58 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



weeds cut, there will be less curculio. Some varieties of plum, as Brad- 

 shaw and Yellow Egg, are more susceptible to attacks of curculio than are 

 others. 



Mr. Peatt has found the curculio worst on those varieties which Mr. 

 Hawley thought freest. 



Mr. A. Adams of Shelby: From the reports of our local commissioners, 

 we find that black-knot is decreasing. We have been vigilant, and the 

 trees reported as badly infected, two years ago, have been taken out. 

 Since then scarcely any has been found. 



Mr. WiLLAKD: There is a great diflFerence in varieties, as to attacks of 

 black-knot. The Bradshaw is very free, while Eeine Claude du Bavay is 

 most susceptible. Lombard is also bad in this respect, and Quackenbos is 

 nearly exempt. Hudson River Purple Egg is nearly free. I found some 

 in it at one time, in a single tree, and then no more for a long time, until 

 three years ago; then another eruption, and no more since. You must feed 

 the soil, especially here where it is not so retentive. Do not let the trees 

 overbear, for it weakens them, and thinning really makes more fruit, and 

 causes less draft upon the tree for seed production. There is such a thing 

 as over-feeding with barnyard (nitrogenous) manures. This may not be 

 so here, but it is certainly so upon heavier soils. I do not like rye and 

 other green manures; I cultivate shallow, with harrows, among plums. 



THERE IS SUCH A THING AS SOIL EXHAUSTION. 



Prof. Bailey: I used not to take much stock in soil exhaustion, but 

 since going to New York I have learned differently. As a soil grows 

 poorer, difficulties (diseases too) increase. Here you must build up fiber 

 in the soil (it may be by rye), and so make ready for potash and other 

 chemical fertilizers. Fruitgrowing is always easy in new regions, even as 

 it is here. It will not always be so easy, and you must be prepared for 

 those future evil days. 



Mr. Gebhart: There is very little black-knot, save on the imported 

 trees and the wild cherry in swamps; but the latter have been burnt over 

 of late years, which must have decreased the disease. 



Mr. Adams spoke warmly of the advantages of Oceana county. There 

 is no yellows as yet, and the natural advantages for fruit production are 

 unsurpassed. They propose to head off yellows by vigorous enforcement 

 of the law. There is much available and unoccupied land for fruit culture, 

 and they expect to make horticulture a grand success, by watchfulness and 

 hard work. One disadvantage they have, however: transportation is not 

 so good as in the counties further south. 



Mr. C. A. Sessions of Mears: Prof. Bailey's remarks seem strange to 



