342 TBANSACTIONS OF THE HOEnCULTUKAL 



Mr. Kellogg spoke of some one in DeKalb county, Illinois, who 

 had raised apples for twenty years by the thousands of bushels, and 

 he now only has two kinds that do well, and these are not found on 

 our records as being hardy. In regard to soil, climate and sites, I 

 will say that I was never in a horticultural meeting that I could not 

 prove black was white and white black. I think one trouble with 

 our orchards is that they are starved to death. They have given up 

 their bounteous crops of fruit from year to year, and nothing has 

 been returned. 



Professor Budd asked if manuring trees would hurt them. 



Mr. Mortimer — It is my experience that manuring trees will 

 not save them. 



Mr. Kellogg — I think there should be at least a wagon-load of 

 barnyard manure put around each tree every year, to keep the ground 

 in good producing condition. 



Mr. Cotta — Would liberal fertilizing have saved our trees the 

 last few years? 



Mr. Kellogg — Yes, if they had not borne themselves to death. 

 The tree should be manured in proportion to the quantity it bears. 



Prof. Budd — We have manured the Duchess excessively, which 

 has increased the size and quality of the fruit, but I have never 

 known of its being hurt. If a tree is perfectly hardy I do not think 

 you can hurt it by late cultivation. To stand as well here as in 

 Michigan, a tree must be as hardy as our box elder. If you top-graft 

 a late variety on the stock of an early variety, it will mature earlier; 

 also, a sweet apple grafted on a sour stock will tend to make the top 

 fruit less sweet. 



Motion to adjourn until seven o'clock prevailed. 



