346 State Horticultural Society. 



in other parts less might do), and keeping shotes in orchard, will prevent 

 TOt, or greatly check it, as well as curctilio. Hogs have had the run 

 of our main orchards now about 12 years, and the result is that rot and 

 curculio have almost entirely disappeared. Some men loading a wagon 

 with peaches this summer wanted to know if "them hogs didn't harm the 

 trees." I pointed to the peaches in the wagon, saying: "If you can 

 find a single wormy peach in this wagon I will make you a present of all 

 you can haul ofif." They did not find the wormy peach. That was a 

 variety (Sylphide) that used to be over half wormy years ago. Some of 

 those shotes, 10 months old, are bringing me now over $16 a piece, the 

 butcher coming after them. 



We are all in the business for the money there is in it ; now what 

 difference does it make whether the dollar comes through the peaches the 

 bogs eat, or through those that are shipped? I believe in shipping only 

 the best, and let all the hogfeed stay at home where it ought to be. Thus 

 we not only built up a good reputation, but have also usually remunera- 

 tive prices for our goods. To furnish plenty of cheap hogfeed when there 

 are no peaches, the orchards are sown to Rescue grass, a native annual 

 of our State. The seed lies dormant in soil from May till the first rains 

 in October, when it comes up like a spear of wheat. . It grows rapidly, 

 and usually covers the ground before Christmas. All stock is very fond 

 of it, and as the seeds are ripening during the month of April, they are 

 nearly as nourishing as oats. I have no seeds to sell'. By middle of 

 May we generally give orchards a good plowing, turning under that 

 Rescue sod, which, as it disintegrates, keeps the soil loose and mellow 

 the biggest part of the season, a few harrowings with the Acme being all 

 the cultivation required after the plowing. As well as furnishing hogfeed 

 this cover crop of grass also prevents the washing of our land, not a small 

 matter with us, where sometimes as much as six inches of rain falls dur- 

 insr one nieht. I have known four inches to come down inside a half 

 hour ; then good-bye land that is kept too clean. The Rescue grass grows 

 from one to two feet high ; is the hardiest plant in the way of grass we 

 have. No amount of drought or cold will kill it, nor can it be pastured 

 too close to prevent it from going to seed. It is a boon to Texas indeed. — 

 Rural New Yorker. 



JAPAN PLUMS. 



Japan plums all have a tendency to form broad, spreading trees. 

 This can be obviated by pruning soon after the bearing season is over. 

 Wide spreading limbs frequently break under heavy crops. Plums are 



