TWENTY FIFTH ANNUAL MEETING. 165 



greater will be its liability to injury from severe storms, and generally 

 in such countries it will be found that the greatest extremes of heat and 

 cold occur. 



' The success which has been accomplished by peach-growers in favored 

 localities in Michigan, during the past few years, has created wonderful 

 enthusiasm in the peach industry throughout the state. Thousands of 

 trees have been set in almost every locality. That serious mistakes have 

 been made, both in regard to location of orchards and varieties planted, 

 is also true. Long experience has proved that high elevations of land 

 are the most suitable for peach orchards. As to varieties, Barnard, 

 Early Michigan, Crosby, Elberta, Snow's Orange, Kalamazoo, Gold Drop, 

 and Smock are highly recommended as being hardy and productive. 



The question of keeping up the proper fertility of the soil should 

 receive due attention from the fruitgrower. It is a well-known fact that 

 unleached ashes is the most perfect fertilizer for fruit within the reach 

 of the general fruitgrower. Too much importance can not be placed 

 upon this fact. Peach trees require thorough cultivation from May to 

 August. 



For preventing and exterminating peach-tree borers, remove the sur- 

 face dirt from the roots of the trees and wash with strong soap suds, 

 with the addition of a little carbolic acid. This should be done early in 

 May and also in September. 



The conditions necessary to success in grape-growing, briefly stated, in 

 my estimation, would be to place the vineyard upon a high elevation 

 ^for the purpose of securing air drainage and to prevent injury from 

 early frost. It seems to me that there is nothing of so much importance 

 to the grape-grower as good location. My experience with drouth for 

 the past two seasons has convinced me that a rather heavy loam with a 

 clay subsoil is the most suitable for vineyards. I visited several vine- 

 yards during the past season, that were situated upon sandy soils, where 

 the grapes were nearly worthless on account of drouth. If you have a 

 soil and location suitable to produce the best results, set your vines 

 twelve feet by sixteen. I set my posts for trellis wires sixteen feet 

 apart, in rows running north and south. This direction gives the sun a 

 better chance to strike both sides of the rows. I use posts about eight 

 feet in length, painting the ends that go into the ground with boiling 

 coal tar before setting. I find this to be very beneficial in saving the 

 posts from decay. I use No. 11 galvanized wire for trellising, placing the 

 first wire about four and one half feet from the ground and the top wire 

 about six feet. I usually allow one branch of the vine to run upon the 

 wire eight feet each way. The advantages over other systems of trellis- 

 ing are, more sunlight and better circulation of air, which are very essen- 

 tial to production of perfect fruit. After the length of the vine is estab- 

 lished. I usually prune in November, leaving two strong buds upon each 

 branch of the present year's growth for the bearing wood for the next 

 season. About the first of June, or when the vines have made a growth of 

 about three inches, I go through the vineyard and break oft' all weak 

 sprouts, leaving only the strongest ones which contain the largest clus- 

 ters. I believe this to be very essential to prevent overbearing and to 

 secure perfect clusters. Having the experience of the past two seasons 

 before us. I would advise the planting of fruit trees and vines as soon in 



