560 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



A grower asked for the best varieties of raspberry to grow. Mr. Mer- 

 rill said, if a black-cap for market, plant the Gregg; arid would also recom- 

 mend the Tyler and Ohio for early and prolific bearing. For the best red 

 varieties, the Cuthbert is at the head. B. Gebhart would plant, for the 

 best black-cap, the Tyler, Palmer, Johnston Sweet, and Nemaha; for the 

 red, for market, Marlboro, Cuthbert, and Shaffer, the latter being the best 

 of all for growth of cane, productiveness, and fine quality. 



The question of pear blight was somewhat discussed, and while all 

 growers regarded it as a very disastrous disease, it would still pay to plant 

 pears. H. Anthony said the blight was periodical, that in the great fruit 

 sections east it would come in certain years and wipe out their pear trees 

 and then disappear again for years. It still was a mystery. Some varie- 

 ties, such as Clapp's Favorite, Sheldon, and Flemish Beauty, are more 

 subject to the blight than are others. 



W. S. Gebhart, in speaking of varieties that are claimed to be blight- 

 proof, had had the Anjou and Kieffer on young trees blight to the ground. 



Question: Should young peach trees be headed in. and how much, and 

 when to do it properly? A. Adams said to head in early in the spring, 

 just before the leaves start; cut back new growth on one-year trees, leaving 

 it from four to six inches long, and continue to cut back heavy growths on 

 two and three-year-old trees each year; that by so doing it would make 

 the tree more stocky and uniform in shape. 



A question was asked as to the best tool or cultivator to use in a peach 

 orchard early in the spring. C. A. Hawley thought the best tool was the 

 gang-plow, followed by spring-tooth harrow and cultivator not later than 

 August 1 or 15. 



E. S. Palmiter asked what to do to drive off or destroy black ants on 

 cherry and plum trees, they being so numerous as to injure his trees. 



B. Gebhart thought it was not the ants that did the damage, but the 

 green and black aphis, and the juice of the leaves attracted the ants. 



B. Gebhart thinks quince culture to be profitable if the trees receive 

 good culture and are well fertilized. He would recommend Rea's Mam- 

 moth and Champion, although the latter is rather late. 



W. S. Gebhart fears no trouble in growing the Champion, as it ripens 

 nearly every season with him. H. Anthony thinks that a few quinces 

 will supply the market and would plant the Orange. C. F. Hale thinks 

 it would pay to grow the quince and would plant the Orange quince for 

 market. 



A paper on plum culture by Mr. Markham, giving his experience and 

 mode of successful plum culture, was very instructive to new beginners in 

 the business and was well received. He would plant the Lombard for 

 profit. 



The subject of propagating plum on peach roots had a spirited discus- 

 sion, many believing, and knowing it to be a fact, that certain varieties 

 cticl best on peach roots in our sandy soil. 



B. Gebhart said that from his experience only certain varieties would 

 do well on the peach. Such as Lombard. McLaughlin, etc., would not 

 unite in the wood. Bud or graft one and two-year-old peach seedlings. 



A paper by E. H. Hotchkiss, on the future fruit package, was well 

 written, stating that the best and most profitable package for growers to 

 use was a package of full measure such as the one-quarter bushel, one- 

 half bushel and bushel basket. 



Some large growers spoke favorably of a full or standard measure, to be 



