No. 7, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 289 



PEACHES. 



Iq 1898, a short crop was reported, but the results of the past year 

 (1899), were disastrous. Peaches were next to a total failure. Only 

 in a few counties has any of this fruit escaped the abnormally low 

 temperature. These will appear in the notes from the corres- 

 pondents. 



Peach yellows seems to be as destructive as ever, and with the 

 loss of two successive crops, peach growers have become disheart- 

 ened. 



The low temperature in January and February caused the failure 

 of the last crop. 



PLUMS. 



Of this fruit, the Japanese plums appear to be largely in the lead, 

 and but for this class of plums, the crop would have to be reported 

 a failure. The Wild Goose bore prodigious crops the past sum- 

 mer. Fruit of this variety can be had every year if other varieties 

 are grafted into the trees to insure pollination. It must be remem- 

 bered that the flowers of the Wild Goose are usually dichogamous. 



It has been claimed that the Japans are exempt from the black- 

 knot. This claim does not hold good, for I observed black-knot on 

 Abundance trees. Since the Japans are doing better than others, 

 I presume they will be planted to the exclusion of something better, 

 but I predict that he who can go on the market with Prince Engel- 

 berts or German Prunes will have the call. 



QUINCES. 



As usual, quinces are reported a failure. The reports say poor, 

 scabby, knotty, wormy. Less than a dozen correspondents report 

 a satisfactory crop. 



One correspondent writes that he literally whitew^ashed his trees 

 with Bordeaux mixture, and the fruit was perfection. 



CHERRIES. 



More than three-fourths of the correspondents report a good or 

 large crop of cherries. The sour cherries and the native black 

 cherries appear to do best. Crops of the larger and finer fruit are 

 frequently lost by rotting. This can be prevented in most cases by 

 a thorough spraying with the ammoniacal solution just about or 

 before the fruit begins to color. 



Of the sour cherries, Early Richmond is mostly mentioned, and of 

 the sweets, Gov. Wood, Black Tartarian, and Yellow Spaniard are 

 the general favorites. 



19—7—1900 



