52 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Mr. Pearsall: I have always got just what I grafted, without variation. 

 Do not graft upon the crab stock, for growth will be so rapid that the 

 grafts will be likely to break off. 



Mr. Strong : I had a very good crop of Cxreenings last year. I sprayed 

 the trees and only twelve per cent, were poor apples. 



Mr. Pearsall: The Greening has not siiifered so much from climatic 

 changes as has the Spitzenburg. My PJiode Island Greenings are large 

 one year and small the next, and so alternate. 



Dr. OwEX: Is the Pihode Island Greening still a good variety to plant? 

 Several said it was, especially in the western part of the state. 



Prof. Taft : Many still cling to the idea that the stock effects often a 

 radical change. This is not so; its changes are only indirect. Care should 

 be taken as to manuring. Too high fertilization creates such fast growth 

 as to provide for winter-killing. Ashes are the very best manure for the 

 apple orchard, though well composted barnyard manure, upon worn soils, 

 would no doubt be good; but upon strong soils it is not advisable. Lime 

 is needful upon some lands: try its effects a little, and see, before making 

 general application of it. Plenty of proper food and shallow cultivation 

 are the secrets of success with apples. 



Mr. Edmiston: Trees of Spitzenburg and Belflower are now seldom 

 called for by Lenawee county growers, while Ben Davis, Willow Twig^ 

 and Stark are in demand. Mann has not been i:)lanted to any great extent. 

 Young trees of this variety, however, now scattered over the county, are 

 fairly successful, though they do not come up to Mr. Moody's representa- 

 tions. The fruit is under-size, but a good keeper, and the tree is not very 

 hardy, though hardiness was the claim specially made for it. Grimes' 

 Golden is considerably planted. The fruit is of fair size, fine quality, and 

 is very handsome. 



varieties unwisely chosen. 



Prest. Lyon again made the protest he makes often and effectively 

 against putting market varieties into the family orchard; and against the 

 planting of the cruder apples only, even for market, to the exclusion of the 

 better kinds. 



Mr. Beal: Is it not the duty of nurserymen to inform their customers 

 as to what is best for family use? I would like to know what are best for 

 about a dozen trees for family use. 



Mr. Edmiston: Nine men out of ten go to the nursery without any idea 

 of what they want. They come to me and ask, "What have you got?" I 

 have about forty varieties, but a dozen would be enough. I name the 

 kinds and they choose what they want. Most growers get a lot of varieties, 

 making their orchards worthless. They will not listen to advice about 

 kinds of which they know nothing or little, and it is impossible to change 

 this tendency. I try most of the new things that are offered, but there is 

 not one in one hundred of them that is equal to or better than well-known 

 old varieties. 



Prest. Lyon: Some years ago I tested 800 or 400 varieties of pear and 

 apple, but I can count upon my fingers all that are worth anything. This 

 is true also as to strawberries and all ©tlier fruits. We are wasting our 

 money, year after year, in purchase and cultivation of these needless kinds. 



Mr. Laing: There is occasionally a horticulturist who gives his orchard 



