No. 6. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 737 



NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS. 



Austin Wright, of Bedford county, reports having tested some 

 new things in plums, apples and pears. Of the Japan plums only 

 the Abundance, Burbank and Wickson succeed well. 



Of apples, he has rejected the following: Walbridge, Spitzenberg, 

 Belmont, Dickinson, Fameuse, Delaware, Winter and Early Straw- 

 berry. He says a good many of the old varieties are now being 

 planted. The mistake of quantity against quality has been made. 

 Planters are already realizing that beforelong there will be Ben 

 Davis apples and Kieffer pears to spare. Fruit growing on the 

 increase but a lamentable carelessness to combat insect and fun- 

 gous troubles; but with greater interest in this industry the means 

 to keep orchards in healthy condition will be better understood. 



Oliver D. Schoeh, of Berks county, says the year was remarkable in 

 many respects. The season opened with myriads of tent caterpil- 

 lars, that threatened serious destruction. Their disappearance 

 was almost phenomenal, as they vanished immediately after a 

 heavy thunder and rain-storm and did not reappear. Peaches and 

 plums are becoming more profitable and are being more largely 

 planted. Ornamental horticulture is receiving increased attention. 

 More spraying than heretofore with very good results. 



B. M. Wells, of Bradford county, reports the apple crop un- 

 usually good and unusually large and fine. Thousands of bushels 

 were shipped from the county. Price of apples delivered in To- 

 wanda, 30 cents to 35 cents per bushel. 



Jos. W. Ihomas, of Chester county, mentions a peculiarity of the 

 York Imperial by bearing full on only portions of the tree. Prac- 

 tice spraying with good results. 



Henry A. BrinJcman., of Carbon county, says that in winter, De- 

 cember and January, when trees are dormant, he sprays twice with 

 soap-suds. This he claims kills all the insects on the trees. In 

 March or April sprays with Bordeaux mixture, and again after the 

 blossoms fall. Only the aphides trouble after this and these he 

 combats by spraying every five days with a strong decoction of 

 tobacco stems. He cultivates and uses stable manure. 



Gabriel Hiester, of Dauphin county, reports the Champion peach 

 as rotting badly. Not only did the peaches rot but the small twigs 

 that bore the peaches died. (I had the same experience with this 

 variety in 1901, but in the spring of 1902 the trees were sprayed 

 with the lime, sulphur and salt mixture, and the crop was a fine 

 one. Some of the fruit was left on the trees overripe but did not 



47—6—1903 



