STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. * 1 85 



Raspberries were a fair crop, the Turner taking the lead as a red 

 raspberry, and the Gregg looming up as a rival of the Mammoth Cluster, 

 which it closely resembles. 



The Strawberry crop was cut short by the drouth, and where the 

 vines were uncovered too early were badly injured by the frost. Like all 

 other small-fruits, such as raspberries, blackberries, currants, etc., straw- 

 berries should be sufficiently well mulched to keep the ground from 

 becoming hardened by the summer's sun and to keep the weeds down. 

 I have found it to be a great saving of time during the busy season of 

 summer to put about a foot of straw among my currants, gooseberries and 

 raspberries during the winter or early spring; it keeps the weeds down, 

 serves as a mulch and makes it very nice for gathering the fruit. 



Peaches vftXQ a total failure, and many of the older trees winter-killed. 

 I had one tree standing close to the south side of the house that bore 

 about fifty peaches; I know of one other tree similarly situated that also 

 bore a fair crop of fruit. 



Of Fears I can say but little. It does not pay to plant them for 

 profit; Flemish Beauty, Beurre d'Anjou, Madeline, Bartlett, Duchess 

 and Sheldon all bore a fair crop in our vicinity. Out of many varieties 

 those I have mentioned have been most free from blight and have borne 

 the best crops. 



The Early Richmond Cherry produced only a moderate crop, and is 

 the only variety that will pay with us; and they must be grafted on 

 Morello stocks. Most of us had rather cut the sprouts down every season 

 with a brush scythe than have no fruit. Mazzard stocks are worthless, 

 while those on the Mahaleb produce a light crop compared to those on 

 the Morello. 



Grapes were the most bountiful crop of all, and the vineyards laden 

 with their beautiful clusters of grapes were a feast for the eye. I use the 

 stake system for training, and consider it the least troublesome and most 

 profitable method when properly followed. Ives and Concord pay the 

 best with us; the former is not a very good table grape, but is productive, 

 and ripens a week earlier than the Concord and brings as much in the 

 market as the latter, which reaches the market a week later. 



L. R. Bancroft, of Livingston county, reports no general damage 

 to fruit-trees and shrubs by the severity of the winter of 1878-79, except 

 to blackberry canes — the Kittatinny being killed to the ground, and 

 Snyder injured on low ground. A drouth in the early part of the season 

 rendered the Snyders on high ground small and a poor crop. He still 

 relies on the Kittatinny as the best for that county, notwithstanding it 

 occasionally fails, as the fruit is large and sells well. 



The drouth of May and June nearly ruined the strawberry crop, 

 though Green Prolific, Downers, and in some locations Wilsons, produced 

 fairly, but the berries were inferior. Mr. Bancroft places Green Prolific 

 at the head of the list on account of its thick, heavy foliage, which pro- 

 tects the fruit, its uniform productiveness and the good, even size of the 

 fruit. He places Seneca at the head in the list of black-cap raspberries, 



