444 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



I must concede that in this instance the flavor has not been over-estimated. It 

 appears to be a good grower and bears well lor its age. If it proves to possess 

 other good qualities needed in a winter apple, I shall feel safe with this variety 

 for shipping to foreign markets, although not beautiful. Large apples are not 

 especially desirable, particularly for dessert purposes The Spitzenburg is 

 a variety much sought after. It is not plentiful, and owing to its being a 

 moderate bearer it is not largely planted in commercial orchards. I have 

 known it to be productive where the soil was highly cultivated. Cultivation 

 has much to do with increasing the productiveness of apple trees. I had an 

 instance on my farm in illustration of this fact. Some old. Indian apple trees 

 which had not borne for three years produced good crops on the soil around 

 them being broken up. The Greening is a valuable variety for culinary pur- 

 poses, but its bearing is against it. New apples have been produced and 

 puffed, but the leading varieties of eighty years ago are the standards of to- 

 day. While I am absent at ISIew York I will endeavor to see Mr. Downing 

 and learn something from him that will be useful to us in choosing our winter 

 apple. We want a long-keeping, good quality, red apple for the South. The 

 Eoxbury Eusset may be found a valuable apple here. It is a better keeper and 

 larger than the Golden Russet ; on old trees it sometimes grows as large as 

 the Greening. The Tallman Sweet is an old variety, which is productive and 

 considered a good-keeping apple with us ; but local reputation is not a safe rule 

 for us, for while sweet apples are in greatest demand in the country, sour ones 

 are most highly esteemed in cities. 



Mr. Montague. — AYhat is the reputation of Grimes' Golden Pippin as a 

 keeper ? 



Mr. Parmelee. — Downing says from January to March. 



Mr. Montague. — Yellow Belmont is a good cooking and eating apple, and a 

 good, annual bearer: although generally not a long keeper, if grown here 

 might keep well. 



Mr. Eeynolds. — I have some Belmonts now in perfection. Their flavor is 

 •delicious; put owing to their delicacy they cannot be carried to market. 



Mr. Grey. — The Belmont is excellent for cooking and eating. It is not a 

 long keeper. The core rot begins in it as soon as it ripens. 



Mr. Curtis. — We want an apple that will not fail us on any account. A year 

 ago I thought we had such an one in the Greening ; but last year I lost half 

 my Greening trees. If I were sure that the trees of this variety were suf- 

 ficiently hardy to withstand our climate under all circumstances, I would plant 

 all Greenings. In selecting our winter apple we must consider hardiness. Have 

 we a stock upon which we can rely for this quality ? The Golden Eusset has not 

 failed us thus far. If this variety will infallibly resist our winters, why not 

 use it generally as stock, and top-graft on to it any variety which we may 

 ultimately select as the best to grow ? 



WEEDS. 



Old Mission, Jan. 26, 1874. 



Club met pursuant to adjournment. President Savage in the chair. Min- 

 utes read and approved. A. P. Gray, Esq., then read the following essay on 

 " Weeds and the best methods of destroying them." 



