No. 7. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 519 



Japans, received only three votes. If making a list from our own 

 experience, we would say: Red June, Climax, Wicksou, Satsuma, 

 Green Gage and Shropshire Damson. 



Thirty persons report profitable growing of plums and twenty- 

 three say "not profitable." 



CHERRIES. 



Reports show the cherry crop to have been a fairly good one, 

 although some varieties and some localities failed entirely. 



Brown rot, which is easily controlled by spraying, and birds are 

 given as the most serious enemies, also black knot, rose bugs, cur- 

 culio and black aphis. Leaf blight, which is serious in many places 

 is easily controlled by spraying. 



Early Richmond is named oftenest as the best variety for home 

 use. Montgomery comes next, then Governor Wood, Black Tar- 

 tarian, Napoleon and English Morello. Windson had only four 

 votes and Ida three. 



GRAPES. 



Grapes are reported as growing successfully in nearly all sec- 

 tions of the State, though commercial growing is practiced in only 

 a few places. 



Black rot is the great enemy to grape growing but can be very 

 largely controlled by Bordeaux spraying. In some places the rose 

 chafer does serious injury but those who spray frequently with 

 Bordeaux and arsenate of lead will have very little trouble in this 

 respect. Injury by grape curculio is very largely prevented in the 

 same way. 



SMALL. FRUITS. 



In answer to the question, "What varieties of strawberries are 

 best?" we were almost overwhelmed with names and are more than 

 ever convinced that there is no best variety for all places and con- 

 ditions. Bubach received most frequent mention, followed in order 

 by William Belt, Haverland, Sample, Glen Mary, Brandy wine, 

 Gandy, Senator Dunlap, Sharpless and Aroma, and a host of others 

 mentioned only once or twice. 



Of the raspberries, Cuthbert, red, and Gregg, black, received 

 the same number of votes, followed closely by Kansas and Cum- 

 berland, both good black varieties. 



As usual Snyder leads the blackberries in popularity; next in 

 order come Eldorado, Kittatiny, Erie and Ancient Briton. 



Very few persons report success in grovving dew-berries, the win- 

 ters being most too severe for them. Where they grow well, the 

 Lucretia dewberry is an excellent fruit, and to our taste excels any 

 of the blackberries. 



POTATOES. 



A large majority of the correspondents agree that there is no 

 better crop for planting in the young orchard than potatoes, their 

 fertilizer and culture requirements being well suited to the needs 

 of the trees. A few persons prefer general gardening with peas, 

 beans, tomatoes, sweet corn, cabbage and melons. Two suggest 

 strawberries and one friend from Lancaster says tobacco. 



