REPORTS OF AUXILIARY SOCIETIES. 257 



It -would be impossible to compress into this report the useful observations 

 made upon them, including the well known Early Rivers, Mountain Rose, Old 

 Mixon, Stump the World, and Heath's Cling, for which order upon order 

 specially made came to our members to be filled, extending long after the sea- 

 son for the variety had passed. Many thousand trees will be set hereabouts in 

 the spring, and the orchard acreage greatly increased. 



The "yellows" has been met by the orchardists with the unrelenting grub- 

 hoe and fire-heap, and the progress of the disease in their orchards has not 

 been very serious, though sufficiently aggravating to the most submissive 

 among them. 



Other fruits have not received all the attention they merit by the society, 

 though many raise large crops of the smaller varieties. Apples, though a large 

 crop in general, have not yielded a surplus of high-colored and perfect fruit. 

 The trees for the most part have groaned under burdens of undersized, color- 

 ess fruit, and the codling moth has been very active all the season. 



Grapes were only a half crop. The late and long continuing fall of 1879 

 induced the Concord buds to swell and to be ruined in course of the winter. 

 Many of the cones, notably in "spots" in the vineyards, were entirely budless and 

 leafless until late in May. The yield from such vines was nothing. They seem, 

 however, now to have fully recovered their vitality, and this year's canes prom- 

 ise abundant yield. The Delaware, not answering to the seductive November 

 sun as did the Concord, wintered well and fruited a large crop, but owing to 

 the thrip much of it was injured and lost. All of our vineyardists have peach 

 orchards also, and the thrip was left to work the ruin of the Delaware in their 

 anxiety for the peach. The demand for our Concords — sweet Concords, they 

 are called — far exceeded the supply. The prices ranged from 3£ to 5 cents 

 per pound. 



A new variety of grape (supposed until information to the contrary is received) 

 has been produced here by Mr. W. W. Robins. It is a chance seedling, if a 

 new variety, and is a rank grower. The foliage resembles the Salem. The 

 fruit is a little larger than the Clinton, but is dark red, and grows in short, 

 chunky, but on the whole handsome, and tightly compacted clusters. The 

 skin is tough, pulp seedy, but sweet throughout and pleasant to the taste. It 

 ripens where now grown ten days before the Hartford. There is but the one 

 bearing vine, and this is trailed on the east side of Mr. Robins' dwelling — a 

 ■warm, pushing locality. It is an abundant bearer, and hardy. We will in due 

 time have field specimens of it, and then further report. 



Among the notable events of the year past was a short but pleasant visit from 

 the Secretary of the State Horticultural Society. He was whirled by a span of 

 fast roadsters, in and out and among the orchards, halting long enough to 

 glean a ripe peach (for it was early in July) in his flight, and say "good bye" 

 the instant before he disappeared beyond the foliage. He tasted of no one's 

 pastry, and all the sisterhood feel slighted. Nevertheless the visit did us good, 

 and the latch-string hangs invitingly out for another pull. The officers of the 

 society remain the same. 

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