Tkansactions at thk Annual Meeting. 165 



temperature I find it necessary, after trees come into general bear- 

 ing, to feed and stimulate them with barn-yard manure and wood 

 ashes to make a good annual growth, in order to fortify against 

 hard winters and great reduction in vital forces from heavy 

 cropping. 



Condition of varieties in my orchard : Tetofsky, healthy, pro- 

 duced a moderate crop of rather under sized apples. Red Astra- 

 chan, healthy, produced one-third crop of smallish apples. 

 Duchess, very healthy, produced a full crop of fine fair fruit, up 

 to full average in size. Fall Orange and Utter, moderately 

 healthy, produced no fruit to speak of last year. Fameuse, pro- 

 duced four crops in succession from 1877 to 1880, and are in low 

 condition from heavy cropping and poor care. Perry Russet, 

 healthy, produced a good fair crop of average sized apples, it 

 being the fourth crop in succession, and following such a hard 

 winter as that of 1881 speaks well for this variety. Grimes' 

 Golden, quite healthy, produced three good crops of fruit in suc- 

 cession previous to this year, and is nearly as hardy as any winter 

 variety I cultivate. It works best on Transcendent of any variety 

 that I have ever tried ; and stands highest in regard to quality, or 

 richness of flavor, of any variety thai I have ever fruited. Pe- 

 waukee seems to be doing well. Walbridge, healthy, good 

 bearer, good keeper, but too small on young trees. I think the 

 fruit should be thinned out one-half. Ben Davis, not quite half 

 hardy, fruit good to keep but not to use. Baltimore, good fruit, 

 good keeper. I like it top-worked best ; it works on Transcendent 

 very well. Northwestern Greening, of E. W. Daniels, of Aurora, is 

 looking well after the hard winter. I have hopes of this variety. 



Strawberry crop was very light, new beds almost a complete 

 failure. Varieties that have stood the test of actual trial are 

 Miner's Prolific, Sharpless and Chas. Downing. Crescent I think 

 would do well if planted with fertilizers, but a failure without. 

 Wilson stands at the head for a general market berry. 



The culture of Ancient Briton blackberry is on the increase 

 since we have commenced covering for winter protection. One 

 grower of this berry had thirty rods of ground set three by four 

 feet apart ; the fourth or fifth year from setting it produced 2,132 



