INDIANA HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 491 



Chairiuan Latta: Will Mr. Simpson now answer Mr. Kingsbury's 

 question of a few moments ago? 



Mr. Sinii)sou: In regard to these apples that are blotched, 1 will say 

 that they are stung by the apple curculio. Our section has apples that are 

 infested or stung in this manner, and I think probably that is the case 

 all over the State, more or less. The insects that do this stinging are 

 hard to fight. We find it best to thoroughly cultivate our orchards; either 

 that or cut the weeds and grass, and cut verj' closely. The less of weeds 

 and grass, the less of these stinging insects you will have. In our orchard 

 two yeai's ago we had one block that we let grow into Aveeds— about an 

 acre, alongside of the orchard— and in that particular block the apples 

 were badly stung, just as these are on the outside. There was quite a 

 difference, comparatively, between the number stung in that block and the 

 others. 



Chairman Latta: Mr. Thomas, what kind do you think is especially 

 suited to Harrison County? 



Mr. C. W. Thomas: The king of the apple tribe in our coimtj' is th,, 

 Ben Davis, and we have a thousand Ben DaviseSv to one Winesap, one 

 Jonathan, or one of any other variety. We couldn't live without the Ben 

 Davis. It is ahvays bringing us something. We have the Ben Davis this 

 year, when we have not a AVinesap on the market. We have Ben Davises 

 now, though I am sorry to say they are all dropping off, and we are 

 hauling them to the stillhouses and realizing fifty cents a barrel on 

 them; and oven at fifty cents a barrel they are more profitable than 

 wheat or corn. If I were to plant a thousand apple trees tomorrow, nine 

 hundred and ninety-nine of them would be Ben Davises, for that is 

 what brings the money. 



The Winesap is a shy bearer when it does bear; but it bears only 

 every three or four years. This year we are knocked out all around; 

 and I would like very much if Mr. Burton will answer as to what is the 

 reason we have not an apple crop in Harrison County this year. We 

 had an excellent bloom— what is the trouble? There is certainly some 

 trouble, as fine as you say this locality is. I think we had the finest 

 prospect at the blooming time that we ever had. We had a light frost 

 about the first of May, and that may have had somethiivg to do with 

 the failure. 



Mr. Arnold, of Harrison County: I should like to say a word about 

 the Ben Davis and the Winesap. t live in Harrison. County, and have 

 both the Ben Davis and the Wine.sap, and I find the Winesaps more 

 profitable to me, and find the trees live better than the Ben Davis. With 

 the Ben Davis, after l)earing a few crops, the trees die, while the Wine- 

 saps live and continue to bear. Then I never have the sale for the Ben 



