98 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



what the cures? (4.) Are other varieties than the bhick cap liable to the 

 disease, i. c, are the Philadelphia, Gregg, etc., subject to its attacks? 



Mr. Bitely tells me that he has observed plantations of blackberries which 

 were so affected with rust as to be clearly noticeable at a distance, but which 

 recovered and seemed to have suffered little or no injury. I have seen wild 

 blackberries, particularly the running kinds, having their leaves covered with 

 rust, but this does not seem destructive, while that to which raspberries are 

 liable is. Here is a chance for the practical exercise of the habit of observa- 

 tion suggested under the eighth head of your schedule of topics. Speaking of 

 this topic, the experience wliich one gathers by his own observations is of the 

 greatest value in fruit growing — without this habit of constantly watching the 

 results of his own labors and those of his neighbors, of noting carefully the 

 conditions of his surrounding and locality — some constant and some ever 

 varying — of soil, temperature, duration and markets, of the kinds and varie- 

 ties of fruits adapted to those conditions, of the facts pertaining to propaga- 

 tion, cultivation and marketing of fruits, of love to meet and overcome the 

 innumerable insect enemies and diseases to whose attacks, whatever fruits he 

 may undertake to cultivate, will be found liable — without constantly and per- 

 severingly observing and noting every fact applying to his occupation, disap- 

 pointment and failure are almost certain to crush whatever cheering hopes and 

 bright anticipations he may have formerly entertained. 



PRUNING AND GRAFTING. 



How to deal with and prevent the destructive tendencies of the cut worm, 

 thrip, borer, codling moth, curculio, blight, rust and yellows, are questions 

 which press upon his attention constantly, and upon which there must be no 

 relaxinsj of observation and of effort. I have learned a few thinsfs about 

 pruning and grafting — which my observation and experience have taught me — 

 which will be of value to me in future, and which possibly miglit be of use to 

 others. 



I commenced setting grafts in thrifty, vigorous apple trees in March, and 

 continued to graft, at intervals, until the last of May, setting mostly Baldwin 

 cions. Those set about April 15th started the last and are growing the most 

 vigorously. I cut my cions in February and put them away in the cellar, set- 

 ting the butt-ends in a box of moist earth. However, in much of the grafting 

 which 1 had performed, before the buds had started any appreciable amount, I 

 cut the cions directly from the tree, and the result is entirely satisfactory; 

 except in some cases where I obtained tlie cions from grafts set the previous 

 year (1878), they had made a vigorous growth, and the wood seemed to be well 

 hardened and suitable ; but cions which I have set, taken from these grafts, 

 have nearly all failed to start, and most of them are already withered up ; the 

 others, with scarcely an exception — without reference to time of setting — are 

 growing, or promise to grow. So that I conclude that it is not safe to set cions 

 cut from the previous year's grafts. 



I raised some cions and grape cuttings from N. Y., which reached me late 

 in the season in a dried-up condition, having been done up in packages without 

 moisture. I buried them in wet sand, and a few days restored their plump- 

 ness and put them in the most satisfactory condition for setting. I tried a wax 

 which I made from a recipe sent to me by Prof. Tracy, and which is found in 

 the Pomological Ke})ort of 1877. The recipe, as printed, contains an impor- 

 tant error in regard to tiie amount of tallow to be used, the right amount being 



