I have already spoken of one prolific cause of failure, to wit — starvation — and I will now proceed to notice such others as have occurred to me. Of diseases of the pear, properly so called, I know nothing, having had no ex- perience with any, unless the premature shedding of the leaves of the trees, otherwise apparently healthy, and the consequent failure of the fruit to ripen, be a disease. Whatever this may be, or whatever its cause, it is cer- tainly the most serious drawback to pear culture that I have to contend with. The mischief from this cause varies with the season and with va- rieties, amounting sometimes to a total failure of some varieties, and greater or less injury to most others. As nothing seems to be known of the cause of this malady, it will be very difficult to suggest a remedy, and perhaps it is useless to speculate upon it, but, as it seems to be a difficulty of so serious a nature, anything that can throw any light upon it would seem to be interesting. And in connection with this, I will mention what has always appeared to me to be very remarkable and well worthy of the most careful investigation. I allude to the fact that pears grown in cities appear to be entirely exempt from this and every other malady that pears growing in the cou^itry are subject to. There would seem to be some mysterious atmospheric influence in cities which is peculiarly favorable to the growth of pears, not only rendering the trees exempt from disease, but causing the fruit of every variety to be free from blemish, and of a complexion so bril- liant and perfect as to be recognized with difficulty as the same fruit, when compared with the same variety grown only a few miles distant in the country. This influence, whatever it may be, seems to be entirely atmos- pheric, as no difference in soil or culture seems to produce the effect men- tioned. In the present state of our knowledge on the subject, the only remedy for this leaf blight seems to be in the selection of such varieties as appear least liable to it. And here I cannot refrain from making a suggestion in regard to a pear, which, from its remarkable vigor and exemption, under all circumstances, from leaf blight, would seem to be well worth experi- menting with. I allude to the Chinese Sand pear ; and I would like to inquire if any one has ever tried, either by hybradising with other kinds or otherwise, to obtain from seedlings of this variety an edible fruit, with the 60 PENNSYLVANIA FRUIT GROWERS SOCIETY. very desirable properties of this tree. Another serious evil that I have encountered is injury to the trees from severe cold. I have had whole rows of Bartletts either killed outright or so injured as to require years to re- cover from the effects of an unusually severe winter. There is, of course, no remedy for this, but I have reason to hope that as the trees advance in age their liability to injury from this cause will diminish. In consequence of the injury from severe cold, I have found a northern exposure not de- sirable for pears, and for the same reason I would recommend protection from winter winds in any way possible. The apple or quince borer has become very destructive with me of late, and I have lost many fine pear trees by them, the mischief being mostly done before I had made the discovery that the borer would attack the wood of the pear. In localities where this insect is troublesome it will be necessary to take the same precaution with the pear as with the apple or quince to guard against injury from it. This, however, is so easily done that no further mischief ought to result from this cause, when it once becomes known that the borer will attack the pear. The cracking of the fruit of some varieties, worse some seasons than others, is a very serious objection to those varieties subject to it. As no cause or no remedy has ever been discovered for this, the only way to avoid it is to discard the varieties liable to it. I might say here, however, that I have noticed that the fruit of trees that are unthrifty from any cause, ap- pear to be most liable to crack, and this seems to be another argument in favor of high culture. The pear seems to be less subject to the attacks of insects than other tree fruits, but curculio and other similar insects are sufficiently trouble- some to make a remedy very desirable, if such were possible ; and I will repeat here what I have often before urged, that the true remedy for this and most other insect pests, is to be found in the protection, encourage- ment and domestication of insectiverous birds, and I earnestly advise at- tention to this subject. I intend myself experimenting with the European sparrow, and I hope others will also. I have every year bushels of fine pears destroyed by wasps, hornets and yellow jackets eating into them, but I feel satisfied, from the experiments that I have made, that these can be almost entirely destroyed by catching them in wide-mouthed bottles, hung in the trees for the purpose, half filled with vinegar and water. Before proceeding to consider the question of varieties, it would, perhaps, be better to say what I have to say upon the relative merits of standard and dwarf trees. It will probably be recollected that I, years ago, before this society, expressed my disbelief in the existence of dwarfs to any extent worth talking about; and I have since seen no reason to change this PENNSYLVANIA FRUIT GROWERS SOCIETY. 61 opinion. I long ago discovered that all my quince-rooted trees soon took to themselves pear roots, and abandoned the quince ; and though there is probably a difference in soils in regard to it, my belief is that this will always be the case, sooner or later, where they are planted, as is always recommended, with the quince stock all below ground. Some varieties strike root sooner than others. The Bartlett, for instance, will root in a year or two. How pears would do, worked on the quince so high as to prevent them from getting pear roots, I do not know. I have never tried it, for the reason that it would be troublesome to save them from being killed by the quince borer, and I never had faith that they would live or thrive very long. A good deal has been said about keeping trees dwarf by root pruning, and other such appliances, but I presume this is not much practiced in this country, nor will not be, at least not till we get a plen- tiful supply of Coolies, or some other system of cheap labor. It will be seen from what I have said that I do not make much account of dwarfs, and in treating of varieties I would be understood as speaking entirely in reference to trees with pear roots. And here I would remark, that I do not find in my own experience the difference that I was led to sup- pose there would be in some varieties when grown on standard or dwarf trees. I do not wish to be understood from what I have said as wishing to dis- courage the planting of quince- rooted pear trees. On the contrary, I think it a very good way of getting standard trees. The habit of bearing they acquire when on the quince seems to stick to them for some time, and is an advantage where it is considered more of an object to have a few pears soon than it is to get trees a few years later large enough to bear a great man}'. I have thought these remarks on the subject of dwarfs proper, in order to put planters on their guard against the mistake that I was led into myself of planting quince-rooted pear trees too close, under the mistaken idea that they would never get large. I give it as my deliberate opinion, though I know it is not generally admitted, that pears on quince stocks will, in a few years, if they live at all, be found to have nothing but pear roots, and then, if the ground is good enough to grow pears, they cannot be kept dwarfed without a great deal more labor than would be likely to be bestowed on them, so that very close planting, less than fifteen or twenty feet, should not be practiced unless it is with the intention of thinning out in a few years. An interesting question here occurs to me which would seem to have an important bearing upon the relative merits of pear or quince-rooted trees, and that is whether there is an advantage or otherwise in having the culti- vated varieties of pears on their own roots or on the roots of wildlings, as is the case with all standard trees as they come from the nursery. I am unable to throw any light on this question, and it is one that I have never 62 PENNSYLVANIA FRUIT GROWERS SOCIETY. * * heard discupsed. There is at least one disadvantage in the wild stock, and that is its tendency to sucker, which is often troublesome. It might seem probable that the wild seedlings used for stocks would be more hardy and make more thrifty and longer lived trees, but I do not know that there is anything in this. I have never yet observed any difference either in vigor or hardihood. I now come to consider the most important branch of my subject, the se- lection of varieties. Unfortunately this question is as difficult as it is im- portant. So much has already been said and written upon this question of varieties, that I should feel like skipping it altogether, if it was not that I believe that very many of the opinions that have been put forth on the sub- ject have not been derived from observation and experience sufficient for so difficult a question. It is very common to hear the most decided opinions on this subject urged by those who have had no experience worth mention- ing. For my own part I must confess that I feel that my experience is en- tirely too limited to speak upon it with much confidence. In considering this subject it must be borne in mind that varieties vary very much with soil and location, and from this cause alone it is impossi- ble to lay down any positive rule ; and then there are few localities where many of the numerous known varieties have as yet been fairly tested. From my own experience, extending over about a dozen years, and with about six hundred varieties, I have come to the conclusion that the most skilled and experienced have much yet to learn on this subject ; and it seems to me that the proper course in treating of varieties, unless one has had far more experience than I have, is to simply state the results of their own observations with varieties that they have tested, without recommending any, and this is what I propose to do. In giving my estimate of a variety, I confess that I am goverened to some extent by its value as a market fruit. I do not consider any apology neces- sary for this, though I know that it is strongly objected to by some. I will say, however, that as it has always been my practice to attend personally to the selling of my own fruit in the market, I have had the best possible opportunity of judging of the relative value of the different varieties for this purpose ; and though I am aware that it is very distasteful to some, to recommend a fruit because of its value as a saleable commodity, yet know- ing that there are many situated like myself, who follow fruit growing, in part, for a livelihood, and who might be benefited by my experience, I do not feel at liberty to withhold it, and I will here state what, in my opinion, are the desirable properties in a pear for a market fruit. These are good color, size and flavor, and above all it should keep well. I have placed color first, for without this no fruit is of much value for market. A hand- somely colored pear, of medium quality, is much more valuable for market PENNSYLVANIA FRUIT GROWERS SOCIETY. 63 purposes than one of first quality that has no beauty of color. Size is of great importance in estimating the value of a fruit for market, not only because large fruit sells better than small, but the time spent ia handling small sized fruit is a serious drawback. There are many pears of first-rate quality in other respects that seem to rot the moment they are ripe ; these ate, of course, worthless for market purposes. In giving my experience with different varieties, I do not propose to tire your patience by going over a very long list, but shall confine myself to those that are most generally known and recommended, and to such others as I have found, upon trial, to be worthy of particular notice. There are a few varieties of indisputable excellence that are so well known as to need no comments, and are justly considered indispensable in every collec- tion. These are Bartlett, Seckel, Lawrence, Duchess d'Angouleme and Beurie d'AnJon, and since they cover the greater part of the pear season, and are found to do well in most situations, the question will naturally be asked, why not stop here? since to multiply varieties unnecessarily only makes confusion and trouble. Mr. Quinn, in his " Pear Culture for Profit,'^ names these and one or two others, and argues strongly against increasing the number of varieties. While I admit the force of the objection, I must contend that I have found advantages in having a much larger number, and this for several reasons. In the first place, we want early pears, ripening •before the Bartlett; and as summer pears last but a short time, it takes several varieties to fill up the season. I do not agree with Mr. Quinn that early pears are of not much account for market. This may be the case where they have to be sent a long distance, but I have found a number of the early sorts quite profitable. The worst time to sell pears, I find, is just when Bartletts are in season, for it is then that peaches, melons, grapes and other fruits are most abundant. Another advantage in having a number of varieties is, that it seems to be the only way to insure a supply every year ; for as the most productive are liable to fail in some seasons, by having only a few sorts, you may miss a crop entirely. Another advantage I think I have gained by testing a great many sorts is, that I have discovered, by that means, several varieties, not much known, that I think will prove more valuable to me than the most of those that are universally recommended. And besides all this, there is a satisfaction in havin- a number of sorts, to suit all tastes ; " variety is the spice of life," and there is as much difference in the flavor of pears as there is in their shape and appearance, no two kinds being alike. I propose now to take up the list in the order of their ripening, com. mencincr with the earliest, and treating first of the leading well-known vane- ties, viz : 64 PExVNSYLYAXIA FRUIT GROWERS SOCIETY. PENNSYLVANIA FRUIT GROWERS SOCIETY. 65 ^ i '■ 1 Doyenne d'Ete-generally does well ; it is of a fine color, good qualitr and productive, bnt small, and sometimes cracks. Madeleine-fair size and quality and production, but does not color well and soon rots. * Beurre Giifard-one of the finest of very early pears ; fine size, first-rate quality and productive, and colors beautifully, hut sometimes cracks badly. Osband's Summer-does well; good color, fair quality and productive. Manning's Elizabeth-rather small, but first-rate in every other respect • very productive and profitable. ' Ott's Seedling-variable in quality, sometimes equal to Seckel ; fair color, but rather small ; a splendid grower. Dearborn's Seedling-fine color, fair quality and productive, but too small. Early Catharine-valuable on account of its vigor and productiveness and good quality. Rostiezer-productive, but of little value for market on account of its poor color and tendency to rot. Bloodgood-fair color, size and flavor ; productive, but a poor grower. Juhenne-has proven one of the most valuable of early pears, a re<.ular and good bearer, fair quality and size, colors most beautifully; and keeps well. beJrer""""' "'' """^ "°'°''' "'"' "''*''* ^""^ ^^ •l"""^'' ^"' " ''''y P°»' a sSS7™wer"'"' ~ ''-' -' '"'' ''"' """^ '^-"'^' "-"-«- -<> Of most of the above-named I have had a number of trees in bearing for several y«trs, and will now mention a few others which promise well, so far as can bejudged from two or three trees of a kind Pendleton's Early York-very ^arly, handsome and good. Pulsiver-flne color and size , handsome, productive and good. Jefterson—large and handsome ; fair quality. M«sking„m_,i„e color and size; handsome, productive and good. Holland (,roen-of little value for market, on account of its poor color and sm.all s,ze, but of a remarkably high flavor, and productive. to br.labTe!'"-'' ""' ''^"""^'" '"'' ^°°'^ ^-' °^ '^'- »'- = — '^ -- Hull-medium size, fair color, good quality and productive. bef!l! T" 1' f ^'", "''"■' *'" ^''' "' September, and are mostly gone before the market « glutted with peaches, melons and grapes, and on th.t account are more valuable than they would be a few weLs later the m-sttlf "oTs" ^. T°" T^'"""" ''•= '"'' '■'=" "''^•^ - ^"Snst and the flist half of September, when varieties of good pears are so numerous. and peaches and other fruit generally so plentiful, that none but the very best are of much account. This is the season of the Bartlett — and it must be a very fine fruit indeed to compete with it — and as a consequence there are many good varieties ripening about this time that are hardly worth mentioning, and I will notice only the most prominent, commencing with the earliest, which ripen about the first of September. Ananas d'Ete — a fine, large and beautifully colored pear of good quality ; valuable. Andrew — fine size and color; fair quality, but rots too soon. Cushing — beautiful light lemon color ; medium size and first-rate quality j productive and valuable. Golden Beurre of Bilboa— A most beautiful and first-rate pear in every respect, but the tree appears to be tender and does not thrive. Doyenne Boussack — this would be a first-rate pear, but it rots so quickly as to be utterly worthless. [Note. — This is one of Mr. Quinn's select few ; one of six, I think.] Beurre d'Amantis — poor color and poor quality, and rots quickly. Belle Lucrative— good size, of the best quality and exceedingly produc- tive, but does not often color well, and on that account not a valuable mar- ket fruit. Bartlett — of course, stands at the head of the list in its season, being first-rate in every respect, though its peculiar flavor is not liked by every o«e ; and with me the tree has proved more tender than most other varieties. Steven's Genessee — not satisfactory ; tree not thriftj\ Flemish Beauty — a splendid large pear of the very best qualitj^, but does not commonly color well, and rots very quickly ; the tree although a very vigorous grower, one of the worst to shed its leaves prematurely. Ananas or Henry lYth — an insignificant, little green pear of no account. Washington — a beautiful and first-rate pear, but the tree appears to be tender and does not thrive well. Onandaga or Swan's Orange— a very large and showey pear of medium quality, very productive, but rots badly. Ilowell a very productive and very beautiful pear of fair quality j a profitable variety. White Doyenne — always cracks. Kingsessing — a fine large pear of excellent quality, but does not often color well ; a splendid grower. Beurre Capiaumont — a very beautiful pear and productive, but poor quality. Des Nonnes — an exceedingly productive and excellent pear of medium size ; does not often color well. p. o. 5. 66 PENNSYLYAxN'IA FRUIT GROWERS SOCIETY. l:i Marie Louise — a fine, large and very productive pear, of good quality, and sometimes colors beautifully. I have given my experience in the above named sorts, because they are amongst the varieties that are most recommended in the bdoks and nursery catalogues, and as I cultivate most of them largely, I have had good oppor- tunity to judge of their merits. I will now mention a few that ri[>en at the same season, that are not so common, but which seem to do remarkably well, so far as I can judge from a few trees only of a sort. Boston or Pinneo — very fine; like Golden Beurre, but a more thrifty tree. Clapp's Favorite — I consider this quite an acquisition ; it is a splendid large pear of the best quality, and colors even better than the Bartlett, having a beautiful red cheek ; it has, however, a bad fault, it rots too soon. Ananas de Courtrai — a fine, large and most beautiful pear, of good quality and a regular bearer ; would seem to be valuable. Apothecary — a very large and showy pear. Gerhard's Butter — a large and very handsome pear, good quality and productive. Wredow — a remarkably handsome and good pear, but an unthrifty tree. Westcott — a handsome, good and very productive pear; medium size. Beurre de Montgeron or New Frederick of Wurtemberg. — The few trees I have of this variety have proved the most valuable of any that I have. It is the most beautiful pear I ever saw ; size from medium to large, very uniform in size and shape, quality generally good ; most remarkable for coloring uniformly with a brilliant red cheek, and remaining for weeks this wa}' on the tree — a most beautiful sight. It has alwa^'s proved to be a very regular and good bearer — tree, thrifty and vigorous. A large dish of this variety that I had on exhibition last fall, at the exhibition of the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, attracted far more attention and was more admired than any out of the three hundred, varieties I had on ex- hibition. Its season is a little later than the Bartlett. We next come to a season comprising the latter part of September and the remaining fall months, when pears are far more valuable than they are at the height of the peach and melon season. Seckel — stands at the head of the list at this season on account of its re- markably high flavor. It unquestionably has no superior in this respect. It is not however a very valuable market fruit, on account of its small size t and generally poor color, and tendency to rot before ripening. Louise Bonne de Jersey — has not proved satisfactory ; it bears abun- dantly, but often of poor quality, and sometimes cracks. Bulfam — a very productive and profitable variety ; the tree is remarkable for its vigor and beauty of growth. Tbougli rather small and not of the -tiammmm PENNSYLVANIA FRUIT GROWERS SOCIETY. 6T highest flavor, its fine color and productiveness make it a valuable market fruit. Urbaniste — has generally proved good in every respect. Duchesse d'Angouleme — does wonderfully well some seasons, but has not proved a regular bearer, probably from being allowed to overbear. [Note. — I think it would pay well to thin out the fruit of this and perhaps also of many other varieties when the trees are overloaded.] Beurre Diel — has not proved satisfactory — it is sometimes first-rate, but generally of a poor color and sometimes cracks. Dix — remarkable for being the only sort out of five or six hundred that never bears ; I have a number of quite large trees of this variety, one of them more than twenty years old and nine inches in diameter, and they have never borne a dozen pears. Napoleon — very productive, of a good color, but often spoiled by being spotted with a sort of mildew. Oswego Beurre — productive, but often cracks. Beurre Superfin — a splendid large pear of excellent quality, does not color well and rots too soon ; a very handsome growing tree. Sheldon — generally does well, productive and good, but sometimes cracks. Beurre Bosc — a very fine, large, handsome, productive and good pear; one of those sub-acid pears that are preferred by many. It seems to have one fault, however, that I think is common to all dark russet pears, that of rotting badly before ripening. Paradise d'Automne — very like Beurre Bosc, but smaller and seems to be no better in any respect. Beurre d'Anjou — has proved first rate with me in every respectj; I con- sider it one of the most valuable of all pears. Beurre Clairgean — a very large, showy and productive pear, of poor quality and very liable to be spotted with mildew, and often drops prema- turely from the tree. (Note Another one of Mr. Quinn's pet varieties.) Some of the above varieties will sometimes keep half-way through the winter. They are all from among the sorts in common cultivation and such as I grow largely. I will now name a few others ripening at the same season, that are not so well known, but have proved valuable with me. I have not, however, grown many of them extensively. Doyenne de Fais — exceedingly productive, good quality, valuable for keeping long after it has become yellow. Doyenne Rose — a beautiful and productive pear ; also keeps well after it has colored. Oswego Incomparable — a fine, large and beautiful fruit, keeps well afttr it has colored — tree a splendid grower. 68 PENNSYLVANIA FRUIT GROWERS SOCIETY. PENNSYLVANIA FRUIT GROWERS SOCIETY. 69 St. Michael Archange— a large, handsome and good pear— tree, a most beautiful, erect and vigorous grower. Baronne de Melo— a very handsome dark russet pear, of good quality and productive. Philip Goes — very much like the preceding. Bezi de Quassoi d'Ete— a beautiful and very productive pear, good size, and first rate quality ; appears to be quite a valuable variety. Surpasse Virgalien— almost equal to White Doyenne, and does not crack. Rutter— a splendid, large and exceedingly productive pear, of first-rate quality, very remarkable for bearing enormous crops from the time the tree is first planted, and the tree all the time making the most vigorous growth. It is also an excellent keeper. I consider this a fruit of great promise. We come now to winter pears, not having paid as much attention to the ripening of these as I might have done. I do not remember but a few varieties that I think worth mentioning here. I have quite a number, how- ever, on trial, some of which I am in hopes will prove valuable. Lawrence, without dispute, stands at the head of the list of early winter pears, and probably, taking all things into account, it is the most valuable of all pears. It is not, however, a late keeper, and frequently commences to ripen the first of October. It has done with me exceedingly well. Winter Nelis — a good early winter pear, does not keep late. Doyenne d'Alenson — very productive and sometimes very good. Vicar of Winkfield— very productive and valuable as a market pear for cooking ; has never been anything more than this with me. Easter Buerre — productive and sometimes very good, but does not t^en- erally ripen well. Glou iVTorceau — sometimes first-rate, does not often do well — a splendid growing tree. I shall not trespass further on your time by extending this list, thouo-h I might have mentioned many others that I have on trial tiiat I consider well worthy of attention, quite a number of them having done better for me than the majority of those on the lists generally recommended for cul- tivation. If I bad been writing a book instead of only an essay, I should have treated this branch of my subject with more minuteness and at much greater length, but knowing how exceedingly tiresome and uninteresting these dry details must be to all but the very few who, like myself, have made this a speciality, I feel that I owe an apology already for having extended my remarks beyond the limits proper for an occasion like this, and I shall, therefore, be compelled to omit a number of minor topics and some of more importance, such as planting, pruning, gathering, ripening and marketing the fruit, all of which would have been interesting in a more extended treatise. Before concluding, however, I desire to reiterate that it was not intended that the foregoing remarks should be taken for anything more than what they really are — the views and opinions of a single individual. In pre- paring them I have consulted with no person and have looked into no books or authorities on the subject. Had I done so, I could have compiled a treatise that would, doubtless, have been entitled to more weight and con- sideration. But I did not suppose that that was what was required of me. I understood my instructions to be " to give my views on the subject," and what I have done is, at least as far as it goes, emphatically just this : *' What I know about pears," and for that let it be taken. One word more, in conclusion, in regard to the general subject of po- mology. At the commencement of my remarks I hinted at the difficulties there were to contend with in the advancement of this science, and while it is undeniable that in our attempts to investigate the hidden secrets of nature in this direction, we are met at every step by the most discourag- ing obstacles — that those of us who consider ourselves the most practical and the least likely to be carried away by subtle and plausible theories, find ourselves constantly at fault and often compelled to turn back and take a new departure. But w hile admitting all this I do not wish to be understood as taking a discouraging view of the situation. On the con- trary'-, I see much to encourage and stimulate us to future efforts. That pomological science is making rapid progress, in spite of all obstacles, does not admit of a doubt ; but I should be traveling entirely out of my pro- vince to speak of that here. It is these very difficulties, when viewed in their proper light, that are in reality the greatest stimulus to exertion. It is wisel3^ ordered that the road to success in every useful and laudable pur- suit is beset with difficulties. If it were not so there would be little to stimulate to that exertion and industry which develops the higher and nobler qualities of our nature ; the ignorant and the slothful would be equally successful with the industrious and the skillful. Pomology is so far from being a perfect science that those who have made the greatest progress in it must admit that they are only beginning to see how much there is to learn. There is every inducement, then, to persevere in the good work, and if we do this properly, and actuated by motives that are higher than merely selfish considerations, and in that spirit that loves the truth for its own sake and above everything else, we will surely have our reward. And not only will these meetings continue to be an annual source of agreeable recreation and pleasant social enjo3'ment, but we will have the far greater satisfaction of beholding our efforts successful in assisting in the advancement of a science which is behind no other in practical useful- ness, and in the benefits it confers in improving the health and happiness of our race. YO PENNSYLVANIA FRUIT GROWERS SO£!IETY. Mr. Engle offered the following resolutions, which were adopted : Resolved, That this society return its most hearty thanks to the Franklin County Horticultural Society for the friendly and cordial reception given to the members of our society. Resolved, That the most grateful acknowledgments are hereby returned to the families of Chambersburg and vicinity, who have so hospitably en- tertained the members of -the Pennsylvania Fruit Growers Society during its sessions here. Resolved, That this society very highly appreciates the attendance and interest shown by the people of this town and vicinity during its sessions at this place. S. S. Rathvon next read an essay upon " Insects injurious to the Apple." INSECTS INJURIOUS TO THE APPLE. BY S. S. RATH VON, LANCASTER, PA. There is no fruit cultivated in the United States, at least none north of "Mason and Dixon's line," that has established itself more deeply and firmly in the heart of popular favor than the a/>pZe. And this, perhaps, is justly so ; for, under favorable circumstances, no fruit is more easily cultivated none that yields such a prolific return to the fruit-grower, none that is more hardy and can bear with greater impunity the rigors of our often severe and changing climate, and none that retains for a longer period its lucious and edible qualities. Nor is there any other fruit cultivated in our latitude that can be successfully applied to so many culinary purposes, none which is so grateful to the human palate in all its forms of use, from the simple unprepared fruit, up through all its grades of preparation, to the highest and most sublimated jelly. The apple, among us, is the first fruit whose form is impressed upon the mind of childhood ; and its very name, begin, ning, in the English language, with the first letter of the alphabet, is about the first among our fruits which a child learns to pronounce with distinct- ness enough to be understood. Indeed the name, compared with the names of other fruits, seems to be so easily acquired by the child that it often ap- plies it indiscriminately to nearly all other fruits of a similar form, whether they be apples, pears, quince or peaches. It is true, that seeing apples from the middle of July almost until its annual return, it has opportunities of becoming more familiarized with it than with other fruits, most of which only obtain for a short season ; but this very characteristic, and the general healthfulness of the fruit, enhances it the more in the estimation of every judicious house-keeper, and renders its degeneration or failure almost a do- I > I mil II. 7^ ^m N, 8 li' \V 'J^^fl!'^ 16 itifrK- U' - f'-'sh^** -Jo ^ 25 27 29 30 :u 35 ;; h :u; \ ■7 « ' Kt PENNSYLVANIA FRUIT GROWERS SOCIETY. U mestic calamity. Happily for us, however, our increasing railroad facili- ties, and the solid texture of the apple, renders its transportation from lo- calities in which it is abundant to those in which there has been a failure of the fruit, a matter of easy accomplishment, and at prices remunerating to the producer, and within the means of most consumers. Like all other fruits, the apple has many drawbacks to its successful cul- ture ; some of which are doubtless unknown ; some climatic and others due to the infestation of various species of insects. Perhaps continued cold, dashing rains at the period of fertilization, winter freezing or exhaustion of the soil may be more detrimental to the apple crop than the infestation of insects, but in many localities, and under many circumstances, this latter cause is a most damaging one. So long as ther6 are apples enough for us and the insects both, we are in the habit of paying little heed to them. It is only when the crop is small, and insects are likely to injure or appropri- ate that which has escaped other casualties, that we become alarmed at their presence. Leaving the discussion of other causes to those of larger expe- rience, and therefore greater competency, I propose to confine mf remarks to the illustration of some of the most prominent insects that are injurious (o the apple crop. These may be classified into those insects which attack the roots, the trunk, the branches, the leaves and the fruit, and although when present in moderate numbers, and in prolific fruit seasons, some of them may perform an important service to negligent growers, in thinning out the fruit where there is a superabundance, still they are not to be regarded at all as bene- factors, and their ways should be found out, their depredations circum- vented, and we should learn to regulate the quantity of fruit on our trees by some safer means than such doubtful contingencies, or we may, in the end, be entertaining an elephant unawares. This classification of these insects is, however, merely an economical and not at all a scientific one, for each of these classes contains individuals which belong to distinctly different natural orders and families. But it is more convenient, and figuratively at least, more progressive, to begin at the roots of the tree and proceed upwards towards the leaves and fruit, although we may have to alternate between orders and families as we proceed. And allow me here to say that the study of orders and families in entomology is an important one, for it allows the student, of .limited time and means, those opportunities to generalize and analogise, without which it is impos- sible to condense the subject within the comprehension of those who are unable to make its details a specialty. If, from its form and structure, we know to what/awi% to refer an insect, we may be able to form some idea of its history and his habits, even though we may not have witnessed any of its depredations, and this is to some extent the same in reference to or- 72 PENNSYLVANIA FRUIT GROWERS SOCIETY. ders. The modes and manners of life, and the organic structure of insects differs so much between larva pupa and imago, that without this knowledge we should never be able to locate an individual, or identify it when we found it in any of tl^ese States. From its structure we may know whether an in- sect is masticatory or suctorial in its habits, and therefore the nature of the injury we are likely to sustain from its depredations. From its form, among masticatory larva, we ought to know whether it is predaceous in its habits or whether it is a wood-borer, a leaf-eater, a root-feeder, a carrion-consumer, a cut-worm, a meal-worm, &c. This knowledge would enable us in some measure to distinguish between our friends and foes ; what we ought to de- stroy and what we ought to permit to live, as helps in our warfare against the noxious kinds. INSECTS INJURIOUS TO THE ROOTS. As the root of a tree or plant is a most important organ, and its functions being essential to the health and thrift— we may say to the very life of it and as tUe fruit grower's anxiety to have a good root, is equal to his desire to have a good place to plant it in, I therefore propose to commence my specific remarks, in noticing a f^yt insects which sometimes infest this funda- mental organ of the tree. The most widely extended in its operations is the "apple-root blight," Eriosoma pyri, of Dr. Fitch. This insect belongs to the order Homoptera, which includes the " seventeen year locust," the " tree-hoppers," the "plant lice," &c.— and to the Family Aphididx, or aphids. These insects form tubercles, (fig. 1,) or warty excresences, on the roots of the apple, espe- cially on young trees in the nursery, and most especially on those growing in moist, slaty, or clayey soil. Their mode of propagation is probably similar to that of aphids in general— that is, they produce successive generations without refecundation ; the sexes coming forth in a wint^ed condition once a year, at the end of the season ; and then, after the deposi- tion of their eggs by the females, dying, and the young commencing their work the following season. The eggs of these insects, and even the young themselves, are too small, singly, to be detected by the naked eye, but when massed together, and, covered as they are, with a whitish floculent substance, they may be plainly seen. A single individual may also easily be seen, when they are full grown, especially the male, (fig. 3,) for his length, to the ends of his wings, is then nearly a quarter of an inch. I should have said before, that the female (fig. 2) is wingless. When divested of their floculent covering, the color of these insects is black ; the abdomen being a dark, dull, greenish color ; the wings are transparent, but not so clear and glassy as in some other species of aphids ; and near the end of the anterior pair, on the costal PENNSYLVANIA FRUIT GROWERS SOCIETY. 73 margin, is an oblong, dark, smoky spot. This insect attacks the roots of the pear, as well as the apple, and I have often found, either these, or allied species, on the roots of different plants, but all such plants had an exhausted or sickly appearance. Probably very large, healthy, and deeply rooted trees, would suffer them with impunity; but it is not in such cases that they have been complained of, but in small, recently planted trees, and especialij nursery stock. Mr. J. Fulton, of Chester county, in a communi- cation to Mr. Downing, called his attention to the existence of these insects an apple roots as early as 1848, stating that in taking up his trees he found the roots full of these excresences, and that they were covered over with minute white wooly insects, and that the nursery stock became scarce that year, from the fact that thousands had to be thrown away from this cause. It has, however, since been demonstrated, that if not too much exhausted, young trees infected by these insects will recover, if the excrescences are removed, and the roots immersed in a strong soapy solution before they are planted again. Wood ashes thrown in around the roots, when the trees are being planted, will have a similar effect, and I presume a diluted solution of carbolic acid would also be good. No doubt these insects are carried from one locality to another on the roots of trees being delivered in the fall and spring, when only the eggs are there, and these are too small to be seen by the naked eye. Therefore, such an immersion as I spoke of, would be a good precautionary measure in any case ; for, after these insects are once located, it is almost impossible to extinguish them, without subjecting the trees to further injury in attempting to clean their roots after they ha\'e been planted, and the presence of the insect is suspected or known. Whatever the « seventeen year locust ''—Cicadse septendecim—m&y feed upon in its earliest larval stages, and whatever may be its subsequent ali- ment during the long period it passes beneath the surface of the earth, it is certain that it has been found, on various occasions, adhering, in numbers, to the roots of trees, and among these trees, those of the apple and the pear. Therefore, an apple tree whose branches have been punctured by these in- sects, after the young are hatched and go into the ground, must afford them sustenance during the larger portion of the seventeen years which they pass in the larva state. The late Miss Margaret H. Morris, of Gerraantown, Pa., says that on removing the earth from a pear tree in 1847, that had been de- clining for several years, without any apparent cause, she found the larvse of the Cicadas " in countless numbers " clinging to the roots of the tree, " with their suckers penetrating the bark, and so deeply and firmly placed that they remained hanging for a half hour or more after they were removed from the earth." In the spring of 1 860, Mr. J. Zimmerman, of Lancaster, brought me half grown larvie of the Cicada, which he had previously exhumed in digging and pulling up a small apple or cherry tree in his garden. It is true this 74 PENNSYLVANIA FRUIT GROWERS SOCIETY. may have been a G. Pruinosa^ but as C. Septendecim had been in his garden in 1851, the inference is that it was the latter, particularlj-, as the former is an annual insect, it would be likely to be much larger than this individual in the month of May, when I received it. These insects are very local in their habits. They crawl up the first object they meet after they come out of the ground, and if it be a tree, there they also deposit their eggs, and there also they die — for the most part — and there, too, the young, when hatched, go into the ground. It is probable that these insects may be in- flicting our trees in many cases we know not of, or are assigning to various other causes. INSECTS INJURIOUS TO THE TRUNK. Perhaps the most destructive enemy to the trunk of the apple tree, is the larva (flg. 4) of Saperda bivittata^ or the "Striped apple tree borer," as it is familiarly called. This insect belongs to the Order Coleoptera — which includes the **Beetles" — and to the Section Longicorniae, or long horned beetles. It is the typical genus of the Family Saperdidse ; the larvx of this whole section being "wood-borers." There is probably no insect whose history has been more often and more fully ventilated, and yet there are many people who are unable to recognize the mature insect, and nearly as many, perhaps, who do not know anything about its history and habits nor the periods of its appearance. It is only in the larva or grub state in which it is so destructive to the trunks of the apple trees — especially to young trees. When the tree becomes very large, it can afford to tolerate a few of these insects with comparatively little or without much apparent injury. It usu- ally makes its appearance in the beetle state, (fig. 5,) in and throughout the month of June — sometimes in July. It is then about three-quarters of an inch in length, and has two whitish stripes on the back, extending from the head to the end of the abdomen, and three brown stripes of the same length, the central one being usually of a darker color than the lateral ones. The antennae in the males are longer than the body, and in the females not quite as long as the body. During this period — that is, during the months of June and July — is the proper time to guard against the propagation of these insects, for this is the propagating period, and they are then solely » occupied in effecting this end. After the female is fertilized by the male, she seeks the fase of the apple tree as the favorite spot to form a nidus for her eggs, and these are deposited in the little crevices, as near as she can possibly get them, to the vital parts of the tree. The eggs are small, ob- long* yellowish white objects, about the size of those of the "Canker worm," which I exhibit on this occasion, but longer. As soon as these eggs are hatched, which is usually a week or more after they are deposited, the young larvae bore into the tree, and remain under the bark for a whole year. PENNSYLVANIA FRUIT GROWERS SOCIETY. 75 In the meantime the small apertures through which they have entered close up ; and, except when the trees are young and tender and the bark smooth, their presence in many cases cannot be readily detected. It is only the second year, when they begin to bore into the solid wood of the tree, and also make a hole out to the surface through which their castings protrude, that their presence becomes prominently visible. The third year they work themselves still deeper into the wood of the tree, and both these years their course is upward. Sometimes they may be found from twelve to eighteen inches or more above the surface of the soil, but their earlier periods are from an inch to three or four inches below it, but oftenest just at or beneath the surface. At the end of the third year they bore transversely towards the outer surface of the bark and change to the pupa or chrysalis state, and wait there for the proper time to issue into the light of the outer world. When the larva has reached maturity, it is a dirty white footless grub, (fig. 4,) about one inch in length, with a small brown head, and twelve very dis- tinctly marked segments, the first one being the largest. The head is armed with a pair of short, stout and sharp jaws, and retracts into the first segment. The body tapers gradually in circumference to the tail, but the middle segments are the longest, and the terminal one quite small. These grubs, however, vary much in size, for I have seen them nearly an inch and a-half in length. During the period when the mature beetle comes forth, the dust or cuttings will be found around the holes they bore through the bark, and at the base of the tree ; and sometimes people only become aware of their presence when they see this, and forthwith proceed to "lock the sta- ble door after the horse has been stolen"— it being then too late to catch the thief. Many are the remedies which have been suggested for the destruction of this insect— some good, some bad and some indifferent. While they are just beneath the bark they may be gouged out with a knife or a chisel, but after they have penetrated the wood a steel wire, with a sharp point and barb at the end, is necessary to dislodge them or kill them in their burrows. Some people heat the wire and roast them to death. The best remedy is to prevent the female from depositing her eggs on the tree, and this may be effected by protecting the base of it during the months of June and July. No matter what the contrivance is, whether sheet-iron, tin, stiff paper, leather or old rags, so that it is applied at the right time. Driving spikes and nails into the trees, or boring holes into them, and filling them with sulphur, calomel, arsenic or any other substance, is altogether useless. Sometimes there may have been results which seemed to imply that these remedies had been effectual, but I am satisfied these effects have resulted from other causes. Some scrape out the wounds, and draw the earth away from the trees, and leave the roots exposed for weeks and months ; but if u PENNSYLVANIA FRUIT GROWERS SOCIETY. this is done during the months of May, June and July, it only exposes the trees, and invites the females hither to deposit their esrgs. Others, when so exposed, apply lime, ashes, alkalis, salines, soaps, narcotics, &c., and although each of these may do some good, if properly applied and at the right time, yet prevention is anterior and superior to them all. These remedies, as well as the dry exposure, may assist in destroying the eggs after they are deposited, or kill the young grubs after the eggs are hatched, for they require some moisture for their development, and either a hot sun, dry air or dry lime or ashes, may absorb this necessary element and defeat the insect, if it reaches the objects intended to be effected at the right time, for, after they have penetrated the solid wood of the tree, it must be evident that no applications of these kinds would be of any avail in dislodging them. But this insect enemy confines its operations to the base of the trunk of the tree, and it must surely be regarded as a fortunate arrangement in the economy of nature, that the roots and the base have so few enemies, or they might have a more fearful gauntlet to run than they have under existing circumstances. The next most prominent enemy to the trunk of the apple trees is the " apple-buprestis"—C;j r]/so6o//iri8/emora^a, of Fabricius, (figure 6.)— This is also a Coleopterous insect, and belongs to the famibj Buprestid^, which is included in the old group or section named Serricobnia, from their " serrated" or saw-tooth like antenna. The larva of this insect is a pale yellow footless grub, (figure 7,) with its anterior end very much enlarged, giving it something the form of a horse-shoe nail. This insect is m^uch smaller than the striped borer, but it also excavates a cavity under the bark of the tree and in the solid wood thereof, confining its operations, however, to the upper part of the trunk and the larger branches. This insect also attacks the pear, and sometimes also the peach tree and cherry tree, and causes the oozing of the gum found on the latter. The mature insect comes forth from the middle of May to the middle of July, and is then a small, flattish, greenish black "beetle," about half an inch in length, and of a bronzed or metallic lustre beneath, and may often be found basking in the sun or flying about the trunk or branches. Its native tree is supposed to be the white oak. Cutting out the larva, and entrapping the beetle in any way most eflfectual, are the only means that can be resorted to for the ex- tinction of this insect. Another member of the "long-horned " section or group, but belonging to the /am% Cerumbycid^, which infests the trunk of the apple tre'e, is the "Prickly Leptostylus," Leptostylus aculiferus, (figure 8,) of Say. The larvae of this insect is a small whitish grub, similar in form to the striped borer, but hardly more than one-fourth its size. It confines its operations beneath the bark, and sometimes is found there in vast numbers, forminrr MiMi PENNSYLVANIA FRUIT GROWERS SOCIETY. 77 long winding tracks on the outer surface of the wood, the evidences of which can sometimes be seen on the surface of the bark, which becomes loosened. These tracks become broader as the grubs increase in size ; and although they are capable of doing a great deal of injury, when they are numerous, yet fortunately there are often long intervals in which very few occur. The beetle appears about the middle of August, and is about one- third of an inch in length, and of a brownish, or brownish gray color, with small prickly points on its wing-covers, and is distinguished by having a pretty long pair of antennse, or horns. Many of the larvx of this insect as well as of the Chrysobothris, are dislodged and devoured by the various species of woodpeckers which visit apple trees, and especially by that little individual so well known to the boys, and, by way of distinction, called the "sapsucker." In my boyhood we were instructed to stone these little friends away from the trees, on the ground that they were sucking out the sap, but it is curious that these birds resort to the trees mostly during the fall and winter, when one would suppose there was least sap to suck. Per- haps boys, in some localities, may be still so instructed, but it does not re- quire much encouragement to induce them to do so, for the bump of de- structiveness is developed so largely in some boys — as well as in some men that they look for a stone, as if by injjtinct, as soon as they get their eye on a bird. There are two small "Apple-bark beetles," or "Blight beetles," belonging to the family Scolytid^, which infest the trunk and branches of yonno- apple trees in the early part of the season, and later the smaller twigs and branches, which seems to indicate that there are two broods of them in a year. The one is Tomicus mali, of Fitch, and the other Scolytus pyri, of Peck ; the latter of which, from its name, was thought to confine itself to the pear. These little insects sometimes perforate the bark of the young growing trees, in vast numbers, by boring small holes, not much larger than a common pin-hole, through which they emerge to the outer world, having passed their larval periods beneath the bark, or in the solid wood. The mature insects are from a ninth to a tenth of an inch in length, are cylin- drical in form, and of a black or dark chestnut color, with the legs of a lighter brown or yellowish color, and have short knobbed antennse. The second broods attack the 3'oung twigs during the summer, penetrating them, and causing the leaves to wither, producing that peculiar appearance called blight ; but a similar blight often occurs where no insects are present, and must, therefore, be the effect of some other cause. Under any circum- stances, it is best to cut these withered branches off and burn them, for, as these insects are concealed, there are no other means by which they can be destroyed. The first brood issues forth in the beginning of July, the larvae of which have probably remained in the trunk and branches during tie 78 PENNSYLVANIA FRUIT GROWERS SOCIETY. whole winter. The first named insect is known to have been very numer- ous and very destructive in some of the eastern States. The last named also attacks the small branches of the pear, the plum and the apricot^ gen- erally depositing its eggs around the buds, the larva penetrating into the wood where it undergoes its transformations, and re-appears a mature beetle. When apple trees become old and partially decayed, there are a number of other psuedo wood-boring insects, the larva of which feed upon the dead wood, some of them remaining in the larva state five or six years ; but as they are not the cause of the decay, although they may hasten and increase it, it is not necessary to do any thing more than to refer to them very briefly. Conspicuously among these are the larva of a " horn bug," Lucanus dama, (fig. 9) — a large, smooth brown beetle, with prominent jaws ; the " Rough Osmoderma — Osmoderma scabra — and the " Smooth Osmoderma" — Osmo- derma eremicola. The larvae of these three beetles are large, thick and nearly cylindrical, white worms, (fig. !(,) with the abdominal or anal seg- ment quite large/and bent downward and forward, in the form which char- acterizes all the larvse of Lamellicornia, or laminated horns — the great division of the order Caleoptera, to which they belong. These larvae form large hard pods out of the woody cuttings in the hollow parts of the trees, in which they pass the pupa state, and the mature insects appear dur- ing the warm weather in June and July, sometimes entering houses through the open windows in the evening. In addition to these, there are three spe- cies of " snapping beetles," which infest decaying apple trees, namely : Alaus occulatus, (fig. 11,) myops and luscus ; but the first named is the most numerous, and therefore the most common. The larvae of these snappers are long, smooth, flattened, tawny yellow worms, either a dark brown or nearly black at each end, the largest being sometimes two inches and a half ia length. The anal segment is armed with two spines curving upward, and on the underside is a single, soft, retractile proleg. The perfect in- sect of the first named is a long, flattened beetle, black in color, but pro- fusely speckled with white, and has two black eye-like spots on the thorax, from which it derives its specific name. The second is similar in form and color, but the spots on the thorax are much smaller, and the third is with- out the white, or the thoracic spots. ' INSECTS INJURIOUS TO THE BRANCHES AND TWIGS. The small branches, or twigs, of the apple tree are often infested by a little mining insect belonging to the order Coleopter.e, and family Bos- TRiCHiD^, called the "apple twig borer," Bostrichus bicandatus, (fig. 12.) This little insect makes an excavation through the heart of the twig, about the size of a knitting-needle, causing the leaves to wither and turn brown PENNSYLVANIA FRUIT GROWERS SOCIETY. 79 in midsummer. This insect is a small, chestnut-brown, cylindrical beetle, having a family alliance to the ScALYxiD^-before alluded to-and resem- bhng them in form ; but it confines its operations to the twigs, so far as known. It derives its specific name from two little spines, or points, which It has at the end of the wing covers. This insect is also called the "blicrht beetle," and this circumstance is only one among thousands which elucidate the absolute necessity of Latin terms in insect nomenclature. The remedy IS to cut off the twigs as soon as the leaves are seen to wither, and burn them. This can easily be done with pruning shears attached to the end of a pole, and made for that purpose. Another Coleopterous insect, inju- rious to apple twigs, is the " New York weevil," Ithycerus nov^boraceL of Forster, (fig. 13.) It belongs to the great Gurculio section, one member at least, of which has become notorious over our whole country as the great enemy of the plum, the cherry, the peach, &c. This is the largest insect of its tribe that we have in the northern and middle States. It"at- tocks the buds and tender shoots in the spring of the year, and in New York and some of the western States has been very destructive, but not yet, to any great extent, in Pennsylvania. The largest specimens are over half an inch in length, and are of a gray color, having four white lines, in- terrupted by black dots on each of the wing covers and three on the thorax I have found it frequently in Lancaster and adjoining counties, but I have not not yet been so fortunate as to have found the larvx, (fig. 14,) but ac- cording to an account in the American Entomologist, Vol. l,°it is said to breed in the branches (fig. 15) of the bur-oak, and, perhaps, in the pia.nut hickory. Why not also in the branches of the apple, where the mature in- sect is so often found ? The female punctures the branches of the oak &c and thrusts in an egg. If, therefore, the proper attention was given in the' spring, when these insects appear on the apple trees, it might be discovered whether the larvae are bred there or not. Perhaps the worst enemy to the smooth branches and twigs of the apple tree we have is the ''fipplehark louse"— Aspidiotus conchiformis of Gnelin, (fig. 16)-wJiich means "oyster-shell bark louse," because the insect is' something in the form of a shell of that kind. This is an imported insect, and IS far worse than our native species, Aspidiotus Harrisii, or "Har' ris's bark louse." This is an oblong, flattish, brown scale, about one-eic^hth of an inch in length, which attaches itself to the smooth and tender bark on the branches, sometimes so crowded together as to entirely cover the bark. These scales are all females, and beneath each of them will be found a number of small white eggs, which hatch out in the spring of the year, sometimes about the end of April or beginning of May and throughout the' latter month, according to latitude or the temperature of the^weather When the little lice come forth, which they often do to the number of twenty,' 80 PENNSYLVANIA FRUIT GROWERS SOCIETY. forty or sixty, sometimes even a hundred, from a sinojle scale, they are merely minute atoms, having a beak, six feet and a pair of antennae, dis- persing themselves over the branches. The males acquire wings in a few da3'8, and then resemble very minute "midges," and after fertilizing the fe- males they soon die. But the females become stationary and insert their • beaks into the bark and suck out the juices of the branches. These females gradually become degraded, loosing all their limbs but the beak, and as tlie season advances become overspread with a bluish substance resembling mould. As this mould wears off, later in the season, the shell-like scale be- comes exposed, covering the eggs, which are thus protected until the fol- lowing spring. These scales are nothing else than the dried bodies or cast off skins of the females. Of course where these insects are numerous, they must necessarily exhaust and finally destroy the trees, or at least render them worthless. Applications of oil or grease are considered the best reme- dies, in all respects, that have yet been tried for the removal and destruc- tion of these insects. A better remedy, however, for the destruction of this insect is found in its native enemy, a little chalcideous parasite — Aphilinus mylilaspidis — !>• B. Dr. Le Baron, of Geneva, 111., has devoted much attention to the study of this little insect, and as the "oyster-shell bark louse" seems to be quite abundant in his locality, he has opportunities to investigate it which I have never had ; for, fortunately, this hark louse has not been as numerous and a3 destructive in Pennsylvania as it has been in some other States. Dr. B. says, that in 824 of the scales examined, which he had collected in Kane and Du Page counties, 111., 533 were destroyed by this "chalcis fly ;" 234 had been destroyed b3'^ acari and unknown causes, and that only 57 con- tained eggs. This little fly perforates the scale of the louse with its ovi- positer and deposits one of its eggs, sometimes two, but never more than two. From this chalcis egg a greedy little grub is hatched, which feasts upon the eggs of the "bark louse." Other investigations have exhibited similar results, and it is exceedingly doubtful whether any artificial remedy could be devised that would be so skilfully, so constantly and so unerringly directed as this natural remedy. But the history of the animal world, and especially the insect world, is full of such instances, and it is well for us that it is so, for otherwise not only our agricultural and horticultural pro- ductions would become a prey to destructive insects, but our domestic ani- mals, our fabrics, and even ourselves^ might become the victims of their depredations. "Harris's bark-louse" (fig. Hj is much smaller than the preceding, and different in the form and color of its shell, although similar in its general history, and is capable of doing a vast deal of injury when it becomes nu- merous, as I am able to testify from personal observation. The scales in PENNSYLVANIA FRUIT GROWERS SOCIETY. 81 these insects are an impure white, mostly of an oval or spindle shape, con- tainmg beneath them from ten to twenty, or more, red, or deep pink eoga If the thumb-nail or the blade of a knife is passed with pressure o'ver these scales, they will leave a red blood-like streak, which is visible to the naked eye. Tiie eggs, in this latitude, hatch out about the beginning of June, and the insects are similar in their form to the "oystershell louse" aforenamed. The females, however, secrete from their bodies the white Bubstance which forms the scale or covering of the eggs, which, in struc- ture, resembles that of some species of spiders, only not so rigid, and is scarcely more than a twentieth of an inch in length. Much has been written and published in reference to the development of both these, but little of It that would come under the notice of a common observer. I have seen young apple and pear trees thoroughly cleaned of these insects by the ap- plication of "neats.foot oil," though any similar oil or grease would do Another insect, called also an "apple tree blight," Eriosom^ lanigera, of Houseman, is often found on apple twigs, situated in clusters around the base of the twigs and suckers, growing from the trunk. These are a pale.colored louse, covered with a cotton-like substance, which is secreted from their bodies ; but they do not form a "scale" or "shell," as the others do. These three insects belong to the order Homoptera, the two first to the family CociD^, and the last to the family Aphidid^. Belonging to the same order, and the /am% CiCADiDiE, is the "seventeen-year locust"- Cicada septendeoim, which punctures the branches, depositing therein their eggs, often to their great injury ; but these occur so seldom that it is • question whether their prunings are not, in some cases, more beneficial than injurious in the end. INSECTS APPECTINO THE LEAVES. The leaves of the apple tree have many destructive enemies, but none perhaps that causes such an effective and universal blight as that of the " canker worm," for very often this insect is so numerous as to sear and destroy every leaf upon the tree. When the canker-worms have overrun an apple tree, the remaining leaves will present the dry and browned ap- pearance, as those of a rosebush that has been devastated by the " rose- slugs ; " for in the earlier periods of these worms, they do not entirely devour the leaves, but leave them in a skeletonized condition. Now, much as has been said about these'insects, old, and pernicious as they are in their habits, it is quite possible that many people still do not really know what a canker-worm is, not even when they may have seen it, and if they have not this knowledge, they will therefore be fighting it at a great disadvantage. The canker-worm is the larva of Anisopteryx vernata, (fig. 18,) an insect that belongs to the nocternal section of the order Lepidoptera, an order p. a. 6. t» PENNSYLVANIA FRUIT GROWERS SOCIETY. li II r >?hich includes all the butterflies and moths. It is classified with the group or family Geometradee or "geometers," which are also called " measuring* worms," " span worms" and " loopers," and produces only a single brood in a year. When these larvse become once spread over an apple tree, it is then too late to contend with them successfully without perhaps injuring the foliage as much as they themselves do. Therefore, the proper course to pursue is to destroy the female motk^ (fig. 19,) and prevent her from as- cending the tree and depositing her eggs there. As she is entirely without wings, by care and perseverance this may be thoroughly accomplished. — The great body of these females issue from the earth during the first warm days of early spring, and crawl up the trunks of the trees and deposit their eggs on the branches in patches of from fifty to a hundred in each — each insect depositing from one to three hundred. These eggs (fig. 20) are hatched, and the young worms rapidly devel- oped, being ready to go into the ground as early as the first of June in this localitj^, or during the first half of that month, later or earlier than that period, according to latitude or the temperature of the weather. They re- main in the ground in the pupa state during the whole summer, or until the following spring — that is, the great body of them do. But, as if deter- mined to perpetuate their species, or to bafl9e all the means used for their prevention or extinction, a few issue from the pupa and commence traveling up the trees early in the fall, and continue to do so every warm and genial interval during the whole winter; therefore, the means to entrap them should be commenced also in the fall, and kept in an effective condition whenever the weather is soft and warm. For this purpose a broad band of any stickey substance or compound that will not dry or harden too quickly, should be smeared around the tree near its base. Bands of raw cotton, or circular troughs containing oils or other liquids, are more or less defective appliances, for these cannot be made to fit into all the crevices of the bark, and therefore apertures are left which either the females or the yong larvae can crawl through, for it has been demonstrated that if the female is foiled in ascending the tree she will eventually deposit her eggs in the crevices below the band, and the young, when hatched, being very email, will find their way through unless this moat of defence is very perfectly constructed. These traps, during every warm interval in the winter, and until late in the spring, should be examined and, if necessary, the stickey substance — * whether it be tar, or molasses, or birdlime — should be renewed, and the captured moths be destroj'ed if not already dead. It may be well to say, here, that the female which I exhibit on this occasion was captured in Lan- caster city, on the 20th of November. The "canker-worm," (fig. 21,) when fully matured, is about three-quarters of an inch in length, and is of various shades of ashen-gray in color, with PENNSYLYII^IA PRTTIt GROWERS SOCIETY. |8 a head peculiarly mottled and spotted with black and gfay. Along the sides the color is deeper than on the back, and the underside is yellowish. It has six legs in front, and four fleshy prolegs near the hind end of the body, the intermediate space being without legs. When it moves, it reaches the body forward and takes a hold with its front or pectoral legs, and then draws the hind part of the body up with a jerk, the intermediate part being thrown up in a loop, or high arch, as if it was measuring ; but this charac- teristic is common to all the " Geometers." The perfect female is ash-gray, spotted with black, with the legs and antennss rather long and slender, the former alternating with black and gray ; the body scarcely half an inch in length. The males are winged, the wings expanding from an inch and a-qaarter to an inch and ahalf. ' The front wings are ash-gray, of various shades in diflerent specimens, and are crossed with more or less faint black lines, and the hind wings are a silvery gray, the whole insect being that color beneath. The body of the male is much smaller than that of the female ; the antennee more robust and the hind legs longer. These males are readily attracted at night, by anything luminous, and hence may be captured in this way. In their flitting about they soon deprive their wings of many of the small scales on them, and hence it is difficult to obtain a perfect specimen. The eggs are very small ; of a yellowish-white in color ; slightly oblong, and in form not much unlike a miniature bird's egg. When the young are first hatched they are quite thin and thread-like, and reach maturity in about thirty days. These insects have not yet been so numerous in Pennsylvania as they have been in some of the eastern States. But the Lepidopterous enemies of the apple tree are numerous, and I cannot possibly be expected to mention all of them in a single essay The "yellow-necked caterpillar" of the apple tree^E umetopona ministree Drur3'— is one that is frequently met with. These larvse (fig. 22) cluster closely together on a single limb, stripping it entirely of its leaves, leaving the branches entirely bare ; occurring in August and September, and when alarmed, they hold up the front and hind end of the body, adhering to the limb by the intermediate prolegs. In their last moult they are cylin- drical in form, from an inch and a-half to an inch and three-quarters or more in length, of a dull yellow color, with black longitudinal stripes, a yellow spot on the first ring, and a prominent black head, with a few whitish hairs, very sparsly distributed over the body. The moth (fig. 23) varies from buflf yellow to a light brown, expanding from two inches to two inches and a-half, and the front wings crossed with several brown or blackish bands, varying in number ; the hind wings and abdomen are a dirty yellow color, and the head and thorax a dark brown. When these caterpillars are ready to transform they leave the tree at night, and go immediately into the 84 PENNSYLVANIA FRUIT GROWERS SOCIETY. ground and change to a chrysalis , so that if yoa see a cluster of them on your tree in the evening, and expect to destroy thena the next morning, you may find that they have all disappeared. They remain in the pupa state all winter, and come forth in the moth state the following June, and are ready to deposit their eggs by the first of July ; about the twentieth of the same month the eggs begin to hatch, and continue so daily, during the balance of the month. These eggs are deposited by the mother moth in patches of about a hundred each, on the branches of the tree. They re- quire from the hatching of the egg, about five weeks to reach their full size, and although single brooded, they do not all reach maturity at the same time. Cutting off the branch and "firing" or scalding the whole brood, is about the best remedy — ^no danger of them running away whilst you are doing it. The " American tent caterpillar" is another great foe to the apple tree, al- though its native tree is the wild cherry. But this food becoming compara- tively rare, it has taken to the apple as its next choice. The eggs (fig. 24) from which these caterpillars are hatched, are deposited on the branches of the tree during the first half of the month of July, in the form of a bracelet or small cylinder around the branch, to the number four or five hundred, all standing endways, and glued together, and covered over with a brown- ish glue, remaining thus, through " wind and weather," until the following spring. The catterpillars come forth during the latter part of April or be- ginning of May, and almost immediately begin to form a web, similar to a spider's web, at the first fork below where the eggs were located. Under the shelter of this web or tent, they commence devouring the leaves, and it is increased in size as the worms increase. This tent is used as a place of concealment, and they always retire to it as soon as they are done feeding or during a rain, or intense heat of the sun. These caterpillars (fig. 25) reach maturity in about seven weeks, and they are then about two inches in length. Their heads are a shining black, and they have a whitish dorsal line, extending from end to end, on each side of which, on a yellowish ground, are numerous fine, interrupted black lines ; lower down, these become mingled and form two broad longitudinal stripes, somewhat broken by the segmental divisions of the body. Lower still is a yellow line, and then fine black ones again on each side. The underside of the body is of a dusky color. On the eleventh segment is a small, blackish hairy wart, and the whole body is sparsely covered with short soft hairs. About the middle of June they begin to leave the trees, and independently hunt some out of the way nook or crevice, where they spin a loosely constructed oval cocoon, (fig. 26,) the meshes of which are filled with a sort of paste, which when dried and pulverized, forms a yellowish powder, resembling flour of sulphur. The perfect "moth" — Clisiocampa American ae, of H.&rn8, (iBg. 27,) comes PENNSYLVANIA FRUIT GROWERS SOCIETY. 85 forth about the first of July, and belongs to the family Bombycid^, or "Spinners," the same to which the common "silk worm" belongs. This moth expands from an inch and a-quarter to an inch and three-quarters— according to sex, the females being the largest-and is of a rusty red or brownish color, mingled with gray on the middle and base of the wings, with two oblique whitish lines across the front wings. The antennae of tlie males are feathered on the one side, but those of the females are only slightly 80, and are moreover much shorter than those of the males. These insects, although many of them are preyed upon during their larval period, by birds and several species of parasitic Hymenopteras, still have the power of spreading very rapidly, and doing a great deal of damage where they are entirely neglected. And notwithstanding there have been many remedies published for their destruction from time to time, some of which have been almost ineffectually tried, yet they can be successfully "headed off" by a universally adopted effort, and this effort must first include the destruction of the eggs, during winter and spring, before the trees are in foliage— when they can be easily seen. These eggs should be removed and crushed, or boiled, or burned, if it involves the removal of the branch on which they are. If the eggs have not been removed at the proper season, the next thing is to remove and destroy the caterpillars. As these caterpillars only go out to feed twice a day— namely, in the forenoon and afternoon— they will be found "at home," morning, noon and evening; and as they go to bed early and rise late, ample opportunity is afforded to capture them. If you do not wish to loose the branch, attach a mop to a long pole, and saturate it with lime-wash, strong soap suds, cheap oil or turpentine ; thrust this mop into the nest and turn it around until you wet all the caterpillars, which will be a "finisher" to them ; also burn the cocoons wherever you find them, at the proper time. Another, or rather two other moths belonging to the /am% Bombtoid.e, namely, the Oastropachsc Americana, of Harris, and the Oastropachas Valleda, of Stoll, are also found on apple trees, but they do not generally occur in great numbers, or at least have not, so far, in Pennsylvania. These are called " American lappet moths," from the larv» being fringed along the sides with grayish hairy lappets or foot-like appendages. These moths are scarcely semi-cylindrical, and are of a grayish color, resembling the bark of the tree, laying closely to the branches all day, and may easily be mistaken for a slightly elevated tumor. When in motion, however, the former exhibits two bright red bands on the forepart of the body, and the latter a black band. They feed only at night, and do not form a webby tent. When full grown, the first named is about one inch and a half in length, and the last from two and a quarter to two and three-quarters. They are both yellowish beneath, and are otherwise marked. They spin themselvea 9^ PBNNSTLVANIA FRUIT QI^OWBRS SOCIETY. I' i ioto brownish coccoons on the trees late in summer, and the moths gene- rally come forth in the following spring. The Americana is a reddish brown, with notched wings, and the Velleda is a dnsky gray, marked with white, expanding, respectively, about the length of their larvse. Still another apple-tree moth is the "American vaporer" — Orgyai lenco- 9ttgma, of Smith & Abbot — belonging to the family ABOTiiDiSL These cater- pillars (fig. 28) mature about midsummer or later, and are slender in fornsy with pale, yellowish hairs, and black, pencil-like tufts at each end of the body, and on the front half are four short, thick tufts of hairs, cut off ■quare on top of the body, and the head is red. About the first of August, (being then of various sizes, from an inch to two inches in length,) they $pm themselves into very slight yellowish cocoons, through which the pupa may easily be seen, and in ten or twelve days thereafter the moths appear. The female (fig. 29) is then of a uniform dirty white color, and entirely without wings. She seems to be merely a matrix of eggs, (which are visible through the integument of her distended abdomen,) having a small head and thorax, and slender legs and antenn$e attached to it. She never leaves the outside of her cocoon until she drops down from it dead. Before this takes place, however, she proceeds to deposit on it from one hundred and fifty to two hundred whitish eggs, which she covers over with a white frotliy substance V> protect them from the weather, which, when dry, becomes as brittle and gritty as the " cuttle-fish bone'' which is uaed for cage birds. The male (fig. 30) is ashen gray, the front wings being crossed with dark wavy bands and a small black spot near the tips, ex- panding about an inch and a quarter ; the body having a row of little black tufts along the back. Some of the cocoons of the females (fig. 31) ma^ be found on the branches of the trees, but most of them are generally to be found sheltered on the under sides of fence rails, shrubbery, stables, out- houses, or any other sheltered or convenient place. Here they remain al) winter, and are hatched out in the spring, when the young caterpillars im- mediately travel for the nearest tree, apple or otherwise, and commence de- vouring the leaves, and, under favorable circumstances, become very do- atruotive. The same remedy recommended in the case of the " canker- worm'' would apply to these species of larvm, but by far the surest remedy is to gather the cocoons and destroy them. There are at least two brood« of the Vaporer in a season, but the mont numerous is the late one, which lays its eggs in the latter part of August and beginning of September. The " lappets moths," before alluded to, unless the cocoons are searched for and destroyed, are not so easily observed, because their larva^ from their peculiarity of form and color, are not so apparent, for they are able to elude, in a gre«t degroet even the native vigilance of our feathered friends, the *^ insectivorous birds," PENNSYLVANIA FRUIT GROWERS SOCIETY. «V There is also a " bud moth" infesting the apple trees, Spilonota oculatay of Harris, belonging to the family ToaxRiciDiis. The larvee of these moths are found on the Irees in May and June, fastening the leaves together with silken threads as they begin to expand from the buds. The caterpillars live within these nests and feed upon the tender expanding leaves, and are small, pale, duU-brown worms, with shining elevated dots, upon each of which is one or more fine hairs, and a dark-brown head and neck. They change to a pupa in this nest and come forth about the beginning of July ; small, dark, ash-gray moths, expanding about half an inch. The fore wings are mottled with white and gray and tipped with brown, and have four little black marks, forming an eye-like spot, with various other markings. This is probably an introduced species, as it seems to be identical with a Euro- pean species named ocellana. The " Palmer worm," Chxtochilus pomelellus^ of Harris, of the family TiKBiDiB, also attacks the leaves of the apple tree, and is sometimes ex- ceedingly numerous, and when so, is also very destructive. They are small, pale, yellowish-green caterpillars, having a blackish stripe along each side, edged above with a narrow, whitish stripe and a dusky line on the middle of the back. They live and feed within a nest of eaten or skeleton leaves, drawn together by numerous silken threads, extending their area as they increase in size, and when the branch is jarred they drop down and hang in the air suspended by a thread. They change into pupae in the same mass where they feed, and come forth about the end of July or beginning of Au- gust, small, ash-gray moths, with the forewings finely sprinkled with black, and have also four black dots near the middle, with several smaller ones along the hind margin, expanding nearly three-fourths of an inch. Of course when these insects are present they can be seen, and when seen they should be immediately removed, and if this is done when they com- mence their colonies and the worms are email, by clipping off the infested branch and burning it, you extinguish the whole colony. But it seems that the enemies of the apple trees, and especially their leaves, are named '^ le- gions," for we have not only two other species of " Palmer worms" — the Maiifoliellus and Contubernalellus^ of Fitch, but also the " Red-humped prominent" — Notodonta coccinea, of S. & A., (fig. 32,) which is found in clusters, in August, eating off all the leaves of a particular limb, like the "Yellow necked eaterpillar," before described. These are cylindrical prickly worms, (fig. 33,) striped with black and tawny yellow, and on each side witb white and black. The head, and a hump on the fourth segment, is a bright red. They have two rows of black spine or prickels on the back, and smaller ones on the sides — the caterpillar is about an inch and a quarter in length. When mature, they come down from the trees and spin a cocoon under the leaves on the ground or slightly beneath its surface. The moth 88 PENNSYLVANIA FRUIT GROWERS SOCIETY. I appears near the end of June, expanding from one inch to an inch and a quarter, is of a light brown color, the front wings streaked with dark brown. The eggs are laid on the underside of the leaf, during the month of July, in clusters, and are hatched at different periods, forming different broods or colonies, some as late as September. Then there is the "fall web worm '^—^yp^on/n a textor, of Harris, (fig. 34,) belonging to the family Arctiida, which no doubt every one knows, be- cause it often overruns whole trees, living in large colonies, and forming those thin cob-web like nests on the ends of the branches, and eating all the leaves within them, extending them as they increase in size. They are smallish caterpillars (fig. 35) of the social kind, about an inch in length, and are thinly clothed with whitish hairs, with black head and feet, pale yel- low bodies, and a broad, blackish stripe on the back and beneath, varying greatly in size in the same society. After they attain their maturity, they loose their social character, and disperse and spin their cocoons (fig. 36) in crevices of the bark, or any other similar sheltered situations, where they remain in the pupa state all winter, the moths only appearing the fore- part of the following summer, a milk-white "miller," without any dots or spots on the wings, the thighs tawny yellow in front, and the anterior feet alternated with white and black, expanding about one inch and a quarter. Many lamentations come up from different parts of Lancaster county and elsewhere, some years about this insect, and yet probably no one raises a hand to remove their nests when they see them. I have often seen naked apple limbs, with their fruit bobbing in the air, and destined never to come to perfection, the leaves all gone, which a little attention at the right time might have saved. Don't depend on solutions and fumigations, and sign- ings, but inspect the trees closely and cut off the small branches early, for a colony of three or four hundred n,ay be inclosed in a webbing not larger than your fist, when it first becomes visible. These insects, as well as nearly all I have described, also infest many other trees, such as the pear, the plum, the cherry, the quince, the willow, ash, &c., but they seem to prefer the apple. (Fig. 37) is the pupa of this moth. The " apple aphis," Aphi& mali, Fab., and the "apple-leaf aphis," Aphis mali/olia, Fitch, are also very injurious insects, for although they do not devour the leaves, they puncture the tender ones at the ends of the branches and suck the circulating fluids so necessary to their healthy growth and beauty. These are small green plant lice, the females mostly without wings, (figure 38,) crowding themselves together in vast numbers, on the under- side of the leaves, with their beaks sticking in them, pumping out the sap. The winged individuals (figure 39) have a black thorax and black knees and feet, with a row of black dots on each side of the abdomen. Dr. Fiteh'a species is larger than that of Fabricius, and has the abdomen, as well as the PENNSYLVANIA FRUIT GROWERS SOCIETY. 89 thorax, black, and also other distinguishing marks. The usual remedies for the destruction of these, and other species of aphids^for there are many of them, nearly every vegetable production of the tree or plant kind having species peculiar to them— are tobacco and sulphur fumigations, tobacco de- coctions, soap suds and other alkalinous solutions, lime and saline washes, pulverized lime or even common road dust, applied after a shower, either natural or artificial, and are all S^oorf when skillfully applied, for these insects are so delicate in their organization and physical consiitutions that they can't stand much, and a common hail or rain storm usually kills thousands, yea tens or hundreds of thousands of them, but their great prolific power still keeps up a fair supply. They are also preyed upon by birds, spiders and carniverous and parasitic insects. Indeed there is something very para, doxical, or at least anomalous, in the prolific procreative powers of these aphids, which is never void of interest to the commonest mind. They be- long to the ovo-viviperous group in entomological classifications ; that is, they are re-produced both by eggs and without eggs. Although the im- pregnated females of some species must survive the winter, in the earth, or under some other protecting cover, yet those which infest the apple, cherry, plum and other trees, deposit their eggs on the smooth bark of the young branches of those trees late in the fall, where they remain exposed to the chill winds of winter without injury, and are hatched out by the warm sun of the spring as soon as their food is provided. These early broods are all fertile females, and when mature they bring forth their young alive, one at a time, as cows do their calves. When these are mature they bring forth the same as their mothers have done, and thus go on all summer, even to the thirteenth or fourteenth generation, all being prolific /ema/es and not a male among them. Indeed some French and German entomologist have demonstrated that on removing them to a warm "green house," they have gone on thus re-producing all winter, to the thirtieth and fortieth genera- tion, without the presence of a male. My friend, Mr. Jacob Stauffer, of Lancaster city, on one occasion found them re-producing in this way out in the open air, as late as the 5th of November. But usually, before the maturity and fall-of the leaves in early autumn, a brood of males is produced, as well as females. Then fertilization takes place, in the usual way, the eggs are deposited as before stated and both sexes die, except the females of the hybernating species, and these eggs, thus impregnated, suffice to con- tinue the species until the next autumn again. From this it would appear that this re-impregnation and deposition of eggs is only made necessary to bridge over an intervening cold winter, when there is a total absence of sustaining food, and not so much because of the necessity of re-impregna- tion, independent of such a contingency. Where these aphids are present they discharge a limpid sacharine fluid on the leaves below them, which 90 PENNSYLVANIA FRUIT GROWERS SOCIETY. I ' \ * glazes them over with the substance called " honey-dew," and which was once supposed to be sprinklings of ^'manna" coming down from the heavens during the night, but the light of science has dispelled all this long ago. This honey-dew attracts myriads of ants, flys, wasps and many other spe- cies of Hymenoptorous insects, and these lap up this substance and practi- cally cry for " more" when the supply is exhausted. The ants usually act as sorts of herdsmen, and when the dew is sometimes too long withheld, they approach the aphids and ^* butt" them, something like calves and lambs do to make their dams ^^ leave down their milk ;" hence in England the com- mon people call them ^^ant cows." These ants sometimes scrape the surface of the leaves so much as to injure them, but usually they do no other harm. INSECTS INJURIOUS TO THE FRUIT. The last insects I shall notice are those which injure the fruit, and hap* pily they are not so numerous as those which infest the other parts of the tree. The most prominent among these is the ^^ apple codling," Carpo- capsa pomenella, of Linnaeus, (fig. 40,) belonging to the family Tortri- oiD^, and the order LEPiDOPTERiS. This insect — or at least its qualities are so well known to almost every one that it would seem unnecessary to say much about it, and yet, common as it is, there are many who cannot recognize the moth when they sec it. In the apples of the present year — at least in Lancaster county — perhaps more than the one-half of them had at least one of the worms produced by this moth in them. These worms, (fig. 41,) when quite young, are white and have a black head, with a shield of the same color on the top of the first segment. After they reach maturity they are of various shades of pink, and the head and shields are brown. They are then about three-fourths of an inch in length and have little left of those minute warty concretions, surmounted by minute hairs, which dis- tinguished their early development. The moth appears in June, and ex- pands about three-quarters of an inch, and is one of the prettiest belonging to its family. The anterior wings are transversely streaked with wavy bands of ash-gray and brown, and a large brown spot on the hind angle, near the posterior margin, which is surrounded by a brilliant golden line, nearly shaped like a horse shoe. The hind wings and abdomen are a light yellowish brown, with a satin like lustre. The females then visit the apple trees, preferring the tender skinned early varieties, and deposit an egg or two on the flower ends of the young apples, which hatch in from three to five days, and the young worm begins immediately to bore in towards the core of the fruit, which it seems to make its head-quarters, excavating the Burrounding pulp, as necessity requires. When the larva roaches maturity, it cuts a hole out of the side of the apple and makes its escape to little shel- ters under the scales of the bark, on the trunk and limbs, where it spins itself PENNSYLVANIA FRUIT GROWERS SOCIETY. 91 into a little white silken .cocoon, (fig. 42.) covered with minute fragments of the bark, in which it changes to a yellowish brown chrysalis, (fig. 43,) and re-appears a moth, within the next ten days thereafter — for this insect is double brooded. Stragglers, however, of both the larva and the moth, may be found at nearly all seasons of the year. Some of these develop in houses, where apples are stored, and on the return of the warm spring, the moths are sometimes found on windows, trying to get out. Where it is deemed of sufficient importance to apply a remedy, by scraping all the loose scales of bark off the trunk and branches, these cocoons will be ex^ posed, when they can be destroyed. This can, however, only affect the first brood- The second may be captured by tying rags in the forks of the branches — in which the worms will spin their cocoons — and examining them frequently, and gathering them and burning them. But if the fallen fruit is punctually attended to, and gathered up and fed to cattle or sjyine, perhaps more may be destroyed than by any other plan. The turning of hogs, cattle and sheep into the orchard during summer may also have a bene- fioial efieot The " Apple midge"— Jfo/odm mali, of Pitch— belongmg to the family TiPULiDiK, and order Diptbr— which includes the two-winged flies— also infests ripened and stored apples, and iiustens their decay. The larvce of these midges are slender, tapering, ^ite " maggots," and change to a pupa within the fruit, from which are bred small black flies, about fifteen hun- dredths of an inch in length ; the abdomen having a pale yellowish band on eacli of the segments or rather between them, and the wings are smoky, with purplish reflections. The Jar ua of the "Plum weevil"— Cono/racAWiw nenupAar- belonging to the Curculio family, also preys upon tlje apple ; but the difierence be* tween this and the " apple-codling" is very readily perceived. The curculio is a footless grub, whilst the " codling" is a regular sixteen footed caterpil- lar. But enough has been said about this insect lately to fill two or three pretty large volumes, and still the insect keeps on in the " even tenor of its way," perfectly regardless of all the evil things published about it. As it $ting8 the apple, and deposits its egg in it in the same manner that it does in the plum, the peach and the pear, the remedy most effectual in those fruits would be equally so in the apple. In addition to this insect, they have lately discovered about the town of St. Joseph, in Michigan, a new and distinct " apple weevil," but I have never yet seen a specimen of it. It is smaller than the " plum weevil," and belongs to the genus Anthonomoua, the species quadrigibbuSy and the family CuROULiONiDjH. It Is pear-shspod in form, and has fluted wing-covers, with Iwo wartlike elevations near the apex of each, and differs so much front the plum-weevil that it cannot be easily confounded with it. I 92 PENNSYLVANIA FRUIT GROWERS SOCIETY. The young apples are also much damaged by the " Rose-bug"— Jfacrorfac- tylus 8ub8pino8us-^a Coleopterous insect, which gathers on the trees in the month of June, sometimes in vast numbers. The ripe fruit is also attacked by the common " Hornet" — Vespa macu- lata, Lion; the ♦'Yellow Jacket"— F«s/)a vulgaris^and by the common " Wasp"— PoZis^es faacata, Fab. These insects eat holes in the fruit, and render it unfit for market. Also, by a species of true " Thrips"— PA/ao- thrips mall, of Fitch. This is a small blackish-purple insect, with narrow silvery-white wings, lying flat upon its back, and forms and occupies small roundish cavities, near the tip end of the fruit, hastening its decay, and causing it to drop from the tree. Figs. 46, 47 and 48, Geometra catenaria, also occasionally are found on the apple it is said. In addition to the, already perhaps too long, list of insects affecting the trunk and branches, there is the "Divaricated Buprestis"— Dicerea divaricaia — very similar in its history and form to the Chryso- bothris, already described. The "Dog-day cicada," Cicada tibicen, aflfecting the branches; the "Mouldy Aphia^—Callipterus mucidus, Fitch. Three "tree-hoppers, namely : Thelia crataegi, Ceresa bubalus and Ceresa taurina. Three bugs, namely : Arma grandis, Arma bracteata and Arma spinosa. Three large moths, namely: The Emperor, Attacus cecropia, "Apple Sphinx"— SpAtnx grordtu«— "Eyed Sphinx," and the "Large yellow butter- fly"— Smerinthus exaecaius and Papilioiurnus^&s well as a number of smaller moths, as the Notodonta unicornis, Lamicodes piihecium, Empretia stimula, Erannis tiliaria, Brachytxnia malana, Orthosia instabilis, Lozolania rosa- ceana, and a number of others, all affecting the leaves and tender branches, and the common names of which differ in almost every different State in the Union. It is a consolation to know, however, that these insects do not confine themselves exclusively to the apple tree, but appropriate a variety of vegetables, widely differing from each other. There is, for instance, the Empretia stimula, (fig. 44,) the most popular name of which is the "Sad- dle-backed hag moth," will feed indiscriminately on apple, pear, plum, cherry, quince, rose, honey-suckle, holly, cornleaf, plantain, cabbage, &c. ; indeed it would be hard to say what it could not eat. (Figure 45 is the cocoon.) Another consolation is, that most of them do not become numerous, being of the solitary kinds ; and in the last place they have many enemies, in- cluding man, the lower orders of mamals, birds and those of their own in- sect household. But their histories are all interesting and ought to be writ- ten, accurately illustrated, and distributed among the people, in a cheaper form than such books usually are. In conclusion, allow me to make a few remarks in reference to the apple crop of Lancaster county last season, and the apple trade during the last three months of the year 1870— -for I have made no observations or inquiry PENNSYLVANIA FRUIT GROWERS SOCIETY. 98 beyond the limits of that county- as an illustration of the value of that which we are all so anxious to cultivate, preserve and protect. So far as quantity wis concerned, the crop was not an entire failure, but there was a great lack in quality. In my rambles through the county last season, and especially in the northern part of it, I found in many places a tolerably fair crop of apples and peaches, but the quality of most of them, and especially the former, was very inferior. They, generally speaking, were gnarly, warty and wormy, and could not possibly have been sold in competition with the fine apples brought into the county from New York and Ohio. I don't know what use could have been made of most of them, except converting them into sc/im7z— almost anything will sell in the form of dried apples, when green fruit is getting scarce. Still, we had some very fine apples in Lancaster county last season, but not near enough for home consumption ; and you may form some estimate of the deficiency, when I inform you that from the first of October to the 31st of December last, over ten thousand barrels were brought into our county, and not one thousand barrels were in the hands of dealers on the Ist of January. Two firms alone, in Lan- caster city, bought and sold six thousand five hundred barrels durintr the period above named. These apples averaged at least $3 60 a barrel. Some were sold at $4 00 and some at $4 50, and even higher for extra quality and condition. Some also sold for less than $3 50, but we may safely state this latter figure as the average price. This, in the aggregate, would amount to thirty-five thousand dollars paid out in three months by the citizens of Lancaster county for apple-sauce^ in addition their local production. These results exhibit the increasing importance of the apple crop, and the recognition of its usefulness, and that in contending with counter influences we are engaged in a most estimable occupation. What Lancaster county has been compelled to do, under the pressure of such circumstances, may have been the experience of other districts of our State, for the people every- where will have apples, at any price. They have become almost as much of a necessity as "bread and beef;" and there are persons whose domestic establishments are conducted on such principles as to preclude the absence of this fruit. Why, only two or three years ago I saw a prominent fruit- grower in Lancaster county, one of whose ostensible functions was to teach men "how to grow apples," pay fifty dollars in "greenbacks" ior seven bar- rels of apples. If this /ac^ did not exhibit his want of ability to perform what he proposed to teach, it at least showed his faith in the utility of apples as an article of domestic use, and the importance of their preservation from the ravages of insects or any other casualties prejudicial to their culture. Indeed the cultivation of apples had become such a precarious business in southern Pennsylvania for a number of years, and especially in Lancas- ter county, that many farmers seriouslj^ entertained the idea of removiog all n PENNSYLVANIA FRUIT GROWERS SOCIETY. the apple trees from their premises, and making some other use of the land occupied by their barren orchards. This, in a general sense, would not have been advisable, although no doubt many of the old orchards might be removed and new ones planted in new and more favorable places with advantage. The opinion of many is that the "good old apple times" will come around again one of these years, and that there will be wisdom in an- ticipating it by new orchards of improved varieties of fruit ; therefore our duty would seem to be to *^work and waiV^ with patience. But whilst we are "working and waiting," we are not to relax in " vigor- ous warring" against insect enemies — in vigilant watchfulness of their habits — in the development of their various histories— and in the applica- tion and effects of plausible remedies. Although, if possible, there should always be a discrimination in favor of insect friends ; yet, I would not re- commend a morbid exercise of that discrimination. If I could not destroy the enemies without also destroying the friends, I would not hesitate in letting both perish together. There does not appear to be much economy, humanity or common sense, in carefully picking and laying aside insect friends, and then destroying their natural food, in the meantime leaving them to starve to death for the want of food. Of course a judicious man would always discriminate between his friends and foes, if an opportunity were presented, and that he may know how to avail himself of such an oppor- tunity, is the object of all practical essays on entomology — either printed or spoken— but as much of the real history and habits of insects are still undeveloped, and much depends on modifying circumstances, the ideas and suggestions contained in such essays are not presented as finalities. En- tomologists need the co-operation of practical /rm"^ growers^ agriculturists, domestic economists and operative machinists, and these together need the co-operation and encouragement of local governments. Already many of the more advanced States in our Union have their departments of Ge- ology and Agriculture^ a few of general natural history, and especially Ento- mology. There is a vast amount of knowledge upon all these subjects, which, although in an advanced state of development, lacks the pecuniary means to place such knowledge in a cheap and practical form before the public. A call was now made for the outstanding reports of committees. Dr. Suesserott submitted the report of the committee on the examination of fruit, &c. REPORT. To the President and members of the Pennsylvania Fruit Growers Society : The committee upon examination finds: Thirty-nine exhibitors, con- tributiDg llo;plates of apples, 4 of pears, 1 of grapes, 1 collection of seed- PENNSYLYANIA FRUIT GROWERS SOCIETY. 95 ling raspberries, in jars ; 1 collection of lemons and oranges, 1 collection of nuts, 2 varieties ; 4 exhibitors of wines, &c. The committee would call the special attention of the society to the following fruits, among the many fine specimens exhibited : Ladies' Blush, or Bullock Pippins, by many erroneously called Maiden's Blush, from several exhibitors ; the York Imperial and York Stripe, from many exhibitors ; also some very fine specimens of Grimes' Golden Pippin, from S. Marshall, of Cleveland, Ohio, and some fine Duchess Bordeaux pears, from Dr. Houghton, of Philadelphia. J. L. SUESSEROTT, SAMUEL W. NOBLE, FRANKLIN TAYLOR, W. P. BRINTON, WILLIAM PARRY, Committee. The following gentlemen were appointed a committee for procuring passes over the railroads: S. W. Sharp, J. R. Eby, Alexander Harris. Dr. Taylor otTered a resolution to the effect that a return of thanks be made to the railroad companies for past favors in the way of passes, &c The question of applying to the Legislature of Pennsylvania for aid in the publishing of reports, Ac, was brought up, and the following petition- ing committee appointed : Chairman, Dr. Franklin Taylor, West Chester ; William G. Reed, Frank- lin ; Charles Kessler, Berks ; Judge Wentz, Cumberland ; Henry Shellen- berger, Dauphin ; J. E. Mitchell, Thomas Meehan, D. W. Herstine, Phila- delphia; E. Satterthwait, Montgomery; S. B. Heiges, York; William A. Fraker, Huntingdon ; Abner Hoopes, Chester ; F. F. Merceron, Columbia ; J. Knox, Allegheny ; William Panabaker, Mifflin ; B. M. Ellis, Lycoming ; Solomon Bernheysel, Perry ; John Burkholder, Adams ; Levi S. Reist, Lan- caster. Dr. Taylor moved to ask of the Legislature, in addition, a Department of Agriculture, Mining and Geology for Pennsylvania. Mr. Meehan seconded this motion, which was agreed to by the society, and entered on the minutes in resolution, as follows : Resolved^ By this society, that Dr. F. Taylor, of Chester county, be au- thorized to present to the State Legislature the views of said society in re- gard to the importance of establishing a Department of Geology and Mining, as also a Department of Agriculture, as well as to request a small appropriation in behalf of this society, for the publishing of its reports, &c. Resolved^ That this society respectfully ask the House of Representa* tives for the use of their Hall, at a time suitable for said committee to con- vene. 96 PENNSYLVANIA FRUIT GROWERS SOCIETY. Upon motion of Mr. Engle, the President was given the power to appoint ad interim committees. All business being now finished, Dr. Taylor moved an adjournment, to meet next year in Philadelphia. And so closed, in the words of President Hoopes, one of the most suc- cessful meetings of the society since its first one, in 1859. END OF YEAR