FORTIETH ANNUAL REPORT. 23 



Then, of course the application of fertilizers of different kinds must 

 be considered. I know of pear growers who are in it for commercial 

 purposes and would not allow stable manure to be placed in their or- 

 chards, preferrino- to use potash, etc. That are not strong in nitrogen 

 which would induce a strong sappy growth that would induce blight 

 conditions. 



Many are here who have had experience in pear growing and are rich 

 in knowledge as to the effects of various fertilizers as well as conversant 

 with all other phases of the subject, and I shall be more than pleased to 

 hear these ex]ieriences, believing that out of them we can gain valuable 

 information of great value to us all. 



In summing up the matter I would say that the one great thing is to 

 be able to keep the pest ravages under control. INIany have neglected 

 this and have lost their trees. Others by exercising care and diligence 

 on this point have made great success. I believe in pruning a pear tree 

 and heading it in; giving it cultivation and with the cultivation a lib- 

 eral use of fertilizers. Use your own judgment as to what your orchard 

 really needs to bring you the best results and remember that at all times 

 the thing we are after is the production of the very best finiits which 

 it is possible to raise. 



I will leave the subject with you, trusting that the discussion that 

 will follow will bring out the queries that are in the minds of the mem- 

 bers of this association. 



DISCUSSION. 



Q. Do vou consider it a paying proposition to work the Kieffer pear 

 on a Bartiett? 



Mr. Farrand — I have had no experience. Personally I have heard the 

 remark made that the Keifer was so much stronger in growth that the 

 union would not be a good one. 



A Member — I have grafted the Keifer pears to some Bartletts, and I 

 have never seen a finer looking tree than that is today. 



Mr. Bassett — We tried the same thing on a number of varieties and 

 our objection to it is, that it makes a bad union, fear when the trees 

 come into full bearing they will break at the union. It makes a big knob- 

 looking affair. We grafted the Kieffer to six or eight different varie- 

 ties. Prof. Eustace saw the trees and will bear me out. 



A Member — How long have they been grafted? 



Ans. — Six years. 



Q. Has there been any break down yet? 



A. They have shown a weakness. 



Q. Did they have any pears on? 



A. Yes, some. In grafting the Kieffer we should leave a part of the 

 old wood standing so as to take care of the extra sap. This is a caution 

 that an old grafter gave me. The large amount of sap that the Kieffer 

 carries, the scions will not take care of. The union seems, for some 

 reason, to allow a leakage of sap. 



Q. Why I ask this question is because that one-third of my Kiefifers 

 I grafted to the Bartletts and so far it looks as though it has been very 

 successful. The Bartiett scion made a wonderful growth, fully as much 

 as any part of the Kieffer tree itself. I have scions that made a growth 



