NEW YORK HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



327 



son wliy that amount could not be largely increased, if the supply of fruit 

 was equal to the demand. To give the horticulturists preseiit an idea of 

 the increase in the business he was identified with, he mentioned the prin- 

 cipal items for three years, viz: 



1886. 



Paid for fruit ...!i;U2,000 



" " tin plate 38,000 



" " susar 10,400 



" •• labor 36,000 



1887. 



Paid for froit $200,000 



" " tin plate 43,000 



" " sugar 13,000 



" •' labor 46,000 



1888. 



Paid for fruit... !|;236,000 



" '■' tin plate 70,000 



" •' suKar 14,000 



'• " labor.. 68,000 



In reply to questions asked by different members, Mr. Cui-ticc said white 

 cherries were generally used for canning. For jtdlies nothing was superior 

 to the old-fashioned sour cherry and the old red currant. In regard to 

 pears, if they could obtain all the Bartletts they needed they did not care 

 for any other kind. Of plums, Imjjerial Gage was the favorite, although 

 there was a mottled egg plum they liked very well. 



Mr. W. C. Barry : We are sometimes charged with making exaggerated statements, 

 and of being interested in circulating them; but here is a case where an outsider makes 

 statements to you of tremendous dimensions. Mr. Curtice states that the supply of 

 fruit for canning purposes is not equal to the demand, and I want to emphasize that 

 statement, so that you may remember it. 



The attention of the convention was next directed to the printed list of 

 questions. 



Qiiestion — What would be the proper treatment of an apple orchard on heavy clay 

 soil, that has been in sod six years without manure, and from which a crop of hay has 

 been removed every year? 



Mr. C. M. Hooker : My advice would be to plow it up shallow, and keep cultivated; 

 if poor, manure. The best time to plow is in the fall. 



Prof. Cook : We plowed in June, cultivated and manured, and the next year we 

 had almost a thousand bushels of good fruit. The plowing was rather shallow. 



QuestioH--To what extent is the cropping of orchards with other crops desirable? 



Mr. Hooker : When trees are very young you can crop an orchard, provided you are 

 careful not to injure the trees when planting or lifting the crop. A pear or apple tree 

 that is barked by a cart or horse is injured forever. It is a very difficult thing to crop 

 ground without injury to the trees. 



Question — What new grapes or other fruits have been tested the past year and found 

 to possess special merit? 



Mr. Willard had some fruit of the Prunus Simoni, but had not tasted it and could 

 not speak as to its quality. It somewhat resembled a tomato. 



Mr. Bronson had seen a box of it, but the fruit had evidently been picked before it 

 was ripe. It was handsome in appearance, but would never be used as a table fruit. 

 The grower thought it good for canning. 



Russian Ajjricots: Mr. Arnold had fruited about a dozen, but the fruit was small 

 and almost tasteless. He thought the variety was either Alexander or J. L. Budd. 



Russian Midberry: Mr. T. S. Hubbard— I saw this fruited when I was in Nebraska, 

 in a Russian settlement near Fairbury in that state; and it seemed to me that it might 

 be a valuable friiit to grow in places where other kinds of mulberry are not raised. 



Mr. Lamb saw an extensive orchard of it once in Ohio, but it did not compare with 

 Downing's or New American. 



Stanton Plum: Mr. Willard thouglit well of this variety. Its fruit was a dark 

 indigo blue, and thought it a line plum. In color it resembled Geni, but was not quite 

 so large and somewhat different in shape. It was one of the latest plums they had, very 

 productive, keeps remarkably well, and in his opinion, the best canning plum he had 

 tasted. It originated in Albany county, N. Y. 



Smith's Prune: Mr. Willard thought this the same as Diamond, grown in England. 

 It is good, but rather capricious. 



Moore's Ruby Currant : Mr. Hooker— This currant originated in Rochester, N. Y., 

 and has borne with us for several years. It was produced by crossmg the cherry with 

 the white grape, and shows characteristics of both parents; is of tine quality, and imsur- 

 passed foi- familv use. It is about the size of the Victoria, and is much more produc- 

 tive than the cherry. It has surpassed Fay's Prolific with us, but I would not say that 

 t will do so with others. I think it should be commended for amateur use. 



