STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 63 



1st. It must have a very rich soil. This is of great importance . 



2d. Get as many branches near the ground as you can. Let them run up thick, (I 

 have from 3 to 14) and v^hen they begin to bear the fruit will spread the tops. I have 

 them as above when at the fourth year, from small sprouts, they bore one-quarter of 

 a bushel to the bush . I think they should be pruned with care , and not as is the rule with 

 other trees. I only cut the thorns, dead branches, and dwarf limbs, leaving the water 

 sprouts to go up and form, as it were, a new tree, thus keeping the tree healthy, cut- 

 ting off the old limbs when they begin to fail . 



I have been treating trees in this way for 25 years, and they are now among my 

 finest bearers. I speak of the Orange kind; other kinds maybe treated differently. 

 If I should meet your Society I would make the earnest inquiry as to what the Orange 

 Quince is, for in this doctors difler. I think none other worth propagating. I have 

 about 650 trees in bearing, or two acres planted, 12 feet apart, one acre yoiuig the 

 other old; the old does best. Isold last year about 100 barrels for about $900; this 

 year 70 barrels for about $400; bad this year on account of blight. I had a conversa- 

 tion with Dr. Hull last spring in regard to blight. I think he is mistaken in saying 

 that root pruning will stop the blight. I think they blight when the roots 

 are not diseased. I have a small nursery ot young trees started last year and they 

 blighted fully as much as my old trees. I think the blight this year was caused by 

 the cold wet and late spring, causing the trees to grow rapidly until the sudden dry 

 and warm weather set in, that somehow affected the sap that caused the blight. If 

 this can be of any benefit to you in any way I will be glad of it. 



Yours truly, 



LYMAN BARBER. 



Mr. Bliss^The Orange Quince I find to be a good one, and it bears 

 with me regularly every year. For 20 or BO years, and I think 30 

 years, I have not failed of a crop. I think it can be raised generally 

 without any trouble. The soil suitable for pears is suitable for it. 

 My soil is perhaps a little sandy^ prairie soil, with a very tenacious 

 sub-soil within 3 or 3| feet of the surface. The way I have succeeded 

 is to plow rather deep and then to plow up in the center, and throw 

 on some sod in the Spring, and continue to throw up the sod. 



Mr. Woodard — I move that we do now adjourn until half-past 

 eight to-morrow morning. 



The motion prevailed and the meeting stood adjourned. 



