No. •;. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 235 



PEACHES. 



Tlic'iT' wais a partial ci-op of iteaelu'S, but tlie season was short, the 

 early and mediimi varieties ripeninj^ almost at one lime. For a 

 week or so there was a glut and prices were low. Later in the 

 season, when tlie demand was {greatest, such fruit as was offered 

 commanded good prices. Iji some parts of Southeastern Pennsyl- 

 vania, and along the Pennsylvania and IMaryland line, the -yield was 

 good. Some new varieties, such as Iron Mountain and Gold Medal, 

 did exceedingly well. One Schuylkill county grower, having mostly 

 Iron Mountain trees, reported having realized |1.50 per basket all 

 around, some having been disposed of at wholesale, while those sold 

 at retail brought $1.50 to |2 per basket. The line condition of his 

 fruit was due to the fact that he had severely thinned his crop. 

 Had all the fruit which set been allowed lo mature the result would 

 have been inferior specimens, which perhaps would not have 

 brought more than fifty cents per basket. The same grower be- 

 lieves in thorough cultivation. 



PLUMS. 



As to plums, there is not that attention paid in Pennsylvania to 

 this fruit which its importance deserves. For years the plum crop 

 was more liable to attack by insects and fungus diseases than any 

 other. Fruit growers, discouraged by the ravages of the curculio 

 and black knot, for a time discontinued planting. Then came the 

 discoveries in regard to spraying with the Bordeaux and other mix- 

 tures. Next came the introduction of the hardy Japanese varie- 

 ties, such as the Abundance, Burbank, Chabot and Satsuma, which, 

 while free from black knot, are inclined to rot. Nevertheless, they 

 are productive and early bearers, and our markets are now well sup- 

 plied with plums of these varieties. There was a good yield of 

 plums last year in most counties of the State. The very wet 

 weather experienced in July resulted in considerable rotting. 



QUINCES. 



Quinces, a rather neglected but not to be despised fruit, did fully 

 well. More attention is being devoted to this fruit because of the 

 good prices which it commands. Fifty cents a dozen is not an 

 unusual price, and in a favorable year an acre in ijuince trees will 

 readily net |12U. 



Although the trees suiter from blight, this can be overcome by 

 spraying them. The borer is one of the worst enemies of the quince. 

 It has been found that the ai)pli(ation of a strong solution of whale 

 oil soap, two or three times during the season, is a sure extermin- 

 ator of the borer. Unlike the apple and pear the quince has no 

 ''off-year.'' A crop nuiy always be expected, although the yield is 

 larger in some seasons than in others. As to soil, strong clav loams 



