No. 6. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 553 



MR. HIESTER. — We have with us Mr. Swartwood from Wyoming 

 county, where they have recently organized a county society. We 

 would like to hear from him. 



MR. SWARTWOOD. — Our society is less than a year old and we 

 have had but one meeting which was held in November last. I am 

 not prepared to say much about our organization, but since our meet- 

 ing renewed interest is manifested in fruit growing, and more spray- 

 ers have been ordered since Prof. Surface and his assistants have 

 given demonstrations in spraying. 



DR. KOONS. — If in order, I move that the Chair appoint a com- 

 mittee of two or three in each county to endeavor to organize local 

 societies, and have them report at next annual meeting. 



PROF. SURFACE.— If that motion is carried I will do what I can 

 to carry out the plan as far as possible. I hope the President will 

 appoint a committee of three in each county to organize a county so- 

 ciety. 



MR. HIESTER. — We have with us a gentleman from Clinton coun- 

 ty from whom we will be fjleased to hear. 



MR. BAIRD. — I am not prepared to make much of a report. 

 Conditions in our county one not very favorable owning to the pres 

 ence of San Jose" Scale. There are some small peach orchards in the 

 county that are in tine condition, but not many have been planted 

 during the last five years. There is one district there where there 

 are about 10,000 peach trees, but outside of that there are only a few 

 hundred in about a dozen orchards. 



MR. BOYER. — In Snyder county the improved varieties of apples 

 have not yet been very extensively planted. Although we grow York 

 Imperial I have have never seen any so fine and so highly colored as 

 those from Adams county. We grow about 25 per cent. York Im- 

 perial, 25 per cent. Baldwin, balance Spy, Winesap, Ben Davis and 

 a few Smokehouse. Of peaches we grow more Salway than any 

 other. Beer's Smock is a good bearer, but I have lost more money 

 on this variety than any other. 



MR. E. C. TYSON. — Is there any locality in Pennsylvania where 

 pears are grown commercially? 



DR. MAYER. — A great many are grown near Atglen, Chester 

 county. They are almost exclusively Kieffer. I was informed that 

 twenty-two carloads were shipped from there last season and nearly 

 as many the previous year. 



MR. McKAY. — If a man has a good orchard of Kieffer pear, and 

 transportation is not too high, he will likely realize a good profit by 

 putting them in cold storage. If not allowed to get too ripe they 

 will keep well. The past season was an exceptional one for Kieffer 

 pears. One man stored 2,500 baskets and sold them at $1.10 per 

 bushel basket. Bartlett's brought from $6.00 to .|9.00 per barrel. 



MR. McSPARRAN.— What says Mr. McKay about York Imperial 

 apples? 

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