468 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



flattened plums, of several varieties in this country; Hattan, pointed plums, to which 

 the greater number of our forms belong. The varieties which are known to be hardy as 

 far north as New York are Willard (Botan 26), Abundance, Chabot, Satsuma, Burbank, 

 Ogon, Berger. The latter is too small for market. Most Japanese plums are good 

 keepers. Regarding the Kelsey there was no evidence on record, so far as he knew, that 

 it ever ripened north of Carolina. Mr. Van Deman found that Kelsey, which was said 

 to ripen north of the Garolinas, was not the Kelsey. It would not ripen where figs would 

 not thrive; had winter-killed in Texas. It probably blossoms successively and ripens 

 through a series of three months at the south, rendering it very valuable; a magnifi- 

 cent plum, but not suited to northern localities. Burbank is better than Lombard, 

 and Abundance will average as good. The Willard poor one year and good the next. 

 In Japan they eat stone fruits green, breaking off a bunch of unripe plums and eating 

 them from the branch. The Japan plums are certainly a coming fruit. Satsuma in 

 quality is not high, but is otherwise a good plum. 



Hon. J. H. Hale, of Connecticut, considered this one of the most important subjects. 

 He had been watching these Japan plums, and in New England fruitgrowers were 

 satisfied that for prolitable market planting the Japan plums held out wonderful 

 promise of profit. In his opinion one of the greatest horticultural openings to-day for 

 profitable orchard planting, lay in Japan plums. His observation had been that they 

 were better shippers than European plums and better keepers, in which respect they 

 had a great advantage. Beautiful in appearance and very good in quality, except the 

 Ogon. The others are from good to very good. He thought Satsuma very good indeed 

 and an excellent keeper; will keep two weeks. They could not do that with European 

 plums. The Japan plums offer a wonderful field for study and for great reward, com- 

 ing into bearing the second or third year after planting, and the fruit will command 

 the market anywhere. 



Mr. John Cbaig, of Ottawa: We have tried all the named varieties of Japan plums, 

 and they have all left us except one, which, I believe, belongs to the family of Simoni. 

 It is the earliest one we have. The tree had stood thirty-two degrees below zero for 

 days together. We are top-working the other trees on our American plums, and I 

 think the Burbank and Abundance will be grown successfully. 



Prof. Bailey thought the variety referred to by the last speaker was a Botan, he 

 having received a sample from Mr. Craig. 



Are there any of the new peaches more hardy than our old sorts? 



Mr. Hale could not say, from his experience of late years, that they were. Hill's 

 Chili is an old one, and exceedingly hardy; in twenty years it had never failed to give 

 him some fruit. The Alexander is exceedingly hardy. Of the newer sorts that he had 

 tested, it was strange that the foreign variety, Elberta. was one of the exceedingly 

 hardy peaches; far more so than Stump, Old Mixon and Mountain Rose, which are 

 among the most hardy of the old standard sorts. Elberta, he was satisfied, in both 

 New England and Illinois, was one of the most hardy, and will rank with Hill's Chili 

 and Alexander. It is less troubled with curled leaf than other varieties. Crosby has 

 never failed to produce a crop; ripens with Old Mixon, after Early Crawford. 



A member asked what Mr. Hale thought of Stephen's Rareripe, to which he replied 

 that it was hardy, but the fruit was inferior in appearance. He had never seen any 

 satisfactory crops except about eight years ago on the Hudson river, but in his orchard 

 it mildewed and blotched up. 



Mr. Nelson Smith, Geneva, said that Stephen's Rareripe, in the Seneca lake 

 region, was one of the finest peaches grown; white, with red cheek; one of the hardiest; 

 no mildew. He had grown Elberta for several years, and had quite a crop last year. 

 It was one of the best in New York state. 



Mr. Willard substantiated what the last speaker said of Stephen's Rareripe: ripens 

 just after Late Crawford; perfects itself finely and sells for the highest prices; hardy 

 in the fruit-bud. Hill's Chili is a very poor peach in appearance, and not good to eat 

 from the hand, but it is the best canning peach that was ever raised in this state. The 

 factories will give more for it than for any other variety. We must discriminate 

 between peaches raised for market for the city fruit stands, and those for the can- 

 ning factories. 



Is lime beneficial applied to the soil in orchards or nursery roicsf 



Mr. Willard: There is no plant food in it. It may, perhaps, set free some other 

 agent in the soil, but I don't suppose a man would know anything about it. 



Mr, Root thought the soil abundantly supplied with it without applying. 



Mr. G. G. Atwood: An interesting fact was brought to light in the vicinity of 

 Geneva, where the soil is limestone in character. One of the professors from the 



