3fi() STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



lu order to ciit down infec-tion from the past year, the first applicatiou 

 should be given before the buds start, the second just before Ijlooming, 

 the next or third about three weeks after, and another may be necessary 

 about tlie same distance in time, apart. The hist named treatment is 

 probably the most practicable for vineyards. Sjjecial pumps for this kind 

 of spraying are made in France and Germany, and one called the Eureka 

 is about to be manufactured at Philadelphia in this countrv at a cost of 

 $20.60. 



INSECTS. 



The March meeting was devoted to insects. Prijf. J. li. Steere, the 

 society's entomologist, gave an interesting lecture on both the useful and 

 injurious insects. He had classified them into nine families, each class was 

 shown in glass cases, thus affording an opportunity to become acquainted 

 with each, learn how they look and how they may be recognized when 

 found in the field and orchard. The subject was generally discussed and 

 occu})ie(l the whole of the meeting. 



FKUIT YIELDS. 



The winter had proved a mild one on fruit trees, grape vines, and small 

 plants, and therefore the prospects for good fruit crops in general were 

 flattering. The peach, however, lost some of its fruit buds. The extent of 

 injury varied considerably in different orchards. It was finally discovered 

 thid orchards which had received thorough ciiltivatiou the year previous 

 had set the most peaches. This was also the case with peach orchards 

 which bore lightly the last year. It was moisture that was lacking. Supe- 

 rior cultivation gave more moisture for the development of strong fruit buds 

 and such as received it were coiisequently more capable of resisting the 

 few cold snaps in winter. 



The orchards fruiting lightly the year ])efore were likewise in better 

 condition to develop stronger fruit buds, which would enable them to 

 resist a few degrees of cold in the winter. Barnard. HilFs Chili, and Old- 

 mixon and other white peaches bore full crops, l)ut were diminished in 

 size by want of rains. The bulk of Hill's Chili was hardly marketable. 

 Thinning the fruit in time should have been resorted to, which w^oidd have 

 resulted in larger peaches. Trees on which half of the buds, or more, had 

 been killed during the winter clearly demonstrated tliis. The peaches on 

 such trees, in spite of the drouth, were of good size and marketable. 



A large part of the peach crop was required at home, and $2 to $2.50 

 were paid per bushel. 



In a number of orchards an early, large, white peach was found scattered 

 about, trees bearing well. On investigation it proved to be Early Rivers. 

 The peach is well liked as to size and beauty, the tree proving hardier 

 than some others of its class. The Smock did not bear well this season and 

 the weather was unfavorable to ripening it well. It will not do to plant 

 this very extensively. Early and late Crawfords are still the finest market 

 peaches. The very early peaches are all very much alike and generally 

 considered I ^(n-thless — too poor in quality. Snow's Orange is valuable 

 when properly thinned, otherwise too small for market. 



The late spring frosts, which proved so destructive to the apple and 

 grape crops in New York and other stntes. did but little damage here. 



