FRUIT GROWERS' SOCIETY OF "WESTERN NEW YORK. 



Mr. Flower, of Syracuse, stated that a gentleman near Syracuse had sold $800 

 worth of Grapes from half an acre. 



Mr. Hodge was acquainted with Mr. McKay's Grapes. They are ripe Grapes 

 — a beautiful black. Not one-quarter of the people of Buffalo ever saw a ripe 

 Isabella Grape. 



Mr. Ainsworth, of Bloomfield, was acquainted with Mr. McKay's Grapes. He 

 has a favorable situation. He prunes very thoroughly both in the winter and in 

 the summer, and thus the shade is lessened, and the fruit exposed to the light and 

 air. Got a fair crop the third year after planting. At present prices, the culti- 

 vator can depend upon from $500 to $800 per acre profit. 



Mr. Barry thought that this discussion must have convinced all that the Isabella 

 Grape will ripen here every season ; and that the raising of hardy Grapes is not 

 only profitable, but exceedingly so. 



Some remarks were made by Messrs. Johnson and Ainsworth in regard to their 

 method of pruning the Grape. 



Grafting old Apple-Trees. — Mr. Hodge said, if trees were healthy and 

 vigorous, it would be wise to graft ; if old and sickly, it would be much better to 

 cut them down, and plant out young trees. Some years since, a gentleman in his 

 neighborhood wished him to send men to graft an old orchard on his place. Mr, 

 H. advised him to cut down his old trees and plant a young orchard. He found 

 some itinerant grafters that did the work. In three years, he was so sick of the 

 operation that he cut the whole down, and planted young trees. If the ground 

 is well prepared by thorough, deep ploughing and manuring, and the trees well 

 cultivated, young trees will bear so early as to astonish those who plant. In 1848, 

 he furnished a gentleman with one hundred apple-trees. From these trees, in the 

 fall of 1854, were picked one hundred and twenty barrels of apples. They were 

 mostly Baldwins and Greenings. Two Baldwin trees bore three barrels each. 



Mr. Barber, of Ontario Co., had considerable experience in grafting old or- 

 chards. He did not graft in the tops of trees, but cut off large limbs six or 

 ten inches in diameter, or more. Then put in good, strong scions, of some quick 

 growing varieties, all around the limb, as thick as they can set, about an inch 

 apart. This must be done before the sap starts. Tliese scions grow and form a 

 lip all around the limb of the tree, and the more feeble of these scions can be cut 

 away. Trees treated in this way, had produced three barrels the third year. Had 

 grafted Apple-trees in this manner that had been broken off, leaving nothing but 

 a stump, and Pear-trees that had lost the entire head by blight, and never failed 

 to get a good top. If the grafting was done early, a lot of shoots would soon 

 appear, and furnish leaves enough to elaborate the sap. 



Mr. Hooker had pursued a similar method with Pear-trees destroyed with 

 blight, and with success. Also, with Apple-trees in a few cases. The wood of 

 the large limb became discolored, and showed signs of decay. 



Benjamin Fish thought there was no general rule for grafting old trees. If a 

 tree had been well ]iruned and well cared for, it could be grafted with success ; 

 but as farmers generally treat their trees, pruning them with an axe, they become 

 diseased, and when a large limb of such a tree is grafted, the wood decays, and 

 the tree becomes hollow and worthless. 



T. C. Maxwell said there were a number of old Apitle-trees near Geneva, planted 

 in the olden time by the Indians. These trees were cut down by Gen. Sullivan. 

 They show signs of this, as many of them have two trunks. These trees were 

 grafted fifteen years since, and are now profitable trees. 



Mr. Barry thought Mr. Barber showed some knowledge of vegetable physiol 

 remarks. He was opposed, however, to grafting old trees, when in a 



