No. 7. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 291 



satisfactory results with grapes, it seems spraying is necessary; 

 spraying early and often with fungicides is the price one must pay 

 for fine grapes in most of the sections of the State. 



In general, good judgment is required as to when and how often 

 an orchard or a vineyard, or in fact any kind of fruit, should be 

 sprayed. 



FERTILIZING AND CULTIVATING. 



While spraying is an essential to success, the proper feeding and 

 cultivating of orchard, vineyard and small fruits can not be neg- 

 lected. The vigor and productiveness of trees and plants is in pro- 

 portion to the available plant food in the soil, and the tillage given 

 to enable the plant to utilize it. 



Trees under such conditions are better able to produce crops under 

 unavoidable adverse conditions. 



GENERAL OBSERVATIONS BY CORRESPONDENTS. 



L. W. Lighty, East Berlin, Adams county, reports the York Im- 

 perial apple as one of the best keeping and selling apples. Pears, 

 a short crop, except Kieffer, which sold at good prices, but the after- 

 math was a full crop of profanity. Mr. Lighty says he never finds 

 new varieties of strawberries to pan out according to originator's 

 descriptions. Cumberland still a leader in his section, with Haver- 

 land a good second. Spraying is practiced to a considerable ex- 

 tent, but usually without satisfactory results, which may be due 

 to improper application or at the wrong time. 



D. P. Forney, Hanover, York county, says of spraying: Not gen- 

 erally practiced, but where carefully done is of great benefit. Pear 

 blight destructive. 



J. S. Burns, Clinton, Allegheny county, reports pear blight very 

 destructive. The fruit crop in quantity and quality was way below 

 that of 1898. 



Oliver D. Shock, Hamburg, Berks county, reports a very large crop 

 of apples of fine quality. Smokehouse more abundant and finer 

 than ever before. Mr. Shock says that even now (Christmas), farmers 

 are only getting from 80 to 85 cents per bushel. Price of berries 

 ruled very low. 



Cyrus T. Fox, Reading, Berks county, reports the largest apple 

 crop in a number of years. Frnit of fair quality. Of plums, the 



