STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 3^1 



True, we have some slight discouragements; the early ripening of 

 the apple has been followed by the rot in cases where tlicy have not been 

 properly cared for; the Concord Grape cracked soniewliat; the birds 

 have taken a small share (rewarding us \vith a song) ; the ciwrant \\orm 

 has been busy. 



Still we have had enough, if not to fill our wallets, yet to give us 



" The rosy hue of health," 



And fill us with new hopes for the future. 



We have a most delightful region for small fruit-farms, which can be 

 bought at moderate prices. 



Lyman Pike, Cor. Sec'y. 



FARINA AGRICULTURAL AND HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY FOR 1870. 



The territory embraced within the limits of this society has been very 

 sparsely settled, till within five or six years; the oldest war/C'^/ orchard 

 being that of the late Wm. A Goodrich, which was planted about the 

 year 1863. Mr, Goodrich was an enthusiastic and enterprising horticul- 

 turist, as well as farmer, and the success which attended his efibrts and 

 the efibrts of a few smaller orchardists, has stimulated the business of 

 fruit culture so that nearly all who have since opened up farms on our 

 beautiful jDrairie, have planted an abundance for home consumption and 

 generally for market purposes. Of the 35,000 or 30,000 fruit trees planted 

 within a radius of three miles of Farina Station, about one half are 

 peach; three-fourths of the rest are apple. CheiTy, pear, and quince 

 make out the rest of the list, in the order learned. 



The peach and apple crop of 1870 was quite fair in quantity, but 

 inferior in quality; apples are not keeping well. Mr. A. S. Coon is our 

 most successful pear culturist, and has had abundant ahd regular crops 

 since his trees were large enough to bear. He cultivated pears for many 

 years in New York State before coming here, and reports that his fruit 

 here is much superior to that called good fruit in Central New York. 



Quite an interest is also manifested in the small-fruit business. Straw- 

 berries, blackbeiries, raspberries, gooseberries, and ciUTants, receive 

 attention in about the order named. The April frost of 1870, which did 

 so much damage in the more southern portion of the State, was not very 

 severe here, and we had a fair crop of strawberries. For market, Wilson 

 and Green Prolific are best; for table use, French Seedling and a variety 

 called Pine Apple (local name), brought from Connecticut by Daniel B. 

 Irish. The writer prefers these in a collection of over twenty sorts, with 

 which he has been experimenting. Of blackberries, Lawton and Kittatinny 

 are most cultivated, though there are some of many other sorts. The 

 Lawton resists the cold better than the native wild varieties, yields abun- 

 dantly, and is gaining in public opinion, as is also the Kittatinny. Large 

 quantities of wild blackberries are shipped north from here — and years 

 ago, this station was generally J<no\vn, by expressmen and others, 

 as " Blackbeiry," on account of the predominance of this fruit in its 

 season. 



