REPORTS OF LOCAL SOCIETIES. 209 



without it. As pomology is the oldest is it not one of the most important and 

 pleasant occupations of life? 



There is no country, no occupation, no society hut has its ohjections, the 

 most serious to tliis is the yellows and its prevalence is in districts wliere there 

 are a lar^^e number of trees in close proximity. 



"Wo judge of the future by the past ; and by that, twelve years is tlie least num- 

 ber that the yellows has made general destruction to the peach. That l)eing the 

 case and yellows having already but just made a beginning liere, we have 

 ample time to plant trees and raise peaches profitably ; and is it not possible 

 that something can be done to retard or even permanently cure that dreaded 

 scourge to the peach tree? One thing is certain, if it is a fungus of which the 

 mushroom and toadstool are species, also the mould which sometimes shows its 

 appearance oi] stale bread, and also shows itself so destructive to the grape 

 vine leaves and fruit, it can be dispelled with sulphur as all green-house men 

 will testify either by fumigation or mixing with water and using with a syringe 

 made for that purpose. It might be expensive to use on peach trees, but is as 

 sure to dispel it as the sun's rays are to dispel the dew upon the grass. 



So far as finance is concerned the more of the yellows the higher the price 

 of good peaches. 



Moore, and also Purdy, state that some of their peaches sold as high as 5 and 

 7 cents each last season, and if they can get that price why cannot all of us 

 if we take the same care, and if it pays to do a thing at all, does it not pay to 

 do it well? 



Our orchards may all be swept off by the yellows at no very distant day, Ijut 

 one thing seems to be a settled fact, that poor exhausted soils and lack of cul- 

 tivation stunts a sickly tree; such trees are more liable to be swept off by the 

 yellows. It was so in New Jersey and St. Joe, and to all appearance is so here, 

 although the richer and well cultivated orchards are liable to go the same way 

 eventuallv. I look at it in the same lisfht as I do the cultivation of trees ; that 

 is, that more trees are hurt from neglect than from over cultivation. I rather 

 take my chances on good cultivation, strong healthy growth, than poorly cul- 

 tivated, stunted trees. They will live longer, bear better fruit and are less lia- 

 ble to disease ; although well cultivated strong healthy trees have been killed 

 by yellows as well as sickly ones, there may be some exceptions to this rule as 

 well as to most other rules. 



Plant your trees, plant good trees, give them good cultivation, good care, 

 and you will get good fruit ; and look the peach belt over and talk with the 

 peach growers and shippers about orchards, and the most remunerative are 

 those that get the care and cultivation. 



WHAT VARIETIES OF FRUIT SHALL WE CULTIVATE? 



Was answered as follows by J. F. Taylor : 



This subject seems quite ill-timed, just now, in view of the catalogue of fruit 

 recently published by the Michigan State Pomological Society. That cata- 

 logue combines the wisdom and experience of all the old fruit-growers in the 

 State, and we can not hope to improve upon it at the present time. 



But as it becomes necessary for every one to modify his list of fraits for cul- 

 tivation by the locality in which he lives, we may venture to say a few words. 



SoilSj climate and markets are of the first importance in the cultivation of 

 fruits. They also have great influence on varieties. A variety that is good and 



