No. 6. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 117 



a long-keeping' varicly. These also stood the storm, when others 

 were blown oil". The winter freeze was very damaging to peaches, 

 plums, cherries and grapt'S. Of thirty varieties of peaches, he finds 

 only the Early Kivers hardier in bud than the Mercer, a seedling 

 originated in Mercer county. With him the Crosby is not any 

 hardier than the Crawfords, Damson, Smith's Orleans, Red June 

 and Miner and made a fair crop of fruit. Mr. Greenlee recommends 

 Franklin, Venango county, for next place of meeting. 



John T. Crill, of Mercer county, reports poor crop of plumbs, cher- 

 ries, quinces, peaches and berries. Good yield of apples; keeping 

 poorly. Good results from spraying. 



Henry Ort, of MiiJtlin county, eays the storms and drouth pre- 

 vented all fruit except the peach and grape. Mr. Ort is 80 years of 

 age and ''unable to keep up with the times, but nothing does me 

 more good than to hear of good fruit culture." 



John P. Fredd, of ]\Iontgomery county, reports a poor crop of 

 apples. Large crop of peaches, but under size, due to drouth. 

 Japan phims do best. Too dry for vegetables. Reports the spread 

 of the San Jos^ Scale. Lost several hundred trees. 



D. C. Young, of McKean county, says his section is well adapted 

 for growing fine apples and pears, but altitude too great for peaches, 

 cherries, grapes, etc. 



J. K. Murray, of Montour county, says the caterpillars in his local- 

 ity proved very destructive; whole orchards were stripped and trees 

 are apparently beyond recovery. He sprayed trees with soft soap 

 suds while nests of insects were small. Believes that an applica- 

 tion of Paris green onl}' checks fungi. 



B. B. McClure, of Northampton county, reports good crops of 

 apples, pears, peaches and plums. Of plums, Burbank, Abundance 

 and Satsuma do best. Very light crop of cherries. Too dry for 

 vegetables. Unsprayed trees have more imperfect fruit. 



W. M. Benninger, of Northampton county, reports the fruit crop 

 destroyed by wind and hail in his locality. Believes spraying is 

 beneficial when the fruit sets lightly, but of no advantage when it 

 sets heavily. 



Mendelson Meehan, of Philadelphia, reports the crop of apples 

 large, but poor, if not sprayed. Plums, Japan are favorites. Bagged 

 or sprayed grapes were excellent. Berries, unusually large crop. 

 Progress in ornamental planting naturally far exceeds that of fruits. 

 Practice of spraying extends moderately and successfully. 



E. D. Austin, of Potter countv, savs the conditions were verv un- 

 favorable. Early season, cool weather and much rain. Drouth set 

 in in July and continued for nearly four months. Apples were 

 baked on the trees. While vegetation suffered, every crawling, 

 flying and creeping thing rnultiplied and flourished. 



