4 Bureau of Farmers' Institutes. 



Astrachan and Talman Sweet trees. The fruit on the grafts set 

 in the Talman was hard and corky, while that on the Astrachan 

 scions was as good as that grown on the original stocks. In 

 these cases it seems that the tree did affect the quality of the 

 fruit. 



Question.— Which are the best white and red varieties of cur- 

 cants for all purposes I 



Mr. Dawley. — It is a hard question to answer; there are a 

 number of good varieties. For home use I know of none better 

 than the old red Dutch; for market, Fay's Prolific or Cherry are 

 good, but probably "President Wilder," a new red variety, is the 

 besl red sort. The best white variety is "White Imperial;" but 

 white currants are not grown in a commercial way; only for 

 home use. 



Mr. Smith. — White Grape and White Dutch are good vari- 

 eties, but not as good as White Imperial. 



Question. — What is the advantage of a cover crop in the 

 orchard, and what is best for such purpose? > 



Mr. Pice. — Some of the legumes, such as clover or peas, are 

 good. We also sow an ounce and a half of flat turnip seed with 

 twelve quarts of clover seed in our orchard, to turn under early 

 the following .-[(ring; so as to supply not only more plant food 

 but more humus to the soil. With a few week's growth in the 

 fall, and one or two in the spring, it is surprising what good 

 results will thus be obtained. They are almost as good as plow- 

 ing under a good clover sod. I call the clover crop "the catch 

 fertility crop," because, while detracting scarcely anything from 

 the soil, it adds fertility and humus to it. 



Question. — If you were to set an orchard the coining spring 

 in Genesee or Wyoming counties, which of the following kinds 

 of fruit would you select: pears, plums, prunes or apples? De- 



ibe the soil best adapted to each variety? 



M v. Smith. — If you have a fruit region here, and I assume 

 you have, yon know what soils arc best. We are growing 3,000 

 varieties of fruits on the Geneva Station farm, the soil of which is 

 a heavy clay, well under-drained. But these fruits grow on other 

 soils jusl as well. As to which would be best to set, your markets 

 besl decide. We can't come here and give you ironclad 

 pules for growing fruit, nor can we make selections and advise 

 yon what sorts or varieties to plant. It is a local matter for 



m to decid 



