SUMMER MEETING AT LOUISIANA. 6'S 



EEPOET OF C0M:\IITTEE ON XEW FEUITS. 



■BY F. LIONBERGER OF NEW FLORENCE. 



To the President and Members of the State Horticultural Society : 



Ladies and Gentle3IEN : The testing of new frnits and the man- 

 agement of experimental grounds is getting to be a matter of great 

 importance. It is a well known fact that the science of modern horti- 

 culture is progressing very fast in most of the countries of the old 

 world. Is ations that have been in the habit of importing a portion of our 

 surplus fruit, as well as from other countries, are leaving no stone un- 

 turned to further their horticultural interest, as to not only supply 

 their own wants, but to export to other countries fruits of various kinds. 

 It is therefore a very important matter for us not to stand still, 

 but to push onwards, to improve our fruits, and to introduce such 

 new ones that have proved worthy, hut no others, and these only through 

 a proper channel, so that we will be able to compete with fruits from 

 other countries in foreign markets. Unless such is done to as great an 

 extent as possible, we will in a few years not be prepared to keep up 

 our good name for choice fruit, which the fruit growers of this State 

 have earned during the last few jears. 



I have of late been corresponding with fruit growers of southern 

 Europe, and find that they are a great deal better organized than we 

 are, to test their new fruits and new methods and to get their fruits in 

 shape ready for the export trade. 



For instance at Zurich an experimental station has recently been 

 established and is now worked according to the following plan: Each 

 Kanton or State sends from one to two delegates which are the best 

 experts to be found, I may here mention that my information was re- 

 ceived from one of these experts, a delegate from the Kanton Bern. 



Last March these men thirty or so in number spent three 

 weeks and one-half at the station, where experiments of all kinds were 

 made and theory was combined with practice. One full week was 

 spent with dwarf trees, such as pyramids, espaliers, etc., etc. Next 

 August they will again meet for one week, when their attention will 

 be given to budding and the summer management of trees. In the fall 

 they will meet for three weeks, when each delegate will not only be 



