MISCELLANEOUS PAPERS. 369 



danger of freezing is past ; the best time is after the bloom has ap- 

 peared. 



Mr. Baird said : A quarter crop is better than a fall one, as there 

 is more net profit for the grower, so you should thin hard ; besides .you 

 obviate the danger of spoiling your trees. 



Prof. B. D. Halsted spoke on the forcing or prematnring of peaches. 

 This is a disease of the tree ; in some cases, a single limb will force or 

 ripen its fruit prematurely, while the rest of the tree will be in a normal 

 condition. The professor thinks this condition is largely caused by 

 the borer, as those which were forcing the most were affected by the 

 borer to a great degree. In some cases, fruit which should ripen in 

 October, was being picked in a ripened condition with the early 

 varieties. 



The unusually wet weather early in the season, followed with 

 extreme heat, is thought by many growers to be the cause of the forc- 

 ing the past summer, while in other cases the yellows of the peach trees 

 seems to have much to do with the prematuring of the fruit. For this 

 disease there seems to be no absolute cure yet discovered, so far as 

 we now know. To cut out and destroy all trees as soon as discovered, 

 destroying everything, root and branch, is the best remedy, by prevent- 

 ing its spread. 



Mr. Johnson said : There is more danger from peach pits taken 

 from trees affected with yellows being planted and these young trees, 

 being set in poor land, developing the disease, than in any other way. 

 Growers and nurserymen should be very careful where they get their 

 pits, from which they grow their young trees. 



How early should peach orchards be plowed in spring! 



Mr. Black — Just as early as the soil is in good condition. 



Some of the new fruits mentioned by members of the society were 

 the Triumph peach, Greensboro and Champion, the latter one of the 

 best of later introductions. Kansas raspberry, a black variety, the 

 Miller raspberry, a red variety, a very good shipper, in color and 

 solidity far ahead of the Cuthbert ; Early Queen blackberry ripens 

 earlier than Early Harvest, a very promising sort; Lovettand Tennessee 

 Prolific strawberries, both good varieties, also the Wm. Bell, a good 

 family berry, very sweet and of good quality and flavor. — New Jersey 

 Horticultural Society, from Country Gentleman. 



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