No. 6. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 543 



Snyder blackberry is the leader for commercial purposes. Kitta 

 tinny, Erie, Eldorado, Early Harvest and Briton are named as pro- 

 fitable varieties. The cultivation of small fruits is on the decrease 

 instead of an increase, if reports indicate the present state of this 

 industry. This is a lamentable fact when we consider the excellent 

 markets of our State. Western Pennsylvania is particularly blessed 

 with fine markets for all kinds of small fruits, but the markets are 

 mostly supplied with berries shipped from other states. 



VEGETABLES. 



There are numerous enemies to the production of various classes of 

 vegetables, yet most of these pests may be controlled by spraying or 

 by other means. The market gardeners of the State have no serious 

 menace to contend with, such as the San Jose' Scale is to the fruit 

 industry. A long list of vegetables are designated as profitable 

 whenever market conditions are favorable. The potato is the most 

 generally grown and is universally regarded as a profitable crop, 

 yet many of our markets are mostly'supplied by other states. This 

 is a serious mistake of Pennsylvania farmers. Thousands of acres 

 of land in the State are well adapted to potato culture and there is 

 no good reason why we should not produce a much larger quantity 

 of this standard vegetable. Immense quantities of early and late 

 cabbages are shipped into the State, notwithstanding the fact that 

 this vegetable is easily grown in every county and does not require 

 the special physical conditions of soil that many other vegetables 

 do. The markets in the western part of the State consume thou- 

 sands of tons of cabbage, practically all shipped from other states, 

 and which could readily be produced in this section of the State. 

 There are many splendid opportunities to grow early tomatoes for 

 home markets as well as many other kinds of vegetables as onions, 

 celery, sweet corn, beets, lettuce, etc. There is need of a great 

 awakening of the farmers of the State as to their opportunities for 

 growing and marketing all kinds of garden crops. 



SPRAYING. 



Three-fourths of the correspondents report that spraying is on 

 the increase and that when the work is performed in a thorough and 

 intelligent manner the results are nearly always satisfactory. This 

 is one of the strongest evidences of horticultural progress in our 

 State. Spraying is now regarded as an essential operation in or 

 charding, just as important as pruning, fertilizing and cultivating. 



THE SAN JOSE SCALE. 



The San Jose" Scale is the most popular insect in Pennsylvania. It 

 is a favorite subject for discussion in the agricultural papers, at 

 farmers institutes and at horticultural meetings. Nearly all cor- 

 respondents report its presence in their respective counties and its 

 ravages are universally feared. Great losses have already been sus- 

 tained and a number of growers believe that its destructive work 

 will be much more noticeable during the next two or three years. 

 Thousands of trees have been killed and many more thousands are 

 so badly infested that it is simply a question of time until the trees 

 must succumb unless effectually sprayed before the advent of warm 



