REPORT UPON THE CONDITION OF FRUIT- 

 GROWING IN WESTERN NEW YORK. 



The promise of fruit was never better in Western New York 

 than last spring. All orchard fruits, particularly, gave a wonder- 

 ful profusion of bloom. The apple crop had been light last year, 

 and everyone naturally expected a great harvest this season. Yet 

 the apple crop is almost a total failure, peaches and plums are few, 

 pears are probably less than a half crop, and quinces range from 

 small to fair crops in various sections. Raspberries and black- 

 berries have yielded indifferently. Only the strawberry and grape 

 crops are satisfactory. This general failure is a serious loss to 

 Western New York, which is one of the most extensive fruit- 

 growing districts of the country, and which, all things considered, 

 is undoubtedly the most important apple-growing region in the 

 United States. 



The reasons for this wholesale failure should be determined. So 

 far as I am aware, there have been no general investigations to show 

 why blossoms fail to set fruit, although the subject is eminently 

 worthy the attention of investigators. It was so late in the season 

 when we learned of the condition of the orchards that definite study 

 of the causes of the falling of the bloom could not be undertaken ; 

 yet something has been learned, and the subject has been opened 

 for research. Regarding the present condition of the trees them- 

 selves, which is far from satisfactory, more definite information 

 can be presented. 



The spring was exceedingly wet, and mostly cool. When the 

 orchards were in bloom unusually heavy rains fell'. Shortly after- 

 wards the blossoms withered and fell, and the leaves of apples, 

 pears and quinces began to blight. The rains were succeeded by 

 drouth, which, in some sections, became severe. During the 

 early part of the season the blight of the foliage increased, until, 

 in July, when I inspected the orchards in Niagara, Orleans, Mon- 

 roe, Ontario and Cayuga counties, there were thousands of acres 

 of apple orchards which appeared to be dying. In many places 

 the quince orchards appeared to be scorched, and the foliage of 



