STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY, 73 



HANCOCK COUNTY. 



" Heretofore the fruit grower has had but few back-sets, except from insect depre- 

 dations. The uniform average yields had become a matter of course, and disappoint- 

 ment in the crops of fruits (except Peaches) was unknown. The year 1869 was memor- 

 able for the excessive rain-fall ; that of 1870 for an excessive yield of fruit, and 1872 

 for large crops, accompanied by extremes of drought, with these opposite extremes, 

 followed by the unusual severity of last winter's cold. Orchards and fruit trees gen- 

 erally were subjected to greater extremes than has ever been before experienced. 



" The results have been damaging, more or less, to all orchards, and to all kinds of 

 fruit trees. The number of Apple trees which died might be five per cent., but of those 

 of weakened vitality, at least twenty-five per cent. 



«' Another year will develop the character of the injury, and may require the sub- 

 stitution of new trees entirely. 



" The season of 1872 was such as to promote abundance of fruit buds in orchards ; 

 consequently the bloom was quite abundant, and the amount of fruit set promised an 

 ordinary yield ; but from unseasonable spring frost and cold, with the weakened vitality 

 of the trees, half or more of the fruit fell off. Another disaster, unexpected, occurred on 

 the evening of the fourth of July, in a violent storm, continuing unabated for more than 

 an hour. Hundreds of Apple trees were uprooted, the fruit mostly beaten off, with much 

 irreparable injury to the trees. As an evidence of the violence of the storm, in many 

 tracts of forest timber, one-third were broken ofT or uprooted. Many large elms, 

 which had withstood the elements for hundreds of years, were leveled to the ground, 

 or broken off. In some instances, Apple trees were uprooted and Ijlown out of the orch- 

 ard into other inclosures. 



"A. C. Hammond, President of our County Society, lost, or had injured by this 

 storm, over two hundred Apple trees. 



" With such an array of disasters — such a record of extremes of heat and cold and 

 excessive crops — how could vegetable life maintain its equilibrium? Discouragement 

 to the fruit-grower has been inevitable; yet, in the face of multiplied ditliculties, there is 

 an effort to study more carefully the adajitation of varieties, and to husband the experi- 

 ence already acquired. It is needless to add that the Apple crop was next to an entire 

 failure." 



" Shrubbery and vines have shared in the general injuiy from causes indicated ; yet 

 the Concord and Clinton Grapes have been exceptions, as standing the test of winter and 

 bearing moderately fair crojis. 



" The Catawba failed, I think, with one exception — that of Mr. John Kemmer's 

 vines, who covered them over winter, and was rewarded with as fine Catawba Grapes as 

 were ever grown in the county. 



" The influences of timber belts, so far as ascertained, all prove beneficial, in less 

 injury to trees, with better yields of fruit. 



"Orchards here are generally cultivated till well into bearing, then seeded to clo- 

 ver or blue grass. 



" Varieties of Apples. — The Ben Davis takes the lead as a market apple. That and 

 Winesap, Willow Twig, Rawles' Janet and a few leading varieties, are generally selected 

 for new orchards for market fruits. For early use, Early Harvest, Red June, and Red 

 Astrachan are mostly prized. 



" The best modes of keeping Apples have received the attention of our Society. 

 Barreling is generally concurred in as the best; next to that, boxes and bins. But 

 either of these modes recjuire an even, low temperature. 



" Care in handlin;^ apples is among the first requisites to their keeping, as one 

 defective apple will impart the contagion to a dozen around it. When once stored, 

 they should on no account be disturbed till wanted for use or market. 



" Peach trees which were shortenetl in have made a satisfactoi7 growth. In a few 

 instances here, trees were cut to the ground, and these failed to send up new growth. 



" A few scattering blossoms made their appearance on the most elevated places, jjut 

 two peaches were all that matured in this section, one of which was exhibited at our 

 October meeting. 



