464 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



this or any of the apple-growing states of the Union. The thorough-bred animal is fed 

 with the well-balanced ration fitted to develop the desired qualities to be attained, or 

 to ruminate over the richest pastures of the farm in search of the choicest plant-foods 

 of its own selection. But the tree, located at one point for life, is left uncared for and 

 unfed to struggle for its existence in the circumscribed area of its roots, from which 

 years since have been gathered all of the essential elements required in building up 

 the structure on which to produce anticipated crops. " Life is a failure." We see 

 only a moment of man's stupidity. Have we not been told, " We cannot gather grapes 

 from thorns, or figs from thistles?" " By their fruits ye shall know them." It can be 

 easily understood why so many have come to regard the apple crop as a failure — too 

 many of one variety and sta^•vation everywhere has much to do with existing condi- 

 tions of the apple orchards as found where they have been growing for years. 



This treatment, as applied to the plum, will never answer, and will result in utter failure 

 of root and branch long before the apple has attained its maturity; hence, we say, 

 give the plum the most generous care, and the most liberal plant-food, well balanced 

 with phosphoric acid, potash, and a slight percentage of notrogen, if you would secure 

 anticipated results. Consult your best authorities as to varieties that can be grown 

 with profit, and wanted in the markets you may ship to, and then confine your 

 efforts to planting only a few varieties, and avoid the mistake of attempting the 

 culture of forty or fifty sorts, many of which have no value whatever except for exhi- 

 bition purposes at our fairs, but test in a very modest way new varieties, which often 

 are of no value in the commercial orchard. Do not underestimate the battles to be 

 fought with diseases and insect life, which are annually on the increase, and will so con- 

 tinue so long as there be an increase of trees on which to feed. 



Arm yourself with all available information from those whose life-work in connec- 

 tion with our experiment stations and other institutions of learning especially fit them 

 to give all required instructions as to the work in which we are engaged, and you will 

 find yourself qualified well to conduct, with the greatest possible success, the growing 

 of such varieties of fruits as should be found in every commercial orchard in Western 

 New York. 



The position we occupy in relation to our markets commercially and geographically 

 is essentially different from that of most other sections of our country, and while our 

 soil and climate afford opportunities unexcelled for growing the greatest variety of such 

 products as are needed to meet the requirements of a rapidly-increasing population, 

 let us not make the mistake of ignoring our talents and confining our efforts only to 

 raising any one of the many kinds which may in adverse seasons over which we have 

 no control, prove a failure, and lead us to join the procession of those who, from their 

 disappointments, pronounce their life-work a failure. 



By special request the following list of fruits are commended for general orchard 

 culture for western New York: 



Plums— Sta; soiHs: Reine Claud De Bavay, Field, Coe's Golden Drop, Hudson River 

 Purple Egg, Bradshaw, Fellemberg. 



PL,ui>is—Tivelve sorts: Reine, Claud De Bavay, Field, Coe's Golden Drop, Gueii, 

 Peter's Yellow Gage, Grand Duke, Hudson River Purple Egg, Bradshaw, Fellemberg, 

 German Prune, French Damson, Monarch. 



Plums— Japan soi'ts: Yellow Japan, True Sweet Botan Burbank. 



Apples: Duchess of Oldenburg, Wealthy, Ben Davis, Hubbardston's Nonsuch, Lady 

 Sweet, Sutton's Beauty. 



In connection with the request that Mr. Willard should recommend lists of varie- 

 ties, a number of questions were asked, to which the essayist replied that he would 

 commend Reine Claude de Bavay for one. It is tender, and the question of over-pro- 

 duction, to which he had called their attention, was one of the prime causes of the 

 failure of this variety. The most healthy trees of this variety on his own place, and 

 which have been planted twenty-two years, were top-worked on Lumbard. Fellemberg 

 should be top-worked on Union Purple or Lumbard, the two best plums to top-work 

 on. Grand Duke is better when grafted on something else. He never had a failure, 

 and preferred to top-work as last named. Monarch is larger than Grand Duke and a 

 little later; one of the best late, new plums. 



Speaking of the Japan plums. Mr. Willard said: True Sweet Botan is different 

 from the Abundance, which came to me as "Botan No. 6." Another, No. 30, is the 

 True Sweet Botan, and it is different from the Abundance, and a better plum. 



Prof. Bailey: What about Botan No. 32? 



Mr. Willard: That is Yellow Japan. 



Pres. Barry: What is the matter with Victoria? 



Mr. Willard: Ellwanger & Barry's Victoria, and the one from Rivers' are one and 

 the same. The fruit did not seem to mature, and has a disposition to decay. We 



