112 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



GENERAL OBSERVATIONS. 



L. C. Loiigsdorf, of Adams county, reports that spraying proves 

 beneficial but is not practiced enough. Season too dry for best re- 

 sults. Of plums, the Japan varieties and the Sharjishire Damson suc- 

 ceed best. Except the Kieti'er the pear crop was light. Apples fair 

 to good where properly sprayed. 



J. S. Burns, of Allegheny county, says that severe frosts on 

 the nights of May 3d, 4th and 9(h destroyed nearly all their fruits. 

 Of a Damson plum tree, he says, the blossoms were frozen stiff and 

 yet it produced a heavy crop of fruit. He reports potatoes grown 

 under straw doing the best, ile was very successful in growing tur- 

 nips in corn by growing crimson clover and turnips together. He 

 says from April 23 until November 25 the soil was never wet to 

 the depth of a potato tuber and yet had good yields in many cases, 

 which he attributes to continuous cultivation. 



Mr. Burns makes mention of a pear tree that is ninety-five years 

 old, known as the Sugar pear. It is a constant bearer and some of 

 the fruit weighs one pound and is of good quality. The tree is fifty 

 feet high and two and one-half feet from the ground its circumfer- 

 ence is nine feet six inches. 



A. L. McKibben, of Beaver county, says the season in our part of 

 the State appeared to be against all kinds of fruit. The extremely 

 hot weather had affected it and nearly all fell before season ar- 

 rived for storing it away. More attention given to shrubberies and 

 flowers each year. 



Cyrus T. Fox, of Berks county, says the season as a whole was 

 favorable for the fruit grower and gardener. The drought of the 

 fall and a violent storm brought much of the fruit to the ground just 

 before picking time. Late vegetables a failure. Reports a new 

 seedling peach, known as the '^Reading Seedling.'- It is late and 

 extra large size. 



Oliver D. Schock, reporting for the northern portion of Berk« 

 county, says yield of leading fruits was an average. He says "the 

 grand Smokehouse apple have become a favorite in northern Berk© 

 and produces large crops annually. Baldwin and Northern Spy 

 are more generally planted." He says success with peaches is 

 altogether a matter of care and attention. Nut culture is on the 

 increase. He urges that with hyacinths, tulips, narcissus, lilies 

 and other flowering bulbs grown so cheaply in Holland and some 

 of our Southern States, every one with a few feet of gi'ound should 

 plant some. 



