PROCEEDINGS OF THE SUMMER MEETING. 27 



Several yarieties of so-called Kussian apricot have been on trial since 

 1888, with few blossoms and no fruit so far. The trees are obviously 

 short-lived, and they apparently lack hardiness. They are being replaced, 

 as they fail, with something more promising. 



There are now upon the grounds, of apples 300 varieties; blackberries, 

 32 varieties; cherries, 4'4; currants, 23; gooseberries, 21; grapes, 147; mul- 

 berries, 5; nuts, 25; peaches, 212; pears, 90; plums. 111; quinces, 11; rasp- 

 berries, 72; service berries, 3; strawberries, about 200. A large number, 

 especially of apples and pears, are not yet in bearing. 



The past two seasons have afforded an. unlooked-for lesson upon meth- 

 ods of protection against drouth. A plantation of sixty cherry trees, dur- 

 ing the year 1893 and previously, had made luxuriant growth; and, many 

 of them being sweet or Mazzard varieties, the ground was seeded with 

 lawn grasses, early in the spring of 1894, to check the excess of growth, 

 and thus avoid bark-burst and other kindred difficulties. Followed, as 

 this has been, by two successive seasons of severe drouth, although the 

 trees have been thoroughly mulched and the grass closely mowed, the 

 trees are, many of them, in a very satisfactory condition. 



On the other hand, similar cherry trees, in soil of the same general char- 

 acter, which has been thoroughly cultivated during the same period, are 

 abundantly vigorous and healthy, without mulch or other preparation 

 save that of a coat of mellow earth above their roots. In fact, with fre- 

 quent cultivation, the growths of both last season and the present one, so 

 far, have been highly satisfactory, while upon bearing trees the fruit of 

 last year was unusually large and highly colored. Thus far, this year, 

 under similar treatment, the promise is excellent for similar results. 

 Exception must, however, be made in the case of strawberries, which are 

 given clean, shallow culture till near ripening, when just enough mulch is 

 applied to keep the berries clean. This so far prevents cultivation that, 

 with the tramping of the feet of visitors and pickers, the soil becomes 

 compacted, and in a good degree loses its ability to conserve moisture. 

 From this cause, combined with severe drouth and excessive heat, the 

 strawberry yield of this season has probably been diminished fully fifty 

 per cent. 



Beyond the filling of vacancies where plants or trees have failed, there 

 is now little space unfilled, so that in the future the process of adding 

 novelties must mainly be by removal and replacement or by the regraf ting 

 of those sufficiently tested. 



It has not been the policy, so far, to pursue a stimulating system, by 

 high manuring; but instead to endeavor, under thorough culture, to 

 secure results within reach of careful, thorough cultivators generally, and 

 for that reason, a safer guide for the action of others. 



