330 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



At this point Mr. Hooker proposed to proceed to determine what 

 the future name of this society shall be, with the result that the society 

 rescinded the resolution passed at the last meeting, changing the name, and 

 reaffirmed the name to be Western New York Horticultural society. 



THE GRAPE MARKET. 



Mr. Gilbert, a large commission dealer of Philadelphia, Pa., being called 

 upon, said: 



The last car of grapes we received was January 4. From the beginning to the close 

 of the season we sold eight hundred tons of grapes. The season has lasted about six 

 weeks longer than usual. 



In reply to the question, if you were going to set a vineyard tomorrow, 

 what would you plant, Mr. Gilbert replied: 



Concord. I don't believe the Niagara will ever become a popular grape. People buy 

 it simply because it looks well, but a man who buys it once never comes back the 

 second time. The sale of Damascus White grape is very limited. I think the people 

 like the western New York fruit in preference to California fruit. The latter is very 

 pretty to look at sometimes, but comes into market in a very stale condition. I do not 

 believe California will ever become a serious competitor to western New York, as the 

 freights are so high, and we have to get a higher price for the fruit. 



Mr. HoAG : California people tell me they prefer Niagara to their own white grapes. 

 Niagara sold in the Chicago market at fifteen cents, while California fruit only brought 

 eight and ten cents. 



The following valuable paper on "Cultivation of the Plum" was read by 

 Vice-President Willard and is based on his own experience: 



The successful farmer will select his seed and prepare his soil and so fertilize his 

 crop as to insure a product of the highest market value, but the average fruitgrower 

 will do neither, and then denounce the growmg of fruit as an unprofitable industry and 

 its advocates as unworthy of public confidenc3. The successful plum-grower, however, 

 must at the outset adopt the same principles as the successful farmer — his land must 

 be right, he must select the best trees without regard to expense, he must study 

 adaptability of different varieties to different soils, and he must cultivate and feed 

 with no niggardly hand, or failure will mark his efforts from beginning to end. 



There is an importance attached to the question of varieties which makes it a point 

 first worthy of our consideration. Not all varieties do equally well on the same soil, and 

 a careful observer will often find that a variety affording fine results with his neighbor, 

 a short distance away, may be of little value with him. Again, a variety adapted to 

 the wants of those who patronize the market most accessible, and therefore brings the 

 highest price, may not be in equal demand in the market to which is sent the plums 

 grown at Rochester or Lockport. Therefore, we say, study the wants of your natural 

 market in considering the varieties you should plant for a profitable investment. To 

 illustrate — I found the canning factories unwilling to pay the price that I can generally 

 obtain elsewhere for the Reine Claude, a variety unequaled for this purpose, and yet 

 on account of the short life of the trees and the depredations to which it is subjected 

 from the curculio, I should say to those who propose marketing their crop to a near-by 

 cannery, plant some other variety that may be produced more cheaply and is more 

 rugged in habit. 



Further, we have city markets where Damsons are more highly prized than choice 

 sorts, or where certain colors are required almost to the exclusion of others. And so 

 I could go on to further illustrate the idea that an importance is attached to a proper 

 selection of varieties for different locations rarely considered and which should be care- 

 fully studied by all who propose trying their hand uijon plum culture. Upon this 

 question alone often hinges the question of profit and loss on the crops, and yet this 

 must best be decided by the individual planter for himself from such observations, 

 information, and tests as may be within his reach. 



I am, as I presume are others here, almost weekly in receipt of letters asking advice 

 as to varieties of plum to be planted for profitable orchard culture, in various and 

 often widely different localities, and yet how can I, with satisfaction to myself or others. 



