FRUIT (IROWERS' SOCIETY OF ^VESTERN NEW YORK. 



into squares of ten feet, which I think is tlie proper distance for a dwarf and 



stundiinl pear orchard. The dwarf trees on this plot are nnw Gve years from the 

 1)11(1. The land occn])ied in' these trees is about one acre. The product this year 

 (eleven barrels Bartlett) sold for $10 per barrel, and by estimate, the balance of 

 the crop will be thirty barrels, which is sold at the same i)rice. Those same trees, 

 in 1855, yielded oi<!:hteen barrels; in 185fi, but a small crop The varidies are 

 Bartlett, White Doyenne, Ijc Cure, Louise Bonne de Jersey, and Duchesse d'Anj^ou- 

 leme, with a number of varieties jjlanted as specimen trees. Mr. T. had not the 

 least doubt but the culture of pears upon quince could be made profitalde. lint 

 the planter of dwarf trees could not expect a return without at least giving his 

 trees as good tillage as he docs his ])otato field ; and the course taken by most 

 l)lanters has been quite the contrary, which has in a great measure been the cause 

 of the prejudice against the planting of the pear on quince. There is not the 

 lenst question but that the jtlauting of trees and their cultivation can be pro- 

 fitably made to replace the loss of the wheat crop ; nor is there any cause to fear 

 over production, so long as the western portion of our land is open to us as a 

 market. 



It was generally conceded that the cause of failure in dwarf pear culture, was 

 owing to a bad selection of sorts, and to the almost universal neglect of culti- 

 vation, planters generally not giving their trees anything like the attention they 

 do their common farm crops. 



The proper depth for iilanting dwarfs was discussed, and it was the general 

 opinion that it was best to have the point of union about even with the surface of 

 the ground. If much deeper, the pear would throw out roots, which experience 

 had always shown made bad trees ; the roots being few and one sided, the trees 

 grow obliquely. Bending the newly formed roots around the tree, partially ob- 

 viates this dilliculty. If the quince is above ground, the borer is apt to attack it. 



Best Form for the Standard Pear. — The general opinion was, there should not 

 be a tall, naked stem, liable to injury by exposure to the sun's rays. Some mem- 

 bers preferred a short trunk, some two feet high ; others would allow the branches 

 down to the ground. The objection that low branches prevented cultivation, was 

 shown to be erroneous, by the fact that the great mass of the roots extended far 

 beyond the spread of the limbs. 



The best Age for Nursery Trees. — Many striking facts were stated, showing that 

 the common eagerness for large trees to set out for orchards, was a very mistaken 

 one, two and three years from the graft or bud being as old as was profitable in 

 any case. In many cases, large and small trees had been set out side by side, and 

 in three or four years the small ones had always outstripped the others. 



Rasjyherry and Blackberry. — The following interesting facts were given by 

 different cultivators present: — 



Charles Downing Said that the variety known as the Iludson Biver Antwerp, was 

 the only sort cultivated largely for the New York market. The product was from 

 $300 to $800 per acre. Sold, at wholesale, at ten cents a basket, and three baskets 

 made a quart. 



H. E. Hooker, at ten cents a quart, found the yield here to be about $140 per 

 acre. Had taken correct account of one bed containing sixteen rods — one-tenth 

 of an acre, and containing one hundred and thirty-six hills four feet apart each 

 way. The product was two hundred quarts, which, at 12i cents per quart, would 

 be $25. Charging the cost of picking and marketing, manure and cultivation, 

 and cost of plants, use of land, &c., at fair prices, there was left a clear profit of 

 fourteen dollars and eight cents on this small piece of land. 



C. L. Iloag, of Lockport, sold over one hundred quarts, this season, at si 



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