No. 7. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, 489 



farms arises from negligence. We cannot expect to get paying 

 crops of choice fruit without intelligent and persistent work in the 

 way of tillage, pruning, fertilizing and spraying. The San Jos(5 

 Scale is a serious enemy to our orchards and this pest must be fought, 

 but spraying alone will not procure good fruit. Two-thirds of the 

 correspondents indicate that apple trees in their respective counties 

 are dying rapidly and it is doubtful whether the San Jos^ Scale is 

 so much responsible for this loss as some other factors, particularly 

 the lack of proper fertilizing and the failure to cultivate or mulch. 



The consensus of opinion regarding the five most profitable winter 

 varieties is as follows: — Baldwin, York Imperial, Northern Spy, 

 Rhoad Island Greening and Ben Davis. Staymans' Winesap, which 

 is receiving so much attention at the present, is reported as one of 

 the five best varieties by correspondents in Berks, Lancaster, Chester, 

 York and Franklin counties. Reports show that commercial plant- 

 ing is largely on the increase in Pennsylvania. 



PEARS. 



The 1006 pear crop was fairly encouraging. Only a very small per- 

 centage of the correspondents report a full crop and 25 per cent, re- 

 port a fair crop. The crop was light in most counties although the 

 quality was above the average. Commercial planting is very 

 evidently on the decrease in most counties. To every grower re- 

 porting an increase in pear planting, four repoi't a decrease. Blight 

 is by far the most serious enemy to the pear and the reports show this 

 in the most emphatic way. The discouraging phase of this subject 

 is that science is giving us practically no new light relating to the 

 combat of the disease. It is the great barrier to pear culture and 

 few large plantations will be made until more is known regarding its 

 control. As to varieties, Bartlett and Kieffer are the leading com- 

 mercial varieties grown in the State. Seckel, Clapp's Favorite and 

 Duchess receive favorable mention quite frequently. 



PEACHES. 



The peach crop was very light in most of the counties. Absolute 

 failure is reported from many of the colder counties of the State, 

 while a medium crop was harvested in the more favorable central 

 counties. Lehigh and some of the south-eastern counties produced 

 large and satisfactory crops, especially in Franklin, Montgomery, 

 Lancaster and Chester counties. Weather conditions were not 

 favorable in most of the counties. In a number of counties winter 

 freezing destroyed the fruiting buds and late Spring frosts added to 

 the work of destruction. The San Jos^ Scale, '\yellows" and borers 

 are universally recognized as the most serious enemies. Peach cul- 

 ture is regarded as decidedh' profitable in the State where prevailing 

 natural conditions are favorable. 



PLUMS. 



The 1906 plum crop in Pennsylvania was far from being a success. 

 Only four counties report a large crop, namely, Y^ork, Lancaster, 

 Montgomery and Lehigh. In every other instance either a light 

 crop is rei^orted or a total failure. Unfavorable weather conditions 

 as severe winter freezes, late Spring frosts and wet weather de- 



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