124 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Tliursday Morning Session. 



Thursday morning's session was spent in discussing several topics which 

 had been provided for this session, and some from the question-box. 



In answer to the second question, " How shall we prune peach trees to 

 prevent the accumulation of so many dead limbs each year? " Wm. Corner 

 said he had made this question a study for several years; had tried several 

 experiments ; had found that most varieties of the peach need thinning. 

 This involved a large amount of labor and expense. A much better plan is 

 to thin the tops of peach trees by cutting out a part of the limbs, leaving 

 the tops open. The peaches would need much less thinning by hand and 

 the fruit would be improved by the influence of the sun. Peaches could be 

 grown in this manner at less expense, be more uniform in size and color, 

 with less strain upon the tree. Most peach growers allow their trees to carry 

 altogether too much foliage for the good of the tree and fruit. By follow- 

 ing the method he had named, that is, thinning mostly by pruning, and then 

 furnishing plenty of fertilizing material for the tree, as food from which it 

 could draw to produce the large annual crops which are almost sure to follow 

 this treatment, one may be quite certain of good fruit and good profits. 



Mr. Ramsdell said that he had learned by practice and observation that 

 growers who feed their trees liberally receive in return the largest crops of 

 peaches. Severe thinning, and plenty of fertilizer, produced the finest 

 peaches, and those orchards withstood the low temperature of our cold 

 winters and were more free from borers and disease. He believed in the 

 theory advanced by Mr. Corner of thinning the peach by proper pruning. 



The discussion was followed by the report of the treasurer for the year. 



The several committees appointed made reports, after which the customary 

 resolutions were passed. 



An invitation was received from the Saugatuck and Ganges Pomological 

 society to hold the June meeting at Douglas. The invitation was accepted 

 and the time set for the meeting the second Tuesday in June next. 



