DISCUSSIONS AT SOUTH HAVEN. 377 



Mr. A. J. Pierce liad little experience, but in theory judged that to facilitate 

 cultivation and the fighting of insects, it was very desirable to have the tops 

 up out of the way, live or six feet from the ground. The fruit will bring 

 the tops down. 



Mr. Windoes told of an orchard he had seen which was started with forked 

 limbs and spreading heads. The fruit bore down the limbs so that the owner 

 grafted suckers across from one limb to another. These grew to be quite large 

 and supported the forks. 



Mr, Hurlbut had seed trees fixed so. 



Mr. A. J. Pierce, also. 



Mr. Bailey had trees supported so, only by twigs tied across w^hen small. 



Mr. J. Bridges, of Arlington, said he received a lot of trees from Eochester 

 Tvhich were headed back to within a foot of the roots, and so several upright 

 branches started from the stump. These were left to grow out to form the top 

 of the tree. When they came to full bearing they bent outwards, and so low 

 that it was impossible to cultivate them well, and the fruit on the low limbs 

 was so shaded that it was almost worthless. He had an orchard of six hundred 

 trees set two years ago last spring, twenty feet apart, with tops four feet high, 

 bodies from three to five inches in diameter. These he thought about right. 

 It was difficult to get apple trees up high enough. The tops should be started 

 six feet, or at least five feet high. 



The Secretary has noticed that trees with rather low heads are the most stocky 

 and vigorous and free from borers in the body. Trees six or seven feet to the top 

 often get carried over by the wind so that the southwest side of the long trunk 

 is exposed to the vertical rays of the sun, to extremes of heat or cold, and 

 sufier. Then he decidedly likes the looks of an orchard of rather low stock 

 trees, or those of medium height. He would have tops of peach, pear, plum, 

 and cherry started from two and a half to three feet from ground, and apples 

 from three to four feet, according to the upright or spreading habit of the tree. 

 Then starting the main branches almost perpendicular and allowing no side 

 limbs to grow to much size, lower than five or six feet, and headed back if 

 necessary to make them stocky, pruning constantly from under side. 



Mr. Bailey incidentally gives a receipt for killing bark lice, which he had 

 found always effectual. Equal parts of soft soap and lime with lye enough to 

 make it pliable, applied all over the trees to the tips of the branches. 



Mr. Windoes gave one which he used with success. A gallon of soft soap to 

 a pail of water. Wash the trees thoroughly twice during the summer. Began 

 when the trees were young, and at ten years old the trees had no lice nor rough 

 bark. 



Mr. Hurlbut had cleansed trees of lice which were well established, by ap- 

 plying equal parts of soap and ash water with a little lime. 



South Haven, Dec. 15, 1873. 



The President being absent, Vice President Wigglesworth occupied the 

 chai r. 



The question for consideration was, "How to preserve fruit fresh in its 

 natural state." 



Mr. Bidwell's method is to pick the fruit, as soon as it is developed, carefully, 

 -without bruising, and place in baskets or on shelves in a cool place. If kept 



48 



