PROCEEDINGS OF THE WINTER MEETING. 11 



moves. Never prune in the fall if you can do it in winter or earliest 

 spring. Cutting limbs at all is an injury to the tree. Trees pruned in 

 winter will not start so well as when the work is done in very early spring. 

 It is dangerous to prune the cherry after it has come into bearing, and it 

 will never do to cut large limbs. The best way is to have a model for 

 your trees and pinch back the young shoots to suit it. The same is true as 

 to the ijlum. The jjear and apple bear pruning almost equally well. 



To this Mr. Scott agreed, but said care must be used in pruning the 

 pear, or blight will be carried. 



Mr. J. B. HouK of Lvidington: Would cut back young peach trees 

 severely when setting and again the next spring. 



Mr. MoREiLL warned against the formation of too low heads, as the 

 borers will get into crotches that are near the ground; and allowance 

 must be made for getting under the trees with sheets in jarring for cur- 

 culio. Cut back to three feet in hight when setting and trim "to a whip- 

 stalk." jjruning off undesirable limbs by rubbing off the shoots with the 

 hands. Then form the head a little heavieron the side toward the i^re- 

 vailing winds in order the better to balance the top. 



Mr. Sessions: Care must be exercised here to not head too low 

 because deep snows and crust will break down the limbs. So head at 3^ 

 to 4 feet in sags of the ground but lower on the summits. 



Mr. Lyon advocated low heading because it affords shelter from the sun 

 and wind to the trunks. Borers never attack the shaded parts of trees. 



What ki7ids of peach do best on high, sandy land, well air-drained ? 



Mr Morrill: The Hale must have such a location, as must also any 

 sort disposed to rot; in general the white-fleshed peaches. 



Mr. Lyon: This is true, yet in the great mass of varieties there is very 

 little difference. Chili will do as well on such a soil for a time, but I 

 doubt if it is as long-lived there as on heavier lands. The finest color and 

 quality in fruits are obtained on light soil, but greater firmness is obtained 

 on heavier lands. 



Mr. Payne of South Haven : Put the earlier sorts there, because they 

 will ripen and get out of the way of drouths and be less likely to rot. 



Mr. Morrill: There would be less complaint of Hill's Chili were it 

 properly thinned. 



It is a prevailing idea that peaches do not do as ivell upon the 

 immediate lake shore as two or three miles back from the ivater. If so, 

 why ? 



Mr. Lyon: It is true that a little back from the lake the fruit is a little 

 earlier; but it is also more liable to injury by frosts in the spring. Trees 

 do as well close by the water except as they may be influenced by elevation. 

 Other things being equal, they do as well next the lake, except that they 

 are a little more subject to leaf-curl. But the land is usually a little 

 lower next the lake than it is a few miles back. 



A variety of opinions was expressed, but it was generally conceded that 

 locations close to the lake are as good as those further back unless they 

 had some special disadvantage. 



What varieties of the pear are suited to sandy soils 9 



Mr. Morrill: Bartlett seems to do well. 



Mr. Lyon: Very few sorts do better on sandy soil and it is doubtful if 

 any do best there. 



Adjournment was made until 8 :30_|o'clock, A. M. 



