92 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



it would leave the fruit buds in an unripe condition, and they would be more 

 apt to winter kill. 



Mk. CuKTis — I think that were a vote taken of this Club, it would be unan- 

 imous that the first of August would be as late in the summer as it would be 

 safe to cultivate. 



[To this there was no objection.] 



The most successful fruit-grower in Orleans County, N. Y., was in the habit 

 of plowiug his orchard in the fall and dragging in the spring, then plow the 

 other way, and dnig down and cultivate. He would never allow the ground to 

 go more than five or six days without stirring. In plowing he would let his 

 plow run eight inches deep, and if it struck roots let it cut them oflF— he 

 w^ould never throw the plow out for a root ten feet from the tree. I done so 

 with my orchard in the south part of this State, and raised a good orchard. I 

 do not care how deep you plow, it will do no hurt. If I could not plow more 

 than two inches I would not plow at all, 



Mk. Avery — The majority of people do not plow more than six inches deep 

 and probably that is not too much. Mr. Snieecl, of N. Y., had an orchard that 

 had been for a long time in pasture, the trees looking very badl}'. lie plowed 

 deep and had an enormous yield, eight or nine barrels to a tree. 



Mr. Marshall — The only way is to plow. The ground needs turning over. 

 I have thought that I could get the ground in such order that cuUivating 

 would do, but have never been able to do so. The gang plow is a good tool to 

 work an orchard with. 



Mr. Curtis — In a dry time stirring the ground will kill weeds. In early 

 spring the ground is alive with weeds. If it is dry the harrow will kill them, 

 but if you have two or three weeks' rain they will get the start so that a culti- 

 vator will not destroy them. I want something that will draw as easy as a 

 cultivator, cover as much ground, and reverse the soil. We can do this with 

 a gang plow, but it is too heavy. 



THE IMPORTANCE OF WIND-BREAKS.— ADDRESS OF MR. H. W. CURTIS. 



Old Missioif, Feb. 19, 1873. 



Mr. Chairman, — I am so thoroughly convinced of the paramount import- 

 ance of shelter belts and wind breaks that I atk to be heard further. 



Winds ! Who has not felt their force and seen their power ? They lash the 

 waters into foam and strew the shores with wrecks. How our forests writhe in 

 their fury, and the nobhsts of their monarchs are prostrated! Stand where it 

 has an unbruken sweep, in a severe gale, the fall of snow, and the mercury at 

 or below zero. Yes, stand there and take it! Stand a minute, — stand an hour, 

 — stand and take it ten hours, — ten /lottrs ! — How do you feel ! It is easier to 

 tell how tnnch, than hoio. Just as much as Lot's wife felt after she became a 

 pillar of salt. I ask everybody to think of and reason on the fact that a low 

 temperature, accompanied with a high wind, is absolutely unendurable, and as 

 destructive to animal life as fir« or pestilence. 



On the other hand, a low temperature in still air is hardly noticeable. Eve- 

 rybody, almost, has experienced the entire harmlessness of still, cold weather, 



