518 ANNUAL RBEORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



PEARS. 



There has been a good or better than average crop of pears 

 throughout the State and in most places the quality is reported good. 

 Where poor or only fair, neglect of tree and lack of proper spraying 

 is the usual cause. 



Blight is the one great enemy to p&ar growing and in some 

 places has almost put an end to the industry. No remedy is known 

 other than the timely application of knife and saw, but it is com- 

 monly believed that the germs of this disease enter most freely 

 through the tissues of rapidly growing wood. Therefore, pear trees 

 standing in sod and growing slowly are less liable to blight than 

 when cultivated and making a rank growth. This has been the ex- 

 perience of many of our correspondents. Scale is also reported as 

 a serious enemy. 



Fifty-one reports tell of profitable growing of the Keiffer pear, 

 when well grown and properly handled, several saying "more so 

 than formerly." Its comparative freedom from blight and scale 

 injury and its early and regular bearing habit are strongly in its 

 favor. 



PEACHES. 



The peach crop has been a fairly good one, only seventeen re- 

 porting a failure. A few persons report having had very large 

 crops but this was not at all common. The correspondents are about 

 evenly divided in regard to weather conditions, some deploring the 

 dry weather, others finding in it a blessing. Certain it is that 

 brown rot was much less prevalent than usual this year and that 

 thoroughly cultivated orchards suffered but little from the drouth. 

 Yellows, borers and scale are named as the most serious enemies to 

 peach growing. Only a few reports mention brown rot and curculio 

 this year. 



A large majority of the markets accept the four-eighths bushel 

 round basket with favor, while the six basket carrier is found sat- 

 isfactory for fruit of the best quality, A few persons recommend 

 smaller baskets, especially for retail selling. 



In answer to the question "Are peach trees being planted?" 

 nine persons answer "no," nineteen answer "yes," and a great 

 number say " to some extent." The counties in which considerable 

 planting is reported are Bedford, Berks, Bucks, Chester, Dauphin, 

 Franklin, Lancaster, Lebanon, Montgomery, Mercer and York. 



The Carman peach is highly recommended as a hardy, frost- 

 resisting variety, having succeeded the past season under condi- 

 tions which destroyed the buds of nearly all others. 



PLUMS. 



The plum crop was good in a few places but a large majority 

 reported no crop this year, in many cases the conditions for setting 

 of fruit having been quite unfavorable. 



Curculio and brown rot seem to be the most serious enemies to 

 successful plum growing. A few reports speak of black knot and 

 San Jos6 Scale, the latter especially on Japanese varieties. 



The vote for best varieties for home use gave a tie for German 

 Prune and Lombard, next Burbank, Abundance and Damson, Brad- 

 shaw and Green Gage. Wickson, the chairman's choice of all the 



